UTurn^TV

I had intended to do a video about some of the reflections I’ve had about 2010 in working with my clients.  Unfortunately I appear to have lost the ability to speak properly!  So I thought I would write the blog instead of recording it and see if the words flow more smoothly that way.

There have been a couple of key themes that clients have raised this year which appear to be common to all businesses regardless of the industry they operate in.

Negativity is a Choice. For me negativity spreads like an infectious virus.  Many people are naturally drawn to a negative view of the world and of other people.  This helps to perpetuate the myth that “this is a crap place to work”.  However, positivity radiates like the sun but because it’s seen as false or unsustainable most people see positivity as slightly irritating.  Through the work I have done with clients I have shown them how, if you choose a positive attitude to your job, your colleagues and most importantly your business problems, your working day can be transformed into something enjoyable that doesn’t require you to go home and open a bottle of wine.

You are in Control. Many teams and individuals this year have expressed frustration at the issues that make them angry, stressed and miserable.  Yet, once identified, closer examination of the majority of these issues show that the team have complete control over resolving it.  What issues are you currently unhappy about that you feel you have no control over?  You may not be able to stop the team bitching and moaning but you can stop doing it and perhaps that different attitude will rub off on the other members of your team.

You can have Fun. When things become difficult within a team one of the first things to disappear is everyone’s sense of humour.  The culture becomes very serious and most people walk around with their own little rain cloud of doom above their heads.  It’s not obligatory that you take yourself seriously.  You can have fun.  Not at people but with them.  Try having a conversation with your colleagues about how you can inject some fun into your workplace.

I hope 2010 has had some magical moments for you and if you need some in 2011 then come and talk to me and I will do what I can to help.

If you are a client and are reading this I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to help you and making 2010 a great success for U Turn.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a spectacular 2011.

See you very soon.

Jules

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I had a great day today at an all day business seminar.  There were some truly inspirational speakers, one of which was Mr Richard Denny.  He said something that inspired me to do this video.  I hope it inspires you too.

Check out Richard Denny’s website at www.denny.co.uk

Jules

This video was inspired by my weight loss this week.  It takes very little to motivate your staff and unless you want to go out and buy them gold star stickers it’s free!

Please let me know how you get on.

Jules

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In this video Jules asks how do you deal with stresses of birthday cake buying in your workplace?  Is it a source of stress, or have you adopted a share and share alike attitude – even if one person in your team refuses to buy cakes on their birthday.  Teams work best if you can cultivate an atmosphere of open, honest communication.  Is that your team?

This video doesn’t really show Jules at her best because she’s feeling a bit under the weather.  However, she talks about how you treat your staff when they are ill and what you can do to help them feel better sooner.

Yesterday was a lovely sunny day and my friend and I decided to have a day out at the seaside.  However, when I walked out of my front door I noticed rather a lot of cigarette ends lying either side of the front steps.  I live in a big old house that has been converted into 5 apartments and as most of the folks who live there are renting we get to see new faces on a relatively regular basis.

Obviously tenants agreements will state that no smoking is allowed inside the building which means that smokers need to stand outside the building when they want to smoke.

Truthfully my initial reaction to seeing all of these cigarette buts was one of offence.  It makes the approach to the building look awful (in my opinion).  Worse that many of the buts were littered underneath my bedroom window which is on the ground floor.   Fortunately my bedroom window has been closed recently but won’t be from now onwards as the weather improves.

It’s obvious that what I consider to be acceptable standards of behaviour is not the same as for other people.  I do know that if I was a smoker I wouldn’t drop my buts at the front door and take the risk of offending others.  If I want it to stop I’m going to have to do something about it.  I’m not sure what that might be yet as I don’t know who is responsible and what might be a good approach that would not cause offence in return.

Whilst mulling this tiny problem it reminded me of managers that I have worked with who don’t take the time to define acceptable standards and behaviours for their teams.

Too many businesses have publicised their standards of ‘excellent customer service’, and thereby acceptable behaviour, because they have worked out how they can deliver their service cost effectively and within the boundaries of current resources.

The most effective teams I have ever worked with have been those who have defined and communicated what they consider to be acceptable standards and behaviours whilst at work.  Attending to the detail of how a team behaves shows elegant team management.

What is acceptable behaviour?  In my experience acceptable standards and behaviour tend to be driven by customers needs.  For example, some customers like an informal chatty approach on the telephone but others would find this unacceptable and would prefer a more formal approach.  As the manager, if you don’t communicate this to your team and leave them to their ‘best efforts’ it could sour future relationships and have long term repercussions.

The best and easiest way to identify what your customers want in terms of behaviour is to ask them.  It seems fairly obvious but not many team managers I know have gone to these lengths.  What is ‘excellent customer service’ to you isn’t necessarily ‘excellent’ to me.  One of my customers was quite happy to be kept informed of updates and progress via email with minimal words and was happy with just facts and figures.  I found this out by calling him and being told, in a very straighforward manner, that he didn’t have time for ‘chatting’.  Other customers felt happier if phone calls were made so that a nice, ‘get to know you’ conversation could take place.

Taking the step of asking your customers how they would like the service delivered to them would ensure several things:

1. You would have a vehicle for discussing acceptable standards with your team
2. You will be able to communicate clearly with and to your team about what is acceptable and thereby, what is not
3. More than likely, you will have impressed your customers by the fact that you have taken the time to ask them what they want
4. You will have created the potential for discussions about increasing business or selling other services with your customer

In approaching team management in this way you are doing everything you can to improve the image of you and your team.  For those team members who don’t want to play the game, you also have a vehicle for managing performance or managing them out of the business if need be.

With the increase in internet/social media marketing it’s never been easier for your customers to find an alternative supplier so it’s critical that you create great relationships with them that secures their loyalty for the long term.  Taking the time to understand what they consider acceptable in your team’s behaviour may take a bit of time but will ultimately reap the greatest rewards.

I would love to hear your views and thoughts on the above so please take the time to comment.  It would be greatly appreciated.

Jules

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Have you ever wondered why you got a promotion, that you don’t deserve it, you’re not good enough or someday your manager will find out you’re not actually that good at your job? I say that’s nonsense! You’re brilliant, amazing, gorgeous, talented and fabulous. You just need to believe it and this video might just help.

As always I would love to know your thoughts.

Lots and lots of love to all you shining stars.

Jules
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What a funny old week.  I have had several meetings and training sessions this week with clients and business associates where the conversation has turned away from the main reason for the meeting onto more personal subjects.  As someone who is always willing to lend a listening ear to anyone in need I often find myself furiously scribbling book titles, website, music and organisations that have supported me in my personal development over the last 11 years.

In my work with middle management and teams, looking at who I am in a positive way and learning new and better ways of approaching life has made a big difference to how I work so as you can imagine I’m a big fan.

I thought it might be useful (and save me some time!) to list below what has inspired me over the years.  I’m not claiming that these things are ‘the answer’ – they just happened to work for me.  If they work for you that’s great.  If not then I hope you find what you’re looking for somewhere.

The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure – This book by James Redfield was the first one I read that was in the personal development genre.  At the time it blew me away and it’s still one of my favourites.  I had no idea that you could ‘be better’ or ‘be happier’ by reading anything so it was a revelation on many levels.  Looking back, I now know that because it was presented in story format it made it easy for me to accept and acknowledge the concepts you are encouraged to consider.  The blurb about the book is “THE CELESTINE PROPHECY tells a gripping story of adventure and discovery, but is also a guidebook that has the power to crystallize your perceptions of why you are where you are in life–and to direct your steps with a new energy and optimism as you head into tomorrow.”

The Power Of Intention: Change The Way You Look At Things And The Things You Look At Will Change: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way – Wayne Dyers book is pretty well described in the subtitle of this book.  I found it incredibly useful for looking at the world differently than I ever had done.  It certainly helped me to see how much of the negative stuff in my life was being created by me.

The Power of Focus: How to Hit Your Business, Personal and Financial Targets with Absolute Certainty – I love Jack Canfield (obviously not like that because that would be weird seeing as I don’t know him).  I love his practical, useful and down to earth style that tells it like it is in the nicest way.  The Power of Focus is great if you want to get control over your life but don’t even know how to start a To Do List.

Ludovico Einaudi is a classical pianist and composer who is still alive.  He writes some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard.  Taking time to relax and chill out is an essential part of staying sane and this music is just perfect for that.  There is peace and beauty in this music that takes you to another place.  (Mines always a hammock on a tropical beach.)  My favourite albums are Divenire, Einaudi: Le Onde and Nightbook which is his latest release.  If you ever get the opportunity to see him play live it will be well worth it.

In what sometimes seems like a mad mad world His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s book The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living is a great book for challenging your thinking on how the world should be.  I would never call myself a bhuddist but there is a huge amount of wisdom in this book that will apply to everyone’s life.

In order to keep my skills and head in the right place I work with a wonderful woman called Jane Lumley.  Describing what she does would take all day so beyond saying she is a Health Kinesiologist I would strongly suggest checking her out.  Her site is Reflecting Health and I would encourage you to explore what she does.

Reading Nelson Mandella’s auto biography makes you realise that when you have belief anything is possible. Although I would always recommend reading any books about inspirational people, Nelson Mandella’s strength of character shines throughout this book. A Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

I have just realised as I have been writing this that I could end up making this blog the longest blog in history!  There is so much out there that can inspire you to change whatever aspect of your life you feel needs to change.  Perhaps the list above will give you some starting points that will lead you to exactly what you need.  I certainly hope so.

I would love to know what inspires you.  Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below so that anyone who reads this can have wider choice.

I hope wherever you are you are well and fine.

Much love

Jules

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Jules asks – is the managing of your staff being hindered by a need to be liked?

Jules poses the question – Do you love your staff? Please leave your comments below.