In these challenging times we all need some help finding ways through it.  We all know that things will get better, but at times it can get hard to hang in there.  As I speak to many of my clients; (Managers and Business owners) many are finding it hard to hang in there.

When we’re experiencing times of difficulty, it is very easy for our mind and our thinking to be drawn continuously to those things we’re struggling with for a larger percentage of time.

It is quite natural that we consider what the difficulties, but we need to do this both logically and thoroughly, so that we are then able to understand what they are, why it’s happening and what we can do, if anything to improve the situation.  Sometimes things are beyond our ability to change and we can do nothing to immediately improve our situation.

When these times face us, the feelings of frustration and difficulty tend to be brought on by two ways of thinking:

1. Our natural or practised way of being or responding; and
2. Our desire and sometimes desperate need to see immediate change.

The first of the points above come from whether we are instinctively an optimist or pessimistic; how we have trained or practiced ourselves to respond and behave, when things are going the way we would like it to.

My experience in dealing with people is that based on our backgrounds and childhood experiences, we have preferred ways of behaving, which we’ve practised and adopted as being effective for getting what we want or helping us to deal with what we experience.

As adults though we can find that these methods are no long as effective as they were in our childhood and may actually work against us.  One can be too optimist and too pessimistic in our view or behaviour.  No one really likes someone who is too optimistic or too pessimistic either can end up not wanting to see the reality.  A little of either at the right time is what is required.

However, if we’ve been wise enough to realise our state and it’s effectiveness; and if we accept that this may need at time to change, we may have tried to find a happy medium, so that we are more flexible and realistic.  We may have found a range of ways to move ourselves from one to the other to obtain a more balanced view and way of dealing with life and the situations that may come our way.

I am naturally more optimistic, but there are times when even I find myself focusing on the difficulties I face, to the point of being in a cycle of negativity; feeling that I’ll never sort this one out.  Depending on who we are this downward spiral can last longer for some people than others.  I don’ tend to like being in the dumps for too long, it makes me terribly unhappy.  I’m sure I’m not alone here, but my naturally optimist nature helps me to get out of it more quickly than would someone who is naturally more pessimistic.

But even I have had to design a strategy to help me get myself out of the dumps as quickly as possible so as not to self destruct.  When I realise where I am, I use that place to get me to face things more honestly than maybe I have when I was being terribly optimistic.

In the next section I will be sharing some of the strategies I use to help me get myself through these difficult times and pull myself out of the dull drums.

We run a number of open courses many introductory sessions to enable you to find out how the topics and tools we offer can help you to make a more effective impact on your organisation, develop yourself and your staff and most importantly increase your bottom line.

Here is a list of our current open courses:

• Introduction to MAPP
  • Tuesday 25^th October 2011 in Leicester
  •  Thursday 17^th November 2011 in Derby

• Introduction to Perspective 360 Degree Assessment
  • Thursday 27^th October 2011 in Leicester

• Introduction to Coaching for Managers
  • Wednesday 9^th November 2011 in Derby
  •  Tuesday 24^th January 2012 in Leicester

• Introduction to Coaching
  • Monday 31^st October 2011
  • Tuesday 22^nd November 2011
  • Wednesday 18^th January 2012

• Introduction to MBTI
  • January and February 2012 – dates to be confirmed

• Dream Board Party for 2012 Dream Board Party 2012
  • Thursday 26^th January 2012

Our open courses take place in Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.

Places are limited so book you place early.  Use the booking form below or go to our events page.

Download a copy of our information flyer  Training for public sector managers and staff flyer

We currently have access to free 360 Assessment for managers.

To find our more contact Sandra Pollock on 079 7722 7872  before end of October to take advantage of this offer.

I can’t remember exactly what point we were discussing at the time, but it was around the different prospective that women bring to the table of business management.  Keith’s comment went something like:

 ‘Women are far better at cleaning that men are; when they clean the sink, they also clear underneath the basin of the sink.  Men never think of cleaning under the basin itself.  Women see things so differently sometimes than men do, and we are so much better for it.’

To be honest, I was quite struck by this comment, because prior to that point in time, I had never even thought about this in my role as mother, cleaner and all the other duties I do without giving much thought to them.  But in my experience with men, I have to say that Keith is correct.  I have never seen a man clean under the basin of the sink and would agree that it would be something I would think that women might think of, but not men.

Now before anyone gets the wrong impression, this was by no means a suggestion that women should stay in the kitchen or at home, quite the opposite.  We were discussing business management and Keith was noting some of the things he appreciates about the way women see the world and what they might consider to be necessary or important in business that a man might not instinctively think about.

And before all you men who might well clean under the basin of the sink send me horrid comments, just bear with me a little longer.

In churning this thought over and over in my mind, many times as a result of cleaning the bathroom, I began to wonder, why this might be an instinctive approach or activity to an every day job for women and not for men.

It is true that women have historically taken on the role of domestic goddess for centuries and there are lots or reason for this, many of which we will not go into now, and that by carrying out such roles probably in itself brought with it a range of knowledge and experience not achieved necessarily in other areas.

I have noticed though, as I am sure many other women have when they might have argued with their male spouses about the smell of their shoes, is that in the main, women have a much keener sense of smell than men do.

This may be as a result of women having the main responsible of bringing up the children; identifying when they are messy and need cleaning and changing, etc. In addition it has been proven scientifically that men require stronger smells and tastes before they can really notice things.  Men prefer sloppy kisses whilst women are equally moved by less sloppy kisses, anyway I digress.  So if cleanliness were left entirely to men the home would be in a terrible condition before it would be noticed.  And the point being that because of our sensitivity in the area of smell and mess, women cannot just ignore things, so are more prone to do something about it more quickly.

So this has given women a different prospective on the areas of the house that might well need to be cleaned, long before germs and bacteria run riot, and so that children and indeed the entire household remain safe.  However, the responsibility for the overall management of the household and the family is and should be a joint one.

There are many other areas of life and the management of the home and family that women have and continue to excel in, these are not always recognised as management skills but most definitely are, and bring a different, important and necessary perspective to management and business.

For example, women have learnt to read the emotions, body language, motivation, mood and activities of others and can usually also identify ways to respond.  An important series of skills that  work to keep families together, make individual members feel valued and a part of the whole and to know that their individual needs will be responded to even if not entirely met.

Women are very skilled at bringing people together in groups and networks; identifying the strengths, skills and resources individuals have to share for the benefit of the whole and getting each to share these.  When women are allowed to be themselves, and not necessarily always change their behaviour and responses to those of the opposite sex, they can bring their unique perspective to the benefit of the whole.

I am not saying that men are not capable of these things, but women, due to their view, what has been taught to them and have passed down from their mothers and to their children by them (particular to their female children), have practiced and taught skills that are even more necessary today, when the business world is in need of those who can hear and support the needs of the individual as well as the whole in order to create better businesses and society.  Women are also good at passing on the sense of duty and responsibility to others; all absolute ‘must haves’ for any effective manager and leader.

In light of the latest CMI survey and report on gender and pay equality, I believe that we must encourage more women to take up positions at high levels in the business and corporate world.  I feel that not to allow this different perspective to be shared at all levels in the work place is a huge and detrimental loss to society.  Women’s perspective should be accepted and received as equal, valid and important to society and business.  Not to do so is to ignore half of the skills that have made the human race successful.

So every time I clean my bathroom and in particular underneath the basin of the sink, I remember Keith’s comment.  It reminds me that my approach, perspective and view on the world and management is very important and valid; it reassures me that there are many of my male counterparts that appreciate the different perspective and approach that we women bring the workplace and the world at large; and it reminds me that I have a responsibility to share all that I have to bring.

Thank you Keith, we need more like you.

If there is any information which you require, but is not listed here, please contact our office directly.

If you would like to find our more about this funding, give Sandra a call on 07977 227872 and speak with her directly or send us an email.

We can help by:

• Supporting you to develop the right processes and procedures to help your business grow;
• Help you identify where you need to focus your resources for greater effectiveness, improved staff performance and customer retention;
• Help you to train your staff more quickly to enable you to focus on other parts of your business;
• Improving your communication with your customers, clients and staff;
• Helping you to improve your management skills, knowledge and awareness;
• Help you to develop a business plan and strategy for greater impact and profitability.

Richard Pascale says…

“Managers do things right, while leaders do the right things. [1]”

It is important to understand the difference and to be able to make the right approach at the right time. This will only happen when you learn more about your role and responsibilities as a manager.

[1] Richard Pascale, ‘Managing on the Edge’, Penguin Books, pp 65, 1990

1. Maintain your confidence

As a new manager there will be occasions when you may feel a little overwhelmed by your new role and responsibilities. Realise that this is normal. It is at these times that you reminder yourself that you have been appointed to the job because others believe in your abilities and previously proven capabilities. Have confidence in yourself and your ability to the job.

2. Accept that you have more to learn

One of the mistakes that some new managers make is to forget that their previous skills and capabilities are only the foundation for this new role and that this role will stretch them further so they can grow and learn more.

Although your previous achievements have brought you to where you are now, you will need to learn a new set of skills to be effective in this role. Accept the challenge and prepare yourself for a new level of learning both in your behaviour, attitude, knowledge and skills.

3. Realise the importance of self development

The best managers and leaders are those who realise that their own continued personal development is the just as important as developing others. This will also have a huge impact on creating personal flexibility and leading by example.

Start by setting a path to find out more about yourself; your strengths as well as those areas in which you need to improve. Find out about how you learn – your preferred learning style; you management style and your approach to dealing with problems and problems solving.

These are great areas to help you change and recognise where you need to change. It is sometimes accepted that managers are responsible for developing their staff, but we can forget how important it is to develop ourselves.

4. Building a network of support

Identify at least one person who can help you; a colleague (someone on your level) or a more experienced manager within your organisation. Someone who can help you learn about the organisational culture; the expectations of managers at this new level; make the right contacts and understand how things are done. Someone who is able to support you in these areas will be very useful.

In addition, someone who you can trust to discuss areas of interest or concern, honestly and in confidence will be very useful as a sounding board at the very least. If you can find yourself a good mentor.

5. Be flexible and fair in your approach and dealings

Being appointed as a manager does not mean that you have to know everything or have to be right all the time. The main responsibilities of a manager are to manage all of their resources, and to get the job done well.

The people you are responsible for, the people who make up your team, are your most important resource. Use them well – ask them their opinion, encourage them to raise questions, use their skills and knowledge; give them praise and support, be honest and fair to gain their engagement, commitment and support, and keep them motivated. It is only through your team that you will achieve your goals and objectives.

6. Engage in a programme of structured learning

As part of your development as a manager it would be good to learn more about management itself. Learning and understanding some of the theory; best practice and some of the newer approaches to management will stand you in good stead, improve your creditability and provide you with other tools and techniques to use as you do your job.

One of the better ways of doing this is to engage in a course of study. You can study through:

• Open courses, in-house programmes, e-learning. There are a range of options available to you.
• Reading books,
• Videos, and
• Shared experiences through reflection and coaching.

Studies do not always have to be through the accredited avenue, if you are not ready for that. It is now possible to undertake units which will offer credits toward qualifications at a later day. There also open and bespoke training programmes that may be more cost effective if you or your organisation cannot afford a longer programme.

As a manager how long has it been since you have taken the opportunity to to stretch or challenge yourself, or to even create an opportunity to view the world, your world differently?  You may think that in these financially uncertain times you or your business cannot afford to spend money on training, coaching or even simple networking, but I would say that these things are a little like advertising for a business.  When things are good, it’s good to advertise; when things are difficult, you can’t afford not to advertise.

Refreshing your view, at the very least, and learning new things at best: listening to and sharing with others can help you sharpen your edge as a manager.  Learning new and different ways to craft your skills, as manager and leader, should be a career long endeavour, and will help you get the best out of your business, your staff and your peers.

It is always beneficial to take yourself out of your immediate situation every now and then, to see what’s going on around you.  Taking a slightly different view or just changing your physical environment can be a tonic to inspiration, renewal and creativity, and may just offer you some ideas that will help you to deliver more effectively.

A few ways by which you can maintain your management and leadership creative edge are to:

1. Attend taster sessions, seminars or short courses.  These are usually not too costly and your are likely to be able to choose topics you are more interested in learning more or hearing about, but you can stretch and challenge yourself by choosing topics which are new or different for you.
2. Attend speaker events.  There are many speaker events at which you can hear from specialists and experts, as they share from their experience and knowledge.  This is a good way to learn from the mistakes and experience of others without having to go through some of these things yourself.  These are also great opportunities to pick up ideas and information easily and quickly.   Attending events like these will also bring home the fact that you are in good company in your desire to learn and grow as a manager and leader.
3. Attending networking events.  Many people see these types of events as only occasions where you look for business or exchange information about business opportunities, and this can be the case.  However, network events can also be a place of learning from others, listening and gaining information and inspiration.  Some network events are combined with speaker events addressing management or business related topics.  There are run as breakfast, lunch time or evening events, so it can be easy for you to arrange your work day to fit your attendance.   At Open Mind Training & Development we run a number of these throughout the year, as well as some that in conjunction with other organisations such as Women in Management (WiM), Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and other organisations.  Sign up a mailing list or check websites regularly so that you can find out about up and coming events and so be able to book and plan them in your diary.
4. Invest in yourself.  If you were to read the biographies of some of the most successful people in all walks of life, you will find, I am sure, that all of them invested time and money in themselves, in their own development.  Most were not rich, famous or successful when they started out, but they believed enough in themselves to make some time and financial investment in their own futures.
• If you are a manager employed by someone else, you may be expecting your company to invest in you, and all good companies will do their best to achieve this.  But why leave the development of your career entirely in the hands of your employer?  Are you not worth your own time and money?  I would challenge you find ways to commit to your own personal and career development.  If you are not sure where to start, start by investing in a couple sessions with a career coach, who will be able to help you find some direction and some ideas on how you can begin to make that personal career development commitment to yourself.  She may even be able to help you to identify why you’ve not taken these step already, if you have resisted doing so.
• If you are business own, then you know about the overall cost of running a business and I ‘m sure you will also know that the more you learn about how to manage yourself and your staff more effectively, the more time you will have to grow your business.  Well making sure that you take some time out to do this can make all the difference between burn out or should I say crash and burn out and surviving these times well.  A business coach is someone who can help you by taking an objective view of your business, it’s achievements and what you can do to improve your effectiveness and efficiency as a manager and business owner.  A skilled business coach will help you learn more useful ways to use your resources (your people, finance, equipment, etc) better.
• Secondly as a business owner you should set an example to your staff by undertaking training and development yourself.  If you are prepared to show that you need to learn, this will become the culture of your business and your staff will see that it is acceptable and expected that they continue to learn and invest in their development also.  Are you and your business worth it?  If the answer in no, then you should give up now.
5. Join an online group or community.  Online community groups can also be great places to connect with others, learn and share information on the given focus of the group.  Although you may not thinks so, your thoughts, ideas and experience are of interests to others.

These are, in the main free and as you learn you can also get involved by asking questions, sharing information and giving your opinion and feedback on issues.  It is also a great place to make friends, who have the say interest as your own.

You can join the Women in Management on line community at www.wimuk.co.uk which is open to men and women, its just that the focus is on women’s develop, but anyone can learn from here.

In closing I would note that there is a wealth of information around, but as accessible as it may be to us, unless we take the time to take hold of it, understand it and use it properly, it is useless to us.  Sometimes we need the help and support of others to show us how to do this best.

Make a positive change today.  How will you let this information positively influence you now?  Email me back and share your action plan for maintain your creative edge.