What will they remember you for?

The entire social media and the electronic press are awash with anecdotes associated with the life of late President of India Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam. I would add that President Kalam has left a very rich legacy behind something unheard of in the contemporary times.

There is one clip, which is being circulated on the social media, it is a print screen of a Google search screen showing the name of the late President and listed below are choices such as: quotes, books, speech, biographies. I found the illustration interesting and decided to check it out; on closer inspection discovered it to be a photo shop trick. However, the thought that if someone does an online search of our name and the words and adjectives that will come up lingered in my mind endlessly.

Or consider a safer scenario when those who have associated with us are asked this question “what do you remember him for?” What will they say? What if this question is asked during our living years and we somehow know what was said-what will be our reaction?

In our program “Building a culture of high Performance” participants are asked to think of a manager or a leader who they worked with directly and today they attribute much of their success to this person.  The follow up to the question is what were some of his qualities that you most admired in that person? Off course we don't forward the answers to any one...but the exercise is thought provoking and a prelude to discussion on leadership.

We have been recording the answers for sometime now and have found that the answers participants offer are consistent across industries and roles. Some of the words that appear in our diary are: ethical, empathetic, encouraging, fair, empowering, showed big picture, result oriented, resourceful, trustworthy, took time to know his people, visionary, subject matter expert etc.

The list appears to be long and at a first glance it may seem that there are too many behaviors for any leader to master, the fact is that it is not the case. In an article titled “Decoding leadership that matters” printed in McKinsey Quarterly dated June 15, 2015 the authors explain that there are four behaviors which can explain 89% of leadership effectiveness. They are: 1) Being supportive; 2) Result orientation; 3) Seek different perspective; and 4) Solve problems effectively.

If any one wants to begin his or her leadership journey the four behaviors provide an excellent starting point. One important point to remember before you begin is to reflect and get feedback on how you currently score on these parameters. The viewpoint of those who are led by you is very important in your road to progress. As per the rules of the social media it is important what you think about yourself but more important what others think of you.

How do you relate to this blog I am interested to know your views?

Earlier I may have cut him short …

On a wall of a hospital I saw a very telling quote, “if you think you are rich count all the things that you have which money can’t buy.” 

If we were to use the same question in another setting- a manager doing a introspection of all the behaviors which team mates exhibit and categorize them as those which are on account of the position (which manager holds) and which ones are a reflection of how he leads. It may be a good starting point for some soul searching. By the way this question can be used in many different settings- with children, spouse or any relationship that is important to you.

Going back to the work setting part of the behavior of a team mate is a manifestation of his or her personality and the other part is reflection of the environment. The environment at work place is complex and made up of many elements; the one which has maximum bearing on the behavior of the team mates is the influence of the immediate manager.

Recently I concluded an assignment for a company and while I was documenting the business impact I came across this quote from one of the participant.

“A junior colleague was trying to explain a concept which was already familiar to me. Earlier, I might have cut him short, this time I allowed the explanation to continue to try and see their point of view of understanding… By listening more, I have seen the team members approaching me more freely with ideas, and I have seen that it has also increased the motivation levels of the team thereby resulting in better quality results.”

Lessons from this case are simple as the manager improved his listening skills (part of sensitivity towards others) something dramatic happened to the motivation and quality of work of the employees in his team.

Many behaviors which the organizations need from the employees to stay competitive cannot be demanded they are all an outcome how managers lead. Examples of some of these behaviors are commitment, confidence, optimism, compassion, composure, critical thinking. None of these can become part of a job description yet each one is critical for building high performance teams. Further no matter how tough the business environment is a manager who believes and practices the soft skills will be able to produce superior results while using least amount of resources. It is a win- win situation for the manager, employee and the organization.

The question is why managers don’t pay much attention to such important skills? The answer is- not many managers have created the list of behaviors which cannot be demanded but have to be earned. Once they see how short their personal list they will realize that they have to do something about it. “When the student is ready the teacher will arrive” as the Buddhist saying goes.

What do you think I care for your comments.

 

“Asking” versus “Telling”

Why "Ask"

Your boss is a full service 24/7 encyclopedia there is no question that he cannot answer and will not answer. Is it a good problem or a bad one? Actually it is bad problem to be facing as it means that there is only person who is shining in the organization and if he leaves or dies the operation will come to a standstill. Even while he is alive this organization is not growing as the boss is firefighting, doing others’ job and has no time to take the organization forward.

In a participant survey conducted 3 months after initial training on “Performance Coaching” one of the participants wrote “Initially it may help by showing ‘how to’ but it is far more productive if you use the approach ‘how would you.’ There could be not a better endorsement to the concept of “ask.”

Consider another scenario at a CA firm when managers started practicing “ask” approach with employees they found that the employees started genuinely researching business issues versus simply copying the results from Google search.

To “tell” is easy, the instructor feels good as it shows that he is intelligent, competent and knowledgeable. The listener too plays along as he does not have to take ownership. If the solution works there is no issue; if not the standard fall back is I did exactly as I was told -I take no ownership of the consequences.

Cynics might highlight what about when there is a medical emergency, people need to be rescued from raging fire; or on the borders where fighting has broken out. In everyday business these situations are few and far between and even in such exigencies it will be sensible to sit down and use the “ask” concept post event.

Asking is not that easy

First and foremost when you “ask” others for possible answers you believe that others have potential to come up with an answer. And you realize that the answer may not be perfect but once executed it will give much better results because the gap in the answer will be made up by excellent execution. There is an old adage that people support what they help create. All of this when looked through the prism of people development justifies the approach.

 The Magic formula of 1-3-1

 A successful leader had an interesting approach when it came to using the “asking” concept. This is what the formula stood for: when you go to the boss with a problem make sure that you have three possible solutions and one approach which you feel most strongly about already determined. I guess this boss did not have much problem in delegating, helping his people think critically, succession planning or in delivering on time.

 

“Asking” forces people to think, and more often than not when it is accompanied by some good questioning it helps in generating new ideas and new neural connections. Repeated use of this approach helps in developing talent. By the way it works with children at home too-try it out it is one of those safe and healthy activities.

Be Aware You Are Being Programmed

Locally and internationally the newspapers and the electronic media is abuzz with how governments have been eves dropping on our communication. Before we get startled on the actions of the big brother there is something far more intrusive than the current controversy and it roots can be found in the history of mankind. It is the “indirect influence” that one  person has on the behavior of another person. Psychologists call it the “induction process.” Let me illustrate what it looks in real life with an example.

Several years ago as a front a front-line trainer I delivered induction programs for those who had recently joined the company. To my utter surprise I could tell with reasonable accuracy which manager a participant worked with by simply observing him or her. My observation was based on some simple facts gathered from the way their managers acted when it came to attending learning sessions-If the manager was one who came early to the session they did the same; if the manager was a back bencher they sat at the back of the class; if the manager participated in discussion, dressed sharply and was well prepared they all did the same. A few years later when some of them got promoted many of their actions resembled closely with what they had observed in their manager.

It is very clear that we are greatly influenced by the expectations of our role model even though the role model may not have directly asked us to do so.

How does  "induction" work?

Here is one example of how the induction works in early child hood.

Answer some of these questions and the concept will become clear.

•  Growing up who was the most important person in your life?
•  What kind of a person he expected you to be?
•  Who you could not be for him or her?
• What were the consequences for acting that way (in the manner that he or she liked)?

The way you describe yourself today, your personality, can be explained by the way you answered the above questions.

The application at workplace

At the workplace the indirect influence works in the same manner as it does in personal life. If you have a boss who cooperates with his peers-his team members do the same; if he is polite and acknowledges people-his team members do the same; if he is always complaining- his team members follow his example. 

  

Leaders can leverage the concept of indirect influence in shaping behavior of the people around them. Along with financial incentives that companies offer the indirect influence is a powerful tool in the hands of leaders and managers.

The field of Human Psychology has identified several types of influences for example: denial, displacement, refusal, rationalization, repression, regression etc.

In summary watch out- you are continuously programming others and others are programming you.  If you are accepting programming act like a gold digger and pick only the best; if you programming others remember you are creating a legacy-act responsibly.

Public Apathy and Low Engagement in Businessworld: Lessons for All

The news of the accident in the tunnel in Jaipur, in which two lives were lost and the survivors unsuccessfully begged for help was neither shocking or surprising it was a simply an amplification of how numb our national conscious has become. The only discussion point is how we explain this to our children and the rest of the world.

In a recently published article in the Gallup Business Journal titled “Is India Having a Crisis of Soul” writers Deepak Chopra and Gallup CEO Jim Clifton have tried to provide some insights on why we as a nation have become so numb (http://goo.gl/lY74O).

According to Gallup World Poll, currently in its eight year, finds more Indians- than ever before-are suffering -31%-while fewer than 10% are thriving. These numbers are amongst the lowest in the world. The article further points out that any society which reaches such a low number is in trouble. When the suffering quotient reaching a tipping point street riots take place- examples of which we have seen lately.

Could the economic deprivation be the only explanation of this societal malaise?  No! There are multiple indicators which go into the calculation. A quote from the same article states “A nation’s soul is the sum total of all the interactions between all people in the society.   Every tiny decision that accumulates can profoundly change the day and even the rest of a person’s life.”

 

So what kind of interactions are we having as citizens with each other-are they positive, negative or neutral? Some may argue differently but I would say that overwhelmingly the experiences are negative. If TV and films were a mirror on the society and a mirror does not lie-the answer is glaring at us.

Lessons for the business world

It is often said that how employees treat each other has a bearing on how they will treat their customers. In this hyper competitive world here is one more reason why attention to the quality of interactions is important.

What can managers do?

Leaders and managers have an important responsibility to ensure that the quality of the experience and interactions in the workplace have positive value. Positive does not mean absence of difficult conversations; positive means that the larger context is never lost.

Soft skills have hard value
If an individual contributor is rewarded for his personal achievement, a manager is rewarded for the performance of his people. Daily employee-manager interactions have a lasting impact.

Some examples of these interactions are: feedback, opportunity to reflect, goal setting, encouragement for risk taking, relationship building, reprimand for mistakes, mutual respect, reward for outstanding work, performance comparison etc., will have a direct bearing on the level of engagement of the employees.

The questions that the senior leadership should ask are:

 

§      Are managers aware of the impact they have on people around them
§      Are they trained to have quality conversations with their team members
§      How often and where do such conversations happen-is it daily, weekly, monthly or only   
       when need arises?

If leaders are unsure of the answers to the above questions, results of an engagement survey may be a good place to start. If engagement surveys are not done find out what does your customer satisfaction survey says, how many innovative ideas are generated from your employees? In case you have not dived to such depths the two questions to ask are: Are you happy with your top and bottom line. That should be a good starting point.

The same Gallup Poll article states that only 9% of Indian employees are engaged and 33% are disengaged-meaning this group actively brings down those who are engaged.

After reading the above one can conclusively say that if one has to improve innovation, retention, collaboration, productivity and performance one of the way to do is by improving the quality of everyday interactions at workplace.

What is in a Thanks!

A few years ago a global insurer in its annual employee survey received an interesting feedback. Employees pointed out that senior management does not say “thank you” enough or put it another way acknowledge the efforts of the employees. At least the senior management quickly got the cue and made it a point from then on to recognize employee’s efforts right in the opening lines of all communication. Unfortunately the intention of the senior management did not percolate through the different layers of the organization.

With annual reviews round the corner it is a good time to reflect on the virtue of acknowledging others. May be, if managers make it a regular habit to acknowledge others there would be less turn over, higher engagement and increases will be based on performance and not as an inducement to stay with the organization.

Interestingly not all acknowledgements are same. Some are dry and impersonal like-thanks; and then are some which are empowering and encourage the person to repeat the effort over and over again without any external motivation.

Most people in their day to day personal or professional lives do not give much thought on “thanking” people. On the contrary those who make it a habit to acknowledge others enjoy enormous benefits from this simple quality.

Mark Goulston in his article “How to Give a Meaningful Thank You,” (http://goo.gl/CDxVE) argues that people are wrong to think that money, benefits or just having a job is good enough for employees.

According to Mark people who really make a difference in our lives (at home and at work) do not receive enough acknowledgements from us.  In the above article and in his book “Just Listen” he suggests using a “Power Thank You” instead of a regular “thanks.” A “Power Thank You” has three essential elements:

1.       It highlights specifically what the person did that was above the call of duty

      2.       It acknowledges the person for the effort (or personal sacrifice) that they made in
              completing the task
     3.       It clearly states what the task personally meant to you

Similarly Sandy V Abell in her article Compliment, Endorse or Acknowledge? (http://goo.gl/Ci22f) eloquently distinguishes between the three. According to her-

1.       A Complement is a positive statement about a behaviour or thing. But it is emotionally detached.

      2.       An endorsement is focused on a person’s ability or skills, and says something about them
      3.       An acknowledgment is even more personal and is the best of all, because it’s a positive
              comment that focuses on who the person is.

It goes without saying that whatever method you chose you have to be genuine in its use. And don’t worry whether it will work or not as there is enough research that it does. If you do it enough you may have just started a culture in your organization-that is what leadership is all about.

Sustaining learning

The debate on the ROI on L&D programs never leaves the mind space and at this time of the year it is a hot topic. The jury is still out when it comes to ROI on learning initiatives. Some would say it is like the chicken and the egg problem the experts are still researching; as far as I am concerned the ROI on training initiatives is very low and would continue to remain low unless we understand the fundamentals.

For any change to materialize for a learner (development included) the following five steps are necessary: 1) Awareness that development will make a difference 2) Motivation (willingness to change); 3) Skills required for the new behaviour; 4) Real world practice 5) Accountability (is anyone paying attention; does it matter).

 Assuming that the learning objectives were clearly articulated, the right participants were in the class room and the training methodology was appropriate it is the responsibility of step 4 and 5 where there is lack of clarity. Who is ultimately responsible for the final two steps?

Usually the battle of minds between L&D and line management continues unabated and in the meantime the timeliness of the next steps gets lost. It is clear from the five steps articulated above that participants need to be able to find opportunities to practice what they have learnt and they need coaching and encouragement from the managers as they try and learn the new skills and behaviours.

 There are several weak links in the chain: first is the mindset that learning is totally the responsibility of the L&D department, second immediate managers are not involved in the identifying the learning needs-and hence they do not take ownership, third most managers are not aware how adults learn and finally managers are not trained in how to use coaching to help their teammates learn new skills.

Regrettably most participants do not take their learning forward on their own in spite of the fact that they return to the work environment quite excited. The reason is that when they try out what they have learnt in the class room the very first time the outcome is at best discouraging. Very few people have the natural inclination to feel motivated after they have just failed.  It is universally known that the first attempt is a giant step but in the minds of the participant it is not congruent to the self image he carries about himself as a result the confidence level sinks even though the competency level has improved. Who is in the best position to communicate that feeling?

What is the solution?

There is a three step solution for improving ROI of L&D programs: 1) Involvement of the immediate manager in identifying the goals for the learning event. The immediate manager’s version is as important as that of HR and the top management. 2) Equipping immediate managers in “Development Coaching” skill. 3) The L&D team and the immediate manager acknowledge that a joint effort is required to change behaviour- no one person can do it alone. Even better failure and success is made a joint responsibility.

Finally there are multiple benefits when managers learn the art and science of development coaching.  Career advancement is just one of them!

Embracing change

Change precedes Progress; but let us be honest no one likes change as change forces us to move out of our comfort zone and step into unfamiliar territory. Our natural instincts are to be “comfortable,” resist change and embrace status-quo. As human beings we are averse to change because our emotional brain prefers “sameness.” By resisting being uncomfortable and avoiding change we forgo opportunities to expand mentally, physically and spiritually. So how can one work through this dilemma?

How to break through the resistance

Richard Beckhard and David Gleicher have given a helpful formula on how to overcome resistance to change. The formula is represented in the form of an equation:

D X V X F > RC

D stands for dissatisfaction; V stands for vision; and F stands for first step. The product of the three variables should be greater than (RC) resistance to change. Since it is a mathematical formula all three variables should have a positive value or else the relationship of the equation will not hold good. Secondly for change to take traction it is important that the individual numbers be high, if not there will not be sufficient momentum to overcome resistance.

The formula has application both at the organizational and personal level: for it to work, first there must be dissatisfaction with the current state, second a compelling and inspiring vision for the future is required, and finally a willingness and commitment to take first step to break resistance is essential. The momentum created by these forces should be high enough to overcome the resistance to change. If not the natural desire to maintain the status-quo will overpower any attempts to making a change.

The above formula will apply in any number of situations for example, an organisation looking to change strategy, wanting to drop a product line or re locate a factory. Similarly at an individual level some examples could be trying to lose weight, starting an exercise program or inculcating a new habit.

Criticality of change

It should not be forgotten that change is not an option, it is essential for our survival. There are enough examples to prove that a contrarian approach can be fatal. Companies who resisted change lost market share and even went out of business. Professional sportsmen and women who have long and successful careers continuously evolve themselves to stay ahead of the competitors.

 Positive change must for growth

Change is not only required for survival it is essential for fulfilment of an important human need. According to Tony Robbins there are six human needs: certainty, variety, connection & love, significance, growth and contribution. The first four needs are vital for human survival and the last two are important for leading a fulfilling and enriching life.

If change precedes progress and progress brings happiness then by the same logic change should be welcome because the opposite is the prescription for extinction.

As a final note the question to ask is- are you growing professionally and personally? If the answer is no it is time to introspect and evaluate if you are embracing change or resisting it.

 

Giving the way others want to receive

Camille Preston, Phd, PCC in her paper Leading Virtual Teams compares the Golden Rule and Platinum Rule. Everyone knows the Golden Rule-“Do unto others as you would want done unto you.” According to her the Platinum Rule says-“Do unto others as they would want done unto them.”

Recently, I conducted a training program for frontline managers where we followed the Platinum Rule. At the end of the program, everyone including, training sponsors, facility coordinators as well as participants were surprised how well the program was received. Typically trainers either entice or come down with a heavy hand when it comes to issues of phones ringing in the class, participants coming late in the morning or after breaks, participants not engaging etc. We did not have to try any of the above tricks we just followed the Platinum Rule. The results were especially remarkable because the demography of the group was stacked against us: average age of participant 40+; average work experience 20+ years.

We just followed the Platinum Rule: My training partner and I made sure that we frequently ask the participants to give us feedback on the way we were conducting the session. The questions were focussed around matters like the pace at which we were facilitating- was it too slow or too fast; were our examples relevant etc? In one session the participants told us that when one person is facilitating the other should not add as they get distracted. In one of the sessions I had made a tongue cheek comment which happened to be a hot spot for the group, next morning I made reference to the incident, the group had no objection, but I confessed that it was an inappropriate example and promised that I would refrain from using the example again. 

There are some more details on how we conducted the session but it is suffice to say that we did not use rules to conduct the program-we simply outlined our responsibilities and asked them to outline theirs. The results were for everyone to see. In summary we lived up to the promise that we had made and the participants did the same voluntarily.

If everyone, a parent, peer or a supervisor used the Platinum Rule our ability to influence people would multiply many-fold. Let us face it the era of command and control is long gone. If you want to build productive and engagement in your team you have to follow the Platinum Rule.

Let us see some APPLICATIONS of the Platinum Rule

Well based on the Golden Rule if I was a non vegetarian, I could take my guest who is a vegetarian to a non- vegetarian restaurant and it would be okay. The guest could always order vegetarian food. According to the Platinum Rule- my first choice should be to go to vegetarian restaurant or I should ensure that the guest is comfortable eating in a non vegetarian environment. The whole point is that if you want to invite someone for dinner better take him to a place of his choice instead of yours.

An example from the work-place would be if a supervisor wants to share feedback with an employee the most effective way would be to give it in a way that would suit and benefit the employee and not the other way around. If managers ask employees with genuine interest how well they are supporting their efforts employee-engagement can improve very quickly.

Last but not the least; if you want to shower love on someone give it in a way they want to receive it; it will mean so much more. Successful parents, writers and businesses follow the Platinum Rule every day and not so successful ones follow the Golden Rule. It is no doubt that times have changed-and so should we!

Raising an Olympian

The Tip of the Iceberg

 

The London Olympic Games was more than a  competition; what was at display was the outer limit of human potential. More than 10,000 athletes representing 204 National Olympic Committees fought hard for the nine hundred and sixty two medals. It was an awesome treat to watch the competition.

However, what was seen by audience and spectators across the world was just the tip of the iceberg; the performance of the athletes did not give us any idea of the sweat, blood and tears which goes into making of an Olympian.  At times the international press highlighted the life stories of the star athletes but those short stories can never capture the challenges which these athletes overcome. It is for this reason and according to the Olympic spirit everyone who participates is considered a winner.

There Are Some Common Traits

Irrespective of the medal status or the country that the athlete come from, every Olympian starts with a dream and purpose and has to cross the four phases of learning: unconscious incompetence, conscious competence, conscious competence and finally unconscious competence-mastery.  There are personal sacrifices involved not just from the aspiring Olympians but also from those around them, some parents came close to bankruptcy others put their life on hold to allow their children follow theirs.

The journey to mastery is full of pot holes, doubts and mini mile-stones. The clarity in the mind gives strength to the individual to stay the course. Before the Olympian develops self confidence the belief is mostly external.

What Can We Learn From the Life of Olympic Athletes?

Actually a lot! First, the summit to mastery precedes several bends. Second, accepting that we don’t have a particular skill (unconsciously incompetent) requires courage, self awareness and confidence. Next, as we begin the journey we see first-hand how hard it is to get it right;-we commit mistake after mistake (conscious competence); and finally we arrive at the destination (unconscious competence). Last but not the least, upon reaching the summit one realizes that there is no room to relax- others are fast making their way!

By the way the time frame from each passage cannot be preset and nor it is guaranteed. Injury or a single voluntary or involuntary mistake can derail the best plan. It is for this reason that only 10,000 athletes represented a population of 7 billion.

Four Lessons for the Business World

We live in a world which is undergoing unprecedented changes. The job that the employee was hired for,  is not the same job that he is doing today. It means new skills have to be learnt in order to be relevant. As the employees learn new skills and behaviours they too have to undergo the four stages of learning. The role of the immediate manager is critical in the process. Mentioned below are the four lessons from the life of an Olympic athlete for the business world:

 

1.       The learning cycle applies to every new skill being learnt; an experienced manager can accelerate the process but one cannot avoid the four stages.

2.       A learner requires greatest amount of support when he moves from unconscious incompetence stage to the conscious competence one-this is the stage when mistakes occur; competence is on the rise but the confidence is usually wayward. This is because on his own the learner is not aware that he is actually moving forward. For this reason, at this point external support is critical.

3.       The manager should be willing to observe and demonstrate correct technique in case required. Access to balanced feedback is required during the different stages of learning.

4.       Just like the Olympics every inch forward should be celebrated. Improvement in one area generates a ripple effect on other parts of life.

Arie de Geus said, "learning is the only true competitive advantage. Learn faster than your competitors or fall behind.” This axiom applies to one and all.

Engage and not Avoid

“I wish there was someone to guide me, about how to deal with this...”

These words were spoken by Sachin R. Tendulkar the great Indian cricketing legend to the reporters in Bangladesh this year after achieving his 100th 100. It is hard to believe that Sachin wanted someone to guide him during the period when he came so close but was so far in reaching the 100 century milestone. Young cricketers and captains for years have lauded Sachin’s influence in grooming players so how come Sachin needed to be guided?

Even odd is the fact that people like Sachin are surrounded by the best in the business. Post the event one can assume that none were able to meet his needs; or may be none asked what was he going through-everyone assumed that people like Sachin are capable to sort out their own challenges.

Strange but true...

Similar incidents occur at work place throughout the world. The fact is that no matter how experienced or accomplished an individual is he or she has a need/desire to be guided. As a matter of fact the more accomplished an individual is the greater is the need for guidance.High-performers are constantly striving for the next level. In the journey of never ending improvement they stumble and fall like ordinary people-reason being they try harder than the ordinary and the average.

Naively managers are unable to gauge the needs of the high-performers and in the absence of that understanding they tend to leave the high-performers alone. As soon as this happens it is the beginning of the end of the relationship.

The best way to understand the needs of a high-performer is by asking his definition of success and how he would rank his results on that scale. These individuals have high levels of self-awareness and know quite well their strengths, weaknesses and potential.

Development coaching is a good way for having this conversation. It is always done in a one-to-one format. Keep in mind that people only open up when they have a trusting relationship with the other person. It is imperative to spend time to build that relationship.

Several things can be discussed during such meetings for example: thanking the individual for his contribution to the team; asking them to rate their performance; how they plan to meet their own standards; career aspiration; need to mentor and coach others; how you can help them or just be a sounding board etc.

Periodic sessions which cover the above points contribute to building self-image and esteem of the individual and simultaneously are a catalyst in having a mutually rewarding relationship.

If high performers are left alone their performance deteriorates over a period of time and in the process they end up having counter-productive influence on the team. So don’t avoid but engage as the room for improvement is the biggest room in the world...it is more empty than full.

Learning how to sell...For those whose business card DOESN’T say so!

I asked a group of high performing accountants seated in a room if they were in sales. There was a dead silence in the room and then one of them said very firmly and politely that they are charted accountants and not a sales team. I specially noticed the intent in the statement which was manifested in the tone of the gentlemen.

I think it will be only fair that I first define what selling is. According to Brian Tracy Selling is a skill to persuade and influence someone to behave in a manner in which they would not have on their own.

If you agree with this definition than all of us either sometime during the day or throughout the day are selling. It could be in office, it could be at home as  you  try to convince your child why it is time to study instead of watching television or when you  try to convince a customer service representative that why she should give you an additional  discount.

Sadly, barring those who sell products or services, so few people make a conscious attempt to learn the art and craft of selling. 

Why should I learn to sell?

If you do not know how to sell your ideas you will have to fall back on demanding or on leveraging the power in the relationship. Both styles create unnecessary friction.

The first axiom is that persuading people to behave in a manner which is different to what they are used to is equivalent to asking them to change. Change as we know is very difficult and requires that we build new neural pathway in our mind.

Mentioned below are some back of the envelop ideas which any can use to sell their ideas in any situation:

• Striking a relationship
• People buy ideas from those who they like, know and trust. Trust comes from being honest, delivering on your promises small and big; being knowledgeable; respecting the  other person, example would be being a good listener; and being able to communicate in a wave length which is easy to understand

• Explaining what is in it for them; the proverbial WIIFM
• People are keen to know how the change ties with their personal goals. Make sure the outcome is stated in positive as the mind cannot picture the negative.

• Supporting them as they try
• A child learns to walk by stumbling and this principle does not change as we learn new things as adults. If a child was scolded every time it fell I don’t think any child would ever learn to walk

• Encouraging them when they make mistake
• Coach when the performance is up; offer support when the performance is down. 

• Celebrating when they reach the summit; so they take up even bigger goals next time
• I always believed that everyone from 2-90 years of age values recognition. The more you recognize the positive behaviour the more of same behaviour you will get from the recipient.

Last but not the least; be firm in your conviction but flexible in your approach change is difficult and not everyone changes at the same pace.

“People become what you expect of them; and what you expect of others is linked to personal beliefs you hold for self.”

(Second of the two part article)

In the first part of this article we had discussed the influence “positive expectations” has on performance of an associate. The theme of this article is: what are the ingredients for developing the attitude of “positive expectations” in managers?

Managers who have “positive expectations” of subordinates are the ones who have great self confidence in their ability to select, train, and develop talent in others. What the managers believe about themselves subtly influences what they expect from the associates (Pygmalion in Management, J Sterling Livingston).

The “Sweeney Miracle”

James Sweeney, Professor of Management and Psychiatry was in-charge of the Bio-medical computer centre at the Tulane University, US. Professor Sweeney believed that he could teach a poorly educated person how to be a computer operator. To prove his conviction, Sweeney selected George Johnson, a former hospital porter and who was now working as a janitor at the computer centre as his understudy.  IQ test taken by George Johnson had indicated that he can’t even type let alone become a computer operator.

George completed his janitorial duties in the morning and in the afternoon learnt how to operate and program computers. Finally George not only successfully learnt how to operate computers but also became in charge of the main computer room and was responsible for training new employees to program & operate the computers.

Professor Sweeney’s expectations were based on his own ability and not on the learning credentials of George Johnson (Pygmalion in Management, J Sterling Livingston). Over the years several such experiments have been conducted at workplace to validate the theory. If you look at the top performers in an organization you would find a disproportionate number belong to teams where there is demonstrable leadership. It is not a coincidence that high performance of associates and leadership of managers go hand in hand.

Application

Managers don’t gain self confidence about their abilities just by having the title. They have to have the knowledge and competencies about the task they are supervising.  In the early years, managers’ expectations have the most significant influence on the associate’s performance. As an individual matures in his role his self image hardens and he begins to see himself as his career record shows. In the field of sales, it is a popular belief that the sales performance of an individual in the first six months becomes a water mark for rest of the career; give or take 10%.

Similarly teachers have a significant influence on the performance of the students in the formative years.

These findings should give managers a food for thought in terms of responsibility they carry on their shoulders. Approximately 70% of the Indian population is under the age of 35. Companies can provide the new employees with the right environment as future business leaders will emerge from this class. The managers who handle the new employees should know how to develop new talent in addition to having a successful personal track record. Further, one of the yard sticks in their performance evaluation of managers should be success in developing new people.  The big advantage managers have is that during the early years people are most open to new learning thus making strong self image a bit easier.