Tag Archives: tools

Yes/No: A Way To Set Your Boundaries

| September 3, 2019

In coaching there is a tool named “Yes/No”. Its purpose is to help you set boundaries when you need to. Say you are in a situation where you are being asked to work very long hours on a project and upper management is putting a lot of burden on staff, without providing the resources needed to get the job done. The situation is draining your energy and frustrating you.

To employ the yes/no tool you would make a list of what you say yes to and what you say no to in the situation. Here are some examples:

• I say yes to maintaining a standard of quality on the project, so that it does not fail.

• I say yes to asking management for what I need to get the job done.

• I say no to draining my energy and getting out of balance because of the long hours and frustration of the project.

• I say no to taking responsibility beyond what I can reasonably do or for what is upper management’s responsibility.

Yes/No is a powerful tool that helps you to maintain the boundaries that you need to thrive and excel in your work!

 

photo: jon-tyson, unsplash.com

The Many Uses Of Laughter

| July 11, 2017

Laughter is much more than a spontaneous response to humor or pleasure. If used well, it can be a stress-reliever, a reply to the world or a way to defuse a tense situation. Do you consciously use laughter to your and others’ benefit? For example, when the world or your work introduces something absurd do you use laughter to maintain your sense of reality? Or, when you are stressed do you seek out laughter to balance your stress? It is an art, but have you ever used humor in an uncomfortable situation, so that everyone can regain perspective?

Try looking at laughter as a helpful tool. It is a powerful act that can be used in many ways.

Can you think of others ways you use or can use laughter?

 

photo: caiquefotografias, pixabay.com

Are You In Touch With Your Intuition?

| November 1, 2016

intuitionmhougepixabayYour intuition is a powerful tool in your work. There is nothing lightweight about it. It allows you to understand something quickly, without a lot of conscious reasoning. Intuition is your “gut reaction” to something and is rooted in your past experiences, insights and responses.

If you are not in touch with or do not fully trust your intuition, try to alter that. Get to where you can “hear” your intuition when you need to. Sometimes, it shows up literally as a gut reaction – a feeling in your body. Sometimes it shows up as an immediate thought in response to something happening.

Then, try listening to your intuition and see how it goes. Act on it, rather than pushing it away. Your intuition is a powerful ally in your work and career!

 

photo: mhouge, pixabay.com

What Tools Work Best For You?

| February 16, 2016

PexelstoolsTools are devices you use to carry out functions efficiently. Tools aid you in getting things done. To succeed in your work, tools are essential. They supplement and enhance your own skills and capabilities. You must keep your tools sharp and in working order for them to be useful. Often, you have to adapt them to fit your needs and style.

Tools can range from apps that keep you organized, to methods to track projects and performance, to specific approaches to interviewing and hiring, for example. There are many places where tools are defined and recommended for you. One of my favorites is www.manager-tools.com.

What tools do you employ? What tools work best for you?

 

Photo: pexels.com

What I Know

| April 2, 2015

ID-10046071One of the things I have dealt with in my life is an inner need for approval from others. This need resulted in my sometimes being not very quick on the uptake when someone was manipulating or harming me. Eventually, I became self-aware and could discern more easily when a person was acting against my interests or trying to unsettle me. Once I could see these situations, I then had to set boundaries. My need to please would again interfere and I would rationalize and create confusion for myself. What I was really doing was avoiding dealing with the situation.

I developed a tool to help me discern when boundaries were needed. I called it “What I Know”. It took off my rose-color glasses and helped me assess a person or situation in an intelligent way. When I encountered a problem, trouble or unease with a person or situation I would privately make a list of what I knew about the person or situation to date. Only facts were on the list – no excuses or rose-color perceptions. It worked terrifically for me from the start and still does. Some examples of what was on a list: the person had undercut me in a meeting; the person had tried to “bully” or intimidate me; the person had disregarded my input in a disparaging way; I had seen the person manipulate others. Once I made my list, I was able to put the pieces together, see the situation more clearly and take appropriate action.

The ability to keenly assess situations and people, particularly in your work, is essential to success. The “What I Know” tool perhaps can be of help to you too, as you navigate as a manager.

photo: digitalart, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trying Again (And Again)

| November 13, 2014

ID-100151386Persistence is a lauded value in the work world. However, there is a point of diminishing return – where your or your team’s output of time and effort is not matched by the return you receive. How do you discern when to stop “trying”? One way is to be alert for that point of diminishing return. Are you putting out a lot of time and effort without the results you want? Are you trying again and again and no one is responding? Is your persistence negatively affecting morale? It is natural to try harder, but you do not want to do so blindly. You want to be aware of signs along the way that cue you into the value of your investment of time and effort. Such signs can be: you are not getting the attention of the people you need to; the project is not progressing at a reasonable rate or you are getting increasingly negative feedback on what you are doing.

At the start of a project, create a tool that allows you and your team to continuously measure the return you are getting. Measure such things as stakeholder and internal response to your project, progress on milestones, team morale and enthusiasm for project, ratio of output to return in terms of your time and effort, relevance of project goals as the project progresses, opposition to project or roots of any obstacles you encounter.

Time is precious and you don’t want to waste it. Effort can be redirected and goals or approaches revised when you need to do so. Make your “trying again” fruitful, not pointless.

 

photo: cooldesign, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Uncovering Underlying Agendas

| July 17, 2014

The agendas people have in the work world can undo the best of your intentions. Uncovering an underlying agenda of a colleague is not an easy task. However, one thing you can do is to take off the rose-color glasses and develop your ability to “read” a situation accurately.

In my early career, I had the best of intentions and often gave people the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to get along and be a good team member. After several disappointing wake-up calls, when underlying agendas caused me harm, I worked at getting smart about agendas. I did not want to swing the pendulum to suspicion or cynicism. I wanted to balance the pendulum, by getting wiser about people and being able to spot their agendas.

I started a practice that helped me quite a bit. I first found my neutral gear in assessing people. Instead of seeing what I wanted to see in people and letting that skew my judgment, I let people show me who they were. I reserved judgment until they did. I also, when I encountered a problem with someone, would write a “What I Know” list about him or her. That list had only facts regarding a person’s actions, not opinions or suppositions. I was surprised how much this helped and how much, in actuality, people would reveal their agendas. By taking off my rose color glasses, I was much more able to see a situation clearly and determine my next steps.

photo; holohololand, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What Will You Use To Successfully Navigate 2014?

| December 30, 2013

In 2014, you determine the course you will take. What tools, talents and strategies will you use to successfully navigate 2014? Here are some questions to get you started.

What do you wish for?

Will you create and follow a plan?

Will you navigate intuitively?

Will you collaborate with others? Whom?

What are your strongest tools for 2014?

Will you sharpen any skills?

Will you let others know where you intend to go?

What do you see now as your biggest challenges?

What will you bring along from 2013?

What do you have to overcome or let go of from 2013?

photo: Michal Marco, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Crunching

| October 22, 2013

I find myself “crunching” quite a bit lately. By crunching I mean doing a lot, at a pretty fast pace. It would be nice to work at an even pace, but that is not reality. To keep my center and balance, I have started to look at crunching as a temporary state through which I have to stay mindful and be aware.

In a “crunch time” I usually put aside anything that does not have to be done right away, in order to create a clear space for what has to be done. I then prepare myself by organizing how I will proceed and setting a timeframe for what I have to do. I also have identified what I call my “911” signs that I am losing center or nearing overload – things like making mistakes, being short or irritated with others or feeling frustrated that I won’t get it all done. I also pace myself, either for a long distance race or a short sprint.

Crunching, once recognized, can be an effective tool for getting things done. Do you crunch? What allows you to keep it together when you are crunching?

photo:  by Iqoncept Dreamstime Photos 

Tools For Navigating Management

| March 22, 2013

A ship’s Captain would not think of sailing without navigational instruments. What about you? How do you successfully navigate managing of your team? Here are some tools that can aid your navigation:

• Identifying your top values as a manager and honoring them

• Having an ally, outside your organization, who can be a sounding board and provide support when you need it

• Doing an informal 360 review each year to receive feedback on your role as manager

• Identifying the key influencers in your organization and staying aware of what they are thinking and doing

• Designing a process for handling crises when they arise

 

Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net