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change with confidence

 

10 Tips on How to Co-present a Presentation

by adminon February 28, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , , , with no comments

This week, I co-presented a webinar with Jocelyn Bérard called Change Agility: Mastering Constant Change. 

We gave a similar keynote presentation at the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD) Conference in November. Although the content was similar, the format was very different. The biggest change was that we couldn’t see any of the over 500 participants. 

In many ways, webinars are easier to lead than in-person presentations: you can use your notes, you are sitting down and you don’t have to think about your gestures.

There are also some challenges with this format: vocal mistakes are more noticeable, any background noise is a distraction and the only way to convey emotions is through your voice. 

Technical risks are just as big. Fortunately, we had Sarah managing IT and production. She flawlessly managed the communication software, emceeing, polling questions and choreography.

What I loved most was the partnership the three of us shared. Like any productions, it takes a well-coordinated team to make them work well.

Here are some tips on how to partner on a presentation:

  • Write a script―it improves flow and leaves little to chance
  • Listen and be open to your partners’ recommendations―it leads to better quality and personal growth
  • Show up well-rehearsed―this is a given for trust-building and ability to perform
  • Arrive very early―remove a risk that would let down your audience and partners
  • Practice as a team―co-presentations are like dances: you must be in step with your partner for them to look good
  • Focus your practice time on transitions―hand-offs have the highest risk of going wrong
  • Know the technology―Sarah was the expert, but she needed to educate us on its fine points for the recording to work well
  • Discuss what could go wrong―contingency plans lead to fast corrections
  • Have an sense of humour―it builds and communicates rapport
  • Eat together―I remember Neil Peart, of the band Rush, talking about the importance of sharing meals with his band mates (Jocelyn shared his lunch with me twice!)

The presentation went well and as planned. We had a great time interacting with participants and ourselves. When we finished our closing comments and the recording ended, my first thought was ‘when would we get the opportunity to partner again?’ A partnership doesn’t get any better than this.

Phil

 

How to Make the Most of Business Travel

by adminon February 21, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , with no comments

My flight from Zurich to Munich was on time, which was a good start to journey home to Toronto. It has been a year since I have traveled outside of North America and a few since I did so almost weekly.

The rituals of business travel came back to me faster than I thought, from packing efficiently to researching local transit and store schedules. I even remembered to take melatonin pills on the overnight flight to regulate my sleep cycle and minimize jet lag. I was back in the business traveler zone.

What I had forgotten were the many benefits of international travel, which help counterbalance the losses of leaving your family. They are often unexpected, exciting and inspiring. Here are the ones that I noticed this week:

  • Experience a new culture — day-to-day differences in culture are fascinating. I feel like pinching myself every time I am abroad
  • Increase your knowledge — reading local magazines and newspapers provide glimpses of what is important
  • Broaden your perspectives — talking with people about their lives expands your frame of reference and makes you more tolerant of different realities
  • See old friends — this trip I saw great people who I had worked with many years ago The highlight was being invited out to dinner by an old friend and his wife (a new friend)
  • Practice your manners — a test of character, especially when things go wrong and you don’t speak the local language
  • Take time for reflection — the best time to reflect is when you are in a new environment, without distraction of your regular commitments and schedule 

My second flight of the day, from Munich to Toronto, is also posted as being on time. It looks like I will return home without incident, tired and motivated. I don’t want to forget my new experiences so I can make the most of my business travel. 

Phil

 

How to Help Someone Who is Lost

by adminon February 13, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , with no comments

Yesterday, we headed off on a family skiing vacation at Mont Tremblant, 130 kilometres north of Montreal.

The drive went well, especially using GPS. Other than a few twists and turns through Montreal, travel was smooth and on time.

We eagerly watched satellite navigator click down the kilometres to our checkered flag destination marker. “You have arrived at your destination, the route guidance is now finished,” it confidently exclaimed. The problem was that we were still on an unlit, two lane highway with only trees on both sides to welcome us.

We kept driving until we reached the Mont Tremblant Village. There were no passersby to ask at 11:00 pm in -25 degrees Celsius weather so we kept going.

After confirming we were lost by driving in all directions, we headed to the only resort we could see. We asked the the person at the front desk if this was where we check in to the place we were staying, he said, “no.” We then asked how we could get to where we were going. He gave us a map of the area, drew a line to our destination and then pointed out our mistake, which sounded like the old Bugs Bunny line, “You should have taken a left at Albuquerque.” 

We headed off again but realized that where we were to check-in was not where we were staying. We called the registration office and the woman said that our mistake was using GPS: “You shouldn’t have used GPS. It doesn’t work here.” When we mentioned a restaurant that was in sight, she confirmed we were lost. “No, that’s not where you should be.” 

Our guide directed us to go past the golf course heading toward to mountain. Since it was completely dark and being our first visit to the area, we didn’t know where either of them were. It now seems amusing exchanging comments in the care like, “Do you see the mountain…I don’t see the mountain…could it be over there…is that a golf course under the snow?” 

The good news is that we were only a minute away. The bad news is that we continued driving in the wrong directions for ten. The only remaining option was to backtrack the way we originally came past the invisible GPS checkered flag point. In minutes, we arrived at our destination an hour after estimated arrival time.

Travel stories are excellent metaphors for working through change. There are clear start and end points, landmarks define the path and usually there are people available to help them to get to where they are going.

Here are some tips to help travelers of any kind:

  • Be clear on where people need to go, including landmarks they will see along the way
  • Tell people multiple times where they are going―repetition and accuracy are connected
  • Check in with people to make sure they are on track
  • Put yourself in their shoes―no one tries to get lost and they can’t always see the mountain to show them where they are
  • Inform people that they are not the first to get lost―confidence and success are connected
  • Assure people they will get to where they are going
  • Confirm that people get back on track when they are lost
These may seem like simple tips, but many change initiatives focus on the destination without checking in to make sure people are progressing toward it. The destination becomes the focus over how people are getting there. 
Mont Tremblant is beautiful, especially when you can see it. We have reached the checkered flag and it feels good.
Phil
 

Should you stay connected with everyone you have met?

by adminon January 30, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , , with no comments

LinkedIn has a feature that I haven’t used, until this week. It is the “See Who You Already Know on LinkedIn” utility that offers to send invites to people whose email addresses are stored in your email account. 

A way to conveniently extend your LinkedIn community to people you know seems like a good idea. Why not send invites to people you have emailed in the past?

On Saturday, I decided to investigate this function. I was curious about how it worked and whether I could filter my email connections for those I wanted to connect with.

I hit “continue” in the pop-up menu and instantly had second thoughts–what about all the people who are copied on business emails? I decided to exit the window, no harm done.

Immediately, I noticed the red email indicator light up on my Blackberry. I looked at my email (a Pavlovian response) and saw two acceptances of my LinkedIn invites. Oh no. I was mortified. 

I had sent LinkedIn invites to everyone who has been copied on an email in my Gmail and Outlook accounts since the beginning of time–presidents of client organizations, professors, dentists, plumbers, you name it.

The acceptances kept coming in. How many invites were sent out, I wondered. How many were ignored? It felt like a popularity contest. 

The more the acceptances arrived, the more relaxed I became about my invitation bonanza. It’s only an invitation to connect, I rationalized.

Most people I recognized and was glad that we were now connected. I was surprised that I wasn’t already connected with others. Some I wouldn’t have sent invites to because either I didn’t have relationships with them or the invites might be viewed as requests inspired by personal gain. 

In total, I have received 60 acceptances in 6 days, a 4 percent increase in my total LinkedIn community.

Knowing what I know now, would I do it again? Absolutely. Like change management, my personal goal is to positively influence people to change how they think and act to be more successful. Influencing more people extends my influence, even if it has pushed me out of my comfort zone to achieve it. 

Helping someone decide whether to use a LinkedIn feature may seem like a small thing, but it might be more important to some readers, and that’s what makes writing this blog meaningful to me. You never know what influence you can have.

So should you try out this LinkedIn feature? The meaningful connections you gain might be worth it. They were worth it for me.

Phil

 

The Importance of Year-over-year Results

by adminon January 23, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , with no comments

Yesterday, I gave a talk at the HRPA Conference, Canada’s largest annual human resources event.

After my session ended, I visited the conference bookstore to sign copies of Change with Confidence. As I was chatting with a bookstore employee, I realized I had done the same thing one year ago almost to the day. 

I am a fan of measuring year-over-year results, both professionally and personally. Finances, running statistics and adherence to guidelines get year end reviews.

What I hadn’t reviewed this year was the progress of my book. I reread a blog post I had written after the last conference for clues about what I was measuring. This was little help since my focus was on how I got to the conference in a three-day snow storm in New Jersey.

I do remember that the number of sales was very important to me. As a first time author, it was a tangible measure of acceptance, or the importance of my book. I checked often.

Also important were the number of reviews, interviews and the number of articles I got published. More concrete measures of approval.

As the year progressed my focus changed. The biggest accolade was a reader who emailed me to say how much my book had helped him. “Just what he was looking for,” was what he wrote. Also, a few professors had added it to their reading lists and a company believed in it enough to create an online course on the content, which meant a lot to me. 

My focus had changed from acceptance to influence. 

I hadn’t realized that my change in focus has affected my promotional efforts. It had become part of my decision making criteria for speaking engagements and the businesses and institutions I approach. 

I feel good about my progress and the types of results I will make this year.

Phil

 

10 Tips on How to Hold a Meeting in a Coffee Place

by adminon January 9, 2015 in Uncategorized tagged , , , with no comments

More and more I work with clients remotely, which is changing how I work. Email, phone, Skype and Google Hangouts are our modes of communication. I only meet my clients in-person when I am leading key meetings or workshops.

Since my face-to-face meetings are at my clients’ offices or their chosen off-site locations, I have no need for commercial office space. This expense would only add a commute to my life, reducing the amount of time I could work on my assignments.
I do have a need to meet with other consultants and contacts to work on projects or to network. For these meetings, coffee places are excellent. Chains like Starbucks, Costa and Tim Horton’s and independents offer a dynamic space with ample room and refreshments. They are inexpensive too. 
Here are some tips to make the most of your coffee place business meetings:

  • Pick a location that is easily accessible for all parties―commuting time is a cost for everyone
  • Visit the cafe before scheduling a meeting around the time you plan to meet―is there enough seating, is it too noisy, is it conducive to collaboration and conversation?
  • Check for wi-fi access―invariably someone will need to access something on the internet
  • Arrive early so you can find the best spot to sit―this week, I arrived second and five minutes late, which is bad form
  • Pick a spot away from the door―weather and constant traffic can be distractions
  • Offer to buy your meeting attendees coffee―it’s good form
  • Tip those who take your order―it’s a small recognition for the use of their space
  • Ask if you can check the time―it’s difficult to do surreptitiously and I always go overtime if I don’t
  • Offer to dispose of everyone’s cups, etc.―it’s a courtesy
  • Ask others if they liked the cafe as a meeting location―this could become a regular meeting spot or somewhere you won’t return to
Coffee places are excellent business meeting spots. This week, I had a meeting in a converted book store that had the old world charm of its 88 year history. It was a perfect backdrop for our conversation.
Phil
 

How to Help People Manage Their Emotions Just Before a Change

by adminon August 29, 2014 in Uncategorized tagged , , , with no comments

Most people behave differently
just before they experience a significant change. Supporting people when they
must bridge their current and future circumstances can make the difference
between a successful or unsuccessful transition. 
During this time, most people express
emotions associated with anticipation—excitement, fear, anxiety, blind
optimism, sadness, etc. The spontaneous nature of these emotions leads to their
amplification. Not managing them leads to distraction and poses a risk to
taking on new ways of thinking and acting.
Since people express different
emotions at different times with different intensities—minimizing the
likelihood of experiencing them is a more productive approach than just addressing
them after they are expressed.
So how do you help people through
this short, but intense, phase of transition? Here are some actions you can
take:
Encourage people to appreciate
what they are leaving behind
Every individual aor group has
traditions and practices that define them. Reliving these practices either through
doing them or storytelling can provide closure to the way things were.
Remind people of the benefits of
what they are taking on
Although this is something that
is important through all stages of change, it is essential just before people
take on new and often uncomfortable ways of behaving. Remembering the ‘why’
behind the change can help justify the anticipated pain of experiencing it.
Offer multiple types of support
as people take on the change
Demonstrating how people will be
supported through their transition can reassure them that they are not alone. Easily
accessible assistance can help minimize the anxiety caused by thinking about the
unknown. Offering multiple types of support demonstrates commitment and builds
confidence that things will be okay.
This week, my family has been
anticipating a significant change. Our eldest son, Sam, is going to university
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1,800 kilometres away from our home.
My emotions have been varied and
intense–everything from pride and excitement, to sadness and nostalgic longing.
It has been distracting, but I have been determined not to let it be a risk to our
transition. Here are some actions we have taken:
Encourage people to appreciate
what they are leaving behind
Sam has had many get-togethers
and a party this week. Making them fun and festive was our family’s priority.
We have also spent a lot of time doing and reminiscing about our traditions.
Remind people of the benefits of
what they are taking on
This is an easy one. Sam is
entering an exciting time in his life where he will gain new experiences and
meet new friends. Living in a new city will be an adventure too. He is going to
grow in many ways and everyone is talking about his journey.
Offer multiple types of support
as people take on the change
We have turned Sam’s move into a
family vacation. Barb and Sam are en route to Halifax, and Charlie and I will be
flying today to join them. We will be with Sam for three days followed by
numerous video and phone calls, correspondence. He may not have time to
study. 
Helping people manage their emotions
and behaviours before they experience a significant change directly impacts
their ability to successfully make their transition. This is true of business
and personal changes. A few actions can help ease transitions, as we are
finding out now.

Phil

 

Twelve Traits of a Change Agile Organization

by adminon August 23, 2014 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , , with no comments

Change agility is rapidly becoming a key skill of successful organizations. It is the ability to quickly respond to new developments—consumer choices, competitive threats, economic conditions, government regulations, etc.—so that opportunities are realized and challenges are managed.

Many common practices slow down an organization’s response rate. Annual strategic planning, siloed resource management and static personal objectives (and incentives) encourage leaders and their teams to complete their commitments as originally agreed, regardless of its current importance. 
Agile organizations align three drivers of speed: leadership, resourcing and culture. Here are traits of a nimble organization: 

Leaders:

  • View change initiatives as a portfolio of opportunities versus a list of projects managed separately
  • Know their roles in change including acting as an unbiased assessor of value delivery
  • Are prepared to alter assumptions about an initiative even if it means changing direction and abandoning unproductive work 
  • Own the success of the change after it is launched
Resources:

  • Are assigned to the highest priority changes according to need versus negotiated minimum requirements
  • Have right people selected for key change roles including experience, capability and motivation
  • Are easily transferable across initiatives and roles
  • Are dedicated to measurement of benefits and continuous improvement


People:

  • See change as an enabler of ongoing success versus something to get through now
  • Understand the organization’s vision and how the change initiatives will help achieve it
  • Give honest feedback that is listened to and rewarded
  • Discuss, share and follow lessons learned
An organization’s ability to quickly change how it operates to achieve its goals is a key ability to ongoing success. As the speed of change continues to increase, it may not be an option. Adopting these traits could be a good start.
Phil
 

How to Lead Yourself Through Change

by adminon August 15, 2014 in Uncategorized tagged , , , , , with no comments


Constant change has become a day-to-day reality for most organizations. They must adapt to the changing needs and requirements of their stakeholders, often reshaping their portfolio of change initiatives before they are implemented.

The ability to be your best while accommodating a moving change agenda is a must-have skill for leaders, managers and their team members. People must work through their own reactions to disruption before they can effectively manage it. Those who respond with their initial mindset, feelings and behaviours tend to show their worst and accomplish the least.

Here are some tips to help you manage through continual redefinition of change:

Take time to reflect on the change
Everyone goes through an emotional cycle when faced with change. Before reacting, invest time in thinking through the change including the reasons behind it, how it will impact your organization and you and how to best accommodate it.

Talk through your feelings about changes with someone you trust
Gaining perspective is essential to managing change well. Confidants act as sounding boards to test and broaden perspectives and provide more options to consider. Two or three heads are better than one.

Choose your attitude, actions and behaviours

Ask yourself, “What attitude will make the best of this change?” Next, identify the actions and behaviours that demonstrate your attitude. Often, we don’t consider the impact we have on our co-workers’ ability to navigate change. Planning how to be your best will provide a positive example for others to follow.

Focus on what you know
It is common for people to speculate about the implications of a change, especially when little information is available. These conversations can quickly turn negative. To stay productive, focus on fulfilling your role based on what you know; not on what other people think they know.

Ask questions if you are unclear
Lack of clarity is one of the most cited challenges of dealing with change. Seeking clarity avoids incorrect assumptions and wasted effort. Your questions are most likely shared by others and asking them early contributes to a common understanding of what will and won’t change.

Be patient with yourself and others
Change can be difficult and it is normal for people to feel anxious when their environment changes. Giving people (including yourself) permission to be human will reduce stress and minimize relationship tensions.

Be confident in your capabilities and accomplishments

Often, people react to a change without taking stock of what they can bring to it. Thinking of the capabilities that will help make you successful—past experiences, knowledge, skills and relationships—will focus your energy and build your confidence. 

People remember how you behave and act during change far more than the tasks you complete. How you react to ongoing change—attitude, actions and behaviours—will last longer than the details of the changes you face.

Phil
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