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Lucy Windsor

Engagement – The Hot Potato

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Engagement

OK – so we all know that ‘Engagement’ is the hot potato!

Why is it so darn hot? Engaged staff are more likely to:

  • Perform better
  • Stay in post longer
  • Leave their post for positive reasons
  • Deliver more
  • Offer more discretionary service
  • Provide more value per head
  • Provide better customer service
  • Maintain positive relationships at work
  • Feel happier
  • Have more energy
  • Make better decisions
  • Seek leadership rather than management
  • Speak openly and positively about their employer (great PR!)
  • Positively impact profit
  • Attract other can-do people into the organisation
  • Create a World-Class culture

Many companies have tried ‘everything’ to engage their people. They really, genuinely care about them and want them to flourish. Not just for the business, but because it feels great to know that the people working for them enjoy being there! I am personally so passionate about the power of people that I published a book on the subject and my business is dedicated to giving and getting best-in-class.

There is currently such a lot of noise in the market. A plethora of products and services. If you run a company of any significant size, you will likely have a steady stream of sales people beating a path to your door, ready to try to sell you the latest solution to engagement.

If so, I am looking for you. Inspired business leaders who really care about their people, really care about their business, have the power to make decisions and want to be the best, attract the best and keep the best. This isn’t about the latest idea. It is a measurable, tangible, quality programme. A game-changer that pays for itself in terms of people engagement and all its associated benefits.

To find out more, Send me a private message – lucy@theperformance.biz and I will commit to the following:

A free 60 minute consultation. (This is not a sales call. There is takeaway value in this time).

BTW – There is currently nothing on our website about this. We want to support YOU in becoming the FIRST, or an early adopter in your class in Europe and we will do everything to support you in MEASURING your success and MAXIMISING the PR potential for you that goes with it BEFORE it becomes mainstream.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Naked Intent – Building Trust

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Strong deep business roots as a tree trunk with the root in the shape of a hand shake as a symbol of unity trust and integrity in finance and relationships.

It’s nigh on impossible to hide what we are thinking.  We expose ourselves all day, every day.  That is, what we are thinking leaks out in our facial expressions, our physiology, the language we use and our tone of voice.

It’s not that people can necessarily know exactly what we are thinking, we leak just enough for others to spot something.  An inconsistency, conflict or judgement. We can’t help but put our feelings out there, whether we are face to face, on the phone or in writing and what’s more – like trying to examine one’s own eyeball, it is really hard to see for ourselves the underlying message we are giving out.

Why does this matter?

It matters more now than ever because of the conscious move towards building trust in business. Even if we think we have been really careful about how we phrase something, our true intent is revealed.  So if our true intent is not in line with our stated intent, we risk losing the trust of those we are working with.  Or put it another way, we piss people off.

Have you ever had a situation where you can’t quite put your finger on it, but you just don’t believe someone, or they irritate you and you don’t really know why? Or maybe you feel manipulated in some way?  It might well be that you have subconsciously picked up on an incongruence between your understanding of the situation and what is actually taking place.  The discomfort that rises up in your body draws your attention to it, allowing you to probe a little and when satisfied, feel comfortable again.

Much has been said about emotional intelligence at work and its importance in building trust.  It can be really confusing.  Some people who believe they have high empathy, come out as having low empathy, and there are many who feel inside that they are emotionally intelligent yet, they are told they are not.  Remember the song – ‘I’m just a soul who’s intentions are good, Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.’

There are many schools of thought around Emotional Intelligence.  My belief is that it is primarily a matter of intent.  Get that clear, and everything else follows.  Everyone has the capacity to be emotionally intelligent.  Everyone too has the capacity to be emotionally ‘un’intelligent.  The variable is not the person, but the intention of the person.

Imagine you are in a meeting about a new project, sponsored by the CEO:

Your intention is to build trust between members of the team.  What might you do?  Offer teas, coffees etc…  Outline an agenda… Summarise your understanding of what is being said… Listen intently to what is required of you… Smile and offer your assurance that you have taken the ideas on board… Use open gestures…  Offer your appreciation towards others for their contribution or viewpoint… Freely share your perspective… These are all things you would do naturally, without giving it a second thought.

Imagine now that in your opinion, your colleague is getting too much attention for his mediocre ideas and you want to reassert yourself as the expert in your field.  What would be different in your behaviour?  You are unlikely to offer the drinks, that would be someone else’s role… You will want to talk about solutions, why one will work and not the other.  You will want to be sure everyone present understands the rationale behind your point of view…  And you will look for reasons to promote your ideas and to dismiss your colleagues ideas in favour of your own.

Finally, imagine your intent is to get others to like you.  You might laugh and smile if challenged… You might find it hard to support your own view point.  More likely to be swayed by the arguments of others… You are likely to tell people what they want to hear, even if it is not what you believe…  Perhaps you are keen to take on jobs that others aren’t interested in doing…

The same person with different intentions will behave very differently.  As you will see only one of the three examples is focussed on the needs of others.

Lining up our intent with the aspirations of the task helps to build trust and empathy.

To find out how The Performance Business can help your company, call Lucy on 01932 888885

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Can Teenagers Teach Us?

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Group Of Young People Relaxing In Countryside

The other day, I had the honour of taking part in an ‘interview practice day’ at the local senior school.

I met with outstanding individuals, who were able to field even the most difficult questions with sensible and thoughtful responses.

These young people represent our future generation.  Bright and talented, each of them filled with hope and desire and passion.  Their ambition is to carve out a path for their adult selves.  A path where they are valued and valuable, contributing in their own unique way to society.

These individuals are powered by their values and there is a genuine desire in all of them to make a positive difference in their corner of the World.

This is the third year that I have had this opportunity and each time, I am humbled by the grace and willingness of teenagers I meet.

My first year of interviews and I had the unusual experience of interviewing a ‘goth’.  Or so she said.  In fact, she looked far from it to me.  She was smartly dressed in a suit and wore sensible makeup, only betrayed by the fact that she approached my desk entirely without a smile – this being the only nod to her chosen identity.  We talked and she responded in a guarded fashion for a while and to be honest, it was a bit tricky to get much out of her at all.

I decided to ask about her hobbies.  This was when she shared her goth status with me.  I was interested to hear what it entailed.  She described her friends and the fact that they love nothing more than to attend special conventions in London.

As she chatted, she began to smile broadly and became engaging, a pleasure to speak to.  Then, with absolute unfettered delight she exclaimed “…and the best bit is the free hugs!”  “Free hugs?” I enquired, “What do you mean?”  The girl explained that there are several people at these conventions offering free hugs to anyone who wants one.

This was a very profound moment for me.  I had been invited in, briefly, to her world.  The one filled with love and camaraderie different to my own experience.  An unconditional acceptance between people brought together by their shared identity.

We went on to chat easily about her ambition to become a graphic designer and her passion for the subject.

At the end of the interview, the girl and I shook hands and this triggered the return of the mask.  Her smile once again gone, she walked away.  A goth in a suit.  And as I watched her leave I felt privileged.

That encounter gave me an insight rarely allowed and brought home to me so powerfully the human need that we all have inside us for acceptance and unconditional love, whatever identity we choose for ourselves, or circles we mix in.  She touched my heart.

Year 2 and again, I met outstanding teenagers, all doing their best and once again, opening themselves up to scrutiny and critique.  Laying themselves bare to the judgement of older, more experienced, (but not necessarily wiser) adults.

One girl stood out particularly.  Her trial interview was for a job in fashion.  When I asked about her interest, she said she had her own blog, which she used as the vehicle to share her fashion tips.  She already had over 300 followers.  Forward thinking for a school-girl in 2012.

This year, probably because of my own personal focus specifically over recent years, I was struck by the integrity of these young people.   And what I came away with has given me an even more urgent and determined impetus in my work.

Every young person I interviewed, as with each year beforehand, demonstrated a very clear and strong set of values.  They are respectful, committed and loyal.  They are interested in contributing to society in a positive way.  They measure their success and fulfilment by their ability to do a good job, whilst remaining firmly aligned to their values.

At one point during the day, I interviewed a boy interested in dentistry, so his practise interview was for the post of trainee dentist.  He showed great promise, was eloquent and very interested in the patient experience.  He described a day’s experience he’d spent recently shadowing a dentist at work.  In the feedback, however, he said he wasn’t entirely sure that he wanted to be a dentist, he might go into medicine instead.

I explained that in an interview, he should show the interviewer that this is the job he’s absolutely committed to and passionate about over and above any other.  His response?  “But that wouldn’t be true.”  I paused for a moment and then said to the boy.  “Integrity is important to you, is there another way to show your passion without compromising your values?”  Together, we came up with a solution.  He discovered that as a dentist, his  passion would be in giving people confidence through having a smile to be proud of.  This is his truth and he can be both passionate and congruent at the same time.

I am privileged in my work.  I am a communications specialist.  I observe people’s behaviour.  And I see it when a person’s values are compromised.  They feel it.  They feel the immediate stress and discomfort of their own misalignment and it creates both a physical and emotional reaction that is visible.

Yet, in the workplace, how many leaders, managers, colleagues take the time to look out for the misalignment of values?  How often are people told to do things that they feel personally uncomfortable about?

I believe that there is a spectrum.  At one end of the spectrum, we use language that can be misinterpreted.  As with my initial suggestion to the boy that it would serve him well to show his focus and commitment to the role of dentist.  Yet, how many leaders in business take the time to uncover what their staff are feeling and adjust their language accordingly?

At the other end of the spectrum, after years of overriding values again and again, we no longer know or care what our values are.  Hector Sants, Chief Exec at the then FSA during the banking crisis said in his Mansion House speech in October 2010:

“…It is crucial that we improve behaviours and judgements.  To do this we must address the role that culture and ethics play in shaping these.

“I believe that until this issue is addressed we will not be able to prevent another crisis of this magnitude from occurring again, and will never fully restore the trust of society in the financial system.”

Hector Sants and his team determined that years of erosion of values had occurred in the name of commercial success, to the point that in the financial sector at least, ethics had become a secondary concern in some organisations.  The consequences of which are still being felt across the globe several years on.

Just like an addiction, drink, drugs, gambling, food, sex, money – our bodies start out trying to tell us that we’ve had enough.  We get physical symptoms, we feel stressed, depressed, hungover, uncomfortable, anxious, sad, empty, alone.  Yet, rather than listening to our body, we press the override button for another ‘hit’ to make us feel better.  And we press it again, and again and again…  Eventually, our body no longer knows if it’s had too much or not enough, it is just in a permanent state of stress and wanting

We are, in the main, bringing up our young people to respect values and to act in alignment with their own.  Yet as adults, too many of us trample over our own values and the values of others on a daily basis, both at work and at home.

If asked, many adults would find it hard to articulate what their values even are, because so little attention is paid to them.  Indeed, if it wasn’t for bodies giving us physical and emotional symptoms, we would be none the wiser.  Yet, whether we know it or not, when we go against our beliefs and our values, we feel pain and so do our children.

That said, there is nothing more empowering than to come back into alignment with oneself.  It brings with it a clarity of purpose and freedom that can’t be found anywhere else and it is easier than one might imagine.

Call on 01932 888885, or email Lucy@theperformance.biz to book a consultation.

 

People Aren’t Widgets Book Review

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img_2238

Wow!!

Control Journal and Asset and Risk Review have reviewed the book.  They seemed to like it:

“People Aren’t Widgets is one of those books that you will delve into time and time again throughout your career.  It is more than an outstanding business book.  It is truly inspirational.”

To read some other reviews, and buy your copy, go to Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

To speak with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885, or click here.

8 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

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Open Journal Book and Cup of Herbal Tea

This is the last in this series of 8 daily habits that will get you in the zone and help find fun in your work:  8. Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 8.  Do these mini rituals on a daily basis and you will find yourself in the zone and filled with energy and joie de vivre!!

Hold onto your hats – life just changed up a gear!

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday
  • Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing
  • Avoid blaming others
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)

Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

When was the last time you reflected on what you have learnt about yourself?  This exercise is personal development in a nutshell – an easy way to grow little by little each day.  After just one month doing this daily, you are guaranteed to feel so much stronger, more capable, confident and motivated!

List down one thing you have learnt about yourself today, whether it is something you are particularly good at, or something you have noticed you do that is holding you back from being the best you can be.

Then, whether you have identified a strength or area that requires some attention, commit to an action to make a positive change for the future.

Now, with a smile and a high-five, you’ve just given yourself the most valuable gift that money can’t buy.  You’re in the zone and can do more with less effort.  You hold the key to creating fun in your work and in your life!

To talk with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885, or click here.

7 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

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hand throwing a grenade isolated on white

We are pretty well programmed to look for the blame in any situation.  And of course, things go wrong and people are at fault.  However, no one is infallible.  Even when things have gone wrong.  Even when the rug is pulled from under our feet.  We have a choice:  7. Avoid blaming others

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 7.  It is all coming together now, just as it should be.  As you incorporate these tips into your daily routine, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday
  • Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing
  • Avoid blaming others (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Avoid blaming others

It is easy to blame someone else for how we feel, or for the failing of a task, often there is  justification for doing so. If someone else had done things differently the situation might never have happened.  However, there is a huge downside to blaming.  In doing so, we render ourselves powerless.  It wasn’t our fault. We weren’t responsible.  We had no option.  Our hands were tied.  When we dwell on blame, we are focused in the past.  What should have, could have happened and the injustice of it.

No one enjoys being powerless.

Regain your power.

The situation is what it is.  The events leading up to the situation have already happened.  The clock can’t be turned back.  You regain your power when you focus on what you can do next that will lead towards the best outcome instead of focusing on what is or was outside your control and blaming others.

This is a small shift.  It absolutely does not mean allowing yourself to be a soft touch or a doormat.  It just means to accept the reality as it stands and put all your energy and attention on where to go from this point forwards.

 

To talk with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885 or click here.

6 of 8 ways to get in the zone and find the fun in your work

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Golden egg among common eggs

Golden egg among common eggs

Is that a smile creeping across your face now as you get into the zone and find the fun in your work?  The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre : 6. Take responsibility for your wellbeing.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 6.  It is all coming together now, just as it should be.  As you incorporate these tips into your daily routine, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday
  • Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
  • Avoid blaming others
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Take responsibility for your wellbeing

One of the biggest stress factors is the feeling that we don’t have control of a situation.  Perhaps someone has upset or offended us.  We, or someone we know, has been treated unfairly in some way.  There is nothing worse than to think that the behaviour of others has made us feel bad.

It is time to let others off the hook.  They can’t ever be responsible for how I feel.  It is the same for you.

Practise this in situations that are trivial, safe and have little impact first (for instance, a minor confrontation in a shop).  Someone does something that causes you distress or upset, make a note of it and when you are on you own, analyse it.  Ask yourself this question:  What could I have done differently that would have created a different, better outcome?  Take Tina’s example:

Situation: I was cross because they didn’t give me a refund for my goods even though they were in perfect, unused condition.  They were really ‘jobs worth’ about it.  I refuse to be talked to like that by anyone.

Analysis: I knew that I only had 30 days to return the goods and it was day 33.  I  came up to the counter ready for an argument about missing the returns window.  I was visibly irritated when they didn’t accept it.

OK, so now she knows.  This particular scuffle would definitely have been prevented if Tina had returned the goods within the timeframe allowed.  Or, if she had apologised for missing the deadline and asked if it was at all possible to accept the return, despite being outside the 30 days, they just might have the goodwill and the authority to accept the return.  If not, Tina would have learnt a good lesson – there is a consequence to missing deadlines.

If you have a minor confrontation, wait till you have calmed down and analyse it.  If there is an opportunity to apologise and make amends for the way you have behaved, do so.  If the other party’s behaviour was also inappropriate, it is likely they too will apologise.  But they might not and you will notice that acceptance of your own behaviour is actually all you need. What others do is for them to reconcile with themselves.

Either way, make a note of how you would approach the situation another time.  Perhaps chuckle at yourself for getting uptight over something you could have avoided, and look forward to the next opportunity so you can practice.

To get in touch with us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885, or click here.

5 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

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Perfect Wave

If you have already been incorporating steps 1-4 into your daily routine, the load you have been carrying should be feeling much lighter already.  The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre and find the fun in your work is: 5. Any time you feel tense, breathe deeply and be still – it will pass.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 5.  We will give you more information on each tip over the coming weeks and as you incorporate these tips into your life, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday
  • Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still – it will pass (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing
  • Avoid blaming others
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Any time you feel tense – breathe deeply and be still.  It will pass

Over the course of a day, it is possible that something or someone will bother you. Or several things or several people.  It is a natural desire to want to defend or justify your position.

However, when you are in the middle of experiencing a physical response to a situation (a feeling of tension somewhere inside your body) it is often best to say nothing at all.  This is because when we have a physical reaction to a situation, this means we are in fight or flight mode.  At this place, we only have access to a small area of our brain, the reactive area.  Its purpose is survival and protection.

In this state,  when you feel tense, you will be quick to arrive at short term solutions (for instance, get angry and shout; blame others; get upset, cry; leave; give in etc…)  but you will not have considered the broader consequences and you are likely to end up feeling, at the least, misunderstood.

Stop, walk away, sleep on it, breathe deeply.  Put your attention onto something you are in full control of, like cooking a meal, or if you are at work, use this as an opportunity to tidy your papers or do something else that distracts you and gives you an immediate positive reward.  As you focus elsewhere, let the thoughts that are troubling you come and go like the waves of the sea washing over you, and away without trying to resolve them.

Be peaceful.  The answers you are searching for will come when you are ready.

To speak to us call +44 (0)1932 888 885 or click here.

 

 

4 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

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Sprinter leaving on the running track. Explosive start.

By now you are finding 15 minutes in your day to be at peace.  Stopping the world just for that moment to recharge.  You have also clarified your purpose and are finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places and you are beginning to enjoy yourself.  The next step towards regaining your joie de vivre and find the fun in your work is: 4. Do something today better than you did yesterday.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 4.  We will give you more information on each tip over the coming weeks and as you incorporate these tips into your life, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
  • Any time you feel tense, breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing
  • Avoid blaming others
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Do something today better than you did yesterday

Have you ever resolved to make changes in the way you do things?  Launching yourself confidently with good intent into a new way of operating.  We probably all have at one time or another.  Yet, within a few days, maybe a month, we are back to old habits without even realising it.

Changes take a bit of bedding down.  We have to get used to the idea of behaving differently.  We need to have a reason to make changes, or they just won’t stick.

One way to create positive changes that stick is to remind yourself everyday that you will do something better than you did yesterday.  No grand goal, just something better every day.

Upping your standards, just a little bit every day, coupled with knowing your purpose (see step 2) means you have the beginnings of new habits.  It is quite fun to record your progress.  Over the period of several months, you can look back and see the enormous strides you have made and how easy it was.

 

 

3 of 8 ways to get into the zone and find the fun in your work

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The girl in the train

Next step towards regaining your joie de vivre and find the fun in your work is this:  Find something or someone to inspire you.

Read on to find all 8 tips and for the ‘how to’ and ‘why to’ for tip number 3. Find something or someone to inspire you.  We will give you more information on each tip over the coming weeks and as you incorporate these tips into your life, you will be well on your way to regaining your joie de vivre and finding the fun in your work.

Daily checklist:

  • Be at peace and in silence for 15 minutes
  • Clarify your purpose
  • Find something or someone to inspire you (for information on ‘how to’ and ‘why to’, read on)
  • Do something today better than you did yesterday
  • Any time you feel tense, breathe deeply and be still – it will pass
  • Take responsibility for your wellbeing
  • Avoid blaming others
  • Write down one thing you’ve learnt about yourself today

Find Something or Someone to Inspire You

Have you noticed on your way to work, someone takes the last seat on the train, or they cut in front of you when you are driving.  Perhaps you find yourself dealing with Jobs Worth who seems to enjoy the game of blocking everything you are trying to achieve.

We are very good at spotting the things that wind us up.  For some it has become a bit of a sport – something to keep them occupied on the journey in.  A way of letting off steam.  Yet, as addicted as we are to being negative about others, it doesn’t actually do us many favours, apart from a brief injection of energy and excitement.

If you really want to get into the zone and find the fun in your work, take up a different sport.  Look instead for inspiration.  On your train journey, see if you can spot something or someone who inspires you.  Anyone or anything at all.  It could be completely unrelated to your life and situation.  But make it your quest to find inspiration.  If the last seat is taken, you will barely notice, so focused are you on looking for what might inspire you.  If someone drives in front of you, then pull back a little and let them through, because you have just seen an apple tree that you haven’t noticed before, growing bravely and rather incongruently by the side of the road and you are inspired.

Find something or someone to inspire you daily and before long, it will become such a source of fun and excitement, that you’ll be hooked.

To talk to us, call +44 (0)1932 888 885 or click here

 

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