Making Moments Matter---by living your values (and your value)

As a facilitator and trainer, I like to get a sense of the company or organizational and team mission, vision, values and goals when working with a team. Far too often I see company and team values tucked away on a shelf (usually in a white binder), which likely indicates that the mission, vision and values are not a part of the everyday life of a team member at work. When employees feel connected to the bigger picture, they are invested in the business. Here are 3 ways to bring your company and team values to life:

1. Ensure that the team is familiar with, understands and is connected to the organizational and team values. Ensure that your mission, vision and values is clearly understood and the team members see the role they contribute to the organizational mission.

2. Walk the talk by being a role model for the organizational values. Communicate values as part of the expectations of one’s job. Use the language in the mission, vision and values in your every day communication.

3. Find champions in the workplace who are examples of employees living the mission, vision and values. Recognize and acknowledge performance that is congruent to the values of the organization. And, provide feedback or redirect those who may not be living or performing congruently to the values.

When you breathe life into the values, instead of simply having them become a document that fades into the woodwork, you support one another in making moments matter.

What we can learn about communication from home renovation shows

I really enjoy watching real estate shows, home renovation and interior design shows. Not only is it a helpful education, I am discovering that I am reminded about communication in many ways. Today while watching a home renovation show I witnessed a great example of what I encourage my workshop attendees to avoid – the double edged applause.

On the show, a mother was thanking her son for the DIY renovation work he was able to complete. The statement went something like this:
“I am really proud of him.” Then she added “But it took FOREVER to complete it.”

This is an example of the double edged applause- a very heartfelt compliment that is chopped off by a sarcastic comment or critical remark.

In workplaces these types of compliments are equally as disastrous. The best way to avoid giving double edged applause is to:

• Ask yourself this question- “do I want to be on the receiving end of what I am about to say?” If your answer is “no”, then reframe the statement,
• Thank the person sincerely, without disclaimers or comments that eliminate the recognition,
• Be specific!

How 8 seconds can change a life!

Can one question and 8 seconds change a life? It is my belief that it can. In fact, 8 seconds and one question did!

I am a member of the Evolutionary Business Council (EBC). The council is a powerful convergence of thought-leaders that are visionary in their approach to business and how they treat people. They operate from a place of collaboration, to both help each other grow exponentially in influence and in personal power. They are committed to leaving a profound influence on the lives of others. At our first retreat, a blizzard weekend in beautiful Canmore Alberta, we gathered to build the Council and seek opportunities to collaborate.

One of the exercises involved each EBC member stating their business “ASKS.” As you may know, I believe so much in the importance and value of The ASK that I have written articles and developed workshops/presentations on this topic. At the EBC we each had to do an ASK to the group. With one question, and 8 seconds, my life was profoundly impacted.

My ASK was for support for my upcoming Best Seller Campaign for my book On Toby’s Terms. Each person in the room raised their hand to be involved and lend their support. Then it was time for the next ASK, as I still had almost 2 minutes left. I was so moved by the power of the ASK and receiving the GIVE.
How we ASK is as important as how we GIVE. How comfortable are you with the ASK? How well do you receive?

When you ASK others for what it is you need, you open the door for others to do the same. When you receive graciously, it encourages others to be more comfortable with receiving.

If you were to do an ASK this week, what would it be?
Wishing you great success as you step in to ASKing.

Post note: I have written about the ASK in my new book Bounce Forward- Building Resilient & Inspired Teams which is being released March 31, 2011.

How one action can bring about 365 learnings

Recently I read about a transformational leader who has made it his mission to read and learn something new every day. For someone who quite likes change, and learning, I was intrigued by this concept. If we were to read and learn one new thing a day, that equates to 365 new discoveries and learnings in a year.

So with my 2011 mission to Make Moments Matter, I figured I could build in this strategy of reading something new learning something new each day.

Today I enjoyed reading a Coffee Talk News while sipping on a cappuccino. It was chalk full of interesting trivia and some great quotes. As for my new learning, I am off to the gym to try out a new exercise machine they have at the gym. While my life may not be transformed from the one action and one learning I do today,

I imagine in one year, I will have learned a great deal more, and challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone to learn something new.
Wishing you well on your 365 day learning program. I’d love to hear about what you are learning and the new actions you are taking.

“Make What Matters REALLY Matter”

My motto for 2011 is Make Your Moments Matter!
I am on a personal and professional mission to make the moments in my life matter. How we show up in life really does matter, in every type of moment.
How leaders show up at work really matters! After working with hundreds and hundreds of teams in training, facilitation and team building sessions, I have discovered that there are a number of actions employees are watching and waiting for, in terms of how leaders show up, those being:
• Do you say what you mean and mean what you say?
• Do you keep your commitments, and follow up?
• How you spend your time at work.
• How available and approachable you are.
• How you hold yourself and others accountable.
• The examples that you set.
• What you ‘notice’ in the workplace, and how you deal with it.
• What you expect from others, the team, and how you reinforce expectations.
• How you define success. And, how you measure performance and success (as well as difficulties).
• How you lead (and cope) in times of change, difficulty and adversity.
• What you are proud of and how you talk about it with others.
• What are your priorities?
• How you foster morale.
• How you recognize accomplishments and the ideas of others.
• How you deal with conflict and disagreement (and team members who are in conflict).
• And these are just a few.

Sometimes as a leader it may feel as if you are under a microscope or in a fishbowl, your team is watching you. How you show up and how you spend the moments can be an incredible learning experience for your team. Here are two questions to think about. How is it that you want to show up? How can you make leadership moments matter?
These two questions can be pretty powerful, a reality check for ourselves. Wishing you the best in making all the moments matter, and to showing up as the best version of you!