Leadership Development

The Natural Instinct Women Have for Leading

2012-03-05T23:03:00.000-08:00

Gender diversity is a business issue not just a women’s issue. And while some old school-tie Boardroom talk may publicly support women on boards, are we really only hearing echoes of a quota system that is reverberating along~~are~~the doors of the Boardroom which are slammed shut on change.

Women have a natural instinct to lead – from caring and leading their families, to leading the people who care for the companies they work for and with. They can make do with lean resources at home when necessary and lean resources at work. Principles are the same. Most do it well. Trusting themselves to do it better is up to them, and up to the Boards and businesses they work for to allow them to do what they do best.

Interesting to note however, that those who really excel have their finger on the pulse by doing the following things even better.

They are good historians and futurists as they understand the trends and future cycles of business and people.
They are able to assess where they are aligned to a company’s values and can make the call if not (a yell would be ok too!).
They make friends with the balance sheet and understand the numbers so they are not intimidated by discussions or acronyms on finance.
They know if they are Leadership material earlier than men in most cases, and make haste slowly when it comes to getting to grips with what is needed.
Most remain current and up to date with global issues as well as what is happening internally with their staff. A good balance between people and processes.
They can find a person on a Board of Directors and work out who should be guiding them
Women can network to improve their net-worth as well as develop the net worth of their businesses.
They trust their intuition and are guided by relationships, feelings and a more immediate response to “how things feel”.

Typically, women have a natural instinct to lead or leave.

Typically, men have a natural instinct to lead.

www.rickynowak.com

Is This All That's Left?

2012-02-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Funny thing about memory… it comes and goes. But that’s not what funny, actually.

What’s funny is that it often takes a crisis to happen for us to remember what we stand for both past and present. But it’s sort of funny without the humour. It’s just a term – a phrase that is used when ordinary words don’t seem enough.

The memorials shown in this picture have been erected on the beach in the beautiful coastal area of Sri Lanka I just visited – in memory of a people and life that once was. This is all that is left.

Each sculpture represents the waves of destruction and memorialises time and people.

This is all that is left of a place that once held hands with a community and lifestyle. We ask, is that all that’s left?

We live in better times now. There is more – there is an abundance of life and opportunity – much more to give, much more to receive.

Make sure what you give is rich in intent and value. Make it real, make it rise above the ordinary and make it yours.

When the cool morning air of a Sri Lankan village meets the hot air of the city

2012-02-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

What happens when the cool morning air of a Sri Lankan village meets the hot air of the bustle of the city?

Dust, dryness, instant heat and evaporation of energy, soul and ideas, that’s what.

Gone is the pleasant air and the cool shade of the bamboo trees. Gone is the quiet and peace as people waken and begin their day. Gone is the promise of a peaceful mind and soul.

While we may not live in a village, we do share some similarities. Here’s why.

We live and work in airconditioned comfort but too often find ourselves going between the calm and positive spaces of our day to colliding with uncomfortable conversations, people and challenges.

We may blame others for creating the discomfort, but it may be worth reflecting on whether or not we actually create some of the problem or indeed the congestion.

A good time for reflection is the beginning of the year. A better time is any time we plan and prepare to meet with others. Our choice is to surround and give out with calm vibes or just be a lot of hot air!

www.rickynowak.com

Being Rational Is Overrated

2012-01-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

Being rational is overrated.

Being emotional is underrated.

Problem is most people try and deal with the rational first then focus on the emotion. It’s easier and less confronting but sometimes creates bigger issues later on.

Remember how you feel when someone sais “just calm down.. and be rational” It has the opposite effect, right and it’s the last thing you feel like doing! It’s all about emotion, not rationale. That comes later.

Susan Scott author of “Fierce Conversations” cites that ‘When a difficult emotion enters the conversation, the conversation continues but the communication stops”

It makes better sense and to demonstrate empathy and authenticity about how others are feeling, then resolve any issues.

Communication is not to be underrated.

It’s the bedrock of all the responses we get.

www.rickynowak.com

Everywhere I go…HUGO

2012-01-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

My dog HUGO follows me everywhere. Everywhere I go….. he goes. He is like a soft, gentle and cheeky shadow that seems to be everywhere I turn.

I am his leader, his mistress and his friend.

He asks for little except food, fresh air and praise.

In return he does what I request, listens to my stories and my mood and wags his tail giving me feedback on my latest keynote! ( I only worry if he falls asleep!)

He has full trust as he sits in my car with his head poking out of the back window not worrying about where we’re going - he is just happy to come along for the ride.

Customers, clients and staff do not go everywhere we go - and just because we may be the Boss or sell the products or services they want, they deserve fresh ideas, fresh energy and praise for the effort and interest in working with and for us.

They will not sit in the back seat, or even beside us and be happy to go along for the ride without knowing why they are going there and what they will achieve when they get there. It’s about value and earning the right to be a market leader.

But then again, Steve Jobs had a different perspective and said “Customers don’t know what they want… we have to tell them what they need”.

In the end it’s up to you.

Do you want your customers or staff to follow you – no questions asked.. or would you like to provoke discussion, feedback, options and suggestions that you can engage with?

They will only listen to what they need if you create a compelling difference and value.

Your choice...Your chance!

Make a difference that is right for you and for them.

www.rickynowak.com

What Do You Want This Year?

2012-01-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year promises freshness, abundance and positivity. It also looks at the promises we make every year in the belief that we can achieve a state of healthy optimism and output.

Problem is many people achieve something in the middle ground because it’s comfortable but not comforting. Generally, people aspire for more but accept less.

What do you want? What do your customers want? Ask us, ask your customers...

Majority of people don’t know, don’t ask and don’t get.

It’s up to you to find out. We did, and our extensive research indicated that organisations are looking for smart ways to address the following issues:

Achieving customer loyalty
Managing supply chain risks and rising commodity costs
Managing increasingly complex privacy and information security issues
Managing regulatory change
Attracting, retaining and developing top talent
Improving business performance to enhance and sustain competitiveness
Adjusting to changing geopolitical dynamics
Capitalising on the pick-up in mergers and acquisitions and realising value
Improving information for decision-making by focusing on data management and analytics
Increasing the focus on enterprise risk management (ERM) as risk profiles change

What about you? What are you looking for? Don’t know? Then ASK your customers, your staff, yourself - don’t guess. We are in the business of business – not guess work.

We need to be as a good a futurist as we are historians to fulfil our promises, and take us to higher ground.

www.rickynowak.com

Winners, Losers & Leaders 2

2011-11-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Winners
ABC TV is a winner for its production of Q & A on Monday nights, hosted by veteran moderator Tony Jones.

This interactive and newish style of social TV demonstrates how sophisticated and savvy our audiences and viewers have become. It clarifies why it is so important to have a place for active voice and opinion, and just how much people want to be educated, stimulated and challenged rather than just take a face value what is going on around them.

And, whether you agree with the politics or the profiles of what and who is represented, the conversations are often robust, dynamic in nature, provocative in thought and often have just enough chutzpah to engage and challenge values, visions and beliefs. So whether you smirk, smile or snooze - twitter, tweak or twiddle your thumbs while watching, the chances are that someone, in some way, will give you something to think more deeply about – and it may come from the audience as much as it comes from the presenters.

Well done ABC for winning my vote on blending all styles, all interests, all skills and most of all encouraging diversity in race, religion, gender, age and disability to sit together and speak up and out on one program with freedom of speech and interpretation. And to sum up last Monday….la la la la la la la la la. Bravo Maestro!

Losers
There are no winners in the airline dispute: We all lose: The travelling public, tourism globally, hotels, taxis, restaurants, airlines, unions, and most of all the personal and professional brands of good people and organisations trying to go about their business. However being caught up in the emotional distress and consequences of a dispute that is outside one’s control, many people are looking to lay blame on Qantas or the Unions. I say… fat lot of good that will do when it is about resolution not blame.

However, here’s the lesson for us all: Stop for a moment and consider what we do when faced with unresolved issues. Do we fight for months on end before our hand is forced? Are we in the best position to address a situation that may be simmering away but is left too long and potentially bubble up and bust? Who would we blame then? Does it do any good?

Think about the unintended consequences of not dealing with things till our hand or heart is forced. A few powerful words to remember when dealing with confrontation ‘Be hard on the problem and fair on the person’ and in the words of most admired US author, coach and speaker, Marshall Goldsmith “Judge a bit less, accept a little more”.

Leaders
Mr. George Savvides, Managing Director Medibank Private for his candid, open, empathic and honest conversation to the Significant Women’s Network, sponsored by Allen’s Arthur Robinson, on October 19^th, discussing how Medibank Private is actually:

providing more women with growth to senior management roles
provide opportunities for remote workplaces and opportunities for women to leverage and grow their skills
keeping up with what women in management positions are looking for to take them to senior roles
offering ways for women to continuously improve their contribution and role at Medibank both at Board level and within their teams.

As a facilitator of this event, it was a privilege to listen to Mr Savvides speak as he provided the 100 strong female audience with a vision and reminder for why it is important to work with a company whose values are aligned with one’s own values.

L to R: Elaine Prior - Citi Investment, Gayle Wilson, Elaine Jacobs - NEM, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, George Savvides - MD Medibank, Ricky Nowak, Nick Varigos - Oppeus Consulting.

www.rickynowak.com

Winners, Losers & Leaders 1

2011-11-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Winners
The world population for the privilege of having the genius of Steve Jobs touch their lives and virtually everything they need and want to do when it comes to thinking, doing, creating and being.

Losers
The world population for losing a friend they felt they knew.

Leaders
The next generation of entrepreneurs, crazy thinkers, do’ers, and creative idea madcaps who are “brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe they can do things and talented enough to do it”.

www.rickynowak.com

Giving That Bit Extra

2011-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Thomas Friedman, columnist from the New York Times and well known author of "The World Is Flat” recently spoke in Melbourne about “Giving that bit extra” to customers before they ask for it. This meant that we live in an age now where “Average is Over” and it is time to get real about what people needed most verses what they were getting. While this is nothing new, the question I asked myself is that “Why is it actually so hard for people to actually give before they get?” Are we becoming more greedy as a society, or are we just becoming consumer or opportunity mad? Maybe both?

But this is where the confusing bit lies: Are we asking for monetary items, or rewards based on luxuries or brands in substitute for “getting that bit extra” – the bit that makes us “feel” connected to others, to the work we do and to the contribution we make?

Seems to me that giving people things such as quality time, quality feedback, and quality recognition is clearly a greater way to “give that bit extra” that doesn’t cost anything but gives rewards in ways we can’t pay for.

www.rickynowak.com

Unconscious Bias... Who me??

2011-09-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

There’s a lot of things going on right now around the space of Diversity which include sensitive areas such as Age, Gender, Sexuality and Disability. Organisations are spending time and money educating people on how to communicate and respond with more compassion, awareness and responsibility to their staff and stakeholders.

And while there is a long way to go, the results to date are confirming.

Yet, while most people won’t readily admit they feel or respond any differently to those of different cultures, ages, genders or perhaps people with disabilities, the cold hard truth is at some point, most people do respond differently based on their “unconscious bias” – or what we may call ‘the stuff that lies below the surface of our consciousness”.

In other words, at some level for some reason that we may not even be aware of, we react, behave, do, or reject people and their ideas or contributions based on we think about their background or pre-disposition. That’s unconscious bias.

So here’s my recent story – one that I didn’t know I had till I found myself boarding a bus with 11 “much older” people than myself on what was promising to be a 13 Day rigorous and robust trip through the Kimberley Region.

Having not experienced this type of trip before, my husband and I thought it would be a great way to experience as much as we could distance wise. However, upon boarding the “bus” I found myself looking at a number of people who had very clearly lived on this planet a lot longer than I had… and before I knew it BINGO! I felt the first pang of unconscious bias! How on earth were these “oldies” going to clamour over rocks, and manage the climbing and long hard walks! Maybe this trip wasn’t going to be as much fun or easy as I had thought. Was it too late to get off the bus! WRONG!

You see, by Day 2, I realised that age was no barrier to fun or ability. The barrier was my unconscious bias. In fact, the older the person was, the more fun we had: the older the person, the more determined they were to cross the bridges and boundaries. Great learning for me. Humbling, in fact – so much so, I can’t wait to get old! And, more to the point, I was often left huffing and puffy on the rocks while others had gone ahead. Shame on me - especially for someone who didn’t even know they had any unconscious bias.

Look at your workplaces. Look at your community groups. Look at your social circles.

Do you have an unconscious bias that would take an otherwise bumpy road on the Kimberley’s to shake up a little, like it did for me?

www.rickynowak.com

Simplexity of Networking

2011-08-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

In a recent edition of 'Company Director', a publication printed by Australian Institute of Company Directors, my article called "The Simplexity of Networking"sparked a lot of interest with some, and created a little, a ho-hum to others.

Those people, who believe that networking is easy and as experienced Directors, perhaps don't need to learn more. Now, it's interesting to know that this feedback came to me by readers who emailed me directly or told me personally when we "schmoozed" at other events or over the phone. What they said generally sounded like this… "You know Ricky, most people think they do OK when it comes to networking and in building relationships but it stops there. In principle they KNOW what they have to do,… but the problem is they DON'T do it. They let the companies they work for do the introductions and present the business, they let the brands they stand for open doors, but most people want to be with people they like and trust first. If only people would be more authentic at networking then it would be so much easier and simpler to do business.

So what about you? First, think about the title of my article "The Simplexity of Networking" as a start before you decide whether Networking is easy or hard. I call it Simplex - We can all network - yes, that's the SIM-ple part of the work, but the comPLEX is the hard part - converting contacts to contracts and building relationships. So here's my point - take the first part of networking and learn to SCHMOOZE - (Verb) to chat in a persuasive manner to gain favour, business or connections. There is an art to conversation and making sure that you're not filling up the air space with the proverbial BS Factor. Schmoozing is creating a mood or showing interest in learning and establishing more about others, about listening to conversations and sharing the air by not suffocating others with irrelevant information that chews up valuable time and patience.

If you are serious about business, and want to build a business case around your work, product or service, schmooze with others outside the work they are doing, schmooze about their lives, their stuff, their experiences…. Or lose opportunity and business. It's that simple and that complex!

Networking for Success

www.rickynowak.com

How to Create an Engaged and Engaging Workplace

2011-08-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

How engagement and strong relationship management creates the glue between people and results.

Engaging and engaged workplaces and their people don’t happen by good luck and good intent. They are nurtured by people who respect good values, diversity and relationships and above all appreciate the people who work for and with them.

And while the sweet spot where people and engagement meet is the foundation for successful and sustainable companies it takes continuing commitment and passion from the lunch room, meeting room right through to the board room to make it happen and last.

Engaging workplaces are formed and shaped by diverse personalities, robust conversations, commitment to a set of values and behaviours that focus on high performance and results, often by- passing ego and the obsolete. They are geared up to be the drivers of change and prepared to challenge the predictable patters of behaviour so people are encouraged to truly engage in thinking and doing opportunities - both analytically and globally.

So what does this mean you can do in your organisation? On a micro level it means HR managers are in a unique position to be the conduit between staff and the connection to their work. This connection enables them to develop professionally as well as personally so that they understand how their work fits into the context of whole organisation and has the spin off effect to connect people internally.

On a macro level, it means there is a need for leaders in business and organisations to provide resources, tools and the overall environment that supports that engagement and the work of the HR Manager. Engagement is everyone’s responsibility.

But here’s the cold hard facts in reality with figures from the US in a BlessingWhite Report ( 2008) stating that “depending on what is happening around them, only 24% of employees are engaged at work and only 18% perform at optimum level while they are in the honeymoon stage of employment".

It indicates that when “sameness” occurs, error rates, illness, accidents and stress levels soar causing huge loss of revenue, productivity and often staff.

So what can HR do to create an engaged and engaging workplace? Well, short of having a golden egg to spend every time people need something and a crystal ball to see what will be happening in the future, here are some simple, low cost or no cost strategies that you and HR can put in place.

Checking alignment of employees values against the values, goals and aspirations of the organisation is a good starting point! If this is checked at recruitment stage, it will be quickly and easily identify if the candidate is a good “engagement match” not just a good skills match. And while HR is also busily recruiting on ability, it’s a good time to assess historically what the career path of that person has been like and then define whether the company can actually offer opportunities the person will aspire to. If there is no career path, save yourself the trouble!

And if it’s not hard enough at the moment to stay focused anyway, just consider the constant interruptions from mobile phones, texting, twitter, face book, pressures that take people away from engaging with a sense of flow and completion!

Therefore there has never been a more important time in the wake of the GFC to protect and respect the time, place and value of staff so they can contribute to the success of the organisations as well as their own financial future.

Having said that, it is also now harder for employers to engage staff as each generation at work has been influenced by different and differing factors, which contribute to the way people think, behave and ultimately respond to. Many employers across Australasia will also agree now that unless there is a strong top down engagement culture that provides a variety of opportunities people will walk with their feet to other organisations that engage hearts, heads and hands.

The key therefore is to be in the moment and recognise where and when people need and want to develop and almost pre-empt the next tipping point for them and the organisation – thus get ahead of the curve.

This is significantly different from years gone by when the employer controlled the environment and the conversations. Today, engagement begins with having courageous and involved conversations at all levels, it means opportunities for staff to contribute to the organisation’s vision, work and to connect with senior management and leadership.

It’s not easy when there are so many different cultures, races, positions, ages and backgrounds to consider but in many ways, this diversity are the things that make workplaces engaging. Imagine how uninspiring a workplace would be if everyone was the same – so rather than thinking that engaging different people is hard, flip the mindset to see that difference is exactly what makes it better.

www.rickynowak.com

Coaching Should Be Left to Coaches

2011-07-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

What Leo D’Angelo Fisher’s column in Financial Review (30/6/11) entitled Business Coaches: Just Another Bandwagon , correctly states is that entry to Executive Coaching as a profession is far too easy. Indeed anyone who wants to become a coach, and can create a flashy business card, shingle or is gifted in speaking may set up business.

But here is where it stops, and what D’Angelo Fisher may not have fully appreciate.

Coaching is often misunderstood and misrepresented by those who either don’t really have any first hand experience with it or have been misguided by a shonky or inexperienced coach.

Coaching should be left to professional coaches because:

Trusted peers, friends, Boards, Chairman or valued colleagues often stand too close to the person and not the issue, and may have unconscious bias and therefore are not able to stand back from the problem or person with enough discretion.
Boards, Directors etc may not necessarily be good listeners and give ADVICE prematurely in their attempt to help. Good Samaritans with big egos on Boards are not necessarily good coaches
Others often try and solve the issues rather than present options. Coaching is a developmental process that allows for taking time to learn without fear
Business leaders often MENTOR or can try and COUNSELL their peers or staff members - this is NOT COACHING. Sadly, the information and recommendations are ineffective and inadequate, and not directly related to COACHING the person through a concern, problem, or skills development. Well intentioned business leaders are not qualified Counsellors either… so begs the question why they try and give counselling
The column needs to come from the mouth and heart and voice of those who have been coached.

Coaching is based on developing someone's skills. This is where the confusion lies - Not everyone understands the role and expectations of both the coach and the coachee. Just like most businesses where people don't really know what others are doing.

www.rickynowak.com

Beating the Bullies: from the butt of the joke to the last laugh

2011-06-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

“Beating the Bullies: from the butt of the joke to the last laugh” as headlined on front page of The Age, 19^th June http://t.co/xWvw6ZP , is a slap in the face to bullies of the past, present and future. It is also a slap on the back to praise those people who have risen above the odds and stand up and stand out. Well done to Penny Wong, Wendy Harmer, Tim Ferguson, Eddie Perfect and Adam Goodes. You are leaders and role models.

Let’s hear from those who do not share the celebrity spotlight but share the same experiences and what they have done to overcome them.

Send your responses to our blog – anonymous if you like and we will post what you have done to overcome the barriers so others can also learn how to beat the bully at his own game. Remember three basic principles:

Name the behaviour and get it out in the open at the first instance
Document, date and journal situations as a record and protection
Bystanders are equally as culpable if they do not call the behaviour or call for help

Click here for our article Beat The Workplace Bully

www.rickynowak.com

The Business Case to support Brodie’s Law and Diversity at Work

2011-06-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Too often, people are confronted and confused by inappropriate behaviours, comments or acts that directly or indirectly offend, embarrass or ostracise them and leave them wondering why.

Too often, good people leave their organisations in distress not by choice.

Too often some leave for good. Tragically, Brodie Panlock is one of them.

There is no doubt that bullying in the workplace can lead to unprecedented trauma and tragedy. We have witnessed the irreversible consequences that led young, 19 year old Brodie Panlock to commit suicide. There are no words that do justice to the true and final loss for this girl and family.

And, now that Brodie’s Law make it officially illegal to “bully” in the Cyber or school ground as well as the workplace, one would deeply hope that others may be spared such grief and find greater happiness at work and play.

But it will take more than hope and a Law. It will take education and retraining of how people think and how they perceive, value and judge others especially in regards to areas such as diversity and inclusion.

There is current evidence suggesting that bullying is linked to lack education, understanding and awareness of diversity in relation to age, gender orientation, cultural beliefs or disability.

Too often, people are confronted and confused by inappropriate behaviours, comments or acts that directly or indirectly offend, embarrass or ostracise them, and they don’t know why it is happening. Too often, good people leave their organisations in distress not by choice.

It is no longer an option to be a bystander, bully or blinkered and say we didn’t know or understand the impact of words, actions or behaviours. The only option we have is to educate and have an uncompromising commitment to creating workplaces that mentally and physically safe.

The cost on human lives is often irreversible – especially for Brodie and her family.

The cost on businesses is often their hard earned reputation and integrity as well as huge loss of productivity, morale, and results. No business can afford either. No person needs to afford such insult.

Read more - How to Beat the Workplace Bully

Listen to SBS PodCast - How to Handle the Office Bully

www.rickynowak.com

Faith, Hope and Charity - The Three Mistakes Companies Make when Recruiting

2011-05-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

The principles of Faith, Hope and Charity inspire us to lead lives that have purpose and meaning.

And with so many competing priorities, it makes a nice change to just 'be in the now' and give back – not up! Know what I mean?

However, when it comes to recruitment and employing staff, these very same principles may need to be interpreted somewhat differently. This is why.

It has often been said that people hire fast, and fire slow.

Yes, we get excited when we find a person of talent - Faithfully believing they are the right ones for the job, and can fulfill our business needs and their ambitions. We have faith in their skills, abilities, attitudes and knowledge to build business and opportunity. After all, they have been tested, toiled and trumpeted up to be “just what we are looking for”.

However wonderful this person may be at the beginning, it can become apparent that after the 'honeymoon period' is over, we can see (and often so can they) that the person is not “up to the job”, “seems disengaged at times” or “can’t grasp new systems, technology, people and different situations".

At which point we follow the next principle of Hope – we start to 'hope' they get better, learn faster, address issues with greater confidence and competence and can start to make a difference in the way in which we had 'hoped'...and for which we had 'faith' in them to do the job in the first place.

OK, and it would be fair that sometimes given more time, things work out…and sometimes it doesn’t!

Now here’s the sticky point…when it doesn’t and we can’t 'sack' them or we like them and so do the rest of the staff or perhaps we keep thinking they will get better over (more) time, we in fact commit ourselves to the last principle - that of Charity! We keep paying them, training them, coaching them, and investing in them…… in the Hope they will Faithfully produce.

Guess I better stick to the principles of Faith, Hope and Charity in my community work and leave the recruitment to the experts. What principles do you aspire to?

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Hacking into Sony Playstation is No Game

2011-04-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

...But nor is the Lack of Communication from their Leaders

We all know computer and credit card fraud go hand all the way to illegal bank accounts and life styles- leaving a debacle of problems and debts for businesses, customers and banks. Soul destroying stuff, really – considering how much time, effort and cost goes into protecting businesses, brands and customers privacy. In short, we all pay somehow – whether it be in insurance, bank fees, rates, whatever!

So why is it that when we hear that reputable companies like Sony Playstation had their computer system hacked into we didn’t raise an eyebrow until we heard the rest of the story...that is that the hacking occurred last week but customers were not notified till now. One immediately wonders what sort of game are leaders playing here?

Surely, businesses who are entrusted with our private details for making purchases in the good times should be trusted to communicate immediately when things that concern us go wrong. Correct? Or am I playing Chance?

Leadership is no game – and leaders should stop playing at “keeping secrets” from their customers.

So here’s my question. If you were at the helm of an organisation who encountered this problem, would you try and protect your brand first then worry about the customers? Or, are your customers really your brand and therefore you need to protect them by informing them? What are your thoughts?

www.rickynowak.com

Bullying in the Workplace

2011-04-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

There may be an excess of 101 ways in which someone can intimidate, embarrass or humiliate another person in the workplace, at home or at school. Call it what you will, but in simple terms it’s known as Bullying. And most people have either felt the impact directly or indirectly, perhaps even dealt it out in some shape of form, or just been a bystander and watched or heard it happen.

And while the new laws in Victoria, known as 'Brodies's Law' that have finally come into play, they are not a minute too soon – just ask anyone who has been a victim anywhere on the continuum.

For those people either put up and shut up, told someone who cared and hoped they would mediate or break the cycle, or tried to address the problem in real time with some real skills and real courage. However, while the choices are ours in how we may want to deal with situations, , sometimes the skills or courage are not.

I am not a judge nor jury, nor am I a psychiatrist or psychologist, but what I do know as an executive coach and presenter is that it does take more than Bullying laws to stop inappropriate behaviour as many times it goes under the radar and over the top of heads of people who are in a position to do anything about it. For the laws to be effective, it must be part of the culture of true communication and respect.

Make a difference – do something more than tick the boxes to say you are following the rules and laws – follow hearts and genuinely care. That’s my opinion, what's yours?

www.rickynowak.com

So you think you can write? Well, do it!

2011-04-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Dan Poynter from Para Publishing in the US, states that "you shouldn't die with a book inside you". I took his advice, wrote three and have started the fourth.

I don't see myself as a gifted writer but it seems like my books are enjoyed and valued (so the sales tell me) which I guess is always nice.

However, I see myself rather as a dedicated leadership facilitator, executive coach, speaker and the work I do is specific to making a difference in a world that is positively different. Therefore it makes sense to document my thoughts, contributions, ideas and options in a book. I chose to self publish and will do so again. Whether I do or whether I don't self publish, the thing that matters most is that I write the book, feel like I'm doing something that is making a positive impact and can help educate, influence and inspire others to do the same.

If you want to make that difference, bottom line is, do it! So if you think you can write, start it and stop thinking you have to write a War and Peace to be happy.

Here's some thoughts in this weeks BRW - http://tinyurl.com/4atldjs

Do you have a book inside you?

www.rickynowak.com

Dalai Lama on the thing about humanity that surprises him most

2011-03-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

Every so often an unsolicited email arrives in our inboxes and survives the spontaneous DELETE button. This is one of them.
Here’s a question that was posed to the Dalai Lama: “What thing about humanity surprises you the most?" His answer was as follows:

'Man'

Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.

Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health!

And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn’t enjoy the present,

And as a result he doesn’t live in the present or the future!

And he lives as if he’s never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived!

In the 15 seconds it took me to read these profound words, it made me accutely aware that it may take 15 or 50 years to get to this point – or miss the point altogether.

Can you be fully present in meetings, in conversations and in silence?
Can you indeed, be in the moment or present?

Think about how easy it would be if we all could do stop, pause, breath, reflect and then respond to situations, people and processes that would enable greater communication and negotiation and take us to the sweet spot of connection.

Great leaders connect with their heart, head and hands – usually in that order. What about you?

www.rickynowak.com

IN RECOGNITION OF WOMEN...OR IS IT?

2011-03-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

There was a lot of activity around International Women's Day last week. And as a woman, I'm proud of the public and private recognition that is bestowed to women of different ages, denominations, cultures and religions on this special day around the world for being who they are.

What I am not proud of is that it the media, many companies and businesses seem to be investing larger sums of money for events, publicity and marketing at this time more than any other time. My question is could this just
be a "legitimate" way to capitalize on a theme, rather than genuinely appreciating the contribution women make all year? Skeptical you say. Well yes. Aren't you?

It seems to me and from the examples we are seeing globally today, many companies don't recognize the compelling difference women make at home, at work, in the community and in industry all year.. Consequently it seems at times like a bit of lip service or because it is important to be seen as a company who is doing what other companies are doing right now - making it public that they recognize their women at work.

The right thing actually is to value and respect the contribution of staff all year, and in the words of Frances Hesselbein, CEO of Girl Scouts and Founding President and CEO of the Peter Drucker Foundation, ….the key is "Listening… it's called respect, it's called appreciation, it's called anticipation and it's called leadership."

In other words, don't wait for an International Day to acknowledge the contribution of your people or to make noises about women joining Boards. This noise needs to be made all year, by all of us.

View Ricky's video on Acknowledge Staff Contribution

www.rickynowak.com

Now, here’s another angle of the Gender issue

2011-03-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

On the other hand, this is another way of looking at the picture –

BRW Leadership writer Leo D’Angelo Fisher’s recent blog called 'Gender nonsense' http://tinyurl.com/4a895pf states that “there’s a buck or a profile or very often both to be made by pushing the gender barrow”. He goes on to say that most Australian companies needs be recognised as a company that respects gender diversity at all levels and therefore now will have to do more than just tick the boxes to say they are doing things right. From 2013 the Federal Government has foreshadowed a new gender equity regime which will require companies of more than 100 people to meet with as yet unspecified criteria in the areas of workplace gender equality. Companies that fail the new audit regime will be barred from tendering for government supply contracts.”

So now, people will HAVE to comply to the rules if they want to play in the sandpit. I would have hoped rather by educating people to broaden their awareness, thinking and experience at different levels of business and industry, they would forget about gender and see the right people in the job is more important.

The more we focus on Gender, I think the more we keep things separate. Is it just the “new black” being made white in the public eye so that people loose sight of what really matters –that is the people not the gender.

Oh dear, back to the dishes…..and back to the drawingBOARD!

www.rickynowak.com

The Customer isn’t always right… and either are the Banks

2011-01-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

It would be fair to say that most dinner party conversations these days include three top topics – sport, travel and Banks… (Telstra stories were “so last year”)

And, if you are passionate about the first two topics of footy and perhaps climbing Mt Kilimanjaro or airport hassles, it would also be fair to say you may be even more passionate or spirited when talking banks... And they are often not stories of love and admiration...

So when Gail Kelly, CEO Westpac talked about the “need to improve our capability of communicating with customers and with the community on funding costs and the lesser relevance of the cash rate was a measure of funding costs” in a grilling with Nationals Senator John Williams in an enquiry into banking competition ( Weekend Financial Review Jan 22 -23) she touched in my opinion on the most important aspect of leadership with staff, customers and stakeholders – the constant need to communicate and keep people informed.

She conceded that banks can do more to communicate and let people know what they are doing and why they are doing things in a more timely and contextual fashion, and that perhaps from her perspective this will be a better way to keep customers happier and things fairer.

I agree, it would be great to have a better understanding of what is happening before it happens so we can make better choices and better plans.

However let’s take this one step further and as leaders in businesses and life, look at what is working and what is not and lift the bar instead of our blood pressure when it comes to communication.

What would you recommend is a good way to communicate when things are tough?

www.rickynowak.com

Handle distractions and boost your productivity

2011-01-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

Article released today, January 20, 2011 by Recruiters Daily is as relevant to all businesses as it is to recruiters - Handle distractions and boost your productivity which covers ways that disruptions and distractions can be managed.

Let us know how do you handle distractions and disruptions in the workplace? Please comment.

We offer training workshops and keynote presentaitons on this topic that are tailored to your organisations or audiences specific needs. Contact us to find out more leadership@rickynowak.com

www.rickynowak.com

Ken Blanchard on Leadership and Putting the Customer First

2010-12-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

Great video on leadership and customer service. The leaders responsibility is "my job is to reorganise the department on a moment to moment basis" quoted by Ken Blanchard on Leadership and Putting the Customer First

Expect More in 2011 FREE eBook

2010-12-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

Expect More in 2011 eBook contains Strategies for Success from Leading Experts in Personal and Professional Development.

Download your FREE eBook today http://www.rickynowak.com/personaldevelopmenttools.html

How to Create an Engaged & Engaging Workplace

2010-12-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

How engagement and strong relationship management creates the glue between people and results!

Engaging and engaged workplaces and their people don’t happen by good luck and good intent. They are nurtured by people who respect good values, diversity and relationships and above all appreciate the people who work for and with them.

And while the sweet spot where people and engagement meet is the foundation for successful and sustainable companies it takes continuing commitment and passion from the lunch room, meeting room right through to the board room to make it happen and last.

Engaging workplaces are formed and shaped by diverse personalities, robust conversations, commitment to a set of values and behaviours that focus on high performance and results, often by- passing ego and the obsolete. They are geared up to be the drivers of change and prepared to challenge the predictable patterns of behavior so people are encouraged to truly engage in thinking and doing opportunities - both analytically and globally.

So what does this mean you can do in your organisation? On a micro level it means HR managers are in a unique position to be the conduit between staff and the connection to their work. This connection enables them to develop professionally as well as personally so that they understand how their work fits into the context of whole organisation and has the spin off effect to connect people internally.

On a macro level, it means there is a need for leaders in business and organisations to provide resources, tools and the overall environment that supports that engagement and the work of the HR Manager. Engagement is everyone’s responsibility.

But here’s the cold hard facts in reality with figures from the US in a BlessingWhite Report ( 2008) stating that “depending on what is happening around them, only 24% of employees are engaged at work and only 18% perform at optimum level while they are in the honeymoon stage of employment.”

It indicates that when “sameness” occurs, error rates, illness, accidents and stress levels soar causing huge loss of revenue, productivity and often staff.

So what can HR do to create an engaged and engaging workplace? Well, short of having a golden egg to spend every time people need something and a crystal ball to see what will be happening in the future, here are some simple, low cost or no cost strategies that you and HR can put in place.

Checking alignment of employee’s values against the values, goals and aspirations of the organisation is a good starting point! If this is checked at recruitment stage, it will be quickly and easily identify if the candidate is a good “engagement match” not just a good skills match. And while HR is also busily recruiting on ability, it’s a good time to assess historically what the career path of that person has been like and then define whether the company can actually offer opportunities the person will aspire to. If there is no career path, save yourself the trouble!

And if it’s not hard enough at the moment to stay focused anyway, just consider the constant interruptions from mobile phones, texting, twitter, face book, pressures that take people away from engaging with a sense of flow and completion!

Therefore there has never been a more important time in the wake of the GFC to protect and respect the time, place and value of staff so they can contribute to the success of the organisations as well as their own financial future.

Having said that, it is also now harder for employers to engage staff as each generation at work has been influenced by different and differing factors, which contribute to the way people think, behave and ultimately respond to. Many employers across Australasia will also agree now that unless there is a strong top down engagement culture that provides a variety of opportunities people will walk with their feet to other organisations that engage hearts, heads and hands.

The key therefore is to be in the moment and recognise where and when people need and want to develop and almost pre empt the next tipping point for them and the organisation – thus get ahead of the curve.

This is significantly different from years gone by when the employer controlled the environment and the conversations. Today, engagement begins with having courageous and involved conversations at all levels, it means opportunities for staff to contribute to the organisation’s vision, work and to connect with senior management and leadership.

It’s not easy when there are so many different cultures, races, positions, ages and backgrounds to consider but in many ways, this diversity are the things that make workplaces engaging. Imagine how uninspiring a workplace would be if everyone was the same – so rather than thinking that engaging different people is hard, flip the mindset to see that difference is exactly what makes it better.

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Self Help for the Illiterate...says BRW's Leo DÁngelo Fisher

2010-10-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

Leo D'Angelo Fisher's article in Sept/Oct 2010 of BRW, "Self Help for the Illiterate" made me laugh out loud... and cry.

He wrote about motivational speakers being nothing more than highly paid entertainers who are just paid to inspire, and most often do not deliver the goods.

Well as one of those motivational speakers he talks about, I guess I have a right to reply! And the good thing is Leo loves to hear it.

Firstly, and to be completely honest I too can testify with some of what he is saying about what motivational speakers are for... and worth. (you must read his article).

But yet, what is sadly missed in his article if I may say with respect, is that often motivational speakers are often employed to fill the dark black vacuous hole that uninspiring leaders or their businesses create and get stuck in - which is often paralleled with a poor learning culture and lack of respect for individual development ALL year.

Many conferences organisers, managers and leaders rely on us do in one hour or one day what they don't or sadly, can't do all year. That is, inspire, motivate and stimulate them with opportunity and true leadership. Sometimes it is no fault of their own, sometimes they just don't know how. And yet, often in the time we have in front of our audiences, we can shift and move people to make a difference... but here's the thing... it only works when the leaders take these strategies back to the workplace and open up opportunities for people to implement and develop them and themselves.

Problem is most go back into the workplace and continue doing things in the same numbing way they have always done.

I have always asked my clients what they are going to do to support the conference initiatives and learning opportunities after the conference or training is over. Those that work with me on a long term plan are almost without exception those that get amazing results and returns on their investment over and above anything they have had before.

Irrespective, it's a tough gig for us as speakers and conference presenters, and corporate trainers, let me tell you especially when many leaders or managers have no or little intent of ever following up on the ideas, stories, or strategies that we provide. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with integrity. Somehow it's easier to employ us to do kick start a new process or be a catalyst for change, rather than work with us all year to provide continual support, impact, and most of all ensure that implementation takes place.

But then again, I am one of those windbags Leo talks about... but one who just happens to make a real difference in a world that is really different. Do you?

www.rickynowak.com

What Australian Businesses and Leaders can learn from Best Workplaces in UK

2010-08-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

In a recent article (June 2010) printed in Best Workplaces in UK, it is clear that the compelling reasons why some workplaces in the UK rank as being first class is something to take note of. Employees from companies such as Baringa Partners, Impact International, Novo Nordisk, Beaverbooks the Jewellers, McDonald’s Restaurants UK, and Danone Ltd, say the things that make their company great to work for are because they provide ‘great pro bono workplace opportunities” the fact that “the company interacts with its stakeholders in an ethical manner” at least once a month they leave “early on a Friday and breakfast is provided daily” that the firm is very good at making adjustments for disabled employees” that “working there has given them an extra boost to stretch themselves” a bit further” and that “senior management expects you to challenge their opinions” I was also impressed with one firm that offers IT tech support to employees who work from home. Now that surely is a bonus especially when people are used to having their IT problems solved by an internal department.

But what really struck a chord with me was that there was one recurring theme throughout the article. And that is that in order for all of the above to take place, trusting the employees to do their job and do to the best of their potential while supporting others and themselves is still the most important focus to concentrate on. Helping them be the best they can. In other words, achievement is really about what we do ourselves, but leadership is about what we can make others do. Think about it, for a minute. Is this something you do at work?

Take Beaverbooks for example, a Jewellery business in UK, states that it “keeps employees up to date with the financial performance of the business either face to face or via a dvd.” One employee also states “ You feel trusted and part of the business because you are given information on how the business is doing”( financially).

Guess it would be a great place to work, huh?

Over the past 6 months the clients I have worked with that stand out from the crowd are those that:

Take time to pause, reflect and re consider their direction and results and make small adjustments all along the way rather than major overhauls.
Reviewing their business plan in conjunction with their people’s personal development plan to ensure people are able to meet the challenges and demands that are placed on them.
Blending Gen XYZ with key skills of Gen ABC – Authentic, Buoyant, Collaborative.
Ask people in new areas to discuss the wins and challenges of “Their First 100 Days” in the new role so that others see and understand what they are working on.
Clearing out the clutter of workplaces and allowing people to create spaces that are responsible for.
Getting clear on processes or policies that are obsolete and only requesting data and information that will be used and relevant.

The question is what are organisations doing here in Australia that creates exemplary communication and opportunity. What have you seen or done that has contributed to the development of your business, profit and happiness at work? Alternatively, can you name another company in Australia that stands out from the crowd.

Go to http://www.rickynowak.com/books.html for your link to our new book “The Integrity Factor” – Why Reputation Rules in Business and Leadership.

www.rickynowak.com

What the HR Leaders are saying - true or false?

2010-08-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

Last week I presented a survey to HR leaders at a HR Summit Melbourne during my presentation 'How to create a compelling learning culture'.

While it was no surprise that people felt work demands were increasing, it did come as a bit of a shock to learn that a massive 93% of people felt there would be little opportunity to alleviate the stress or pressure associated with the extra work. And to top it off, an overwhelming majority felt it was going to be harder than ever to attract staff and keep people happy. And while we are at it let me give you the full monty and tell you that only 2% felt they would have more resources on hand. Wacko! Now that's a slap in the face if you have been doing your best!

But in amongst it all, there was good news. 70% indicated that their teams wanted to learn and continue to develop and it wouldn't necessarily be harder to influence them to attend sessions. Thank heavens.

But that figure will only be a figure and not mean anything if we don't actively do something about it and convert the learning into possibilities.

So how about you?

What are you doing to improve the learning outcomes and opportunities in the workplace?

There is no doubt that we are on the right side of that famous three letter acronym - the GF something or other, and now it is time to reap the rewards of the intellect, talent, and skills of our staff and listen to what they need and want. But we have to provide the situations and environment in which they want to do it in. Go on, ask them for feedback, they will still respect you in the morning.

Then, do a new survey and see the results. And by the way, let me know what they are!

Download the HR Survey here.

www.rickynowak.com

Only half of email users expect a response within 24hrs BUT 84% of SMS users expect a response in 5 minutes

2010-07-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

A quote from Tomi Ahonen Almanac 2010 read in a news update from ICSP - International Customer Service Professionals (July 7 2010) cites that “Only half of email users expect a response within 24hrs BUT 84% of SMS users expect a response in 5 minutes…”

Interesting to see how things have changed when it comes to communication.

The quote made me also stop and wonder how many of us actually expect a real person to actually answer a simple phone call that has been left on the day. Are we simply accustomed to knowing that we have to go through the motions and "leave a message" knowing that and someone will most likely not get back to them.

Why do we actually put up with the glib statement that "Mary will return your call at her first opportunity" or are we just putting up with the expected blah blah rhetoric that is left on a machine, so to speak.

I mean really, think about it.... how many messages have you left that have gone unanswered - leaving you in a position of calling again, and perhaps again... and again before "Mary" actually answers in a tone that sounds...well, somewhat less warm and responsive than her voice message suggests... hmmm, sound familiar? Bet it does! It has happened to us all, and perhaps we too have been ugh, guilty of not responding too. Shock, Horror!!

So, here's my take:

If half of email users expect a response within 24 hours... be one of those who have a plan on how to respond in the short term even if you don't have the answer to the question.
If 84% of SMS users expect a response in 5 minutes let them know if you will or will not be responding and set the ground rules of how you communicate

Most of all, if you don't really intend to get back to a caller who has left you a message, change your voice message and don't promise what you won't deliver. After all, the true testimony to good communicator is the response you get from the other person, and if the response you get is less than you would give, change the ground rules.

So what do you do that makes a difference?

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Double Trouble in Canberra

2010-07-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

We have seen it all before. Hawke and Keating... Howard and Costello…and now it's on again!

According to the leading article in The Australian – July 16th 2020 “LABOR figures are blaming Kevin Rudd for leaking claims that Julia Gillard welshed on a deal that would have allowed him to remain prime minister. The article cites that "Labor was in turmoil last night after Nine Network political editor Laurie Oakes reported that Ms Gillard agreed during a tense June 23 meeting in the prime minister's office not to challenge Mr. Rudd for the prime ministership". More trouble in Toyland!

Seems like some politicians are holding tight on what was really said and while others know what was really meant. A classic case of abuse of confidential information and power or is it a case of blessed ignorance and opportunism? Who am I to know? After all, I wasn't there...Were you? But sounds like the lesson here simply points out that when it comes to the crunch, trust was compromised and integrity was nowhere to be found. So is that what leadership 101 is all about? Just as well they are not running my business.

And to make matters worse, just when you think you have heard it all before. You are right! Gillard tells us for the zillionth time that we are "moving forward". That's fine…but problem is where exactly is it that we are going? And will I know that I am there yet? In fact, are you coming too?

If I am looking for the leaders to take me somewhere it would be a good idea to let me know where it is we are headed. And, oh I forgot will they be coming too! Tough to know really...but I guess "Life wasn't meant to be easy", as someone once pointed out. Remember who? What did we learn from that era? Makes me wonder what are we going to remember from where we are now? Ah, by the way... Where exactly is that? Anyone got any ideas?

www.rickynowak.com

Could your organisation survive a leadership challenge and change?

2010-07-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

If it can happen in politics, it can happen in business – within a minute a leader can go from Rooster to Feather Duster.

Our former PM is now Rudder-less and we quickly forget the person but the failed policies and promises are not forgotten. Nor will the reputation of a leader or government that was reckless in spending or failing to deliver on its promises. What we will remember is a lack of integrity.

The new PM is wasting no time making her presence known and felt. Time will tell however whether the new leadership will help Australia and Australians recover from the failure of the past leadership to fulfil its promises and responsibilities. I guess now we won’t have to wait for the media to splash it out in the tabloids – we will feel it in our workplaces, our home and our schools.

But what has happened in recent weeks in politics can happen in business. Surely it begs the question whether leaders in organisations are aware of what their people are feeling, thinking, doing, and needing? Or, if they blindly going about implementing policies and procedures without really preparing sound strategies to build, support and implement growth, will they too pay a price?

Perhaps the main difference between though between politics and business is that business - especially small business may be more accountable in the spending of their money and not be quite as reckless with initiatives as politicians have been of late.

Some questions you may like also ask yourself in light of this is could your organisation survive if your leadership was challenged or changed? What would you recommend those organisations do to firm up their leadership and test the foundations while things are going well, rather than waiting for someone or something to shake the cage?

The way to respond to the events of both the GFC and the political turn around is to

Keep your best people doing what they do best
Inform them of the financial status of the business
Rotate the responsibility of Chairing meetings
Allow key people to be “CEO for the Day” – What would they do
Allow key people to be CFO for the Day – What would they suggest
Create “What if” scenarios and ask for best practice around hypotheticals that are relevant to your industry/business
Rotate job roles so that people are aware of what is happening in and around the business
Have Opinion Polls in regards to new initiatives or suggestions.
Let people know what the short term, medium or long term projections are so they can contribute to them in some way

Have your say and contribute to the list of what you have done or would believe would contribute to build a sustainable and high performance organisation.

For further information and current and new trends, and to order your copy of The Integrity Factor – Why Reputation Rules in Business and Leadership. which will support your leadership initiatives visit our website www.rickynowak.com

The Perfect Storm...or is it?

2010-05-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that a true Melbourne Storm is belting down and drowning out many good people both in and outside the sporting arena right now.

There is also, no doubt that it's washing away respect, talent and opportunities for sport business now and in the future that has taken many years and lots of hard work and effort to build.
But there is doubt in the minds and hearts whether the NRL team and the brand can fully recover and once again stand out as leaders in their field - thanks to the actions of some.

But that's not what this is blog is about.

Its about how Australians like to see themselves...as playing fair - not foul. And so when the behaviours and actions of one or a few have the capacity to take a team from the top of their game to the depths of shame, there are no winners. That's one thing we do know.

And as it is in sport, it is in business.

A good reputation takes years to build and moments to destroy - and too often most people don't even know things are at risk as they diligently work hard at working hard. And funnily enough, in the wake of the GFC, or something else from left field hits such as the Stock Market Crash of '87, most people deal with it as it is something outside their immediate control and will work together to rebuild.

However in light of recent events the Melbourne Storm are also dealing with a situation that was caused outside their control - but are paying publicly and professionally through no fault of their own. So, now more important than ever to consider what is our business or organisation's reputation is worth, what's at stake and what will happen if we loose our humility and authenticity. Have you asked yourself how you would we handle a deception or mis appropriation of funds or something else equally as gloomy?

So this blog is asking you what do you do to keep you both internally and externally attuned and stay vigilant, accountable and transparent.

Surely, that's not too much to ask a leader is it?

What do you do to keep your reputation and brand alive and well?

He Doesn't Hit Me So It Doesn't Count

2010-03-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

There are probably 101 ways a Bully or abusive person can cause physical or emotional pain - and whether they do it behind closed doors or publicly the outcomes are never pretty. But there are typically 3 choices in how you or someone you know can deal with it...

You can either put up and shut up and hope the bruising to body or self esteem doesn’t show…….
You can call for help and hope a knight or “ knightess” in shining armour comes to your rescue, or
You can stop unacceptable behaviour at the first sign by making that a non negotiable behaviour.

But, while the choices may be ours, sometimes the skills are not. While the circumstances may be different, the facts remain the same. We are responsible for setting the standards by which we live, and if that standard is compromised by a weakened mental or physical state of well being, it irrelevant if “he doesn’t hit me so it doesn’t really matter” - what matters is that people are suffering in all sorts of ways. While there may be no visible scars on the outside, the emotional ones run just as deep and often last longer than the physical pain. We are truly responsible for educating ourselves and our staff to fully take care of their heart, their head and their hands – their work - so they are fully protected from toxic behaviours.

As bosses we have the responsibility and privilege of caring for people at work. This means we need to ensure our workplaces are safe physically and mentally. It also means we have to ensure that bulling behaviours or actions are not condoned or left un addressed. By this it means that those who witness –either behind closed doors or publicly the behaviours that are toxic are in part contributing to bullying too.

Our role as leaders in business today is to ensure that in no way, in no shape or in no form can we provide conditions or opportunities for bullies to take advantage of others in their workplace.

What do you do when you witness bullying behaviour? Tell us your stories and we will tell you how to eradicate bullying from the workplace.

www.rickynowak.com

Resilient Relationships for Business, Community and Life MasterClass

2010-03-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

How to build profit and productivity to get results!

April 27, 2010 - Investment $497 or Table of 6 $2690

This first-rate MasterClass will help you and your business improve your professional and personal profile and build relationshaips with greater clarity and vision. It will position you with a point of difference in a world that is positively different. This session will be interactive and practical and enable you build more resilient relationships with your staff, clients and stakeholders.

The MasterClass provides contemporary and comprehensive strategies in leadership that will allow you to successfully and positively connect and succeed in complex environments - from business to personal.

Who should attend:
The business owner, manager and staff responsible for improving business results, profits and sales (and relationships) in the workplace.

MasterClass Overview
Resilient relationships with employees are vital to surviving the downturn and managers and leaders must monitor the warning signs that they’re at risk. With the current economic environment placing greater pressure on the workforce it’s critical not only to manage the financials but manage relationships so people are supported and cared for when under extreme pressure and expectations are high.

This highly interactive MasterClass will address the competing priorities of when bottom line pressure is interfering with results as staff, clients and stakeholders are feeling less connected and committed to supporting the businesses, companies and their leaders. As organisations are having trouble coping with increased expectation and decreased resources leading to their staff becoming less resilient, this session will show you how the power of resilience can create a strong and sustainable business.

Proven Outcomes and Takeaways

Presenting with 5 masterful skills
dentifying the pitfalls of a poorly planned pitch and its impact on business and relationships
Winning strategies shared by successful leaders and organisations that get results
How to become a great story tellers using personal as well as professional experience
Managing difficult audiences who sabotage, interrupt or try and detract from your impact

Book online or download brochure

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Bosses, Bullies, Bystanders

2010-03-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

Been bullied at school or work?

Know someone whose toxic behaviour corrodes good employees "just for fun or spite" and leaves others immobilised to unable to help or stop it?

Perhaps you have even "done it" yourself at some time or other - unwittingly or ...

The Government's own research shows more than one third of employees have witnessed bullying or harassment, more than 50% of people have experienced it, confirming many people don't or can't manage bullying behaviours as they fail to recognise and understand its many different and destructive faces.

In order to eradicate unacceptable behaviours and responses, it is critical to understand why people bully, identifying different types of bullying and how we can take greater responsibility in dealing with the situation and people concerned. As bullying occurs at all levels, is not gender specific, and is often complex in its origins, it can be difficult to know how to respond in a timely and professional manner.

We are interested in your thoughts on the following questions:

What are your views on Bullying?
When have you ever experienced or witnessed Bullying?
What are your tips on how to handle a bully?

www.rickynowak.com

YouTube View on Leadership

2010-02-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

If you're in your job through luck or pluck, through hard work or a good lurk, through chance or because you wear the pants - your ability to keep your workplace friendly, populated and meeting the changing and higher expectations of your staff is tough.

And your ability to stay at the top of your game and not on the top of the scrap heap, is even tougher.

Here are 6 of my latest YouTube views on Leadership with Courageous Communication.

Tip 1 - When thinking about courageous communication why should we start with the end in mind and how do we do this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFT27JCXgj8

Tip 2 - What do you mean when you say courageous conversationalists are truly expert in the heart, head and hands? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjSmZbvjALc

Tip 3 - What is the difference between a dialogue and a monologue and how do we achieve dialogue? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5bEptFt_7k

Tip 4 - What is the ‘real you’ in a conversation and how do we communicate with an authentic tone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGG4IouTj0

Tip 5 - Why is it important to get to the issue early in a difficult conversation and how can we do this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnkRjDxoo3o

Tip 6 - Why is it important to stand out from the crowd and focus on the difference we can make? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur9eEP3dmoA

For more helpful tips on leadership, visit my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/RickyNowakLeadership http://www.rickynowak.com/

Are you a Tiger or a Cheetah?

2009-12-07T17:47:00.000-08:00

The Tiger has his tale between his legs this week and his perfect reputation lies in limbo. What has taken years of hard work, tenacity, commitment and focus to achieve may not be enough to keep the world’s most loved golfer a true role model, as he is scrutinised and judged by millions of people who are now seemingly more interested in what he has done off the course than on it.

Now, sadly, the Tiger of golf may well be remembered as a Cheetah rather than a Tiger. The public will be his judge and jury and perhaps the sponsors too.

Leaders in business and organisations also work for many years to build their reputation and legacy for their people and organisations. However it is often what comes after they leave their great heights that is as important is what they do when they are present. We all know that our sphere of influence extends not only to those people near and close to us but includes those whose are affected and impacted on by our behaviours and actions.

In truth we are totally responsible for our reputations and for what we are known for - now and in the future. What people remember us for is testimony for the difference we make. If at the end of the day, we are remembered for the wrong things do we in fact, nullify the good we do. If we have choices of how we are to be remembered, then perhaps we can choose how we behave with greater care and respect not only for others, but for ourselves.

As we leave the current year behind and focus on what’s ahead, it may well be a great time to consider what our own personal and professional brand actually states about us and create our future reputation by our actions and behaviours of today. Interesting thought really, especially in light of the Copenhagen Summit where our future is once again in the hands of the those who are responsible for things to come.

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Need assistance with the skills shortage?

2009-11-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

Employing new staff can be a hefty task particularly with the impending skills shortage following the GFC.

If you are considering hiring new staff, help take the guess work out of your recruitment by using DISC Profiling is the universal language of behaviour and is one of the most commonly used profiling tools in business today. It is estimated that 75% of the Fortune 500 companies utilise DISC in their businesses. DISC examines HOW we behave, communicate and interact. Since a person's behaviour is a necessary and integral part of who they are, research suggests that the most effective people are those who understand themselves, both their strengths and weaknesses.

Maybe the talent or skills you need to deliver results is already available and just needs to be developed.We offer a variety of business training and executive coaching options that you can utilise to develop the skills of your current staff.

Information regardng our services are all on our new website http://www.rickynowak.com/

Why not take a few minutes and have a look around and see what is new.

Are you a constant crusader for your organisation?

2009-11-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Kol Kavod to Al Gore! (Translating from Hebrew meaning "All the Honour" ) In The Age (6 Nov) Al Gore is defined as being a constant crusader - using inspiration from the Middle Ages to help shape long term thinking. Those communities were defined by building the great cathedrals of Europe and for generations to come.

Gore wants us "to give up short term thinking and automatic responses and instead turn on the parts of our brains that allow us to develop long term thinking and create a strong and sustainable future. He is a true crusader and fights for what he believes.

In business today, we too need to crusade for what we believe is right for the sustainable future of our organizations and people.

However often we are faced with "new strategies' " new ideas" "new systems" without really giving time for the existing processes to develop to their full potential.

We think big but often act small by changing direction as often as we change our socks. It seems we fight for a short time before being tempted or attracted to the next best thing - always compromising what we have for what we believe may be better. Let us be more discerning about what we change, when we change it and why and be prepared to crusade for our beliefs and values.

If you are keen to develop your business or organisation into one that is build on bricks not clicks, that is built on hard work not a good lurk, and have a strong vision for the future, here are 7 strong foundations to develop your cathedrals for the future.

Respond with organisational flexibility and operational flexibility to the changes and conditions of today but only change what is broken and adjust and adapt with a clear agenda in mind.

• Know who your champions are, what they are passionate about and who they can influence to support them along the way.

• Recognise where in the business is the urgency and where is the need for stillness and reflection.

• Ask your people to identify three things they can do under the following headings:

1. What do we need to eliminate?

2. What do we reduce time or effort on?

3. What do we raise the bar on?

4. What do we need to create for the future?

• Set high standards and people will perform to them - not generally above them, so its critical to expect a lot. Let people then operate on the premise that they will succeed - step off the dance floor and onto the balcony - for they will do better when they are not watched and supervised on every step.

http://www.rickynowak.com/

What creative or innovative process have you, your organization or business done over the last 12 months that has improved outcomes that you may not have been doing prior to the GFC?

2009-11-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

Resilient and savvy leaders have responded to the economic woes of late by seeing the GFC as an unprecedented opportunity for their organizations to innovate and grow. What have you done to lift the bar? Read more at http://www.rickynowak.com/ or http://www.rickyknowsleadership.blogspot.com%20and/ and happy to include responses in future leadership news.

How to Create A Compelling Learning Culture

2009-11-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

I commend the recent article in HR Daily, November 4 2009, by Senior Associate Nichola Constant from Harmers Workplace Lawyers, who states in her article that Employee buy-in is vital for high-performance cultures. She states that “Obtaining employees' "buy-in" when drafting performance goals helps to guard against unfair dismissal claims, and that by giving employees "buy-in" when drafting high performance criteria, employers can guard against future claims that the criteria were unreasonable. She states clearly that targets need to be realistic and well communicated and employees need to be equipped to meet expectations of their role and outcomes, including continually reassessing targets and managing poor performance – especially in light of the current economic climate.

This is more than merely leadership rhetoric, and true testimony to this common sense approach is in a recent leadership program that a successful business have done on their own initiative and supported and implemented by us over a period of 18 months. This program included Leadership Coaching, Specialized Training in specific areas, Psychometric Testing, Surveys, Leadership Plans, Networking Initiatives, and regular Performance Appraisals.

What made this program so successful and have complete buy in by the staff was that the MD engaged the personal and professional needs of each staff member in the context of who they are and what their personal drivers and ambitions are. By having individual learning plans that each person was responsible for bringing to the table with a dedicated time frame, outcome and strategy around how and why it was the best option ensured that each person was fully focused, excited about their own learning and career opportunities.

As part of the program there were clear guidelines and expectations with “touch points” every few weeks, enabling them to identify where they were making a difference and how it was impacting on the business. This organization went above delivering high quality to customers and delivered high quality to each other and themselves. They defined a high performance culture by virtue of what they were doing and committed to.

Please see article 'How to Create a Compelling Learning Culture'

www.rickynowak.com

Recuitment Daily Article 27 October 2009

2009-10-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

Six communication tips to boost results

(Blog NB: there are actually Five Communication Tips)

Whether you want to improve the productivity of your team or your prospects of winning a sale, "communication is the sweet spot where six important strategies must intersect if anything is to happen", says communication expert Ricky Nowak.

Nowak, the director of Confident Communications, says in her e-book, BOOST your success: Communication strategies for high achievers, that the single most important leadership and management task is communication. "Unless we do this with confidence, precision, empathy and regularity, the people around us will not know of our goals nor understand what is expected of them." Her BOOST theory involves:

Being in the moment - This is harder than it sounds, she says. "We have all been victims of 'premature exasperation' - not being able to wait for someone to finish the sentence without filling in the gaps for them, changing the direction, tone or impact." It also happens when one person moves too fast through conversations or meetings, Nowak says. "They may be there physically but on a mental level they have simply checked out, gone, vanished, vamoosed, left the building." The challenge, she says, is to "stay present and focused on the people, on the situation and on caring about our relationships".

Objectivity - "about yourself, your behaviours and your attitudes". "Some people see themselves as reasonably good communicators with clear, objective views about themselves and their lives," Nowak says, but they don't ask anyone or confirm it anywhere. Other people, she says, "ask deeper questions and see the connection between the responses they get and the communication they give. They can see this is the real litmus test of whether or not they are respected, valued and even liked". She urges recruiters and managers to ask for feedback, saying "otherwise, the room may well light up when you leave it".

"Ouch" factor - at some point in time, she says, everyone messes up. "It hurts, financially and personally, and of course our professional status may be questioned. Ouch. My thinking is that it will be questioned even more rigorously if we don't show the human side of making mistakes and that it is our errors that make the real learning happen. This is when we can show others that it's ok to make mistakes... it is not something we need to hide or be ashamed of. It's only wrong if we don't learn from the experience and improve."

Simplicity - "The challenge to actually keep things simple is perhaps one of the most difficult issues many people face, as they fear silence or simplicity in language means simplicity in a person," Nowak says. "Jack Welch, former CEO of GE put it cleverly when he said: 'You cannot believe how hard it is for people to be simple - how much they fear being simple. They feel that if they are simple, people will think they are simple minded - in reality it is just the reverse'." The key, she says, is to allow others to have more "air space - more time to think, speak and process what they are hearing without being interrupted or distracted. This means taking time to ask, wait, listen, pause and then respond without filling all the gaps and silences". Silence is often a smart strategy for the listener, she notes, but smarter for the person delivering the information.

"Communication is indeed about the transferral of information and the transformation of the information into an act or outcome. These things take time. Master the art of patience."
Trust in your intuition. Some people implicitly trust their "gut feel" while others need hard evidence and facts and won't budge before they have all the answers, Nowak says. "The key here is being able to recognise that perhaps in some instances, you may be better off asking someone to complement your thinking and get other perspectives. While I encourage you to go with what is right for you, I also encourage you to consider, reflect and honour the intuition of others."

http://www.rickynowak.com

Creating High Performance Sales Teams

2009-10-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

The Buddhist proverb “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” seems quite apt in relation the comment in the article ‘The coming together of sales leaders in Australia’ by Sue Barrett on SmartCompany, 5 October 2009, “That despite the 40-60% of time dedicated to sales coaching many people still don’t get it right, don’t understand it nor can execute the core skills of coaching.” However, when both the student and the teacher interact at the right time, in the right way, magic happens.

There’s no time, place or patience for mediocrity in business. As benchmarks are raised, so too is the blood pressure of leaders when faced with possible threats to their company’s profile, profit, productivity and people – and these volatile times are proving to be no exception.

But there’s a whole lot more than profile and productivity when it comes to getting and sustaining results, and those companies who put the wind in the sails of their people and not an anchor on their tails can often attribute their results to the role Executive Coaching plays.

Executive coaching creates a vital source of external energy and enthusiasm that can often be lost when internal challenges run high and resources run low. Coaching offers an opportunity to develop clarity and insight around results and provides invaluable experiences that highlight the gaps and expectations.

In order to reap the benefits from executive coaching both the coach and the coachee must have a full understanding of the process, the expectations, commitments and the outcomes.

A skilled executive coach is a trusted external thinking partner and outside confidante who suspends judgement, provides challenging conversations, questions and options and enables people to achieve their best while having some salient feedback during the process at times. It is not about ego, and not for those expecting to give or have a “quick fix”. It is not a role for those who are impatient, want to give advice, get frustrated easily or can’t work with “closed minds”.

By establishing a clear set of expectations and outcomes prior to beginning a new coaching program, both the coach and the coachee are setting up a more rewarding and compelling coaching program that will assist all parties.

For more information on Executive Coaching and for the “Five Key Things Required to Make it Valuable” visit http://rickyknowsleadership.blogspot.com/2009/10/executive-coaching-five-key-things-to.html

http://www.rickynowak.com

Executive Coaching - The Five Key Things to Make it Valuable

2009-10-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

Executive coaching requires five things to be valuable or it can be a waste of time, money and resources for an organisation as well as potentially discouraging people from potentially experiencing its value at another time.

It requires a mutual agreement that both parties feel comfortable working with each other.
It requires a commitment that an issue, concern or problem exists and that the coachee is comfortable with being coached in a process that may take some time to get the best results.
It is a series of in depth discussions - enabling a person to fully engage in the process of discovery and development without the fear of recrimination, intimidation or embarrassment at any level, and without bias of any kind.
The coachee must be willing to listen, respond, participate and importantly demonstrate with evidence what they are doing to implement new strategies and ideas. The coachee must be open to further comment without being defensive but actively taking part in the discussions.
Both parties must nominate at the earliest possible time if they feel the process may not be working and that another course of action or intervention may be necessary.

Becoming an executive coach is not about intent alone. Wanting to support and develop a person over time by helping them through skills and processes is a great start but does not qualify one to become a coach. There are a number of core skills that are required and perhaps the most important is astute listening skills and the ability to reflect back situations and events with accuracy and remembering details.

The role of the coach is to help the person find the best case scenario solution themselves without providing the answer. People who are more direct, and want to provide a solution is indeed doing the coachee a disservice because a) the person is no better off or confident to make decisions themselves in the future and b) it compromises the whole process by taking a short cut to the answer that could well be a different one than the coachee would have found.

While the executive coach can help the coachee paint a compelling pathway that is right for them, the coachee must also have a set of criteria they are looking for in a coach before they commit to the process including:

Do I respect and want to work with this person?
What am I looking for in the coaching process?
What are my expectations of the process and how will I measure whether I am getting a return on the investment in time and money
What will happen if I find this approach is not for me
What support do I want from the coach in between sessions, and has this been discussed?

http:www.rickynowak.com

Resilient Leader

2009-10-04T20:21:00.001-07:00

In HC Magazine 25 September, Cris Popp, program director, Mt Eliza Executive Education, part of Melbourne Business School said, "Resilient leaders are able to look for the silver lining in any situation, which enables them to view the current economic crisis not as an impediment to growth but rather as an opportunity for their organisations." That is critical in moving through challenging times, but let us ask ourselves why does it take a crisis to sometimes look for opportunities or for us to really seeing the value of things when they are in front of us all the time anyway. Here’s what I mean:

When the bush fire inferno in early February wiped the financial crisis off the front pages, it changed our conversations and attitudes from the value of money to the value of human lives. It immersed us in stories far deeper and more compelling because it was close to home and we reached voluntarily and effortlessly into a mental place temporarily forgotten while consumed by the continuing shock of the next business disaster.

It demonstrated that we had not forgotten what was important, not forgotten about people, and that we did have time and the capacity to give and receive. I guess the hard part comes now as business is recovering and people are getting back to business as usual– how do we access that place again that enables us to bringing the right energy into the workplace and be responsible for creating the workplace that will reward us personally as well as professionally.

http://www.rickynowak.com

Resilient Relationship Communication Plan

2009-10-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

In an article cited in HR Daily, 24 September 2009, ( hrdaily.com.au) Eve Anderson, co-author of "I used to be an employee but now I am a stakeholder", cites that employers "can face difficulties if the interests of individuals aren't considered" when implementing flexibility policies or similar workforce strategies. How true. Anderson and co author, Dr. Michelle Greenwood also say that "Workers often depend on their work for social relationships, self-identity, and self-actualisation," Correct on that point also.

Thus, in order to get closer to understanding the interests of each individual we work with and help create resilient and engaging workplaces, it’s important to have a communication plan and approach to different people, styles and competencies. Here’s how to become a stakeholder in a relationship rather than a by stander.

Determine the WHO of your message
Whatever form of communication – either email, letter, text, phone, twitter, or update, spend time determining and understanding your audiences needs and just who it is your communication is for. Is it being received in a format that matches the style or competency of the other party. If not, adjust it.
Plan the WHAT you want to say/do
Clearly define WHAT the purpose is of your communication and the context of where it fits into the relationship you have with the other party.
Determine what you hope to achieve as a result of this communication and what outcomes you expect?
Once you have decided, never loose sight of these points as you develop the process and implementation of the communication.
The purpose of the WHAT should underpin the entire communication
Set out the WHY
Be clear in your mind as to why the person you are directing the information wants it and why they should read or listen to what you have to say.
Ask yourself WHY they should take action now or later and what is your compelling reason that makes this communication more important .
Why is the form of communication you have chosen the most effective or appropriate?
Think of these points from THEIR point of view.
Focus on the HOW to
How will this information help the other party?
How clear, concise and relevant is it to them? In other words, how easy have you made it for others to understand and deal with.
How will they take this communication to the next level and convert it from a concept/idea/to do through to implementation.
Know and respect the WHEN
Knowing when to implement, offer, suggest, advise, or state opinions can mean the difference between a successful communication outcome with people we work with and a less positive outcome. It also is important to give the right information as to WHEN we want people to take action, and WHEN is a good time to measure whether or not what we are communicating with people has been successful.

So if creating a workplace that has stakeholders not bystanders is important for you, practice the 5 point communication plan.

http://www.rickynowak.com/

Resilient Relationships

2009-09-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

As reported in the article 'TrendWatcher: The Leadership Competencies That Matter Most in Today's Trying Economic Times' in HR Daily, September 11 2009, one of the top three competencies of a leader was building good relationships.

Resilient Relationships are the key to leading in volatile times, and that it takes a number of other critical competencies to ensure business survives and thrives.

While there is no argument that the ability to engage others and keep them engaged is one of the most important Leadership Competencies in business, there is also no argument that people today are now interacting and communicating at the different levels of their relationship with greater success. However, it requires relationships to be more than open for success to happen. It requires them to be resilient and robust to actually withstand and respect change, diversity and challenge that is being demanded in business today.

The ability to lead successfully in volatile times demand superior skills including the ability to identify issues and their levels of urgency so strategic adjustments can be carefully made. What is also of great significance is being able to care for stakeholder relationships with the same urgency as caring for the financials.

However evidence today indicates that leaders operate between these two sets of competing priorities and while they would like to invest more in relationships their primary focus is on survival strategies not relationship strategies. This shift from people to bottom line exclusively is unfortunately interfering with results as staff, clients and stakeholders are reportedly feeling “less connected and committed to supporting the businesses, companies and their leaders.”

In order to be stress hardy in these times, do the following 10 point check list to determine whether or not you are resilient or resigned…

If you rate less than 4 Yes’s, it’s time to lift the bar on relationships

Are people operating at the level of the relationship or where they would like them to be? Yes No
Are people in a strong physical when things get tough?
Are people in a strong financial health when the business is going through tough times?
Do staff historically behave well when things get tough?
Does your business manage challenging times with a robust strategy in place?
Do you have support systems are/were in place to help your staff and business recover
Do the person/staff know what is going on around them and in what context their work is taking?
Do you have external influences interfering with the process of getting results?
Are there external influences working in a positive way?
Do staff have the resources around them to assist them to cope at the time?

While businesses are currently pre occupied with securing a healthy financial future, those businesses whose focus is making their relationships resilient will get there faster and more successfully.

Ricky Nowak leadership@rickynowak.com http://www.rickynowak.com/

How Smart Teams are creating Smart Business Outcomes

2009-09-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

While the Smart50 recognise there is nothing like a good recession to create opportunity and growth as indicated in the SmartCompany article How the Smart 50 are planning for recovery” Tuesday 22 September, there is no doubt that Smart Teams also know they contribute to smart business outcomes.

While performing as a team in the recent traumatised business arena seemed to be testing values and visions of many businesses and people the emphasis has started to shift from just looking after the fiscal responsibility to stimulating learning, development and motivation so people can significantly lift the bar and not their blood pressure as business ramps up again, and expectations are high.

And given that today’s economic situation is impacting on people’s ability to manage their expanded roles, it’s critical to provide environments that respond and recognize individual diversity, pressure, and resilience. A smart team recognizes what it needs and ensures that it engineers its way to get it. So, if you’re looking to create a Smart Team especially now to be ahead of the pack

Be sure you’re clear on what you’re asking or needing from people. Paraphrase and check your assumptions – positive or negative. Be specific, brief, and clear. Encourage your staff and others around you to do likewise.

Communicate your message in small, digestible chunks that allow people to process and manage their work. Acknowledge contribution personally and publicly.

If you’re unsure or feel uneasy about something ask for clarification and updates as often as possible. Encourage everyone to contribute to open dialogue.

Be “the wind in the sails not an anchor on the tails” of your people and teams. Positive framing in negative times provide the Ying and the Yang needed in business.

5. Do regular Team Audits to assess how accurate you and your team are with their assumptions of how things are going.***

A valuable exercise to do is ask your staff to identify three instances over the past six months when they have counted on each other in ways that clearly enhanced the team’s performance. Discuss those instances and the impact it had on the business.

Then identify three instances over the past six months when your people missed opportunities to deliver satisfactory or exceptional customer service because people did not sufficiently count on each other’s knowledge or skill to help solve the client or the business problems. Compare the impact of both and what how they can use this knowledge in moving forward.

Relationships within teams vary and indeed relationships vary from client to client and person to person and over time. Relationships will change due to the changing nature of a business transaction and a personal interaction.

Smart Team members are all responsible for looking after the relationships as part of a chain of responsibility and care. Being proactive and managing relationships takes time, but are the DNA of our businesses .Don’t let the fallout from GFC stand between your teams and what your business stands for.

*** To download a Smart Business Audit, email leadership@rickynowak.com with Audit in the subject line.
www.rickynowak.com Ricky Nowak

Have You Seen The Latest

2009-06-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

We recently updated and reformatted our website to make it easier to choose the right learning program for your organisation! Please visit www.rickynowak.com to find out more about engaging Ricky, for your next Conference, Program or Meeting Presentation, to subscribe to our new membership programs, and of course to build your resource library.

If you are looking for a speaker for your upcoming Conference or Meeting, or perhaps would like to initiate an Executive Forum or Retreat please contact us about Ricky Nowak, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) can customise an engaging and results driven presentation for you.
Visit www.rickynowak.com to find out more about how Ricky's services can help the growth of emerging leaders, transform middle managers into leaders and sharpen the skills of senior leaders.

Sound positive? We are specialising in helping businesses prepare more strategically to increase opportunities throughout these challenging economic times.

Take a tour today!

Frugal is the new Black

2009-06-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

"Businesses that were purportedly strong in late 2008 but have turned to jelly in early 2009 may have only been strong on paper, with little or no cash on hand other than wages or running costs, or are in a position to collect outstanding debts"

This has been the talk around the Board Room tables and SME's, as companies are realising the impact of becoming cash strapped with no immediate resolve in sight.

And as the spending trend has all but closed, companies are also now becoming more frugal in the way they conduct their business activity, development and in managing debts. When it may have been customary to spend on areas such as building property portfolios , business travel and accommodating late payments from customers, a new trend has now emerged - Frugal versus Frivolous. In fact, it could well be the new Black.

In order to survive and thrive in the year ahead, here is a snapshot of 8 smart tips from companies who are cutting through the negative talk. Some of these tips were conveyed in a recent CEO Institute Forum held in February 2009.

Thrive and Survive in 2009

Stick to what you are good at - now is not the time to make drastic changes and look for new directions.
Make sure you have secured your IP. Value it, own it and ensure others know what's yours. As the weaker fall, don't allow your work to go with it.
Get staff to look at what services or activities are core and what non essential activities can be outsourced. It is not just about the money... it is about who in the company is spending valuable time on things that do not have a sufficient return.
Get good professional financial management from the outside. A fresh set of eyes can open up areas for cost saving and cost cutting.
Anticipate new industry lifecycles that may start to appear as the weakened economy closes the doors on some services or products and others will emerge in their place.
Build strategic alliances with other industry specialists and businesses that can compliment your business.
Develop leadership capability through coaching, mentoring, training, associations, forums.
Consider how to engage people in the development of your business plan. The business plan has to be owned by your staff as they are the ones to carry it out If you and your business wants and needs to be part of the reconstruction of our economy consider starting a new frugal trend as indicated above.

If you and your business wants and needs to be part of the reconstruction of our economy consider starting a new frugal trend as indicated above.

Ricky Nowak www.rickynowak.com

I QUIT MY JOB

2009-06-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

There's been much too much rhetoric around the problems of the GFC, and quite frankly it's getting kinda boring, if you know what I mean. All we seem to be hearing is about the woes of the economic collapse and as a result, people are succumbing to the negative framing goes with it.

However the following example by Andrea Jung, the Chairman and CEO of Avon, as cited in The McKinsey Quarterly suggests how useful positive framing can be and while this story is set in a different time, the premise of positivity is just what is needed now! "IN late 2005, Jung recalled she found her company in a decline that temporary factors could not explain. Recognizing that she was the leader who had created the strategies and the team responsible for the downturn, she listened to the counsel of her executive coach and promptly "fired herself" on a Friday night. The following Monday, Andrea showed up at work as the "new: turnaround CEO". She proved herself to be a "glass half full" optimist, and the recovery plan her management team adopted after a quick diagnosis let to a steady improvement and a turn to growth".

So, last Friday night I took the advise of Andrea and "quit my job" after hearing from so many organizations over the last couple of months that they were "putting training on hold, conferences on the backburner, coaching programs on ice and one client even said they were "cancelling learning"... Between you and me, I wandered also if that meant they were cancelling thinking, too! " It was all doom and gloom.

But this Monday morning I showed up at work with a Glass Bubbling Over Optimist - and my recovery plan will lead you and your team back to business.

Ricky Nowak www.rickynowak.com