True Colors – GOLD

Assessments : So Many Choices
by Cindy Stradling

There are hundreds of assessment tools in the market today and depending on the results you are looking for there is one that can provide participants and managers with a better understanding of each other’s person communication style, strengths, areas for growth and preferences.  One of my favourites is still True Colors when you are looking for an easy to administer and fun way to learn about yourself and others on your team.  For the month of May I have decided to provide details about each of the four colors Blue, Orange, Gold and Green.  As you read through the details each color, identify what is most like you and least like you.  Have fun!

Communication with a GOLD

Setting the tone

Clear expectations, short & long-term goals, specific action plans

Hierarchical structure, clear roles

Feedback Techniques

Specific measures of performance, achievements

Clear, specific feedback re accomplishments, contributions

Regular, consistent “pats on back”

Praise for

Accomplishments

Thoroughness, responsibility

Contributions  to growth of organization

Rewards

Tangible

Traditions, rituals, ceremonies

Values

Orderliness, organization, structure

Stability, traditions, loyalty, commitment

Reliability, dependability, diligence

Accountability, efficiency

Accuracy, perfection

Dignity, culture, heritage, tradition

Fairness, honest, integrity

Doing things for others

Home, family

Assets, wealth, security

Preferred Environments

Structure, efficiency

Clearly defined personal space

Sufficient storage, well-organized

Permanence, stability

Clocks, notice boards, schedules

Rewards for accomplishments

Recognition for work ethic

Message, communication systems

Team Building

Co-operative team player – completer, great planner and time manager

Establish orderly environment

Be on time

Give frequent, specific feedback

Offer examples and facts

Provide sufficient resources

Avoid infringing on home life

Provide leadership, clear direction

Gradually introduce changes

Learning Styles

Prefers structure, rules, routine

Quiet, orderly, uninterrupted environment

Traditional directed instruction

Worksheets, textbooks, charts

Likes to share in responsibility

Step-by-step: needs the basics first

Wants to “do it right”

Prefers regular, ongoing feedback

Evaluation via tests, quizzes

Recognition for being on task

Content, not theory, is key

Characteristics

Generous, parental, responsible

Realistic, pragmatic, practical, decisive

Predictable, steadfast, concerned

Reserved, usually calm, patient

Trustworthy, punctual

Playful, organized, always prepared

Maintain “status quo”, dependable

Practice the “work ethic”

Conscientious, accurate, thorough, neat

Procedural, orderly

Skills

Time management

Following procedures and rules

Project implementation, follow-through

Supervising, coordinating

Guarding, caretaking, securing

Handling detail, doing routine work

Accounting, collecting data

Dispatching

Interests

Providing service

Results-oriented

Practical application

Groups, association, institutions, teams

Collecting, organizing data and things

Cultural events, traditional celebrations

Leadership Style

Expects punctuality, order

Expects staff to stick to job descriptions

Fosters loyalty, tradition

Seldom questions traditional standards

Rules-oriented

Minimal conflict

Threatened by change

Rewards and Motivators

Rewards based on loyalty and hard work

Security (job, family), time for home, family

Structure, rules, routine

Clearly defined expectations, step-by-step

Traditional directed instruction

Shared responsibility, serving others

Being prepared, doing it right

Recognition for being on task

Content, not theory is key

Stressors

Non-conformity, disobedience

Unpredictability, ambiguity, chaos

Incomplete tasks, ignored deadlines

Insufficient time to complete tasks

People who don’t follow through

Lack of closure, structure, direction

Irresponsibility of others, disloyalty

Haphazard attitudes, surprises

Acceptance of poorly performed tasks

Too many questions, insufficient info

Disorganization, waste, inefficiency

“Out of Esteem” Behaviours

(or what others might see when you’re having a bad day)

Complaining, self-pity

“Victim” attitude

Anxiety, worry, depression

Fatigue

Psychosomatic problems

Malicious judgments about self, others

Herd mentalityà blindly following leader

Authoritarianism, phobic relations

Refusing to co-operate, withdrawal

At Work

Accurate, thorough, neat

Procedural, orderly

Pragmatic, service-provider

Results oriented, responsible

Establish and organize institutions

Want rewards based on loyalty and hard work

Careers – Professional

Accountant, auditor, banker

School counselor, teacher

Librarian, archivist, curator

Doctor, dentist, nurse, chiropractor

Therapist (occupational, physio)

Administrator, manager

Lawyer, judge

Computer programmer

Careers – Vocational

Clerk (stats, payroll, claims)

Receptionist, secretary, reservations

Data entry, telephone operator

Police, court reporter

Bank teller, cashier, bookkeeper

Agent, broker (real estate, insurance)

Dental hygienist, radiology technician

Recreational therapist

Air traffic controller

True Colors – Orange

Assessments:  So Many Choices
by Cindy Stradling

There are hundreds of assessment tools in the market today and depending on the results you are looking for there is one that can provide participants and managers with a better understanding of each other’s person communication style, strengths, areas for growth and preferences.  One of my favourites is still True Colors when you are looking for an easy to administer and fun way to learn about yourself and others on your team.  For the month of May I have decided to provide details about each of the four colors Blue, Orange, Gold and Green.  As you read through the details each color, identify what is most like you and least like you.  Have fun!

Communication with a ORANGE

Setting the tone

Short-term, outcome-based goals

High, challenging expectations

Feedback Techniques

Focus on performance vs product

Clear outcome measures

Praise for

Impact of performance on org.

Cleverness, skill, versatility

Quickness, spontaneity, timeliness

Rewards

Tangible

Competitive challenges

Freedom to take action

Values

Action, expediency

Freedom for self-expression

Play, excitement, variety

Physical movement

Cleverness, skillfulness

Agility, precision

Spontaneity, immediate rewards

Performance, results

Quick completion of tasks

Preferred Environments

Unstructured, modularized, open

Colourful, innovative, changing

High energy, lots of movement

Lots of equipment, hands-on

Displays of awards, trophies

Freedom to take action

Room to negotiate

Team Building

Positive energizing – understand their gifts, strengths and needs

Define “what” needs to be done

Reminders re long-term tasks

Provide brief, specific answers

Allow for creativity and action

Provide challenge

Allow leadership, taking charge

Solicit input before decisions

Focus on bottom-line

Avoid too much analysis or detail

Learning Styles

Hands-on games and activities

Fun, excitement, competition

Finds structure and routine difficult

Prefers variety in instruction

Immediate, real world application

Enjoys simulations, entertainment

Learns by doing, field trips

Content is key

Characteristics

Determined, driven, decisive, efficient

Takes the initiative, direct, straight-forward

Independent, self-confident, positive

Realistic, practical, expeditious

Competitive, great endurance

Spontaneous, fun-loving, charming, witty

Non-judgmental, open, enthusiastic

Risk-taker, courageous

Capable in a crisis, resilient, flexible

Skilful, particularly with hands

Negotiator, entrepreneurial

Skills

Managing multiple projects at once

Producing, manufacturing, constructing

Operating tools, repairing

Instinctive finding opportunities

Selling, persuading, negotiating

Public speaking

Competing, manipulating

Responding to emergencies

Interests

Trouble-shooting, problem-solving

Active sports, adventures

Competition

Simulations

High performance

Challenge

FUN!

Leadership Style

Will delegate and follow-up

Expects quick action and flexibility

Works in the present

Performance-oriented

Welcomes change

Quickly institutes change

Expects people to make work fun

Rewards and Motivators

Visible results

Opportunity for creativity

Freedom to take action, being in charge

Challenges, variety, risks

Hands-on games and activities

Fun, excitement, competition

Immediate real world application

Content (not theory or process) is key

Stressors

Personal restrictions, lack of freedom

Unnecessary routine, rigid time lines

Rigidity, authority, close supervision

Slow decisions, criticism

Waiting, inactivity, slow pace

Repetition, rehearsal, redundancy

Lack of resources, insufficient $

Activities that lack challenge, NO FUN

Inflexibility, lack of options

Theoretical, philosophical discussions

“Out of Esteem” Behaviours

(or what others might see when you’re having a bad day)

Rudeness, defiance

Intentionally breaking the rules

Running away, dropping out

Use of stimulants

Lying, cheating

Physical aggressiveness

At Work

Flexible

Energetic

Enthusiastic

Esteemed by recognition

Appreciated for creativity

Validated by visible results

Key characteristic is skillfulness

Careers – Professional

Advertising, marketing

Public relations, public speaking

Mediator, labour relations

Teaching – dance, PE, trades

Athlete, coach, sports nutritionist

Painter, sculptor, musician, actor

Illustrator, video producer

Careers – Vocational

Mechanic, carpenter, electrician

Broadcast technician, disk jockey

Fashion illustrator, cosmetologist

Interior designer, jewelry maker

Truck driver, sales representative

Paramedic, police, firefighter

Bartender, waitperson

Child-care worker

Assessments : So Many Choices

by Cindy Stradling

There are hundreds of assessment tools in the market today and depending on the results you are looking for there is one that can provide participants and managers with a better understanding of each other’s person communication style, strengths, areas for growth and preferences.  One of my favourites is still True Colors when you are looking for an easy to administer and fun way to learn about yourself and others on your team.  For the month of May I have decided to provide details about each of the four colors Blue, Orange, Gold and Green.  As you read through the details each color, identify what is most like you and least like you.  Have fun!

Communication with a BLUE

Setting the tone

Outline Expectations clearly

Be frank but friendly

Feedback Techniques

Use ‘feeling’ language

Minimize negative criticism

Physical/personal contact (e.g. pat on back, touch on shoulder)

Praise for

Creativity

Depth of feeling

Personal achievements, traits

Honesty, sincerity

Energy, enthusiasm

Contributions to team, organization

Rewards

Recognition of contributions

Individualized incentives

Rewards for team & individuals

Values

Authenticity – being true to self

Honest, sincerity, integrity

Confidentially, trust

Close relationships, concern for others

Harmony, peace, love, spiritually

Living a life of significance

Compassion

Teamwork

Preferred Environments

Open, interactive atmosphere

Seating in groups, e.g. tables

Discussion, shared decisions

People – oriented environment

Long-lasting relationships

Room for creative self-expression

Attractive, comfortable ambience

Music, plants, flowers

Inspirational posters, quotes, art

Team Building

Inspiring, enthusiastic catalysts and mediators

Foster democratic relationships

Express appreciation

Encourage creativity

Allow time to discuss ideas

Trust their intuition

Collaborate on problem-solving

Allow for latitude, help to focus

Regularly discuss deadlines

Focus on how they’re helping

Learning Styles

Open, interactive atmosphere

People-oriented environment

Relaxed, flexible, creative style

Personalized instruction

Caring instructors

Supportive feedback, praise

Discussions and experiments

Cooperative, team-learning

Characteristics

People-oriented, empathic, cooperative

Creative, dramatic, sensitive, romantic

Imaginative, inspirational

Cultivate potential in self, others

Self-searching, individual, unique

Vivacious, enthusiastic, entertaining

Share feelings, warm, gentle

Optimistic, dedicated

Democratic, unselfish

Skills

Communication, speaking, writing

Facilitating human potential

Establishing rapport, team building

Creating a favourable impression

Acting as a catalyst, motivating

Creativity

Guiding, mentoring, mediating

Teaching, counseling, training

Persuading, leading, influencing

Interests

Helping people, friendships

Social settings, emotional events

Music, fine arts, drama

Inspirational speeches

Group spirit, teams, family atmosphere

Variety & Uniqueness

Leadership Style

Expects others to express views

Nurturing, empathic, leads with feelings

Fosters a family spirit

Democratic, unstructured

Catalyst to develop potential of individuals

Encourages change, but people come first

Expects staff to continue to grow

Idealistic, charismatic, dramatic

Rewards and Motivators

An open, interactive atmosphere

People-oriented environment

Approval, encouragement, acceptance

Empathy, understanding, support

Discussions, experiments

Attention, affection, friendship

Popularity, recognition of abilities

Validation of personal worth

Stressors

Conflict, aggression

Disharmony, lying

Authoritarian behaviour, censorship

Impersonal treatment, isolation, rejection

Insensitivity, insincerity

Negative criticism, discouraging remarks

Competition

Time limits, pressure to decide quickly

Routine work, paper before people

“Out of Esteem” Behaviours

(or what others might see when you’re having a bad day)

Attention-getting misbehaviour

Lying to save face, making excuses

Withdrawal

Fantasizing, trancing-out, daydreaming

Crying, depressions

Lack of self-confidence

Passive resistance, inertia

Emotional outbursts, yelling, screaming

At Work

Likes to help people

Need variety, can do almost anything if it’s of interest

At ease with colleagues

Inspire group spirit, teams

Lose interest with routines

Prefer family-like atmosphere

Dislike detail and follow-up

Offer unique contributions

Careers – Professional

Human resources, personnel

Psychologists, counselor, therapist

Social worker, interviewer

Minister, rabbi

Editor, reporter, journalist

Actor, playwright, creative writer

Advertising specialist, PR

Teacher, trainer, educational consultant

Fundraiser

Careers – Vocational

Recreation leader

Host, hostess

Tour guide

Sales

Flight Attendant

Travel agent

Receptionist

Actor

Assessments:  So Many Choices

by Cindy Stradling

When I meet with clients and they are interested in conducting an assessment for their organizations I am very careful to find out why they want to conduct and assessment and what information they intend to obtain.  There are so many choices, I could write blogs for the next six months and still not have explored all of them.  For the month of April I am going to share with you my experience of  four of the assessments that I have personally taken. 

Week Four- True Colors

When I first started my training career I looked for an assessment that was fun, engaging and provided the opportunity for people to learn more about themselves and others.  True Colors was certainly a lot of fun and engaging.  More importantly it provided me the opportunity to understand my preferences in communicating with others, taking action and how I perceived the world.  I was thrilled to become certified as a True Colors facilitator and I still recommend it to groups who want a fun and interactive workshop for teams.  In fact it is called “edu-tainment” by many people.

The True Colors metaphor was developed by Don Lowry in 1978 and was influenced by earlier work done by David Keirsey.  Keirsey had built his work on the Myers Briggs model and the Myers Brigs was influenced by Carl Jung.

What True Colors is:

• A metaphor for understanding temperament
• Intended to help us celebrate, appreciate and value the unique blend of the four temperament types in each of us
• An interactive and enjoyable vehicle of learning about others and ourselves

What True Colors is not:

• A panacea
• An attempt to explain fully the complexity of human behaviour
• To be used to “label” or “stereotype” people, but to help us understand them better

It is important to remember these points when taking a True Colors assessment:

• Each of us is a blend of all four temperaments
• Each of us has a “core” temperament type through which we achieve our self-esteem
• No one individual blend or temperament is better than another, only different
• Differences in others are their “gifts” to us that make them unique.
• Each temperament type has unique strengths to offer.

The assessment is done manually in the workshop and you get your results right away.  The results will indicate your Core Needs, Values and Attributes one of four colors Green, Blue, Orange or Gold categories.

Core Needs & Values of Green – Information, Knowledge, Intellectual Competence

A few Attributes

• “Should be able to”
• “Why”
• Intellectual
• Theoretical
• Idea People
• Philosophical
• Very Complex
• Perfectionists, visionaries, futurists
• Can never know enough
• Cool, calm & collected

Core Needs & Values of Blue  - Communication, Relationships

A few Attributes

• Mediators
• Optimistic
• Caretakers
• Passionate
• Peacemakers
• True Romantics
• Cause Oriented
• Need to Feel “Special”
• Always has a kind word

Core Needs & Values of Orange  - Adventure, Spontaneity, Freedom

A few Attributes

• Playful
• Energetic, need for high mobility
• Charming
• Risk-taker
• “Just Do It”
• Test Limits- pushes the boundaries
• Visual & kinesthetic
• Master negotiator
• Creative, Inventive
• “Let’s make a deal”
• A natural entertainer – quick witted

Core Needs & Values of Gold  - Duty, Responsibility, Being Prepared

A few Attributes

• “Be Prepared
• Love to plan
• Detail oriented
• Service oriented
• Values family traditions
• Helpful & trustworthy
• Conservative & Stable
• “Should” & “Should Not”
• Rarely breaks the speed limit
• Strives for a sense of security

My results indicated my core temperament Color was actually almost a tie between Orange and Gold. I believe it is a true representation of my core values, needs and preferences.

There are many assessments available today and I have had fun sharing my experience of the four of the assessments I personally have taken.  I hope you have too.

Assessments:  So Many Choices

by Cindy Stradling

When I meet with clients and they are interested in conducting an assessment for their organizations I am very careful to find out why they want to conduct and assessment and what information they intend to obtain.  There are so many choices, I could write blogs for the next six months and still not have explored all of them.  For the month of April I am going to share with you my experience of four of the assessments that I have personally taken. 

Week Three – Kolbe

The Kolbe wisdom is based on the concept that creative instincts are the source of mental energy that drives people to take specific actions.  This mental drive is separate and distinct from feelings and thoughts.  Creative instincts are manifested in an innate pattern (modus operandi or MO) that determines each person’s best efforts.  A person’s MO is quantifiable and observable, yet functions at the subconscious level.  MOs vary across the general population with no gender, age or racial bias.

An individual’s  MO governs actions, reactions and interactions.  The MO also determines a person’s use of time and his or her natural form of communication.  Exercising control over this mental resource gives people the freedom to be their authentic selves.

Any interference with the use of this energy reduces a person’s effectiveness and the joy of accomplishment.  Stress inevitably results from the prolonged disruption of the flow of this energy.  Others can nurture this nature ability, but block it by attempting to alter it.

The Kolbe assessment does many things (too many to mention in this short blog) and there are things it is does not do (again too many for this short blog).  I have listed five of the things Kolbe does and five that it does not.

Kolbe Does

• Identifies instinct based or natural abilities
• De-bunks performance related stereotypes, which have been based on gender, age, race and ethnicity, physical, intellectual and social attributes
• Provides language for describing innate talents as Natural Advantages
• Quantifies the stress a person will suffer if not given the freedom to operate according to individual needs
• Assesses the obstacles to freedom of operation, which may be imposed by the self and others

Kolbe Does Not

• Identify weaknesses
• Suggest to people that there is something wrong within them that should be changed
• Remove personal responsibility for actions
• Rate individual talents on scales of better or worse, more or less important or any other value system
• Suggest that one person is more likely to succeed than another.

As you can see Kolbe takes a very different approach.  What I personally liked most was that I could understand better what activities gave me energy and what did not.  I still had to perform the activities that actually drained my energy but after doing Kolbe I learned to manage them at times of the day when my energy was high and to perform these activities in shorter chunks of time, this was a big help for me to not procrastinate on my least favourite things.

The Kolbe Impact Factors are the 12 ways we approach problem solving determined by our MOs.  Although we can solve problems using any of the 12 methods, each of us has four – one in each Action Mode that allows us to do our best, most efficient and creative work.  We instinctively begin the creative problem solving process using our most insistent mode of initiation.

The Four Action Modes are Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start and Implementor.  My  index results show  that my natural advantage is that I am an innovator: meaning my conative creativity is intuitive, visionary, and highly original.  I have a knack for finding alternatives and discovering unique ways to get things done.

There is a lot more information available from the Kolbe assessment should you wish to have it done.

Next week: My results from taking the True Colors Assessment.

Assessments:  So Many Choices

by Cindy Stradling

When I meet with clients and they are interested in conducting an assessment for their organizations I am very careful to find out why they want to conduct and assessment and what information they intend to  obtain.  There are so many choices, I could write blogs for the next six months and still not have explored all of them.  For the month of April I am going to share with you my experience of  four of the assessments that I have personally taken. 

Week Two – Insights Discovery Personal Profile

I took the Effective Selling Chapter assessment to better understand my personal sales skills and abilities.  It also provided me with insights (no pun intended) regarding my communication style.  The Insights assessment is a personal development tool which gives individuals an engaging, reinforcing transformational insight in themselves and others.

It identified my personal style as friendly and supportive.  I am imaginative and creative visionary who is a source of inspiration to others.  It explained that I prefer to focus on positive, harmonious and uplifting aspects of people and human relations.

Some of my strengths included being intuitive, optimistic, easy going, fun, enthusiastic, adaptable.

It also indicated some of my weakness included being easily distracted, de-motivated with routine tasks, can procrastinate on longer term tasks, may not dot all her  “i”s and cross all her “t”s. 

I found both the strengths and weaknesses identified were in fact a good representation of me.  I am consistently improving the way I do things and this assessment helped me to focus on the areas that need the most attention.  Since doing the test I procrastinate less, am more focused and still working on getting excited with routine tasks.

The Effective  Selling Chapter  is used to develop strategies for improved customer relationships, greater self-understanding and more and greater sales.  It assessed me in six stages:

Before the sale begins

Strengths:  positive attitude, adaptable in prospecting, builds connections and long term relationship

Areas for improvement:  avoid procrastination, prioritize more effectively, research competition more

Identifying needs

Strengths:  easy to be trusted, fascinated by other’s motivations, needs, fears and problems, has strong relating skills

Areas for improvement:  probe more, spend less time with people who are not key decision makers, gather more details for complex processes

Proposing the solution

Strengths:  maintains high standards in telling it like it is, is fluent and reassuring in articulating customer’s goals, presents in a fast-paced vocal manner 

 Areas for Improvement:  stick to the point, ensure fully knowledgeable about every aspect of the product/service, have relative business cases available

Dealing with buying resistance

Strengths:   is constantly alert to customer’s concerns, uses intuition to uncover any hidden blockers to the sale, maintains professionalism always

Areas for Improvement:  be less sensitive to tougher objections, provide more detailed information when needed, pause and reflect before moving on

Gaining commitment

Strengths:  makes the process FUN!  Focuses on the long-term benefits, reduces loss to client by ensuring their needs are met

Areas for improvement:  pay more attention to details, refrain from over-assuming, at times take smaller steps

Follow-up and Follow through

Strengths:  maintains regular contact with her clients, sees customers as friends to enjoy time with, remains aware of new development opportunities

Areas for improvement:  confirm details, ensure action is always taken for customer requests,  check levels of satisfaction more frequently.

I took a great deal of value from this assessment and have made many positive changes as a result of the information outlined in the Insights report.  I recommend this assessment for any salesperson who wants to identify their own blind spots and improve their performance.

The  Insights Discovery Personal Profile also has chapters for Communication, Teams and Management

Next week: My results from taking the Kolbe Assessment.

Assessments:  So Many Choices

by Cindy Stradling

When I meet with clients and they are interested in conducting an assessment for their organizations I am very careful to find out why they want to conduct and assessment and what information they intend to  obtain.  There are so many choices, I could write blogs for the next six months and still not have explored all of them.  For the month of April I am going to share with you my experience of four of the assessments that I have personally taken. 

Week One – Lumina Spark Portrait

This particular assessment is a new offering for the alliance and I was excited to participate in the online questions.  I found it very easy to answer all of the questions and found myself  a little excited to see the results. 

I really liked how it explained in that no one quality was more important than another.  I thought this was important because we can sometimes think that there is something wrong with us if we don’t fall into a particular category.  At the heart of this assessment is a questionnaire which measures different aspects of your behaviour.  This portrait, based on years of psychological research, will give you some indicators about how you behave, acknowledge your strengths (and how you overplay them sometimes) and identify behaviours that your rarely display.  It will also make distinctions between your behaviour and your motivations.  The portrait is really an aid to guide you towards a better sense of self-awareness to allow you to recognize your strengths and possible areas for development.

When I sat down with Eva Gutsche (the alliance partner who is certified to deliver the Lumina programs) the first thing she said to me was that she could see how much self development I had done over the years.  As we went through the pages of the assessment and she explained the details about who I am, I was surprised at the accuracy.  The assessment uses a full color Mandala to show the results of the questionnaire.

The assessment is based on four archetypes.  These four archetypes are Inspiring, Commanding, Empowering, Conscientious and the results show how I use these four archetypes.  The assessment then shows how this translates into eight aspects in the form of a Mandala.  The top five aspects of my Mandala said I was Accommodating, Reliable, Imaginative, Demonstrative and Purposeful.

The assessment then goes into detail about me personally in each of the archetypes, followed by graphs that showed how I scored in relation to the general population.  I loved this part of the assessment.  I am a visual person and really liked how easily I was able to understand the information.

The assessment then looked at three perspectives on who I was based on my three personas

1)      My underlying persona (this is my most natural me, motivating)

2)      My everyday persona (how I tend to behave and how others might see me)

3)      My overextended persona (who I am while under stress, how I react to unexpected events)

The assessment also highlighted some of my possible blind spots and areas to consider for improvement.  I agreed with the results that I sometimes take on too many projects and can cause me stress, sometimes have a tendency to get distracted, I can expect others to produce/work at the same level of intensity and energy as I do, sometime can make snap decisions and need to give myself more time to examine all the facts.

I felt this assessment was very accurate and provided me with some concrete recommendations for improvement.

There is also a Lumina Leader and Lumina Team assessment available.

Next week:  My results from taking the Insights Assessment.

Sometimes it is the little things that make the biggest difference

by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

I have just returned from delivering one of my sales training programs across Canada.  This was an exciting and rewarding experience for me.  Truly one of my dreams come true.  The participants were engaged and wanted to learn some techniques to keep them on track.  Some of the feedback supported my belief that sometimes it is the little things that we do every day consistently than can make all the difference.  I have listed five of these observations below:

1)    Having structure in your life.  Planning your work and working your plan.  Having a one year (or at least 6 months) written plan of your annual targets and outlining specific steps how you will get there.  Including milestones and rewards along the way will help keep you on track and motivate to keep going.

2)    Personal integrity.  Be someone that you can count on to say as you will do and do as you say.  So often we make promises and commitments to ourselves and when it comes to actually executing on what we say, we drop the ball.  By following through on our commitments to ourselves we build a new level of confidence in ourselves.

3)    Watch your thoughts.  Many times we have habitual negative thoughts that can hinder our success.  By changing our thoughts we can change our actions and in the end achieve more of what matters to us.  It is also a lot more fun having positive thoughts!

4)    Become highly scheduled.  If we leave things to chance, the chances are some important things won’t get done.  It has been my experience the more I schedule action items into my calendar (versus on a “To-Do” list) the more I get done.  It is amazing how much more we can get done, when we schedule our days.

5)    Create support structures.  For those people who work from home or remote offices it can sometimes be difficult to stay motivated.  Having a buddy, a coach or a mentor to connect with on a regular basis will help us get through the more challenging days.

Inside the Magic Kingdom – Lesson 7

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client. Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well. The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

Continued from previous week…

LESSON 7

Xvxryonx makxs a diffxrxncx

I covered this lesson a few weeks ago before I decided to write about all the lessons.  I think it is a very important lesson and worth repeating.  It is surprising to me sometimes how little it takes sometimes to make a difference for people. 

During some of my programs I include the paragraph below in an exercise that has very positive results.  Often after we read this paragraph I ask everyone what it means to them.  I get varied responses and they all agree with the message that everyone makes a difference.  Usually the groups are small enough to have everyone go around the room and tell each other why they are important and what they appreciate most about each other.  In many instances I can see that people are moved by what they are acknowledged for.  I have had people come up to me after the program is over and say they were surprised (and delighted) to know they were appreciated.

XVXRYONX MAKXS A DIFFXRXNCX

Somxtimxs I gxt to thinking that what I do doxsn’t mattxr.  But whxn I start thinking that way, I rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr.  Most of thx kxys workxd finx most of thx timx.  But onx day, onx of the kxys stoppxd working althogxthxr.  And that rxally mxssxd xvxrything up.  So whxn I’m txmptxd to say I’m only onx pxrson, it won’t makx a diffxrxncx if I don’t do this quitx right, I rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr.  Thxn I say to mysxlf “I am a kxy pxrson and nxxdxd vxry much.

We will debrief this session with some creative ways that people can acknowledge each other on an ongoing basis, and these are some of the suggestions:

• Thank you notes when someone does something special
• Buy a coffee (or tea, soft drink) for someone who has helped you
• Have candy or treats available for spontaneous acts of kindness
• Compliment when you see someone doing something great
• Send an email to a person’s boss telling them of something special colleague did
• Have a mascot (appropriate to the organization and culture) that is awarded weekly to the person who went the extra mile the most

The take away from this short exercise is to acknowledge each other for even the small things and this will go a long way to building a supportive team culture.  I encourage everyone to look for ways to acknowledge each other everyday.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. How often does good performance go unrecognized?
2. In general, what’s the positive-to-negative feedback ratio in our company/plant/department etc?
3. How could we improve that ratio?
4. What is your individual ratio of positive-to-negative feedback?

Inside the Magic Kingdom – Lesson 6

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client. Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well. The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

Continued from previous week…

LESSON 6

Reward, Recognize and Celebrate

One of the deepest human yearnings is to be appreciated.  The books highlights that a lot of organizations go through the motions of recognizing people but only a few make it part of a system.  Often companies spend more time pointing out mistakes than achievements.  This can greatly affect morale.  Recognition is about appreciating and acknowledging that someone has done something special.  Years ago when I worked in a manufacturing plant we implemented a system where employees would give each other a pin (shaped like a star) when they did something special for another employee.  At first people were a little reluctant to participate and once they started to see the visual chart we created, things changed.  It was the incentive to help get everyone on board.  Some of the things people did for each other is drive someone to the subway on a cold evening, offer to babysit when someone had a doctor’s appointment, bring someone a coffee who was having a bad day…. it worked to build a stronger team.  We had created a structure with guidelines that encouraged recognition.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. How often does good performance go unrecognized?
2. In general, what’s the positive-to-negative feedback ratio in our company/plant/department etc?
3. How could we improve that ratio?
4. What is your individual ratio of positive-to-negative feedback?