Team Building

Teaming How To Build A Team

2009-03-03T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Philip Lye

Team building takes work but the results are worth it. The essential ingredient is time and patience.

If you really want to build a team that will achieve outstanding results you can.

The Hype

Over the years team work has been the flavor of the day with many businesses spending considerable money in trying to achieve a positive and harmonious team structure.

Some have found the results they looked for but many have not.

Why is this so?

Team building has a number of foundation building blocks that are essential for a team to function.

Commitment of the Manager or Owner

Some managers and owners get excited about team possibilities only to weary over time where the pressures of business and day to day life grind them down.

Your commitment by way of your action and time are critical to your team's success.

Time

It takes time to build teams. Trust and respect need to be earnt and there are no short cuts. Make a decision to pay the cost and demonstrate your commitment.

Patience

Life sometimes throws us a curve ball and not all of our plans go according to the script.

Make a commitment to be patient and as long as you see incremental progress realize progress is progress.

Celebrate Success and do not condemn failures

Learn to celebrate your successes as a team as you go along and learn from failure. Failure is a fantastic teacher if you look at it that way. If you own the business or are a manager realize that you are particularly under scrutiny of your team more so when failure occurs.

Your reaction to change and failure will ultimately determine the amount of buy in you achieve from your team.

Learn to Delegate

As business owners we are sometimes afraid to delegate. Start with small things and as your team gets confidence and does the right thing increase the responsibility.

Be quick to learn

Be quick to learn from each other. The most unlikely team member may be sitting on the very edge you have been looking for in your business.

Listen

Many managers and employees are terrible listeners. Learn to hear what people are really saying and don't devalue their contributions.

Encouragement

It has been reported that children need 7 compliments to counteract 1 negative statement.

How much more important then is it to encourage your team. Anyone can condemn however a good manager and team member knows how to give genuine encouragement. Show genuine interest.

An Example

Before starting Biz Momentum I once took over an organisation that was almost beyond repair. By applying these principals by listening and resourcing employees I took the company from a damaging loss to a substantial profit within 1 year. This was a complex business with complex people and serious mistrust issues.

The cost to me was emotional commitment to change and to listen - it worked.

I was subsequently summoned overseas to report to the main shareholder who wanted to know how this was done so quickly. The answer is easy, the application harder the question is will you pay the price.

Visit www.biz-momentum.com for more information. You can do it - apply some of these principles and you will achieve results

Philip Lye is the founder of Biz Momentum providing strategic human resource management advice to help your business grow. Philip is a author and educator who trains management and employees to work together to achieve tangible results. Philip has had considerable international experience.

Visit http://www.biz-momentum.com for other helpful articles.

Teamwork In The Workplace A Definition

2009-03-02T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Stowell

A tight knit team is a group of competent individuals who care deeply about each other. They are fiercely committed to their mission, and are highly motivated to combing their energy and expertise to achieve a common objective. From our observation and studies on teamwork in the workplace, we have found three primary conditions that have to be met in order to attain higher levels of team performance and member satisfaction.

Resources and Commitment
Ownership and Heart
Learning

These three conditions are the heart and soul of teamwork. These conditions are not a blueprint. Each group is unique, and the specifics and details of teamwork have to be worked out separately. Let's look closer at number one - Resources and Commitment. RESOURCES AND COMMITMENT

A strong personal commitment and leap of faith are needed to start up and sustain tight knit teams. Genuine energy and resources are required during the early stages. For example, important non-task time is needed for teams to meet and establish identity, expectations, spirit, bonds, and patience is required for learning, coaching and behavior change that is consistent with team principles. Investment in teamwork is very intangible. You can't measure it like most corporate assets that can be sold off for a profit if you have a couple of bad quarters. Teamwork in the workplace requires a lot of care, sensitivity, and patience for it to pay off in the long run. This is not exactly the formula that most organizations run on these days. Typically we see organizations pre occupied with putting out fires and handling crises. Most organizations have a very short-term focus and many leaders are not enlightened enough to invest in fire prevention and not get caught by the excitement of the task or by the activity trap that is so common today. It doesn't take much to bring a group of individuals together to do a job especially if you are depending on just a compensation package to get them to produce. On the other hand, teamwork in the workplace does take a deep personal commitment and belief in team synergy and collaboration. Some managers harbor the belief that work only gets done when there is a singular powerful, expert, authoritative figure running the work group.

When you look closely at it, you are likely to find that a disturbingly large number of organizations are built around rugged individualism and that people want to build their own empires and work independently. So many of us have been taught in life to commit to win-lose competition for academic grades and sports scores. We learn to "go for the jugular" very early on in life, and we put our faith and commitment into this mode of thinking. Competition can be fun and rewarding if we can get this powerful drive aimed and the right target. The problem we see in a lot of situations is that teamwork in the workplace is being killed by "friendly fire." In other words, we are directing our competitive energies at looking better than another person or looking better than another team in the organization.

All too often we compete for personal rewards at the expense of others. We act as though our department is in a race with other departments, and we take our eye off the real competition. The fact of the matter is that we have found few organizations that are committed enough to base some of the reward system on teamwork and make it a priority. It seems that in earlier generations it wasn't a big problem and teamwork was naturally rewarding. People on the farms and ranches had to cooperate to survive. Successful crops and survival of the livestock depended on joining the efforts of many. Barns and homes were constructed as a result of teamwork, only we called it being neighborly.

Amazing things could be accomplished today if we could get members and leaders to trust and commit to the teamwork process of joint problem solving, consensus decision making and shared leadership and win/win conflict resolution.

If you would like to learn more about teamwork in the workplace or to discover how CMOE has assisted teams around the world please contact a Regional Manager at (801)569-3444.

Dont Waste Your Money On Team Building

2009-03-01T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Doug Staneart

Thousands of companies wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue last year on "Team Building" programs that didn't develop more of a team atmosphere within their organizations. The term "Team Building" has come to have so many definitions that it can mean just about anything to anybody.

The definition I like is the following:

Team Building Any exercise or program that helps a group of INTERDEPENDANT people create LONG-TERM behavior change resulting in a more efficient or productive culture.

If a company or organization is considering investing in a team building program, the first question that needs to be asked is, "Is my group interdependent?" meaning does the success of each member of the group depend primarily on the success of the other members of the group? For instance, the success of the operations department might depend heavily on the success of the sales department which might depend heavily on the success of the marketing department. Conducting a team building program among the managers or employees of these departments at the same time might be beneficial. However, the success of each individual sales person will probably not depend primarily on the success of the other sales people. So, a sales manager spending money on a team building program for his/her sales people would probably be wasting time and money.

If your group is interdependent, then the next question to ask is "What kind of things are happening within this group that lets me know they are not acting efficiently as a team?" or "What areas can we improve in?" You might ask more specific questions to determine individual areas for improvement such as the following: Are there areas of miscommunication that slow down processes or cause rework? Are there conflicts which bring down morale? Do departments focus on their own success at the expense of other departments? Is it tough for new employees to fit in with the experienced team members? Are changes in policy resisted by team members? Do team members feel as though they have no say in policy?

The answers to any of these questions can help a team leader determine what types of team building programs might be most effective for a group. If you find it difficult to determine the individual areas that would have the most dramatic impact on the performance of your group, realize that most professional trainers have low-cost or free assessments that can be conducted to determine these areas for a group.

The next step in determining the right program for your group is to determine which programs on the market will give your team improvement in the most areas that you have identified, and which will give your team long-term improvement so that you will not have to continually repeat the training process over time.

Once you have done the previous steps, this last step is pretty simple. You can do a standard internet search for training in the areas you've identified, and then check a number of references for each proposal you receive.

One quick thing you can do to save time is to look only at organizations and trainers who specialize in training or team building. People and companies who can make a living specializing in this type of work will probably do pretty well, but a company specializing in the fitness industry (outdoor adventures, ropes courses,) selling beach chairs (Beach Olympics,) or driving race cars or flying airplanes probably won't create a long-term behavior change in your team.

Comradery may be built and lost in an afternoon, but a team atmosphere can last for generations.

Doug Staneart, doug@buildingyourteam.com is CEO of The Leader's Institute, http://www.buildingyourteam.com, specializing in leadership, public speaking, and team building training for individuals and groups. He can be reached toll-free at 1-800-872-7830.

How Oneonone Executive Coaching Can Work For You

2009-02-28T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Carol Coulter

Does your company need a jumpstart? Is revenue low, morale declining, and your leadership tactics no longer making an impact? This may be the perfect time to look into leadership coaching.

A good executive coaching program should do more than just set you up with a speaker reading over a PowerPoint presentation. Team up your senior leaders with a good corporate coaching program, and you could be discussing fostering relationships, building strategy, and improving revenue and communications all while hitting the slopes, climbing a mountain or rafting some white water. It's easy to connect in an environment where you can be creative, and think outside the box.

A good leadership system can make all the difference in your organization. It effects; communication, human performance, accountability, delivery and measurement. A one-on-one approach, and a program that is tailored to suit your organization's specific needs, is the best choice in executive coaching.

There are a few important things to consider if you want to engage in an executive coaching program. Look for a company that will provide you with someone who is more than just a speaker. You want to be paired up with someone who will be a trusted advisor to you as your organization grows and changes. Also, a good coaching program will include industry consultants to provide expert advice in some technical areas. Talk to your consultant about the specific goals you want your leadership program to meet. Every business or organization needs direction in a different area or department. This is what makes a one-on-one coaching program so unique; you work on meeting goals where your company needs it the most.

To learn more about your possible executive coaching program, please visit www.maxcomminc.com today.

Carol Coulter has been the director of marketing communications at Maxcomm Inc. for five years. She has been in the management consulting business since 1979.

Teamwork Rowing Amp Paddles

2009-02-27T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Effective and sustainable teambuilding is necessary in today's marketplace where fewer people are being required to do more work. More often than not, the adage "Getting everyone rowing in the same direction" is associated with building effective teams. However, is this really true? If everyone is rowing in the same direction, will the organization or the individual project realize a dramatic return for everyone's results?

For example, a recent trip to a large international law firm allowed me the opportunity to read an electronic sign with a picture of a boat and 8 oarsmen all rowing together. I reflected upon this picture as I talked with the HR director who was sharing with me management's philosophy. After he finished, I asked him this question: "If I were to survey 10 of your employees or 10% of the approximately 100 employees at this location and ask them to name the top 3 goals of the organization for the current year, would I walk away with 3 goals, 30 goals or 100 goals or more?" He responded that he would like to say 3 because of all the ongoing work that has been done and is being done to communicate the goals, but he believed that I would receive more than 30. His answer demonstrates that effective team building goes beyond communicating the message, but must be internalized by each team member. My next question was simply what is all of these "missed strokes" costing the organization?

Returning to the visualization of the boat being rowed by everyone towards the same point on the horizon, we presume that everyone is using the same oar where the paddle is hidden just below the water line. Yet, if all rowers would lift their oars, we might see that some of the paddles have different lengths, shapes and sizes. Some paddles may even have holes in them. These paddles have changed because the rowers have internalized communications differently and their subsequent actions or behaviors are based upon this internalization.

Effective teamwork goes beyond knowing the overall team's direction. Constant monitoring of the "paddles" is necessary to ensure that during the "rowing process" the paddles have not changed and are still delivering the most efficient and effective results.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results.

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

Managing Your Team Part 1 Is It Struggling

2009-02-26T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Gowans

I've lost count of the workshops in which Communication (internal or external) is the number one issue that groups and teams highlight.

The singular most effective way to deal with team problems is to talk about them.

BUT, how do we talk about them? What do we talk about?

It is not uncommon that teams struggle. It could be...

Trying to start a new project

Trying to end a project

Trying to adapt to a new leader

Trying to adapt to a new member or members

Trying to deal with competing loyalties

Trying to implement new processes or procedures

If the team is newly formed and team members are still at the stage of getting to know each other "as part of this unique team", I would like to suggest that article

Understanding Group Dynamics - Stages of Team Growth [2005-10-26], Article ID: 87167

should also be read to understand better the different (and sometimes difficult) stages that a new team will definitely go through.

Suggested Causes Why The Team Is Struggling

Lack of Clear, Specific Objectives

The team or, at least, certain members may feel a little overwhelmed or uncertain as to their responsibilities, their key objectives and especially how they will be measured and held accountable. Moreover, there will be no real sense of Purpose or Direction.

Left unmanaged, this can lead to wasted discussions and activities, no sense of working together, and objectives not being met.

Too Early

Teams can also struggle if the individual members are still unsure of their fellow team members. Some may feel that they still don't know others well enough to discuss issues or engage in real decision making. Some members may be reluctant to view their opinions, make suggestions especially if they are new to the team and are not (or feel they are not) encouraged to do so.

Lack of Consensus

Struggling to make decisions as a group may suggest a lack of consensus and, again, some members are reluctant, a little unsure to indicate that they don't agree and cannot support the team's decisions or conclusions.

Unable To Close

Different thoughts, feelings, fears may be at play here. At the end of a specific project, team members may be reluctant to 'officially' close the project. Maybe they are looking for something more, maybe the feel they are not ready to complete. This can result in decisions / conclusions being left open and the project being delayed.

This can also be the case when moving on from one phase to another. It may also be that team members are reluctant to move on because they feel unsure of what is required of them, there may a lack of a clear plan or, again, objectives are not specific enough.

On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fall into the 'Touchy Feely' category!!!

Fear of Failure

This relates to either the inability to close the project off or even move from one phase to the next. It may be that presentations or reviews have to be made to senior management or groups outside the team and there is a reluctance to share the team's conclusions in case the results are not appreciated or are open to criticism, fair or unfair.

All of these causes can be dealt with and, indeed, avoided. Much of this falls upon the shoulders of team leader but that is not to say that individual team members should not take their share of responsibility in making the team a successful one.

Team Problems and How We Should Talk About Them

Before highlighting some clues for dealing with the above causes, I would like to talk about Feedback. Giving and Receiving Feedback / Constructive Criticism is not easy and we shouldn't kid ourselves that it is.

The ONLY objective has to be successful problem resolution measured by the team making significant progress and moving forward as a cohesive unit.

If anyone uses 'feedback' as a means of delaying progress, revenge, upsetting people or any other less than positive motive, I suggest that the team would be more productive and a lot happier without that individual (no matter how successful that individual is).

Most of us understand the value of team building and interpersonal skills as well as technical skills especially in a leadership or team role. There are some excellent courses on Giving and Receiving Feedback and well worth the investment.

I will cover the basics in a later article.

Let's Not Struggle Any More

Although these clues are aimed at the team leader, again, individual team members have a key role to play in moving the team forward.

Objectives need to be clear, specific and measurable. If there is not true consensus, find out why and deal with it because without it, the team will definitely not achieve all it can achieve.

Part of reaching consensus is making sure everyone understands how these objectives relate to the overall Purpose and Direction of the team. What is the team's 'Mission'?

Being aware of and understanding any external influences and their relative importance helps the team to manage them. Remember, you may need the backing of these 'influences' at a later stage.

Identify and articulate what is needed to move on if stuck. Do you need more information or data? Would additional support or assurances help? Identify and deal constructively with team member's feelings whether reasonable or unfounded.

With advance notice and 'Meetings Best Practice' facilitate a specific session with the objective of determining exactly how the team will move forward. Then make sure it does!

Make sure any review or presentation is the best it can be. All conclusions/recommendations are supported by hard data. Anticipate objections and determine how to deal with them. As team leader ALWAYS support your team players in an external situation.

To help the group deal with the transition of separation at the end of a project, celebrate the team's success, communicate the team's success, publish their results. Be there for the team members after the team has separated, they were there for you!

The next article will look at Reluctant Team Members.

Andrew has over 20 years experience providing personal and business coaching specialising in strategic planning, continuous improvement,personal development and lifelong learning.

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a)provide help and guidance with any of the steps outlined in the article. b)get your free copy of the ezine Webcoach News. c)highly relevant articles on website marketing and promotion d)check out the wealth of material on the main website e)submit a detailed request for help regarding working at home or running a business on the 'net.

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Solitude Vs Teamwork

2009-02-25T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ramesh Kumar Thiagarajan

Irrespective of any given situation, "Team Work Works!" It is not that students are incapable of studying in solitude, it is just that when they study in collaboration the synergy drives the students, one step further. During the learning period people tend to be skeptical and filled with fraught of underachieving, so they stick with the habit of solitary learning. They often underestimate the power of a "group".

The synergy between the groups is the major impetus that has the power to take them to new heights. Hypothetically, let us assume the research students are challenged to disprove "The theory of relativity" it is near impossible for an solitary individual to disprove the theory, as it is going to take ages. When they form a group they have a better chance to conclude, leave alone disproving it.

The individual complacent attitude often limits the levels of the individual, this never happens in a group activity. The students of the group tend to push the other members to the extreme, thus getting the best out of everyone. Assume a group of students are asked to design a roman amphitheater, with a touch of modernity. Each individual perceives the structure in his own thoughts, this leads to a healthy discussion of the design. Where the design thoughts of each individual is validated against the other students, which helps in bringing out the best of every student and never lets the air of complacency settle in.

In solitude the individual tends to focus on minor aspects and eventually loses the sense of direction. This seldom happens in a group activity, there is always someone to keep tabs on where they are heading. It also helps in playing a balancing act, i.e. the shortcoming of an individual is supplemented by somebody else in the group. This is the power of indulging in group activity. Eventually leads to better results, increase in productivity and agility. The winning ingredients of the group acitivity are the individual members, they can make or break the activity.

There are situations where solitary activity is more effective, incase of a activity which lacks breadth. Whereas Group activity is highly effective when the activity shows breadth that is overwhelming for an individual. Irrespective of all these, group activity works most of the time.

-Ramesh-

Six Indispensable Benefits Of In Service Training For Your Business

2009-02-24T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Larry M. Lynch

In growing your business you may be looking in many directions for stimulus, ideas and pathways for development. But have you considered looking inward? If you have a small (SBE) to medium-sized company (SME), INSET or In-Service Training can provide for both immediate and long-term benefits for your company or business. Here are six indispensable benefits of in-service training you can start reaping now:

1. Quality Control

Quality is consistently providing a high-level of service or products. INSET allows your staff to know and help maintain quality standards in your company. Lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of procedures or a company's quality standards and policy is a principal cause for lack of quality. Customers and clients may very well depend on consistency in your products or services as a basis for their own survival. If you start slipping, they'll dump you fast to save themselves and their client base.

2. Standardization of Methodology

Standardization revolutionized the manufacturing industry and helped the North defeat the South during the American Civil War. Implementation of high-level standards, along with quality controls, turned Japan from a third-rate producer of cheap, poor quality goods into an economic super-power. INSET levels discrepancies in knowledge of company functions, methods and procedures. An added benefit may well be the stimulation of creative thinking in development of new or offshoot products and services further building the profitability of your company. The greater productivity and improved service afforded by standardization even allows the possibility of broaching new markets as suggested by "Six Essential Keys to Marketing Web Based Products and Services in Latin America" online at: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=74080

3. Builds Confidence

The fact that you value staff enough to provide in-service training helps to build the staff's confidence in the business. INSET enables staff to perform better and grow in their capabilities. They feel better about their respective roles in the overall structure of the company, are more willing to contribute extra time, energy and personal resources into company projects. They'll feel that as the company grows, so will they. Your staff helps to grow your business. Confident staff promote with confidence. Many key personnel desire greater facility in giving company-related presentations. Articles like "8 Tips for Giving Your First Presentation before A Live Audience" found online at: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=74840 offer starting ideas on developing presentation skills.

4. Promotes Personal Development

For staff members who inherently want to grow INSET provides a knowledge and skills improvement path that promotes personal development. Staff members are encouraged to continually learn, grow professionally and develop their job skills. Often an initial INSET program spurs staff enrollment for advanced study in their field. One highly popular training area is in the use of internet tools for businesses. Take a look at the article "5 Essential Tools You Need for Marketing on the Internet" online at: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=76175 Let's face it, better educated, more knowledgeable and capable staff are a boon to any business.

5. Attracts Better Staff

Word gets around. If your business is known for providing in-house training at little or no cost to employees, those outside the company, with skills you need and a professional mindset, will seek you out. Progressive professionals want growth and development to spur their advancement opportunities. A company with a solid series INSET programs will act as a magnet for much needed, quality personnel. If your programs are low cost or cost-free to employees, even better. You should promote your INSET programs as an employee benefit which, in fact, they are - for both of you. INSET programs also help to distinguish your company and your staff as true professionals as referenced in "6 Key Ways to Distinguish Yourself as a Business Professional" Check them out at: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=79699

6. Reduce or Eliminate Turnover

"I do my job, put in my time and collect my pay" may be the attitude of some workers. It's also an attitude common in a penitentiary. INSET programs tend to help weed out the "deadwood" since covertly there is expectation for staff development. Those not interested tend not to like the "pressure" and will soon leave for "quieter" pastures. Think about it: are you growing a business or raising sheep? And you're not running a Cell Block either, are you? Let the deadwood go and wish them well. You definitely don't need the hassles they'll ultimately bring. Quality personnel, on the other hand, will tend to stick with your business as long as they feel a progressive development policy is being promoted. INSET offers a solid anchor for progressive-thinking, improvement-oriented staff.

In-Service Training is one aspect which separates growing, upwardly-mobile businesses from the trying-to-stay-afloat mentality companies. Clients too acknowledge and respect a product or service-provider that openly demonstrates the commitment to growth and improvement that INSET provides. Consider the essential skills your company needs developed in its staff. Set up a series of tightly-knit INSET programs to help transmit or improve those skills. Implement those programs, start reaping these six indispensable benefits and watch your business soar.

Prof Larry M. Lynch is a certified English language teacher / trainer, bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He teaches at a university in Cali, Colombia. To get original, exclusive articles and content for your newsletter, blog or website contact him at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com. For quotes on English language services for business, personalized business English training or copywriting Email: pentagon_elsb@hotmail.com

Why Is Teamwork Training Important

2009-02-23T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Stowell

"When teamwork kicks in, nobody can beat you."

Don Shula, Head Coach, Miami Dolphins
Only NFL team to attain a perfect 17-0 season

Whether it's two people, a department, or an organization, teams are the means by which great things get done. Unfortunately, not all work groups exhibit teamwork. So, how can our groups develop that sense of community and cohesiveness, or what was Don Shula's secret? When and how does teamwork kick in? The key is effective teamwork training.

Our research and experience point to a need for managers to be both willing and able to build and maintain high performing teams. One key to regaining our competitiveness will be how successful managers are in creating the climate for teamwork to grow and develop.

We believe it doesn't just happen by accident. Teams work at building spirit and commitment. They talk about how they are doing. They are willing to invest time and money to protect and enhance the basic team fabric and integrity. In a team, people care about each other and are concerned about how their actions and attitudes affect each other.

Managers report that they spend from fifty to ninety percent of their efforts on managing individuals. Yes, most managers have little or no knowledge of group dynamics. With CMOE's teamwork training programs, you will discover the inner dimensions and facets of how groups become teams and how group dynamics can be managed. Observing groups at work adds clarity to the very subtle and often subliminal concept of teamwork. It is not magic and there is no secret; it can be explained and put into practice by any manager.

Many of our teamwork training activities are instruments that allow participants to observe and unmask the common enemies of teamwork. It helps if we can see more clearly obstacles that all too frequently are created within a team.

Team afflictions can be widespread, including: destructive and over-charged competitiveness, individualism, over-inflated egos, personal greed, and technology such as computers that drive us into ourselves and have the potential of isolating us so we can "do our own thing." Seeing the impact of these afflictions on the quality of teamwork is the first step towards creating a more effective team.

To learn more about the teamwork training that CMOE has conducted worldwide, contact CMOE at (801)569-3444 or visit their website.

Team Work A Challenge Of Character

2009-02-22T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Philip Lye

Over the years there has been much ado about team work, the value of teams, the ups and downs, the pros the cons! Some appear to work and others fail, why? Can your business benefit from a team work approach or not?

As people we are 'complex beings' It never ceases to amaze me how we often gravitate to negative ways of thinking about others when we ourselves (if we are honest) have just as many flaws and faults. We often find ourselves thinking about the glass half empty instead of the glass half full. Life and business can be a very positive experience.

Having been in the workforce for over 25 years have given me the opportunity to observe trends and over time see what works and what doesn't, and however more importantly why?

From junior clerk to CEO and President of businesses it is my opinion that there is nothing new under the sun.

Re-badged ideas and principals have been operating for centuries. From armies to seminaries we can observe and learn that humankind has arranged itself in team structures, some successful, some failures.

Take William Wallace, the plucky Scotsman who organised teams (bandits) against the English oppression.

From good to evil nations and people have banded together and achieved more than they could have alone. This is the key, that alone and as individuals we can achieve, however together we can exponentially achieve if we will pay the price of patience and time.

Good teams take time and patience to build!

Over the years the practice of teams in business has often come and gone. It is my observation that over the last 10 years there has been a profound shift in the fundamental way teams operate in that those that are successful appear to be made up of people who have developed a high level of trust in each other and have had a heart transformation in that they strive to live authentically, have a high level of self control and common sense.

We appear by nature to be suspicious and untrusting as individuals and this does not lend itself towards team building. The good news is that we can change!

What makes a good team? A good team is one where team members are allowed a great deal of autonomy. This is usually given as teams prove their trust to management by succeeding in small tasks and are subsequently and progressively delegated more responsibility.

Have you ever noticed that the clock seems to go faster when working cooperatively with other people? Have you ever noticed the creativity and learning that takes place between team members? The off-setting multi-skilling is fantastic for your business.

What causes a team to fail? As the 3 musketeers once said 'one for all and all for one' When individuals come together to operate as a team it is critical that they have the hands-on support of management. Individuals need to learn to put aside differences and develop trust and believe that they will be rewarded as a team and individuals. Teams are not only about the team but about your employee's individual's contribution to the team - a fact overlooked to your peril.

Tips for Management

Change is painful for you and your employees.

You may want instant results! This is unlikely to occur and remain sustainable.

You cannot give lip-service to team concepts and demonstrate by your behaviour the opposite.

Over time a team will prove its worth to your business if your persevere with patience and support. You reap what you sow.

Communicate, communicate, and communicate!

Be participative with your employees. The sad truth is that some managers and business owners put more effort into their motor vehicle than their employees.

You cannot hide behind indifference and position and expect your team to produce. You must live authentically. This is sometimes called 'risky living'.

Tips for Employees Being part of a team is a fantastic opportunity to develop and grow personally and professionally.

If you are placed into a team be realistic and understand that change is painful for you and your other colleagues as well.

Understand your team will have its positives and negatives - be realistic.

Sometimes you may feel undervalued as a team member or be concerned that someone else in the team is being rewarded when you feel you should be. Understand that management is usually aware of what is happening. Behind the scenes management are making changes and these changes are not always in your timeframe. You don't have the full picture.

If you feel you need to say something do so respectfully. Don't put your manager in a corner forcing them to make a decision. Be patient?

Understand that one of the greatest challenges facing business today is to get 'good employees'. Your manager is well aware that he/she needs to keep you.

How to develop a team in your business Building good solid relationships anywhere takes time and effort. You must be patient!

Ask yourself the question - can my business benefit from team structures?

Do your homework and understand the cost in time and money it will take to get the desired outcomes your business is looking for. Patience and commitment is the key.

Do not lose your nerve. Take advice when you need it.

Communicate to employees - communication is the glue that holds teams and relationships together. It is reliably reported that up to 85% of divorce can be traced back to a lack of communication about money! Take your employees with you; explain to them the benefits; flexible working hours, team bonus for agreed outcomes, rewards from higher productivity, job certainty, and prestige.

Relationships - relationships are a critical strategic structure within society and any business. Good relationships can grow your business while bad relationships tear it down. You cannot escape from this principal.

Structure - ensure structures are in place for teams to grow.

Time - it takes time to build a good team but the rewards can be outstanding for the business and employees.

Having worked in teams and put them together I can recommend a team structure where both the business and individuals are committed to the team and demonstrate this by their behaviour.

Remember, your life and conduct are like a book - people, family and friends read you and see what is, not what you think is!

If you demonstrate patience and put time into developing a team environment built on trust you will succeed. Your business will increase its profits, your employee turnover will go down and your business will be admired.

The choice is yours.

To help your business grow with other quality articles please visit www.biz-momentum.com

Philip Lye is the Director of Biz Momentum http://www.biz-momentum.com providing you with practical actionable strategies in strategic human resource management employee advice, management and employee skills training and conference speaking.

Philip started his working life as a junior clerk and progressed through various industries to CEO before starting Biz Momentum. Philip has significant international experience.

Attracting And Keeping Top Performers

2009-02-21T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Lemberg

Good people are hard to find, the saying goes. For example, by the year 2000 over 190,000 computer programmer and other information technology jobs will be vacant, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report. (This is now a bit out of date, and although the dot-com bustups and the 2000-2001 recession has eased things a bit, it is still difficult to lure top talent.) It may be easy to fill these empty positions if you are a software giant like Microsoft, but there is a tremendous challenge attracting (and keeping) top performers if you are smaller and less well known. This article will provide a framework for positioning your company to attract and keep the top performers who will help your company flourish.

According to chief executives and industry recruiters who were interviewed for this article, there are three main areas on which to focus: the quality and market position of your product or service, environment, and compensation.

Leading edge technology and a high perception of quality will lure top technical and design people, salespeople and support people, all for different reasons. Technology people relish the challenge of developing something new, plus they need ongoing opportunities for skill enhancement to remain fresh.

As for top sales people, a strong product means they can earn bigger commissions, and their egos are fulfilled by being on the leading edge. And top support people are smart enough to know that a quality product makes everyone's job easier, and it enables them to earn their incentives. For everyone, superior products will earn your company better returns, enabling more reinvestment in R&D, providing challenges and adventure for your technical people, and more and better product for your sales and marketing team.

What if your product is not cutting-edge, or your quality not up to snuff? Appealing to top performers is not going to be your only problem. Unless you control a mature market niche, your company will need to update and upgrade to remain viable - this requires high caliber people. If you want to survive in the marketplace you must concentrate harder on the next two factors.

Environmental factors - the corporate culture, the caliber of co-workers, the attitude of your management team, and your physical environment can be pivotal in finding and retaining talented people.

Corporate culture is one area smaller companies have an edge - that "hell-bent-for-leather" attitude makes it exciting and challenging to come to work, and there are fewer layers of bureaucracy people find so stifling. Real teamwork, where success is shared and the team affirms a common commitment, will draw other top professionals.

Having a smart, talented staff will captivate more smart, talented people. So will a collegial atmosphere which values the opinions of the rank-and-file along with open-management policies keeping the troops informed on the state-of-the-company.

A training plan, designed career paths and professional conference attendance are more ways to attract and keep people. Other small but significant options include dress code, flextime, telecommuting, offices with walls - these all help.

Last is the issue of compensation. The big salary problem is no matter how much you pay, a competitor can pay a little bit more. So in terms of salary level itself, you simply have to be at or near your market rate.

Pay-for-performance however, can take compensation much higher while avoiding salary inflation. A system of carefully designed bonuses and incentives will enable you to pay people for exceptional production.

Equity - stock grants, options and equity-like phantom stock - is a powerful way for smaller companies to entice people at all levels. Plus, smaller companies can grant equity without the usual waiting period required by public and larger companies. (Just remember to include a forfeiture clause in case of early termination.)

What does all this mean in real terms? Some of the ideas in this article are harder to implement than others, and some describe conditions you simply can't achieve. Must you arrange for every item mentioned above? Of course not, but systematically providing your people with the challenge to be their best, the opportunity to learn, the freedom to be creative, the incentives to perform and produce, a feeling of ownership, and the respect as professionals - these are the things that will make top technical and sales people want to join your company, and have them stay.

To get a copy of our "Keeping Top Performers" checklist go to www.paullemberg.com/toolsandtips.html

Paul Lemberg is the president of Quantum Growth Coaching, the world's only fully systemized business coaching program guaranteed to help entrepreneurs rapidly create More Profits and More Life(tm). To get your copy of our free special report with detailed steps on how to grow your business at least 40% faster, even when you aren't sure what to do next, go to Paul's business coaching website.

Click here if you are interested in Quantum's Business Coaching Franchise opportunities.

Empower Your Trainees

2009-02-20T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sean North

One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from a trainer came from a man I knew named Rizal:

"As trainees, you are supposed to interrupt me if you don't understand something. You are supposed to ask questions. But you are not to go ahead of where we are in the class. All of the sections will be covered in due time."

As a trainee, I could not have agreed more with Rizal. He made an impact on me. He was one of the best trainers I have ever known. What made him a great trainer was that he loved his career. (Notice I didn't say job.) I knew he viewed his classroom as more than just a place to go to work everyday.

As a trainer, what are YOU doing to enhance the spirit of your trainees?

One great tactic that worked for me happened when I was a restaurant manager. When I would train employees, I would purposely ask them questions that were contradictory. For example, I would ask, "This order is to go, right?" When the trainees answered yes or no, I always asked them why they gave their answer. I wanted them to discover for themselves what should and should not be.

The tactic worked because they learned to rely and trust their own reasoning. Their productivity rose as a result. They were empowered to decide what actions needed to be done, and they took the necessary steps that generated results.

Are you letting your trainees know that you are open to ALL questions? Are you asking yourself what you need to do to ask great questions? Are you wondering how you can get your trainees to be comfortable with you so they can get the most of their training?

Here's Some Steps To Show You How:

1. Be up front with your trainees. Let them know that there is NO such thing as a dumb question and that the ONLY stupid questions are the ones not asked.

2. Tell them that they can discuss questions offline if they are not comfortable asking a question in front of others.

3. If someone asks a great question, acknowledge him or her right away.

4. If a trainee asks a question which emits discontent among other trainees, let the classroom know that they are in class to learn and that even the most seemingly silly question could help reinforce answers to other questions. Remind them that no one knows everything, and the moment they stop learning, is the moment they stop growing.

Great trainers are great because they listen. They know that the material they are teaching is new to each person in the room, and they take their time making sure that every person understands it. They have patience and persistence. They are grateful for being able to make a difference in the lives of the people they train. Inside of you is the same greatness. Use it to empower your trainees.

North Notes is a writing and researching company, which primarily helps writers gain focus, motivation, remove mental blocks that help to unblock the writing process. EVERYONE who writes has been stuck at some point in his or her career. You do not have to accept these mind-boggling roadblocks!

http://www.northnotes.com; (586) 216-7516

Crosscultural Communication Grin And Jump In

2009-02-19T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Judith Richardson

Multiculturalism is a reality in North America and for those of us who do business globally. The US has more legal immigrants yearly than all the other countries in the world combined. Also there are vast cultural differences among "native" North Americans living in the US and Canada for several generations, as you know if you've done business with a New Yorker (better be quick!) or with a Texan (better stand at a 90degree angle to your male companion).

Culture is not ethnic or racial. It is learned and of course each culture is different. Treat everyone like a unique individual, as you would like to be treated, don't get hung up on stereotypes. Develop your emotional intelligence so you can be more intuitive about how to communicate with, negotiate with, and provide services and products for people from cultural backgrounds other than your own. I offer some tips below, and yet they are not universal in these cultures.

1. I repeat, do not expect everyone in a culture to be the same!

2. In South Texas, if you're talking to a male, they will often stand at a 90 degree angle to you.

If you move to reorient, a "dance" will begin. This is a markedly non-intimate position, and often the eyes are cast down to the floor or out across the floor. South Texans generally say "Pleased to know you," while Mid Westerners say, "Pleased to meet you" or "Pleased to make your acquaintance." In social settings in South Texas, it is not customary to shake hands with women. Other San Antonio cultural customs -- in San Antonio society, we have the haute hug - two women will parody a hug, not touching any part of their bodies, and just patting one another lightly on the back. As a sign of affection, when you shake hands, sometimes you cover the other person's hand with your left hand and pat or squeeze with warm eye contact. This is particularly done with respected older people.

3. Be aware that most of the world does not greet by shaking hands.

4. People from Asian cultures bow in greeting, but the bows are different.

People from Cambodia and Laos bow with both hands together in front of the chest, as if praying. In Japan, the depth of the bow signifies the level of respect for the other party. Many Koreans prefer bowing and if they shake hands, the right hand is supported at the wrist by the left hand to show respect. Thais bow with palms together about chest-high with their fingers outstretched. And, there are exceptions. The Taiwanese usually nod the head in recognition rather than bow.

5. Some cultures naturally greet by hugging.

Native Hawaiians hug each other, exchanging breaths. The custom is called "ha." Ancient Hawaiians, incidentally, actually bumped heads together. Mexicans use the abrazo. Greeks and Italians often hug with or without shaking hands first.

6. Some cultures kiss!

If your Cuban male client kisses you on the cheek, you know you've made the short list. Immigrant men from the Middle East often shake hands with a slight nod or bow and then exchange kisses on both cheeks. Men from the Middle East usually don't shake hands with women, nor do they introduce the woman with them. Do not attempt to shake hands with a Middle Eastern woman unless -- and here's where the EQ comes in -- she extends her hand to you. Men in Eastern Europe, Portugal, Spain and Italy will often kiss male friends on the cheek.

7. Pakistanis (largely Muslims) greet with salaam, which is the equivalent of our "hello."

The salaam is done by bowing with the palm of the right hand on the forehead. Salaam means "peace" or "Peace be with you."

8. Postures also have meaning.

Ready to settle in with your Middle Eastern client? You may be most comfortable sitting back in your chair and crossing your legs. Well, don't! In the Middle East, one of the most insulting things you can do is sit with your legs crossed so the bottoms of the feet are pointed in the other person's direction. The foot is the dirtiest part of the body and the sole of the shoe is the dirtiest of the low. To show someone the bottom of your foot or shoe means you're looking for a fight!

9. Even handshaking cultures do it differently.

Many Britian's prefer a brief but firm handshake. The French prefer a light grip while sharing a single gentle shake that's quickly withdrawn. Germans will give a very firm handshake -- just one "pump" then quick withdrawal. More than one shake with Germans or French is considered aggressive. Italians will shake hands and then hug friends or kiss them on both cheeks.

10. Bear in mind the other person may be trying to accommodate your culture, so don't assume they will use their traditional greeting.

For example, if you start first, for instance bowing, and then see a hand extended for a shake, and switch to that, the other person will then have switched to a bow and this becomes awkward. For many cultures such "awkwardness" will kill the relationship early on, which means the deal is off.

11. Greetings are critical first moves in relationships.

Begin with a polite word or two, such as "Mr. and Mrs. Takida, it's so nice to meet you at last," and then hesitate for a moment to see what they want to do and are comfortable with. Then mirror their gesture, be it bow, hand shake, abrazo (hug) or nothing! Use your intuition! When in doubt, err on the side of conservatism.

I look forward to the day when we abandon our collective need for safety through homogeneity and reclaim our natural curiosity about what is not like us. We then will no longer need to "manage" diversity, and will have no need other than to engage it and open ourselves to receive its gifts.

About The Author

Since the early 1980s, Judith Richardson, M.A., has been pioneering in the fields of sustainable leadership, essential partnership, international teamwork, educational renewal, creating a customer service culture and workplace diversity. Featured in ICFAI University's Executive Reference on Diversity Management, author of Four Keys to Engaging Leadership, and Keynote at International Conferences, Judith was nominated for International Coach of the Year 2003, and works with International Organizational Development across North America, Europe, Jamaica, Denmark, Sweden, Israel and Russia. (www.ponoconsultants.com www.emergentfeminine.com). Tel: (902) 434-6695.

JudithRichardson2000@yahoo.ca

Team Building Requires One Great Dynamic For True Success Mateship

2009-02-18T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Colin Thomson

A Successful Team is built around mateship, around respect for your team mates and for yourself. I am not saying that everyone will get on like best buddies, what I noticed is that in all our 'differences' everyone was accepted as they were, got on within the boundaries of the club and got the job done. I have seen teams that have been full of stars, as I am sure you have too, and those teams have not succeeded. They have not achieved their full potentials as individuals or as a team.

Does that seem a strange notion when I say that an individual can achieve their full potential as part of a Team? Many professional athletes in team sport who train together regularly, learn about each others strengths and weaknesses and funny enough your weaknesses become very apparent and they will get used against you to keep your feet on the ground when you have performed exceptionally well one week!! A good team leader or coach will gather all this information and put his team together according to the collective strength and weaknesses of every person in the team. In that environment everyone has a chance to shine and achieve his full potential, assisted by his or her team mates.

The goal is to cover the team's weaknesses, exploit their strengths and produce a unit that functions and works very well together for the common good, for the team goal. Everyone is involved, everyone has a job to do for the success of the team so that individuals share the victories with their mates and celebrate as a whole. A common acronym for TEAM is 'together everyone achieves more'. It is for these reasons that an individual can fulfil their potential in a team setting.

As an Affiliate Marketer, in my naivety, I thought that I was going to work the Net in my 'Home Based Business' and do remarkably well financially all on my own. I have since found out that any business, even Internet Business requires team work to succeed.

In Network Marketing, Multilevel Marketing, Internet Marketing or even Affiliate Marketing you will only ever do well if your team is doing well. Everyone needs to be taught and trained by your up line, you need to do your own research, take what you can use from your up line and then you need to teach, train and encourage your own team, your down line. A good leader will always tell you that his success in achieving and fulfilling goals and dreams has always occurred when he has had a good team and everyone rallied together for the common goals of all concerned.

The same principles of leadership in sport apply in business, in fact anywhere there is a collection of people who hope to work together. You need to have a common goal or vision and all work toward helping each other by swapping ideas, communicating with each other effectively, working together, putting the groups interests sometimes before your own. But at the end of the day, remember, there can only be one boss. This sometimes needs to be sorted before any team will succeed, one person becomes accountable to all, they take on full responsibility for decisions made and they should have the respect of all concerned.

If they don't then your business won't exactly be flying along to the top of your industry.

As an Affiliate Marketer my goal is to be debt free, financially independent from the common systems of employment and have more time to spend with my Family doing the things we like to do.

Are your goals similar? Does your Team liase with each other for the common good? If not it is time to do something about it, re-establish communication channels and set new goals, reassess the group vision and create a mission statement so that everyone knows where they are going. Success will come when you work Together.

Colin Thomson is an Electrician who works the Internet part time for extra income. He has been a Christian for 7 years and loves the Lord and His ways. You can get in touch with him through his affiliate opportunities, at no obligation, if you so wish through his website http://www.cthomsonshomebiz.ws.

Team And Organizational Survival Strategies For Turbulent Economic Times

2009-02-17T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Anne Thornley-Brown

Survival: The Name of the New Economic Game

People rarely have a neutral reaction to Survivor, the reality based TV show. Love it or hate it, with 51.7 million viewers for the final episode of its first season, it's impossible to ignore it. Given our turbulent economic climate, Survivor is a powerful metaphor for what's going on in the marketplace. We'll look at some of the parallels between Survivor and the real world. Then, we'll focus on survival strategies to help your company get through the rapid fluctuations of our turbulent economic times.

If your company has had a successful year of growth and profitability, you may be tempted to point your browser elsewhere. If you read on, you'll find that the survival strategies we're about to discuss are even more effective if you use them as preventative measures before your company runs into difficulty.

The Stakes

It's tempting to laugh and shake your head when you watch Survivor but the parallels to the real world are way too close for comfort. Just like the current economic landscape, the terrain is rugged and the competition is fierce. Some people will do anything to make it. We've all met Deb, the highly productive and competent employee who rubs people the wrong way and gets fired for her efforts. We've also worked with Gerri, the attractive young woman, who will use any ploy, sexual or otherwise, to get ahead. Alicia, the competent and assertive African-American employee who gets canned because people find her intimidating. What would the corporate world be without the inevitable employees who smile in the face of co-workers and then cut them up behind their backs? Worst of all, on Survivor, the posturing, rumours, gossip, and backbiting intensify as times get tougher and the competition stiffer.

What's sad is that all of these ploys, plots and schemes sap creative energy, kill morale, and undermine the effectiveness of the team at the very time when everyone should be pulling together. When the stakes are high and you can't afford to lose, working as a team becomes a critical survival strategy.

On Survivor, make too many wrong moves and you face starvation, the cold or injury. In the real world, it's downsizing, layoffs and bankruptcy. As Vancouver-based 360networks Inc. discovered, it doesn't take much. Just one too many clients deciding not to go ahead with a project or postponing a decision to use your services until next quarter and it can be game over.

Changing Times ... Changing Rules

In the real world, just like on Survivor, no one is immune. Anyone can get "voted off" the island. For example, up until recently, the wireless communications industry, has been regarded as virtually recession proof. However, it has not been without its casualties. 360networks Inc. was worth $25 billion when its stock was at its peak. Its stock tumbled to the status of penny stock on the Nasdaq when it was not successful in obtaining a lucrative US$350 billion contract with Teleglobe Inc.

Telesystems International, headed by Charles Sirois, considered to be genius with a string of success to his credit, has lost 90% of its value. The telco sector has been particularly hard hit. In the Toronto area, two companies that were headed by executives with stellar track records and for whom I have a great deal of respect, have gone out of business.

The list goes on: PSINet Inc., an internet pioneer, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US; Sony, Lucent, HP and 7.24 Solutions are among the companies that have announced layoffs. A year ago who would have figured that such high tech giants as Cisco Systems and Nortel would have been tottering? Who could have predicted the dot.com meltdown? Small businesses have been particularly hard hit. I personally know of two consulting firms that have been struggling after over a decade of success.

Survival is the name of the game in this economy. It's tough out there so it's not hard to understand why a show that enacts these dynamics metaphorically would appeal to such a large audience.

What's a Company to Do?

So what's the answer? Truth is there are no magic answers. Just some strategies to consider. To survive this economic crunch requires a change in mindset. It involves recognizing that what worked last year may not be the right strategy for today. It will take the courage to try something different, a lot of support from suppliers, partners, and employees and, lots of prayer.

Retreat

Yes retreat. It's impossible to come up with innovative solutions when you're charging around putting out the latest fire. It doesn't have to involve going to a resort for a few days. Save that for the party to celebrate your survival. If you really feel you must get away, it's best to trim it down to one day at a location within 30 minutes driving distance from your office. Skip the golf and save by not forking out cash for hotel rooms. When the market is shifting so quickly, a weekly 2 -3 hour session where you zero in on a key area is probably a better plan anyway. Kick it off with a day off-site if you like but it's important for your senior management team need to get together to really analyze your strategy in 4 key areas:

* recruitment and deployment of talent
* customer service
* market intelligence
* talent retention

If you have the skills to facilitate these sessions yourself, then go for it. Otherwise, take one of your senior facilitators out of the training room for a while, invest in facilitator training or hire a professional. It isn't always best to go with the big guys. Remember, when you're forking out $3500 a day to a large firm, a huge chunk of that is overhead. Are they charging you senior consulting rates and then sending you a rookie who they're paying $600 a day? Then, you're helping them solve their survival challenges, not yours. A consultant from a smaller firm who has regular and first hand exposure to what it takes to win the survival game is more likely to bring you the expertise you need at this time.

I can hear you asking "are you for real?" Absolutely! If you can't free up at least 3 hours a week to focus on strategic issues because the latest technical glitch, customer or employee complaint keeps landing on your desk, it's a huge red flag that you can't afford to ignore. You need a super strong team at the director and management level that's competent enough to handle the latest crisis and keep you informed. If you don't have that, then you've just identified your first area of focus for your survival strategy sessions.

Talent Recruitment is not an HR Issue

During an economic downturn, companies often overlook the importance of a solid talent recruitment strategy. This is not the time to become complacent. An effective team will be your important weapon in your fight for survival.

As a result of the downsizing that's going on, a growing pool of qualified, talented people is available on the market. We haven't seen this in years. Organizations have the opportunity to thoroughly screen and assess candidates to ensure appropriate skill level and corporate culture fit. Pinpoint the key competencies that you require in your management team. Clearly define your requirements. Incorporate behaviour based interviews, rigorous reference checks and work samples into your talent recruitment strategy.

Apply the same diligence to your promotional decisions. This is not the time to let the old boys' network come into play. You need top talent who will produce results and help you through these uncertain times. Sometimes this means looking at people who don't quite fit the mold in terms of sex, age and race. Remember, you're running a business and the name of the game is survival. If you want to surround yourself with people who can play golf and laugh at your jokes, join a country club.

Employ or Outsource

In an uncertain economic climate, the decision to expand your team should be weighed carefully. Is there any point in dramatically increasing your employee base to respond to new projects? An unexpected change in the financial stability of even a few of your key clients can mean a bunch of layoffs a few months from now. Hefty payouts for benefits, severance and vacation pay can substantially trim your bottom line. There is a pool of freelance and contract talent available to handle challenges at all levels of the organization. Ask yourself:

* Does this project really have to be handled by an employee?

* Is outsourcing a viable option?

* Would we gain more flexibility by responding to this increase in business by using freelancers or contract workers?

* Can tele-commuting be used as an alternative to increasing overhead in the form of office space, furniture, and computer equipment?

Ask your HR team to provide you with an analysis to compare the full cost of filling a position with an employee vs a contractor. Factor in the costs if there is a need to lay the employee off. The results may surprise you.

Be Compulsive About Customer Service

When times are tough, you can't afford to lose even one customer to the competition. If one customer has a negative experience with a member of your team, that customer will tell dozens of people about it. This can gradually erode your customer base and trim your profits. This is not the time to cut back on training your front line employees. You need to ensure that they have all of the training, tools, coaching and support that they require to deliver top notch service to your customers. That is what will give you the competitive edge in this market.

Remember that customers come in all shapes, sizes and colours. You need to make it clear to all members of your team that their biases and hang-ups belong at the door. Every customer and every employee deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Talent Retention

In this turbulent economic climate, there is a misconception among some senior management teams that they no longer need to worry about talent retention. Even and especially if you have had to consider such drastic action such as layoffs, taking proactive steps to maintain the loyalty of your best talent is critical. If you treat some employees harshly during downsizing, then your most valued employees will wonder if they're next. Their tendency will be to jump ship. Frank discussions with your team about the direction of the company, it's challenges, and prospects are important. It's best if employees hear the latest news, good, bad or indifferent, from you. Otherwise, the rumour mill will work overtime and undermine your efforts. Companies also need to shape and mould an employee friendly culture so that your best people will remain loyal to you until things turn around. During the last recession, companies that took advantage of the situation and made unreasonable demands of their team, sowed the seed of talent recruitment and retention challenges that plagued them for years.

Market Intelligence

When there is a downturn, marketing is often one of the first areas to be cut. Remember, Eaton's, a Canadian retail giant, went out of business because its senior management team lost touch with their customers and marketplace trends. To survive this economic crisis, you need regular and accurate data about your customers and your market.

What marketing strategies have been most effective in bringing your new business?

* Focus on those areas,

* Save money by eliminating efforts that haven't been paying off.

What are your competitors doing?

One of the contributing factors to the problems in the telco industry is that too many companies have been focusing on the same narrow market niche creating an over supply in the market.

The real estate market is setting itself up for a similar problem by building too many luxury condos for the upscale market.

What new market niches can you target?

* The ethnic market is growing dramatically in North America but you would never know it when you look at most advertising campaigns.

* The internet has literally opened up a world of opportunities, even for small businesses. If your traditional markets, are stagnating, look to areas of the world where there is growth and an increasing demand for your products and services.

Re-think Your Offer

Pinpoint your core areas of expertise and do some brainstorming to identify other areas in which you can apply it.

Bill Margeson, CEO of Markham based, CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc. used to re-furbish and repair hard drives. A drop in the price of hard drives resulted in reduced demand for his services. Bill applied his expertise to data retrieval. In 2000, the company generated a profit of over $1,227,000 and was ranked by Profit Magazine as the 89th fastest growing company in Canada.

Harness the Creative Drive of Your People

Earlier I mentioned that there are no magic answers. However, frontline employees who interact directly with your customers are in an ideal position to give you some clues. By involving your people in regular brainstorming and problem solving sessions, you can collect a lot of valuable information and ideas to help you resolve some of the issues you're facing. For example, your frontline employees should be able to help you generate strategies to streamline your processes and reduce your costs. This could significantly boost your profit margin. Concord Idea Corp. ( number 42 on the Profit 100 ranking ) is able to produce memory at 33% of the cost of its competitors. Its 2000 profits were in excess of $800,000. It would be a shame to overlook this virtual gold mine within your organization.

The Bottom Line

Survival involves:

* getting a clear picture of where you want to go,

* building a management team that shares your vision and communicates it clearly,

* getting your team to pull in the same direction and generate valuable ideas and solutions.

You'll reap the rewards in the form of:

* high morale,
* reduced turnover,
* a committed team focused on your goals,
* an improved bottom line.

When the economy recovers, we hope that some of these strategies will help your company be a survivor.

The Rules of Survivor

The goal of the game is to survive. The last player to remain on the island at the end of the game wins $1,000,000. The game begins when 2 teams of strangers are left in a rough terrain. There is no opportunity for planning before the game begins. Each team has minutes to gather whatever supplies they can grab and trek across rugged terrain in search of their campsite. Exhausted and hungry, they must work together to construct some make shift dwellings, get a fire going (without matches) and figure out what they're going to eat in the middle of nowhere. The inevitable jockeying for position and politicking begins almost immediately.

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Anne Thornley-Brown is the President of Executive Oasis International, a Toronto based firm offering executive retreats and executive consulting for rapidly changing organizations in Canada, Jamaica and Asia. Their executive retreats include powerful Survivor style simulations such as Marooned on Horseback in Jamaica's Cockpit Country, Desert Survival: Stranded in the Dubai Desert, and Arctic Survival: Stranded on Snowshoes in the Canadian Arcitc.

Executive Oasis International, Specializing in Executive Retreats: http://www.executiveoasis.com

For more articles by Anne Thornley-Brown, check out her popular: Spice of the Month Accelerated Learning Ezine - http://www.thetrainingoasis.com/ezine.html

Contact Anne directly at: anne@executiveoasis.com

Having Trouble Motivating Others Try Wiifm

2009-02-16T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Della Menechella

Recently my fourteen-year old son Matt dressed up as Santa Claus and attended a Christmas caroling event for one of my professional organizations. Was my son excited about the idea of spending one of his evenings singing to seniors instead of being with his friends? Not really. Then how did I get Matt to agree so readily to come to the event and play Santa? It was easy; I told him that after we finish caroling we all go back to our host facility and enjoy delicious food. That was enough for Matt. He heard the word food and was ready and willing to go. I could have tried to motivate Matt by telling him what a wonderful thing he would be doing by making so many people happy.

While Matt is a caring teenager, that argument would not have been enough to get him to go. However, tell a teenage boy that there will be good food where you are going and you can get him to do almost anything. I motivated my son to participate in this activity by considering his WIIFM or What's In It For Me

During my workshops, managers and leaders often complain that many of the people in their groups are 'just not motivated.' This is not a true statement. Everyone is motivated by something. The trick is to find out what motivates an individual and demonstrate how he/she will gain that outcome by doing what you suggest. Find out his/her WIIFM. It is very difficult to lead people to move forward in thought or deed unless you connect it with what is important to them. People accept new ideas or take action only when they can see how they will benefit from what you are saying. To be persuasive, you must convince them of the benefits they will gain by adopting your ideas or doing what you recommend.

One of the big mistakes people make is to think that others are motivated by the same things that motivate us. This is rarely true. If we try to persuade others by what motivates us, our words will fall on deaf ears. We must find out what is important to the individual and then we will find they are all ears. Aristotle said, "The fool tells me his reason; the wise man persuades me with my own."

We might not always agree with what is important to another person, however, there should be no judgment placed on someone's motivation. People have a right to their own opinions. We need to take the time to discover what is important to the individual and then link it to where we want that person to go. A word of caution when you are operating at the level of motivation, you are dealing with a person's closely held values. We must be sure this is a win-win situation for everyone concerned.

So the next time you have trouble motivating people, try to see it from their point of view. How can they benefit from what you want them to do? When you use WIIFM you will find that it is very easy and even enjoyable to motivate others because you are helping them get what they want while simultaneously accomplishing your own objectives. As for my son, he is already planning to attend this year's caroling event because he wants to partake of that wonderful food.

About The Author

Della Menechella is a speaker, author, and trainer who inspires people to achieve greater success from the inside out. She is a contributing author to Thriving in the Midst of Change and the author of the videotape The Twelve Commandments of Goal Setting. She can be reached at della@dellamenechella.com. Subscribe to free Peak Performance Pointers e-zine - send blank e-mail to mailto:subscribe@dellamenechella.com.

Managing Your Team Part 8 Why Cant We Just Get This Finished

2009-02-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Gowans

Whereas the previous article 'Why Can't We Stay On track' looked at the dangers of digressing and losing focus due to the reluctance of some team members to move forward, this article looks at the team dynamic almost from the opposite perspective - rushing to completion which can be equally damaging if not managed effectively and kept in check.

However, let's deal with the 'realists' and 'sceptics' first...

Just Do It!

Yes, there are times when the most appropriate action is to make a decision quickly (even when there is a lack of data) and move on as long as that decision is monitored closely and there are contingencies in case the decision does not deliver the results expected or anticipated.

There will be times when the team's consensus is to gather more data, analyse the situation again, then decide on the next action.

This is not about wasting time or procrastinating. It's about recognizing that, as team leaders, we have the responsibility to ensure the appropriate action is taken. It's also about the duty of care we have for our team members.

Finally, remember that we are measured not just on what was achieved but how it was achieved.

Rushing To Completion

This behaviour can be quite common. The team may find itself being pressurized by one or more team members who are totally unwilling to work to the agreed meeting agenda or project structure / process

"Why Can't We Just Get This Finished?"

The analogy of the tortoise and the hare is probably over used but the point is that if we are really after quality and long-lasting results, whatever the objectives are, it takes time, it takes constant commitment from our team members.

Let me put it another way, what are the chances of the team being successful, of following through, of delivering the action plan if true consensus wasn't reached?

Before we look at the behaviours you may have recognized in one of your teams when certain individuals seem to be impatient and really not into reaching consensus, we have all probably heard of the term 'hidden agendas'.

In those situations where we are managing a cross functional or multi departmental team, certain team members may be under pressure themselves. Maybe expectations have already been 'suggested' by department heads or other influential people. The official team objectives or 'agenda' have been published but these unfortunate team members may feel they have absolutely no option but to bring this 'hidden' agenda to the next session.

What would you do?

There you are, part of a team. You enjoy the sessions, it's a great group to belong to. So far consensus has never been an issue. But now, you are on your way to the next meeting or session and you have basically been told what the outcome needs to be. So, what would you do?

Typical Behaviours

Appears individual has already reached a decision, decided the solution to the problem before it has even been discussed

Discourages any further analysis or discussion by other team members

Hastily pushes the team to make decisions

Body language or nonverbal behaviour definitely shows their unwillingness to follow the process

Other inputs are discounted by throw away comments or statements directed at the other team members

Tough one, isn't it!

Maybe. However, it is important to be aware that this kind of pressure can lead to an unwillingness by other team members to go along with the decision / solution; actions may be seen as disorganized and unsystematic; and, ultimately lead to a dysfunctional team.

So, what's a team leader to do?

When facilitating team sessions or development workshops, one flipchart which was always posted on the wall and in full view was the one displaying the ground rules we ALL had agreed to at the stage the group or team formed. If the 'rush to completion' is just a natural impatience by a team member because they want to see "some progress", remind team members of the ground rules, why they are important, and that they cannot be compromised.

It may well be that the apparent hasty decision / solution is a really good one. No problem. Just use the agreed process so that everyone understands the benefits, why it makes sense, and reach consensus.

When this rush is caused by external pressure or influence, and the decision doesn't make sense to you and the team, it may be more appropriate to discuss this with the team member(s) offline, try to understand why the pressure has been brought to bear. It may mean discussing this with those who are applying the pressure, get them to explain why the decision makes sense.

Be creative. In the context of the team's objectives, ask the influencer to present a brief overview, as much as they are able to, as to why it makes sense to run with the decision or suggested solution. Discuss this openly, following your agreed team process and decide how to move forward. Again, make sure the ongoing results of the decision are closely monitored.

Even better, be proactive. Once bitten, twice shy. When team members report into different departmental or functional heads, get the inputs from those who can bring influence to bear on the team's decisions. Understand where they are coming from and ensure they know that their inputs will form a key part of the discussion process within the team.

Oh, one last thing, just make sure it's not you, as team leader, that is adopting this rush to completion behaviour!

Managing Your Team (Part 9) will look at Is That a Fact or Just an Opinion

Andrew has over 20 years experience providing personal and business coaching specialising in strategic planning, continuous improvement,personal development and lifelong learning.

Providing a focused problem solving approach through our personal and business coaching (especially to small businesses). Our primary theme and overriding goal is to provide you with the right choices that fit your needs, solve your problems.

Our website http://www.youraffiliatecoach.com is content rich with useful information, articles and resources.

More importantly there are free to subscribe opportunities to help you by answering questions, offering guidance and replying to your specific requests.

Don't be put off by the site's focus on internet marketing. The request form is the quickest way to contact Andrew.

Simply visit the website and use the easy to use request form.

So Youre Stuck For Team Building Ideas

2009-02-14T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Preston

Selecting the appropriate team building programme can be tremendously beneficial in improving your company's general communication skills and levels of morale. Employees can be transformed from a random collection of self-interested individuals into a mutually dependant team of workers taking responsibility for their own actions as they strive towards a common goal. Not only this, but they will have more fun doing so after they know each other better and have built up a greater level of respect and understanding. As we spend the majority of our time at work, meeting our colleagues outside office hours to learn more about them and what their particular skills and abilities are makes good sense. And office environments occasionally become staid and routine, so a well chosen team building exercise enables colleagues to see one another in a different light, with the knock on effect of their being able to get more out of each other at work.

However the benefits of conducting such exercises are only felt if the right sort of team building is chosen. As such, it is worthwhile taking some time to examine the kind of workforce you have and what its particular strengths and weaknesses are when deciding what sort of team building exercises are most beneficial. You could view team building simply as a means of enabling colleagues to get to know each other better or use it to strengthen an area of your business that is traditionally weaker than the others. Who's to say, you might even consider it the perfect means of reinforcing a new corporate message, facilitating the workforce's adjustment to working under new management or encouraging a greater use of lateral thinking. Whatever the cause, it's worthwhile defining your goals and the new skills and fresh perspectives you want people to come away with.

Now we come to the question of what kind of exercise is appropriate for your workforce, bearing in mind that it is important nobody is excluded from all the fun and games. Perhaps your office is only constituted of athletic young men who regularly go to the gym and are in excellent health, in which case your idea of a Royal Marines type expedition inside the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter with only a swimming costume and a packet of Rich Tea biscuits is a good one.

Or your staff are exclusively constituted of Oxbridge educated members of Mensa, in which case your notion of extended sessions of Countdown and University Challenge might just work. Most likely, though, your workforce is constituted of people of all sizes and skills and the last thing you want is to make anybody feel they have nothing to contribute. There are two ways of handling this. Either you set different segments of your workforce different team building exercises depending on their abilities, or you find an exercise that includes everybody.

The remainder of this article lists ideas for team building exercises for the athletic Arctic circle group, the academic group of Mensa members and exercises that can involve both groups and everybody in between.

1. Athletic Arctic Circle Group

No doubt these young men and women are eager to leave their desk jobs and get out into the fresh air for some exercise, so that's exactly what we'll do with them. A weekend in the country should be just the ticket, where they will be able to stretch their legs and impress colleagues with their hand/eye coordination, survival skills, sporting ability, grace under pressure and general sense of fair play. Exercises facilitating this include canoeing, windsurfing, yachting, rock climbing, scrambling, archery, clay pigeon shooting and camping.

To add a degree of competitiveness and bring people closer together it is worth dividing the participants into teams and setting a challenge where a level of cooperation is necessary to be victorious. Ultimately brains win over brawn, so you want to include a degree of strategy and planning that involves the appropriate use of limited resources, a tight control of time and necessitates individual members of the team pulling their weight equally.

2. Mensa Members Group

This group expects to be intellectually challenged, and the trickier and more elusive the challenge the better. A good exercise would be to make them create a coherent story from a set of images which have been distributed randomly. Each member has a picture but is not allowed to show it, necessitating their use of the powers of description and suggestion. Good levels of communication and the ability to understand things from another person's point of view are necessary in order to recreate the story's sequence.

A similar exercise involves a scenario where a family restaurant has been inherited, but the business is very disorganised, with recipes written on torn bits of paper. Because the restaurant is due to relaunch with a grand opening that night, it is necessary to sort through the bits of paper to determine the ingredients and instructions for each recipe. Once again, good communication and management are essential to achieve a successful result. Your employees may be clever, but are they as good at listening to one another as they are at presenting their views?

3. All Inclusive Team Exercises

Such games need to encourage genuine involvement from the entire group, not just participation from an enthusiastic few, so a broad range of skills are required to complete the task. Objectives include the development of team building skills such as successful time management, planning, negotiation, job delegation, problem solving and communication.

Obvious candidates for inclusive team building exercises include murder mystery weekends, straightforward orienteering adventures and river crossing and problem solving challenges that can involve every member of the team. One final factor about team building to keep in mind is that the full benefit of the exercises will only be felt so long as there is some sort of assessment carried out at the end of the day to determine how each member of the team has done.

This article should have given you a clearer idea of the things to look out for and consider when choosing your team building exercise. Now the only thing remaining for me to do is wish you the best of luck with your creation of a more unified workforce better able to communicate with each other and get along. In this regard, it's amazing what a game of something as simple as musical chairs or charades can achieve. After all, it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.

If the above article has not helped in anyway then why not hire the services of a Team Building Training Company? Visit http://www.approvedindex.co.uk/indexes/TeamBuildingTraining/default.aspx to obtain free, no obligation quotes from some of the top companies in the UK.

Building Teams You See It Everywhere

2009-02-13T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Stephanie Tuia

A college football team has it. A corporation has it. Even a growing family has it. These three organizations share a common desire to build their prospective teams. For example, a college football team continually needs to bring in new players to replace the graduating players. A corporation builds its team to help it grow and meet the needs of clients. Young, married couples who are having children are building their own family teams. Each of these results has a different outcome. In the end, the goal is to work together, help each other, and collectively reach a higher level of performance. Whatever team you are currently involved with, it is surprising at how much organization is needed to build a great team. Furthermore, the following teams have their own equally important approach as to how they successfully build their prospective teams.

First of all, let's focus on a college football team. Unlike professional sports, coaches have roughly a four-year time period to retain their players. After that period, an athlete's eligibility is complete due to graduation. In order to fill the void left by graduated players, coaches rely heavily on recruiting new players to continue building the team. Coaches look for the best athletes who have the capability to surpass those athletes before them, so that they can continue a successful program. Coaches face a challenging role to rebuild their team, depending on their previous team's success. At the end of the football season, coaches must take the initiative to re-build their team each year to fill vacancies so their team program can move forward again.

During college, I interned for a public relations firm, and on my first day, my supervisor welcomed me with an e-mail that read, Welcome to the team! At first, I felt that only organized athletics reserved the right to use the word team. On a mature level, I've realized companies stay healthy when they implement a team-like atmosphere in the workplace. Being on a team brings out motivation and competition in employees, and also helps them to unite, identify their roles on the team, and produce stronger results. I've attended many career sessions and with every employer I've met, they have emphasized their desire to hire college graduates to join their team. Like a college sports team, an employer needs to recruit prospective candidates to fulfill roles in their company.

Many companies utilize employees as team members because it is a fitting approach when they are competing in an industry. For example, popular competing organizations such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola use the team approach in the workplace. The work environment at Pepsi might have some teams who are directly competing against some rival teams at Coca-Cola. This competition and approach is healthy because it energizes employees to become active team members and promoters for their brand. As mentioned before, being on a team helps members to identify their individual roles in the company and along with motivating them in a competing industry.

You can apply team building skills in any organization. For example, universities that are accepting incoming freshmen will want candidates who will help maintain or even raise the academic standards for greater respect and reputation of their school. Those freshmen are building the university team to improve performance and image. Finally, a chairman will seek out candidates to fulfill his board to bring in fresh ideas and insight to his committee. The chairman is simply building his team for support. In any circumstance, building teams will build a foundation for any organization that wants to progress and move forward. With a purpose and vision to improve your organization, building your own team and improving team interaction will help you achieve outstanding results.

Stephanie Tuia is a Client Account Specialist with 10x Marketing More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For more information on building teams, visit CMOE.

10 Ways To Retain Your Top Talent

2009-02-12T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Collins

If LaBron James decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for another team, the performance of that franchise would drop like a rock. This is the case for any business, no matter what business you're in. Studies have shown that losing any of the top 10% of your performers has 5-10 times more impact on your business than losing your average performers. With that in mind, here are 10 strategies for keeping your best people:

(1) Go to your best people right now and do a pre-exit interview. Don't wait for them to get a call from a headhunter or to come to you saying that "I've decided to resign." Be proactive and ask them in a one on one: "What are the factors that will cause you to stay?" Ask them to warn you if they become unhappy.

(2) Verbally ask them to rate their current job on a 1-10 scale on the factors below. And then ask them what corrective steps could be taken to raise any problem scores to a 10: (a) My job provides honest, frequent two way communication (b) My job provides challenging exciting work (c) My job provides opportunities to grow and learn (d) In my job, I know my work makes a difference (e) In my job, I'm recognized and rewarded for my performance (f ) I have some degree of control over my job

(3) Ask them to describe their ideal job or where they would like to be in 1-2 years. Then work with them to develop a plan to get them there.

(4) Tie pay to staying with the company and their performance results. Money is never the only reason that people leave. Generally leadership screws up something first...then money begins to get their attention. Fix the job first or address their career concerns and then if you give them more money tie it to their results so that they don't end up staying..."well paid but dissatisfied and uncommitted!"

(5) Develop programs that bond them to affinity groups. One of the hardest things to leave in a job is their close friends. By developing affinity groups (sports, professional groups, play, ethnic, gay and other shared interests) you help build bonds beyond the job that are difficult to break.

(6) Sponsor programs for their spouses, friends and children. Puts more people on the team -- besides the Company -- working towards getting them to stay with the organization. . (7) Develop a list of "motivators" for each employee you want to retain. Non-monetary motivators are powerful but most managers are not aware of what motivates an employee. Develop a list (through trial and error as well as asking them and friends) and use it to keep them satisfied.

(8) Reward managers and teams for retention. What gets measured gets done. Managers seldom have time to do things that are not measured. So reward managers and business teams for keeping high performers and key talent.

(9) Use "pulse surveys. Do periodic e-mail surveys of a sample of employees to get a "pulse" of the organization. This helps to identify new issues and trouble spots.

(10) Get rid of bad managers. Remember, that most top performers don't want to work for bad managers who are insecure, not challenging or developing them. If you have managers who are not good at developing, inspiring or supporting top talent...get rid of them or at a minimum move them to a new assignment where they don't have to develop people.

About the Author: Alan L. Collins is Vice President - Human Resources for a global, well-known consumer products company. Other articles on people retention and the successful management of human resources can be found at our website at http://www.SuccessInHR.com.

Fiefdoms Do Not Equal Gold Problems In The Land Of Trade Shows

2009-02-11T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Julia O'Connor

ONCE UPON A TIME, there were three Knights. They were the Knight of Marketing, the Knight of Sales and the Kinght of Exhibits.

Though they were adjacent in the same country, each had a fiefdom that was defended with tenacity and guile. When the King agreed to participate in a Royal Market Event, the three Knights vied for position and glory.

The Knight of Marketing sent messengers to the vast lands to herald the goods of the Kingdom, to entice seekers of good deals and buyers with real money, to visit the Royal Enclave. Riders went out, pamphlets were delivered and subjects spread the word to come see the Kingdom's wares. The Marketing Fiefdom was secure.

The Knight of Sales planned to receive the gold and loot from the Event. This Knight drew his Knaves together and said We must band together. We are the most important fiefdom because we strive to know of those who might possess gold and loot to give to this Kingdom, rather than a neighboring Kingdom competing for such wealth and fealty. The Sales Fiefdom was secure.

The Knight of Exhibits was expected to be the Bridge to fill the Gap between the Knights of Marketing and Sales. His role was equally important as he coordinated the Event, designed the enticing Tent and cleaned up after the horses. The Exhibits Fiefdom was secure.

THE KING WAS SAD. The Event occurred. The Tent was lovely. The messengers spread the word. The appearance of gold and loot was disappointing. The Knights were called in to report to the King.

What went wrong? FIEFDOMS DO NOT EQUAL GOLD

This Event was a marketing event part of the continuum of letting the people know about products and services. It was not just One Event. It was an opportunity for the entire Kingdom to be judged and receive gold and fealty for months to come.

Competition among fiefdoms divided the final goal. Communications amongst these three or any number of Knights is the key to success at any Event.

The King wanted to expand the influence of his Realm, but Knights of Fiefdoms may have diluted the message because of ego. The magnitude required to overcome the individual ego of the Knights requires not only the King's impart, but also a round table of effort by every level involved.

LESSON LEARNED

An Event of the Realm is very important to the King and eventually all his subjects. The King does not want to be a Micro-Ruler but expects all Knights to be cognizant of the importance of the Realm over the individual Fiefdoms.

IN OTHER WORDS People come to a trade show to see the Company, not the Individuals employed by the Company.

Julia O'Connor - Speaker, Author, Consultant - writes about practical aspects of trade shows. As president of Trade Show Training, inc,, now celebrating its 11th year, she works with companies in a variety of industries to improve their bottom line and marketing opportunities at trade shows.

Julia is the founder of Camp Sho-M-Sel-M, an intense and practical seminar about various aspects of trade shows. This August 22-23, Camp will be held in Las Vegas with a focus on Trade Shows and The Trade Show Unions. Details at http://www.TradeShowTraining.com

Julia is an expert in the psychology of the trade show environment and uses this expertise in sales training and management seminars. Contact her at 804-355-7800 or check the site http://www.TradeShowTraining.com

Building Your Dream Marketing Team

2009-02-10T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Greg Quigley

The Fantasy: Your marketing budget is packed to the brim with money to help build your dream marketing team. You hire nothing short of the best and life is good.

The Reality: Your staff is overworked, your budget's tight and you complete about half of the projects on your to-do list.

This reality is what many marketing mangers and small businesses face on a daily basis. Even so, you're still expected to consistently produce better results and the bar keeps on rising while you keep losing resources. It's situations like these that call for the outsourced consultants and freelancers of the world to help turn your fantasy marketing team into a reality.

What can you outsource?

You can outsource just about anything. With the layoffs and budget cuts that plague marketing departments and agencies, there are a ton of freelancers out there ready and willing to take on your projects. Everyone from designers, to copywriters, to project mangers can be brought in to help with any number of marketing communications tasks. Many times, you can find a team of freelancers that regularly work together. Look for freelancers by doing a Web search, browsing the yellow pages or by referrals from colleagues.

Wanted: good copywriting and design

If marketing communications were a building, copywriting and graphic design would be the support beams. Without these critical components, you really don't have a chance of communicating your message, making a sale or building your brand. Some of the best marketing communications pieces can come from a copywriter/design team, and most freelance copywriters and designers have a colleague they will refer to you.

A good copywriter/designer team should be able to understand your project quickly and get to work on it right away. In addition, they should be willing to work with you, your staff and any other creative partners you need involved in the project. However, don't assume that any freelancer will be able to effectively work with your staff - make sure they have the people skills to do so by interviewing them and checking their references. Often in the freelance industry, you can run across so called "hermits" that enjoy working by themselves and don't do well working with others. Not good if your project requires a lot of teamwork.

Thinking outside the box (or outside of your office)

One of the biggest benefits of working with a freelancer is getting their perspective on your projects. If they are a seasoned pro, they are used to giving advice to clients and should be more than happy to do so. Since you are so close with your industry and work with the same colleagues every day, your perspective can become skewed. Many "insiders" adopt their company's perspective rather than their customer's. A good freelancer can help you avoid this by asking questions and suggesting ideas that you might not have thought about.

No more drained resources

Your full-time employees generally have a full-time workload. Even if you have writers and designers on staff, adding more duties to their already overflowing to-do lists can cause burnout and make your department fall behind on important projects. Bringing in a freelancer can help even things out and give your staff some breathing room.

A dedicated worker whenever you need them and never when you don't

When you hire a full-time employee, it is a big investment. A salary, training, insurance and office supplies are all part of the costs. When you hire a freelancer you pay them only for the project and nothing else. It's like having a full-time professional on call 365 days a year.

You've made the decision, now it's time to hire

When hiring freelancers, don't just look for the best price and quickest turnaround times, look for someone that will be there for the long term and will become more of a partner to your company. Follow these steps and you should be on the right track to building your dream marketing team:

1. First, you need to find a freelancer. Some of the best work will come from referrals - ask colleagues and other creative partners for referrals. You can also do a Web search, browse the yellow pages and check with local business organizations such as the chamber of commerce.

2. Interview the freelancer and view samples of their work. This will help you determine if they do quality work, and if they will fit in with your company and projects.

3. Request references from previous clients. When checking the references, try and get a feel for their timeliness, teamwork and professionalism.

4. Develop a contract or a letter of agreement that details the scope of the project, due dates and payment terms. This will help keep everyone on the same page, and protect both you and the freelancer.

Most companies are looking for ways to reduce costs and keep their staff happy, while building their brand and increasing sales. Hiring a freelancer to help out with your marketing workload can help to accomplish this. You'll put your company on the right track to success and put you on the right track to having your dream marketing team. So what are you waiting for? Start building your dream marketing team with freelancers today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Quigley is a professional business writer and owner of Q-Com Business Writing. He can be reached at 414-347-0660 or via his Web site at http://www.qcomnet.com

Wiifm Making The Whats In It For Me Question Work For You

2009-02-09T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Carole Sue Jones

In the constantly changing world of Call Centers, asking agents to adapt to ever increasing demands, responsibilities and performance can be a challenge to even the most involved of managers. Being able to create buy in is always challenging, but if you can answer the WIIFM question you will be ahead of the game.

While some people may think that the WIIFM question is selfish and self serving, I want to challenge that notion. Very few of us are willing to be completely altruistic in our daily endeavors. We hold down jobs and invest in careers for diverse reasons but the bottom line is that the work we do provides us the means to live the way we choose. When we can no longer see the WIIFM because we are bogged down in the challenges of our daily tasks, we no longer feel compelled to perform those tasks.

So, let me ask you a few questions. Why do you work? Is the work you do important to you or is it just the means to a different end? Do your goals include continuing to do the job you are currently in or do you intend to make a career change? How does the job you're performing now fit into your goals? In other words "What's in it for you?"

Now that you have thought about your WIIFM answers how can you provide the WIIFM for the people that work for you? I know that in a busy Call Center getting to know every employee's hopes and aspirations can be difficult at best. However, giving them the tools to ask and answer their own WIIFM questions can lead to a happier and more productive agent. When discussing new policies, coaching for better performance, or talking about the direction of the organizationkeep in mind "what is in it for me (them)." They may not know the answer or they may not be able to see it during the discussions. Giving them the opportunity to ask the question or giving them examples of the WIIFM can make accepting change, or receiving coaching easier.

Actually, WIIFM is just another way to motivate your people that may or may not consist of monetary goals. Not everyone in your employment is motivated by more money, or it may not be their primary motivator. For example, I am completely motivated by praise. I can go a long way on an "atta girl". If you get specific about why and where you think I am doing a good job, I will double my efforts to be valued, appreciated and praised. I will even ask for praise when I need it. However, when I work in a situation where I don't feel valued or appreciated, all the money in the bank won't keep me satisfied. Do you know what motivates your employees to perform? Can your employees answer that question for you?

When your employees see the WIIFM they can make informed decisions about their contributions. It provides focus and can create target goals to strive for. Answering the WIIFM question can alleviate fears and frustration, help employees navigate change and even provide a reason to excel. If you could help every employee ask and answer the "what's in it for me?" question would it make your job easier? Would it give you the tools you needed to provide better motivational messages, contests, and benefits? Could helping your employees understand "what's in it for me" improve productivity, retention, or employee satisfaction? WIIFM can work for you; all you have to do is ask the right questions.

Carole Sue Jones is a contributing writer for Interactive Quality Solutions. She is a training professional and instructional designer focused on management development. If you are interested in reading more of Carole's articles visit: http://www.callcentercafe.com and http://www.righttolead.com

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Why Team Building Weekends Fail And How To Make Yours Succeed

2009-02-08T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brett Daneilson

Somewhere in the world this afternoon, a group of office mates are strapping on safety equipment and preparing to scale the side of a cliff together. In another city, another group of mates is engaged in a retreat designed to foster their sense of teamwork. Late at night in yet another town, six men who usually compete in the office are cooperating on building a robot. What do they all have in common?

The phrase is team building, and it has come to represent a way of doing business that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of each member of a workgroup. The basic concept of team building weekends is to bring a group of coworkers together and, by subjecting them to various hardships, events and activities, cement them into a team that supports each other and works together toward a common goal.

The only problem with that scenario is that all too often, it doesn't work. Once the group is back at the office, they fall back into the old ways of working and the team building weekend is no more than a fond memory. The problem is not in the concept of team building, but in the notion that it can be accomplished in a weekend, no matter what that weekend entails. It's not that team building weekends are a bad idea - it's that they're expected to do a job that should be undertaken in your office, every workday of the year. The purpose of a team building event should be to introduce, reinforce and reward, not to single-handedly forge a group of coworkers into a team. If it's used to replace the work your company (or you as a manager) should be doing every day, then you're missing out on some important points - and the major benefits of dragging everyone out of the office for a weekend of exhilirating and challenging activities.

So how do you forge the bonds of a team if not by dipping them into the crucible of a team building weekend? In simple street terms, you can't just talk the talk - you have to walk the walk. If you want your staff to believe they're a team and function as a team, then you have to treat them as a team - and yourself as an important member of it.

- Communication is the key to building a team.

The single biggest mistake that 'management' makes is failure to communicate. Your company doesn't have to be an open book to all employees, but sharing goals and intentions gives employees a sense that they are a part of a larger team working toward a specific purpose.

- Build teamwork into the work flow.

In order to work as a team, people need to be treated as one. Start each project with a team conference to define and refine goals. Create a central 'lounge' area where team members are comfortable grabbing coffee in the morning - and taking a few moments to catch up on things together. Hold regular team meetings where team members can report progress and delays so that no one feels left out of the loop.

- Make recognition of achievement a priority.

Recognizing achievement is important to reinforcing the team feeling. It needn't be formal - in fact, informal and unexpected recognition can be very potent. A word in passing in the hallway, a moment taken to pass on praise from a client while having a cup of coffee, a casual 'great work on that proposal, guys' at the end of a meeting are all part of the teamwork frame.

- Make time to play as a team, too.

Whether the play is a softball team, a bowling league or a semi-annual weekend where the team members can really stretch their wings, teams work best when they have something in common besides their work. A trek up a snowy mountainside builds shared memories that help cement the bonds that have formed throughout the year.

Brett Danielson works for Chillisauce, a UK corporate events planner that specialises in team building weekends and corporate events. For more information on using team building events to reward and reinforce excellent team performance, contact Chillisauce.

How To Help A Sick Team Become Healthy

2009-02-07T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Denise O'Berry

Team Building Question:

A team is full of animosity, pretended interpersonal relationship, fear of bosses, mistrust and endless infighting what can I do as a team building facilitator?

The Team Doc Says:

Well, you've got your work cut out for you. Plan on this being a long term intervention. You can bet the team didn't get this way overnight and there is more than likely some deep seated history and company cultural issues that have helped them get into this mess.

I'd start with a survey to determine some of the underlying issues that are the cause of all the discord on this team. Conduct this survey at the team level and then once your results are compiled, use that data to formulate additional questions to ask at the individual team member level. Meet with each team member one on one to further dig into the root cause of the team building problem.

Then start from scratch. Just like kicking off a new team. Make sure you identify the company sponsor someone at the leadership level who takes responsibility for this team and that you have the scope and boundaries for the team identified. If possible, identify the team's stakeholders before you move forward also.

Next you'll want to go through the team chartering process. Identify mission, values, goals and operating procedures and autonomy level for the team. If the sponsor is not involved, make sure you get some buy in with him / her along the way.

That's all there is to it! Seriously though, this is going to take you a long time of intense work with this team. Plan on it. You've got to take them back to step one in the team building process to the forming stage and start anew. And along the way you'll need to overcome the obstacles that have caused them to get to this point.

Let me know your progress as you go along. You can send me a message via the Team Doc form by clicking on the link in the right hand column or by leaving a comment right here on my blog.

Denise O'Berry (aka 'Team Doc') provides tools, tips and advice to help organizations build better teams. Find out more at http://www.askteamdoc.com

Creativity In The Business World Thinking Outside The Box

2009-02-06T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ross Lincoln

The most common mistake that entrepreneurs do with their businesses is by leaving it just like it is. They often think that when something works, they should stick to it. This can work, but you, as a businessman would want to make more profit and let your business grow.

So, aside from doing everything in your business in a routine manner, try to add more features or improve your company. In order for your business to improve, you need to get your right side of the brain working. You need to be creative.

Creativity is one of the most important aspects in making your business a success. It is one of those things that you should consider. A business isn't just about logical thinking, it isn't always about number and it isn't always about negotiation, it is one of the perfect places where you can apply your creativity and at the same time, make some money out of it.

Don't think that the way your business is running is the only way to go. Add some things to improve it. Your employees may react with the changes, but you shouldn't worry about this. They just got so used to the way things were and they will require some adjustments with the new things you added to your company.

Change may be good for your company, especially if you feel that the old way your company is running isn't working anymore. There may come a time that you will need to change how your business is run in order to maximize profit.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you alone should be thinking of new ideas on how your business should change. Set a meeting with your key employees or department managers and brainstorm. This is one of the best ways you can extract ideas from them.

One problem with this is that your employees may be scared to express their ideas. So, In order to get them to give new ideas on how the company should run or what you should change, make the first few meetings in a relaxed atmosphere. Start it out by carefully suggesting that you want to make a few changes in the company and ask your key employees on what they think and what ideas they want to suggest. Or, try to let everyone in the meeting write a suggestion in a piece of paper and read it one by one and discuss every suggestion.

If you do this, they will be able to participate in determining the pros and cons of the suggestion. Also, by accepting suggestions, not only will you be giving benefits your company, but you will also make your employees feel that they are an important part of the company and therefore improve their morale and efficiency.

By letting your employees express their sense of creativity, you can definitely find out who among your employees are useful. And, by doing this, you can also determine which idea is much better than yours.

Your other employees will also benefit from the creativity of your key employees since no one really knows the exact morale of your employees than that of the department head. They know what kind of change in their department is needed in order for them to work more efficiently.

Always remember that creativity should always be part of your company. Once in a while, you need your employee's creativity in order for your business to make the change and be more successful.

Ross Lincoln makes it quicker and easier for you to create profitable business ideas, develop your marketing strategy or start brainstorming on any topic. For a free trial of the ultimate innovation software, please visit http://www.ideacenter.com

Corporate Performance Management

2009-02-05T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Josh Riverside

Appraising the performance of individuals, group and organizations is a common practice of all societies. While in some instances the appraisal processes are structured and formally sanctioned, in other instances they are an informal and integral part of daily activities. Corporate performance management has sometimes been referred to as the Achilles heel of managerial staffing, but it is probably a major key to managing itself. It is the basis for determining who is promotable to a higher position. It is also important to management development, because if a manager's strengths and weaknesses are not known, it is difficult to determine whether development efforts are aimed in the right direction.

Appraisal is, or should be, an integral part of a system of managing. Knowing how well a manager plans, organizes, staffs, leads and controls is really the only way to ensure that those occupying managerial positions are actually managing effectively. Effective performance appraisal should also recognize the legitimate desire of employees for progress in their professions. One way to integrate organizational demands and individual needs is through career management that can be a part of corporate performance management.

Performance appraisal is a method of evaluating the behavior of employees in the workplace, normally including both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of job performance. Performance here refers to the degree of accomplishment of the tasks that make up an individual's job. It indicates how well an individual is fulfilling the job demands. Often the term is confused with effort, which means performance is always measured in terms of results. A student, for example, may exert a great deal of effort while preparing for the examination but may manage to get a poor grade. In this case the effort expended is high but performance is low. In order to find out whether an employee is worthy of continued employment or not, and if so, whether he should receive a bonus, a pay raise or a promotion, his performance needs to be evaluated from time to time.

Corporate Performance Management provides detailed information on Corporate Performance Management, Corporate Performance Management Software, Corporate Performance Management Solutions, Corporate Performance Management Courses and more. Corporate Performance Management is affiliated with Business Process Management Systems.

Your Administration Team Look After Them

2009-02-04T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lorraine Pirihi

In most organisations the administration/support team, although they can be acknowledged as being important to the business, they are treated as if they're not.

Day after day, week after week they are in the office, slogging away making sure the work gets done. Many of them are so conscientious they won't take time out and stay at their desks until the work is done. Not only are they integral to the running of any business, their income and the way they are treated may not always reflect the importance of their role.

Jenny's Story

Jenny has worked for her current employer, for the past three years and thoroughly enjoys her role as Personal Assistant to the General Manager. They have a great working relationship. Whenever she needs time off to attend her children's sports days and special events, it's never an issue. If she requires the occasional afternoon or morning off to deal with personal matters, all she has to do is ask. Because of this attitude with her employer, she does her utmost best in her work and never thinks twice about working overtime on the odd occasion. In fact she works twice as hard.

This is a totally different situation to Jenny's previous employer. Jenny had been working for another organisation where her boss was 'married to the job'. Although he had a wife and family, his behaviour didn't reflect this. He worked all hours of the day and night and couldn't understand why everyone else went home at 5.00 p.m. Although she did her utmost best to organise him and get the work done on time, he would always ask for tasks to be done just when she was getting ready to leave for the day.

On the many occasions when she worked back or took work home so that her boss would have what he wanted for the next morning,he never thanked her. He just assumed that's what she should do. He never considered her needs. She was a single parent and therefore had major responsibilities. She had a life too. Her boss on the other hand was fortunate to have a a wife who didn't work and took care of their personal life.

Prior to Jenny being in this role, there had been three other people who had worked in her position, and all three had lasted less than three months.

Jenny had enough, she left after 6 months and found her current position. It wasn't the money that was her main issue. It was the flexibility and appreciation. Although her boss was pleasant enough, he just didn't understand that there is more to working with someone than just paying their wages.

The Final Word

When employing staff make sure they are the right fit. If you're looking for someone who can be extremely flexible in their hours and can come in early and stay late, then make sure that person is in the right personal situation to do that.

Employing people is a skill in itself. Keeping them happy so that they will be an important part of your business is another story. As mentioned in prior newsletters, when you look after your people, they will look after you and your business.

About The Author

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life. www.office-organiser.com.au, lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

Duplication Is The Key To A Successful Home Based Business

2009-02-03T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by James M. Taylor

What is Duplication? By definition Duplication means to copy, or repetition, doing the something over and over again. To be successful in your home business you need to practice the strategy of Duplication. It's a known fact that 90 to 95% of people who start a home business fail and only 5 to 10% of the people are successful. Why is that? Well one reason is they try to be salesman.

Don't get me wrong if you are a super salesman and able to build huge downline, that's great. But if all those people in your downline are not as good of a salesman as you are, what happens to your business? I'll tell you what happens, your business stalls and then you have to bring in more and more people which means more work for you and less time doing other things that makes your life worth while. There is no Duplication in your business, in other words you must teach people to do the same things that brought you that growth and success.

Why do we need Duplication? There are four reasons why Duplication is important, For example what if you used a system that taught all those people in your downlines to do exactly what you did? Well that's Duplication, with everyone copying what you did to build your downline, what happens?
1. Your business grows faster at an accelerated rate.
2. The people in your downline will begin to see growth their business.
3. You don't have to work as hard; you have time to do some of the other thing that makes life great.
4. You are paying it forward by helping others active
their dreams, wealth and happiness.

Who uses a duplication system?

There are several companies out that use some sort of duplication, for article we will talk about one company. Has everyone heard of McDonald's? Of course you have who hasn't? Let me explain when go into McDonald's the order is usually a $.99 burger, a Quarter Pounder or a Big Mac. Think about it these burger patties cost pennies because of bulk orders. People come for the burger. But that's not what make McDonald's the money, the burgers get you in the door, but when you get fries with that burger and of course you need something to drink a pop or a milk shake and how about a hot apple pie. You see those extra items are what make the money. And McDonald's has been using that model sense they open, that's what makes them successful.

Now as you know McDonald's licenses there business models in the form of franchises, and the McDonald's franchise owners follow this business model to the letter. What I mean is a McDonald's in Chicago is the same as a McDonald's in Los Angeles. A McDonald's in Miami is the same as a McDonald's in Canada, get the picture that my friends is Duplication. Every owner in every City, State and every country duplicates the McDonald's business model. Businesses that follow the same or similar business models are the ones that are successful.

About the Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- To find the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home visit: twc57.payitforward4profits.com

Creating Successful Team Charters

2009-02-02T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kevin Eikenberry

How many times have you been on, or heard about a team that got frustrated? Or felt like they weren't making progress? Or weren't completely clear on what they were expected to do? Or didn't feel like they had support from those above them?

If you are like me and most people I know, you are nodding yes to one or more of the questions above.

There is one single thing that can alleviate or eliminate these challenges and get the team off to a solid start. That single thing is a team charter.

What is a Team Charter?

A charter is a document that describes the purpose, boundaries and agreements of the team (the details are below). It is co-created by whoever is sponsoring or forming the team and by those who will be on the team. The power of this document comes from the conversation and agreements that are recorded on it.

Because the power comes from the agreements that are reached, the format of the document itself is less important than the conversation. Whatever the format, the components in the next section should be considered.

What is Included?

Team charters should address the following areas and answer the related questions.

Purpose and Alignment. Why is this team being formed? What purpose will it serve? What challenge, problem, issue or opportunity will it address? How is the work of this team in alignment with the larger goals and strategies of the organization?

Goals and Expectations. What are the specific goals for this team? When will we know we have completed their work? Who are Customers and Stakeholders of the team's work? What are their needs and expectations? What are the obstacles or challenges that can be seen at the start? Make sure to state the goals clearly with measurable outcomes and timelines.

Roles. Who is the team leader? What is their role? Who is responsible for facilitation, logistics, and information management? Who will be responsible for communication to stakeholders and the team sponsor? How will each person be involved in decision making?

Approach. How and when will the team meet? What are the norms or ground rules that the team will agree to? How we make decisions? How will we hold each other accountable for these things and for task completion? Who will communicate team progress and to whom? Your charter should also include a high level look at the major phases or milestones in the life of the team and outline those.

Skills and expertise required. Make a listing of the skills and expertise that will be required for team success. Identify the individual on the team that can provide those skills and perspectives. Identify any gaps in skills and determine a way to attach those skills to the team through other resources. Adding these skills doesn't mean you have to add people to the team. It means that subject matter experts can best be identified and invited to participate in the beginning and a charter helps make that happen.

Resources needed. What budget of time and money will be needed for this project? What other resources will be required?

Authority. What level of authority on spending does the team have? What authority do they have for other resources? What approvals will be required and by who?

Agreement. Once all of these questions and items have been documented, your charter should be signed by the team sponsor and each team member. This will cement the agreement and make it easier to hold people accountable. It also ensures that every team member understands and is on board with the complete charter.

How do I Implement a Team Charter?

Because there is some structure required, typically a leader who is forming or sponsoring a team would initiate the process. If this doesn't happen in your organization don't use that as an excuse! Whatever your role you can gain support for having a conversation that leads you to the clarity and agreements that a charter will provide.

Get the team together along with the leader who formed and/or is sponsoring your team. Have a conversation about the eight items above, documenting your agreements. You may be able to finalize a charter in one meeting, or it might require people to gather more information before finishing - do what makes sense given the size, complexity and importance of the team's output. Remember all time invested here will be repaid many times. Resist the urge and tendency to "get this done and get on with the work."

Once the document is created, have all parties sign it as a way to signify commitment to each other. Then keep the document fresh by referring to it in team meetings and making sure that you stay on-track with the boundaries and guidance it provides. Recognize too that as time moves forward you may need to make adjustments, clarifications or changes to the charter. This is perfectly fine as long as all team members and the leader and sponsor are in agreement and "sign on" to the changes.

Be Forewarned

Will creating a team charter take time?

Absolutely.

Will some people want to stop talking and get started?

For sure.

Recognize these facts but remember an even bigger one time spent collaboratively building a charter will be repaid in reduced frustration, improved productivity and better results.

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company. To receive a free Special Report on leadership that includes resources, ideas, and advice go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/leadership.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Team Building Developing A Team To Rely On

2009-02-01T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Leon Chaddock

Team building is very important when it comes to managing people. People are simply more willing to work together, though, when the atmosphere encourages it. For many organizations this is quite necessary for the business to run well. When everyone gets along, things just go better. They provide better service to the customer. They work together to deliver satisfaction with smiles. They also help to promote employee retention. Customers are happy, employees are happy, and the world is now a better place, right?

Team building is anything but simple. It is not something that can be done overnight. Nor is it something you can force people to do. So, how can you effectively build your team to encourage them to bond and develop working relationships that are positive? There are many things that you can do. Here are some ideas:

Set the example yourself. As the leader of the team, it is up to you to provide a good relationship with your team players. You want them to feel comfortable with you as well as with others. Don't favor some and don't become too friendly either.

You can encourage relationships to work by fostering a teamwork style. Make sure that the goals are established and that each team player is aware of them. They should know that you want a team work environment that that is what you are looking for in your employees.

Also, provide them with opportunities to get to know each other. Take the team out to dinner on you. Encourage them to talk about their families and lives so that they can bond.

When team building is successful, there are many things that can happen. Not only will the business run better, but you can foster good qualities in individuals to come out. You can have a bond of trust and reliance with your team. Team building is an exceptional quality that you should encourage in some form or another with your team.

For more information please see http://www.team-building-help.co.uk.

The Caveman Effect The Evolution Of Inventing High Performance Teams

2009-01-31T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Arthur Carmazzi

Does a team's influence affect an individual's personal competence?

The answer is an obvious "Yes", so the real question is how to make that influence one that improves performance instead of deteriorates it.

If you wish to influence the dynamics behind superior team performance, you need to understand the psychology that drives human reaction.

In the beginning

The caveman needed to survive. Man found safety in groups. It was not a matter of preference, it was a matter of necessity. If you were not a part of a group, your chances for survival were slim. Conformity to the majority became necessary to stay in a group and physical strength was the dominant factor for group leadership. Those who were strong and successful in the art of survival had the majority influence toward that conformity and only the strong challenged these leaders. If you challenged the leadership, you needed to be prepared to fight. And, if you lost, you were forced to leave the safety of the group and fend for yourself. The risk was great so there were few challengers and it became an ingrained survival response to gain acceptance from the group, so people just kept quiet.

It was a time of compliance!

Then came the significance revolution

The caveman's brains got bigger and more developed. Individuals became torn between finding there own path and gaining there own recognition, verses conforming to the group. Physical strength was no longer the dominant factor for influence. Now, people could think! Survival was no longer the acquisition of food and shelter; it had become a fight of ability. The more intelligent you were (and able to apply it), the more valuable you had become. The more influence you could exert over others, the more powerful you became. We began to compete for significance trying to show others how important and able we are, and if they believed us, or in some cases feared us, we became even more important.

We created a civilization that needed to be right!

Then came the industrial revolution

and groups evolved into teams but the fundamentals of our survival instinct, our emotional evolution and the emotions that drive us were still there, and a major part of our psychology. Our ability to work at our peak in teams depended on the way these emotional drivers and understanding the dynamics they promote.

Today, the caveman has evolved and the awareness of our psychology has expanded.

We now seek better ways to improve our selves and our performance, but our caveman nature sometimes gets in the way. While our modern brain is influenced by numerous factors of emotional drive, the three that came from our caveman days are still central to our performance in teams:

The drive to belong
The drive for security
The drive to be significant

As with our caveman ancestors, our fear of loss is more important that our potential for gain. Loosing (or the potential of loosing) our sense of belonging or our sense of security or significance are materialize in caveman like reactions. These reactions are sometimes subtle.

Our caveman reaction for conformity is driven by our need belong and feel secure in the group, so we keep quiet and comply. And if we do challenge, we are probably depriving others of their significance or security, causing them to react to "protect" themselves. This can either escalate to greater conflict, or it may revert back to compliance and conformity to prevent conflict. Either way, these are still caveman reactions and are NOT useful to high performance teams.

The greatest obstacle to high performance is the caveman's reactions to loosing significance, in order for the caveman to be right, he must make someone else wrong, and that means, more caveman reactions from the other team members! And the worst part is that reality is not what matters, the caveman reacts on emotion without fact, and so "perception" influences reaction. When someone feels wrong, they feel less able; they may feel like they have less control and therefore are less secure, they react with aggression or submission out of dissatisfaction, and a lesser desire to cooperate affects their performance and the entire team.

So how do we get the caveman out of our teams so we can stop reacting and act like the evolved humans we have become, able to perform at the peak of our abilities?

There are 4 stages to our evolution into "awakened" team members

Each stage is a stage of awareness. It awakens our greater perception. But for it to be effective, the entire team has to take this journey. But there are consequences, once team members have awakened, they will never view teams again in the same way. They can never go back to the way it was and can never be satisfied with mediocrity. Each stage opens our eyes to the caveman within ourselves and others, and it lets us use the intelligent part of our brain to send this caveman back when he tries to invade our minds and body. Different team members may be at different stages in their evolution, where are you?

These 4 stages are as follows:

Stage 1: Acknowledge the primitive caveman in you

Look at the behavior you have had in the past. How many times have you gone against your better judgment to "go with the flow"? Discover your need to belong to the group, to be accepted by your pears. How has this need manifested itself in your interaction with others? What has it prevented from achieving? Would your relationships Really be damaged if you expressed your views and opinions or confronted someone else's potentially bad decision, or is it possible you would gain more respect. As a leader, is it more important for you to be liked than to get the expected results?

By reflecting on the behaviors you have displayed in the past, and realizing the damage you are doing to your personal effectiveness and the effectiveness of those around you, you can see the primitive caveman for what he is. This is the first step in your evolution.

Stage 2: Soothing the significant caveman

Now the caveman in you has become more expressive. You tell people what you want and how it should be. The problem is they react to you. There are two types of reactions you receive:
1. If you speak out with little confidence and conviction, you have only evolved in actions and not in mindset. Others react to you with insignificance; they make you wrong or unimportant. They do not pay much attention to you and you will accomplish little. Your actions are the beginning but you must be consistent and find your conviction. Imagine the alternative if you do not Extinction!
2. You have the conviction and the confidence and now need to show how great you are and how much better than everyone else your ideas and abilities are. Others react by rebelling, some rebel externally and create open conflict. Others rebel internally and while they quietly go along with what you say, they feel that you treat them with insignificance, that you make you wrong or unimportant. Here your ability to overcome fear of not being accepted has brought you to this stage, but now you must learn to apply it effectively.

You are at stage two because your significance is central to your being, you tend to react to others that "appear" to take it away from you. This creates confrontation and brings out the caveman in your other team members. Then they react back and just make a big mess! So before you can transcend to stage three, you must awaken to the reactions that YOU create. Knowing you weaknesses is the foundation to your evolution. FIRST though, you need to admit you are the cause of much of this reaction. IT'S NOT OTHER PEOPLES FAULT! Don't make others wrong so you can be important! You need to take full responsibility before anything can change. You can find other more productive ways to fill your need for significance.

Significance is about feeling important, so what if you had the power to make others feel important, the ability to bring out the best in them, their passion, and their motivation? Would you gain gratification from this power? Would you get significance from the better overall results that could be achieved?

Stage 3: Keeping the caveman away from your team

The caveman shows up when your modern (intelligent) brain shuts off. The more you can keep it on, the less time the caveman spends with your team.

Remember, when the caveman shows up, he brings out the caveman in the rest of your team members. And before you know it, you've got a group of cavemen either beating each other or hiding in the background. So STOP IT!

The key to using the Intelligent part of your brain, is to map the areas that might cause reaction and tagging them with a "caveman alarm".

Write a list of issues that make you frustrated, angry, submissive, fearful, etc. Put this list in a place where you will often see it. There is a part of your brain that retains this knowledge in your subconscious, so when one of these issue comes up and you begin to react (using the primitive part of your brain), you remember the list and you remember that you may be letting the caveman out. At this time the intelligent part of your brain kicks in and allows you to work through the issue in an evolved manner.

Stage 4: Evolving into the awakened team member

By this stage you can stop the caveman from coming out in you. You have gone beyond your primitive emotional reactions to "fear of not being accepted" and "fear of not being important". You don't always need to be right, and you don't make others wrong. You don't avoid conflict because you're afraid others won't like you or your need to belong.

You have awaked to an evolved individual that can think and act without fear, an individual that gives value to the team instead exploiting them for your personal emotional gratification. You take action in place of reaction. You have cultivated the courage of an evolved individual.

But many of your team members often still react. At this stage, you understand them more, so you don't react to their reactions. You can use the intelligent part of your brain instead of the primitive reactive part. So how can you affect those around you that do react?

Look at the way you express yourself. Knowing that that caveman can appear in others instantaneously, how would you communicate when others react, what would you do or say to make the caveman in these team members go away?

Well first, you must identify what stage in evolution they're at. Knowing this gives you the understanding of what they fear. Do they fear losing their security and acceptance the team provides, or do they fear being unimportant, insignificant? This knowledge provides the platform for you to help them fill these emotional needs and put aside their fears.

Second, give them this article for disclosure of your intentions and awareness of what's happening. If you all have the same understanding, it becomes easier to achieve results as a team. And, as this Team centered article is based on the Directive Communication psychology, attending Directive Communication based workshops would accelerate the process. Find a DC practitioner near you at: http://www.directivecommunication.com

Finally, use questions to fill there emotional needs of belonging and significance. Ask questions, DO NOT teach or lecture. Discover how your team members fill these needs and how the team can support each member in achieving them without the caveman.

The journey to the evolution of highly effective teams is scattered with the angry beatings and quiet disillusionment of cavemen everywhere. Effectiveness is against our nature. Only in the face of our inadequacies can we evolve, can we increase our ability to be intelligent in our actions, and can we assist others in there evolution.

The advantages of this growth is a happier, less stressful, and more productive life.

The consequences of not evolving, are a life full of reaction, stress and un-fulfillment.

The caveman will always be in you, the question is do you really want him around in your teams, friends, and families?

Today, evolution is a choice.

...

Arthur F. Carmazzi is the principle founder of the "Directive Communication" methodology, the author of "Identity Intelligence" and co-author of best seller "The 6 Dimensions of Top Achievers".

Arthur is the developer of the CBCI (Colored Brain Communication Inventory) profiling tools used for "Psycho-Productivity" management. This tool has been implemented across a variety of HR and Leadership disciplines by numerous multinationals to generate greater efficiency of human capital.

Arthur's current area of concentration is in the creation of highly productive organizational cultures. His work in applying the Directive Communication discipline to organizations has enhanced departments in Multinational as well as local companies through attitude enrichment as it relates to productivity, leadership, sales and customer service. Using psychology to inspire ownership within the individual, team, and organization.

You can find out more about Arthur F. Carmazzi at http://www.carmazzi.net or about the Directive Communication methodology at: http://www.directivecommunication.com

Increase Your Profits By Training Your People

2009-01-30T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lorraine Pirihi

What impression do outsiders get when they call your business?

Is it a welcoming greeting such as "Thank you for calling The Office Organiser, this is Lorraine", or do they hear:

"Lorraine's phone"
"Hold the line" (before you even speak)
"Hold the line please" (before you have even opened your mouth)
"Lorraine speaking" (doesn't even mention the name of the business)
or they speak so fast you miss the name of the organisation and have to check you rang the right number.
Sometimes the initial contact has been positive only to be let down when the person has said:

"Hold the line for a tick/sec"
"I need to find a piece of paper to write your message down"
"Can you hold on while I find a pen"
"Just a tick, I'll pop you on hold"
"Alright, I'll see if she's available"
How to Effortlessly Lose Business
Recently my 22 year old had three weeks off from her job as a flight attendant. She wanted to book into a health retreat for a few days.

As her mother, I was very excited by this, as it's not often you hear of someone so young, invest their own moneyand we're talking around $2000 plus, who would do something so positive for themselves.

Anyhow, we spoke about her options and she decided on a well-known retreat in Queensland (where else?). On the two occasions she spoke with the receptionist and sales person, Tia (my daughter) was treated with indifference. The staff were not enthusiastic or very helpfula major turnoff.

Tia had never been to this retreat yet the impression she gained indicated it was very disorganised and not professional. Her thoughts were if this is how they respond to potential customers, what would the actual experience be like?

In the end she decided to go to Camp Eden which both my husband and myself have experienced. When she made her enquiries and consequently her booking, she was treated with respect and they made her feel special.

She's spent the past 5 days at the retreat and has rung me to tell me how much she has enjoyed it.

Who Answers Your Phone? The person who answers the phone automatically conveys to outsiders an impression of your organisation. So what impression is your phone answerer/answerers, receptionist or Director of First Impressions conveying to the world?

You can have the glossiest brochures, presentation kits, business cards, employ polished sales people who drive fancy cars and have flash premises, however if your physical image isn't backed up with a professional image in the office, then you could lose credibility and even business.

On occasions I have spent my money elsewhere because of the treatment I received from the receptionist.

Whose Fault Is It? Can you blame your people? No. The buck stops with the owner or manager of the business. Often they are too busy to pay attention to the customer service side of the business and avoid investing time and money into their most important assettheir people.

Here are some simple, yet very effective solutions to shape up your phone image.

Top Telephone Tips

Train your people in how to answer the phone. Place a script next to each phone so they cannot forget what to say. Smile and stand up each time the phone is answered. The smile projects down the line and standing up gets you off your butt! Ask some of your clients and a few outsiders (could be possible prospects) to ring into your organisation and provide you feedback as to what they experienced i.e. welcoming greeting, professional manner, etc. Have a system for taking messages that everyone adheres to. i.e. use duplicate message pads, message boards or email. (Tie pens to the message pads).

Answer the phone as quickly as possible, ideally on the third ring. If it takes too long to answer then the caller may think no-one is there and may take their business elsewhere. If you answer too soon it may appear you have nothing to do. Learn the words" "Please" and "Thank You". The Final Word It's always the little things which count. The simple, basic, nitty gritties of life.

Ignore them and you risk losing business, credibility, respect, and who knows what else? Pay attention to the details because if you don't, other people may not pay attention to you!

Have a great week Lorraine Pirihi

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach. She's also a dynamic presenter and a leading business and life coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!" To subscribe to her free ezine visit http://www.office-organiser.com.au

Surviving A Business Project

2009-01-29T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Knell

In a perfect world, any business team assembled to take on a project would be a competent group of professionals who seamlessly act as one entity. In the real world, it's a bit different. A good team tends to be made up of strong, creative, energetic and insightful members. That's the perfect recipe for egos, personalities and methods to clash. People tend to act in their own best interests and play the blame game regardless of the outcome. Here are some ideas that will help you and your team keep their eyes on the prize:

1. Keep A Log

Keeping a daily log will help you maintain contact with sources that prove valuable, learn from mistakes and develop a winning methodology. When it comes to the good, take note of that great idea, suggestion, shortcut or contact that helped bring it all home. When it comes to the bad, take note of any major problems, missed deadlines, bad numbers and the parties most responsible for those negatives. You may also want to write down your feelings as you progress through each task. This will provide emotional hindsight and give you some insight into how intuitive you may be. Being intuitive is less about possessing some sort of psychic ability and more about having a talent for being able to predict the probable outcome of a situation based on what you see happening at any given time. Intuition can be extremely helpful to a team when choosing a direction becomes convoluted by group disagreements.

2. Don't Revisit Every Decision

We live in a day when junk psychology and television psychiatrists have us going in reverse, mentally speaking. Instead of carefully considering their next move, people tend to waste time revisiting every decision they have ever made or reliving every experience or emotion they have ever had. A good project plan eliminates the need for second-guessing.

3. Make An Honest List of Your Strengths

It's wise for individual members to give serious thought to the part they can best play in the group plan before the first team meeting. When that first meeting does occur, you should be ready to cite instances where your talents and experience at a particular task have paid off and lead to the successful completion of previous projects. That may help you get assigned to tasks you feel most comfortable working on.

4. Intangibles: They Can Turn Into Tangibles

Every project involves things that we do not expect or see coming. It's those kinds of intangibles that can trip you up as they turn into tangibles. Anyone who has been in the business world for more then five minutes knows how delicate the process can be. Contractors show up to do a job, but have nothing to work with. A electricity brown out occurs just as you are ready to begin an important presentation. One or one hundred things can happen during a project to disrupt or slow things down. Developing alternative resources in advance can really save the day when push comes to shove.

5. Deadlines: Keep One Eye On A Deadline and The Other On Quality

Most companies live and die on deadlines. However, good companies and business leaders know that sometimes a deadline must be sacrificed in favor of quality over substance. Just having a finished project is not always a good thing is it means that the end result is substandard or will reflect on the company or team in a negative way. Every team leader and member should keep one eye on the deadline and the other on quality.

6. Learn From Your Mistakes

People and project teams that are set in their ways tend to make the same mistakes over and over again. If you are part of that kind of mess and know better, don't be afraid to have your objection on the record when you see the team headed in a direction that has proven disastrous on previous occasions. Moving forward in a positive way means being willing to try new directions instead of getting mired in flawed ideas that haven't worked well in the past.

7. Be Systematic, But Flexible

When it comes to successfully completing a business project, sticking to the plan is an essential. That kind of systematic approach keeps all the team members on track and working from the same playbook. However, there are times when a plan simply doesn't anticipate the unexpected. A Team leader and members most be willing to take a chance and bend the rules, occasionally, to get the job done.

8. Reign In The Personalities, Be Consistently Good

Most college graduates suffer from Professoritis. They take on the personality, mannerisms or management style of an Educator they admired while in school. This can be very bad news for co-workers because the style they have adopted is usually a harsh and unforgiving one. They tend to wear themselves and everyone else out. That makes it almost impossible for a team that must work together on a regular basis to function properly. Being consistently good means having the ability to manage and control yourself and your team. That includes gaining and retaining the respect of your peers. Someone with an over-bearing personality or completely out of control ego will always be a divisive force on any team.

9. Project Echoes: The Post-Project Meeting

Most team members are so glad to see a project completed that they rarely conduct a post-project meeting for fear it will turn into a blame fest. It doesn't have to be that way. A productive post-project meeting should explore the positives of what happened during the process. It's an opportunity to make a short list of new directions, shortcuts, resources and ideas that contributed to the success of a project. If a project failed to meet expectations, that's a matter for another day.

Surviving a project is all about professional etiquette and skill. It you do not have the skill necessary to be a productive part of any business team, blaming others or creating division among members will not help your cause. If you do possess the skills needed to help bring a project home, you also have the responsibility to work with other team members in and productive and civil way. Those willing to work with instead of against team members are often the voices of reason within a group. It's those people who end up reaping the most rewards.

Author: Bill Knell Author's Email: billknell@cox.net Author's Website: http://www.billknell.com

Terms To Use Article: Permission is granted to use this article for free online or in print. Please add a link to or print my website address of http://www.billknell.com

A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He's written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects. A popular Speaker, Bill Knell presents seminars on a number of topics that entertain, train and teach. A popular radio and television show Guest, you've heard Bill on thousands of top-rated shows in all formats and seen him on local, national and international television programs.

Boost The Efficiency Of Your Business Up To 200 Using Teamwork Software

2009-01-28T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nicholas Kabarow

Introduction: The Vital Importance of the Information Exchange

The proper communication between teammates is of paramount importance for any company regardless of its size and nature of business. The information exchange should be made smooth and safe to prevent any loss of information and allow important information to reach an intended recipient in a timely fashion. This will provide a company with a good working atmosphere where all employees are duly informed and possess all the data they need to perform their duties properly. The latter ensures that your company is functioning well to meet the clients' expectations and generate more profit.

The Power of Delegation: Deadlines and Task Management

Deadlines are of great importance for each business, because of a quite simple rule: if you miss a deadline you lose money. The ability to assign and track tasks is essential to share workload between employees. A chief has to delegate tasks to appropriate subordinates in order to meet a project's deadline. At the same time, the chief has to retain the full control over the assigned tasks so as to be able to modify them immediately if circumstances change.

E-mail Headache: A Wrong Tool for the Right Goal

It should be noted that email is not the best way to support communications within a work team because email is quite slow and inconvenient for short messages exchange. Instant messaging software such as ICQ and AIM do not meet the teamwork requirements too because they cannot control deadlines and do not support task management. That is why it is so easy to get lost in tons of email correspondence and finally forget an important task concealed in one of those messages. In order to prevent this from happening, you should use an appropriate tool supporting teamwork. Below are several key factors you should take into consideration when choosing teamwork software.

Convenience: Hassle-Free User Interface

Often people speaking about teamwork underestimate the importance of an individual's comfort at workplace, emphasizing the importance of the efficiency of a team in the whole. In the meantime, the efficiency of a team may be dramatically increased thanks to boosting efficiency of each individual team member. A good step for moving in that direction is to equip a company with a collaboration tool, which is user-friendly and easy-to-use. A teamwork solution of CuteReminder Labs is a good example of that approach. Let us take a more detailed look at this. There are several quite revolutionary things inside the box to provide you with the appropriate working environment. First of all, there is the user interface tightly integrated with the Windows desktop, so the program is running in the background and is always at hand yet does not clutter your desktop. Second, the user interface is designed with the main goal in mind to reduce the number of mouse clicks needed to operate the program, so the application spares your efforts while you actually use it. This is very important, since the program is supposed to be used quite intensively. Third, to provide you with a comfortable workplace, the user interface is made hassle-free, which means that the program is so gentle that it does not distract you even when reminding you.

Personal Info Management: Be Well-Organized

Each team member working in a team should be personally well organized to be an adequate partner for the rest of the team. This means that within the framework of a teamwork solution team members should be provided with a personal info management software to boost their personal efficiency. "Personal" means all matters, which do not require any explicit involvement of other employees. An employee, who can successfully work on his personal tasks, is able to do group tasks properly as well, since s/he has not to do emergency jobs thanks to good personal organization.

History: Case Tracking

Another important prerequisite for an efficient teamwork is the ability to track tasks. You should be able to access the history of any particular task in case any questions arise. This will help you to find bottlenecks and investigate what has gone wrong on the case-by-case basis in order to improve your business model. The ability to dig into history is very essential to discover intercommunication problems and it helps to find out who was instructed to do something important yet has not done so. This is exceedingly important in case you interact with a client and something has gone wrong on the client's side (this is, of course, beyond your control), and which finally led to the break of a deadline or increase of cost. In that case you can always prove to the client that you have acted properly, avoid the conflict and retain your client.

Installation and Maintenance: Reduce Costs

The specifics of a teamwork solution aimed for use in small teams is that it should be low cost, simple, and convenient for your employees. "Low cost" means that you should minimize your expenses regarding the installation and maintenance of a software solution. The software should be flexible and quite simple to eliminate the need to train your staff to use it. Better yet, the teamwork solution should be maintenance-free. This provides you with a good chance to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and increase the Return of Investment (ROI). A software solution, which does not have cumbersome controls in the user interface, is easy to use. The convenience of software contributes greatly to the willingness of employees to actually use it. This personal factor is of key importance to the successful implantation of a new technology in your company and boosting the efficiency of your business.

Example: Handy Teamwork Solution for Small Teams

Cute Reminder Enterprise Edition is a teamwork solution, which provides you with the ability to easily manage tasks within a team, communicate with your teammates, and manage personal information. The teamwork solution is a standalone application, which is easy to install and does not require the installation of any server software nor Internet connection. You can easily start using the program after a short interactive introduction, which is included in the product. No training is required. The user interface of Cute Reminder is quick in the uptake and hassle-free.

Conclusion: Measuring the Results

It may seem not easy to measure the results of the implementation of a collaboration solution in your company. This is, however, a myth. Provided that all key factors remain unchanged (e.g. the number of staff members and their qualification, the average number of customers, the number of products/services your company sells, etc.) you may easily determine how much a teamwork solution added to the improvement of your business. Just compare the following figures before and after you implement a teamwork solution: (1) the number of positive feedback from your customers, (2) the number of client's complaints, (3) the number of satisfied and (4) dissatisfied employees, (5) the average number of clients handled by an employee, (6) the number of positive feedback from your partners, (7) the total amount of overtime hours spent by your employees, etc. You may find helpful to engage a marketing/PR company to arrange customer polls to estimate how you progress. A good teamwork solution can easily provide you with a 10% improvement of each of these seven multiplicative business factors, which means that your total business efficiency improvement would be 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 = 1.94 = 194%. So, this is the result stated in the title of this article.

Nicholas Kabarow is a senior designer and software architect at CuteReminder Labs (http://www.CuteReminder.com). His innovative ideas were implemented in the personal information management software called Cute Reminder. Nicholas' main concept of software aimed for personal use is the quick and unobtrusive user interface able to spare your efforts daily. Comments can be sent via the contact form at http://www.CuteReminder.com/contacts.php.

How Do We Know If Were A Team

2009-01-27T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Patrick Smyth

Do you only communicate with your employees when you have something to announce, like that new executive VP you just hired? How much do your employees know about your company, each other, and the industry they work in? Do you think that matters? How do you motivate your employees with a carrot or a stick? Do you have a well designed systematic program for communicating with your employees? Do you know why you should?

You should have a well designed systematic program for communicating with your employees because you are all on the same team. You need that team to function at its peak performance for your business to succeed. How can it do that if it doesn't know the rules of the game? How can it do it if you never give them any encouragement or direction as a good coach would do? How can it do it if they don't know and trust each other? How can it do it if you don't help them learn? How can it do it if you never listen to them?

Those questions suggest for us five key goals or purposes of an effective employee communication program. They are to:

1. Inform employees about important business developments at your company
2. Motivate employees by recognizing and celebrating successes and achievements
3. Build a community of employees by sharing best practices, ideas, and experiences
4. Teach employees on topics that will make them more effective in their jobs
5. Listen to and learn from employees so that their ideas can make a difference

Let's take these goals one at a time. First, to inform employees about important business developments at your company. The more they know about what's going in the company and your strategy, the easier it will be for them to make their own decisions and actions conform. This includes information, news, and updates about your strategy and direction, business goals and objectives, company mission and values, major project or task force updates, regular business status and operations updates, organizations changes, and yes announcements about executive changes. When? This type of information has a newsy aspect to it so the sooner the better. You really don't want your employees to be forced to go elsewhere to find out what what's going on in your (and their) company. How? This really depends on the magnitude of the news and how much it will impact them employees. Simple news updates can be sent out via email, but big changes in strategy or organizations that will affect everyone's job will need to have as much face-to-face communication as possible. Whether you use town hall meetings, brown bag lunches, groups meetings in a park, employee newsletters, or video or web-broadcasts, making a direct personal connection with your employees to help them understand the change directly from you will go a long way to making it successful.

Motivate employees by recognizing and celebrating successes and achievements. Recognize individual employees, or a group of employees by personally congratulating them for their work in a very public way. By doing this you will add fuel to one of the most powerful motivating tools at your disposal. You'll be making a direct connection with the employee to let them know that what they do is important to you, that you appreciate their contribution, and that their work should be viewed by everyone else in the company as an example to aspire to. The more specific and personal to an individual the better. Of course, overall company successes and achievements should be recognized as well. When? Frequently, and whenever you have an opportunity to address as many of your employees as possible in open communication, like monthly broadcasts or town hall meetings and newsletters.

Build a community of employees by sharing best practices, ideas, and experiences. If your employees turn to each other for ideas and sharing best practices they will also develop trust, improve team problem solving, and increase their sense of commitment and dedication to the success of your business as a whole. Encourage them to share amongst each other but also reward them for doing so in group sessions where one department or work group may share some new discovery or process with the rest of the organization. If they also share information about themselves and their personal interests or hobbies outside of work, they will find they have more in common than just their jobs, and that will strengthen the bonds between them. When? Use all your regular and frequent communications mechanisms including town hall meetings, newsletters, and intranet web site including electronic bulletin boards and internal web blogs.

Teach employees on topics that will make them more effective in their jobs. Keeping your employees current with the latest developments in your industry, new government regulations, new technology developments, competitive developments, and economic developments will empower them to do better work and provide better service to your customers. Knowledgeable employees are better able to make informed decisions with the confidence that they are making the right decision. They'll be more productive and more motivated as well. When? On a continuous basis use both computerized self-paced training and classroom style sessions where appropriate.

Listen to and learn from employees so that their ideas can make a difference. If employees know that their ideas and suggestions will in fact be heard and can make a direct positive contribution to the business, they will become more engaged in their work and in the interests of making your company more productive. This is true even if a particular idea is not enacted. When? Constantly, and at every opportunity. How? Create reward mechanisms for employees who bring ideas forward that are implemented and result in significant benefits to your business. Reward people for submitting ideas by handing out a gift certificate randomly to people who submit ideas. Hold contests between departments. Use suggestion boxes, web based surveys, brown bag lunches, focus group meetings, and even one-on-one face to face meetings just listen to them.

Some simple guiding principles to keep in mind as you develop and execute your employee communications plan. First, build direct and immediate feedback and measurement into all communication listening is as important as talking when you're trying to build a team. Second, engage and interact with employees so they are participating in the communication. Include their achievements, news, best practices, and so on, in their own words. Third, be honest and open and timely with all company news. And last, but not least, play. Lighten up with humor and games and you'll find they trust you more, bring forward more creative ideas, work together better, work harder, keep your customers happier, and serve as the lifeblood of your business when you need them the most.

Patrick Smyth is a management consultant focused on improving business productivity through strategic marketing and product management process improvements. With over 25 years experience in information technology & services, business-to-business marketing leadership, and product management. His talents include aligning company and product branding & positioning, building highly effective marketing processes & teams, and customer experience management to optimize marketing productivity and develop profitable, long term customer relationships. Contact: patgsmyth@yahoo.com

A Quotmust Doquot Tactic To Improve Your Team Motivation Skills

2009-01-26T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Fairweather

Has this ever happened to you? You go to speak to your boss, or a colleague, a friend or even someone in your family and you feel they're not listening. How does that make you feel - not very good I suspect.

When I bring this up in a team motivation seminar, some managers start to feel a litle bit uncomfortable.

If you want to motivate and have a good relationship with the people in your team, your customers, colleagues, friends and family, then you need to be a good listener.

You need to look and sound like you're listening. When face to face you need to look interested, nod your head and keep good eye contact. Over the phone you need to make the occasional - "Uh-Huh - I see."

I've seen managers, when faced with a problem from a team member, start to do something else, like work on the computer. I've also heard managers say - "It's okay, I can do two things at once, I can listen to you and work on the computer."

Maybe you can, but the message your team member gets is - "My problem isn't that important, my manager just isn't interested."

When you're spending time with people you need to give them your full attention. You need to look them in the eye, concentrate on them and make them feel that what they say is important and deserves your attention.

As well as looking interested in your team member's or your customer's problem, it's a good idea to write it down. I've fallen into the trap of thinking - "I'll remember that when I get back to the office and I'll check on it." However, one person I was with said - "You wont do anything about what I've said Alan because you wont remember it." From that point on I wrote things down.

It's also a good idea to paraphrase - to repeat back what the person has said to ensure your understanding and let them know you've been listening.

It may seem like a simple thing but it's very important to use names. You could say in response to a problem from a team member - "I'll speak to the accounts department about that."

Its far better to say - "I'll speak to the accounts department about that Susan, thank you for bringing it to my attention." That's a much better way for a motivating manager to act.

A person's name is one of the warmest sounds they hear. It says - "I recognise you as an individual." However, don't overdo it as it may come across as patronising.

So just some food for thought - many people believe that to be a good motivator you need to be a good speaker when in fact - you need to be a great listener.

Discover the "3" Secrets of team motivaion. Alan Fairweather - "The Motivation Doctor" -is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" To receive your free newsletter and free ebooks, visit: http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

Intercultural Team Building

2009-01-25T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Neil Payne

Internal business structures have been radically transformed over the past few decades. Changes in areas such as communication and transportation technology and shifts towards global interdependency have resulted in companies becoming increasingly international and therefore intercultural.

In addition, the need to 'go global' and to cut outgoings is demanding that companies combine protecting international interests whilst keeping down staff numbers. The solution in most cases has been the forming of intercultural teams.

As with all businesses, success depends upon effective cooperation and communication within teams. The intercultural dimension of today's teams however brings with it new challenges. Successful team building not only involves the traditional needs to harmonise personalities but also languages, cultures, ways of thinking, behaviours and motivations.

Intercultural teams have an inherent disadvantage. Cultural differences can lead to communication problems, unpredictability, low team cohesion, mistrust, stress and eventually poor results. However, intercultural teams can in fact be very positive entities. The combination of different perspectives, views and opinions can lead to an enhanced quality of analysis and decision making while team members develop new skills in global awareness and intercultural communication.

In reality this best case scenario is seldom witnessed. More often than not, intercultural teams do not fulfil their potential. The root cause for this is that when intercultural teams are formed, people with different frameworks of understanding are brought together and expected to naturally gel. Without a common framework of understanding, for example in matters such as status, decision making, communication etiquette, this is very difficult and thus necessitates outside help to commix the team.

Intercultural or cross cultural training is one method of helping to blend a team together. Through analysis of the cultures involved in a team, their particular approaches to communication and business and how the team interacts, intercultural team builders are able to find, suggest and use common ground to assist team members in building harmonious relationships.

Intercultural training sessions look at helping a team to realise their differences and similarities in areas such as status, hierarchy, decision making, conflict resolution, showing emotion and relationship building. These are then used to create mutually agreed upon structures of communication and interaction. From this basis, teams are then tutored how to recognise future communication difficulties and their cultural roots, empowering the team to become more self reliant. The end result is a more cohesive and productive team.

In conclusion, for intercultural teams to succeed, managers and HR personnel need to be attuned to the need for intercultural training to help cultivate harmonious relationships. Companies must be supportive, proactive and innovative if they wish to reap the potential benefits intercultural teams can offer. This goes beyond financing and creating technological links to bring together intercultural teams at surface level and going back to basics by fostering better interpersonal communication. If international businesses are to grow and prosper in this ever contracting world, intercultural synergy must be a priority.

Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwintessential Ltd. For more information please visit http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross-cultural/training.html

Choosing A Corporate Team Building Organiser

2009-01-24T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Preston

Putting together a solid corporate team is one of the most rewarding experiences in business, as you witness a group of self-interested individuals transformed into a cohesive group all striving for the same goal. To say nothing of the tremendous benefits great teamwork gives your company's performance and profits. It is a truth universally acknowledged that the best workers are the happiest workers, and great teams make the happiest workers of all.

However, if you look around for a corporate team building organiser you will discover there are a glittering array of choices on the market, with companies offering everything from in-house programmes for ice-breaker events and office games to residential courses featuring wilderness survival simulations and rugged adventure weekends. This article aims to make the selection process easier by running through a few of the things to consider in looking for a team building organiser to suit your needs.

The first thing to decide is the sort of team building exercise that would be most beneficial to your company. Here are a few things to consider to make this decision easier:

Whether all employees will be involved or the programme will be tailored to a particular segment of your workforce. For example, if all employees are involved, you probably don't want an activity that places unnecessary physical demands on them. Consider the profile of your workforce and what is realistically achievable. The last thing you want is a team building exercise that excludes people, exposes their limitations or otherwise adversely affects their confidence.

What your budget and timescale is. This really comes down to the importance you give to corporate team building and what you hope to achieve from it. Many simple team building exercises can be done in the office or using readily available resources and nearby venues, whereas others are site specific and include transport and accommodation costs and time away from the workplace. Judge whether the employees already spend a lot of time together and you simply require greater cohesiveness and unity of purpose or the object of the exercise is to enable colleagues to get to know each other better and build up greater levels of understanding and trust.

Consider the number of people you imagine participating in the programme. Naturally different team building exercises lend themselves to different sized groups. If you anticipate involving a large number of people, consider whether you want to divide them into smaller teams to undertake a round robin series of tasks or involve the entire group in the same task. Also, it is possible you want to focus on different areas for different groups and that each group has a different requirement, so ensure that the organiser has the resources to address all your needs.

Now you should have a clearer outline of what it is you are looking for in a team building organiser and be ready to review the different providers in your area. In order to narrow down your search, consider the following points:

If you are expecting the training to involve outdoor activities that have a level of physical risk, ensure that the supplier has a qualified instructor and provides insurance. Also, look at the kind of insurance carefully to ensure that it is comprehensive. If a serious insurance company is happy with the supplier's level of expertise, this should help put your mind to rest too. Never use a supplier who asks you to sign waivers of liability.

Ensure there is some system for assessing the progress being made during the team building exercise and afterwards, when the skills learnt are implemented in the workplace. The supplier's level of enthusiasm for this kind of assessment might reveal the extent of their faith in their training.

It is also worth checking any testimonials the supplier offers and looking beyond them to seek independent opinions of their service. It is important to determine how much experience the supplier has in tailoring and delivering programmes for corporate clients. Also explore the breadth of team building methodologies and courses the supplier offers. A tailored event should involve building the programme from scratch to suit the clients specific aims and objectives, rather then foisting some ready made package on them.

Examine the professionalism and experience of the various facilitators you will be using. Ask what requirements they have to meet to be eligible to work with the team building organiser and whether they work on a full-time or part-time basis. It would do you no harm to ask to meet them as well, to gauge their compatibility with your workforce.

Ask about the provenance of the equipment being used in the team building exercise and how regularly it is maintained and serviced. After all, good team building cannot be done with shoddy or out of date equipment.

If you cannot obtain satisfactory answers to these questions it may be time to consider other providers. But always remember, experience, credibility and know-how are the essential ingredients for anyone wishing to provide any form of team based training to a corporate client.

Now you've just got to decide what kind of team building you want to do and start looking around to potential Team Building Training Providers. A good place to start comparing is http://www.approvedindex.co.uk/indexes/TeamBuildingTraining/free-quote.aspx

Ten Ways To Maximize The Impact Of Training

2009-01-23T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ron Kaufman

Training your staff is an essential investment in today's changing and competitive environment. But just sending staff to attend training programs is not enough. You should maximize the impact of your investment by following these key guidelines before, during and after the training.

Before the training program:

1. Review with staff why they were selected for the program and discuss anticipated benefits for the organization. This shifts their perspective from purely personal, 'I am going to attend a training', to personal and organizational, 'The organization is making an investment so I can attend a training. The purpose of this investment is to help me upgrade my skills so that my team and our organization becomes more effective.'

2. Ask participants to talk about how they might benefit from the program. Where do they see opportunities for improvement in their own skills and/or behavior?

3. Discuss and obtain agreement from your staff for their punctuality, attendance and active participation in the training program.

4. Redistribute participants' workloads so they don't return to a mountain of pending matters. This helps participants keep their minds focused on the course.

5. If sending more than one participant, create a 'buddy system' before they go. Buddies should work together to ensure each participates fully and gains maximum value from the training.

During the training program:

6. If the course is more than one day, have participants brief their managers as the course progresses. This can be done in a short face-to-face meeting, a telephone call at the end of the day, or in a summary by e-mail.

Participants should identify what material was covered during the day, what new learning occurred and what value they see in applying this learning back at work.

7. Discuss any ambiguities or uncertainties from the course material that may arise. Help participants identify key learning points and examples of their application on the job. If needed, help write clarifying questions for participants to take back to the course instructor on the following day.

8. If there are interim assignments to complete, engage others who are not attending the course in discussions and deliberations. This brings the learning experience back into the office, building an internal support network during and after the training.

After the training program:

9. Meet with participants to review:

What were the most valuable lessons from this program?

What will you now do differently? In which situations?

When will you begin or try this new approach?

What suggestions do you have to improve or customize the course?

Who else do you believe should attend this particular training program?

10. Discuss organizational improvements that could be implemented based on the participants' new learning. Be willing to try new suggestions on a trial basis with the course participants closely involved in implementing and tracking results.

Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed educator and motivator for partnerships and quality customer service. He is author of the bestselling "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". Visit www.UpYourService.com for more such Customer Service articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or to buy his bestselling Books, Videos, Audio CDs on Customer Service from his secure Online Store. You can also watch Ron live or listen to him at www.RonKaufman.com.

Motivational Speaker For Business Tap Into Your Teams Hidden Potential

2009-01-22T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Doug Dvorak

Working in a team can be a difficult and frustrating process when you do not have a motivational speaker for business. With everyone having a different viewpoint and creativity level how can teams actually achieve their goals? Utilizing the services of a motivational speaker for business can increase your employees' chances of success. There are teams that have a distinct advantage over other less fortunate teams. However, the unfortunate team's odds did improve when a seasoned motivational speaker for business was employed at the company. Corporations that take the time to acknowledge that creating a proactive team culture and taking the advice of the motivational speaker for business's comments and suggestions to task can improve the tasks that lay ahead.

Communication is a vital aspect in order for a team to succeed and should be a key component of the motivational speaker for business program. However, developing good communication habits takes time and attention and must be part of the motivational speaker for business agenda. In today's fast-paced, technological world there are a variety of ways that are used in order to communicate with people and a motivational spear for business is the most effective to employ. A motivational speaker for business has the ability to become part of the company's ongoing training team and can contribute to the valuable art of listening.

After completing a motivational speaker for business program the original team transforms into a united team working toward a common vision. There are five main benefits that a unified team will notice during and after the motivational speaker for business program. The first benefit of a motivational speaker for business program is improved communication through revealing the different ways in which team members send and receive information. The second benefit of a motivational speaker for business program is how gaining the ability to recognize and minimize unnecessary clashes between dissimilar personality types will reduce conflict.

Along with reducing conflicts the team will learn how to decrease stress and avoid time-consuming interpersonal issues. The fourth main benefit of a motivational speaker for business program is strengthened management effectiveness through awareness of the various human needs and professional preferences within a team. And finally, the benefit's of a motivational speaker for business program creates a united team that has an improved relationship, heightened morale and a greater camaraderie, allowing for greater trust and more opportunities.

A key component that makes this motivational speaker for business program so uniquely special is how a motivational speaker is able to incorporate his worldwide mountain climbing, whitewater rafting and mountain biking experiences to educate and inspire his audience and share his motivational speaker for business message. He shares his stories of overcoming physically challenging obstacles and pushing his own personal boundaries. Then, he demonstrates how to apply the crucial skills he learned to help people deal with their daily challenges in their professional and personal lives.

Motivational speakers are some of the world's most sought-after lecturers for business, and have an international reputation for powerful education methods and motivational techniques, as well as experience in all levels of business, corporate education and success training. They can assist clients with productivity training, corporate humor and workshops, as well as other aspects of sales and marketing management.

Thank you for allowing me to share with you my thoughts on inspirational and motivational speaking. Cordially Yours, Doug Dvorak 847.359.6969 doug@dougdvorak.com

www.dougdvorak.com

The Importance Of Developing A Training Program For Your Company

2009-01-21T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by James Monahan

It is important for companies to develop a good training program to keep their staff motivated. Training may cover a wide range of reasons from new-hire training about your operation, to introducing a new concept to a workgroup to bringing in a new computer system.

Whatever the reason for conducting a training session, it is a must that a comprehensive, ongoing and consistent training program be developed in order to keep your staff motivated about learning new concepts and keeping your department profitable.

A formal new-hire training program, with an overview of the job expectations and performance skills needed to perform the job functions, is an essential part of a complete training program.

A new-hire training program provides essential knowledge and understanding of the position and how the position fits within the organizational structure. The new associate will better understand their impact on the organization if he or she has good background knowledge of how one workgroup interrelates with ancillary departments.

A good and reliable new-hire training program starts with the creation of a sound and comprehensive training manual. A manager or supervisor must keep the associate in mind while writing the training manual.

It is also important that it is interesting so the associate will actually read it. It is highly advisable to use graphics and to deviate from normal "corporate" language. In computer training, it is essential to incorporate a visual image of a computer screen to illustrate a function.

A good training manual must act as a building block of practical and technical skills needed to prepare the new individual for his or her position.

A manager or supervisor must ensure the department manuals are kept current in order for the department to understand current policies and procedures. It must also include any system enhancements and/or change in policy or procedure.

On the Job Training or OJT is another form of a new-hire training program wherein a potential associate trains directly next to an existing associate. OJTs allow the new associate to see first hand the different facets of the position.

Through an OJT, the new-hire will have the opportunity to develop a working relationship with an existing associate. Concepts learned in the initial training are reinforced through OJTs.

Continuing education is another aspect of a comprehensive training program. In fact, a good training program should make it an ongoing responsibility of the associate in a department. Continuing education will keep all staff members current about policies, procedures and the technology used in the department.

Studies have shown that associates will only retain approximately 40 percent of the information learned in the initial training session.

That's why a continuing education program for a department is just as important as the new-hire training. A continuous effort, either formal or informal, must be placed on reminding the staff about various procedures and concepts.

Common practice on informing associates about the need for continuing education often includes a member of management sending a memo to each associate.

Another, more informal way is to send a one-page information sheet to staff. The information sheet, called a training alert, should be informative and presented in a non-threatening manner. If the policy or procedure changes, therefore, the informal approach would better prepare the department to receive this presentation.

With a new-hire and continuous education as part of your company's training program, you could be sure that your associates will grow well in your company.

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of TrainingWebs.com and writes expert articles about training.

Building Peak Performance Teams

2009-01-20T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Joe Love

All work is done by teams. Nobody does anything alone, aside from brushing their teeth and making their breakfast, everything else requires the involvement and cooperation of other people, and sometimes many other people. Even the car that you drive takes the coordinated talents and skills of hundreds of people to create and manufacture the parts that go into the finished automobile.

The words "teamwork" and "teambuilding" are two of the most popular phrases in management today. Because of the fierce global competition today corporations have been forced to downsize and eliminate their traditional hierarchal structures. This has made building and maintaining high-quality teams a necessity for success.

We have moved into the Information Age and studies show that over 75 percent of the highest paid people in the country are "knowledge workers", or people who use their knowledge and thinking capacity in their daily jobs. It is your ability to think that determines the quality of your life. Every piece of information that you learn has the potential of increasing both the amount of money you make and the quality of your life.

Being a member of a team is changing. Employees can no longer just be a member of one team with one job. Because businesses today have to react quickly to the competition and changing market conditions employees have to be able to do a variety of multi-task jobs. Being able to work on one team successfully and then quickly moving to another is why having a high level of skills and knowledge is critical to achieving success.

Everything worthwhile is the result of a variety of people coming together to perform a variety of jobs, all of which are coordinated and sequenced together to achieve a final result. Today this new model of multi-task team building is the key to success in both individual and business life. The ability to move quickly, surely, and confidently within small, goal-oriented groups, is the new definition of a "team player."

Selecting the right people is the crucial first step in team building. For you to select the right people, you must be clear about the key result areas and standards of job performance. Most people judge themselves on the basis of what they feel they are capable of doing in the future, but you must only judge people based on what they have actually accomplished in the past. The inability to choose people well for a team will lead to under-achievement and failure.

There are five keys to building peak performing teams. The first of which is shared values. This means that the team sits down and discusses and agrees on the basic values, principles, and beliefs that will tie all of their interactions together. Once they agree on values such as integrity, quality, teamwork, excellence, and trust, everything that the team does should be continually compared to these values.

The second key to building peak performance teams is shared objectives. The major reason why companies and teams perform poorly is because of fuzziness and confusion about the exact goals that the team, and each person on the team, is meant to achieve.

The third key to peak performance teams is shared plans and strategies. The more time a team spends talking about how they are going to go about achieving the goal or objective, the better they will function as a team when they take their individual positions.

Many of the problems of low-performing teams revolve around the fact that no one is exactly clear who is supposed to do what, and how, and by what time, and to what standard.

The fourth key to high performing teams is to lead the action. The most important thing that the team leader does is set an example of excellence in everything that he or she does and says. Team leaders are willing to roll up their sleeves and do whatever is necessary to achieve the goal. They never ask anyone else to do anything that they are not willing to do themselves. It is clear at all times who the leader is because the leader is the role model for everyone else.

The fifth key to building a peak performance team is continual evaluation and review of performance. The key question is, "How are we doing?" The team gets together and reviews their progress on a regular basis. If something is not going according to plan, they fix the problem rather than the blame.

Some other important factors in building peak performing teams are to always choose people who integrate themselves fully into the organization. You want people who throw themselves wholeheartedly into whatever they commit themselves to doing. People who start a little earlier, work a little harder, and stay a little later.

The type of person who I think makes the best team member is someone who looks upon every assignment as an opportunity to grow in both experience and reputation. A person who recognizes that every job he or she does carries his or her own personal signature on it for everyone to read.

Building peak performing teams can mean the difference between the success and failure of an organization. When you put together a group of individuals who not only can multi-task, but also who can concentrate all their talents and abilities on making the most significant contribution to the organization you will have team that will take your organization to the highest levels of success.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world, on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing. Joe is the author of three books, Starting Your Own Business, Finding Your Purpose In Life, and The Guerrilla Marketing Workbook.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

Whats Wrong With You Why Dont You Understand Me

2009-01-19T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Della Menechella

Recently while waiting for our lunch to be served in a nearby restaurant, my husband Michael and I were discussing our son's upcoming science fair project. Michael was describing the steps that my son should follow to complete the assignment. While Michael was going through this elaborate process, I diligently tried to follow what he was saying, but I sat there completely clueless. As I struggled to gain a better understanding of what he was talking about, my normally affable husband started to show distinct sings of irritation. His unspoken message was 'what's wrong with you, why don't you understand me?" He then proceeded to draw his plan on a napkin in an effort to get his brilliant idea into my dense head. It worked. When Michael started to show me what he was describing, I was able to easily understand his ideas.

People often have problems when they communicate with each other. The communication process is very complex and there are many opportunities for breakdowns to occur. As a result, people can become frustrated, instructions are not carried out correctly, people get offended, and conflict can occur. You can minimize these problems and increase the odds that others will understand you by following these simple steps:

Take responsibility for the communication When we communicate with others it is very tempting to blame them for not understanding us. Surely we with our outstanding oratory skills cannot possible be at fault. The problem with this attitude is that it does not achieve our outcome of getting the other person to comprehend what we are trying to say. When we take responsibility for getting a message across to others it frees us to do whatever it takes to achieve that result.
Check non-verbal feedback When you speak to someone don't assume that you are making yourself clear to the other person. Check for non-verbal feedback. People give us many clues as to whether or not they understand us. Do they look confused? Are they unusually quiet? When asked if they have any questions, do they answer with a hesitant no? These are all subtle signs that the individual is not sure of what you just said. Continue communicating until you see signs that your message has gotten through.
Be flexible When communicating with others, he/she who has the most flexibility wins. If you speak to someone and you can tell by the non-verbal cues that he has no idea what you are talking about, change the way you are communicating. That is what my husband did. When he realized I did not understand his words, he began drawing pictures. Keep changing your communication style until you find the one that works with that particular individual.
Recognize that people understand information in different ways People do not understand things in the same way. Some people understand things better when they see them, others when they hear them and others when they do or get a feeling about them. Several years ago, a life insurance salesman came in to meet with Tammi, one of my employees, to discuss insurance needs. He started to describe different insurance options and as he was doing so, Tammi's eyes started to glaze over. I could tell that she had no clue what the salesman was saying. (He obviously wasn't very good with non-verbal cues.) I told him that Tammi understands things better when they are written down. He replied that he would write things down later on in his presentation. (I guess flexibility wasn't his strong point either.)
When he finally began to write things down, it was as if a light bulb had gone off in Tammi's brain. Her eyes cleared up, she shook her head up and down at key point and it was obvious by her non-verbal feedback that she was beginning to understand the salesman's presentation. Use non-verbal cues to determine if the person understands you. If not, try showing her what you mean or getting her emotionally involved in what you are saying.
Don't Make People Wrong When we communicate with others the chances are very good that we will have to change strategies along the way. Don't make people wrong because their communication style is different from yours (no what's wrong with you attitude.) If you do, you will not only have to deal with communication problems but also conflict and negative feelings. Instead recognize that each person's uniqueness adds color to the mosaic of life and do whatever you need to do to get your message across correctly.

While it isn't possible to completely eliminate communication problems, by following these steps you can minimize misunderstandings, reduce frustrations, and achieve better outcomes. As for Michael, he's learned to draw pictures for me when we talk and now I understand him just fine.

About The Author

Corporate Team Building Faqs

2009-01-18T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Richard Romando

Corporate team building is a tool that helps in motivating a team for the fulfillment of organizational objectives. Today?s multi-cultural society demands working in harmony with different personalities, especially in intercontinental and multi-location corporations. Corporate team building techniques is a way by which team members are accommodated to the requirements of a firm. These techniques help achieve goals as a team rather than working on their own.

What are the benefits of corporate team building?

Team building techniques enhance communication between co-workers. The benefits also include improved morality and management skills, ability to tackle problems, and better understanding of work environment. Other advantages are the developments in communication, concentration, decision making, group problem solving, and minimizing stress.

What are the usual signs that indicate the need for team building?

The common signs include conflict or hostility between members, increased opposition groups among workers, lack of work involvement, improper decision making abilities, decreased productivity, and poor quality of customer service.

Describe different methods of corporate team building?

Corporate team building professionals and individual courses on ?how to work collaboratively? would be able to provide different methods of corporate team building. An important method of corporate team building is amusement activities that need communication between the members. The favored activities are fly-fishing, sailing regattas, road rallies, snowboarding, interactive seminars, quizzes, puzzle games, etc. All these activities would help workers compete and sharpen their lateral thinking abilities.

What services are offered by the team building trainers?

Most of the training companies offer entertaining features, from accommodation to meals and more. The packages also include vacation packages, rope courses, on-going office games, and ice-breakers. Training charges would depend upon location, number of team members, trainings, and class sessions. Discounts are available for long-term contracts and if the number of team members is high.

Name some famous corporate team building event providers in the U.S.

Some popular providers are Accel-Team, Experience Based Learning Inc, Performance Management Company, Team Building Productions, The Training Oasis Inc, Venture Up, Team Builders Plus, and Team Building USA.

Corporate Team Building provides detailed information on Corporate Team Building, Corporate Team Building Events, Corporate Team Building Programs, Corporate Team Building Exercises and more. Corporate Team Building is affiliated with Team Building Exercise.

Creative Team Building Ideas For An Enjoyable Event

2009-01-17T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shane Williss

One of the greatest challenges in organising team building events is the need to instil creativity in the activities implemented. It is a fact that coming up with fresh ideas yourself is painful and time consuming. What's more, team building activities have to be aligned with the corporate objectives of holding the event in the first place.

Nevertheless, if you already have some idea of what you want to achieve, you can then check out the following creative team building ideas and even expound from them. This makes your task easier, and also provides you with some basis to work with.

Joining Instructions (An ice-breaking activity)

Get people into groups of between three to ten people. In team clusters, instruct all teams to work together to join several parts of their body parts together. For instance, four hands, two wrists, six knees and one thumb. The first team to complete the exercise will shout "joined" to the activity facilitators. It is up to the event organiser to come up with increasingly challenging commands for the teams and also to tabulate scores for a winner.

The Personality Tree (Team bonding and personality determination)

In groups of between three and five, distribute pens or markers with paper to each team member. Next, get them to draw a tree depicting the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, buds, flowers, thorns and fruits. Each area of the tree symbolizes the following personality areas:

  Root:		beliefs or influence  Thorns:        challenges  Leaves:        sources of information  Branches:	connections and relationships  Fruit:		achievements  Buds:		ambition and ideas  Truck:		stability  Flowers:	strengths and specialities

In a team, discuss all these areas with one another, taking care not to be judgemental but instead provide constructive inputs. As a team building event organiser, you are free to customise the exercise with other elements such as birds and bees, or other items such as dead branches and leaves.

Collecting Autographs (Team building, association and creativity)

Draw a grid of boxes on a piece of paper and develop copies of it to be distributed to each of the team members. Give everyone a pen of different colour, and get them to draw a matchstick image of themselves on the first box with their signatures at the bottom. Then, within a time span of 5 minutes, let everyone go around the room collecting autographs and matchstick drawings from others. It's best that each person get to know one another better before moving on. Stop the exercise at the end of 5 minutes and single out the person with the highest number of signatures. Get him or her to describe each person that the signature resembles on his or her sheet. You will be surprised at the answers!

These activities are just a glimpse of other activities that would make your team building exercise a success.

If you'd like more information on team buidling, contact Shane Williss of Chillisauce, who is an experienced team building event organiser. More information on creative team building ideas can be obtained from Chillisauce (http://www.chillisauce.co.uk)

Boost Employee Morale With An Exciting Adventure Team Building Event

2009-01-16T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shane Williss

Corporations faced with a bout of low employee morale should organize exciting team building events to turn things around. Depending on the company budget available, there are lots of team building activities that can be implemented. Corporate event planners can organize a trip to a resort and run a myriad of group activities that encourage collaboration between co-workers.

What are some of the team building ideas that would make the event a success? Infusing a sense of adventure and fun would be the ultimate aim of these corporate events. Organizing a paintball event encourages teamwork, collaboration and competition amongst teammates and opponents. Other team building activities that would be suitable would be treasure hunts or even canoeing or kayaking. Apart from that, specialized adventure team building retreats with obstacle courses could prove to be ideal for a corporate event.

Some of the physical challenges here include monkey bars, ravine crossing, climbing walls, tire runs and stainless steel cables. Participants can be grouped into teams and encouraged to compete against one another. With this, elements such as collaboration and teamwork can be incorporated into the group during the team building event.

Another form of team building such as the geo-caching activity utilizes the combination of natural and technology elements in a mixed urban and rural environment. With a basic concept that is somewhat similar to the Amazing Race, participants are given clues to locate the next clue hidden in caches in a city or park area. Thus, logic, knowledge, collaboration and teamwork would all need to be put into place in order to decipher the clues and move on to the next location. Maps and GPS units are provided to teams for directional assistance.

Geo-caching team building programs can incorporate physical challenges such as cross-country skiing, short walks through the city or parks, or even cycling or rowing. Depending on the objective of the corporate event, physical elements will help to increase difficulty level of the geo-caching activity.

Shane Williss has extensive experience in dealing with the media and creating the necessary publicity as an event manager of Chillisauce (http://www.chillisauce.co.uk), a corporate event organising company within the UK.

Want more information on creating publicity? Check out Chillisauce, a corporate event organiser within the UK and internationally.

Control V Delegation

2009-01-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Pam Stokes

What do you think about when someone mentions time management? Is it making copious lists or prioritising perhaps? If time management isn't one of your strengths have you gone beyond the dismal cry of "I'm just no good at it." to examining why that is?

Of course it might be that you really are a disorganised person and have heaps of stuff all over your desk but know precisely where that report is or that important proposal. I usually find that it gets to a point where I can't find the thing I want and waste unnecessary time looking for it, only to find it was in the first pile I tackled. This will make me tidy up and vow to keep my desk tidy for evermore. Until next time..

What if it's a delegation problem though. You are trying to do everything yourself rather than ask your team to take on some of your tasks. What's the real reason behind that? If you've found yourself saying that it takes longer to show people how to do it than to do it yourself, or no one can do it as well as you, maybe it's a sign that you need to be in control of everything, to avoid anything going wrong and being blamed on you.

If this is you, then instead of focussing on what could go wrong if you didn't do it, focus on the benefits to you and your team of delegating, like more time to do your work, going home at a reasonable time, motivating your team as you pass them responsibility and the trust built between you and the team as you learn to let go of the reins.

As you reap the rewards of motivation and better performance why wouldn't you want to delegate?

Pam Stokes is a Business & Personal Development Coach. Besides coaching, she provides interactive online programmes for busy people, supervises newly qualified and trainee coaches, runs workshops in stress management and a Diploma Course in NLP. Free downloads are available at http://www.pamstokesassociates.co.uk.

Leadership Do The Simple But Important Things

2009-01-14T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Robb

Why do we human beings complicate things? Is it that we don't believe that simple things work. From years of working with leaders at all levels and many different sectors here are the simple yet powerful steps you must take if you want to be a brilliant leader.

* Know your people not just as cogs in a machine - but also as people. The more you know the more you can do to assist them do even better.

* Keep asking people how things are going what needs improving what we can do better?

* Decide today to delegate twice as much as you're currently doing. You'll see in this workshop that you DO have people to delegate to even though it may not seem like it.

* Check people's understanding of your instructions by asking them to tell you what they have to do. Don't just ask, "Do you understand?" They may say "yes" even if they don't!

* Always get clear in your own mind what you want from projects, meetings, presentations, and appointments. A leader knows what he/she wants and this keeps everyone focused.

* Make the effort to genuinely praise people privately and even better - in public.

* Keep people regularly informed about as much as possible. You'll see why in more detail during this workshop. Communication can be short and to the point but people want to know.

* Consult as much as possible. Ask people how they'd do things and whether or not they've better ideas on how to do what you want.

* Set direction and decide. Make clear what the purpose of the company, department, and project is. Set out some short-term targets and some medium term visions then decide.

* When people are not performing well strive not to insult or belittle. Be hard on the problem not on people. If you have to fire someone do it with as much dignity and respect as possible.

Yes we should read more and attend more workshops to keep improving. But what more do you need? Go and do it now!

You can be an even better leader - all success!

Bill has gained his knowledge from the school of hard knocks and in working with thouirands of managers in his face-to-face workshops. He likes to get to the heart of the matter and give people simple but powerful technqiues that can help them do even better. He has now put all of his fifteen workshops online so people can do them anywhere, anytime. http://www.brilliantwebworkshops.com

Effective Team Building Part 1 Another Brick In The Wall

2009-01-13T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John Roberts

The first in a series of articles giving a slightly different viewpoint on effective team building, condensed from an original seminar presented by the author, John Roberts. John is a Freelance Training Consultant and director of JayrConsulting Ltd. Part 1 deals with selecting and building the initial team. The ideas expressed are personal opinions built up from many years of experience in the Electronics/Aerospace industry, the Armed Forces, the Telecoms industry and the Training industry. There is no suggestion of this being a 100% solution applicable to or workable in all situations, but it is aimed at getting people to think outside of the norm and question the 'normal' way of doing things.

1. Analogy The bricks in the wall

Most people have been on some form of 'team building' course. They vary according to contemporary fashion from things like 'learning how to work together, to build bridges out of sheets of paper', to the more active residential courses, where people build rafts out of rope and washing up liquid bottles, to 'cross a crocodile filled' ravine! They all have two things in common:

(a) They tend to be very expensive in terms of cost per delegate to the participants.

(b) They are actually not very effective in building effective teams when people return to their real life situation.

Teams are about individual PEOPLE and the INDIVIDUAL skills that they bring to the team and how these should be selected and put together to form an effective and lasting entity. All that is needed can be covered in a 1-day seminar/discussion with a group of delegates with no more props than a white board and marker pen. If it is delivered in such a way that the delegates can be coerced to look at themselves and their teams HONESTLY, it can provide effective change in team culture, creating belief and 'buy in' from delegates and without imposing high expenses on clients.

The analogy that I use to explain the basic ideas is that of building a wall, and I use two types of wall to explain the contemporary team building model and the alternative one. The contemporary model is likened to a 'standard' brick wall and the alternative model is likened to a 'dry stone' wall, of the type found in northern fields!

2. The contemporary model and it's shortcomings!

Visualise a contemporary brick wall: Bricks all the same size, weight and shape. In order to stand up the bricks have to be 'glued' together with mortar. Bricks must be aligned exactly in rows vertically and horizontally or the wall will fall down. The mortar has to be replaced periodically, or the wall falls down. If a brick is not exactly the same size as all the others it has to be padded out with extra mortar, or the wall falls down! The bricklayer has to keep tending the wall replacing mortar etc. or the wall falls down! Life of wall is fairly limited due to wearing out of materials, so eventually the wall falls down! Bricklayer is competent enough, as long as the bricks match and he has an ongoing supply of mortar and the time to effect repairs.

Key:
Bricks = Individuals and their skills
Mortar = support from Team Leader and Human resources (competencies, assessments etc)
Bricklayer = Team leader

Problems often start at the recruitment stage. The recruiter ( Team leader or manager ) tends to put together an all-encompassing job description, instead of isolating specific individual EXPERT skills that are required for the project and are very unlikely to all be expert skills for one person. You only have to look at the average recruitment advert to see the types of skill lists that people ask for from one delegate! Human resources then compile a list of required competencies based on this information that ALL delegates have to fit into and we are well on the way to selecting our almost identical bricks.

What tends to happen now is that you have a team of good 'all rounders' but few people with exciting expert skills in any one thing. So what you get is a team that is competent but not outstanding and this has become the normal model that people tend to have become used to. This type of team conforms to all of the standard corporate 'norms' and is much easier to deal with for a 'team leader' that is also possibly not a truly expert and exciting 'leader'.

Remember 'if you do what you have always done you get what you have always got!' Over the years I have experienced too many of these types of teams ( and team leaders ) and I know it can be done much better!

The problem is then compounded by the fashion for 'competencies' and 'Annual assessments'. Managers and team leaders are told to assess their team members annually and to concentrate on improving their 'weaknesses'! WHY?

Firstly any team leader that waits a year to point out a problem to one of their team should not be doing the job! Communication and feedback between the leader and all team members should be continuous and open at all times.

Next why concentrate on improving their weaknesses all you are going to do is end up with a collection of 'cloned' bricks again! What you should be doing is emphasising the team members' positives and constantly improving their strengths the very skills you hired them for in the first place. If you have someone who is a brilliant programmer, then you want to help them be an even better programmer for the sake of the project and the team someone else in the team probably has good report writing skills or whatever. Different people are good at different things use it, don't suppress it!

3. The alternative model not new but it works!

Visualise a 'dry stone wall' of the type often used for field boundaries. Stones are all different shapes and sizes they are selected from what is available, in the right order so that they overlap and fit with each other perfectly to provide a solid fit.

This means that no stone is the 'wrong' size as long as you find others to fit around it. It doesn't matter if all the stones are perfectly aligned as long as they all mesh together to give the wall stability.

There is no mortar used in the wall, it's all down to the skill of the bricklayer selecting the correct stones in the first place so that the individual stones all support each other in the complete wall. The wall doesn't fall down for centuries!

The wall doesn't look as uniform and pretty as the brick wall on the surface but actually performs its' task far better. The bricklayer has to have a real skill in selecting the right shaped stones to make sure they all fit together well in the first place, but once he has done that, maintenance is minimal!

Key:
Stones = Individuals and their skills
Mortar = support from Team Leader and Human resources (competencies, assessments etc)
Bricklayer = Team leader

The first thing that is needed before you can recruit and build a team for you project is an expert 'brick layer' or REAL Team LEADER! ( Not a manager/coordinator or facilitator). This doesn't mean someone who happens to have been in the company the longest and is thought due for promotion. It doesn't mean someone who can write good reports and do all the administration properly it means someone who can LEAD PEOPLE! This is someone who can control, cajole, coerce and do anything necessary to get people to perform at their own best whenever it is required, at the same time gaining respect from those around them that they have to deal with. They don't bully, shout or 'use their position' to get things done, people respond to them naturally and TRUST them. It's NOT a promotion, it's another type of skill and you should look for this type of person in all levels of the organisation.

You can teach anyone to play the piano, but not everyone can be a top concert pianist it is just a skill that some people have and not others. Leadership is exactly the same you can send someone on a 'Team Leaders' course and they will be able to go through the motions of team leading, but what you should look for is a 'natural' someone who has the ability to really LEAD people.

If no one of your present employees stands out as having this ability look outside for someone. It is not worth compromising on this all important position remember you need someone to put that wall together effectively to get the best results!

The team leader should then be tasked with putting together the team selecting the strengths that are needed from individual people and making sure that their weaknesses are covered by other people in the team, so that you are putting together the 'stone wall' with all the members supporting each other. As the team is growing, all of the team members should take part in the recruitment and interviewing process after all they will have a feel for how someone will fit in with the rest of them. Giving everybody some responsibility for how the team is put together gives them all a stake in its success.

From the start there should be honest and open communication between all of the team members and the team leader. There should be no need for 'Annual assessments'. The Team leader should be aware at all times how their team members are performing in various areas, and in an honest and open environment the team members themselves should be aware of any shortcomings and work towards solving them. A good team actually need very little maintenance input from the Team Leader and should very quickly become self-supporting, just like the stone wall.

Summary

So, if you are considering building a new team, try approaching it in a different light. Think of the people, the skills you want individuals to have not the skills they don't have, the overall skills that you want the whole team to have and how they all fit together to give you a solid foundation. Choose a proper 'Team LEADER' to maintain it and put contemporary ideas of 'assessments' and 'competencies' behind you! (Don't tell your HR manager this, unless they are lying down in a darkened room!)

Team Building part 2 Honesty is the Key! Will focus on the running of the team once it is built and will be published shortly

Acknowledgements
Adapted from an original article by John Roberts, freelance training consultant, Director of JayrConsulting Ltd. www.jayrconsulting.co.uk This article may be freely reproduced / modified and used in any way, providing this acknowledgement is left in its entirety.

John Roberts is a Freelance Training Consultant and Director of JayrConsulting Ltd. http://www.jayrconsulting.co.uk

Function As A Quotteam Playerquot On The Job

2009-01-08T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shaun Stevens

We all hear of the concept of the "Team Player" at work.

You may have heard such comments from your supervisors, trainers or other employees that "We function as a team". "It is not important that one member of the team does not. or does not complete the sale another member of the team will complete and finish the action or event."

You may be perplexed as to what this means. You may even be the "lone wolf" who prefers to work on their own and "get the job done".

Where did these concepts of "team players "in the workplace come into play, where did they originate and how does it all fit it so that I can understand the rules "and thus play the game" in order to keep my job? As well what are the benefits of this style of management in the workplace to both me and my employer? ..

The availability of management information to all employees , the rapid rate of technological advances and the competitive pressure of globalization have combined to result in unpredictable staffing needs and fundamental shifts in the working structures of current companies. The shift is away from management directed systems and towards "flat" team directed systems that increase each individual's responsibilities.

Companies are using a skilled core group of leaders to develop strategies to manage work teams that perform the design, production, marketing and servicing tasks. Instead of middle managers, technology now transfers information between core groups and work teams.

Technology involving group think and sharing was first popularized by products such as "Lotus Notes". It used to be that management directives were handed down from the top by "middle managers" whose job was to portray and spread information up and down the chain.

It used to take approximately 7 to 8 years to design a car in the United States. Everything was done on paper and had to physically hand travel up and down the chain of command, awaiting vital authorizations. Thanks to the modern communications afforded by such software and the internal communication it now takes only in the range of a year to a year and a half to design new cars. However middle management with its perks and privileges will go down kicking and screaming.

Flatter, leaner organizations respond more efficiently to competitive pressures and create a need for flexible, problem solving team leaders.

Working in team's results in benefits for both team members and the organization in which they work. These benefits include: collaboration, communication. More efficient application of resources, talents and strengths resulting in sounder decision and solutions that can be made simultaneously.

Collaboration since people work together well and in the end will support each other because they identify with the "team."

Communication since team members realize the importance of passing on the information members need to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Teams result in the more efficient application of resources, talents and strengths since team members tend to apply themselves willingly. When one member of the group lacks certain knowledge and competence another is there to instantly fill the gap.

As a result of the increased input and shared expertise sound decisions and solutions are made almost instantly. Due to the shared expertise and communication issues and problems that never seem to get resolved now get immediate resolution.

Lastly since the team members as a result take pride in the effort and cohesion of the team it ensures that each member gets what he or she needs and in the end the result whether it be a project, product or service is turned out top quality.

Shaun Stevens
Employment Trainer
Winnipeg Job Shark
call_kirk@hotmail.com
http://www.ace-training.net
http://www.winnipegjobshark.com

Corporate Team Building Skills

2009-01-07T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Richard Romando

Corporate team building skills are one of the basic requirements for the proper working of a good company, regardless of its size and service. A company with properly functioning dedicated working teams will always have a graph going upwards. The basic corporate team building skill is ?unity in diversity?, with different workers working as different teams, such as management team, sales team and project team. However, they contribute to a single goal, the progress of the company. Corporate team building skills enable companies to become responsive and customer friendly.

For the proper functioning of a team, each member must be sure of his mission, vision, behavior, work style and goal. He must be personally, professionally and organizationally dedicated to the team. Team members must believe in one another and must be ready to work hand in hand in both adverse and favorable situations. The team must be adaptive to internal and external changing business conditions. The team leader must have great coordinating power and a pleasant personality.

General skills such as good communication, concentration, fast decision making, self-confidence and a well-being feeling are important for all team members engaged in business fields, especially the service fields. The team members must be ready to separate their personal and professional lives. If you are working in a service field, you must have the ability to listening to your client?s needs and fulfill them. There are many corporate team building coaching practices meant to build and boost team skills.

Corporate team building skills include the integration of a diversity of people by establishing a clear and unified vision, building a team that looks for individual goals but is simultaneously directed to achieving organizational goals and developing awareness about each member?s attitudes, values, responsibilities and style of communication. Profiling the team?s strengths and weaknesses to assure the optimal mix of skills and talents to accomplish a goal, identifying of obstacles in way of achieving the goal, building strategies and tactics to tackle these obstacles, increasing productivity by cooperation and innovative thinking, retaining top talent and empowering the team during times of crisis are equally significant factors.

Innovative ideas from team members must receive special attention as they help the company to adapt new flexible methods and tap complementary resources. The team must be compactable enough to handle everything from getting an idea, testing it, finding the right people and help, locating access to capital and credit, choosing the appropriate technology, and implementing the idea constructively.

Literally Burying The Hatchet

2009-01-06T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ron Kaufman

Relations between two departments had deteriorated badly over the years.

One was a state government agency, the other from the private sector. The culture of these two 'partners' could not have been more different.

At a team-building workshop, top managers from both sides decided to 'bury the hatchet'.

They bought a large, new hatchet at the hardware store in town. On one side, the government agency wrote their festering complaints. On the other, the private sector group wrote their protests, moans and grumbles.

After agreeing to work more positively in the future, both sides held a ceremony on the lawn. With photographers present, they dug a deep hole and literally 'buried the hatchet'. This symbolic ritual sent a strong, positive signal that the past was past. Both sides took responsibility for the future.

Can you see these two teams standing next to a pile of fresh dirt? Can you hear their pledge to start again anew? Can you feel the commitment as they walked away from a ceremonial hole in the ground?

Key Learning Point
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To overcome old wounds you may need to work on a symbolic level.

Action Steps
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Think about where your partnerships could be improved. Find a common phrase that captures the solution: `bury the hatchet', `patch things up', `water under the bridge'. Perform a ceremonial rite or ritual that engages everyone in a gesture of new work and healing.

Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed educator and motivator for partnerships and quality customer service. He is author of the bestselling "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". Visit http://www.UpYourService.com for more such Customer Service articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or to buy his bestselling Books, Videos, Audio CDs on Customer Service from his secure Online Store. You can also watch Ron live or listen to him at http://www.RonKaufman.com.

Communication Between Franchisees In A Franchise System

2009-01-05T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

If you own a franchise you would be wise to stay in constant communication with your fellow and local franchisee counterparts. You should call up once a week and simply say; Hi. It is important to call up and just say hi to your fellow franchisees because it will remind them that you are always near by. You will get something positive out of the phone call such as:

A good lead

A streamlining technique

A way to handle a new employee

Someone who will listen

A time efficient way to attract new customers

A mistake which was made, that you can avoid

You can also talk about the worst customer of the week, The most ridiculous complaint of the year. Your fellow franchisee who normally cannot talk about such things will be glad to have someone listen to his story. The fellow franchisee might laugh and call her "the customer from hell." Business owners when they get in the room with other business owners often tell the stories like this at meetings. In franchising you have a built in group of folks who know exactly how you feel and what you are talking about. Customer from hell stories always get a laugh with the new franchisees. It is important to know what the other franchisees in your system, especially those in the region are doing. You should keep abreast of what your other franchisees are doing. For instance:

What major corporations are their customers

What government accounts do they service

How many employees are they running per shift

Who are their crew leaders

What kind of volume are they doing

When are they planning on going on vacation

Who are their family members; Etc.

These are very important because customers will come up to you and ask you questions about them. They might also make statements about the other franchisees. It's always nice when you know what they are talking about.

You can also use their major accounts for name dropping. It will help you in your sales. If you know how busy they are, you will also know if they can handle any more work or if they will be able to help you on a joint account. By knowing their names and family, you won't look uninformed when a customer engages you in conversation about them. Think about franchise team building, because in franchising it is about more than just a brand name, it is about team work.

Lance Winslow

Ten Principles Of Motivation

2009-01-04T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nido Qubein

One of the questions I hear most often from executives is "How do I motivate my employees to do the things I want them to do?"

The answer is: You don't!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We can't motivate people. They are already motivated. But we can determine what motivates them and use this knowledge to channel their energies toward our company goals.

From my 20 years of helping executives solve their people challenges, I've learned a few basic principles about motivation. Let me share them with you:

ALL PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED.

Some people are like water in a faucet. They have the motivation; all you have to provide is the opportunity. The water is already motivated to flow. But it doesn't have the opportunity until you open the tap.

Others are like mountain streams, which flow swiftly but follow their own channels. People, too, may move energetically, but toward their own goals. We in management should make it worth their while to channel their motivations toward the results management is seeking.

PEOPLE DO THINGS FOR THEIR REASONS; NOT FOR YOURS OR MINE.

We in management have to show employees what's in it for them when they follow behaviors that benefit the company. We can show them by using rewards and recognition, appealing to their sense of pride and achievement.

PEOPLE CHANGE BECAUSE OF PAIN.

When the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing, people will change. For example, Americans didn't start buying smaller, fuel-efficient automobiles until the pain of high gasoline prices became greater than the pain of switching to less roomy and less powerful cars.

THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS IDENTIFICATION.

When something becomes personal, it becomes important. When our clients or our employees begin to identify with who we are and what we are, good things begin to happen.

Large corporations have discovered that. Prudential, for example, knows that its customers want to buy security. So it doesn't just sell insurance; it markets peace of mind by inviting all of us to buy " a piece of the rock."

Kodak doesn't sell film; it invites its customers to " trust your memories to Kodak ."

AT&T doesn't tell us to make long-distance calls. It asks us to "reach out and touch someone."

In dealing with employees, it isn't enough to appeal to them on the basis of loyalty to the company. They need personal reasons for showing this loyalty. Whether we're instituting a new educational program or undergoing a total restructuring, we can get our employees on board more readily if we show them how the change will affect them for the better. When my company sets out to lead corporate teams in developing their human-relations skills, we don't tell them what we're going to do for the company. We talk about what we're going to do for the individual. For example, in the introduction to one of our manuals, we tell supervisors:

We've designed this complete educational system to help YOU master the skills of supervisory management and enjoy the rewards of leadership and career enhancement.

From management's standpoint, the training was designed to increase the effectiveness of the organization. That's what sold the company on the program. But from the employee's standpoint, it was to upgrade the skills of the individual. That's what sold the employees on the program.

THE BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOU IS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM .

That means listening to others and not just hearing them. Listening is active; hearing is passive. If you listen to individuals long enough, they'll tell you what their concerns and problems are.

It's very important that executives listen to their staff and associates. We need to take the time to get to know them, not just by name, but also by their interests and aspirations.

We should try not to come across as interrogators, but ask them friendly questions about how they are, what they did over the week-end, and what they're doing on vacation. Then listen. It's amazing what you'll learn.

PRIDE IS A POWERFUL MOTIVATOR .

Everybody is proud of something. If we find out what makes our people proud, we can use that insight to channel their motivation. Pride is tied closely to self-esteem. My friend, Robert W. Darvin, has founded several successful companies, including Scandinavian Design, Inc., and has often used our consulting services and invited me to speak to his people. His observations on self-esteem are worth repeating:

There's only one thing that counts in a business: building the self-esteem of your employees. Nothing else matters, because what they feel about themselves is what they give to your customers. If an employee comes to work not liking his job, not feeling good about himself, you can be sure that your customers will go away not liking or feeling good about your company.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE PEOPLE; YOU CAN ONLY CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIORS .

To change behavior, you must change feelings and beliefs. This requires more than training. It requires education. When you train people, you just try to teach them a task; when you educate people you deal with them at a deeper level relative to behavior, feelings and beliefs.

THE EMPLOYEE'S PERCEPTION BECOMES THE EXECUTIVE'S REALITY .

This is a very important point. When we speak to employees, they don't respond to what we say; they respond to what they understand us to say. When employees observe our behavior, they respond to what they perceive us doing, and will try to emulate us.

Suppose you send an employee to a developmental workshop or seminar and she comes back brimming with new ideas and information. But you haven't been exposed to all this stimulating stuff, so your behavior doesn't change. The employee realizes this and concludes that the behavior she observes in you is the behavior you want. This may not be the case at all. You may want the employee to implement all these new ideas, but your employee's perception is the reality you get.

YOU CONSISTENTLY GET THE BEHAVIORS YOU CONSISTENTLY EXPECT AND REINFORCE.

We should look for ways to reward employees for doing the things we want them to do. The reward may take the form of financial incentives, prizes, or simply public recognition of a job well done. Reinforcement can be positive or negative, as my Roundtable partner, Ken Blanchard, has taught us all. If employees learn that a certain type of behavior results in lower earnings, less favorable hours or less desirable territories, they'll adjust their behavioral patterns.

WE ALL JUDGE OURSELVES BY OUR MOTIVES; BUT WE JUDGE OTHERS BY THEIR ACTIONS.

Put another way, we're inclined to excuse in ourselves behavior that we find unacceptable in others. When our employees are late for work, it's because they're irresponsible and have no interest in their jobs. When we're late for work, it's because we were attending to necessary details that had to be taken care of.

When employees engage in undesirable behavior, we shouldn't try to assess motives or change them. Just deal with the behavior. We can't change the motives of our employees, but through positive or negative reinforcement you can affect their actions.

Follow these principles and you'll find yourself surrounded by motivated employees who are channeling their energies toward your corporate goals -- goals in which they have personal stakes.

Nido Qubein is president of High Point University, chairman of an international consulting firm, and chairman of Great Harvest Bread Co. with 218 stores in 41 states. He is one of America's foremost experts and speakers on communication, business management, leadership, and success. His many books and audio programs have been translated into nearly two dozen languages and are sold worldwide. For a complete library of free articles, self-evaluation quizzes, and a learning resource center, please visit http://www.nidoqubein.com.

Functioning In A Dysfunctional Workplace

2009-01-03T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John Strelecky

Sometimes the greatest challenges lay not within the actions of competitors, or the needs of customers, they come from within one's own company. People new to their positions either through promotion, or as a new hire, are often stunned at the challenges they find waiting for them as they slide into the seat behind their new desk. The business cards have barely been ordered before elements of dysfunction begin to appear at their office door.

Does any of the following sound familiar? Processes within your organization take longer and cost more than they should. Most employees can't explain how what they do specifically contributes to what the company is trying to accomplish. The majority of meetings result in the decision to have more meetings, with very little actually getting acc-omplished. New initiatives are greeted by employees with the belief that they won't succeed.

These are not just the makings of good Dilbert cartoons. Sadly, these situations exist in organ-izations across the country. They are symptoms of a dysfunctional company.

Surviving the challenges of dysfunction is no simple task. A misstep can put you in the quicksand of beurocracy, the line of fire from competing factions, or possibly even the unemployment line. But for those that learn to survive and thrive, the rewards are significant.

Not only do they have the satisfaction of knowing they helped eliminate some of the dysfunction, they are seen, and rightfully so, as people who can get things done. People with that quality are a rarity, and are stars who are always in demand.

Are you faced with functioning in a dysfunctional company? Do the scenarios identified above represent a subset of what you face each day? If so, consider using these tips as part of your survival guide.

#1 Be Part of the Solution Not Part of the Problem

Sociologists have done extensive studies on behavioral patterns among groups and have uncovered some interesting results that can be applied in the workplace. For example, in city areas with empty lots, people were far more likely to throw trash on the ground if the lot already had some trash in it, than if the lot was clean.

Through these findings and others like them, the researchers came to the conclusion that people will imitate behavior which appears to be socially acceptable, even if it is not their normal behavior. In other words, people imitate other people's actions. Stated in the context of a company, people acting dysfunctionally will influence others to also act dysfunctionally.

Being part of the solution breaks the chain. Conduct yourself in a functional way, and you will not only create a positive behavior for others to follow, but you also won't provide a dysfunctional example that others might imitate.

For Example: At the end of meetings take the initiative to help the group identify what steps need to be taken, who is responsible for them, and timelines for getting them done. Be the first to volunteer to take on a respon-sibility. After the meeting, send out a list with the what, who, and timelines and review it at the next meeting.

If it is your meeting, and the attendees are your direct reports, make sure people are held accountable for completing their respective tasks. If it is not your meeting, make sure you get your tasks complete. Again, individuals who actually get things done are stars. Be one of those people.

#2 Share Your Ideas

Don't make the mistake of assuming that what is painfully obvious to you is equally obvious to your peers, subordinates, boss, or other leaders in the organization. Everyone has a unique background and what is common knowledge to one person might be a life changing revelation for another. When you see examples of dysfunctional actions, share your ideas on how to improve the situation. Don't blame or criticize others. Instead, ask people what they are trying to accomplish and then offer up your ideas along with the reasons why you think they will help.

Many smart individuals are too quick to make the assumption "Well, they should know that" when dealing with peers or bosses. This is especially true when people are dealing with bosses that are more than one level above them.

The reality is that either the people do know, and there are other factors that you are unaware of, or they don't know and your ideas may be just the thing they need. At a minimum you will be seen as a person with initiative who has good ideas and is trying to better the company, and you may just be the person who saves the day.

For Example: A common "idea" opportunity exists with processes. What in your area seems to take an inordinate amount of time, requires many different people to be involved, or costs a great deal per transaction? If you have seen these processes done better somewhere else, or can draw from your unique background to provide a simple solution, then take some time, write out your ideas, and let people know.

#3 Be Fearless, Not Foolish, and Bring Solutions

When you have ideas to share, do it in a way that is fearless, not foolish, and if it is a suggestion for improving a dysfunctional problem, make sure you bring solutions. There is a fine line between having the courage to let others know what you believe and telling others that they should believe you. Error on the side of the first alternative.

For Example: Setting up a meeting with your boss to explain why you think the Travel and Expense process is costing the company too much money should involve doing some research on what the process is, how long it has been in place, and why it exists as it does. Once you know all those facts, identify some possible solutions. A meeting after you have done all that, will have a very different feel than walking in and telling your boss the process should be changed because it is inefficient. One is fearless, the other is foolish and without coming up with possible suggestions, it is also just complaining.

#4 Be Optimistic

It is unlikely that the life goal of those who founded the company or those who are running the company is the creation of a place where people spend 40 or more hours per week at a place that is dysfunctional. More likely is that over time dysfunction reared its head, and for some reason has grown and spread.

It could have been the result of competing cultures after a buy-out, growth pains as the organization got larger, or possibly just bad leadership. However it began, like a scene from an adventure movie, where weeds and vines are overtaking a lost civilization, dysfunction is trying to overtake this potentially high performing company.

Be optimistic that you and your fellow employees can cut back those vines of dysfunction.

For Example: In meetings where people are discussing existing problems, resist the urge to join those who are comfortable making statements like "We've just always been poor at that, or "This new plan will never work" or "We've tried that three times already." Instead, offer support for what is being attempted, and give actual reasons why it is likely to work. If it isn't likely to work, then go back to #s 1, 2, and 3.

Success begins with believing success is possible. Be optimistic that the dysfunctional state can be turned around and that people are trying to do it.

Dysfunction can be challenging, taxing, and difficult to deal with. It also represents an excellent opportunity for capable people to step up and make a difference. Follow the four tips and be one of the people who can function in the midst of dysfunction. Then be ready for a promotion.

John Strelecky is the author of "The Why Are You Here Café", and a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of "Creating The Perfect Company". A graduate of Northwestern University's MBA program, he has served as a business strategist for numerous Fortune 500 companies, and co-founded the Business Philosophy practice at Morningstar Consulting Group LLC. He can be reached through his website at http://www.whycafe.com, at 407-342-4181 or jstrelecky@whycafe.com.

Outdoors Team Building

2009-01-02T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jonathon Hardcastle

Team building means different things to different people, ranging from a fun experience to serious intentions of behavioral change. According to its official definition, team building refers to the process of establishing and developing a greater sense of collaboration and trust between team members. A variety of organizations, companies, schools and other institutions have decided to invest in team building by participating in interactive exercises, team assessment techniques and group discussions that enable people to cultivate this greater sense of teamwork.

Among the contexts of team building is that of sport clubs and work organizations. But what one should examine further is the need for team building. As modern trends show, societies and cultures have been dynamically interacting with each other and thus constructing a shared system of beliefs and values. Anticipating this development, different organizations and stakeholders have begun investing in their people by introducing them to the notion of team building and productive exchange. Greatly influenced by contemporary networks, this shift has resulted in a communications revolution and the creation of a truly global market system. Consequently, the new types of labor and the increased level of specialization required has caused individuals to be able and willing to relocate with much greater ease than in the past and to continue being productive in their new environment; whether that is a city or another country. But changing jobs and joining new groups is never easy and people need time to adjust and explore their new surroundings. Human beings still possess the necessary survival instinct and are always ready to try and overcome obstacles and differences if they are provided with the necessary tools. Willing individuals can surpass behavior patterns and cultural differences and understand the big picture that the path towards efficient and effective teams is not to have team members being indifferent to one another, but to understand and accept that the existing variations are what make a team be unique.

Team building has developed into a science greatly used by the contemporary business world. Its main ingredients, the actual participants' vision, mission, goals and objectives, along with their training and personalities, can greatly influence a team's performance level and are reflected in a team's output. Thus, management teams around the globe have studied, researched, and in most instances requested from their employees to participate in role playing games, team building exercises and similar programs. From an outdoor journey involving activities and challenges interspersed with inspirational sceneries, to individual high impact outdoor challenges between teams, outdoor activities and development exercises are used to increase the bonding among participants and to build the needed amount of team trust. Outdoor team building events are designed by adventure guides, activities professionals, and sports experts, to assist individuals surpass personal differences and become part of an organism as their new team members' role specifies.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Outdoors, Food, and Fitness

Feedback How To Make It Effective

2009-01-01T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Fairweather

Let's look at the detail of giving feedback. Whether you want to reinforce behaviour - Confirming feedback or change unacceptable behaviour - Productive feedback, there are certain steps you need to follow to make it work.

1. Do it ASAP - When you see or hear something you do or don't like you need to say something right away. If it's Confirming feedback it's not much use saying something months later. - "I liked the way you handled that difficult customer a couple of months ago Dave." Dave is going to have a bit of a problem remembering that situation and the effect of the feedback is totally wasted.

It also makes sense to give Dave Productive feedback as soon as you see or hear something you don't like. If you don't do it right away then Dave will assume that you didn't notice or that it doesn't matter or that you don't care.

2. Do it in private - This seems like the most obvious thing to say but I still see managers giving a member of their team some Productive feedback in front of other people be they colleagues or customers. Of course, it's usually more of a reprimand.

I think some managers believe that if they're seen and heard giving some feedback then it will have an effect on the other team members - you bet it will - it'll totally de- motivate them!

3. Check that it's okay to speak - Always check that it's okay to speak. If one of your team has just finished speaking to a customer on the phone, they might have some admin things to do before they forget. If you interrupt then you risk being responsible for a customer not getting something they were promised.

It's only good manners to check before speaking and your people will respect you for it.

4. Announce your intentions - If your people are not used to receiving regular feedback, what do you think runs through their mind when you pull up a chair or ring them on the phone - your right - they think it's bad news, that they've done something wrong or there's a problem.

It's important therefore to tell them up front what you want to speak about.

You might say - "Jill, I've just read your last report and I'd like to give you some good news." You then go on to give them some Confirming feedback - and remember to make it descriptive.

5. Tell them how YOU feel about their behaviour - Your people work for the same organisation as you but it's you they have to please. So make sure when you give feedback - it comes from you. That means not saying things like - "The company doesn't like their employees to speak to customers like that." Or - "It's not up to me but you'd better improve your performance or you'll be in trouble."

You need to use lots of "I" messages. Get personally involved, say things like - "I liked the way you told that customer that you would deal with their problem yourself." Or - "I'm unhappy with the way to told that customer that it wasn't your responsibility." Or - "I believe there's another way to do that job."

6. Focus on one thing at a time - Don't confuse your team member with a whole list of behaviours. If it's Confirming feedback then you don't want to be saying - "I like the way you handle customers and your reports are always done on time and it's great that you're achieving your target." You're only diluting the whole feedback and it loses its impact.

If you're giving Productive feedback then you don't want to confuse your team member with a whole catalogue of behaviours that you're unhappy about. Sadly this seems to be the case with managers who don't give feedback on poor behaviour immediately. They allow things to go on and on and then they eventually explode. It's much better to deal with behaviour as and when it happens.

7. Be specific - When you are giving one of your team some feedback and coaching them - it's so important to focus on job related behaviour and not on the personality of the individual.

If you feel a bit uncomfortable giving feedback, try to focus on the person's behaviour on the job in terms of how they conducted a particular task. That's what you're giving feedback on, not them as a person.

It becomes easier if you're using "I" messages and being very descriptive about what you've seen or heard. You could say something like - "I liked the way you tided up the workshop after you finished that job - thank you Fred." You're trying to get the balance between being human but also businesslike.

8. Include the customer and the organisation - Whenever appropriate -relate what your feedback is about to how the customer was affected. This of course could be an internal or an external customer. You could also relate it to how the organisation was affected, if relevant

9. Get input - When giving Productive feedback, it's important to get the team members input. You might say - "I'm unhappy that this is the third time this month that your report has been late Joanne. However I'm willing to listen to what you have to say and discuss how we can resolve this situation."

10. Don't leave them low - This is particularly important after giving Productive feedback. As I said earlier, this isn't an attack on the person; it's about job related behaviour. A team member should come out of a Productive feedback session with their sense of self-worth intact.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivating your team! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical things you can do to get the best out of your people. Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

http://www.alanfairweather.com

Learn To Team Build Event In One Hour

2008-12-31T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alvin Quah

O.P.T.I.M.A.L. approach to organising a successful team building event

Planning a team building session but do not know how and where to start? Do not despair. This "dummy's guide" to planning a team building session will give you important areas to consider and make you look like an expert. The O.P.T.I.M.A.L. approach:

1. Objectives of team building

"Why are we holding this team building event, and what do we expect to achieve?"

To have an end in mind, a purpose, is crucial to planning a team building session. Having objectives mean that you can skew or tailor the activities to meet your expectations.

Having clear objectives would also help to set the tone for the team building session, and establish the expectations of participants involved, so everyone is moving in unison towards the same direction/ goal.

Having conducted team building sessions for a variety of organisations, some of the more common reasons why team building is required, are as follows:

a) To create synergy in a new team/ team with new members
b) To create an opportunity for staff from different departments/ functions to interact
c) To address certain work issues
d) To reinforce their corporate values
e) As a form of training
f) To reward their staff with a day away from the office
g) To interact and have fun

Each of the reasons listed above will result in emphasis on different aspects during the team building session. Spend some time to decide on the main focus of the team building session before deciding on the team building activities.

2. Profile of Participants

"Who will be attending the team building session?"

Another important factor in planning a successful team building session is the profile of the participants. Age range, gender mix and other background information like educational level and job scope, should be taken into consideration while sculpting the team building programme, to ensure that the programme would be suitable and relevant.

Physical conditions of the participants of the team building session should also be considered.

One other important factor to a team building session which organisers frequently overlook is FOOD. In a multi-racial country like Singapore, participants may be Chinese vegetarians or Indian vegetarians, while others only consume Halal food (food that is lawful and allowable under Muslim law) or even Kosher food (food that has been prepared so that it is fit and suitable under Jewish law). There may also be participants who are allergic to certain types of food. The best way to find out about dietary requirements is to check with the participants directly.

3. Time Frame for planning the team building event

"What is the targeted date of the team building session and its duration?"

Dates are important, especially when there is a need to secure venues and check the availability of key personnel or speakers. Typically, we would recommend a lead time of about 2 to 3 months to plan for a small to medium-sized team building event, catering for less than 80 participants. If the event is large-scale, the lead time may escalate to 6 months, or even a year before.

When conducting team building outside working hours, some organisations may wish to consider dates of school holidays or school exams, especially for organisations, which place emphasis of balanced work and family life. To encourage maximum attendance from participants, organisations may wish to leave the school examination and vacation periods untouched, for their staff to spend that extra time with their spouse and children.

Duration of the team building session should also be taken into account - is it going to be a half-day or full-day event? If there are specific issues to be tackled or other forms of planning or training involved, it may be good to consider a 2-day or even 3-day programme.

4. Inclinations of the participants

"What will the participants prefer to do during team building?"

Having information about the profile of the participants is usually sufficient. However, whenever possible, unearth the type of activities the participants are inclined towards - are they indoor-games type of people or the outdoor adventure type or do you have a good mix of both?

One can derive such preferences by having a poll or survey with the participants if you have an intimate group size, or by gathering the views of a sample group if your group size is overwhelming. Alternatively, reviewing previous team building sessions and the feedback received could also give a good indication of what is preferred (and what not to do again).

The rule of thumb is to have a good mix of indoor and outdoor activity especially if your size is big, unless you are deliberately exposing the participants to a particular type of setting, or you know their specific preferences.

5. Money Matters

"What is the indicative budget for the team building?"

The budget would have a significant influence on the venue, food and beverage, as well as duration and type of team building activity. If there are no figures to work on as yet, use the previous years' budget as a guide. If no such information is available, then plan for something not too ambitious, and adjustments can be made from there.

Next, you have to decide if the team building portion is to be handled in-house or to be outsourced to an external vendor. Of course, if the budget permits, there are many advantages in outsourcing the team building portion.

Firstly, to run a team building event, you would need manpower and chances are, if your colleagues are running the event with you, they cannot participate. External vendors would likely be more experienced in conducting the activities and less likely to make mistakes. The vendor would also provide all the logistics involved, leaving your team and yourself free to participate with all your other colleagues.

team building vendors also bring with them sufficient experience in knowing what works and doesn't, so you are not only paying for their services, but also their rich experience.

6. Assessment of Success

"How would you measure the success of the team building session?"

How would the success of the session be measured? Is it considered a success as long as the participants enjoyed themselves, or if the participants got to know at least 3 other colleagues better?

While the effects of team building are generally intangible and the takeaways are somewhat more subtle, measurements of success can be derived from verbal feedback from participants, surveys or observation reports. Observation reports comment on behaviors and attitudes displayed during the activities. Pre and/ or post-event surveys track the effectiveness of the team building session based on the same set of questions they organisers wish to enquire about.

7. Location for team building

"Where should we hold the team building session?"

The location or venue would have an effect on the atmosphere of the team building session. The previous six factors mentioned above would have shaped the decision on where to hold the team building.

Other issues relating to location for consideration would be accessibility, function set-up and layout and contingencies for wet weather (if you are having an outdoor session).

With the O.P.T.I.M.A.L. approach developed by änergy, we trust that you would be able to plan for your team building event effectively. If you are running the team building event with your committee internally, be sure to draw up a detailed work plan and budget, with clear responsibilities for every task.

Next, remember that one of the key ingredients of effective team building is rehearsals. You would need to do a site-visit and rehearse the day's activities, as it would help you trouble-shoot any potential issues, so that improvements can be made on event day and contingency plans are already in-place to tackle any glitches.

We wish you a resoundingly successful team building session!

you may publish this article on your website in its original condition but not use it in any other way without the written permission from the author. Singapore Teambuilding company based in Singapore, specialized in team building activites

the article was contributed by Alvin Quah, a certified behavioral analyst(in business consulting perspectives), who is registered with the Institute for The Motivational Living, Inc, USA. He can be contact via the website: http://www.singaporeteambuilding.com

Building The Winning Team

2008-12-30T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Marcia Zidle

Winning teams aren't created by accident. Rather, the team or project leader functions like a coach who recognizes special talents in people and, at the same time, gets them to work together toward a common goal. The following steps will help you select a cohesive team and set it in the right direction.

Evaluate team candidates.
You may be called upon to assemble a team of players from different or competing organizations to take on a special assignment. Or, you have to pick from your own staff those who should work together on a particular project. Too often, leaders merely assess a project's demands and select people on technical qualifications. But that approach can fail if the personalities and specific talents don't mesh. Teams succeed when leaders give as much thought to team relationships as to the tasks that need to be performed.

Team members should complement each other's talents. For example, one worker may find it easy to come up with idea, but may find it difficult to analyze problems. Another worker may have analytical skills but may not be creative. These two would play to each other's strengths. Also recognize that some people can take a project and run it with little guidance. Others need every detail spelled out. Make sure you have a mixture of necessary skill sets to get the job done.

Get the team off the ground.
Clarify the following for team members.

The big picture and goals.
The positive attributes and experience of each member that led to his or her selection. Explain the need for a variety of skills or expertise in developing effective teams.
The "who does what when." When a team is formed, people often are confused about their particular roles and responsibilities. Get the team immediately involved in establishing specific short-term objectives as well as determining the steps required to accomplish these objectives. This helps members quickly move from the 'me' to the 'we' stage of effective teamwork.

Maintain involvement and productivity.
At this stage, members begin to understand what roles they need to play in order to reach the team's objectives. The next step is to determine a set of ground rules of how they will operate together. Team members need to define effective team behaviors. For example, they need to discuss how they will handle conflict, how they will make decisions, how they will address inappropriate or counter-productive behaviors, etc.

Look out for these danger signs.
You have a problem if members: Don't take responsibility for their actions; Break into subgroups instead of sharing work; Expect others to solve their problems; miss deadlines and lose interest in their work.

If problems arise among team members, act quickly. Have regular scheduled "let's see how we're doing" meetings to address issues, conflicts, and uncertainties. Also provide on-going interactive skills training in group problem-solving techniques.

Don't expect teams to develop in the dark. Make sure you have provided the light that will spark member's involvement, participation, and productivity.

Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.

Ensuring Effective Teamwork In Organization

2008-12-29T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Verena Veneeva

It has been becoming a common practice in organizations to produce high productive results through ensuring effective teamwork (Papers4you.com, 2006). Many experts have argued that teamwork is really an effective tool in organizations where work is highly interconnected and demands up to date information sharing. For that purpose, it is imperative to first build an effective team and second to motivate them in various monetary and non monetary ways to gain maximum output.

There are certain characteristics of an effective team that should be ensured for optimum out put (Robbins & Coulter, 2002). It is argued that an effective team always have clear team goals that encourage team members to replace priority of individual goals with that of team one. Team should also comprise of people with relevant skills according to the context of goals. Mutual trust is also imperative among team members and that can be facilitated through open, honest and collaborative organizational culture. It was further argued that such trust may give rise to unified commitment that is directly linked with high level of intensity to achieve team goals. Similarly good communications and negotiation skills through which each member can understand each other is also imperative and all these processes should be lead by an effective team leader who can motivate team members even in difficult situations.

Apart from ensuring such characteristics it is highly beneficial if organizations provide teams with any team incentives as it can have twofold benefits (Papers4you.com, 2006). First, it provides an opportunity for each team member to secure a bonus on a outcome of whole group that can push the member to work hard for group achievements. Second, due to common incentive for whole group, it will flourish cooperation instead of competition among team members hence increasing chances of achieving team goals (Cascio, 1995).

Apart from giving monetary incentives, sometimes organizations may pursue non monetary motivational incentives such as giving them sense of involvement and empowerment. Beardwell & Holden (2001) highlights Quality Circles (QCs) as one of such techniques where team of 6-10 employees in meeting held weekly or fortnightly identifies problems from their own area through data collection methods and statistical techniques. These problems are then analyzed by same team, solutions are devised and then formally present to the manager who may implement this circle's proposal. Thus a sense of power of their own destiny is felt by team members.

Hence effective team work can be achieved through effective team building and teamwork is always beneficial for organizations as it increase flexibility and speed as task is being done by more than one individual with different skills, effective use of diverse workforce is possible where more innovative ideas and efficient decision making is more probable due to heterogeneity in the team and more importantly provided by right set of motivation and support it can increase productivity far more than what can be achieved on individual basis (Robbins & Coulter, 2002)

References

Beardwell, I. & Holden, L., (2001), 'Human Resource Management- A Contemporary Approach' Third Edition, Essex: Pearson Education Limited

Cascio, W., F., (1995), 'Managing Human Resources' International Edition, US: McGraw Hill.

Papers For You (2006) "P/HR/245. Team work: theory and case study", Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprthrm3.htm [19/06/2006]

Papers For You (2006) " P/HR/220. Challenges of managing groups and individuals", Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprthrm3.htm [19/06/2006]

Robbins, S, P & Coulter, M, (2002), 'Management', Sixth Edition, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall Inc

Are Self Directed Work Teams For You

2008-12-28T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Denise O'Berry

Team Building Question:

What are some disadvantages of self directed work teams?

The Team Doc Says

The advantages do outweigh the disadvantages in my opinion, but some of the disadvantages can be:

More meetings
Teams are made up of groups of people (no secret here!) which requires that they get together often to discuss team business. Provide them with the training they need so their meetings will be more than a gathering of people.
Longer decision-making process
When one person makes all the decisions, it can be done in a heartbeat. When several people are required to provide input and discussion the pros and cons before making a decision, it can take some time. Equip your teams with decision-making tools so that the process is not agonizing for them.
A dip in productivity before it takes off in a positive direction
Things around your company will be very different. After you begin your journey, you may even begin to wonder why you started in the first place! Be patient, the gains will come and typically they will be big gains.
Chaos
Ensure that your organization is really ready to provide the infrastructure and support needed by teams to accomplish their work. If the organization merely calls a work group a team and doesn't provide critical training and support, you'll have a major mess on your hands.

Denise O'Berry (aka "Team Doc") provides tools, tips and advice to help organizations build better teams. Find out more at http://www.teambuildingtips.com

Team Building It Can Grow Your Business

2008-12-27T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jason Montag

Many of us are very confident with regard to completing tasks at work or at play. In our everyday lives the simple tasks can be done by one person but work is a different story. As much as most people are concerned they feel that they are the best choice for any chore and that they can do it by themselves. When it comes to complex tasks, the ones most often needing to be completed in a work environment, multiple people are the best option. Ever wonder why your boss saw fit to hire more than just you to run the company? The thing about groups of people doing a task is that there are often a whole lot of opinions from a number of people who all think they are the only right ones. This can lead to problems.

Being part of a team is a hard thing to do but an important one. Most of us like to be part of a group but how many of us are truly good leaders of a team and good members of a team. Most of the people that love to lead a team are not good followers and many of the good followers are not good leaders. Team building allows the cross training or the entire team to occur benefiting the individuals and the team in the process. Studies have found that team building in the form of activities and exercises really helps to push the team beyond the level of just a group of individuals and turns them into a cohesive and efficient team.

There are numbers of different types of activities and exercises that can be used to build teams up from isolated people. Role playing games allow everyone to take charge or follow as needed without any risk of problems. Lower level employees can have a chance to step into their manager's shoes for a window of time without the fear of messing anything up. We have found that employees that participate in team building activities have a higher appreciation for their fellow workers as well as their management. It is also found that the managers that switch with their employees for a time see more what they are going through and become more understanding and effective leaders.

If you are part of a large company we recommend that you look into the team building information your company has on hand. If none is available use our provided resources below to research team building. Bring them to you company and implement them. Teams are necessary to the success of a company and the team building exercises and activities can propel your company into the next level.

For more information about team building or team building activities and team building exercises follow these links.

Staff Motivation Strategies 6 Great Distinctions

2008-12-26T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Peter Murphy

In the workplace, it can be very difficult to obtain staff motivation. There are many factors that play against staff motivation. It really is the manager's responsibility to motivate the employees. This can be very challenging at times.

There are six guidelines that a person can follow to achieve staff motivation.

1. A friendly working environment is extremely important to a positive attitude in the workplace. Socializing should be acceptable in most cases. People can work and socialize at the same time. There has to be interaction between the staff in order for them to form a bond and relationship to become a team.

Also, if coming to your job everyday is never fun, then you will have some very unmotivated workers on your hands. It must be an enjoyable place to spend 8-10 hours per day. This is crucial for staff motivation.

2. Helping the employees set goals for themselves is very important to gaining staff motivation. Everyone needs to know what his or her expectations are as well as their job description. A weekly staff meeting could be beneficial to a productive work place. It is a good idea to get their input and listen to any complaints.

3. The open door policy with management is a must. The staff must be able to come and discuss any problems or even ideas with the management, in confidentiality. They need to be able to give their feedback on issues. More importantly, the management needs the feedback.

4. Rewarding your staff with bonuses, promotions, employee of the month awards or raises will help motivate them. Even praise is encouraging to the employees. It lets them know that they are valuable to the team.

Without these rewards or praises, the staff will feel unappreciated and worthless. If they have these feelings, then they will not have any pride in their work and you will probably get low quality work.

5. Understanding that everyone works at a different pace and with a different style is a key to success, as well. There are many different personalities in one work place. It is the Managers job to listen and understand that everyone is different. To be flexible and understanding is another key to staff motivation.

6. It is so important for the Manager to leave room for error in every line of work. We are all human. There will be mistakes made. It is up to the boss to have an alternate plan in case of an error. A plan B to correct the problem.

All these ideas are a good place to start in achieving staff motivation in the workplace. Different things motivate different people. Staff motivation can be achieved by following these guidelines.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: motivation techniques

Making It Up

2008-12-25T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lesley Moore

I Make Stuff Up.

I read this on my son's T-shirt as if I'd never seen it before, yet on this particular morning, it looked much different and even made me laugh at the simplicity of it.

When I first bought the shirt, I pictured a child simply making up stories. You know, telling a few white lies. Not that my son lies (not my angel!), but more that this was a function of what kids do. On this particular morning, though, I pictured other ways that children Make Stuff Up. Have you ever see a child become engrossed in the box, quickly tossing aside the gift? Or the child in a clothing store, finding sheer entertainment in the racks of clothes, the cracks in the floor or simply the tickets that have fallen astray? I once witnessed my children make an entire day of entertainment from the tickets they'd found: making them into money, passports, golden ticketsyou name it, they had created it.

At what point did we decide that we have to be more realistic and see things as they are, not as we want them to be? At what point were we only able to see the gift for the gift, unconsciously tossing aside the packaging it had come in?

I recently had a discussion with a client of mine about his sales staff. He had noticed that the longer his staff was with him, the less energy they seemed to have. He recalled the enthusiasm they had as they walked in the door on their first day and the first few weeks that followed, and how each "no" they were faced with, took one more notch off their enthusiasm platform.

"How do I help them hold onto that excitement on each call they make?" It's a good question and one that most managers have to deal with on a daily basis. Although there are high producers that maintain that energy with each call, most have trouble recreating it day after day. But the answer is so simple, it is often overlooked.

Think about what creates the enthusiasm that comes with a new job. There is the excitement of getting the job, the hope of being successful and of making money. As you think about it, you can almost taste it and feel it. Yet if you really look at where those feelings came from, you would see that you simply created it through your own desires. Some of it even came from the meaning you created in simply being hired. Surely knowing that someone believed in you helped to create a spark of energy, though it is difficult to hold on to.

Difficult, but not impossible.

In order to have that same enthusiasm each morning, you will simply need to create it. You will literally need to "make it up". When your eyes open each morning, tell yourself all of the things you told yourself when you first were given the job. Imagine your success. Imagine the money in your hands. Imagine what you will do when you become as successful as you had hoped. Don't focus on what they will say, but what energy you will create when in front of the prospective client.

Making it up, as if it really exists, will have an amazing effect on your results. People will feel your confidence and enthusiasm and buy into your anticipated success. So put down that gift (closing the deal) and start looking at the box (selling yourself) and you will find a renewed energy in

Lesley Moore is President and Owner of LifeScope, Life and Executive Coaching. She specializes in working with individuals in transition, empowering them to create a life they love and with professionals to help them bridge the gap between expectation and performance. She is also a Personal Fitness Trainer and a Freelance Writer. Lesley graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Journalism and has studied coaching through the Mentor Coach Program, which is recognized by the International Coach Federation. For more information about Life and Executive Coaching, visit her website at http://www.LifeScopecoach.com or e-mail her at lessmore4@comcast.net.

7 Ways To Improve The Wellbeing Of Your Team

2008-12-24T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sital Ruparelia

With the increased awareness of health, fitness and well being - at any moment in time, at least one of your team is likely to be on some type of diet, detox, fitness regime, trying to stop smoking or simply improve their work-life balance.

Your ability to support your employees in achieving their health and fitness goals (as well as any other personal goals for that matter), will always likely to improve their loyalty to you as an employer.

Here are 7 ways you can improve the well-being of your team and further enhance your ability to retain great people.

1. Set up subsidised membership for staff at the local gym.

Competition for new members is fierce in the fitness industry so it should be easy to secure a good deal. Of course it also becomes a great pull when you are hiring staff as well.

2. Let your team leave work 1-2 hours early once a week

So they can get to the gym or spend more time with their families. They will be back the next day more motivated and refreshed.

3. Provide free fruit and bottles of water for the team

4. Set up arrangements locally for the team to have free or subsidised eye test or dental check ups.

Ensure you set it up in a way that it costs you nothing (or close to nothing).

5. Fire your worst customers / clients.

Clients who are rude, don’t pay on time and don’t refer you new business are simply not worth the stress they cause you and your team.

6. Give away a weeks worth of smokers patches or chewing gum for those trying to kick their nicotine habit.

7. Send them for a walk – Encourage people to get out, get fresh air and take a walk 2-3 times a week.

It will reduce their stress levels, make them much more effective at work and quite possibly more pleasant in dealings their colleagues and your customers.

Now, you may think this will cost you money and that all this health stuff is a bit “tree huggy” and not really the sort of thing you do. But in reality you can do most of the above on a shoestring and I can assure you the benefits go far beyond staff retention.

The above points will help improve the health and well being of your workforce therefore deliver commercial benefits to you. Sustained improvements in the health of your team will provide with a team that has increased energy, better concentration, improved self-esteem and probably a stronger immune system which is likely to result in reduced sickness and absence levels.

So helping your team become healthier really is a ‘no-brainer’

So while your competitors may be killing their teams (at least over the longer term!) you are helping your people reduce their chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers - what a great selling point that is when you are hiring!

So open your mind and decide that you will introduce one or two of these changes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sital Ruparelia, "The Recruitment & Retention Specialist" works with small businesses that struggle with recruitment and retention issues and helps them implement strategies proven to Find and Keep the Right People consistently.

Sital writes a FREE newsletter twice a month with tips on how to Find And Keep The Right People. To sign up now, visit http://www.authenticresourcing.com.

Interviewing The Single Most Important Question To Ask

2008-12-23T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Claude Whitacre

When prospective employees are being interviewed, they are asked about their past employment. But they are usually asked about what they did. These answers may be shaded to reflect a well..... favorable impression. Sometimes the answers won't be truthful. Don't you really want to know how well they are going to get along with you and your group after they've been hired?

Ask this; "How well did your former employer and fellow employees treat you?"

Now you're going to get the truth (as the interviewee sees it). Why? Because now you're not talking about them. But you really are talking about them. You're talking about how well they get along with others.

Now here's the secret. Whatever they say about their past employer, they will very likely be saying about you in the near future. If they can't get along with the previous group, your group won't be that much different. If they say that the previous employer was a great guy and that the other employees were easy to work with, this person will be saying the same thing about your group pretty soon.

This isn't absolute. It's possible that their past employer was "out to get them" or "he was an absolute moron and shouldn't have been in charge".But the idea sure points you in the right direction.

"Sign-up now for my FREE Retail Marketing course "Unfair Advantage Retail Strategies". You'll get retail advertising and retail selling ideas you can use today. About once a week, I'll provide you with valuable retail marketing strategies that have been proven and tested,(mostly by me). http://www.claudewhitacre.com

Corporate Team Building Events Throw Distancing To A Distance

2008-12-22T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mason Peter

If someone just studies a few recent corporate recruitment advertisements, there will be at least one thing he or she will find common in almost all of them. The recruiters are putting much emphasis on hiring a one-team man rather than a one-man team, in the management category at least.

In accordance to this shift, the office atmosphere is changing too. CEOs of the companies at present are accessible to general employees more than ever before. The visual distance is cut short. Office decorations are changing with more and more interlinked and free sitting arrangements. At this age, one can never ignore the psychological affect on human beings created by the respective surroundings.

The corporate houses these days are spending huge amounts to unite the workforce into an active team. Active and spontaneous participation of employees in both internal and external affairs of the company and even in the decision making process are regarded as the path of progress.

The main problem in the corporate team building process namely 'distancing' is predominantly inherent in employees' as well as in the employer's psyche. It is one of the basic instincts of human beings.

The primary team building process is constantly fighting to throw away 'distancing' to a great distance. The ideal corporate team building events concentrate on bringing together employees who do not always get the chance to come in close, if not in personal contact with each other.

The prime ideological stand is that, if an employee does not know his or her co-workers then he or she cannot actively participate to boost up the company profile and morale as a whole. It is all about fixing the SELF, not into the category called OTHER, but under the umbrella named WE.

The corporate event management companies divide the employees into various groups. Apparently, it seems that the process is breaking the basic notion of team building activities, but in fact, it just adds to the notion.

The participants here never feel rivalry among themselves. They are conscious that it is merely a game though they need to win. Thus, they fail to concentrate on the issue that it is a part of the team building exercise tailored by the company. This lack of concentration on the subtle issue ultimately does the trick. The idea of the team is built in the consciousness of the participant that excludes the visual divisions.

The job is done.

However, a Corporate Hospitality Company must be cautious of the standard and socio-cultural background of the participants. Otherwise, the whole process may go in vain.

Peter Mason is an investigative freelance writer and writes on behalf of the owner of Team Tactics - http://www.teamtactics.co.uk/ a corporate hospitality and team building company in the UK, provide bespoke http://www.teamtactics.co.ukcorporate team building events, corporate entertainment and event management focusing on team building days and team building ideas. Team Tactics is specialised in providing http://www.teamtactics.co.ukteam building events, for instance, corporate fun team building activities and fun events.

Why Include Teambuilding At Your Staff Appreciation Events

2008-12-21T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Carla Rieger

Many organizations are now successfully including teambuilding activities at their staff appreciation events because the payoff is so huge.

In this article you will find:

* Top 10 Reasons to include Teambuilding Activities at your Holiday Staff event

* The Do's of Teambuilding Activities

* The Don'ts of Teambuilding Activities

* How to get it Happening

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 10 Reasons to include Teambuilding Activities at your Holiday Staff event

* It helps reserved people feel more comfortable about interacting.

* It helps new people feel more included.

* It allows people from different areas of work to get to know each other.

* It can break up silos and humanize a competitive working environment.

* It helps people see each other as people rather than as task machines.

* It creates an atmosphere of goodwill where open communication can thrive.

* It dissolves tension so people don?t feel like they need to drink as much.

* It helps people feel part of a community or family.

* It can improve employee retention and lessen absenteeism.

* It can turn the whole event from boring to fun instantly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Do's of Teambuilding Activities

* Choose activities that are low risk and that honor people?s comfort zones.

* Make it voluntary but attractive to participate in.

* Organize it so that people get around to as many different people as possible.

* Choose a pro who knows how to respectfully break the ice, build a sense of team, and keep them laughing.

* Allow people from all levels of the organization to meet and greet the bosses?it can go a long way to building employee loyalty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Don'ts of Teambuilding Activities

* Choose high risk activities that end up being an ?ice-maker?.

* Force people to participate.

* Set it up so that the same people keep interacting.

* Assign an inexperienced facilitator.

* Allow people to sit on the sidelines and watch, it can make people who are participating uncomfortable.

* Exclude upper management.

More Ideas

For an article on "Surviving the Holiday Office Party" go to http://management.about.com/cs/yourself/a/SurOffParty1200.htm

For a free list of teambuilding activities go to http://www.businessballs.com/teambuildinggames.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Get it Happening

If you want to be thanked for putting on an awesome Holiday Event this year, call a pro to do the teambuilding.

Carla Rieger has 17 years experience working with groups between 10 and 3000 people. She is one of the best in Canada at turning a group of strangers into a bonded community.

Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. If you want a motivational speaker, trainer, or leadership coach to help you stay on the creative edge, contact Carla Rieger.

Web site: http://www.carlarieger.com
Tel: 1-866-294-2988
Email carla@carlarieger.com

Coaching

2008-12-20T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Pj Germain

The first use of the word "coach" in English occurred in the 1500s to refer to a kind of carriage. "Hence," say Witherspoon and White, "the root meaning of the verb to coach is to convey a valued person from where he or she was to where he or she wants to be." Coaching is a process that helps executives learn, grow, and change. Although what coaching involves depends on the specific executive and situation, executive coaching falls into four categories:

Coaching for Skills
Coaching for Performance
Coaching for Development
Coaching for the Executive's Agenda
Coaching For Skills is learning focused on a person's current task or project. This coaching is usually needed for short term and the coaching goals tend to be clear and specific. Settings well suited for this coaching role are to support:

> Learning on the job (e.g., before or after a first board meeting presentation).

> Traditional classroom training.

> Changes in job roles and/or responsibilities.

Coaching For Performance is learning focused on a person's current job. Typically, the executive feels the need to function more effectively at work, or to address performance issues. For executives having difficulty, the challenge is to correct problem behaviors before they jeopardize productivity or derail a career. This type of coaching is usually seen as appropriate for the short or intermediate term although there may be less consensus within the organization about the need for performance coaching. And because this type of coaching can feel more threatening to some executives than skills coaching, it tends to involve more time. This coaching role is best used to:

> Clarify performance goals.

> Orient and support newly appointed executives.

> Increase confidence and commitment after a career setback.

> Deal with blind spots that detract from otherwise outstanding performance.

Coaching For Development is learning focused on a person's future job. Typically, the executive needs to prepare for a career move, often as part of succession planning discussions. Coaching for development tends to involve a deeper focus on executive development and personal growth. The coaching sessions here typically focus on development for a future job by helping an executive discover strengths and weaknesses, and to determine where growth is needed.

Since an executive's agenda is often broad and evolving, Coaching For The Executive's Agenda tends to involve learning in the largest sense. Often the executive desires a confidant to offer insight, perspective, and constructive feedback on ideas and experiences. The format for this coaching is ongoing, and coaching sessions evolve in response to the executive's agenda. Frequently, this type of coaching is used to support change management by preparing an executive to successfully implement a change initiative, or to expand options when creative suggestions could improve the chances for sound decisions. The coach often acts as a sounding board and offers feedback and suggestions to enhance the executive's ideas.

PJ Germain

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Why Team Leading Is Like Riding A Bike

2008-12-19T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eric Garner

Team leaders have three functions:

to get the team to perform a given task to the satisfaction of the customer
to allow for individuals to find job satisfaction and sufficient motivation to want to continue in the team
to develop the team so that, with the same people and the same resources, a higher performance can be obtained.

The triple concerns of Task, Team and Individuals mean that the team leader is constantly faced with dilemmas and paradoxes: should task come before the team or team before task? Should the leader meet individuals one-to-one or only meet with the team as a whole? These dilemmas mean that effective team leadership is a series of checks and balances rather than a simple question of implementing the rules.

"Teamwork is like riding a bicycle. You can only move forward if you stay in balance."

1. The Task. In the balancing act that is team leadership, the task becomes the team's number one priority whenever the customer's needs are uppermost in their minds. Working on the team's task may mean putting the team's team and individual needs on hold. It may also become necessary to work on the task if the team has spent too much time on its people needs and needs to re-discover a balance.

Some of the features of the task-oriented team leader are:

she rules with an iron fist
she talks about how much should be done
she asks for sacrifices for the good of the whole team
she sees to it that people are working to their limits
she stresses being ahead of competing work teams
she decides in detail what needs to be done
she emphasises deadlines
she emphasises quality of work.

2. The Team. In their position of being either slightly outside the team or wholly outside it, team leaders are the best people to see the team objectively as a team. They are able to give the team its shape and reality, making the team more than just a collection of individuals.

They can do this by:

meeting with the team as a whole, involving the team in discussions and reaching team decisions
making selections to the team based on what newcomers can add to the team
removing from the team anyone who unbalances or disrupts the team
sensing the team's energy and making the necessary interventions to help it move forward
fostering team spirit
giving the team its unique identity.

3. The Individual. The route to all effective teamwork lies through managing the individuals in the team. Only through one-to-one contact and management can a team leader develop people who have the skills, motivation and inspiration to fulfil the task needs of the team and develop the team as a unit.

The areas a team leader needs to address in managing the individuals in the team include:

appointing newcomers to the team
building up individual skills and realising personal potential through training, coaching, and mentoring
getting to know individuals well enough to be able to make sensible adjustments to who does what in the team
individual rewards, pay and conditions
personal performance appraisal
dealing with individual performance problems through counselling and discipline.

The team leader's concern for balancing task, team and individuals may be likened to the human functions of hand, heart and head:

the hand represents the mechanical or technological way a task should be performed.
the heart represents the inspiration that can unite a team and achieve more than you can measure.
the head represents the sensible and logical way individuals should be managed.

When hand, heart and head are all properly cared for, not only is there a whole, but also a healthy balance.

"A man who works with his hands is a labourer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist." (Louis Nizer, 1902-94)

For instant solutions to all your management training needs, visit http://www.managetrainlearn.com and download amazing FREE training software. And while you're there, make sure you try out our prize quiz, get your surprise bonus gift, and subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter. Go and get the ManageTrainLearn experience now!

Aligning Corporate Teams

2008-12-18T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terri Levine

Picture yourself entering a corporate meeting, team meeting, or business meeting. There you are sitting in the room, while someone in the "expert" or "boss" chair speaks to you or at you. There you are, not aligned with that person's mission or vision. There you are, feeling apart from the process. There you are, lacking energy and the desire for being there. There you are, hearing what is going wrong and what you or your team or department needs to change or improve. How are you feeling?

Are you feeling a great connection to the meeting? Are you feeling enthusiastic about being in attendance at the meeting? Are you fully present at the meeting? Are you deeply tuned in and listening with your heart and your head? Are you inspired to co-create, participate, and contribute? Or, are you ready to fall asleep, or count the minutes of what you feel is wasted time?

My experience in my two plus decades of being in business and in coaching business clients around the world is that the system of meetings, clearly, must change. Most meetings don't include participant involvement and actually serve to tune people out rather than tune them in, and as a result, the intention of the meeting falls short of its purpose. In other words, they really can be a waste of precious company time.

The process of Meeting Alignment, that we've been teaching companies around the world, has allowed them to use a systematic process that engages people in meetings and creates a desire for them to contribute and fully participate in these business meetings.

The Meeting Alignment Process and the results it creates include:

A desire to co-create: The purpose of a meeting isn't to get across "your" agenda; it shifts to sharing your thoughts and hearing fully the thoughts and ideas of others to co-create the meeting purpose and actions.

Deep tuning in: Most meetings involve people talking and listening to themselves. The Meeting Alignment Process teaches people to fully listen with their hearts and to listen beyond the words to what is not said, to emotions, and to fully hear others.

The Meeting Alignment Process teaches techniques of being non-judgmental, so that people can fully hear and support each other and let new ideas IN vs. rule out and defend against why things won't work. It produces a safe environment in which people feel encouraged to participate.

Non-attachment: Many people think meetings are about a specific outcome occurring the meeting holder's outcome that's a surefire way to alienate people and result in them NOT wanting to support you. The Meeting Alignment Process allows for each person to give up "their" outcome and allows the meeting and solutions to unfold for the good of the entire group.

What's wrong: Most meetings focus on problems, fixing problems, or informing people of change. The meeting needs to come from a place of asking what IS working and involve what IS the right type questions. These questions form the basis of creating a positive energy flow and opening up creativity. It's the basic principle of encouraging a sense of positivity rather than negativity.

Framework of questions: Questions in this process focus on what is working, why it works, what would be the perfect ideal vision, and what isn't quite right yet, and then, coming up with resources and inspired actions to create the outcome of the meeting.

Feel good! When people attend a meeting where EVERY idea is praised and contributions rewarded and people thanked and really appreciated for their contributions, this raises self-esteem, confidence, and morale. People want to participate in meetings that make them feel good, not only about the company they work for, but about themselves and their role in it.

This process is effective in all companies and will work with all size groups. It requires a shift in the employer and leaders' thinking, from managing and bossing and telling to coaching and co-creating and sharing. The effect is profound. People treated with value and respect, rise up to challenges. They are more excited to solve problems, participate in the mission and vision of the company, and create more productivity. They feel that the company's success is their success. It motivates them to greater achievement.

Companies following a systematic process of creating a Meeting Alignment Process, take morale out of the toilet bowl fast. Their employees are happier, their retention rates rise, and the corporate culture shifts to one of enthusiasm.

A beneficial win-win situation is created and everybody gets to bask in success.

Written by Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, the CEO ofCoaching Instruction.com, popular Master Certified personal and business Coach, sought after Public Speaker, and Author of bestsellers, "Stop Managing, Start Coaching", "Work Yourself Happy", "Coaching for an Extraordinary Life" and "Create Your Ideal Body". She can be contacted via the web site http://www.TerriLevine.com or by telephone: 215-699-4949.

Slap In The Face Recognition

2008-12-17T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Don Doman

William came back from vacation. He walked into the office and was told that there was an envelope and a silver colored cardboard box on the safe for him. He opened the envelope. It was a form letter congratulating him on thirty years of service. In the box was an award pin in honor of his thirty years. William's supervisor just dropped everything off on his way through town, while William was on vacation. No personal effort was ever made to thank William for his dedication. No handshake. No phone call. Not even an email.

William took the envelope and box and threw them in the trunk of his car where they remain. I asked him why he didn't take them out. He responded, "I don't even want to touch them. They make me feel dirty." William is not a problem employee. He knows his job and has never been counseled. Each day he comes to work and does his job without supervision. His supervisor works in an office over one hundred miles away. Most companies would be thrilled to have employees that take no supervision. Many companies recognize that motivated employees are an important part of the work team. Some companies show care and concern for their employees. Some have too many cracks that let recognition opportunities slip through.

The company William works for is not a small company. It's a national company. You would recognize the name. Recognition can be one of the easiest things to accomplish. It lets people know that their work is appreciated. Lack of appreciation is a slap in the face.

William says, "Just when I think I can't think any less of the company and management, they come up with something new and my opinion is lowered again." William didn't have long to wait just a couple of months.

On a Wednesday, William reported to work and was told to call about a large luncheon in a nearby city to honor all employees with thirty years of service. The president of the company was even flying in to speak and honor those dedicated employees. People were coming from hundreds and thousands of miles away. Nice. Right? The event obviously took planning and coordination. William was told on Wednesday afternoon. The big deal special luncheon was on Friday, less than two days notice. Somehow, William was overlooked . . . again.

William tried to act like the events didn't bother him and that he wouldn't have gone even with more notice. In reality, he was depressed. "In my mind I saw the silver package in my trunk and just kept thinking about wasting thirty years of my life," he confessed.

There is no happy ending to this story. As a matter of fact it got worse. Adding insult to injury, later that day William didn't collect enough from a sale and finished up with a shortage at the till . . . which he had to pay.

In a USA Today article, A snub really does feel like a kick in the gut, writer Maggie Fox says, "The feeling is familiar to anyone who has been passed over in picking teams or snubbed at a party a sickening, almost painful feeling in the stomach." Maggie was writing about social distress. A study has been done with functional magnetic imaging that proves that the brain reacts to rejection and snubbing in the same way it reacts to physical pain. The study was published in the October 2003 issue of Science.

"A social snub and a big-toe stub can generate a similar response in the brain, suggesting emotional and physical pain are more closely related than was previously thought."
-- Anna Salleh ABC Science Online

While no one in today's business world condones physical violence, it's amazing what stress and pain can be inflicted by managers who are ill-equipped, ill-advised and ill-prepared to deal with social interactions and situations in the workplace. William should have been recognized for his thirty years of service. He wasn't. He should have received positive reinforcement for his dedicated work. He didn't. A few kind words could have soothed hurt feelings. Kind words never came. Recognition motivates. Thoughtlessness produces just the opposite affect.

Author Don Doman: Don is a published author of books for small business, corporate video producer, and owner of Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which provides business training products. Don also owns and Human Resources Radio (http://www.humanresourcesradio.com), which provides business training programs and previews 24-hours a day.

Studies On Corporate Team Building

2008-12-16T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Richard Romando

Corporate team building is a useful tool to improve a company?s productivity and profit on a long term basis. Team building aims at the improvement of communication, participation and functioning of company members in company activities.

Some useful tips for building and maintaining a good corporate team are using a performance evaluation and reward system to promote member commitment, rotating team membership and leadership responsibilities over time, shifting team goals to match changing assignments and taking suitable action based on team performance results.

There are typical symptoms that signal the need for team building. They include an increased number of complaints among workers, conflict or hostility among members, confusion about assignments, misunderstanding of decisions, lack of interest or involvement among members, ineffectual staff meetings, negative reactions to the manager, and complaints from customers about poor quality of service. Studies on corporate team building prove that team building events enable all members of a team to work as a single soul.

An effective corporate team building event will make the team responsible for challenging assignments, encourage team leaders to promote individual and team efforts, allow teams to develop specific performance goals and objectives, and demonstrate executive commitment and support. It helps to select team members with the right skills and professional preparation, promote external supplier team participation, use the performance evaluation and reward system to encourage member effort and commitment, and provide the sourcing team with internal and external decision making authority.

Some famous corporate team building event providers in the U.S.A. are Accel-Team, Corporate Games, Experience Based Learning Inc., Facilitation Factory, Leading Concepts (LC), Learning Center, Performance Management Company, Sobre Corporate Development, Team Building Productions, Team Building Inc., Team Building USA, Team Builders Plus, The Training Oasis Inc., and Venture Up. The services provided may differ according to the company status, goals and number of members in a team.

Effectiveness of a company?s team building is seen in the timely achievement of a goal, overall team effectiveness, satisfaction in relation to the quality of information exchanged between team members, and the reduced number of problems in coordinating work activities. Many standard studies on corporate team building are available on the Internet, most of which are helpful in putting up your own strategy.

Pass Them The Crown To Build The Empire

2008-12-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Joseph Plazo

Stop for a moment. and imagine how you would feel as an employee under this situation:

You have been working for ACME for ten years now. You do the same thing everyday. You're tied at the desk pounding a decrepit keyboard; half the keys don't work. When you're not nursing carpal tunnel syndrome, you're sipping stale coffee at the greasy counter. Worse, you don't really know anyone that you work with. Socializing involves a casual hello with the doorman's Doberman.

One day you receive a memo stating that the dress code had been changed. Everyone must wear long pants with closed shoes. There is no explanation, and since you usually wear a sexy skirt with strappy sandals, you assume that it had something to do with you.

Would this sit well with you? Would it have been better that you and your colleagues were consulted first?

Now think about this scenario.

You've conducted time-motion studies at the factory for about eight months now. Since day one you toyed with ideas to optimize work-flow efficiency. A simple modification will cut costs 30% and increase output 20%. A brilliant idea worthy of an 80% raise!

You finally befriend the manager and broach your great idea. He points at the suggestion box. He adds that the supervisor browses suggestions once a week. So you whip up a nicely structured essay and plunk it into the box. Three months later, no one acts upon your ideas. No one has raised the issue. You retreat to your cubicle and sulk at the dancing-baby screen saver.

What's the problem?

Employees naturally expect that managers consider personal feedback as decisions are made involving work environment. After all, they are the frontliners and have a better feel of the immediate situation.

In order to motivate employees and supercharge performance, companies can implement "participative-style management" :

1. Never reprimand someone for their input- no matter how misguided. Look into the positive intention behind the suggestions. You will build confidence and motivation by acknowledging opinions. 3M is world renowned for paying cash prizes for crazy ideas. The idea for the Post-It came from rank and file. It catapulted the company to the Fortune 500.
2. Never rush employees to come up with flawless decisions. Provide them with appropriate tools and resources. Empower them to delegate responsibilities so they can focus on action planning.
3. Respect decisions once they have been made. Once you've authorized a committee to reach decisions, let the decision stand. Exercising veto powers to flex the ego will destroy motivation. Override staff decisions only if doing so will cause irreparable damage.
4. Impose clear standards of expectation. Inform empowered committees the core issues and what is desired.
5. Reward group members who strive to make informed decisions based on all available information. They will rise as future managers who will nurture organizational growth.

Occasionally, employees feel that too much involvement can spell disaster. Their mindset is that managers should decide, and employees simply follow. Some complain that taking on ad-hoc managerial roles breaches the scope of their job description!

Enlighten the employee. Remember that the objective is to make the employee feel that his opinion is valuable AND have him relish the pleasure of executing his ideas. Ultimately he gains confidence as he discovers how capable he is of making his own decisions. Your firm ultimately benefits as new talent is cultivated for the future pool of managers.

*** A master of persuasion influence to his associates, Joseph R. Plazo offers leadership executive coaching so people can easily find jobs in the Philippines. Joseph achieved financial independence at 22, authored five NLP books, mentored hundreds and indulges in his passion for radionics. Always to take the initiative, his battle cry is "Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt."

Team Building Adventures Where Reality Tv And The Corporate Boardroom Meet The Great Outdoors

2008-12-14T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Murray Steward

In today's complex, team-based, and increasingly competitive corporate world, managing colleague relationships and rewarding employees are essential. In addition to recognizing performance, experiential learning programs are proven to support employee retention, enhance productivity and to build morale and profits. Some companies are offering businesses a chance to embrace this opportunity by taking colleagues out of their normal surroundings and into the great outdoors for some excitement, adventure, and team building.

Working with companies both large and small, these adventure companies provide innovative outdoor special events to simply reward employees, or to reach deeper and with a team of experienced facilitators, seek solutions, resolve conflicts or focus on other specific issues.

"Historically, corporate team building programs were about bringing facilitators into the boardroom, or going to specific destinations with facilities that accommodate team building programs. What we have created are some truly unique programs that can be brought anywhere, be it an office, city centre, or resort," says James Corbett, owner of Canadian Outback Adventures. "More and more companies are realizing the return on investment and are embracing the importance of experiential learning through team building adventures."

A few of Canadian Outback Adventures' ( www.canadianoutback.com ) most popular programs include the following:

Survivor
Though the corporate boardroom may sometimes seem intimidating, the "Survivor" event is definitely not! Groups are split into separate tribes with local First Nations tribal names. Each tribe's goal is to complete the various challenges as effectively as possible. Challenges such as Blind Leading the Blind, Triage, Squamish Scramble, and Buried Treasure test strategy, communication, and other essential business components. No special skills, athletic ability or previous experience required!

Amazing Race
Amazing Race is a team-building event combining communication skills, planning, strategy, teamwork, and a race against the clock. Groups are split into teams and mini-teams whose goal it is to work together to complete the race in as little time as possible. Racers are set out on a course filled with interesting route markers that provide additional route information, road blocks that outline a specific task that someone on each team must complete before moving on, and detours that run throughout the area. Amazing Race is the perfect answer for adventure-seeking enthusiasts. The resort of Whistler BC is one of the most popular locations for the Amazing Race, and many Whistler hotels also offer this as an activity individuals or small groups can do while in Whistler.

CSI:
With the increased popularity in crime stories, CSI has grown to become one of the most watched shows in the North America. Canadian Outback Adventures has adapted orienteering and the theme of the CSI into a group format allowing teams to compete in an educational and exciting activity. With each member proficient in a specific navigational or crime solving skill, teams must work together to navigate their way to a series of crime scenes. At each location teams must carefully search for clues and document evidence to solve each particular case. Upon completion, the teams will hand in their evidence and receive lab results. The final challenge will be to solve the mystery: who has committed/masterminded the crimes!

Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge is geared toward corporate teams searching for top performance results. This unique teambuilding event is intended to re-create themes as problem solving, creative thinking, communication, team interaction, trust and building confidence, all in an inspirational outdoor setting. Eco-Challenge begins and ends at an Adventure Base located in the Squamish Valley, just one-hour from Vancouver and Whistler. Teams work their way through the Squamish Valley to experience various challenge components, all of which are designed to encourage teams to work together, both physically and mentally, and to highlight individual and team strengths. Components include mountain biking on backcountry roads and trails, rock climbing, kayaking in river kayaks on Alice Lake and river rafting on the Cheakamus River.

RiverQuest
Groups can hit the water with the exciting RiverQuest activity. RiverQuest combines a day on the river with various problem solving and teambuilding events that encourage creative thinking, communication and team interaction. RiverQuest begins at the Adventure Base in Squamish where team members are briefed on the day's objectives and outfitted with all the gear needed to ensure a safe journey. The adventure begins on the banks of the Cheakamus River, a fun river with small gentle rapids in a stunning setting. Once on the water, teams will be given both written and verbal instructions to retrieve various items from checkpoints located in the river or along its banks. Between checkpoints teams will encounter several challenges in which they will have the opportunity to compete individually as well as to go head-to-head with other rafts.

Imaginative adventures like these greatly enhance the experience and help employees explore themselves and teammates in a whole new way.

Canadian Outback Adventures is a multi-faceted, knowledge-based outdoor experience provider that empowers people, through shared experiences of learning, discovery and laughter, to stretch boundaries, challenge assumptions and think differently. For more information or other activities, call 1-800-565-8735 or visit Canadian Outback Adventures online at http://www.canadianoutback.com

Teamwork How To Teach Your Organization To Work As A Team

2008-12-13T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mark Shead

Teamwork is not something that is easy to learn or teach. When it comes down to it, most of learning to work together as a team is developing the skill of communicating with and trusting the members of your team. When you are forming a team keep this in mind and try to create an environment where individuals can learn how to communicate and trust each other.

Often you can improve your team by creating a temporary environment that requires everyone to learn to communicate and trust each other. Many of the infamous corporate games and simulations help achieve this. One of the easiest ways to improve communication and trust is put individuals in a challenging situation and let them work their way out of it. Here are two ideas of ways to help create a temporary favorable to team growth:

Take your team out to paint walls at a local charity. In painting it is easy to see how much you've accomplished. This gets everyone working together in hands one way and solving problems. With the right activities it can really help improve the trust between team members. There is a lot of benefit in just forcing individuals to work together in a different type of environment.

Participate in one of the survival simulation type games. In these simulations your team has to work together to rank the most important objects to take with them after an airplane crash or similar disaster. This forces individuals to articulate their feelings and helps them work through conflicting viewpoints and opinions.

Leadership501 is a website with resources for leaders of organizations and small businesses Please visit http://www.leadership501.com to find out more about teaching teamwork and other leadership topics.

Get Your Team Moving Get Your Business Moving

2008-12-12T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gil Hilleard

How Familiar are these situations to you?

An organisation adopted a new strategy. While paying lip-service to the change, key staff were still resisting the new direction, complaining and hoping that things would go back to the way they were before

A team regarded itself as a group of individuals who 'happened' to report to the same person though they were each doing their own job effectively, the synergies, economies of scale and innovation that it was hoped would come from bringing them together were not happening

A layer of management was taken out of an organisation to empower the next level of managers to make quicker decisions, interface directly with their own customers and produce enhanced results. However, they weren't stepping up to the new challenge, and were waiting for direction and seeking permission, just as they had done in the old structure

Two functional heads whose roles required that they work together closely, clashed to the extent that they did their best to avoid each other. When they did have to work together there was friction, resulting in inefficiency and poor outcomes

Conflict and 'fingerpointing' were arising because team members were not clear on the exact boundaries of their roles, and tended either to 'tread on each other's toes', or to miss targets and deadlines altogether because it was not clear who was accountable for their achievement

Sound Familiar?

Do you see similar issues in your own business? They cost hassle and sleepless nights. But have you ever stopped to calculate what they are really costing you? The real cost is a brake on business results which, if not tackled head-on, becomes permanent because it becomes the norm - 'just the way things are round here'.

Typically, the knee-jerk reaction is to fire people, move them 'sideways', re-structure, tell 'them' to get their act together, hope it gets better by complaining enough, put them on 'special measures' at appraisal time, or call a 'cards on the table' meeting all expensive, risky and ultimately ineffective.

What does not usually happen is that all the people concerned with the issue get together and surface it fully in a series of face-to-face conversations in which they explore in depth how things got to be this way, and agree new actions and behaviours which permanently prevent the issues from arising again. This approach to creating great, results-producing teams, in contrast to the knee-jerk response, is inexpensive, very fast, and if done properly always produces outstanding long-term results.

Why does the Approach Work?

The approach works because it creates a necessary forum, managed by a facilitator, to identify and surface issues that have not been expressed before. If the platform for doing this had existed before, organisational issues would have been resolved already, or would probably never have become problems in the first place! A valuable outcome of this approach is the creation of a long-term organisational process for dealing with team issues whenever they arise in the future - 'just the way we do things round here'!

The second reason the approach works is that it is based on consistent research findings showing that, with very few exceptions, individuals are always capable of producing outstanding results given the right skills and mindset. If individuals don't have the necessary skills, organisations are very familiar with the process of identifying and addressing skill gaps through training. However, people quite frequently still don't produce the results they are capable of. This is because what gets in the way is not just their level of skill, but equally importantly their mindset and the groupthink in the team this approach tackles these head on.

What Is the Key to Success?

The key to the approach's success is the toughest bit: telling the truth. The experienced facilitator encourages participants to uncover and face up to key, relevant truths that will unstick the team and enable it to move on. They might otherwise shy away from these issues, leaving them forever buried from view, but causing unacknowledged blocks to progress. The team cannot do this without the impetus from an outside facilitator; it would be like doing brain surgery on yourself!

You may or may not have the 'right' strategy, the 'right' product, the 'right' appointment, the 'right' new computer system, but as a business leader, whatever you give your team to work with, you need their full, unconditional commitment. The process we outline uncovers very quickly any barriers in the way of every member of the team providing this, and leaves the team with a new ability to surface and resolve issues quickly and permanently in future.

==> For more information view the original newsletter article here <==

Gil Hilleard is a director of Shine Consulting, a partnership of business consultants committed that people and organisations produce a new standard of results through the passion, inspiration and commitment of people.

Leadership A Vision

2008-12-11T18:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by CJ McClanahan

Does your company have a leadership problem?

Most people would answer "yes", no matter how successful their company may be. In fact, this challenge is so huge that a quick search on the word "Leadership" (Amazon.com) returns more than 115,000 entries!

In case you don't have the time to read 115,000 books, I have developed a list of the 13 key characteristics of all great leaders. I will address a new characteristic in each column.

The first (and arguably most important) characteristic is often the most difficult skill for leaders to develop. That is, the ability to paint a current picture of the future in the form of a powerful vision. The common quality in all great leadership stories is the ability to first create a vision and then be able to effectively share that vision with the people. It is from this beginning that so many success stories have evolved. It is in the absence of this beginning that so many businesses have failed.

Anybody can manage other people. But, few managers can develop a meaningful vision that really gets the most out of a team. Bestselling author Harry Beckwith puts it best by saying:

"Few Americans yearn to be managed; most talented people despise the very idea. You do not manage people. You create a business that they care so much about that they don't require management; create goals so compelling that your employees manage themselves to achieve them."

So, how do you create a vision that inspires people to manage themselves?

First, you must develop a clear understanding of the things that truly inspire you and your team. This is typically the most difficult task in developing a powerful vision. In addition, it will vary depending on the personalities involved and the product or service offered.

For example, if you are the Executive Director of a homeless shelter you can probably develop a fairly meaningful vision during your next coffee break. But, what if you sell office supplies? In this situation, a great leader will guide his team through the process of creating a powerful vision by forcing them to think creatively and outside the box (please pardon the overused phrase). His questions might include:

What can we offer the market that is completely different from everyone else?

In 5 years, the IBJ is writing a story about us, the biggest success story in central IN what do they say?

We have a stack of 50 resumes for every open position Why?

Once you understand what drives you and your team, you must then create a vision that can be easily stated or summarized in one simple thought (or sentence). A three paragraph vision, covering numerous topics will not work, regardless of how well it is written. It might look great on your web site, but it will not energize your company.

The final step is to always lead your company according to your vision. This means that every prospect you pursue, every person you hire, and every management decision you make must all support your vision. For example, if the vision for your company is "The best quality in town" you had better not choose an inferior product (or person) even if it means more profit.

Becoming a great leader isn't easy. But, if you start with a powerful vision, you can create an amazing environment where leading your team is a lot easier and more fun!

CJ McClanahan is an Action International business coach and works with numerous clients around Indianapolis. For more information on Action International or business coaching, contact CJ McClanahan at 317-845-9742 or info@coachcj.com.