Type 1. You can take a class where you learn technique, facts and procedures.
Type 2. You can take a class where you learn to see, learn to lead and learn to solve interesting problems.
He goes on to say that the first type of teaching isn’t particularly difficult to do – it’s important but not scarce. But the second kind, is where all real success comes from. His advice: anytime you can find some of it, you should grab it.

This got me thinking – what do you need us to do to help you identify issues and increase results?

Many people come to us thinking we can give them the technique, the format, the magic words that will change their situation for the better.

We aren’t even trying to to that! Getting better results is not about you learning new techniques. It’s about a better way of seeing, a bigger way of being, and an infinitely different way of thinking.

We don’t do “training”. That can be done be anyone, well almost anyone. And we have all been in a session like that! But weren’t we sure disappointed when we got back to the “real world” and found the tricks and tips that sounded so keen in the classroom actually were not effective in the workplace? What happened to that magic pixie dust? It turned out to be useless.

You can tell the people that have gone to these sessions in the past – they are the cynics, the resentful, the “downward spiral” talkers. And I get where they are coming from. Techniques, tips and broken promise land.

Our happy mission is to get results. Results come from change not tips. Change starts with what we think, what we say and how we deliver on those promises.

Wow. Who knew it could be so clear?

And what could be more important to you than finding a new and better way to think, see, promise, act and deliver outstanding results.

You have some wonderful gifts to bring to the world.

We can help with that.

Jamie MacDonald

Managing Partner

MaximumImpact.ca

Yes, that’s what Seth Godin said in a recent blog*. If you are fed up and ready to quit a job, he says, stay a while and “quilt” instead; i.e., sew up – stitch, knit, whatever – the ragged ends of your relationships throughout the organization.

Have a meaningful conversation with the guy whose painstaking deliberations drive you around the bend. Explore the continual sense of disapproval you feel you get from your supervisor. Tell your most productive co-workers how much their help and humour has meant to you over the years (even just months, in some jobs).

And what about customers? Is it finally time to ask them what they really think of the products (or services) you and they have been haggling over for so long? What have you got to lose? Nothing, and everything to gain.

Courageously seeking clarity can produce benefits most people cannot even imagine. The feedback we get when we ask for it appropriately has the potential to shift our internal kaleidoscope profoundly. At MaxImpact we prepare clients to make the most of their feedback through training, facilitating and coaching sessions in which they learn and practise key communication skills.

The key to great feedback is learning to receive it appropriately, as well as giving it. We have boiled the major tenets down to 10 tips that we will post soon!

Until then, remember: listen – don’t just speak – with empathy.

*Read Seth Godin’s post here.

Carol J. Sutton, Cert.ConRes.

www.maximumimpact.ca

• A staff person refusing to do a particular job?
• Someone quitting out of frustration?
• Staff discouraged or dissatisfied?
• Major changes in your business—what you do, the way you do it, or  people with whom you must work?
• People going over your head to your boss?

I used to joke that the job would be great if it weren’t for the people!

It’s easy to lose production because of misunderstandings on the job or because people don’t fully understand the vital part they play in a company’s success.

I can have the best “tools and materials”  in the industry, but without the necessary individual skills and the cooperation among team members, I can never turn out the work my customers need from me.

The events taking place in our lives outside the office also have a huge impact on the way we behave at work. Family illness, marriage issues, children issues, financial issues, and so on can reduce a person’s productivity.

But you can’t construct the building or develop the software or create the marketing copy. It’s your job to supervise the individuals who can produce the results.

Results come through people!

Job-related problems don’t all surface at once, but they always occur. As a supervisor or coach, you will be held responsible for handling those challenges.

One of the key skills you must acquire is a strong foundation for creating good relationships with your co-workers.

While you could apply many principles to get more effective results, let’s concentrate on just four.

1.  Let each worker know how he or she is doing

It is critical to let people know how they measure against expectations. The “everything is all right unless I tell you so” philosophy does not work.

The person who is doing well should be told so. It’s also important to check on the individual whose work is starting to slide. If you say, “You’ve been slipping for quite awhile,” you know the response will be, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

2.  Give credit when it’s due

The worker needs to know when his or her efforts have contributed to an accomplishment. Recognition for good work or faithful performance makes it easier to achieve extra effort the next time it’s needed. Getting the proper credit for work well done feels terrific!

3.  Tell people in advance about changes that will affect them

It’s not always possible for you to let workers “in” on all the decisions that will affect them, but they can and should always be given a chance to have their say. If you give reasons for the changes beforehand, you will avoid many misunderstandings.

4.  Make the best use of each person’s ability

People like to feel they are working at their highest level of skill and ability. Take advantage of the special interest that people show in various kinds of work and give each person as much work and responsibility as he or she can handle.

Those four building blocks apply to all people, however you cannot treat everyone the same.  Remember these caveats:

• Each of us is unique. We want to be known for our distinct personal characteristics. No one wants to be a faceless number.
• Certain things are important to you as an individual. You must remember that other people feel that way, too.
• The various influences at play in the personal life of a staff member can and do affect work performance.

Neal J. Diamond

Business Improvement Strategist

www.maximumimpact.ca

There are 5 to 7 things that we need to master to be good at our job – not a million, not even 50 or 20, Just 5 to 7. Let’s identify them and focus all our attention on these few items.

If you need help to know what these items are, go to your boss, ask for help to identify the key elements that are essential to getting the results you seek – and upon which you are being rewarded. Then determine to say no to everything else.

You will suddenly find yourself looking forward to getting in to work again. Your day will feel like you have an extra hour or two and your results will skyrocket!

Because all success is focus and concentration.

This is how we simplify the workday again to a reasonable human load. Everything beyond the 5 to 7 key items is simply a distraction and a dissipation of our energy.

One of the most distracting elements in our day is information. We are suffering from information overload. It is estimated that 28% of a typical workday is wasted by interruptions caused by unnecessary information. No wonder we don’t have time to get our work done at work.

We treat everything as if it is critical information, killing our productivity without knowing it. Instead find the key items and devote yourself to being the best in these few areas. Your progress will be rapid – you will feel better about your job and you will be less stressed.

Enjoy this video on Information Overload Syndrome. Thanks Xerox!

Jamie MacDonald

Principal/Facilitator

www.maximumimpact.ca

and there is a RIGHT way to make them.

Remember the time you “put up” with a task or procedure at work – it was awkwardly designed or arranged and caused you needless trouble? You finally worked out a better way that would have made it safer and easier. You wanted to tell your boss, but he wasn’t the kind of guy who was easy to talk to, so you never mentioned it to him?

Your good idea died.

Or perhaps you remember a time the boss “sprung” her new method on you and you had a pretty hard time swallowing it?

And you won’t forget the time the boss had an idea and asked for your opinion. You made several sound suggestions for improvements to his plan but he never did instigate your ideas.

Perhaps you remember a time when your “better way” was put into effect—and it worked! You can still feel the satisfaction that gave you.

As a coach or supervisor, job improvement always has been a part of your job. Today you are being asked to do more with fewer resources, staff, and customers—yet still grow the bottom line.

One of the main reasons change fails is that we try to go after the big pieces first. We want to plan our new department or purchase the latest and greatest technology.

When the Wright brothers invented the flying machine, commercial air travel didn’t happen the next month, year, or even decade. It took 30 years of continuous improvement before it became a reality. And think of the improvements since then. And so it is with us.

We need to look for the hundreds of small things we can improve, such as tasks that use existing equipment. Before tackling the bigger issues, we need some small wins because it is those small wins that encourage the team.

I remember going to work for a company that had been purchased recently. Right off the bat, the new owners instituted a number of major changes and they couldn’t understand why they were facing such resistance from the employees.

They had forgotten the way you make improvements—if you want them to stick!

The following steps have worked in thousands of cases, across industries and companies.

There are FOUR steps to be followed. Don’t omit any of the steps!

Step 1: Break Down the Job

Start with any job, list all the current details and methods of a specific job. Make your list on the spot—don’t go back to your desk to research or recall details. If you do, you will overlook something.

Remember you don’t need to be the “Undercover Boss” here. Let your staff know exactly what you are doing.

Step 2: Question Every Detail

Ask questions such as these:

* Why is it necessary?
* What is its purpose?
* Where should it be done?
* When should it be done?
* Who is best qualified to do it?
* What is the best way to do it?

Question the materials, the equipment, machines, tools, product design, layout, workplace, safety, and housekeeping.

Here’s a caution. You won’t get very far until you start to see the big picture. Hold off on the urge “to fix that one item.” First get all the details. Otherwise you may improve only a part of the job and thus overlook a broader, more useful improvement.

Step 3: Develop the New Method

Eliminate unnecessary details so you aren’t wasting material or manpower. Can items be combined or possibly rearranged? Simplify all the important processes. Remember to involve all the right people from the start. Don’t work it out alone, then spring your new idea on your team. That simply won’t work.

Step 4: Apply the New Idea

You may have to sell the boss to get the trial period you need. And you may have to get the staff people more information so they will give the new method a fair shot. The bottom line, however, is that the new method can yield increased production only after it’s actually working.

By the way, make sure you give credit where credit is due. Don’t steal someone’s idea, then make people think it was your own. That will surely sabotage any future chances of success.

New methods may pop into your head without working through the four steps. That is to be expected. Those flashes will soon be exhausted. Don’t expect them to continue.

Remember your purpose is to make the job easier and safer—not to make people work harder or faster. Job improvement is not a “speed up” plan. It is to show people how to work more effectively. Keep that basic purpose in mind and you can’t fail.

Until Next Time,

Neal J. Diamond

Business Improvement Strategist

www.maximumimpact.ca

What I’ve learned about life on the West Coast!

My husband, Paul, and I moved from England to Vancouver 12 months ago for a change in lifestyle and culture. We first visited this beautiful part of the planet in 2004 and returned many times to the city and to Whistler over the years. Our best experience so far has been our wedding in Whistler in 2008….we took 21 years to think about it…and it was definitely worth the wait!!

Here’s 5 observations from my experiences to date in Canada.

1. Canadians are very friendly, very positive and empathetic.

They show a genuine interest in who you are and want to know your story. Most have a story to share too. It still surprises me that almost everyone I talk to has a family connection with Britain in some way. Actually, I think what most surprises me is the number of people who know their family origins. I couldn’t even tell you the names of my cousins!

2. Canadians are almost as fixated with the weather as the Brits are.

In England people will talk about the weather when they greet you, or default to the topic to fill a lull in the conversation. Here it seems the subject could sustain an entire news programme. Though, to be fair, in BC you have “proper” weather. English weather-speak doesn’t really compare!

3 Given the amount of coffee consumed, I am surprised by the pace of decision making!

A strange comment from me, perhaps, given the length of my “engagement”! Maybe it’s because people are so amiable and relaxed; they seem to enjoy the social aspects of meetings and will happily invite you back several times before an outcome is agreed.

4. Informational interviews work and networking pays off.

From my (short) experience, I have found people to be very generous with their time and information. Vancouver seems to be a small place in terms of the business landscape and, given the hidden job market (not too unlike England), it pays to spend time getting to know people. Perfect for an extravert like myself!

5. Canadians are very accepting and respectful of others ‘culture.

I have never felt under pressure to lose my English identity or conform to Canadian values, in fact people seem to appreciate differences. No doubt it’s this diversity that makes Canada unique and, to me anyway, the ‘best place on earth’.

Hazel Morley, Associate

www.maximumimpact.ca