Leading Change When It Goes off the Tracks

Small businesses, entrepreneurs and authors can learn a lot about why some changes just don’t work for them. Author John P. Kotter is a change management expert, and his book Leading Change offers some great insights that can help any business move through change with more ease. First we need to understand what gets in the way of an effective change process:


Kotter says that businesses fail with their change processes because:

- They allow too much complacency

- They fail to create a powerful and effective change guiding coalition

- They underestimate the power of vision

- They under communicate the vision- communication is actions and words

- Permitting obstacles to block the new vision

- Failing to create short term wins


For businesses, authors and entrepreneurs, it is important we don’t become complacent in our work, always endeavor to be innovative, and passionate. It is the passion and innovation that helps you solve business challenges, and that people remember you for.  When you are excited about your business, others want to be a part of it. No one wants to do business with an owner that doesn't care anymore.
The results will serve you well.

Ensure that you have a vision, know how powerful a vision is and communicate it, and communicate it some more. We are learning that it takes about 14 “touches” which means someone seeing your message, before they buy, sign up or commit. This is a lot of communication in different formats but it works!

Don’t let obstacles or shiny objects get in the way or your plans and vision. Always find the short term "win wins", they fuel the next step in the journey. Also, bring people along with you!  These indivduals become champions for you, your business and your vision. 

To find out more about John P. Kotter, or his incredible books, visit: 

Renovate to Sell

While watching a "sell this home" type TV show, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between renovating a home to sell it and developing effective sales skills in teams.
In the television episode, a woman was selling her home to downsize as her children had all left for college.  The feedback from the open house attendees who toured the home made comments like, "It is dated", "It is too dark", "I don't understand what this room is for", "Too busy and cluttered", and the list list went on.  You get the drift.  To address some of these issues, the home stager suggested that a coat of paint to some low cost fake wood furniture would actually improve the aesthetics, modernize the room, and make the room look fresh.  The home owner resisted this suggested strongly.  It was her belief that wood should not be painted, even fake wood!  She was so attached to what she knew and how it has always been that she could not see what it could be like.
This occurs in teams too!  Team members become so attached to the way it has always been (even if it no longer serves them) they emphatically resist how it could be.  You hear comments like, "Why change, we've always done it this way", or "It works just fine".  Sometimes the current way really is THE WAY.  However, in many cases, there is opportunity to change things up a bit instead of doing what has always been done.  Often it is difficult for reams and leaders to acknowledge when a system process, service, or approach is no longer serving them well.
Just as attendees at an open house must clearly understand the purpose of a room (e.g. is it a kitchen, a den, etc.), we must clearly understand the purpose of our business and the vision for the future.  When team members understand these things about the companies they work with they will be able to passionately and clearly share that with others, including our next customers.  When teams understand these aspects of their companies, it is then that they can explore how things COULD be.

Sometimes the Way We Look at the Problem, IS The Problem

Another way to think about stress is through the outcomes you
experience in your life. For example, the quality of your relationships, your
satisfaction with a job, your current level of health and stress, and your
financial situation are all a result of how you have responded to situations,
events, and circumstances that have come up in your life.

You might be thinking: “There are lots of things that come up in life that
I have absolutely no control over.” And you are absolutely right! There are
many situations that go on in the workplace that you cannot control or
influence. In fact, there are events that arise in life that are completely out
of your control. It is important is to spend your energy, skills and time
focusing on what is within your ability to control or at least influence.

I discovered many years ago when I was a Correctional Officer that
sometimes the way people view a situation or event is actually the problem.
When you can change how you look at the event or view it through a
different lenses, sometimes the issue doesn’t seem so bad.

“Why is it that people always put their energy into the things that drives
them crazy…stuff that is completely out of their control?” asked a client
during a team building consultation.
“Tell me more about that. What do you mean?” I asked Joe, the team
lead. Joe had been with his company for 15 years, and according to him
he “had seen it all, and done it all.”

“Well, I have noticed that our staff meetings often go off on a different
tangent. It seems innocent at first but then I see the team’s energy
focusing on what they can’t change, such as company policy, the available
budget, and the current economic climate in the world. People get pretty
hot under the collar and it can be tough to bring them back to the rea
l world…our business.”

“Great question Joe, one that would be useful to explore when we meet
with the team. What’s your take on it, though?” I asked. Joe really
seemed to have his finger on the pulse of his team and had a vested
interest in building a resilient and inspired team.

Thinking for a few minutes, Joe responded, “Maybe when people focus
on what they can’t control they can assign blame, or look to who ‘should’
be responsible, instead of what they can actually influence or fix
themselves.”

“Interesting. So I wonder what gets in the way of the team having
THAT discussion.”

These two questions were soon a facilitated discussion that led to an
incredible team building process. The questions were: Why do team
members put energy into what is not within their direct control and?
And what is it that we can actually control or influence, and could we
explore putting our energy there instead? As the team explored looking

through a different set of eyes, they discovered that when they focused
only on the negative or what seemed broken the situation was far worse
than it was in reality. When the team focused on what was in their
control, they looked at that same event very differently, and focused
on solutions!


Excerpt from Charmaine Hammond’s Bounce Forward Book.

To read more about this topic, follow the blog, or you can order a copy of
Bounce Forward (the book or the soon to be released audio book) by
emailing chris.alcock@hammondgroup.biz for your signed copy.

Adequate Team Effort

The other evening Tabitha Takes Over came on the television.  What caught my attention about this episode was the business owner's expression of exhaustion and lack of passion.  It drew me to the TV to listen.  The owner of the salon looked exhausted, worn down and defeated.  It was clear she had given up on her business.  It was also clear that her team had given up on the business as well, and, they had also given up on her.  As Tabitha went about her masterful Takeover process she expressed shock at the degree of complacency that had developed in this business and the team.  Not only had the team given up but they had adopted the mindset of settling for low to no standards on cleanliness, reputation (their own included), and customer service.
What disturbed me the most was what happened at the renovation and on the subsequent "reveal day".  During the renovations the team collaborated to do a spring cleaning on the salon.  When Tabitha pointed out the filth in the salon and at their workstations each staff member blamed someone else on the team and the owner.  No one took ownership or responsibility for their work area and said things like, "Not my job!" and, "Why should I have to help clean this place?".  WOW!  Then, after Tabitha's team remodeled the business and gave it an extreme makeover inside and out, aside from the owner, there was not one smile.  They walked through their newly renovated, spotless and modernized salon with no enthusiasm.  They appeared to completely lack interest in all the effort and upgrades that were completed, in part, for their benefit.  Immediately the team members began making comments about everything they did not like.  "I think there are too many colours" and "I wouldn't have picked this type of chair" or "They should have chosen new toys for the waiting area, kids won't like these" were the only things they could find to say.
To bring the team back to a more healthy level of performance, and to stop the complacency, the following steps were implemented to help raise energy and passion:

• A policy manual and procedural expectations were set and documented.  Staff were advised that these must be adhered to.
• The team was held accountable to the new standards.
• The owner was also held accountable to uphold the standards.
• Training and coaching were made available to the team.
• The owner was more present and spent more time in the business

If your team is struggling and has become complacent, revisit the tips that Tabitha offers.  Ensure people know their roles and the roles of others.  Ensure that issues are addressed and dealt with immediately.  Don't allow them to build and grow complacent with them.

Shifting Forward....



My colleague, Beverly Flaxington, is an amazing author, an accomplished consultant, a hypnotherapist and a personal and career coach, and all around amazing person. She has a new book that just came out that I want to share with you. I met Bev through the Evolutionary Business Council and was very much inspired by the work she is doing with corporations to help them with the many different facets of issues that they face and to help them communicate more effectively.



Bev stated that her professional career has been devoted to trying to figure out ways to help people move to higher levels of effectiveness. She has been a corporate consultant for 17 years. An Executive Coach but then, along with that she had a hypnotherapy practice. She went and got certified as a behavioural expert and used tools to help people understand what will help them move forward and move to the next level.



Bev created a process that she called SHIFT and trademarked it because it’s got 5 specific steps. Her new book is called Make Your Shift – The 5 most powerful moves you can make to get where you want to go. So, what Bev did was take everything she learned over the last 20 + years working with individuals, personally and professionally, and seeing, those places where people tend to get stuck and what’s that information that we need that helps us to move to the next level. It’s a process that Bev has seen work over and over again.



As Bev indicated in an interview I had with her, these are busy times. She added “We have our personal lives, our business lives; we’re all very well intentioned. They start the morning thinking this is what I’m going to accomplish today but then, somebody will get to the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the year and they will say that they didn’t do half the things done that they wanted to do. So, I just felt that I need to give people a way to break through this so they don’t have to change their life, you know, do things so differently, but in the midst of what they’re already doing they can figure out ways to move something that matters to them forward”.



Bev advised that change is part of the shift process. People often say things like “I’m just going to make this change”, or “We’re just going to mandate this”, or “We’re just going to put this in place” . But, as Bev indicates, there are always some obstacles, there’s something that gets in our way and makes it more difficult for us to do, and again, no matter how good intentioned we are. Bev reminds us to look at the human element.



One other topic that I’m really enjoying reading about in Bev’s book is the importance of developing criteria when you’re doing brainstorming or when engaged in idea generation activities. how businesses really need to focus more on criteria and understanding the problem better so that the solutions just start to unfold and your book really said that very clearly.

This is a great book to help you move forward and make the changes to take you where YOU want to go.

Bev’s corporate website is www.b-collaborative.com and her website http://www.understandingotherpeople.com/.

To add this book to your corporate library, and reading list, visit:






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The Kindness Makeover

In an earlier blog I referenced some of the learnings from Ed Horrell's book, The Kindness Revolution. A quote that he stated that really resonated with me was “Don’t fight…Make it Right!”

From a conflict resolution and leadership perspective, this is such an important belief to helping people move beyond the problem and blame to solutions, forgiveness and change.

In 2007 I had the pleasure of working on a Community Expo project, a massive community event which included a conference, trade show, workshops and more. One of my responsibilities was the Kindness Booth. I worked with the Kindness Crew, an amazing team of four young men who were on a mission to bring more kindness to the world. They did a phenomenal presentation, and left the audience with many thoughts about kindness.  At my Kindness Booth, I had many "supplies" to help people create their own random acts of kindness.  With a team of initially reluctant teenagers, our community kindness revolution began. Flower shops had donated flowers, local gift stores donated some chocolates, we had cards and blank paper and envelopes, many printed kindness products from various kindness websites such as the Random Act of Kindness Foundation (book marks, stickers, door plaques, quotes, colouring pages), and many other supplies.  In a couple of hours there was nothing left.  The once reluctant teens came running back saying things like "Charmaine. We are out of flowers. People are loving us being so kind. They are being kind to others. One lady's flower was passed forward to so many people we lost count. This is AWESOME!"  One year later when I was struggling to carry a box of workshop materials into a local college, A young man helped me and said "Here. This is for you!" It was a pay it forward card I had handed out at the booth (it had the date of the event and event logo on it so I knew for sure). With tears in my eyes I asked "were you there? At this event?" He said "No" I got it from a stranger in a coffee shop a couple of months ago. I was having a tough day."  WOW! Who knows how many people had held this kindness card in their hand, and many acts of kindness had originated from one simple little card, and an act of unconditional kindness!

Ed Horrell talks about the importance of removing reluctance and indifference to spread kindness.  He suggests that the ways to eliminate indifference are:

- Use your customer’s name in the conversation and ensure staff do not call them “hun”, “sweetie”, “buddy”, “my dear”, etc.

- Eye contact

- Find out what is important to the customer

- Active listening

- Non defensive behavior

- If you see a problem, fix it

- Cleanliness reflects care


If you want to give your team and company and Extreme Corporate Makeover, Horrell suggests a few powerful first steps:

- Survey your customers

- Prepare to do what your customers want

- Focus group to plan the changes and how to implement the changes

- Develop a customer credo (e.g. the Ritz Carlton’s is “Ladies and Gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen")

- Talk about customer service every day

- Review customer service objectives

- Put your standards out there for others to see. Some of my clients have posted and framed them in their waiting room or by the front door.

- Make your motto and credo a promise and part of your staff’s uniform or what they bring to work everyday

And of course, Practice kindness in every conversation and contact.  What can you do today to create a ripple effect of kindness in your team?

I am so excited to unveil our February 2012 Kindness Initiative.  During Kindness week, we'll reveal the details! 

To learn more about Ed Horrell's Kindness Revolution, follow:

Bringing Kindness to Work

The Kindness Revolution Book Review


One observation I can offer about workplaces is that when the going gets tough, times get busier, and conflict is causing challenges, kindness goes out the window!  As a trainer and facilitator you might not believe what I have heard and witnessed in workplaces. I have seen some incredible acts of respect, compassion and enthusiasm, and, I have seen people behave in a way that hurts others emotionally.  Ed Horrell, wrote the book The Kindness Revolution, a book I very much enjoyed reading and found great applicability to the work I do. I have always believed that a fundamental attribute to success was that of kindness, not just in customer service, but in everything, including team relationships.

Horrell suggests that there is often a disconnect between what customers want and what businesses and teams think their customers want in terms of good customer service. How well do you know your customers? If you were to ask them their needs, would the answers surprise you? Horrell states that good customer service starts with people, not process! For many this is a shift in thinking. Many businesses spend their time developing processes and systems to service their clients and customers, but forget the people aspect. These processes and systems are important, in fact I teach people how to do this. But, in doing so, people are the priority. As you review and build your customer service beliefs, practices and expectations, make sure that “the people” are woven in at every level.

Horrell states: “The future is WOW!”  Thinking about his statement, how would others describe your company or team's WOW ability? How do you wow your clients and customers?

Another concept Horrell covered, is that of indifference. In teams that are struggling, it is easy to see indifference. To replace indifference with customer service you must address: dignity, courtesy, respect and kindness. Companies and teams who do this, GET IT!

Traits of companies that GET IT:

- They believe in the company guiding principles (and they actually know what they are)

- They strive to keep these principles front and centre to every aspect of business and customer service

- They believe in the dignity of each employees job, and that everyone plays an important role

- They believe that there is a purpose for the corporation and that they are a part of it

- They recognize the importance of employees being empowered and engaged

- The believe in the importance of and value of kindness


Here are a couple of examples that Horrell offers: LL Bean says that “serving customers is a day in day out, ongoing, never ending, persevering, compassion kind of activity.  Fed Ex employees live the values that are core to the company philosophy: respect (treat each person with dignity and respect), integrity (be worthy of trust), service (serve others), excellence (relentlessly strive to exceed expectations), communication (understand and be understood).



What are your standards? What type of example do you set? How do you set this example (e.g. with your attitudes and actions)? How would customers describe the service they receive from your company?

How does your team exhibit kindness in their interactions with others, and in their service to customers? What are the impacts or spin off results that you see?
To find out more about The Kindness Revolution, click here:

What kind of leader are You? Part Three

Learning about leadership through the teaching of John Maxwell

In the last two posts we covered valuable information from author John Maxwell, a leading expert on leadership.  This post will summarize additional leadership strategies from Maxwell's book The Five Levels of Leadership.  Maxwell talks about how habits often get in the way of communication, business, relationships and ultimately, success. I have seen this first hand in training and team building sessions, teams have habits of communication that are positive but also that get in the way of effective dialogue.  Maxwell suggests that leaders explore their own leadership habits. For example, deciding how you will organize yourself. How you will communicate during challenging times. How you will check for understanding. Determine how to maximize your time. Determining what you will do the moment you arrive to work (e.g. escape to your office, greet staff, etc.), decide how you will treat people, and what your work ethic will be. Essentially, Maxwell says that you will and should choose your leadership path, because, leadership is not what you are- it is WHO you are being!


Growing through the leadership levels: To grown and transform as a leader, Maxwell suggests that leaders must move through each level, and progress to the next.  In level one, leaders can focus more on potential, instead of positions. Pursue their own professional growth, leadership development and training and move from the priority being on rules to the priority being relationships. Maxwell states it is critical that at this level that leaders learn to ask questions, ask for help, say “I don’t know” when they don’t know and to build and maintain contact with others. When leaders can master this, I have seen them create an environment where staff take the risk to ask for help (which is important).
As leaders transform to leadership level two, they will want to focus on relationships, listening, and valuing others. It is important for leaders to learn and practice seeking out other’s strengths and assets and appreciating the unique differences within the team. Leaders must act with integrity, as trust results from integrity. Make sure you are attention, be what Maxwell calls the “chief encourager” and act with care and candor. As a trainer I have seen the benefits of leaders who recognize and appreciate the differences in their team. They facilitate innovative thinking, energy, and respect.

In Level three leaders must focus on authenticity, which means you simply cannot fake your way to this level or through this level because you are either producing/creating results or you are not. People can see right through insincerity, and I have seen that challenge or decrease trust levels.  Lead by example, deliver results, communicate the vision to the team frequently and live the vision. Results are inspiring. Maxwell suggests that as leaders are developing their team they should focus on the following formula and train people in such a way that: 80% is in their strength zone, 15% is in their learning zone, 5% is outside their strength zone, and 0% of the work is in their weakness zone. Often this is the level where leaders get stuck and do not progress and transform to the next two levels. I would say that this level takes a lot of humility, willingness to be uncomfortable at times, and a desire to grow.

In level four, production is not enough; developing people must become a priority. Maxwell suggests you develop individuals, and the team. Some of the leaders I have met are masterful at this. Their commitment to growing the people is evident, and their attitudes and words are focused more on others, than themselves. Grow leaders and champion the corporate vision. Be the team member you want others to be and focus 80% of your time on the top 20% priorities. Solve issues and do so immediately, don’t let them fester and become bigger issues, and of course, be approachable. Another author, Ken Blanchard says “it’s not what happens when you are there, but when you are not there”; this is the real challenge for leaders. Transfer the work, delegate to those who actually execute the work, as this helps create an environment of trust, and ownership. Continue learning, training and developing. one of my corporate clients saw his role, as a seasoned leader, to foster his team stepping into their skills in a much bigger way.

At level five, leaders are empowering team members to grow and lead larger. There is a focus on people’s strengths, and who they could become (not who they are now). Succession planning is essential at this level, as is leaving a legacy! Be humble, maintain the company’s vision, develop leaders and make room for them at the top. Succession planning is so important yet I have met few non-profit organizations who have a plan, and many small business owners that do not take the time to create one because they are too busy being in the business instead of working on it. Succession planning is key... it will help you create systems and processes so that the business can run in your absence and at the same time fosters growth and responsibility in the team.

This week identify ways that you can share the corporate knowledge with others. Consider your legacy...what is the legacy that you want to leave behind in your team or business? And, what can you do to take action today?

John Maxwell is a masterful leader. To read his book, and learn more about the many other leadership programs he offers, check out:

What kind of leader are YOU? Part two.

John Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership.... tips from a leadership expert

This is part two of the Leadership posting. Last post I shared a summary of John Maxwell's levels of leadership, so clearly defined in his new book The Five Levels of Leadership.  Maxwell offers a few tips for leaders in these different levels. First, is that it is not a given that all leaders will transform through these levels. I have worked in organizations, and have met lots of leaders who are still in a positional leadership level despite having been a leader for 15 years. They have not transformed, nor has their team. They use their position to lead people. You would hear language like “I’m the boss”, or refer to employees as subordinates (not team members). You can like the people that you are leading however; you cannot effectively lead people that you as a leader don’t like. This is an important concept as I have heard many leaders say things like “I don’t have to like people on my team” or “I don’t have to like them, I just have to respect them.” The challenge is for leaders to find something that they like or appreciate about the team members, otherwise it will shine through.

Leaders will be well served to create a good environment and great relationships, and of course, get things done. This ensures that profits go up while turnover and team issues go down. The bonus is that leadership and work becomes more fun and leaders become agents of change because they are making difficult decisions that ultimately create big outcomes. As a corporate trainer and consultant I have seen many leaders shy away from important decisions, because, it may not be a favorable decision. Ultimately this can hurt their credibility, the relationship and the culture of environment of the team. Making these decisions requires some risk taking.

Empowering others, your team, will serve you well as you refine your leadership skills and approach. Empowering others allows leaders opportunity to “reproduce” themselves as they make a high investment in others’ development which also deepens relationships. Essentially as Maxwell explains, leaders change the lives of those they lead!

Maxwell talks about three types of values: ethical values (doing the right thing for the right reasons), relationship values (how to build an atmosphere of trust and respect for others), and success values (deciding on the goals that are worthy of spending your life on). These are great questions to explore as a leader, “am I doing the right thing for the right reasons?”, “how do I build and maintain an atmosphere of trust?”, and “what goals are worthy of me spending my life and time on?” The concept of values is a frequent discussion topic in corporate training and the team building processes I facilitate. And, values are often at the root of many workplace challenges and communication challenges.

This week, what are three actions you can take to empower others, build relationships and create an environment where the team becomes champions for the corporate goals and mission?

To add this book to your leadership training program or corporate library shelves, visit:

Book Review: Life is a Contact Sport by Ken Kragen

Life is a Contact Sport was particularly enjoyable to read because I know Ken, in fact, he is my coach. After having seen Ken present at the 2011 eWomenNetwork Convention in Dallas, I knew this man had an incredible degree of knowledge that would serve the world. He has managed some of the world's most memorable entertainers, including Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, The Bee Gees, Burt Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers along with many others. He was the creator and organizer of "We Are the World", "Hands Across America", and Cisco System's "NetAid". Amazingly over 95% of the acts he managed have become stars, and 90% of the projects he created and spearheaded have achieved success (source: Kenkragen.com). Ken’s ability to create an experience, be memorable and work effectively with media is extremely important for businesses, entrepreneurs, speakers and authors to know more about.

What struck me the most in his presentation, and he talks about it in his book, is the Magic of Threes and creating a memorable experience. Right in the middle of Ken’s live presentation when he made this point, the doors to the ballroom burst open and a high school band marched through the doors, trumpets, drums, trombones, the works! You can guarantee when anyone in that room thinks of Ken, his presentation or message; they will not forget that experience.

In Life Is A Contact Sport, Ken talks about a ten point strategy that is key to success. The first being The Event Strategy. The Event Strategy involves holding several events in a short period of time. To simplify this Ken suggests taking a single event, then building other events and opportunities around it.

He also writes about the importance of optimism and enthusiasm and provides numerous examples of where his attitude and enthusiasm has created stronger business relationships, business deals, and event success. I particularly enjoyed Ken’s strategy of backwards thinking for forward motion- that is beginning with the end in mind, starting with the goal. This approach makes sense. When you start with the goal (and ending timelines in mind), you can create the plan and action steps with corresponding timelines. The benefit of this thinking backwards approach is that: a) you ensure that your plan is doable in the timeframe allotted; b) sometimes it is easier to think of the steps that got you to the goal instead of what you need to do to get to the goal. And, here’s the great part- you can figure out the gatekeepers that you need to get a “yes” from to progress further.

In Life Is A Contact Sport, Ken mentions the importance of giving and building relationships. This is critical. Building relationships is an effective form of marketing, but also in helping others achieve their goals and serving your purpose. I recommend this book for speakers, authors and businesses. This book will change how you think about your events, marketing and media strategies. Applying the Magic of Threes will multiply your success and the experience.

About Ken:

Ken is a graduate of Harvard Business School and his diverse career far transcends the music and entertainment. During the past few years, Kragen has devoted an increasing amount of his time to speaking, writing, coaching others as well as consulting work for leading corporations and many non-profit organizations. Ken Kragen has also produced a variety of film and television projects, ranging from the ground-breaking "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on CBS to Kenny Rogers' "Gambler" movies, and numerous series, mini-series and films. Most recently, Kragen produced the "12 Dogs of Christmas" live action, full length feature film based on his daughter, Emma's, best-selling children's book. (www.12DogsofChristmas.com).

To find out more about Ken and to read Life Is a Contact Sport, visit:

Charmaine and Ken Kragen in Dallas at eWomenNetwork Convention July 2011

Speaking From Experience

What are the biggest issues we have when we speak with others? How would you answer this question? There are many mistakes we can make when communicating with one another. Whether or not the conversation is friendly and positive or requires courageous dialogue, we can say the wrong thing or say something the wrong way. However, most often the trouble is what we are not saying. That's right, it's the awkward silences we so often experience during conversations. Fortunately, there are a couple of strategies to help keep the conversation moving and focused on what is really going on.

Awkward silence in conversations should be completely avoided. These moments only create more tension and confusion for everybody involved and make the situation that much more uncomfortable. To overcome this we need to become more comfortable with silence. Often our conversations are so rushed that it is difficult to remember half of what was said. Slowing down the conversation and practicing short silences will help you become more comfortable if those awkward pauses pop up during a dialogue. Another strategy to deal with silence are those open ended questions I talk about so often...who, what, where, when, and why and how. If you are really at a loss for words, try this..."tell me more about...". There are free communication tools for that you are welcome to access on this blog site.

Take your time to make your point. Slow down your speech and practice being comfortable with short silences in conversations. Using these tools, plus the many free ones offered on this blog, will help you to have more focused and comfortable conversations.

A Rich Team

During one of my recent Teambuilding Training Programs, I had the opportunity to ask the attending executives to identify the qualities of a "rich team". Of course, this question refers to the relationships and interactions of the team, not to how much money they generate. The responses I received were very enlightening. Here is what they said:

• Cooperation
• Communication
• Initiative
• Respect
• Empathy
• Flexibility
• Unique (contributing as an individual with a separate and distinct personality)
• Loyalty
• Personable
• Honesty
• Trust
• Commitment
• Responsibility

This list identifies some of the most important qualities of a team. Many of these we expect to happen without work and effort and some we take for granted. As you build your team and lead them through the good times, and the not so good times.

The question is, how do you communicate with and engage all of your employees to build these qualities? A great place to start is by including your employees in decision making where possible and appropriate. Explain situations, parameters relevant to situations and decisions (e.g. funds), and specific details so employees can present well informed ideas that have potential for use. Keeping skill sets, personalities, and talents in mind, release some or parts of the control of projects and tasks to others. Sharing responsibility allows for a sense of involvement in the process. Provide support by monitoring and encouraging. Don't forget to be continually connecting employees to the business plan, the company mission and values. The key is to delegate not micromanage. This will extend trust and faith in employees while providing an alternative focus from challenges in the workplace for employees.

seek opportunities to build these qualities. Your efforts will pay off!

Seeking Stability

What do you do when your organization experiences a lot of change, growth and restructuring? It can be so hard to build trust in an ever changing and seemingly unstable environment. Change can be difficult, and team members don't all deal or cope with change in the same way. One surefire way to build trust is to communicate effectively, clearly, frequently and then repeat this process (again and again). Communication can build trust, minimize rumors, and enhance relationships. Another trust building action is to follow up, mean what you say and say what you mean. Let people know what is NOT changing, that is, what is staying the same. Too often we focus on what is changing, what will be different, and by stating what is not changing, you will provide reassurance and stability.

Communication is a very important component to building stability in the workplace. But, just like any other form of interaction, it can also increase the instability if not practiced properly. We have to be careful what we speak and how we speak. Essentially, we have to look at communication as an art, the art of speaking. Be sure to write down key points of what you would like to communicate to your team and rehearse it. I always suggest rehearsing in front of a mirror. This gives you the opportunity to not only hear how you are delivering the message but also to see how you are delivering your message.

Remember, in any difficult situation, communication is always the key to building trust, stability and a more positive work environment.