Blog - Page 8 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

May

2023

Responding to Change

Leading at work and at home, I know how hard it can be to manage and respond to change. Life and work move faster than ever, and we must evolve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape we operate in. Recognizing and responding to change is essential to stay competitive and thriving at work and home. Here are a few tips to help you thrive in responding to change as a leader at work and home.

Understand the Change.

The first step in responding to any change is understanding the change and why it’s happening. Then, take the time to research the change and ask questions if you need to. Once you clearly understand the change, you can move forward with your response.

Determine the Impact.

Once you know the change and why it’s taking place, it’s time to assess its impact. Ask yourself how the change will affect your operations, products, services, and customers at work. At home, ask how this will affect my family, schedule, and routines. Knowing the potential impact will help you to plan how you should respond.

Develop a Plan of Action.

After assessing the change’s impact, it’s time to develop a plan of action. This plan should include short and long-term strategies to respond effectively to the change. Finally, identify any challenges and create solutions to overcome them.

Stay Agile and Flexible.

As a leader, you must stay agile and flexible in responding to change. Be prepared to pivot and adjust your plan as needed. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. Agility and flexibility will help you stay ahead of the competition and remain successful.

Communicate the Change.

Once you have a plan of action, it’s important to communicate the change to your team. Ensure everyone is aware of the change and the plan you created to respond to it. This plan will help ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal.

Responding to change is an essential part of being a leader. By understanding the change, assessing the impact, creating a plan of action, staying agile, and communicating the change to your team, you can prepare your team to respond to any changes that come your way. Sometimes when facing change, we need someone else to help us see what we can’t. If you need help thinking about how to implement a change you see coming? Contact me for a no-cost-to-you thinking partner session. In the meantime, continue to press on through the change. Lead Well.

Apr

2023

5 Steps to Solving Problems

Are you having a tough time figuring out how to solve a problem? You’re not alone! I am in the middle of processing a problem to determine how to grow something I help lead.

Problem-solving can be tough and overwhelming, but don’t worry – there are steps to make it more manageable. Here are some tips to help you become the problem-solving pro you were meant to be.

Identify the problem

Before you can start solving the problem, you have to identify what the problem is. It might be helpful to write down or draw out the problem so you have a visual representation of it. Try to be as specific as possible when identifying the problem – this will help make the rest of the process go more smoothly.Break it down

How do we eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Same with our problem, once you’ve identified the problem, start breaking it down into smaller, more manageable parts. This will help you to make the process less overwhelming and help you identify potential solutions or approaches.

Brainstorm solutions

Now that you have a better understanding of the problem and have broken it down into smaller components, start brainstorming potential solutions. Write down as many ideas as you can think of – even if they don’t seem feasible. This will help you to get your creative juices flowing and will give you more ideas to work with. Involve your team in this as well because more minds bring more ideas.

Analyze the Solutions

Once you have a list of potential solutions, it’s time to analyze them. Consider the pros and cons of each option and decide which one is the best. This helps you narrow down your options and create a plan of action.

Take Action

Think of solutions is the easy part. Now that you have identified the best solution, take action. Create a plan of action and set a timeline for completion. A plan may be as simple as just the first step. The timeline will help keep you on track to continue moving forward.

Monitor Results

Finally, it’s important to monitor the results of your problem-solving efforts. Keep track of progress and adjust as needed. If you sense you are not moving toward your goal this will help determine where to adjust. As you can see, problem-solving continues even in this stage to ensure you get the best results.

Problem-solving can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following these tips, you can become a problem-solving pro and tackle any problem that comes your way. Maybe you are like me and get stuck and could benefit a thinking partner to help you keep moving forward. If so, contact me for a no cost to you thinking partner session. In the meantime, get out there and start solving! Lead Well.

Apr

2023

Communication Lessons from a Recording Studio

The lights are on you. There is a teleprompter in front of you and you are talking to no one.

This was my experience recently in a professional recording studio as I had the opportunity to record videos for something I am a part of as a faculty member with the Maxwell Leadership Team. As I look back on that experience a few keys to communicating effectively come to mind.

These keys apply whether recording in a studio for a small or no audience, in front of a few people, or in front of a large audience.

Preparation

“You cannot deliver what you have not developed.” John C. Maxwell

The above quote comes from John Maxwell’s new book The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication. Leading up to the days in the studio I was spending even more time preparing. When we are communicating the key to our confidence is in our preparation. The bigger the meeting or the shorter the time we have, the more preparation we will need.

When preparing we want to consider these ideas that John Maxwell provides:

What do we want them to know?
What do we want them to do?

These are two questions that will help us gather our thoughts. I will address two other questions in the next section.

Presentation

I had the opportunity to start over when I made a mistake because my mistakes could be edited. I was stressed about how I appeared for this which is not like me. Leading up to the trip I had to get input on the proper clothing to wear.

In the first three seconds, someone sees us they make a judgment. Whether we like it or not, that judgment is influenced by how we present ourselves. Do we appear confident and professional? Do we seem credible? These are questions people are asking.

As we look at presentation we must consider John’s other two questions:

What do we want them to see?
What do we want them to feel?

These questions are not about us but what we can give to the people we are communicating with. People are moved to action by what they see in front of them or in their imagination. Not only that but action is influenced strongly in the beginning by feeling. How we present ourselves impacts how we can influence them. Our enthusiasm, energy, and the overall presentation should be considered.

Pronunciation

I realize this seems elementary. What I mean by this is how clearly I communicated mattered in the studio. Every sound was amplified. Did I present with confidence or was I sloppy in how I communicated? The words I chose and how I spoke them would forever be recorded. For that reason I had to not only prepare thoroughly as I mentioned but also communicate clearly.

When we communicate in front of others how we speak sends a message. Not only is the message easier to understand, but the quality of our pronunciation affects the impact of what we say. Part of that is the inflection we use and what we emphasize.

Examine these three areas. Which one of them do you need to improve on to be an even more effective communicator as a leader? Work one one area this week and continue to grow your communication so you grow your influence as a leader. Lead Well.

Apr

2023

Leaders Provide Hope

I am writing this on Easter morning. For some people this day is more than just a day about a bunny. This is a day about hope.

As a business leader, you understand the importance of hope. Part of your job is to provide hope, optimism, and direction to your team. You set the tone of success and drive your teams to reach their goals. As a leader, you are the provider of hope.

If your title is CEO may I suggest it stands for “Chief Encouragement Officer.” Even if this is not your title as a leader you provide hope and here are some ideas on how.

Providing Clarity

Leaders give their teams clarity and focus. They provide direction and focus on the future, while keeping the team motivated and inspired. Leaders create a space for their team to thrive, where everyone can work together to reach shared goals and objectives.

Safety and Security

Leaders provide hope to those in their organization by creating a safe and secure environment. A space where employees feel comfortable expressing themselves and taking the necessary risks to achieve success. They provide the support and guidance needed to make difficult decisions and take risks.

Stability

Leaders also bring a level of stability to their organizations. They create a vision of success and create a path for their team to follow. Leaders provide hope in times of chaos, when the future is uncertain, and when the risks seem too great. They apply what leadership expert John Maxwell calls “The Law of Navigation” by providing guidance and direction to ensure that their teams can reach their goals.

Leaders are not only providers of hope at work, but they provide hope to their communities. They are the voices of change, creating solutions to challenges and empowering their communities to drive positive change. They are the ones who stand up and speak out, who speak the truth to empower and create solutions to challenges.

Leaders provide hope. They provide the vision, guidance, and support needed to achieve success. They are the heroes of our time, the individuals who stand up and speak out, who create solutions and drive positive change. They are the beacons of hope in our world, the ones who inspire and motivate their teams and communities. You understand the importance of leadership. Be one who provides hope today.

Need help getting clarity so you can provide hope. Contact me for a thinking partner session to discover how I can help you and your team be the leaders they were made to be. Lead Well.

Apr

2023

Getting Out of the Pit

I had just left the meeting.

It went horribly!

Maybe you know the type. The kind where you feel like you just crashed and burned and then blew up at the end. It was an utter, dismal failure. To such a point that I was ready to quit.

The thoughts were running through my head, such as “you can never be good at this.” Or “I will never succeed.” Those were just a couple of the thoughts as I mentally threw haymakers at myself.

Recently I was reading the book Boundaries for Leaders, and I learned about Martin Seligman’s three “P’s.” As I reflect on that situation I realize I was taking myself down the pit these three P’s lead us to.

Allow me to explain the three P’s and suggest a way to lead ourselves better to prevent allowing them to take us into the pit of despair.

Personal

In my situation, I was taking the result and assuming that it was my fault that I would not succeed. We need to assume responsibility for our actions, but that is all. We can’t assume responsibility for the actions or responses of others. When we slip down the slope of personalizing the situation we say to ourselves that we are bad. We make the negative result all about us. Nothing is 100% about us.

Pervasive

As I slid further down the pit I thought that not only was this one situation bad, but so were all sorts of other things. When we slide here we allow ourselves to get into a negative mindset seeing the bad in all situations. This can be shifted, but I will get to that in just a moment.

Permanent

This is the point where I got and sent a text to my mentor and coach “I’m ready to quit.” This was when I thought it would never get better. This will always be this bad. Why should I even try? We have hit the bottom of the pit at this point and need to find a way to dig out.

How do we dig out?

People

Just like I sent that text when we feel ourselves sliding into the pit we need people we can reach out to. These would be people in our inner circle who help us and will graciously speak truth into our lives.

Positive

A slight shift could have helped me not go deeper as I slid into the pervasive mode. Focusing on the things that have gone well in the past. What we focus on expands. If we focus in a negative moment on all the negative . . . that is all we will see. On the other hand, if we find positive in these negative moments and continue to focus on that we prevent our slide.

Perspective

Cloud describes an exercise where you draw a line down the middle of a page. On one side write down all that you can’t control. Chances are this is a lot of the negative. After you have finished that list put an X through it and stop focusing on it.

On the other side of the paper write down all that you can control. This exercise helps us regain perspective and reframe our mind on the positive in a practical way.

We are the most difficult people to lead. I hope this serves as a tool to help you lead yourself more effectively to improve your mindset and results. Want to dive deeper into winning the mental battle? Check out this resource to help you continue to grow in this area. Lead Well.

Mar

2023

Five Tips to Help You Create Vision

Over the past couple of months I’ve had the opportunity to help some business leaders and non-profit organizations work on their business strategy. A big key to strategy is having a clear vision.

As a business leader, you are the one who helps define the vision for your team and encourages buy-in from everyone involved. Creating a vision can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you create a vision for your team:

Start with the End in Mind

Before you start trying to create a vision, think about what success looks like. What do you want your team to accomplish in the long run? Spend some time thinking about it, and then you can start to create a vision that will help your team achieve that success.

Get Input from Your Team

Once you’ve identified what success looks like, the next step is to get input from your team. Find out what they think success looks like, and then you can start to create a vision that incorporates everyone’s ideas. This is important because it helps create a sense of ownership and buy-in from everyone involved.

Make Sure your Vision is Achievable

A vision is only effective if it is achievable. The vision should be something that feels like it will require teamwork and effort, but realistic enough your team can see themselves accomplishing it. If your vision is to triple your income and the last few years you have only had a ten percent growth people will get discouraged because it won’t seem achievable. Scale it to be stretching and, with work, achievable.

Be Specific and Clear

Make sure that your vision is clear and specific. This will help your team understand what they need to do to achieve success. Put numbers or some type of metric with the vision to provide clarity. Creating a scoreboard that is visual can also help.

Communicate the Vision to Your Team

Vision leaks. People forget in the whirlwind of work and life what the big picture is. Once you have created a vision, communicate it to your team. . . often. Make sure that everyone understands the vision and is clear on their role in achieving the vision

Creating a vision for your team can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and can help to create a sense of buy-in from everyone involved. With the right approach, you can create a vision that will help your team achieve success. Need help thinking into your vision? Contact me for a thinking partner call to help you think into your personal and team vision. Lead Well!