We act as though conflict is a bad thing. We are taught that we must resolve all conflict. The goal that is implied is peace- no disruptions.
I disagree. I think conflict is good, even necessary if you are to be innovative and creative. To be innovative and creative means you have to question all that is and try to create what doesn't exist. In and of itself, this means you will disrupt the lives of people that like to have things stay consistent without much change.
So, if you don't have any conflict, then most likely your team is filled with yes people and you are stretching your imaginations to the limit. Now having said that I want to make sure we all have the same definition of conflict.
Conflict, to me is about duality. It is about the differences between things that give us new insights and possibilities. I believe conflict should be a building block, not a stumbling block.
The majority of people handle conflict poorly. This stems from three fundamental beliefs that block you in handling conflict:
1. In conflict you must get the person to see and , best case scenario, agree with your side in order to resolve the conflict.
2. You must get the person to understand where they are wrong and you are right.
3. All conflict needs to be resolved so we are at peace as a team.
In the next three blogs I will be taking one of these at a time and showing you how this belief freezes your mind and blocks you from dealing effectively with conflict.
Belief #1: You need to get the person to see and agree with your side in order to resolve the conflict.
Why? It causes you to things that derail the conflict.
1. This approach causes your brain to immediately move to making a laundry list of all the reasons they should agree with you. It is a faulty premise and leads your brain to defense thinking.
2. As you list all your reasons their brain moves immediately to defending their side and finding the holes in your argument.
3. They may never be able to see or understand your side because they have not experienced it. They say the Indians couldn't see the Mayflower as it approached because their brain couldn't even conceive of a ship that big. Therefore, the Pilgrims were able to land without the Indians being any the wiser. Trying to argue your side when someone can't even see it is likely trying to share the Mayflower when a person can't see it. Save your breath.
4. As you try to get them to see your side, all of your energy and focus is on YOU, not them. Not a good way to magnetically get them to connect with you.
In order to shatter this belief you have to see conflict not as opposing but as enlightening. It is a way to expand your thinking, not contract it. It is a way for both you and and another party to create and build what was not there before.
Stay tuned for more on the conflict beliefs and how to shatter them.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
From Birdseed to Seed Money
Birdseed. Imagine if in 1981 someone asked you how much money you could make selling birdseed. Seems to be a limited market doesnt' it? I mean imagine the retail space you need to rent and the amount per square foot you would need to generate in order to make it profitable.
The only way it will work is with one magic ingredient-one that costs no money. Jim Carpenter knew what that ingredient was so he took the risk and launched his business. This "little" business now does $120 million dollars a year in revenue s Wild Birds Unlimited.
Seems to be amazing, especially when you consider how much business he did BEFORE the internet took off. He had to get all bird lovers in an area to come to his physical store and he did it with his secret ingredient.
You, too, can have his secret ingredient if you tap in to the right part of you. He had passion for birds. He loved all aspects of them and he wanted to share that passion with other bird lovers. That is how he started his store.
His passion drove people to come to his store to buy birdseed as well as to learn about birds.
Other companies have had this magic formula and they went away from it in order to have more efficiency and profit. Think of Sears.In the tool department, they used to hire men that loved to build things. You knew you could go to Sears to find a hammer and get a lesson on the nails and other equipment you need to build the proper deck. Most of the men in a neighborhood bought Craftsman tools.
Then Sears when to building center kiosk for selling and hired high school kids to man their floors. Suddenly the "extra" you went to Sears for was no longer there. See they didn't GO for the Craftsman tools- they went for the information and passion that came free with the Craftsman tools. The use value a person got from that experienced salesman on the floor is what made them fork over the money to buy the tools.
So here is your take action:
1.Define what you are passionate about.
2.Figure out how to let others see and feel it so it has a "use value" to them.
When they feel the "use value" that causes them to want to do more business with you, work closer as a collegea with you or to follow you as a leader.
The only way it will work is with one magic ingredient-one that costs no money. Jim Carpenter knew what that ingredient was so he took the risk and launched his business. This "little" business now does $120 million dollars a year in revenue s Wild Birds Unlimited.
Seems to be amazing, especially when you consider how much business he did BEFORE the internet took off. He had to get all bird lovers in an area to come to his physical store and he did it with his secret ingredient.
You, too, can have his secret ingredient if you tap in to the right part of you. He had passion for birds. He loved all aspects of them and he wanted to share that passion with other bird lovers. That is how he started his store.
His passion drove people to come to his store to buy birdseed as well as to learn about birds.
Other companies have had this magic formula and they went away from it in order to have more efficiency and profit. Think of Sears.In the tool department, they used to hire men that loved to build things. You knew you could go to Sears to find a hammer and get a lesson on the nails and other equipment you need to build the proper deck. Most of the men in a neighborhood bought Craftsman tools.
Then Sears when to building center kiosk for selling and hired high school kids to man their floors. Suddenly the "extra" you went to Sears for was no longer there. See they didn't GO for the Craftsman tools- they went for the information and passion that came free with the Craftsman tools. The use value a person got from that experienced salesman on the floor is what made them fork over the money to buy the tools.
So here is your take action:
1.Define what you are passionate about.
2.Figure out how to let others see and feel it so it has a "use value" to them.
When they feel the "use value" that causes them to want to do more business with you, work closer as a collegea with you or to follow you as a leader.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Story is in what you say and what you hear
Aesop's Fables have lived on for so many years because we remember the moral or lesson due to the story.
When presenting we are taught to create and craft a story to help anchor our message in the audience's mind. But there is another important aspect to story telling that we often don't think about as leaders but it is a vital one.
Leaders spend so much time telling stories that they forget to listen for stories. How well people embrace your corporate values, directions and goals can be heard in the stories that people tell.
Each week encourage people to share with you a story that will give you better insight. Do this by asking a thought-provoking question such as, "Share with me a customer story you experienced that demonstrates phenomenal customer service."
In everything there is duality, so ask for a story on the opposite side as well- "share with me a story that shows customer service that frustrated our customer."
Listen and don't interrupt the person. You aren't trying to edit their story but instead to let it unfold. Think of interrupting as having about the same affect as someone stopping you kissing to coach you on how to kiss. This is the time to just experience the kiss of the story.
Try to see some parallels in the stories you hear. Are there disconnects with what the company says versus what the customer experiences? How about the employees? Do they experience from management the same high level of service that you expect them to provide to your customers?
Think about how these stories can be creatively used- to give live "testimonials", to highlight employees, to launch new directives.
Your company is a wealth of stories; the question is are you maximizing the riches of them?
When presenting we are taught to create and craft a story to help anchor our message in the audience's mind. But there is another important aspect to story telling that we often don't think about as leaders but it is a vital one.
Leaders spend so much time telling stories that they forget to listen for stories. How well people embrace your corporate values, directions and goals can be heard in the stories that people tell.
Each week encourage people to share with you a story that will give you better insight. Do this by asking a thought-provoking question such as, "Share with me a customer story you experienced that demonstrates phenomenal customer service."
In everything there is duality, so ask for a story on the opposite side as well- "share with me a story that shows customer service that frustrated our customer."
Listen and don't interrupt the person. You aren't trying to edit their story but instead to let it unfold. Think of interrupting as having about the same affect as someone stopping you kissing to coach you on how to kiss. This is the time to just experience the kiss of the story.
Try to see some parallels in the stories you hear. Are there disconnects with what the company says versus what the customer experiences? How about the employees? Do they experience from management the same high level of service that you expect them to provide to your customers?
Think about how these stories can be creatively used- to give live "testimonials", to highlight employees, to launch new directives.
Your company is a wealth of stories; the question is are you maximizing the riches of them?
How to Flip Your Brain from Defense to Offense!
Is there a way to train your brain to say the right thing at the right time every time?
If you have ever put your foot in your mouth or stood with a wide eyed look because you don’t know what to say next, then you will want to tune in.
You will learn why your brain does what it does and how to unleash the full power of you.
The brain is your most powerful instrument yet ironically it is actually designed with communication to work against you rather than for you…unless you know the secret switch to power it up in a dramatically new way.
Join us for this enlightening webinar designed to help you flip your brain to the offense.
Take 30 seconds to RSVP for this “NO-COST WEBINAR” on Thursday November 19 at 1:00 cst.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/960134002
If you have ever put your foot in your mouth or stood with a wide eyed look because you don’t know what to say next, then you will want to tune in.
You will learn why your brain does what it does and how to unleash the full power of you.
The brain is your most powerful instrument yet ironically it is actually designed with communication to work against you rather than for you…unless you know the secret switch to power it up in a dramatically new way.
Join us for this enlightening webinar designed to help you flip your brain to the offense.
Take 30 seconds to RSVP for this “NO-COST WEBINAR” on Thursday November 19 at 1:00 cst.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/960134002
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
How to Transition a Team When YOU Must Let People Go
Letting a person go can kill your team's productivity by a whopping 60% according to recent surveys. You can't afford that especially in today's economy.
Listen in to find out how to avoid the common mistakes made when letting people go; how to avoid themand what you need to do to transform the team you have so they can soar rather than flounder during tough times.
As you can imagine with the economy, the response to this webinar has been explosive! I had to let you know about it. I have added more lines and opened up additional spots for you and your entire team.
Take 30 seconds to RSVP for this NO-COST WEBINAR on Thursday, September 17, 2009.
PS: Feel free to pass this invitation on to your family, friends and Associations for this one-of-a-kind-webinar experience.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/882672482
Listen in to find out how to avoid the common mistakes made when letting people go; how to avoid themand what you need to do to transform the team you have so they can soar rather than flounder during tough times.
As you can imagine with the economy, the response to this webinar has been explosive! I had to let you know about it. I have added more lines and opened up additional spots for you and your entire team.
Take 30 seconds to RSVP for this NO-COST WEBINAR on Thursday, September 17, 2009.
PS: Feel free to pass this invitation on to your family, friends and Associations for this one-of-a-kind-webinar experience.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/882672482
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
What Does the U.S, China and Mexico Have in Common?
When the book The World Is Flat came out everyone marveled that China or India was going to take all of America's jobs. So it got me thinking, what happens when a company or country suddenly does take a lead? Do they start to run in to rising costs? Higher demands from employees? Do they retain their edge or lose it?
In 2005 AlixPartners did a study and found that items entering from China were 22% cheaper than those produced in the U.S. By 2008 that gap had dropped to only a 5.5% edge to China. Hmm, is it still worth the trouble to do manufacturing outside the U.S.
Now an even more interesting phenomenon has happened. Mexico is now 20% cheaper for production than China!
So the cycle begins again. I bring this up just to remind you that what is will not always be. You need to constantly re-evaluate your business. Ask yourself, are you giving the best to your customers? Are you unique? Do you make them feel special?
For in the end, there will always be someone cheaper but the question is, where there be someone better?
Don't wait for your China or Mexico to come along and put you out of business. Start today to create that unique space that is solely yours.
Anne Warfield
More on Leadership from Anne Warfield
In 2005 AlixPartners did a study and found that items entering from China were 22% cheaper than those produced in the U.S. By 2008 that gap had dropped to only a 5.5% edge to China. Hmm, is it still worth the trouble to do manufacturing outside the U.S.
Now an even more interesting phenomenon has happened. Mexico is now 20% cheaper for production than China!
So the cycle begins again. I bring this up just to remind you that what is will not always be. You need to constantly re-evaluate your business. Ask yourself, are you giving the best to your customers? Are you unique? Do you make them feel special?
For in the end, there will always be someone cheaper but the question is, where there be someone better?
Don't wait for your China or Mexico to come along and put you out of business. Start today to create that unique space that is solely yours.
Anne Warfield
More on Leadership from Anne Warfield
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