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Author: Scott Asai
Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career
Workplace Coaching
We all need to be coaches in the workplace for the organization to succeed. Here are three suggestions for communicating feedback to increase performance:
1) Feedback Loop
Have a conversation – Ask: “What is one thing you did well? What is one thing you can improve to enhance your performance?”
2) Performance Feedback
After the employee’s shift is over, communicate one thing they did well and one area to improve upon that you observed.
3) Direct Feedback
In the moment, pull the person aside and give gentle reminders. Speak from, “Would I hire that behavior?” Treat situations like this as if it were an interview.
Providing feedback is coaching proactively. Feedback is communication with a purpose. Everyone benefits from guidance when improvement and growth is the intention.
Need help Implementing your Plan?
Partner with Coach Scott to increase employee engagement, boost motivation & maximize performance! E-mail Scott to start Growing Forward today!
Relationship Action Plan
Have you ever wondered if there is a more effective way to network? In Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi’s explains how to build success one relationship at a time:
1) Develop Goals to Fulfill your Mission
Make sure there’s a purpose to the goals you set.
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
Make sure there’s a purpose to the goals you set.
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
2) Connect your Goals to People
Identify the people who can help you get there.
3) Strategize the Best Way to Reach People
Reach out to people who can make a difference in your life and the lives of others.
When our relationships are stronger, your business and career is more successful. No one gets ahead in this world without a lot of help. Who you know determines how effectively you can apply what you know. Start creating your Relationship Action Plan today!
Ready to Start Your Relationship Action Plan?
Partner with Coach Scott to achieve your career goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential!
Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Undercover Boss
What if your boss spent a day in your shoes? How would this change their perspective on how to run the company? Let’s take some great leadership principles from this TV experiment:
Leaders Serve
True leading comes from a heart of service. The higher you are in position; the further you are removed from your customers. Take care of your employees and they will take care of your customers.
Leaders Care
There’s nothing more powerful to hear at work than the words “thank you.” “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Loyalty is gained through relationship. When you care, performance will take care of itself.
Leaders Change
Transformation happens from the inside out. Personal urgency is a catalyst for organizational change. Corporate culture shifts only when change starts at the top. Growth happens when you seek honest feedback. Innovation is about improving, not maintaining.
Leaders are willing to serve, care and change. These are character traits. Leading others means being in touch with their struggles. Look for opportunities to lead in your company by serving, caring and changing.
Ready to become a Servant Leader?
Partner with Coach Scott to achieve your career goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Take a Hike
This past weekend my wife and I went on a 7.5 mile hike. During our journey, I realized three takeaways that could apply to career development:
Mindset
Before we left, we put on our hiking shoes, comfortable clothes and packed some snacks and water. I knew it was going to be more challenging than other hikes because our previous ones were only 3 miles. Knowing we had a greater destination in mind, it was key to mentally prepare for the challenge.
Partnership
At different points we wanted to stop, but the other person provided encouragement to keep going. If I took this journey alone, it would be easier to quit, but we were able to rely on each other when it got tough and the accountability helped us persevere.
Accomplishment
Once we reached the top, we rested and enjoyed the view from above. There’s nothing better than feeling you’ve climbed a mountain (literally). Even when we were tired, our drive for achievement took us to the top. We looked back on climb and agreed it was worth it.
(even with the soreness that followed)
Taking a hike is very similar to career development. First, you have to prepare your mind for the challenge. Next, create a support system for accountability when times get tough. Lastly, don’t stop until you’ve reached your goal.
Need help taking that first step?
Partner with Coach Scott to achieve your career goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Go To Your Happy Place
This isn’t a Happy Gilmore reference, but notes from a talk by Happiness Guru and Harvard Professor, Shawn Achor. Who knew Happiness was the precursor to success?
Social Support
In order to be successful you need a network of family and friends to support you during challenges – because you WILL fail.
Facebook, Twitter & Linked-In are popular because of your innate desire to connect.
Take it a step further and build/strengthen
your face-to-face connections.
Nothing GREAT is accomplished alone and people open doors that we can’t.
Be a Catalyst
Happiness starts with you.
How can you expect to spread happiness if you aren’t happy yourself?
The positive changes you make create a “ripple effect” that creates cultural change
(ex. grassroots movements).
Smiles are contagious, just try it!
Cope with Hope
Bad things happen to everyone, but it’s how you respond that reveals your true character.
Learn to control your “self-talk.”
No one is harder on yourself than YOU!
Shawn Achor suggests creating a gratitude journal by writing 3 things you are thankful for daily. If you do this for 21 days in a row it becomes a life habit!
Positive Psychology links mindset to performance.
We choose how we view the world.
Companies such as Google, Zappos and Disney create fun environments where employees are engaged at work.
Social support, being a catalyst and improving your ability to cope are three ways to be more happy and productive!
Are YOU ready to make Positive Changes?
Partner with Coach Scott to achieve your career goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Young Professionalism 101
In my experience as a Coach of Millennial Workers, I’ve observed the challenges placed upon them by Gen X & Baby Boomer Management. Let me decode the following unspoken expectations for Gen Y employees, based on generational differences in the workplace.
1) Work Ethic. Translation: We expect you to work as hard and long as we did. Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers earned their positions through hard work and sacrifice. They expect the same from you. As a Gen Y’er, you most likely value work relationships, autonomy and efficiency. When you finish your assignment early, ask your supervisor(s) if you can work on a new, innovative project.
2) Ownership. Translation: Take responsibility for your mistakes and think about the company’s benefit, not yours. I’ve heard numerous complaints about Gen Y’ers not taking enough initiative. Management expects you to solve the problems in front of you, even if they fall outside your job description. Think of yourself as a business: What solutions can you work on today?
3) Interpersonal Skills. Translation: Spell check your e-mails, engage in conversations and carry yourself as a professional. The downside of technology is it rots our communication skills. As an employee of a company, you strengthen or weaken the company brand based on each interaction with customers. Take time to review all the details, learn how to improve your EQ and perform for the job you want, not the one you have. Remember, you represent more than just yourself.
Bottom line: Being professional is understanding what is expected of you, then surpassing the standard. The more adaptable (without losing your authenticity) you can become provides greater opportunities and positions you as an invaluable asset.
Want a Competitive Advantage? Work with Coach Scott to achieve your career goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Up In The Air
In this movie, George Clooney was hired to let people go. During our recession, it makes us ponder: What’s important? What should I expect? Let’s take a look at some lessons we can learn from this picture:
1) What’s in your Backpack? This was an analogy about what we carry with us. Life can be heavy and sometimes we need to discard the “junk.” Figure out what’s important to you, focus on those things, then dump the rest.
2) Make Connections. We live in a technologically connected, socially disconnected world. For example, we rob ourselves of intimacy by texting and talking on our cell phones during conversations with people in front of us! Connections are quality relationships. They take time and involve risk.
3) Overcome Obstacles. This week I’ve talked to many friends and colleagues who are much wiser and more experienced than I am. They all agree the uncertainty of our economy is scary. Most of us need to be focusing on Plan B in order to survive. It’s inevitable that you’re going to deal with obstacles – the question is, “How will you proceed forward?”
Up In The Air is about dealing with uncertainty. We need to unload some baggage, ask for the support of others and face reality. Take some time to prioritize your life and recruit a listening ear to help you cope and move forward.
Need a Professional Accountability Partner? What better way to start the new year than with a personal coach to help you clarify your goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
What Motivates You?
It’s 2010…time to be inspired. In Dan Pink’s book, Drive, he talks about the 3 things that motivate people. Take a look at the list below and see if you agree:
1) Autonomy. Nobody wants to be micromanaged. It feels like someone’s spying on you. Pink states we must be actively engaged, yet self-directed in our work. Sure we need accountability for our results, BUT we also need the freedom to achieve it our way.
2) Mastery. Who doesn’t want to get better at what you do? (If you don’t it’s probably a sign that you need to change careers) This is about intrinsic enjoyment. Imagine how our jobs would differ if we gave ourselves honest, monthly, performance reviews? We all strive to achieve in some area of our lives. That’s why career coaching is essential in development. If we’re not improving performance, we become a liability.
3) Purpose. Why? Your purpose is bigger than you. It’s about significance and meaning. We all want to make a difference and contribute. What is your current purpose at work? If you believe in your purpose, you’re most likely engaged at work. If you don’t, you’ve considered quitting before.
I’d argue that you need all three to be fulfilled at work. When they are not available to us, we feel stifled. Evaluate your current situation and see how many of the three you have working for you now. Start this new year off right by being driven at work!
Need help with motivating yourself? What better way to start the new year than with a personal coach to help you clarify your goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential! Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Imagine how much more successful you can be with the help of a coach!
Aftertaste
Now that you’ve opened your presents and overeaten, let’s take a moment to re-cap this year. What stood out to you? What would you have done differently? What’s in store for 2010? As you digest, try pondering these questions:
1) What left an Impression?
What did you remember? Usually the good and bad stand out, while everything in the middle is forgotten. What were your highlights? Setbacks? What was the most memorable thing that happened to you in 2009?
2) What did you Learn?
Even with the challenges of the past year, we can always look at it as an opportunity to grow. What can you capitalize on to make 2010 that much better? We get better when we make the choice to grow forward, no matter what the circumstances may be.
3) What’s Next?
One thing I love about being an entrepreneur is that there is no finish line. Once you get complacent you’re dead meat. Take some time to sit down and write out your personal vision for 2010. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we set our minds to it (and put in the hard work!)
2009 was a challenging year for my business, but I continued to work hard, try new things and re-innovate myself. I’m optimistic that 2010 will be better, but there’s no guarantees. All I can do is promise to do my best and let God do the rest!
Only 3 days left to give the Gift of Coaching!
Until December 31st, we are offering 50% off of
Skype and Phone Coaching Sessions!
What better way to start the new year than with a personal coach to help you clarify your goals, boost self-confidence and work to your full potential!
Just e-mail Scott and he’ll take care of the rest!
Imagine how much more successful you can be with the help of a coach!
Be on the lookout for a NEW SITE next week!
Growing Forward 