Risks you can afford to take - Risks you can not afford to take - Risks you can afford not to take - Risks you can not afford not to take...
Four different kinds of risks... and do those risks look very different in the current climate? Risks that you could previously afford not to take might now need taking... Risks that you'd previously not think twice about taking - where do they fit into your current plans and performance?
Just like all elite performers, keep checking the fundamentals that underpin your performance, constantly update your understanding of the environment that you're performing in and check that you've got the most up to date and relevant tactics going. Your risk profile is an essential part of this and you'll have got into very strong risk taking habits in recent times when the environment has remained constant - in challenging, novel conditions, you can't rely on habits, you have to consciously and explicitly control the performance you're delivering and cash in on all of your past experiences. The main risk you mustn't take right now is too let your habitual thinking control everything uncensored - consciously competent risk taking is the order of the day!
Showing posts with label Choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choice. Show all posts
12 February 2009
An experiment...
We'd like to invite you all to take part in an experiment - and of course let us know any results you might experience.
We talk a lot about the importance of feedback and the fact that elite performers crave feedback and seek it out, rather than waiting for it to "happen" to them once or twice per year in during a performance review. So, instead of perpetuating a less than useful attitude towards feedback we'd like you to see what happens when you do the following:
1. Identify something that you're working on and attempting to improve/change/refine (this might be making a strength stronger, rather than just developing a weakness).
2. Start working on that thing very deliberately.
3. Make some notes around feedback to yourself about what you've noticed as a result of your efforts.
4. After you've been working on it for a while, find a colleague who you would like to hear from and tell them that you've been working on the thing you've been working on and whether they have any feedback specifically about that bit of your performance - don't just spring it on them, give them time to think and reflect and then give them chance to pass any feedback to you that they believe to be useful (you might have to remind them that feedback is simply that and should not be heard as "can you point out to me things that need improving"!)
5. Listen to the feedback they provide you with and compare it to your own thoughts.
6. Decide what you want to do with the feedback.
We'd be interested to see if you find this any more helpful than simply asking "can you give me some feedback on how I've been performing recently?"
Looking forward to seeing your results!
We talk a lot about the importance of feedback and the fact that elite performers crave feedback and seek it out, rather than waiting for it to "happen" to them once or twice per year in during a performance review. So, instead of perpetuating a less than useful attitude towards feedback we'd like you to see what happens when you do the following:
1. Identify something that you're working on and attempting to improve/change/refine (this might be making a strength stronger, rather than just developing a weakness).
2. Start working on that thing very deliberately.
3. Make some notes around feedback to yourself about what you've noticed as a result of your efforts.
4. After you've been working on it for a while, find a colleague who you would like to hear from and tell them that you've been working on the thing you've been working on and whether they have any feedback specifically about that bit of your performance - don't just spring it on them, give them time to think and reflect and then give them chance to pass any feedback to you that they believe to be useful (you might have to remind them that feedback is simply that and should not be heard as "can you point out to me things that need improving"!)
5. Listen to the feedback they provide you with and compare it to your own thoughts.
6. Decide what you want to do with the feedback.
We'd be interested to see if you find this any more helpful than simply asking "can you give me some feedback on how I've been performing recently?"
Looking forward to seeing your results!
5 February 2009
Do you run the numbers...
or do they run you? (a great line from Accenture... thanks for that!). Just been reading about Kevin Pietersen, the England cricketer, getting out for 97. He was out playing a typically KPish type shot. KP, please stay true to yourself and keep playing the way you play. Ignore the ill-informed, myopic commentators who believe that a number is more important than a performance. Had Pietersen scored 101 and then got out with the same kind of shot, he'd still be criticised, but not as much as he is now.
Why? Because he'd have had a score on the board that had 3 figures against it, rather than 2 (which are very, very nearly 3). Had he got out in the same way for 156, he'd have been criticised less again, because the number was bigger. Had he got our for 36 in the same way, less criticism again.
Here's a quote from the BBC, "Pietersen has now missed out on two Test centuries which he would have achieved and that must hurt" (BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew). Why must is hurt? It hurts if Pietersen defines himself by numbers rather than talent. It hurts if Pietersen is more worried about his personal statistical record than taking any opportunity he sees to score runs. It hurts if Pietersen is aiming to suppress his natural ability and let just 1 element of performance feedback cloud his judgement, change his thinking and redefine himself as a performer.
Fortunately, KP does not think like the commentator who is imposing a limiting mentality on a player that has a superb performance temperament.
Never, let the pursuit of an arbitrarily determined number get in the way of your quest to make the most of your talent. You control numbers, they should not control you. KP, we applaud you. Thankfully, you are not a sufferer from number fixation syndrome!
Why? Because he'd have had a score on the board that had 3 figures against it, rather than 2 (which are very, very nearly 3). Had he got out in the same way for 156, he'd have been criticised less again, because the number was bigger. Had he got our for 36 in the same way, less criticism again.
Here's a quote from the BBC, "Pietersen has now missed out on two Test centuries which he would have achieved and that must hurt" (BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew). Why must is hurt? It hurts if Pietersen defines himself by numbers rather than talent. It hurts if Pietersen is more worried about his personal statistical record than taking any opportunity he sees to score runs. It hurts if Pietersen is aiming to suppress his natural ability and let just 1 element of performance feedback cloud his judgement, change his thinking and redefine himself as a performer.
Fortunately, KP does not think like the commentator who is imposing a limiting mentality on a player that has a superb performance temperament.
Never, let the pursuit of an arbitrarily determined number get in the way of your quest to make the most of your talent. You control numbers, they should not control you. KP, we applaud you. Thankfully, you are not a sufferer from number fixation syndrome!
29 January 2009
Getting your tactics in Synch
We've just finished the 2 day kick off to the athlete at work® programme and really enjoyed some interesting conversations around performance in these testing times. One of the most interesting discussions was around the perceived pressure to get more done in less time. Wouldn't we all like that? So, when we talked about being mindful about what tasks people are choosing to do, at what times of day, it seemed to really strike a resonant chord. The group reached the conclusion that they would get more done in less time if they worked more in line with their their natural energy rhythms throughout the day. If this sounds deceptively simple, then that pleases us immensely... it suggests it might just work!
So, stop for a moment and think about which points of the day coincide with your most effective work? When does work feel easiest? Is it in the morning? Late afternoon? Evening?
Now have a think about those times in the day when work seems a little harder. When do you find it tougher to concentrate? When do those meetings just seem to drag? Are there times when you have a slump in energy? For many people, early afternoon is a time of reduced effectiveness - but not everyone, so have a think.
What are you choosing to do with these different times? If you're someone who is most productive first thing in the morning, then how can you make the most use of this time each day? And if you're more of an evening person, what work are you saving up for your best working time? This is when your most challenging and important tasks are likely to get done most effectively and efficiently. So be selective about what you do and when you do it!
Which activities are best left for the naturally less productive times? Perhaps the less taxing elements of your work, or something that you find really energising to do, or you could even choose to meet with someone who you find interesting to work with and who doesn't drain your energy levels (they might even top them up!). In your less productive times it's probably best to avoid the business critical tasks (I know they're all business critical, but some of those emails are less important than others!). You're less likely to do key activities with the quality and focus that they require when everything is feeling like a grind. The key tasks are likely to take longer and you're more likely to make errors.
So, don't just use up your time every day - focus on using your time mindfully. Time is a precious thing and it's even more important to use it optimally in such interesting and challenging times.
So, stop for a moment and think about which points of the day coincide with your most effective work? When does work feel easiest? Is it in the morning? Late afternoon? Evening?
Now have a think about those times in the day when work seems a little harder. When do you find it tougher to concentrate? When do those meetings just seem to drag? Are there times when you have a slump in energy? For many people, early afternoon is a time of reduced effectiveness - but not everyone, so have a think.
What are you choosing to do with these different times? If you're someone who is most productive first thing in the morning, then how can you make the most use of this time each day? And if you're more of an evening person, what work are you saving up for your best working time? This is when your most challenging and important tasks are likely to get done most effectively and efficiently. So be selective about what you do and when you do it!
Which activities are best left for the naturally less productive times? Perhaps the less taxing elements of your work, or something that you find really energising to do, or you could even choose to meet with someone who you find interesting to work with and who doesn't drain your energy levels (they might even top them up!). In your less productive times it's probably best to avoid the business critical tasks (I know they're all business critical, but some of those emails are less important than others!). You're less likely to do key activities with the quality and focus that they require when everything is feeling like a grind. The key tasks are likely to take longer and you're more likely to make errors.
So, don't just use up your time every day - focus on using your time mindfully. Time is a precious thing and it's even more important to use it optimally in such interesting and challenging times.
20 January 2009
Just for today...
If the kind of objective feedback that you're used to has gone awol, it can be pretty difficult to judge yourself in the way that you're used to. This is a bit like when the sports people we work with have to perform in very different weather conditions - the way they or the equipment responds is very different, so objective feedback soon becomes misleading.
When the hard data is untrustworthy, you have to be great at trusting how you're feeling during the key performance moments. You also have to trust that you're thinking the right things and doing the right things. You have to build a new, more sensitive portfolio of performance markers, rather than rely on an outdated database of past successes.
So, we'd suggest, if the objective feedback has gone, just for today, you're going to have to focus in on preparing much more thoroughly around the discrete ingredients that produce a great performance. Just for today, work out the contents of your performance script and challenge yourself to deliver the performance, one step at a time, and hold yourself accountable for delivering each step as well as you possibly can. Stay in the moment, focus on step by step excellence and see what it produces. And if the objective feedback is still untrustworthy tomorrow, just for today starts all over again.
When the hard data is untrustworthy, you have to be great at trusting how you're feeling during the key performance moments. You also have to trust that you're thinking the right things and doing the right things. You have to build a new, more sensitive portfolio of performance markers, rather than rely on an outdated database of past successes.
So, we'd suggest, if the objective feedback has gone, just for today, you're going to have to focus in on preparing much more thoroughly around the discrete ingredients that produce a great performance. Just for today, work out the contents of your performance script and challenge yourself to deliver the performance, one step at a time, and hold yourself accountable for delivering each step as well as you possibly can. Stay in the moment, focus on step by step excellence and see what it produces. And if the objective feedback is still untrustworthy tomorrow, just for today starts all over again.
8 January 2009
3 Key Attitudes...
We know from the greatest people we've worked with that they're superb at consistently carrying around with them the ideas that...
Their natural talent is not enough for them to excel...
They have to constantly keep working on where to focus their desire to improve... and
They have to embrace change and drive change if they're going to truly be able to be great.
These become particularly important when results are hard to come by.
Do they work for you?
6 January 2009
Bad Science, Performance Focus
We'd highly recommend visiting www.badscience.net to help you debunk a lot of the nonsense that gets published about what might or might not be good for you. It's clear from a lot of the trash newspaper articles that Ben Goldacre takes to task, that the common theme stems from lazy journalists or out and out charlatans trying to convince people that they have uncovered something amazing that will change everyone's lives.
If you adopt a high performance mindset a lot of the Daily Mail bunkum, detox nonsense, and medical misinformation is rendered instantly redundant. The high performers we know ALWAYS take complete responsibility for their performance and they know that there are no short cuts to success - they have to work hard and follow basic mental and physical rules to keep in the best shape possible to perform. They also know their minds and bodies very well (great self-awareness) and realise that no magic potions can remove toxins (especially one's that aren't in the body in the first place!), and no superfoods exist that will suddenly change their lives. In short, they don't look for answers that are outside of their control, but they look to take action that is proven and totally down to how tenaciously they stick with their rules for winning.
At a time of year when you're looking for performance gains and a renewed resilience, look no further than the simple principles of eating a balanced diet, burning off as many calories as you put in (or slightly more if you want to lose weight!), understanding your strengths and knowing where and when to apply them, and staying focused on great mental and physical preparation one day at a time.
Thank you Dr Goldacre for promoting good science and high performance thinking!
If you adopt a high performance mindset a lot of the Daily Mail bunkum, detox nonsense, and medical misinformation is rendered instantly redundant. The high performers we know ALWAYS take complete responsibility for their performance and they know that there are no short cuts to success - they have to work hard and follow basic mental and physical rules to keep in the best shape possible to perform. They also know their minds and bodies very well (great self-awareness) and realise that no magic potions can remove toxins (especially one's that aren't in the body in the first place!), and no superfoods exist that will suddenly change their lives. In short, they don't look for answers that are outside of their control, but they look to take action that is proven and totally down to how tenaciously they stick with their rules for winning.
At a time of year when you're looking for performance gains and a renewed resilience, look no further than the simple principles of eating a balanced diet, burning off as many calories as you put in (or slightly more if you want to lose weight!), understanding your strengths and knowing where and when to apply them, and staying focused on great mental and physical preparation one day at a time.
Thank you Dr Goldacre for promoting good science and high performance thinking!
30 December 2008
Strong start for 2009
While everyone indulges in the annual madness of new year's resolutions and seeing who can break them most quickly, why not go down a different path? Rather than trying to think of a grandiose plan for the whole of 2009, why not focus on what your optimum start for 2009 looks like?
We'd certainly not discourage you from keeping the new year resolution approach if it works for you... but for the majority of folks, a 12 month behavioural change plan is usually too much, because it stays at a 12 month view, without actually breaking it down into discrete steps that need to be taken in order to ultimately make the change that you'd like to achieve by the end of the year.
So, whatever your view and aim, we'd heartily recommend making sure that your sights are well and truly focused on a distance into the future that works for you. What's your optimum goal span into 2009? Is an interim goal of about 6 weeks right for you to keep you energised and focused, or do you need a series of smaller goals? Does the natural 3 month plan work for you?
Thriving in 2009 is the aim... but make sure you know exactly how frequently you need to set, review and re-set your targets to keep the motivation, excitement and confidence fuelled and working for you. Take aim... Fire.
We'd certainly not discourage you from keeping the new year resolution approach if it works for you... but for the majority of folks, a 12 month behavioural change plan is usually too much, because it stays at a 12 month view, without actually breaking it down into discrete steps that need to be taken in order to ultimately make the change that you'd like to achieve by the end of the year.
So, whatever your view and aim, we'd heartily recommend making sure that your sights are well and truly focused on a distance into the future that works for you. What's your optimum goal span into 2009? Is an interim goal of about 6 weeks right for you to keep you energised and focused, or do you need a series of smaller goals? Does the natural 3 month plan work for you?
Thriving in 2009 is the aim... but make sure you know exactly how frequently you need to set, review and re-set your targets to keep the motivation, excitement and confidence fuelled and working for you. Take aim... Fire.
19 December 2008
Don't burn yourself out!
In this video we see Prof Richard Wiseman (of "The Luck Factor" and "Quirkology") demonstrating that firewalking is a load of old tosh. Most enjoyable, as although we believe in the power of the mind sometimes it can be taken a bit too far! Fine line, genius and insanity!
It got me thinking about the power of the mind and that it can actually only take you so far... sometimes you have to go with the Stockdale Paradox and realise that simply being blindly optimistic about your ability to deal with anything in your path does not have longevity.
The firewalkers could have walked the whole length of the burning coals, had they kept stepping off every 15 feet, checking their feet and then stepping back on for another 15 foot burst. It's still walking the whole length, but it's realising that natural limitations need to be listened to and accounted for.
Who out there is simply trying to tough it out by pushing themselves in the blind belief that your body can take anything and you simply have to hang in there for long enough? Who is being smarter and regularly facing the reality of the situation you're in, coming up with a short term plan to make progress and then sense checking again? Focused bursts of intense, full conviction effort, contrasted by regrouping and recovering will ultimately allow more of your natural talents to be used, with much greater effect.
Don't be like the fire walkers! Understand that you're capable of great things when the pressure's on, but be smart about the way that you use your abilities and apply them mindfully to the immediate challenges you face so that you can keep using your talents and not get burnt out!
16 December 2008
Opportunity in chaos...
Someone mentioned today that there is opportunity in chaos...
Seems like a sensible assertion. And there is opportunity for sure, providing your know what abilities you have to exploit that opportunity. It's been said that "chance favours the prepared mind" and these two ideas sit nicely together. Opportunity and the prepared mind.
How prepared is your individual, team or corporate mind? Are you self-aware enough to be ready to exploit the opportunity in the chaos? If you don't know yourselves, you'll just know there's an opportunity present. If you do know yourselves, then the opportunity can be exploited to the full.
While the chaos is going on around you, why not take some time out to ensure you're 100% clear on how and why you're going to be able to exploit the opportunity that is inherent?
Not sure what we mean? Then post a comment and let's start talking about how to achieve this... it might mean you succeed and take the opportunities, where others simply sit and observe, knowing another opportunity has just passed them by!
Seems like a sensible assertion. And there is opportunity for sure, providing your know what abilities you have to exploit that opportunity. It's been said that "chance favours the prepared mind" and these two ideas sit nicely together. Opportunity and the prepared mind.
How prepared is your individual, team or corporate mind? Are you self-aware enough to be ready to exploit the opportunity in the chaos? If you don't know yourselves, you'll just know there's an opportunity present. If you do know yourselves, then the opportunity can be exploited to the full.
While the chaos is going on around you, why not take some time out to ensure you're 100% clear on how and why you're going to be able to exploit the opportunity that is inherent?
Not sure what we mean? Then post a comment and let's start talking about how to achieve this... it might mean you succeed and take the opportunities, where others simply sit and observe, knowing another opportunity has just passed them by!
19 November 2008
Active Recovery...
One thing that we know from working with the highest level athletes is that they value and actively exploit recovery in order to perform better. This contrasts with the views that we hear in the corporate world, where is appears there is a perception sometimes that sleep and downtime are an inconvenience to getting a job done, rather than an essential influence on a person's ability to sustain excellence and constantly improve.
So, given we're in challenging times, it's worth thinking about how effectively you're utilising rest and recovery to deal with what is essentially a more draining and energy sapping time. Ask yourself whether you're managing to feel refreshed as a result of your sleep. Check whether you're getting any opportunities within the course of a challenging day to get a worthwhile time-out so that you can have a mini re-charge, so you can give a concerted effort again. Check whether you're assuming that you can keep giving your optimum performance without paying attention to the need to rest your brain and body. Are you using rest, recovery and time-out for a competitive advantage? If you work out the ideal recovery strategy for you and put that alongside the optimal performance delivery strategy, then you're going to be winning more consistently.
Don't let the situation you're in control you to make poor performance choices. You control the situation - the situation does not control you.
So, given we're in challenging times, it's worth thinking about how effectively you're utilising rest and recovery to deal with what is essentially a more draining and energy sapping time. Ask yourself whether you're managing to feel refreshed as a result of your sleep. Check whether you're getting any opportunities within the course of a challenging day to get a worthwhile time-out so that you can have a mini re-charge, so you can give a concerted effort again. Check whether you're assuming that you can keep giving your optimum performance without paying attention to the need to rest your brain and body. Are you using rest, recovery and time-out for a competitive advantage? If you work out the ideal recovery strategy for you and put that alongside the optimal performance delivery strategy, then you're going to be winning more consistently.
Don't let the situation you're in control you to make poor performance choices. You control the situation - the situation does not control you.
17 November 2008
Attitudes are contagioius...
... are yours worth catching? (Great line that we've seen attributed to Aussie cricket great, Steve Waugh, but I'm sure it came from somewhere else first!).
Actually, do you even know your attitudes? If you're not fully aware of those attitudes, then you're probably not realising how you're infecting people around you! When the conditions around you are really tough, it's absolutely essential that you know how you're attitudes are impacting upon the people you interact with. Mindful use of attitudes is another one of those factors that won't guarantee success, but it's an area that you can control and to be honest, if you don't, you're missing an opportunity to make sure that you've done everything within your power to win through.
So, what kind of attitudes are helpful at the moment in your world? In leadership positions? In team player positions? Which kinds of attitudes create noise that you need to limit the impact of? Who are the great attitude leaders in your environment that you need to make sure get listened to and that you know you need to be around in order to benefit from their mindset?
Ask yourself if you can have then world's best attitude for dealing with current challenges, just for one day. If you can, see how well you can implement that mindset for one day, and then set yourself the same challenge tomorrow!
Actually, do you even know your attitudes? If you're not fully aware of those attitudes, then you're probably not realising how you're infecting people around you! When the conditions around you are really tough, it's absolutely essential that you know how you're attitudes are impacting upon the people you interact with. Mindful use of attitudes is another one of those factors that won't guarantee success, but it's an area that you can control and to be honest, if you don't, you're missing an opportunity to make sure that you've done everything within your power to win through.
So, what kind of attitudes are helpful at the moment in your world? In leadership positions? In team player positions? Which kinds of attitudes create noise that you need to limit the impact of? Who are the great attitude leaders in your environment that you need to make sure get listened to and that you know you need to be around in order to benefit from their mindset?
Ask yourself if you can have then world's best attitude for dealing with current challenges, just for one day. If you can, see how well you can implement that mindset for one day, and then set yourself the same challenge tomorrow!
14 November 2008
Paradoxes of Performing...
in pressure situations.
Often the success of delivering when facing challenging conditions can be influence greatly by being able to hold two paradoxical beliefs at the same time.
For example, in Good to Great, Jim Collins introduces the Stockdale Paradox, in which he outlines the importance of being able to "confront the brutal reality of the situation you're in, while never losing faith that you'll triumph in the end. We refer to this as Stark-Optimism, and it's an essential quality to work on at any time, but particularly when you're going into threatening unknown territory (after all, it's named after a man who derived the idea whilst in a prisoner of war camp!).
Another good example of the paradoxical thinking you require is the need for Robust Agility - how good are you at maxing out your strengths and leveraging every ounce of performance from them, while focusing on developing new, essential talents for the demands of the challenge you're facing. Simply being Agile isn't enough and simply hoping you're strengths will see you through will limit your effectiveness. You've gotta strive to be great at both.
What would using those paradoxes do for your performance?
Often the success of delivering when facing challenging conditions can be influence greatly by being able to hold two paradoxical beliefs at the same time.
For example, in Good to Great, Jim Collins introduces the Stockdale Paradox, in which he outlines the importance of being able to "confront the brutal reality of the situation you're in, while never losing faith that you'll triumph in the end. We refer to this as Stark-Optimism, and it's an essential quality to work on at any time, but particularly when you're going into threatening unknown territory (after all, it's named after a man who derived the idea whilst in a prisoner of war camp!).
Another good example of the paradoxical thinking you require is the need for Robust Agility - how good are you at maxing out your strengths and leveraging every ounce of performance from them, while focusing on developing new, essential talents for the demands of the challenge you're facing. Simply being Agile isn't enough and simply hoping you're strengths will see you through will limit your effectiveness. You've gotta strive to be great at both.
What would using those paradoxes do for your performance?
27 October 2008
Why bother?
Viktor Frankl (author of the great book, Man's Search for Meaning) observed that "where there is a why, you can endure almost any how"... deep words... but very true.
So, have a look around you. We're in pretty tough times, and the people who have a "why", either a personal why, team why or organisational why, that actually means something, are more likely to be able to endure any current challenges. When times are good, the "whys" really make a difference too in terms of fulfilling potential. However, the "whys" right now really need to be present. Do you see the right kind of people?
Who's seeing beyond the current doom and gloom? Who's seeing only the doom and gloom?
Who's going to be making sure that you manage the current climate more effectively than everybody else in your sector by doing 'almost any how'? And who's giving in and just waiting for the inevitable failure, because they have no clear why that actually means anything to them?
Character and attitude are going to be crucial for the next few months. As has been oft observed, attitudes are contagious. Make sure that the negative attitudes, let loose with no "why" to guide them don't become the contagious ones in your world. Be brave on leading with attitude and strong character traits and see who else is going to help deliver an important "why".
So, have a look around you. We're in pretty tough times, and the people who have a "why", either a personal why, team why or organisational why, that actually means something, are more likely to be able to endure any current challenges. When times are good, the "whys" really make a difference too in terms of fulfilling potential. However, the "whys" right now really need to be present. Do you see the right kind of people?
Who's seeing beyond the current doom and gloom? Who's seeing only the doom and gloom?
Who's going to be making sure that you manage the current climate more effectively than everybody else in your sector by doing 'almost any how'? And who's giving in and just waiting for the inevitable failure, because they have no clear why that actually means anything to them?
Character and attitude are going to be crucial for the next few months. As has been oft observed, attitudes are contagious. Make sure that the negative attitudes, let loose with no "why" to guide them don't become the contagious ones in your world. Be brave on leading with attitude and strong character traits and see who else is going to help deliver an important "why".
21 October 2008
In a simple choice...
In my last post I reflected on the change in context of my role and identity at work and how this impacted on my performance and emotions.
I took a decision there and then to look at my situation differently and to choose to feel something else more useful.
Of course, it is never really as simple as choosing is it? Along with the decision to choose comes the action one has to take to reinforce and affirm the choice. Otherwise it is nothing more than a thought (a field will remain unploughed if you keep turning it over in your head).
So for the past week or so I have been doing just that. Catching myself when I am feeling anything other than what is most helpful and changing the thought pattern; taking time out at the end of the day to either review my personal success (either by myself, or verbally with my partner) and making note of the differences in my emotional and mental state from day to day.
And guess what?
Well, I certainly feel different. I have experienced a sense of walking taller, of feeling prouder and of being a little more self assured inside. "Miraculously" I have also found it easier to carve my groove and get my niche at work...people have started to seek me out once more and involve me in projects and work that they hadn't seen necessary or important before.
Now isn't that strange? Can it be all related to my simple choice?
Of course the clever wotsits at K2 would tell me its all about what I put out there; that it is all about putting myself at the cause rather than than being the effect in my life.
And you know what? I think they might have a point!
I took a decision there and then to look at my situation differently and to choose to feel something else more useful.
Of course, it is never really as simple as choosing is it? Along with the decision to choose comes the action one has to take to reinforce and affirm the choice. Otherwise it is nothing more than a thought (a field will remain unploughed if you keep turning it over in your head).
So for the past week or so I have been doing just that. Catching myself when I am feeling anything other than what is most helpful and changing the thought pattern; taking time out at the end of the day to either review my personal success (either by myself, or verbally with my partner) and making note of the differences in my emotional and mental state from day to day.
And guess what?
Well, I certainly feel different. I have experienced a sense of walking taller, of feeling prouder and of being a little more self assured inside. "Miraculously" I have also found it easier to carve my groove and get my niche at work...people have started to seek me out once more and involve me in projects and work that they hadn't seen necessary or important before.
Now isn't that strange? Can it be all related to my simple choice?
Of course the clever wotsits at K2 would tell me its all about what I put out there; that it is all about putting myself at the cause rather than than being the effect in my life.
And you know what? I think they might have a point!
14 October 2008
Consistency of performance in an inconsistent world
Looking for a previous article from HBR on resilience I came across the attached old favourite which seems as pertinent now as it did in Jan 2001 (when the market was bouyant).
The Making of a Corporate Athlete
The Making of a Corporate Athlete
Some more on goals...
We like copying the great coaches from sport who we've worked with and we've noticed they talk a lot about the same things, because they're the fundamentals, until people get it! So, even though we put some stuff up about this last week, it's still important and it's probably useful to keep focusing on goals for a while yet!We know from working at the Olympics that if you're totally obsessed with the gold medal then when it comes to actually delivering a performance, you'll be thinking about the wrong thing completely. We also know that you have to be totally obsessed with winning the gold medal in order to have a chance of winning! As with comedy, the timing is everything. Focus on the wrong kind of goal at the wrong time and you'll underperform - maybe not by much, but enough to make a critical difference when it matters most.
That's why sports people understand and exploit the complementary difference between process goals and outcome goals in a consistently effective way. If the Outcome goal is the gold medal, little point constantly saying to yourself throughout a race "I've got to get the gold" - that's not going to help. Such outcome focused thinking just gets in the way of the thing that matters most, right now.
Athletes make sure that they have identified, 100% clearly, the gold medal Process targets, the inputs, that they'll need to deliver one moment at a time through a performance. Complete commitment to delivering each one of the inputs, as effectively as possible, creates a much more effective focus for delivering great performances. So, when the pressure's on, they can focus every ounce of desire to achieve the outcome into the controllable, step by step process.
Your goals are probably pretty clear right now, from an outcome point of view. Is there the same clarity and level of discussion about your process goals? Is there the same obsessive drive to deliver on the inputs? If obsession on outputs is not matched by tenacity of focus on the trusted inputs, then you're not setting yourself up to deliver in these challenging times. Worth going back and reading the other stuff we posted on goals!
13 October 2008
Negatively stressed? What's your chosen response?
"It's subtle this performance coaching stuff, but it works. This time last year if circumstances had been the same I'd have been sh*!ing myself and unhealthily pessimistic. This year I'm still pessimistic, but understand that this pessimism is actually useful. If I use it appropriately, it helps me to perform better. Also, last year, I'd have eaten crap, drank too much and responded negatively to the stress. Now I think... 'I feel stressed, better go to the gym'." Roughly these words were said to me by one of our clients last week who has been coached around performing in challenging circumstances. He understands how to perform a lot better now and this new self awareness has enabled him to choose how to respond to the feelings he is experiencing in these testing times, and therefore use them to stay in control and fully confident of his own performance.
Is anyone else feeling the strain? How are you currently responding? How would you like to respond? Are the answers to these last two questions the same?
12 October 2008
Confidence is priceless - and expensive
Reading The Times this week, Ben Mcintyre reminded me of something that Miss McIntosh taught me in 1971. 2+2 = 4. The maths is true and is the same this year as it was last, but something has changed - what we have lost is not the ability to add up but something much more precious; confidence. Apparently it can't be bought, even for $700bn, £500bn or any other made up numbers flying around at the moment. Despite enormous sums being thrown at it, confidence is not (yet) responding.
The impact of this quality going AWOL? JK Galbraith said that "when people are cautious, questioning, misanthropic, suspicious or mean, they are immune to speculative enthusiasms." Put another way, when there's no confidence, the ability to have a mindset focused on positive performance disappears. I'm not saying we should ignore reality - far from it. I am saying that in the face of reality, the only high performance response is to choose to focus on the confidence qualities that sit inside every individual and team we work with and are not dependent on changing conditions. For them 2+2 still equals 4. Miss McIntosh will be much relieved.
10 October 2008
Be Careful What You Wish For
My performance has, more than ever before, been at the forefront of my mind recently.
I have just started a new role...same company...new role though. When first approached about the job, I thought "Wow, what a great opportunity; a new challenge without the usual upheaval and culture refamiliarisation required with a move to a new organisation."
I couldn't have been more wrong.
It seems I had underestimated the impact of my identity loss...I was Head of Blah, now I am Head of a Different Blah. All of a sudden I went from a position of clarity, focus, confidence and control to...well...not clarity, not focus, not confidence and not control!
All this and the credit crunch! Oh woe is me.
Woe is me, until I reflected upon some of the stuff I was discussing with a colleague recently in a coaching session (well, there is nothing quite like taking your own medicine is there?). In this reflective moment I recalled some self talk of recent times...in fact it might not just have been self-talk, more like blatant-open-talking-to-anyone-who-would-listen...
I can recall saying, thinking and affirming..."I need a new challenge!", "I'm getting a bit bored", "I learn best when I am out of my comfort zone", "I feel like I want to get my teeth stuck into something different", "I need to move on"...you know what I mean, don't you?
And I am reminded of the saying "Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it". I have wished for and manifested this situation...so why on earth am I spending my time in woe? Why aren't I doing what I do best - learning when out of my comfort zone?
So, I make the choice now. I am getting on with it, enjoying the ride and learning...and being careful what I wish for!
Happy Friday!
I have just started a new role...same company...new role though. When first approached about the job, I thought "Wow, what a great opportunity; a new challenge without the usual upheaval and culture refamiliarisation required with a move to a new organisation."
I couldn't have been more wrong.
It seems I had underestimated the impact of my identity loss...I was Head of Blah, now I am Head of a Different Blah. All of a sudden I went from a position of clarity, focus, confidence and control to...well...not clarity, not focus, not confidence and not control!
All this and the credit crunch! Oh woe is me.
Woe is me, until I reflected upon some of the stuff I was discussing with a colleague recently in a coaching session (well, there is nothing quite like taking your own medicine is there?). In this reflective moment I recalled some self talk of recent times...in fact it might not just have been self-talk, more like blatant-open-talking-to-anyone-who-would-listen...
I can recall saying, thinking and affirming..."I need a new challenge!", "I'm getting a bit bored", "I learn best when I am out of my comfort zone", "I feel like I want to get my teeth stuck into something different", "I need to move on"...you know what I mean, don't you?
And I am reminded of the saying "Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it". I have wished for and manifested this situation...so why on earth am I spending my time in woe? Why aren't I doing what I do best - learning when out of my comfort zone?
So, I make the choice now. I am getting on with it, enjoying the ride and learning...and being careful what I wish for!
Happy Friday!
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