Edge is amazing! I honestly believe that I am going to pick up more pointers from this book to enhance my success coaching than from any other book I have read to date.

–Jeff Simpkins, Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach

Community Bank Consulting

www.CommunityBankConsulting.com

I think it is an understatement to say that we are living in uncertain times.  Each time I turn on the news, there is more bad news about our economy and turmoil abroad.

So, as a leader, what do you do during these times to keep people inspired and moving in the direction of profitability and sustainability?  These 5 strategies will help to get you started.

1) Challenge your historical models. If you are leading or managing your business using leadership models or measurement tactics used in the past, you are probably missing a huge part of the bigger picture.  Uncertain times show us that we are moving into a new economy/new world.  New times call for new leadership models and new ways of measuring results.

One Step: Get brushed up on how to lead a virtual team.  With virtual teams, you have to assume that the way you lead in a traditional work environment just won’t work.  You must be willing to mega communicate, form allies across borders and learn how to get people who work independently to work as a unified team.

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In the March issue of Harvard Business Review, Philip Lay, Todd Hewline and Geoffrey Moore make a strong case for using provocation-based selling during a down economy as a way to get your customers to see clearly how YOU can help them solve a critical issue. It’s the “You may not think you need me, but let me tell you why you MUST have me right now!”

So, today in this blog post, I am going to identify the BIG problem I see with many of my current clients and my provocative point of view.

Big Problem: A large number of decision makers are cutting out coaching and training right now, because it appears to be a luxury expense in their budget.

Big Risk: Without coaching and training, your existing employees (those few you have left) are probably not growing and becoming stronger. Right now, with the economy as it is, you want to have the best and brightest people on your staff who can help your company make more money, save more money and be more productive (saving time WILL save you money!)

Big View: Executive Coaching is not a luxury! It is a requirement for your competitive advantage in the marketplace.  Without Executive Coaching, your team stands the risk of falling apart over the next year.

How I Can Help You Get Stronger and NOT Fall Apart: With the type of Executive Coaching I offer, I can help your team become the strongest team in your industry by teaching them how to:

1. Build  intellectual horsepower
2. Increase their ability to think strategically
3. Garner new clients
4. Use Web 2.0 tools (which are free) to “listen” to what your competition and the world are talking about
5. Diagnose their biggest shortcomings and teach them how to turn these into strengths for your company

If you are serious about staying ahead during this down economy, you need me!  Send me an e-mail to beafields@beafields.com, and I will show you how I can help you get stronger while your competitors are losing market share and quite frankly falling apart.

Chuck Todd and Sheldon Gawiser have recently published a book How Barack Obama Won: A State-by-State Guide to the Historic 2008 Presidential Election.  I have read a few excerpts and have listened to Todd interviewed on the subject, and I believe this is a must read for anyone who wants to learn how to lead AND market.

Reason 1: On Morning Joe this a.m., Todd pointed out how important speeches were, are and will be to President Obama.  His oratory skills are outstanding and compelling.  He uses every chance he can to sell the public on his position, and he clearly states his position with poise, charisma and strength.  His intelligence and polish are impressive.  Many pundits are arguing that the President is not winning in the “bubble” on Capitol Hill but that he is still winning with the public, and for our confidence as a nation, this matters, and it matters in a very big way!  Now his big challenge is to win with Congress.

Reason 2: Is Obama still in politicing mode?  You bet he is!  He has some major initiatives on his plate (the economy, pulling out of Iraq).  If a Presdient can’t go out and get the votes needed in Congress to get the job done, then you may as well hang it up.   Just as in politics, in business and leadership, you don’t stop campaigning…you do all in your will and power to get people on board.

Reason 3: President Obama is appealing to the intellect of the American people.  He is talking straight from the hip, lets us know that he is fully aware that we all know we are in the midst of a major recession and that we have to act swiftly to take action to turn things around.  Many leaders will try to paint a rosy picture, and I am just not hearing this from Obama.

Reason 4: President Obama is using is his audacity of hope approach.  He is staying hopeful, using optimism and reminding us all that we’ve been in this situation before and came out stronger on the other end.

If you are a business owner or a leader in any position, I would recommend that you begin studying why Obama won and how he is continuing to be popular with the public.  I am certain you will gain a few insights into how to apply his skills in the direction of your own leadership.

Here is his speech from last night to Congress.  Watch this and see what you can learn.

I met with a man last week who told me that he “just wanted his team members to help him.”  I began to ask a few questions, and it became clear to me why this leader was so frustrated.  It had little to do with his personality…he was smart, charismatic and seemed to truly care.  But he seemed to be stumped when I asked him this question “What do you and your team agree that you all want?”   He fumbled around for a few answers and finally laughed and said “You know…I just don’t know how to answer that question.”

If you want your team to cooperate, there are these tiny things you can do to get people to help you, and here they are:

1) Go to your team members at least one time a week and ask “How can I help you?” By first offering help, you will set the tone for a reciprocal/helping relationship with your team.  As the top decision maker, it’s up to you to take the lead and model the process.

2) Discuss what you all agree that you want. This could be something for your company OR it could be free time to spend with your family members.  If you all agree you want some extra free time, you then need to set out on a mission…to be more productive.

3) Find a value you all hold as common. This is not as hard as you might think.  The best approach here is to come up with a list of 50 values, write each value on a sticky note, and have your team begin to move the sticky notes into sections of top priorities.  Once you land on 3 values that you all believe are important, you can design strategies to make sure that value is addressed.  Example:  If creativity is a big value, then of course, you are going to want to use highly creative approaches when asking for help.

4)  Discuss cause and effect. For every outcome, there is a process.  For every consequence, there is a cause.  Take a morning and discuss cause and effect.  Then, when you go to your team to ask for help, discuss the “why you need help.”  Talk about the cause and effect cycle of why you need help.

5) Incorporate “helping” rituals into your culture. This could be in the form of a day of civic work in your local community or one day each month focused on helping out everyone you see (hold the door open, help carry a box, jump in and give a hand without being asked.)  Rituals can ingrain a helping attitude into every fiber of your company.

In closing, if you are a leader who is frustrated and you need support in getting your team members to cooperate, call me at 910-692-6118 for a 15-minute discussion.  I would welcome the chance to brainstorm with you on the topic.