Adrian Heath’s Leadership Blogs

JOIN THE EVOLUTION

DIGEST 2010

Website blog

Introduction

Hello! It’s my pleasure to gift you this ebook of my recent blogs

packed with leadership tools, strategies and mindsets. Make it

an amazing 2011!

Kindest Regards ,

Contents

Sun or WInd? Using Positivity to Lead

Use Stories to Lead Others

How to Present Information Effectively

Sell the Panel Van - Future Focus your Team

If You are Not Sure What to Do

Kevin and Pim - Leadership Lessons

How to Turn your Great Ideas into Reality

Empower and Get On - Why Don’t they just do it?

Spiral Your Influence Success

Where are You Going

Proactive Teamwork

Creativity is the new Information

Momentum? - No Problem!

Get Yourself Connected

Gratitude is the Key

The Plug

SUN OR WIND - USING POSITIVITY TO!LEADpost follow uThe Wind and The Sun were having a disagreement over the effectiveness of their

chosen leadership styles so The Wind challenged the The Sun to a leadership duel....

"See that person with the winter jacket on?" .." I will make them take their jacket off".!

The Wind blew and the person drew their jacket closer to them to stay warm.!

The Wind blew harder and person crossed their arms to hold the jacket tighter

The Wind blew and blew even more and the person simply held the jacket even more

tightly

So The Sun said "Let me try"

The Sun shone it's warm rays on the person and they soon took their jacket off.

The Point of this story is ................?

The Benefit of this story to you is .............. ?

Well the answer to the Point and Benefit of the situation are variable depending on who

you are wishing to influence. I am writing this to you so I am going to say that...

The Point of this story is that The Sun was able create change easily and effectively

using "positive benefits" whereas the The Wind used "force" and was so ineffective that

the situation actually went backwards.

The Benefit for you is that artful Humanistic Encouraging leadership styles will create

positive change swiftly.

!

Action

1) With whom are you using Wind and how could you use Sun to positively influence that

person/team's behaviour?

With thanks to "Mrs Chips" from the film "Mr Chips" for the story which she used to

influence the headmaster to change his method of dealing with bullies in the school.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

PS The other point and benefit of this story is that using stories to influence is a highly

effective leadership skill and should be used liberally - people love listening to stories!

My next email will show exactly how to use stories effectively and the leadership

situations they can be applied to.

USE STORIES TO LEAD!OTHERS!

In my last email I promised I would explain how to use stories to influence others,

especially in a leadership situation.

Why use stories?

Stories enable people to make sense of a situation and allows them to formulate

solutions. Stories allow people to remove themselves from the emotion of their current

challenge, think creatively and then apply ideas back to reality.

What is a story?

Anything that 'represents' the real-life situation. A story can be a narrative (as in a

description of what happened, like the Sun and the Wind* story from my last email- see

end of this email) or an example (as in "the sales system we use is just like a series of

lakes connected by rivers" )

How can I use a story?

Either as a narrative or an example

A Narrative!

1) Tell the story - e.g. the Sun and Wind story below

2) Tell them the point of the story! (so the sun was able to influence quick change by

using a positive approach)

3) Tell them the benefit to them of doing the point (so you could influence your team by

using positive reasons for them change)

!! ! ! …. you know where to take it from here as it is situational ..

!

An Example

1)! Describe the Current Situation - The sales system we use is just like a series of lakes

connected by rivers and at the moment we are filling up the top lake well but the flow

to the downhill lakes isn't as strong as it should be and the lower lakes are only half full.

2)! Describe the Desired Situation - I'd like to see full lakes and a strong steady flow

from the top lake to the bottom lake.

3) Actions - either tell them the solution - I'd like to see the rivers dredged to allow

the water to flow well, in other words we need to improve our conversion rate at each

stage of the sales process and here is how we are going to do that……………..

- or ask them for input and solutions! - "I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you

think is causing the problem with! the rivers and how we could overcome that"

What else do I need to know?

When you get used to using stories, make the story come alive more by connecting to

the senses of touch, smell, sight, hearing and taste. For instance, "the top lake is crystal

clear, good enough to drink but the lakes at the bottom are starting to grow mangled

weeds and are getting that swampy smell about them" - this way people get a real

emotional response to the example and understand more about what is happening.

*The Sun And Wind Story

The Wind and The Sun were having a disagreement over the effectiveness of their

chosen leadership styles so The Wind challenged the The Sun to a leadership duel....

"See that person with the winter jacket on?" .." I will make them take their jacket off".!

The Wind blew and the person drew their jacket closer to them to stay warm.!

The Wind blew harder and person crossed their arms to hold the jacket tighter

The Wind blew and blew even more and the person simply held the jacket even more

tightly.

So The Sun said "Let me try"

The Sun shone it's warm rays on the person and they soon took their jacket off.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

HOW TO PRESENT INFORMATION!EFFECTIVELY

In my last blog I explained the power of using stories to communicate concepts and

inspire action. I used the powerful 4-mat method to do this.

If you ever need to present information (that's all of us)! 4-mat will make it much easier

and far more effective.

4-mat is a process that requires the following questions to be answered in the following

order

Why?

What?

How?

What if / What else?

!

These are the "virtual questions" that exist in peoples minds and when these questions

are answered in this order people listen, understand and take action.

!

Why? - Motivate people to want to listen/read to what you have to say!

What? - Outline what they will learn

How? - Transfer the skill to them

What if/What else? - Add possibility (very situational) such as additional detail

!

This process can be used in presentations, proposals, coaching and training sessions,

facilitations, meetings. Where else do you see this being useful?

4-mat was created by Bernice Mcarthy and I use it to design all my training sessions and

communications.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

SELL THE PANEL VAN - FUTURE FOCUS YOUR!TEAM

post follow up!

Decisions based on the past repeat the past ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Beliefs

Teams and people tend to make decisions based on past experiences.!

Our perception of what will "happen next" is determined by our beliefs about past

patterns and we use this perception to make decisions about the future.

Being an expert recogniser of patterns is useful in situations that you have no influence

over ( e.g. prices on the ASX)!

It is not so useful if you wish to create your future because it is a reactive approach.

If you and your team are making decisions based on beliefs about the past you will

merely recreate the past. (By the way, if the past was successful the future may not be,

as things have changed and old methods are no longer relevant, it would be a bit like

taking a panel van to bridge club - things have moved on!)

Values

If you and your team wish to create a new, more successful future then be pro-active

rather the re-active

To be pro-active in your thinking and decision making you need to focus on Values

(future focused) not Beliefs (past focus).

Values are adjectives (descriptive words) that describe how a team needs to BE if it is to

think and behave in a way that will lead it towards its VIsion.

For instance I recently worked with a team to guide them in defining their future values.

They decided on Creative, Open-Mindedness. Loyalty, Honesty, Responsiveness.

These values are now successfully guiding their decision making and actions as they

move towards their vision.

The benefit to the team leader is that they will see more pro-active actions from the

team, less dependency, more creative solutions and improved bottom line.

!

Your Teams Future Actions!

Determine the following with your team:

1) The Purpose - Why the team exists

2) The Vision - What the team needs to achieve and look like in the immediate, mid-

term and long term

3) The Values - What guiding ways of Being does the team need in order to create

behaviours and momentum towards the vision

4) Change your systems and procedures to support the new desired behaviours - this is

where most teams and businesses fail, they forget to do this bit. How will you

remember?

5) Sell the panel van

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO!DO

If you are not sure what to do...

!

What would love do? ! ! ! ! ! !

!

This is my shortest email, with probably the largest amount of content.

!

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

KEVIN AND PIM - LEADERSHIP!LESSONS

!

So it's been a tumultuous few days in Australian leadership circles. Kevin is now Julia and

Pim is no more.

Neither leader, was as effective as they wanted to be or will be remembered as

particularly successful - even if they were, it's all about perception. Pim will be

remembered for some out of character decisions leading to a hammering by Germany

and Kevin will be remembered for maybe saving us from the worst of the GFC, some

expensive classrooms and trying really hard to make significant social change. It's

frustrating that neither leader was able to successfully implement their vision.

So I wonder what they could have done differently and what lessons are there for all of

us? The following thoughts are based on media reports.

Kevin

Media told us that Kevin's staff worked massively long hours and turned over at an

alarming rate. It was also said that he didn't really have a cabinet as his level of

consultation with them was so low. He told them what to do and disowned the result

when it wasn't great.

Lesson - You can't do it all on your own

Solution - Consult then Inspire then Delegate then Coach to a successful result.

!

Pim

Pim would have been held in high regard had the socceroos qualified for the next round

but his tactics against the German's were flawed in that he appeared to have no plan B.

Plan A (according to a well known team member's perception) was to hold the Germans

until 30 minutes to go then throw on Harry, Mark and Brett and get a goal. The German's

scored early and there was no plan B, Australia lost 4-0 and we went out on goal

difference.!

Lesson - Don't lose control of the outcome by having a plan that can be controlled by

other parties.

Solution - Explain Plan A so it can be executed successfully. Design and explain Plan B! so

it can be switched to easily if need be. Alternatively do the Kevin solution and involve

your team in designing Plan A and Plan B.

Teams who are involved in designing Plans A and B implement them with inspiration and

gusto!

Actions

1) !Join the conversation on what these leaders could have done differently to be more

successful - Click 'Post a Comment' below!

2) !If you'd like to know more about how you can increase your consultative skills and

leadership success please feel free to get in touch for a totally 110% obligation free

conversation. I may be able to help with just one question.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

HOW TO TURN YOUR GREAT IDEAS INTO!REALITY.

!

Let's say you have had a great idea that will change things for the better in your

workplace.

Let's say you are passionate about the benefits of the great idea but concerned about

how the idea and you will be received.

You need to be a leader and create a movement.

How to create a movement.

1) Have the guts to stand alone and not back down in the face of ridicule, threats or

negativity. Make it about the idea, not you.

2) Make your idea easy to follow - Make your idea crystal clear and obviously beneficial

to others. Show others how to follow . Be very approachable.

3) "Embrace" your first follower as an equal. In many ways they are being even more

courageous than you are. Congratulations, you have a follower. You have been

transformed from a loner to a leader.

4) Support your follower and they will invite other followers to join

5) Ensure that the movement is public and the followers can be seen. New followers will

emulate current followers, not the leader. The tipping point will be reached and you will

have a movement.

6) It will no longer be risky for the others to become followers and your movement will

become complete.!

Note: Also look for opportunities to become the first follower of a good idea, the first

follower creates a leader and starts a movement.

If you'd like to see a movement form in real time watch this short three minute video.

It's outside the corporate sector but illustrates the point !(there is sound)!Credit to

Derek Sivers, for seeing the learning potential of this video.

!

Actions

1) !Join the conversation - What are you thinking? Comment

2) !If you'd like to know more about how you can create a movement and get your great

ideas over the line, get in contact for a totally 110% obligation free conversation. I may

be able to help with just one question. email me

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

EMPOWER AND GET ON - WHY DON'T THEY DO IT ? IT'S

OBVIOUS.....ISN'T IT!?

!

Have you ever wondered why your team members don't do what you think is obviously

required?

Have you ever said to yourself "Do I have to tell them to do everything?"

Do you ever get tired of having to initiate all the major actions from your team?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions then you may need a vacuum, a

leadership vacuum.

At the moment your team are at some level 'dependent' on you. They will not show

initiative because either their reticular activating systems (the 'radars' in their minds)

are just not seeing what needs to be done or/and they don't want to take any risks

because they believe they will be 'punished' in some way if it goes wrong.

If you are dominating the leadership space then you are shutting out the contributions of

your team, you need to some extent 'remove' yourself from the leadership space and

leave a vacuum so your team can fill it with their initiatives.!

Methods to create a leadership vacuum.

1 - Use a coaching process such as the GROW model - question your team members and

wait and wait and wait for an answer

2 - Present your team with a question and leave them alone to come up with the

answers e.g. "The best way to improve customer enthusiasm"

3 - Give them key values to operate within instead of rules e.g. the values of 'creativity'

and 'profitability' will set your teams reticular activating system to notice opportunities

to create profit.

4 - Encourage your team to try new ideas and if they aren't executed perfectly (the

ideas, not your team members!) then coach them to a better result. Don't criticise

them, especially in public, if you want them to have another go ever again. Also, here's

a big one, don't take over and do it yourself.

5 - Ultimately, a leader needs to create a team that notices what needs to be done and

gets on with it so the leader can get on. Download my book chapter on how to achieve

this here

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

SPIRAL YOUR INFLUENCE!SUCCESS!

So after an uneventful election campaign we now have a very interesting situation. Right

now Julia and Tony will be working hard to influence the independent candidates to

come over to their side. I wonder how artfully they are influencing? !

Why do I need to know this?!

As a leader yourself you need to influence others successfully - your team, your peers,

those you report to and possibly your suppliers and customers. If you'd like to be more

effective in your influencing read on.

What will I learn by reading on?

People are influenced in 3 key ways. Through their:

1. Needs - basic requirements to live satisfactorily.

2. Wants - high order 'needs' such as comfort or status (some would say these are fear

based).

3. Values.

Too often leaders focus on 1 and 2 whereas number 3, Values is where a lot of the action

is at. Values are ways of 'being' that are important to people and if, for instance, the

project we would like them to get involved in matches their current key value, then

they are very likely to be inspired and get involved.

How do I influence using values?!

Dr Clare W.Graves developed a model to understand the key values we have at various

stages of our lives, or indeed the stages of our evolution in a certain situation (such as

our lives, a relationship, a work project).! He believes there are 8 value stages and that

the majority of people are in 1 of 4 of those stages.!

These 4 majority value stages are:

!! Control (having a high level of control)

!! Security (not losing what one has gained)

!! Material Gain (in a more entrepreneurial sense)

!! Helping Others ( to grow and succeed)

So, when influencing a group, make sure your message influences all four of the these

value types, when influencing an individual then notice what values are valued by them

and apply your message appropriately.

!Example

"By using Values to influence others you will:

!! Gain greater control of your target outcomes

!! Build on your current success without jeopardising what you have already achieved

!! Increase your earning capacity over time and!

!! Help your team members and your clients to succeed."

What else do I need to know?!

Is this manipulative? Like all communication tools, the answer to this is in the intention

of the user. If the intention is positive for all and the value used is true (e.g. yes, you

will be able to help others with this project) then it is inspirational, not manipulative.

Julia, Tony, Please use effectively and responsibly.

Join the Evolution - It's Exciting!

Kind Regards, Adrian

!WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

Surprisingly, only a few high level executives I meet are truly excellent at expressing

their Vision for their business/team.... to their business/team.

This makes it hard for their people to deliver if they are all aiming at a different

perception of the destination.!

A business or team with an ambiguous Vision is a bit like riding the dodgems at the fair,

everyone's trying really hard but they are just going round in circles, getting in each

others way

An effective Vision refers to a picture of the future towards which the company shall

strive and, according to John P. Kotter of Harvard University, has six key elements.!

1 Imaginable !!2 Desirable

3 Feasible ! ! !!4 Focussed

5 Flexible ! ! ! !6 Communicable

Which of the six areas are you strong on, and which do you need to improve? If you are

not sure I recommend you ask your team individually for their understanding of the

vision. You will find out some fascinating information and have some really useful

conversations.

!

Watch the video here

PROACTIVE!TEAMWORK

Are you tired of dealing with last minute urgent tasks foisted on you and your team by

other areas of the organisation?

You want the organisation to succeed so you and your team work hard and late to

complete these tasks.

There is a cost though. Your team's energy is depleted, other tasks don't get done

(usually yours), the stress levels are very high and thats just in the short term.

In the long term, your team doesn't get to complete its own projects, people burn out,

people leave. Sound familiar?!

The solution is the shift from reactivity to proactivity. Instead of reacting to the urgent

requests of other areas of the organisation, the key is to be proactively connected to

them so that you know what is occurring now and what each area is aiming to achieve in

the future. That way you can anticipate the demands on your team and plan accordingly,

influence the success of other's projects through your expert knowledge and deliver that

success in a manner that means your team are energised and inspired by the experience.

Metaphor time - It's just like trees growing in the forests, they don't grow independently,

they actually need each other and they!are connected by the Mycelium (fungal strands)

in the soil. Incredibly, the trees use this mycelium network to exchange nutrients and

help each other to grow.

So the shift from reactive to proactive can take place if you:

1) grow the strands between your team and other teams in the organisation at multiple

levels and

2) effectively communicate that you wish to be involved earlier in projects that will

effect your team, that way you will deliver more effectively on their needs and help

them to deliver success.

You will then experience the nutrient exchange and your own team's projects will

become more successfully delivered as well.

This also applies to you if your team is customer facing, the more embedded and

connected with your customer you are, the more proactive you can be.

!

If you are curious to know more about mycelium - nature's internet - then make time to

watch "6 ways mushrooms can save the world" 18 minute video here.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

CREATIVITY IS THE NEW!INFORMATION

The information age is over. The sun has officially set (at least in the developed world).

Everyone with access to an internet connection can find out anything they need to know

in an instant and Google has become a verb.

The new age is the creativity age. Those with the ability to take the information, twist it

through the ringer of opportunity and bring something new into the world are this

decade's sunrise.! I recently heard a great quote courtesy of Katherine Allen of The

Writers Studio who defines creativity as the "dance between structure and imagination".

How good is that? With solid structure the imagination can be captured and translated

into effective action.!

"Creativity is the Dance between Structure and Imagination"

Successful future businesses, teams and individuals will be those whose can spot the

opportunity fastest and combine their imagination and structure to create wonderfully

effective solutions. So how successful are your team at creating brilliant solutions and

how successful are you at leading your team to create brilliant solutions?

Tips on Growing Team Creativity

" Ensure your team has a good mix of structural and imaginative people and they

get to work together on opportunities

" Train the imaginatives to use structure and the structuralists to use their

imagination

" Use the GROW coaching model and spend solid time on the Options section - ask

for safe ideas, good ideas, cool ideas, wild ideas, effective ideas, cheap ideas...

" Encourage creativity by demonstrating it yourself.

" Take your team into environments that display creativity as well as the key

elements of the opportunity - for instance, if there is a need to communicate

better with clients, take your team on a walk across (or over) a great bridge like

the Sydney harbour bridge, finish up in a place where you can still see the bridge

and ask 1) what are the key attributes of the bridge that means the north can

communicate with the south so effectively. 2) Use those attributes to ask how we

can communicate in the same way with our clients.

!

!There are infinitesimal ways to grow creativity in yourself and others, just dance

between structure and imagination and you will find the answers for you and your team.

Feel free to share to share your discoveries.

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

MOMENTUM? NO!PROBLEM!

John C Maxwell says “Managers solve problems. Leaders create momentum”. When we

slow down to solve a problem, more often than not when we solve it, we notice other

problems appear (inevitably smaller and more numerous). When we create momentum,

the problems solve themselves.

It’s like driving on a corrugated country dirt road. If you drive too slowly it is noisy,

dusty, uncomfortable and! over time your vehicle will suffer damage. If you drive a little

faster, you will cruise over the corrugations so you will reach your destination in good

time and have a quiet, clean, comfortable journey with a fully functioning vehicle,

completely ready for the next journey.

Where will you focus? On solving problems, or creating momentum?

How to create momentum

" Focus your team on their purpose, vision and values - you will have less problems

arise anyway and if they do, your empowered team will handle it and you can get

on with leading.

" Make a habit of making wise decisions and then implementing swiftly rather than

unthought decisions that you then need to revoke and rethink.

" If a challenge arises that some may call a problem, coach your team! to use it as

an opportunity. “So whilst this situation may not at first appear ideal, I’d be

curious to know what opportunities you think this presents us with”.

" Set and/or co-create exciting and inspirational stretch goals with your team.

" When coaching the goal ask questions that highlight the result of achieving it,

such as! “how will you feel when this is achieved?” or “What will achieving this

goal bring you and the team?”

" Reduce perfectionistic thinking and aim for brilliant, excellent results rather than

adequate ones - remarkably there will be less problems and more momentum.

" Encourage and demonstrate positive language. For example “Notice the

customer’s decision making process” rather than “Watch out for the customer’s

objections”.

" When doing check-ins on projects ask questions like “Whats working?” and “What

will take our progress to the next level?

Enjoy the momentum!

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

GET YOURSELF CONNECTED

I am currently in India combining some conference dates with a family vacation. This

country is changing at a massive rate. Last time I was here a few years ago we took a

train trip and the platform hawkers were selling wooden rolling pins, this time their

wares included usb memory sticks!!Further proof of this exponential shift in India's

development came last week when I was standing listening to a blind beggar singing a

beautiful song on the pavement in Darjeeling market. He was sadly dirty and dishevelled

with a few fingers missing. I loved his singing so much that I put a few notes into his

good hand and pressed record on my portable digital audio recorder so my children

could hear his voice later. The digital recorder attracted much attention from passers by

and soon there was a sizeable crowd listening to the blind beggar. All of a sudden, in mid

song, there was the loud sound of a ringtone to be heard through the blind beggars voice

and to everyone's amusement he reached into the breast pocket of his old jacket, pulled

out a mobile phone and proceeded to take a call!!

This unexpected turn of events created much laughter from the crowd and a broad smile

from the blind beggar! One of the key reasons that India is developing so quickly is that

the vast majority of Indians (even the 'poor') can afford a mobile phone. The plans

(domestic and international) are also extraordinarily cheap. This is is very smart of the

India to provide it's population with the Chance To communicate easily - it's one of the

primary keys to successful outcomes.

3 keys to successful outcomes

1 - Want To (desire)

2 - How To (skill)

3 - Chance To (opportunity)

So, how well Connected are you and the team you lead? This could be in terms of

technology but also consider the culture you are creating and how this either enables or

restricts the Chance of your team sharing information with each other, with other teams

in the business and, massively importantly, with you.

Great teams are Connected!

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

GRATITUDE IS THE!KEY

Position Vacant?

$3 a day for making 2000 incense sticks in 10 hours. Half a day a week off, sit on the

floor, 40 year minimum contract.

Any takers? I thought not. I was recently in the city of Mysore in India and watched an

older lady making incense sticks. She was squatting on the floor at the back of an

incense shop, rolling the sticks on a small black stone table. She didn't look up. On

further enquiry I discovered the above information about her work life. $3 in India buys

around 15 decent sized cups of tea, so in Australian terms that is $45 per day, $4.50 per

hour in appalling work conditions.

So my New Years resolution is to be grateful for what I have. That way it is more likely

to stick around. I will also be more grateful for what I ask for before I receive it, that

way it is more likely to appear.

Thank you everyone.

Have a great 2011 and let's all be more grateful, that way we will all be more successful, happier and get along even more famously!

Join the Evolution- It's exciting!

Kind Regards

Adrian

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