There has never been more pressures on you and your team. Since March I’ve seen these issues increasing in teams and I’ve enabled them to create solutions to be adaptable, resilient, creative, less stressed and more productive.
Issues include;
Here I will share advice, coaching strategies and further reading for you and your team to enable you to thrive in these working from home, challenging times.
Use this article to look at the what you, your team and organisation stand for. You need to accept and utilise the power of the science of each individual so you can then help them all to go down the same path but honouring the person they are. Sounds impossible right? With 1 concentrating on budgets, another on customer experience and another on KPI’s?
However when you can see how everyone thinks, acts, works and they see how you think, act, work, you can create a strategy that enables everyone.
This is critical in these challenging times so that people feel honoured and respected. Listened to and safe to say “Help!” or “What do you mean by that?” or “Can I make a suggestion on a better way here?”
Those water cooler moments are missing from our fast paced zoom/team overloaded days. This helps re-establishes these essential office ethics.
Mandie Holgate
You can use this article to help your team to understand how they manage their time and what they deem to be essential/urgent/the priority. Which leads us on to…
This is something I created for a client who told me it didn’t matter if they had 10 days in a week their boss would still fill it! When we looked at their list of tasks we could see that there were tasks that were assumed to be essential that actually weren’t. We often add things to our to do list that honour who we are. So for instance if you are someone that worries what others will think, you are likely to spend valuable time emailing people when it is not necessary. A solution could be a quick word in the next meeting, establishing expected boundaries and you instantly could be saving time.
Got someone that copies everyone into everything? Have you considered they lack confidence and don’t want to risk upsetting the team or letting you down? Seeing things from a new perspective usually removes at least 25% of most people’s deemed essential tasks.
If you can’t find anything, then its’ highly likely you are assuming you have to do everything and there is not a better way.
There is, you just haven’t explored this to a deep enough level yet to discover it. This article explores what those hidden issues may be.
When you are all heading down the same path to the same goal research says that your team are far more likely to rise to any challenge when they feel like they helped create the plans and actions. (They will even do this with no pay rise as long as fundamental things like gratitude and respect are practiced – see we aren’t all money orientated?)
Therefore it’s imperative that you understand how to keep everyone (including yourself) motivated and productive, especially when they have to be self sufficient and work in an unnatural way to them. This article looks at how to achieve that, covering;
It greatly concerns me that absenteeism is going to rise due to poor mental health causing many physical health problems as well as increased anxiety and depression. Did you know that mental health conditions cost UK Businesses £8 billion every year and that’s a pre-Covid 19 year!
Here in this article we explore key strategies I use with teams to help them create a mental health tool kit, revisiting some strategies that you may recognise. Learn not to fight who you are and how being honest and communicating your needs will lead to greater resilience and adaptability.
If you fear doing this then item 4. Looking at guilt will be essential. I’ve never seen guilt be good for a person. Some negative emotions and feelings can force us to find a more powerful and better way of working. I’ve never seen guilt do this for a single client. https://www.mandieholgate.co.uk/howtoreduceabsenteeismtozero/
And lastly when you face adversity and control seems to have been removed from your working life it can be hard to stay positive. Here we explore the key mistakes leaders make when engaging with their team and how to remove yourself from the equation so your team can be honest and get what they need at this challenging time.
I recommend that companies create a plan of action together. I usually hear it’s far harder to do in your organisation because you’ve got your own views, experiences, beliefs, values and expectations impacting on how you view what others see and feel. This often stops people from hearing what is actually going on, adding their own twist and perspection.
The above article will you help explore how different personalities may not fit well with yours and what you can do about it. (Without expecting a personality transplant!) It will help you explore better ways to phrase things and how if you aren’t dealing with these key areas that impact on what your team are saying and feeling can impact on inter departmental relationships, negativity and a feeling that we are all doomed!
No matter which articles you read or share with your team, ensure you don’t add more than a few actions on your plan to achieve it. 3 to 5 is plenty. It ensures momentum and continued accountability an action. This needs to also have a date in your diary to reflect and review.
Ensure you don’t underestimate the dip in confidence can have on you and your team. There are so many articles on this site about boosting your confidence and what is the underlying cause it’s easier to use the magnifying glass to find what you need. Taking Control Of Your Mind and Fight the fear are 2 of my books that I know have a exceptionally high success rate in helping people build confidence, honour who they are get what they want in life.
By starting this process with “Where are we now?” you can look to see where the improvements are and aren’t and adapt your plan accordingly. I like a 1 to 10 scale. Because those that like the big picture right through to those that like the detail can get on board with this simple system. Here is an example of one that was created for a team. A benchmark graph can be a visual tool that everyone has a copy of and can compare over the weeks. It leads to a great follow up session of questions like;
In this session the circles including the following words that mattered to them as leaders;
I would have added (personally but it wasn’t my list!)
This is an depth study of many coaching sessions looking at leadership, time management, increased productivity, KPI’s and team relationships. Let me know how you get on and what additional opportunities you would like for you and your team. I’d be happy to explore how we best create this.
(44) 1206 381482
I once was sat with a client who protested “I could have 10 days in a week and I’d still not have enough time to get everything done!”
We went on to create a 10 day week and they were right, they had too much to do! But through their coaching session they created this plan and now miraculously have more time, less stress and achieve more. The 10 day week is a strategy for time management that is so powerful that I share it with many business owners, teams and leaders and it helps increase productivity and creativity and reduce stress too.
Below you can download your own version and ensure you also ask the below questions(these are some of the ones that featured in my session with my client), because often when you don’t have enough time in your day these things are the real issue;
Questions to ask yourself;
There are lot of questions you need to ask yourself, but if you aren’t achieving it is more likely to do with your perception of what is importance, your confidence and communication and prioritising what your success needs. I’m happy to have a chat to look at this in more detail.10 day plan
My online mastermind group is only £5 a month and gets incredibly results. I’ve just launched all my courses for my mastermind group at £1 each so that I can add more low cost ways to support those looking to achieve more no matter what. Learn more here.
I know you have a mountain of things to get done and the bank holiday seems like a great opportunity to get ahead, right?
But here’s the thing, I once created a 10 day week for a client, and they could see that no matter how much time you create – you will fill it.
Mountains of research points to the benefits on your minds ability to problem solve, get creative, get productive and even sell more from having a bit of down time. Space.
That’s not checking your phone. That’s going for a bike ride. Painting a picture. Walking the dog. Yoga. The Gym. A barbecue with friends. Reading for no other reading than you love the book. Tinkering in your garage/studio/hobby room or garden.
Just real brain space from work.
The reason you won’t do it is because there’s a real fear hiding there;
The list of excuses for not turning off the phone and stepping away is endless. And I’ve probably heard them all;
In every case the client has been able to see the detrimental effect that needing to work 24/7 has on their long-term success, their happiness, their family and friends, their health even their ability to make more money.
So, trust me when I say, step away from the phone/laptop/report.
Escape.
If you want lasting success – Escape. It’s just one day.
But before you escape you need to;
Not feeling it?
Feel this is impossible to do?
I’m more than happy to have a chat anytime. Well you know how it is right?