Author: Scott Asai

Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career

The Power of Pods

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The Navy SEAL’s employ a great leadership tactic called “pods.” Instead of training as a large team, they break people into small groups. These groups do everything together and create tight bonds. Observe human nature and watch how people naturally cluster in small groups. 

Paul Azinger, captain of the US Ryder Cup team in 2008 and professional golfer, used this strategy to perfection. Instead of pairing his team based on talent, he grouped them according to personality, background and values. In pods, under pressure communication increases when behavioral style is compatible. 

Pods can be implemented in any organization. Take for instance your company. Normally groups are formed based around skill set or position, but that doesn’t always work. What if psychological assessment were used such as the StrengthsFinder, DISC or Myers Briggs, then people were grouped based on personality fit? The result would be increased performance based on shared values, personality and background.

This sounds simple, but we are relational beings at our core. Here are some takeaways from Azinger’s book “Cracking the Code:”
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  • Implement a strategy that creates the best environment to succeed
  • Focusing on relationships produces positive results
  • Team unity comes from understanding the unique behavioral style & contribution of each person
  • Giving responsibility and authority fosters trust and confidence
  • Message people according to their needs (not ours) encourages peak performance

The leader’s job is to create an environment where others have the best chance to succeed. This happens with intense preparation and taking the needs of your people into consideration. Don’t micromanage, instead set the structure, communicate the message, then trust your people by releasing control and letting them do the job. 

The next time you’re forming teams, try using the pods strategy. You’ll be amazed at the power of the pods! 

 

What Brand are You?

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When you hear the word branding, you automatically think of a product. The funny thing is everyone has a brand. No matter if you are an entrepreneur, worker or student you’re known for something. 

Your brand isn’t what you choose, but what others label you as. Huh? That means you don’t determine your brand, others do. Can you be intentional about how you form your brand? Yes. The best brands in the business make a concerted effort to almost brainwash people into thinking of their product/service in a certain way. Why do you think marketing exists?
What do you want to be known for? If you had to choose one word to describe yourself, what would it be? Tough question. Clarity is power and when you’re able to illustrate what you do in one word, people can make a choice whether to “buy” you or not.

Think of yourself as a business. How do you want to be seen? What feeling or emotion do you want to emit? Branding is a very simple, yet complex concept to master. The mind can really only remember one thing when it thinks of someone. The question is, what is that one thing people will know you for? 

Want to know more about how to BRAND yourself? Come join us at Career Synergy on 3/1 where Josh Allan Dykstra will show you how to determine your BRAND!

Network Events: The Future of Hiring

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Most networking events promise countless benefits, yet rarely do they match our expectations. The emphasis should be on building trusting relationships, before trying to make your next sale. Friends hire friends…why do you think the rich stay rich?
Let me take this a step further and say network events are the future of hiring. I’m not talking about job fairs, but a place where job applicants can mingle with employers. Think about it. The traditional way of hiring is done through submitting an application, attaching a resume then waiting to be contacted for an interview. Anyone can lie on a resume, but a face to face interaction is what separates the men from the boys.
Imagine, as a job seeker, you were entering a room full of potential employers. You’ve memorized your elevator speech, but there’s no way you can anticipate what questions they might ask. Isn’t that just like the real world? Life is not scripted and neither should interviews. You can learn a lot about someone by having a conversation with them. Their skill set may not be obvious, but confidence, body language, tone, etc. comes off within 5 minutes or less. 

I’m not undermining competence, but instead of meeting the exact educational and experience requirements, wouldn’t you rather hire someone you actually can work with? Talent is talent, no matter what industry. Skills can be taught, but intangibles such as “soft skills,” charisma and confidence usually come with the package. A formal interview is one of the worst ways to predict someone’s future performance. As an employer you want to see a worker in his/her natural environment socializing with others. Where better, than to go “undercover” and meet your next hire at a network event?

Read This Before Hiring a Coach or Consultant by Tim Berry

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May I call it the expert business? It’s kind of like a zoo (no offense intended). There are coaches of all varieties, from business to life to style, to executive and leadership and others. And management consultants, planning consultants, strategy consultants, marketing consultants, public relations consultants, etc. And designers and programmers, project managers, event planners, graphic artists … I’ve been both seller and buyer, and I’m thinking I can help you figure out which section to go to, and which cage to rattle, by sorting through some of the species, and some of the differences.
I worry that people use these terms indiscriminately. To me, a coach teaches you to do it better, helps you, and trains you to do things better. A consultant delivers a report telling you what you’re supposed to do.
A coach watches you do it, then reviews your performance. A consultant studies, listens, concludes, and delivers the conclusions.
Can you tell I lean towards coaching? Maybe because I made a living consulting for 20 years, both on my own and as an employee of brand-name firms. And in my specialty, business planning, having it done for you doesn’t work. It’s like paying somebody to do your exercise. Coaching is more likely to work better. I’ve done strategy consulting, and that’s very similar. Strategies are to develop and implement yourself, over a long term. A coach might help, a consultant, not so likely. I’m immersed in social media, and I think that’s another example of something you so yourself, ideally, rather than have done for you; which means it’s another area for coaching more than consulting. And PR? Maybe you have somebody do the press releases, and arrange the meetings, and suggest tips and techniques, but do you believe in anything actually said by a spokesperson?
Ideally, you look for a relationship in which you are buying, and paying for, just the expertise. Pay the expert to coach you as you do it yourself. You pay for fewer hours, but you still get the benefit of somebody else’s experience and expertise. That’s the best of both worlds.