The helm or steering mechanism of a ship adjusts the angle of the rudder, and in turn, changes the direction of the ship. In the 18th century as technology increased ships began to increase in size. While this growth was advantageous, at the same time the ships became increasingly difficult to control. Thus a ship master needed an invention to foster technical growth but at the same time keep the ship on course. Today’s steering wheel was designed to connect to the tiller of the boat, with a block and tackle. This addition provided a considerable increase in the ship’s mechanical capabilities and resulted in smoother operations with less effort.
I relate this story of the steering wheel because the world economy is going through some stormy waters. Although the changes going on may turn out to be good in the long run, it is still difficult to stay the course in the middle of these “troubled waters”. More than ever we need strong leaders to step up and take the “helm”, provide guidance, and “steer” their teams in the right direction.
A strong leader will effectively partner with each employee and provide direction, guidance, and coaching. He or she can help team member adjust their personal courses and move into “smooth water”.
Providing constant support takes a lot of effort but it will be worth it in the long run. Consider the following points when helping your team stay afloat:
Communicating frequently with each team member
-Will reduce or eliminate fear of the unknown
-Encourages confidence in individual performance
Building understanding within your team
-Instills ownership in the tasks to ensure success
-Keeps each person focused on the goal
Encouraging respect between members
-Promotes synergy
-Supports a relaxed and engaging environment
Maintaining your integrity
-Retains trust in you and the organization high
-Inspires integrity from team members
“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required.”
How important is it to know your audience? Extremely important if you are dealing with a culture different than your own. A few weeks ago, my Father told the following story to me about the importance of knowing your audience…
“We were attached to the Special Operations Command; our area of responsibility was primarily the South Pacific and Near East.We were preparing for our first military mission in Japan, to participate in a joint operation exercise with the Japanese military.So, we were deeply involved in learning as much as we could of their history, culture and customs.Early in our training, the importance of exchanging of business cards in the Japanese culture was explained to us.Not only did you need to have a card, there was the right and wrong way to present your card, and how to handle ones you receive.For example: when givena card you should hold the card in both hands, study it for a moment, bow and thank the giver and then place it in your shirt pocket, next to your heart, all as a sign of respect. As we would be meeting and working with high ranking military and civilian members of the government, business cards were necessities for us.
This quickly became a game of who could design the most impressive business card. Every time someone came in with their newest printing of cards, those of a lesser quality felt obliged to scrap their old ones and try to match or improve theirs. It quickly went from standard weight paper with black printing, to top shelf weight and water marked paper, with multicolored designs, titles, phone numbers, fax numbers etc.
As I considered what my card should look like, I decided to wait until the frenzy was over so I would only have to pay for one and not multiple printings. I also decided that less was better and so had my cards made with a Crest on top, rank and name in the middle, and fax and phone number on the bottom, that’s it. Because the minimum order of cards was something like six hundred, and I could never imagine giving out that number, I decided to have a friends name put on half of them to save him some money. To be honest, I was embarrassed to show my simple card to my associates so simply said, “Yes, I have some cards,” when asked.
There were a number of social events before the start of the exercise where we were able to test our newly learned cultural and customs skills.Upon meeting in the Japanese culture, an “underling” of sorts is put in front to accept a card from someone. Unfortunately, when my commander was introduced before I was, it was assumed that I was the commander and he the underling, instead of the other way around.
As I gave my card to the person to pass on to his superior, the man took it in both hands, and with eyes widened exclaimed, “Oh-so Pederson-son!”He then with much reverence bowed even lower to his superior and presented my card. The superior had much the same reaction as the first.
Throughout the exercise, I almost exhausted my supply of cards.At times, I had dozens of people asking for a card.My friend, with whom I shared my cards, also had a similar experience.Needless to say, I surprised at the popularity of our cards.
However, my commander and other egocentric types were not only surprised but a bit miffed.Since both my friend and I were large of stature and graying, they soon decided that the reverence the Japanese hold for their elders was the reason for our popularity.
Even after the exercise began, I was still sought out for a card, to such an extent that I had to hold back a few for the festivities following the end of the exercise.By the end of the exercise my friend and I were completely out of cards, the only ones I know of that were. This popularity continued to rankle my supervisors.
Upon returning home, I did some more research and found the reason for my friend’s and my instant popularity in Japan. I read, a card presented to someone in Japan with nothing but their name tells the receiver; “This person is so important that everyone knows who they are,” at least in the country from where they came from.Our simple cards to the Japanese were equivalent to a card from the President of the United States, who only needs the presidential seal and his name on it.
I never did share this information with my egocentric supervisors.”
In an effort to do a fun activity with my four year old son, I recently started a little project that captured the results of teamwork over a sustain period of time. This idea stemmed from my son asking for a pet, and me wanting to find a simple, easy, maintenance free alternative.
I reference this as a “project,” because when I helped my boy select and purchase our Ant Farm, I had an underlying motive to observe the teamwork exhibited by these insects. Ants are known for their teamwork, and used as an example in the book The Team Approach. My intent was not just simply observing them, but documenting them for others to see. Our period of observation lasted 14 days and below are a few observations of Ant teamwork in action:
Upon the ants being placed into the farm, they immediately began to work. It was clear they had a combined objective which was to find a way to the light which represents the surface. It was from the very beginning that teamwork to accomplish the task at hand is everyone’s responsibility. The mission for the ants was to dig tunnels and from minute one they all appeared committed to this goal.
When one ant gets trapped due to a tunnel collapse, a small portion of the team stops working and focuses solely on freeing the pinned individual. They value each team member and the contribution they make. These ants seemed very aware of the needs of others and willingly offered help when the pressure was on.
They have clearly defined processes of where to dig tunnels and where to remove and place the excavated waste from the tunnel. They even have a process on where to put deceased ants and ant waste. Unfortunately, all of our Ants did not survive our observation period.
They project was running 24 hours a day. Some ants sleep or rest, while others continued the work. Once they have completed an element of their mission, they move onto the next one. They work with an intensity any organizations team would want.
They work well across functions because of a shared vision to guide their actions. If ants were digging from two separate points towards each other, they were always able to meet in the middle.
There is a strong sense of community and the ants appear to be connected and unified. One of the ways ants communicate with each other is by touching each other’s Antenna. In a strong community, community, communication is openly shared and people feel safe and secure to persist through challenges.
It makes the point that even lower life forms create organizations and team with roles, structures, and processes for their leaders and members.
– Team Team Approach
See this teamwork in action for yourself and watch the video clip below. There are approximately 25 ants working together over a period of 14 day. Through time lapse you can observe these 14 day in under 1 minute.
From the beginning of this project, it was clear that Teamwork in and of itself would be required between a father and his young curious son. Aside from my boy moving the camera, moving the ant farm, turning off the computer, or turning on the lights, it was a success.
In many ways, ant colonies are similar to human organizations: they work, play, and keep pets. Although small, they are incredibly strong. Often ants will team up, two or more to drag a caterpillar that is several times their weight back to the colony. – Team Team Approach
An interesting fact: It is estimated that there are 1,666,666 ants to every one human being
The benefits to building an effective team within the workplace cannot be understated. Yet, after you laid the groundwork for a great team, maintenance is the most important factor.
No one doubts the importance of team building in an organization, but the necessity to maintain the team and continually foster an environment where it can grow is sometimes overlooked. Just like any engine in a car, in order for all the pieces to function perfectly and reliably, the integral parts must be serviced regularly. Effective coaching for your team may mean the difference between significant long-term productivity and a slow decline into obsolesce.
Effective Communication The most significant factor in any team is the ability to communicate skillfully. As a leader it is extremely important for you to be honest in evaluating the team’s communication skill. Every system naturally has a tendency to break down. This isn’t just my opinion; it is the way of all human interaction. Without consistent lubrication and preventive maintenance to keep your people performing at their best, your team will digress into a meaningless machine. The key is to think creatively when renewing team purpose and commitment.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Remember, no matter what kind of problem your team may be facing, chances are someone else that someone has already dealt with a similar issue and has a unique way to approach it. Seek these people out with a passion; they will inspire both you and your team to excel. Standing on the shoulders of others is a critical key to transformation and forward progress of your team. You may be able to apply the previously developed method rather than the spending your valuable time on your own trial and error.
Check in Regularly
Good communication means just that – going the extra step to assure progress. Checking in with your team members means more than making sure their productivity is staying high. A teammate who is at the end of his rope when it comes to workload may seem productive; right up to the moment that he ‘breaks.’ When this happens, the personnel gap may cost you more money than if you had checked in frequently with the team member and discovered the issues before they became problems.
This post was contributed by Alisa Johnson, a guest writer, who writes about the top online business school. She welcomes your feedback at Alisa.Johnson1982 at gmail.com
OMG, RU GOING CRAZY = Oh My Goodness, Are You Going Crazy!
Can you read the above line? If you can’t, it is because technological communication is rapidly changing into encrypted messages like this, which is an unfamiliar form of communication for you! Emails, instant messaging, and text messaging are a few of the most common methods of communication these days and face-to-face communication is becoming outdated. While I can see many benefits these communication methods bring both to the social and professional world, my concerns about how it affects our conflict management and relationship building skills is growing nonetheless.
U Need Help = You Need Help I have a small counseling practice on the side where I focus on helping teenagers navigate through life. During the past few years, I’ve personally seen a rapid decline in many teenager’s everyday social skills. Some of my observations include difficulties addressing conflict, smaller vocabulary, poor non-verbals communication, inability to express emotions through verbal means (outside of the Text Message Shorthand of sideways smiley or frowny faces), and an overall discomfort with spoken conversations. I know what you’re thinking at this point – welcome to working with teenagers! However, I truly believe that this is largely due to a decrease in experience with face-to-face communication, and solely relying on texting, emailing, and instant messaging, where the human interaction is removed.
YUPPIES = Young Urban Professionals
So, how does this affect our up and coming workforce? While the future is looking bright and full of talented and capable young individuals, it is likely these young individuals will struggle with the basic and essential skill of relating and connecting with team members, leaders, subordinates, clients and customers, and vendors. Some organizations may even be seeing the affects of texting and emailing in employees who are in their early twenties.
Getting the 411 Is ^ 2 U = Getting the Information is Up to You
So, what is the solution? One immediate action we can all take is to preserve the art of face-to-face communication in our own realm. Despite the ease of typing a quick instant message to the person in the cubicle behind you, make an effort to send and receive a more accurate and personal message by doing so face-to-face. Take the opportunity to call that vendor and clarify exactly what your department needs, versus hoping it is understood through a series of emails. When you are going to be late to your next meeting, send a quick text letting the administrative assistant know you won’t be on time, but then take the opportunity to apologize in person and use non-verbals to communicate your sincerity.
Another step companies can take to ensure their workforce is full of effective communicators is to increase opportunities for training and development in the area of communication. Training on communication skills is a great opportunity for employees to practice and learn basic and advanced levels of communication. Your employees will be more aligned when they communicate from learning the same concepts and skills taught by qualified facilitators who are trained in adult learning theories.
Today, we are constantly reminded of the vast differences in people’s social norms. These are contingent on culture, religion, even regions. Perhaps, because of special friendship I have with a family of Persian ancestry, I began reading a book on cultural differences, Multicultural Manners: Essential Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century by Norine Dresser. While I feel this is a highly beneficial book, I think another book is more important if an organization works with diverse nationalities, The Coach: Creating Partnerships for a Competitive Edge by Steven J. Stowell, Ph.D. and Matt M. Starcevich, Ph.D.
This book takes the reader through eight skills, the authors call steps, to building strong business relationships. I call them skills because the steps are not necessarily used in sequence. While these can be used sequentially, they can also be used together or singly depending on the situation. However, the first step, Be Supportive, is central and connects with all the other steps.
When I read the book the first time, I thought the authors meant being supporting only entailed encouragement, helping, and listening to the other person. Now, I understand that the authors encourage the readers to take the initiative to really try to understand the situation from other vantage points. This requires action on our part and often means change in our thinking, ouch. This brings us back to multicultural issues.
Perceptions
We tend to see the world through the eyes of our own background. Ms. Dresser relates the following experience in her book. New to the United States, a Korean student, Ji, is greeted by a classmate with “How’s it going?” Ji doesn’t know what “it” is. Ji ignores the greeting. The classmate asked Ji again and again, Ji ignored the greeting. The classmate became so annoyed that he finally he yelled to Ji, “How’s it going?” To which, Ji replies, “My house is not going.” Had the classmate taken time to remember that Ji was new to the culture, he/she might have rephrased the question to “how are you?” or “How are you doing with the assignments?”
As business leaders, we cannot assume that our message will be received as we intended. Some idioms are unfamiliar or have different meanings in different parts of the country. Dialect can make a difference in understanding as well. A few years ago, my husband and I went to a local restaurant on Long Island, New York. The busy waitress asked me if I wanted wuud da. Based on negative experiences when I had answered yes to a question I didn’t understand, I immediately replied no. I was totally surprised when our friends’ nine year old daughter was given a glass of water. Had I asked the waitress “What is wuud da? She and my friends may have laughed, but then I would have had a glass of water.
Solutions
My point is that we cannot understand everyone and not everyone understands us. The answer, then, to this predicament is to ask questions and talk about any confusion. Just as I was hesitant to ask, others may not be bold enough to put themselves in a spotlight. So as leaders, we must lead by asking some questions but never with a blunt, “Do you understand?” Many people are too embarrassed to admit that they don’t understand. This is the crux of the step “Be Supportive.”
Be Supportive
To be Supportive means to put assumptions aside and withhold judgments until the other person has given his/her perspective. You cannot understand another perspective through a onetime conversation; this is when the action begins. Understanding requires observations, questions, and discussions with the other person over a period of time. The authors of The Coach list Ten Supportive Behaviors a leader should demonstrate. Here are five of my favorites:
Collaboration/Flexibility – responsibility is shared
Empathy/Understanding – treats feelings, concerns, and difficulties with dignity
Listening/interaction – gives full attention, asks a lot of questions, gives employees time to express ideas, reactions, and suggestions
Positive Exchange – approach focuses on issues in gentle, non-aggressive, non-threatening, non-judgmental way
Owning some Responsibility/Openness – accepts responsibility for contributing to the situation. Shows trust , shares important information and insight
Notice that all of these are positive actions in understanding the employee and the situation. It does not give blame for being different but acknowledges diversity. They also explain that supportive behaviors need to be displayed before any coaching session and it must be on-going to ensure success. It is critical to the development of any relationship, but especially in creating high performing and successful teams.
Certainly, there is much more to understand if your employee is from a culture with a different language. However, don’t underestimate the importance of differences within the same country. For example, in the United States, states in the north eastern quadrant ten to place value on being punctual, but in the south it is socially proper , often expected, to be a half hour late. This doesn’t mean one is right and the other wrong. It just means expectations will differ. As leaders, it is important to try to understand diverse background our team members may have so that we don’t have unreasonable expectations from them.
Once you understand the other person’s perspective, you can relay your expectations of them more clearly. By being sensitive to the differences in perception, a leader can make better decisions, give clear messages, help team members understand each other, and strengthen the organization’s effectiveness.
Leaders and team members need to be perfectly clear when communicating with each other. We cannot assume that the other person will always understand our meaning, and very often we will have to clarify ourselves to be sure that both the message and received message is the same. This lack of common language can be very frustrating when coaching someone on a very sensitive issue.
While my instance didn’t have a dreadful outcome, difference in understanding caused a leader inconveniences, if not major problems. One of the employees at the department store where I previously worked as a manager was a good clerk, but often caused an issue because of the way she dressed. While the elderly gentlemen at the retirement center across the street adored her and would wait in line just to have her talk to them, our women customers (particularly mothers) and the other clerks often complained about her dressing habits. The way she dressed was more conducive to a bar or pub rather than a department store.
It fell to me to discuss the issue with this clerk. Knowing what I know now, my conversation would have been much easier if I had the 8 Step Coaching Model to help me through. In Step 2, Dr. Stowell explains how a coach should Define the Topic and Needs and in Step 3 Establish Impact, always in a supportive way. Unfortunately, when I talked with this clerk, I immediately went to Step 3 – Establishing Impact. “The way you dress is inappropriate, tone it down a bit. Okay?” She showed up the next day in her uniform top still too tight and still too immodest.
When I questioned her why she still dressed the same way, despite our conversation, she looked at me defiantly and said, “I didn’t even wear any makeup!” She then proceeded to complain vehemently how no one else was told to quit wearing makeup. My communication has been totally misinterpreted. “Toning it down” had nothing to do with her makeup in my interpretation, but that was the way she understood it. I should have taken the time to explain that the “topic” was the provocative fit of her clothes, not her cosmetics. Step 2 of the Coaching Model is to create a mutually understood picture of what is happening.
Something I might have said was, “I can see that you are sincere in doing the best job you can. I am concerned of the representation of our organization through the way you wear your clothing.” After she thought about it, we could talk about why her dress style could affect the organization. She needed to understand how the way she dressed impacts the organization and her team members.
Or maybe I could have said, “Our customers shop here because we serve family needs. So our dress code requires clerks present a family friendly appearance. You are very important to that image because you are one of the last and first people our customers see. What do you think you can do to present an image our customers would be more comfortable with?” This would have given both of us an opportunity to clarify exactly how we could reach the most appropriate result.
When you address an issue, do you slow down to make sure the recipient understands or do you assume you are always understood? Coaching requires that both parties are on the same page before proceeding to “Establishing the Impact.”
Business coaching is typically done in the office. However in sales, some of the most effective coaching happens in the field while meeting with customers. This brings both opportunities and challenges for sales managers to coach effectively and develop sales representatives.
Coaching, as sales coaches, is to help our sales representatives:
Sharpen skills and build confidence
Capitalize on strengths and neutralize weaknesses
Be willing to stretch and take risks
Commit to common sales “standards”
To become an effective sales coach, it is important to know and understand some concepts and tools common to sales coaching.
Field coaching
Field coaching is unique in that it occurs on the job. This coaching takes place before and after sales calls, during preparations for upcoming sales calls, and while building strategy for a sales opportunity. It is typically an informal, daily interaction between coach and sales representative. Field coaching is often the most effective coaching because it is in the moment. If coaching is withheld until the end of the day, valuable coaching and teaching moments are lost.
There are three types of field coaching, as described below:
1. Unobserved coaching calls
Call is jointly planned
Call is executed buy the sales representative, without the presence of the manager
Call is debrief together afterward
Because unobserved coaching calls involve much smaller time investment by the coach, they can be done with greater frequency. The coach can focus on guiding and coaching the call planning effort. This activity helps improve the sales representative’s chances of success on the call and will provide the coach with valuable context for the post-call debrief.
2. Observed coaching calls
Call is jointly planned
Call is executed by the sales representative, for the purpose of assessing and coaching by sales managers
Call is debriefed together afterward.
These are the trickiest, given the dynamics of the customer and sales representative interactions, so require more skill and preparation. Observed coaching calls are the most effective in impacting sales performance.
3. Joint-sales calls
Call is jointly planned
Call is executed by both manager and sales representative
Call is debriefed together afterward
Here it’s important the coach has a good reason for being present for the call. Some possible objectives for a joint sales call may be to provide a unique “value-added” contribution, to help sell the company, not the “deal, ” or to increase customer relation focus.
These three Field Coaching opportunities are more reactive, direct, and “in the moment.” They are usually done between calls in a car, over lunch, waiting to see a customer, or in the hallway at the office. Like a sports coach during a game, it is important to take the opportunity to help the team member make needed changes right away. This allows them to immediately apply the new behaviors and a chance for the sales representatives to see different results right away.
A few days ago, I was talking with a friend about a recent automobile accident. I told her the driver veered off the road into a barrow pit. “A barrow pit?” she asked. After a chuckle, I explained that a barrow pit is a wide, deep gutter dug along the roadside by the transportation department for drainage purposes – it is usually dry. “Oh,” she replied, “we call those ditches.” “Ditches?” Well, okay, but when I hear the word, ditch, I think of a channel or canal used for the moving water primarily for irrigation. So, when I told my friend, “the driver ran into the barrow pit,” I meant it was a dry accident. If I had said ditch I would have meant the driver went into the water.
How often do we assume the instructions that we give others are perfectly clear when in reality they baffle our listeners or are misinterpreted? Then, when we criticize their performance they look at us with blank gazes or defensively reply, “You didn’t tell me that.”
Leaders and team members will often assume that the other person will always have the same definition or understanding of a word used, so we need to check for clarification. Several years ago, I was a manager of the pharmacy/cosmetics department in a department store. And as with all organizations, we had certain words that had specific meanings only our organization, or trade. One of our most used industry verb was “face”. While this very common word, people do not think of it in the terms we used it.
Annie was still in high school when she became one of my department clerks. She was fairly young, very enthusiastic, and somewhat naïve, but very sincere is doing a good job. Company procedure was two days in orientation and then some training on the floor with a more experienced clerk. On her third day on the job, I assigned Jeri to work with her. Jeri was one of my most experienced clerks. About an hour later, I went to see how she was doing and found her standing staring at the hair care section. I asked if she had a problem. “Oh no,” she said. “Jeri told me to face the shampoo section. I asked her why and she said that’s part of the job.” Jeri assumed that Annie had been instructed about “facing aisles” in the orientation class. Jeri also assumed Annie was being a bit cheeky like some teenagers were. While it seemed very strange to her, Annie did what she thought she was told to do. Of course, in retail, “facing” means pulling product from the back of a shelf and making certain the front of the package faces the customer. Luckily, Annie had a good sense of humor and was able to accept the teasing the other clerks gave her for the next few months for being so naive.
Think about your own industry. What phrases and buzz words do you or your organization use to convey job specific meaning? Do all your team members understand the context in which these words might be used? Do your employees mentally see ditches or barrow pits?
Try this at your next team or departmentmeeting: Throughout the discussion, ask members of your team if they understand all the terminology being used to describe a process, project, or concept. You might be surprised at how many people don’t know the meaning or have a different personal perception of what is going on.
At CMOE, coaching is a big topic. Essentially, our team eats and breathes coaching. The Coaching Skills workshop is our flagship product, and our book, The Coach is one of our best sellers. The skills, tools, and concepts are engrained in our work culture and personal lives because of the benefits and results it offers.I had guessed that all of this exposure to effective coaching was what made me so surprised and disturbed when I saw an example of very ineffective coaching while watching the Olympic Games this summer, but now it seems I wasn’t the only one bothered by this particular example. When the American women’s pole vaulter, Jenn Stuczynski, won the silver medal, her coach, Rick Suhr, responded with criticism, indifference, and no support. If you haven’t seen the clip, click on this link: Stuczynski Hears Harsh Words From Coach. – (you’ll be forced to watch a short ad).
Timing
Although I would promote the use of coaching all of the time, when a team member or employee is facing obstacles, disappointment, or lack of motivation, coaching is especially important. For this Olympic athlete, coaching is strongly needed and it is not the time to point out faults and criticize, as you see in the clip. In such opportunities, the coach should highlight successes, encourage, motivate, and show support. While feedback is necessary when coaching for high performance, feedback must be presented in an effective way.
Feedback
In the video clip from the Olympic Games, you will hear Mr. Surh point out observations. Feedback can be a tricky feat in itself, much less when given under pressures that exist for a coach and team member who are competing in the Olympic Games. Without much thought or care, feedback can result in misunderstandings, discord, and insecurity. Without strong, clear feedback, people are unable to know fully what is expected of them, what they are doing well, or what they can do to improve. Strong, clear feedback, will help others develop, encourage responsibility, loyalty, and trust.
Celebrate
There are definite moments when coaching is needed, appropriate opportunities for feedback, and then there are times to celebrate successes. Without doubt, this was one of the times for celebration and Rick Suhr really missed the boat on doing so with Jenn Stucznski. Sure, both the athlete and her coach may have felt disappointed they didn’t reach their ultimate goal of a Gold Medal. However, coaches must take the time to celebrate their hard work, determination, the journey, and any successes. Jenn Stuczynski definitely had reason to celebrate. Despite this being her fourth year of pole vaulting and her first time competing in the Olympic Games, she won a silver medal. Without celebrations, both coaches and team members begin to lose motivation and purpose, negatively affecting their performance.
I sometimes wonder what might have happened if Mr. Suhr used more effective coaching skills that day by holding his feedback for a more appropriate time and celebrating the success he and Stuczynski were experiencing. Would Jenn Stuczynski have felt even more motivated to reach her goal? Would she have come away from coaching sessions with valuable feedback and ready to improve and progress? What might have resulted if Rick Suhr had encouraged her and celebrated more after each Olympic trial. Maybe she would have won the Gold Medal, and maybe not.
While Rick Suhr’s coaching record shows he is doing something right with his athletes, I imagine that if he had better interpersonal coaching skills he would see even greater success and improved performance with the athletes. It is also likely that there wouldn’t be a video clip of him at the Olympic Games circling the internet!
“We were attached to the Special Operations Command; our area of responsibility was primarily the South Pacific and Near East.
I reference this as a “project,” because when I helped my boy select and purchase our Ant Farm, I had an underlying motive to observe the teamwork exhibited by these insects. Ants are known for their 
The most significant factor in any team is the ability to communicate skillfully. As a leader it is extremely important for you to be honest in evaluating the team’s communication skill. Every system naturally has a tendency to break down. This isn’t just my opinion; it is the way of all human interaction. Without consistent lubrication and preventive maintenance to keep your people performing at their best, your team will digress into a meaningless machine. The key is to think creatively when renewing team purpose and commitment.
= Oh My Goodness, Are You Going Crazy!
I have a small counseling practice on the side where I focus on helping teenagers navigate through life. During the past few years, I’ve personally seen a rapid decline in many teenager’s everyday social skills. Some of my observations include difficulties addressing conflict, smaller vocabulary, poor non-verbals communication, inability to express emotions through verbal means (outside of the Text Message Shorthand of sideways smiley or frowny faces), and an overall discomfort with spoken conversations. I know what you’re thinking at this point – welcome to working with teenagers! However, I truly believe that this is largely due to a decrease in experience with face-to-face communication, and solely relying on texting, emailing, and instant messaging, where the human interaction is removed.
This book takes the reader through eight skills, the authors call steps, to building strong business relationships. I call them skills because the steps are not necessarily used in sequence. While these can be used sequentially, they can also be used together or singly depending on the situation. However, the first step, Be Supportive, is central and connects with all the other steps.
When I questioned her why she still dressed the same way, despite our conversation, she looked at me defiantly and said, “I didn’t even wear any makeup!” She then proceeded to complain vehemently how no one else was told to quit wearing makeup. My communication has been totally misinterpreted. “Toning it down” had nothing to do with her makeup in my interpretation, but that was the way she understood it. I should have taken the time to explain that the “topic” was the provocative fit of her clothes, not her cosmetics. Step 2 of the Coaching Model is to create a mutually understood picture of what is happening.
A few days ago, I was talking with a friend about a recent automobile accident. I told her the driver veered off the road into a barrow pit. “A barrow pit?” she asked. After a chuckle, I explained that a barrow pit is a wide, deep gutter dug along the roadside by the transportation department for drainage purposes – it is usually dry. “Oh,” she replied, “we call those ditches.” “Ditches?” Well, okay, but when I hear the word, ditch, I think of a channel or canal used for the moving water primarily for irrigation. So, when I told my friend, “the driver ran into the barrow pit,” I meant it was a dry accident. If I had said ditch I would have meant the driver went into the water.
Timing
