Andrew Pain: Master your emotions with 1 knock out question

Andrew Pain: Master your emotions with 1 knock out question

Road Signs: an important lesson for businesses!

If you're anything like me as a driver; you'll have 3 points on your license (for speeding), you'll have attended 2 speed awareness courses in the last 5 years, and yet, you'll still have the audacity to complain about the speeding idiots who race down your road! To be fair, I'm much better now that I used to be and the speed awareness courses were more interesting than I expected ... and at least I'm open about my motoring-related hypocrisy!

Recently, I've noticed that somewhere in the Highways Agency, there's a creative genius who could teach many businesses a thing or two about marketing.

Do you experience those moments when you're coasting along the motorway; you've made good progress, you're keeping an even speed of 80mph, you're already tasting the cold beer waiting for you in the fridge and you're seriously keen to get home from the long day you just had?

But then, out of nowhere, the dreaded signs appear and your imaginary cold beer is replaced with real cold sweat. It's bad news, there's roadworks ahead and for 3 whole junctions, it's a 50 mph limit because where there's roadworks, there's workman/people: not gremlins in yellow coats who delight in your inconvenience, just decent, honest and hard working folk who wish they were on their way home too!

You groan, you curse your luck and depending on how much of a rush you're in, you keep to 55mph, maybe 60mph, pushing the boundaries as far as possible without risking a fine. Whichever way you look at it, those red signs are just so unfair and given the barriers between you and the workmen anyway, what does it matter if you're going at 60mph or 65mph rather than 50mph?

Now, imagine the same situation but instead of a number circled in red, you see this on the motorway instead:

If you're anything like me, your heart skips a beat and instantly you kill the speed. In fact there's no question of you pushing the boundaries and in spite of the rush you're in, it seems fair enough: after all, who wants to risk taking out Alex's daddy?

The difference between the road signs is simply this:  

• One is just a boring statement on a placard with limited impact.
• The other conveys a deeply emotional message which stirs our hearts and compels us to take action.  

When you think about the message you convey to your customers and prospects (which includes the people you meet at your networking breakfasts, your Linkedin connections, your Facebook likers, twitter followers and circled folk on Google+) do you convey the equivalent of a boring statement on a placard? Or an imaginative message which stirs hearts and inspires action?

Tip: 

When you think about your marketing message, whether you intend to convey it digitally or in person, rather than think about your business function and the features you offer, ask yourself two key questions:

1) What would happen to my customers if my business and industry did not exist?

2) What becomes possible for my customers because I exist?

Available now on iTunes & Amazon: The Impact Code - Unlocking Resilience, Productivity & Influence  http://goo.gl/619iE4

Thanks for reading - I help people achieve more in their lives by developing their resilience, influence and productivity.

Call me - 0121 420 3457 / 07760 444 946
Email me - enquiries@impactlife.co.uk
Connect with me on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain
Connect with me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImpactLifeUK
Connect with me on twitter - www.twitter.com/andrewpain1974
Check out my website - www.impactlife.co.uk

 

A recipe for disaster or a blue-print for success? How 1 team defied the odds!

As part of my work, I deliver the HR and people development support to a brilliant charity in Bromsgrove. One of their key services is the recycling and resale of unwanted furniture and in January 2014, I was tasked with developing a team of volunteers, to work in the woodwork workshop, a well-stocked space, specifically designed to accommodate a team of up to 5-6 carpenters/workers.

The team now has 8-9 people and continues to face some significant challenges:

• As volunteers, they're of mixed ability and volunteer with different agendas. Some are retired and just want to contribute to society, some have mental health challenges and regard woodwork as part of their therapy, others are encouraged to be there by the job centre (ie - "if you don't volunteer, you'll lose your benefits ... you decide!") 

• Of those seeking jobs, the best will only be with us for a short period of time for the simple reason that they find jobs relatively quickly. Therefore, there's a high turnover of volunteers, and it's usually the best performing job-seekers who we lose. This presents a merry-go-round of new faces for the core members of the team as well as challenges to the quality of service we're trying to offer.
  

• There's currently no funds to pay for a manager/leader/team leader/supervisor. Essentially, they see me as their manager and physically speaking, I'm remote, because I don't specifically work in the woodwork team and I'm only present on site for a short period of time each week. Thus there is a low level of accountability or any sense of central leadership.

• The team is fragmented because the volunteers all attend on different days. Whilst there is a core team of 8, those volunteers who attend only on Mondays will never meet those who attend on Thursdays and Fridays. How do you create unity in such a team? How do you set inspirational team goals which draw in the team? How do you create a smooth hand-over of work between volunteers? The problem is exacerbated by the fact that as volunteers, whilst they favour a set pattern of days, sometimes, they simply show up and leave whenever they want, something which can lead to a 'chaotic' atmosphere.

In spite of these challenges, a vibrant and united team has emerged, producing a superb quality of work within a positive and harmonious working culture. When issues do arise, they generally sort them out with the minimum of fuss. They're the perfect example of a successful 'agile' team although if you asked them what an agile team was, they wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about!

There are some specific reasons why this team is so successful and these reasons provide some useful insights for leadership in general:

Lesson 1) Cautious and Comprehensive Recruitment Process

Part of our mission as a charity is to assist those furthest from the job market, (ie, we'll use just about anyone as a volunteer - whoever you are and whatever's gone wrong for you!) but the woodwork team is different. It's the one team where I'm fussy as to who I recruit because they're the only team without a designated leader.

For the woodwork team, I'll only recruit people with strong technical skills otherwise I'm putting undue pressure on my team and any new volunteer MUST have a 'coachable' mindset: essentially, a blend of humility, general positivity, a desire to get on with people and a good working attitude. There's no room for slackers in the woodwork team. In other parts of the project, I'm more patient in working to develop slackers, but not woodwork. 

Once they've been accepted into the team, I'm clear about what I want and how the team functions so there's no misunderstanding as to what it means to volunteer in the woodwork team. 

Lesson 2) Servant Leadership 

If you'd have told me I'd be leading a woodwork team at some stage in my life, I'd have wondered which illegal substances you were taking! I failed my GCSE in Craft and Design at the age of 16 and I've not improved much since. So rather than point out where people are going wrong (I wouldn't know even if they were), I bring them cups of tea, chat to them about their lives, admire their work and check what they need from me. Such informal chats have led to improvements in Health and Safety and general working practice and this has required them to change how they work. However, the change process has been painless because they've driven it, spurred on by my non-threatening questions and genuine concern for their well-being. 

They recognise that I exist to serve them and I deliver on my promises (big and small). It's no surprise that in seeing how their leader treats them, they pass on the same behaviour to each other. 

Lesson 3) Positive coaching environment  

They work autonomously and are allowed to experiment with techniques and ideas (so long as it doesn't endanger their safety). If their experiment goes wrong, we look at what we can learn and move on. As a result, they don't stop chatting (about their work) and there's a constant flow of education among the team, something which underpins a great pride in what they produce. They don't need to be told to work hard or be more focused because the pride in their work takes care of this. 

Lesson 4) Humble team spirit  

There's some serious skills in that team, but it's fascinating to see that no one brags about what they do. They encourage each other, recognise that each has more to learn and are very welcoming to new volunteers. It's wonderful to see their obvious delight when a colleague has produced yet another brilliant piece of work, whether it's restoring a rocking chair or bringing a wardrobe back to life and saving it from landfill. This culture characterises the team but I believe it's been born out of lessons 2 and 3. 

Lesson 5) Systems (simple, safe and sensible)

Given the chaotic nature of attendance, the high turnover of quality team members, the tight working space, the range of hazardous power tools and overwhelming workload, the role of effective systems is vital. We regularly review our processes so the chaos is minimised and does not evolve into foggy confusion.  Our systems and procedures must be simple, safe and sensible, yet also have the potential to be easily re-shaped so that as the team grows, changes are gradual and constant rather than infrequent and catastrophic! It's one of my tasks as the leader to stay on top of the systems and help the team develop them in line with their own evolution. 

Lesson 6) Clear sense of why they're individually & collectively priceless!

Some volunteers in the team will never meet each other, but they all understand the crucial purpose of why their team exists. It's made clear to them at the beginning of the recruitment process and is constantly re-enforced by me, the rest of the leadership team at the charity and by the other woodwork volunteers. Because of the volunteers, the charity saves on landfill and after restoring the furniture back to it's original state, it's sold at very low-cost to financially disadvantaged people and in many cases, it's given away for free to people in critical need. The volunteers understand this - it will never stop being re-enforced and they'll never stop hearing the moving stories about the customers/clients who benefit from their skills.

... a wonderful team; diverse, rich, thriving, engaged and beset with challenges - it's a privilege to watch it unfold!  

Available now on iTunes & Amazon: The Impact Code - Unlocking Resilience, Productivity & Influence  http://goo.gl/619iE4

Thanks for reading - I help people achieve more in their lives by developing their resilience, influence and productivity.

Call me - 0121 420 3457 / 07760 444 946
Email me - enquiries@impactlife.co.uk
Connect with me on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain
Connect with me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImpactLifeUK
Connect with me on twitter - www.twitter.com/andrewpain1974
Check out my website - www.impactlife.co.uk

Leadership/Parenting Tip: Getting the best out of those we lead

Most of us are guilty of it at some point or another ...

"I've told you not to put it there a thousand times."

"How many times have I said not to eat on the sofa?

"I told you again and again that you'd struggle to pass your exams if you didn't revise."

We badly want our children/team members to succeed and on the surface, we understand that the more patient our approach when things go wrong, the better our level of rapport with those we lead, but:

Surely there are times when 'saying it how it is' is not only acceptable, but advisable? I'm afraid not! 

Whether we like it or not, people largely behave according to the identity they hold for themselves and that identity is greatly influenced by who they perceive as their leaders. If you encourage your children/team members to believe that they always forget what you say and/or they never listen to you, they're more likely to live up to that behaviour rather than avoid it, regardless of the punishments waiting for them. But if you encourage them to believe that they're better than the behaviour they exhibit and that you're actually surprised by it (whether it's truly what you believe or not), you subtly influence their subconciousness to want to achieve better and to also believe that it's possible.  

"I've told you not to put it there a thousand times."

"I'm surprised you've put it there because I've mentioned it a few times now and you're a good listener."

"How many times have I said not to eat on the sofa?"

"Considering that you're so switched on as a person, I'm both annoyed and surprised that you're eating on the sofa when I've asked you not to."

"I told you again and again that you'd struggle to pass your exams if you didn't revise."

"At the moment, I'm gutted for you that you didn't pass. I know you're better than the mark you achieved and I've no doubt that you'd have secured a much better mark had you revised more than you did."


Final Thought: 

If you pride yourself on being a straight-talking leader, think before you talk and ask yourself:

1) Is my straight-talking linked to my need for an ego boost?

2) How do others feel when I 'say it how it is'?

3)  Is my straight-talking the wisest psychological response to this issue? Or a knee-jerk reaction born out of my annoyance?

Available now on iTunes & Amazon: The Impact Code - Unlocking Resilience, Productivity & Influence http://goo.gl/MFq3oE

Call me - 0121 420 3457 / 07760 444 946
Email me - enquiries@impactlife.co.uk
Connect with me on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain
Connect with me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImpactLifeUK
Connect with me on twitter - www.twitter.com/andrewpain1974
Check out my website - www.impactlife.co.uk

What's The Impact Code about?

The Impact Code is not a book about goal-setting, being passionate and living the dream. You can already find lots of those.

The Impact Code isn't a long and wordy book, which takes you a month to read but six months later you can only remember one or two of its key points. You can find lots of those too.

The Impact Code is a book which gives 24 memorable insights to develop your resilience, productivity and influence, so you're equipped to make a lasting impact on the world around you. Whether you're a business leader, a team manager, an entrepreneur, a parent, an aspiring professional or young person, your ability to make an impact will define how successful you become and how happy you feel. Imagine how your life would be if you could:

• Attract more people to follow you - out of choice not obligation
• Bounce back quickly from your disappointments & set-backs
• Overcome your fears and live beyond your current horizons
• Achieve more without adding to your overstretched 'to-do' list

Choose to make an awesome impact in your world or don't - it's up to you!

Grab your digital or paperback version via Amazon at: http://goo.gl/619iE4

Call me - 0121 420 3457 / 07760 444 946
Email me - enquiries@impactlife.co.uk
Connect with me on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain
Connect with me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImpactLifeUK
Connect with me on twitter - www.twitter.com/andrewpain1974
Check out my website - www.impactlife.co.uk

Cracking The Impact Code - It's easier than you think

Some people do it on their deathbeds, others as they see in the New Year or relax on holiday but all of us do it at some point. We ask ourselves:

Is my life a success?

Am I happy with how things have turned out?

Am I doing well in spite of the challenges I face?

Our answers will depend on one vital piece of information: the extent of our impact on the people and experiences of our lives.

We can't all be the next Steve Jobs but we all want to make our mark and leave a legacy that's valued by our loved ones, work place and community, and our need to make an impact runs deep. When you believe you contributed to the development of someone or something (however small or big), you feel inspired and alive. But when you feel your impact is lacking, the road to self-doubt can be surprisingly quick, even for positive people, and before we know it, we can see ourselves as ineffective victims living in an unfair world.

'The Impact Code - Unlocking Resilience, Productivity and Influence' gives 24 powerful insights to develop your resilience, productivity and influence, so you're equipped to make your mark. Each one is written in a style, which is easy to access and apply so whether it's New Year's Eve, a summer holiday or just another day, choose to make an awesome impact in your world and grab your copy of The Impact Code.

Available now on on iTunes and Amazon in digital & paperback: http://goo.gl/619iE4

Call me - 0121 420 3457 / 07760 444 946

Email me - enquiries@impactlife.co.uk

Connect with me on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain
Like me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImpactLifeUK

Follow me on twitter - www.twitter.com/andrewpain1974

Check out my website - www.impactlife.co.uk