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Category: Management
Being relaxed, focused, and present
I am going to describe a very special person: When you call or meet with this person, he or she is relaxed and totally present, even if they are surrounded by chaos. For most of us in this situation, the stress would show on our face or be heard in our voice. How can we acquire this greater sense of equanimity?
Many years ago I heard a quote that helped me greatly in this area. “Success is not so much knowing what to do, rather it is knowing what to do next.” Here are some best practices I have found in common with people who are calm, focused, and present:
- They know where they are going and our committed to do what it takes to get there.
- They know their Key Result Areas and manage them well to stay in balance.
- They plan and prepare relentlessly. Instead of going with a simple “to do” list, their objectives for the day are directly designed to advance towards their goals, and they have their tasks and activities in proper sequence and priority.
- And now for their secret: When they plan their week or day, they look at their discretionary time and plan using only 70% of it What is the other 30% for? The unexpected. There are always going to be problems and crises that occur unexpectedly. Planning with the 70% formula enables us to allow the priorities that weren’t planned for. You can be sure that if you plan 100% of your time, you will soon become overwhelmed and demoralized. Leaving 30% open provides a natural buffer zone that enables us to feel calm and focused.
Proper training prevents panic
This morning I was talking with a client who had just navigated herself through a crisis. She was hosting a big event and just before the event was to take place, she discovered that one of the three team members was missing a certification, and the event could not proceed until this problem had been solved. Sara responded quickly, and was able to find someone with the proper certification to lead the event. She didn’t panic…she acted.
Shortly after I began my career, I heard an axiom that I have never forgotten: “If we are suddenly in a crisis situation, we will respond in the manner in which we have been trained.” If we haven’t had training, we will panic.
One of my favorite examples of how strong training can pay off happened on July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had just landed on the moon. It was a thrilling moment in US history. Later on, we learned that the astronauts had a mechanical problem after landing. They discovered a broken circuit breaker switch on the Lunar Module. The switch was needed to send power to the ascent engine. If they failed to fix it, they would have remained on the moon!
Keeping a cool head, Armstrong and Aldrin used a small, felt-tipped pen to fix the broken switch. It worked! They returned safely to the Command Module.
Think of your own business or organization. Do you need to host a CPR class or a fire drill? Are you prepared to have your wits about you in a panic situation? If there is something we need to do to be more prepared, we need to take action!
Triumph by building on your strengths
In the spring of 1998, I was “drafted” into the job of coaching a little league team of 9 and 10-year olds. This would be my son’s second year with his team, and if I didn’t agree to be the coach, he would end up on another team. OK…I’m in!
I began my job right away. I met all the kids and parents. I said, “Some of you want to win, while others would be satisfied to see their son have a fun, worthwhile experience. We are going to do both – win and have fun!”
My first step was to evaluate strengths. I wanted to see the capabilities in the areas of fielding, running, throwing, base-running, and hitting. I also paid attention to those who had the most winning attitude. They were who I built the team around. Then I developed my strategy. It was simple…no walks! Throwing and fielding were the most prominent strengths I observed. That meant we would make outs quickly, and no runs would be scored as a result of walks. My defensive strategy worked. We ended the season in 2nd place with a 15-3 winning record. The three teams that beat us did so only by a run. They were good hitters, and their coach encouraged them to swing the bat and never draw a walk. They were winning on their strengths.
Here was what I learned from this experience. The quickest way to grow is to know your strengths, leverage them, and build on them. When we succeed, we will work on the areas we need to get better. Remember, if the only way we grow is learning from our mistakes, then the best driver on the road would be the one with the most mishaps. I don’t think we would want to drive with that person!
Top teams manage time well
You already know this, but let me remind you anyway: A winning team considers their time to be gold, and they treat it as such.
Recently I was working with a company that is in BtoB manufacturing. This company was profitable yet they believed they could be more so. The company did an assessment and discovered that much of their time was wasted by bottlenecks and distractions. When it all added up, it was apparent that there was much room for increased efficiency. The next thing they did was hire a skilled QC expert. We’ll call him Ken.
Ken got to work quickly. He set up a giant display board that showed each project and where things stood in the process. This visible factor alone helped tighten everyone’s focus. Then some things started to happen: Ken was “3 places at once” talking to each person in production to make sure they had what they needed to do their part. Whatever they needed, Ken made sure it was quickly provided. Before it was common for operators to go get something and spend 15 minutes along the way to talk to fellow workers. This was a big time saver.
Ken continued to examine every step of the process and was able to expand on the improved efficiency. In a short time, the difference in efficiency showed up, and the benefits went right to the bottom line. The company became more profitable.
If you and your team are committed to excellence, you must manage time well. Treat every project or order as if it were a “hot potato”. Keep it moving. You will build a sense of urgency into your working environment. It’s a great feeling!
How do you replace a legend?
“How would I fill his shoes? I can’t. I need to find my own shoes” –Jim Daly: President: Focus on the Family
The above quote from Jim Daly was said in 2005 when a reporter asked him how he was going to fill the shoes of the world-renowned organization founder, James Dobson. To use a cliche, James Dobson was a “tough act to follow”.
In 1978, Lee Iacocca took over the helm of the nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corporation. No one I knew truly believed that Mr. Iacocca could revive a company in such serious trouble. Mr. Iacocca went to Congress and convinced the government to give him $1.5 billion in loan guarantees. He got to work and brought Chrysler back to profitability. The loans were paid off early. Iacocca, the father of the beloved Mustang, had seemingly performed a miracle. He retired in 1992.
Bob Eaton was hired to replace Iacocca. Bob had his own style, and it was quite different from his predecessor. Raised in Kansas, Bob had a low-key temperament and quiet demeanor. He knew what he was doing, and he developed a workforce that led Chrysler to be one of the most cash-rich corporations in the country in 1996. Bob knew his own style and strengths, and he put them into play. Here are some things he did to strengthen the company:
- Transformed the culture from “combative to participative”.
- Had a clear vision.
- He was flexible, forceful, a good listener, and eager to learn.
- He engaged the labor force of the company to become more than the sum of the parts.
- He introduced new models with cost-cutting discipline.
- Led Chrysler to be the lowest-cost auto producer.
- Developed effective cross-functional teams to design cars quickly and cheaply.
- He saw opportunities that had not been seen before
- He fostered teamwork, set goals, and rewarded achievers.
- Briefed everyone after Board meetings
- Would not agree to acquisitions.
I think we can safely say that Bob “found his own shoes” and left the company better off than when he started. Bob knew his strengths and the unique qualities he brought to the table, and he used them. We can too!