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Leadership under fire…

A story of true grit in a crisis moment

“Fire, Fire, Fiiiiire”, rang through my house last Tuesday evening as I hosted 80+ guests at a welcome reception for new parents to my daughter’s high school. I was at the front door welcoming a teacher when I heard one of the parents screaming “fire, Jenny we need your help”.

I left the teacher mid-sentence running into the kitchen and stopped in my tracks as I saw rising flames from my gas stove top and billowing black smoke. (As the teacher referenced later, it was like being in a Monty Python movie.)

Keep your composure in a time of stress

I quickly ran to grab the fire extinguisher and thankfully, a parent assisted me in extinguishing the fire.  The smoke and soot in the kitchen was overpowering. I was advising people to go outside when the fire alarms in the house started wailing (better late than never).

So much for a relaxing networking opportunity for guests. Parents immediately jumped into action, cleaning off the foam on the stove top, removing charred container remains, wiping and scrubbing off soot from appliances, walls, and the ceiling.

Demonstrate Grit In a Time of Challenge

I was personally mortified that the social event I had envisaged, moved from being a reception to a full-on cleaning party by amazing parents. These individuals demonstrated team-work, showed real grit (while getting very gritty), and best of all, a sense of composure and humor. I am so grateful to the team of women and men, some I had known for less than a year and others less than an hour. I was ushered out of the kitchen and encouraged to keep socializing with new parents and assure them all was okay.

So you may be thinking… how did this kitchen fire actually happen?

With so many people attending the potluck and bringing food, the overflow of food was stacked on the range. People continually circulated in and out of the kitchen to the dining room to replenish the table. At the time of the fire, there must have been 20+ people chatting in the kitchen. Although not entirely certain how the fire started, perhaps it was as simple as someone leaning against one of the stove knobs and unknowingly igniting it. Some of the plastic based containers immediately caught on fire. Luckily all was contained before there was any significant damage.

Most importantly no one was injured. My gratitude goes out to everyone that acted fast in putting out the fire.

Collaboration and seamless teamwork

Parents stepped up in the kitchen, becoming the best-dressed cleaning crew you have ever seen. My recall of the kitchen was not of the blackened ceiling, sooty walls or appliances but of the parents working seamlessly together in a true picture of coordinated teamwork.

Networking 101

I do not think that anyone that attended the reception expected this kind of excitement to occur. It was like putting on a planned energizer and team activity all rolled into one. It definitely changed the feel and course of the conversations, they became more fluid, relaxed and there was definitely more and louder laughter after everything settled down.

I have attended and hosted many professional events and receptions in the past. Networking is something that is not enjoyed by the majority, however once the ice is broken the conversations and relationships that can be formed can be quite amazing.

Nothing is as healthy as a good belly-laugh after a time of stress

I laughed so hard with so many of the parents afterward. The potluck will go down in the history of the school as being one of the most entertaining. It won’t be forgotten by anyone that attended for many years to come.

You may wonder why I am writing about this event, and how exactly it relates to my area of expertise in leadership and performance? This event clearly demonstrated effective leadership and teamwork practices including:

  • Calm leadership in a time of crisis
  • Clear and articulate communication
  • Exceptional, collaborative teamwork
  • Ease of delegation
  • Engagement and commitment
  • Bonding during, and after a time of crisis, and
  • True grit (yes, you can only imagine how much elbow grease was needed to get the majority of soot off the ceiling and appliances).

I spoke to every single person in attendance and we shared somewhat nervous laughter around how something that could have ended quite terribly worked out so well.  The comments the parents shared and thanks I received as they left at the end of the event were priceless.

You have to envisage the individuals as they were leaving in their lovely clothes and shoes sprinkled with soot on their outfits or hair and laughing with me as we were so relieved that all turned out well. I sure do know how to host a shindig!

As an experienced leader, in a time of challenge, I do automatically go emergency mode to turn events around. When you have your next work fire to put out, do the same  – embrace it and treat it as an opportunity to practice your leadership skills and shine. Or, when you go to your next networking event, jump in, don’t be a passive bystander. You never know who you will meet or how you may work together in the future.

If you have a story to share on leadership, performance or teamwork I encourage you to connect with me on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/JennyReillyConsulting/.

If you are interested in developing your leadership skills, presence and improve your productivity, please let me know and I will keep you informed of The Leaders’ Inner Circle membership that I am launching in July.

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7 Steps to Change Professional Behavioural Shortcomings

Honest feedback is as essential for your own professional development as it is for your staff. You are not doing anyone a favour by pushing poor behaviour — yours or theirs — under the carpet, ignoring it and pretending it will get better. Behaviour will not change unless it is recognized.

For many, there is a lack of understanding in how they are perceived by others, hence they keep repeating the same behaviour as they know no better. Past behaviour predicts future performance. To make a change in the performance cycle, recognize the unhelpful behaviour and plan to change it!

Have you worked with someone you consider to be:

  • Arrogant? Why is that? Do you feel they think they always have the answers?
  • Annoying? Do they continually interrupt, butt-in and finish everyone’s sentences? Do you think they understand how they are being interpreted or do they think that they are being helpful?
  • Ignorant or unresponsive? They interact minimally and come across as very distant and reserved. Do you think that is their intent?

Leaders who are seen as arrogant, those that shirk responsibilities, are ignorant or disrespectful do not have a solid following. These habits over time, grate on people and eventually they become a huge issue. These behaviours can be changed, however only when they are identified, the real impact of the behaviour is understood, and there is a true interest in improvement.

There are seven simple steps that you can take with those that you are leading or mentoring to help them change the behaviours that you feel may hold them back from being more successful:

  1. Clearly articulate the troublesome behaviour and indicate how this is being perceived by others.
  2. Give specific examples of how the behaviour is affecting those around them.
  3. Highlight potential behaviour tweaks that could be made to adjust and turn around the ill-perceived behaviour.
  4. Encourage 360° feedback, vertically and horizontally; identify the individual’s areas of strengths and challenges in the organization. At least four colleagues should provide feedback to make it most meaningful.
  5. Review feedback and strategize how to approach each area to enable improvement. Obtain commitment to changing the top three areas of behavioural challenge.
  6. Ensure follow up is made with the individuals who provide feedback. Thank them, share any small wins, and let them know you are grateful for the honest feedback.
  7. Initiate monthly follow-ups to monitor progress. Continually seek feedforward, that is, asking for advice for what you can do to improve in the future.
  8. More often than not, individuals do not realize the effects of their behaviour, how often they present sub-optimal behaviour, and that they can transform their behaviour.

If you are interested in high-performance coaching to work on improving behaviours that you feel are holding you back, leadership development, or professional development workshops, please do reach out to me. I would be happy to provide you with a free assessment on individual or team concerns.

Please click on the button below to book a strategy session call that works with your schedule.

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Who is Your Role Model? Whose Role Model Are You?

We have all had people in our personal and professional lives that we have looked up to. For me, those individuals have been authentic, grounded, balanced, strong, focused, ethical, honest, and possessed a high level of integrity. I am extremely grateful for the individuals who have inspired me, pushed me, and helped me along certain pivotal points in my life. I pay it forward, and therefore do the same with individuals that I mentor.

My role models from an early age were my parents. My mother was a stay at home mum who put her children and husband first. My father was a blue-collar man, a truck driver who worked hard for his family. My mother represented love, kindness, generosity, and grounded me. My father represented loyalty, work ethic, strength, integrity, and honesty. They raised me to believe that I could do anything that I set my mind to, anywhere, and that I would always have their support along the way. I was very fortunate to have two wonderful role models from a young age and right up to their 60th wedding anniversary (my father passed away shortly afterwards); they represented unity as they still walked down the road holding hands. I was lucky indeed!

I have also had wonderful professional role models along the way. In my 20’s in Australia, Scott Loader and Bruce Walker. In my 30’s and 40’s in Canada, Carmen Poulin. These individuals had a strong sense of self and guided me along my professional journey. I will be forever indebted to them for the honesty in feedback, advice and suggestions they provided along the way.

As leaders I feel we have an obligation to assist those who have a desire to be more successful and are seeking our assistance to do so. I encourage you, if you do not already, to mentor individuals in your industry. Provide feedback and support and assist them in their career journey. You will find the reward and impact it has on you to be threefold in comparison to the effort you have to put in.

I encourage you to think about the individuals who have had a great impact on your career to date. What traits did they possess, how did they help you?

Now, list 1-3 individuals who may benefit from your mentoring. Reach out to at least one and offer your assistance and insight on their career.

And if you feel ill-prepared to either work with your role-model or be a mentor, connect with me by simply clicking on the button below to schedule a convenient time to have a quick call with me and I will help you. Alternatively, if you recognize a young star on their career path and realize they could benefit from coaching, please refer them to me. I love helping people succeed in their careers.

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Practice Your Short Game

I love golf. However, unfortunately I am not particularly good at it. Regardless of ability, I love playing the course with my golfing buddies. There are five of us that play, however with our busy schedules it is rare that more than two or three are able to make a round. We try to get out weekly, and after every game, I must admit, I look forward to the next time we can go again.

One of the women is a female Tiger Woods, she can hit that ball so hard and far we often see it land right on the green. Another is articulate with her practice swing. Her form is excellent and she perfects her practice swing before she hits the ball…and yes her game is good. Another is consistently steady, thoughtful on every swing, patient and is on a continual improvement trajectory. The other an experienced tennis player, takes to the course like she is playing Wimbledon. She has the drive to be very good and her level of improvement has been outstanding in an exceptionally short time. And then there is me…I am impatient when I get to the tee, I want to whack that ball as hard as I can, and then just GO! I can hit straight, however not far. My best game is on the green – my short game.

Our golf balls sometimes go the wrong way, quite a few have been lost in the trees, and yes, admittedly, there are the odd mulligans — when we top a ball and it rolls off the tee or take a swing and miss completely — that occur. We keep track of our score, and are not delusional about our golfing weaknesses. We keep each other in check, are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, and while doing this, have valuable authentic and uninterrupted conversation along the way. I love these ladies, they are my support team, ones that I can bounce ideas off, be challenged in my way of thinking, and continuously be pushed forward to be a better person.

Leaders, too, need a similar support system. Leaders like golfers have the same desire – to simply get better.

Who provides you support and encouragement in your leadership role?

Every successful leader wants greater success, to be a better leader, get better results, and make more of a positive contribution. Despite success, there is always room for improvement, there are always areas that require a little more focus and concentration. Leadership is a lifelong journey of improvement and not a game.

If you need support in your leadership role, are feeling as though you have plateaued or needing more of push to attain the results you are targeting, I can assist you. If you would like to discuss your situation, please book a free strategy session with me by clicking on the button below.

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Developing your personal brand

“Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it is better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way.”  Seth Godin

Your personal brand is one that others will identify you by and highlights your skills (technical and soft skills, abilities, education and work experience), passion, personality and your unique selling points (your differentiators from others). It is deliberate, thoughtful, outward-focused, and is all about the results you deliver.

As we change jobs several times throughout our career, it is important to know how to market ourselves, and if needed, reinvent ourselves through our personal brands.

Your personal brand may shift minimally, or if you decide to make a significant change, may need to be completely reinvented. Not everyone bothers to work on their personal brand, however I cannot emphasize enough how important it is in today’s market to have one. If not, you are missing a professional and strategic opportunity to promote yourself, increase your visibility, respect and level of influence.

Do you have a personal brand, and if so what is it? Does it represent what you can do and what you want to be known for? Will it entice others to want to work with you?

Think about what people say about you when you leave the room and then, what you want them to say about you – is it different? If you truly do not know how you are perceived, ask your colleagues and clients what your greatest strengths are and what experience you have that makes you stand out from others.

For example, are you focused, engaged, collaborative, creative, innovative, strategic and/or results-orientated? Do you excel in project or team-based assignments? Do you have an aptitude for leadership? Are you agile and innovative? Do you attain exceptional results? Have you demonstrated your ability to deal in a complex and/or changing environments? Through globalization and increasing levels of competition your ability to deal with change is essential in today’s market. Your brand showcases your abilities and what you have to offer.  The communication style you use needs to be clear, articulate and consistent so it is compelling to your target audience.

You are the only one responsible for your personal brand, so own it! Be honest and authentic in how you market yourself. Remember to highlight what separates you from the crowd and how you can make your brand easy for people to remember. Your personal brand statement should address your strengths and how you accomplish your goals.

Your personal brand will help you design your personal pitch, also often referred to as your ‘elevator pitch’. Your pitch should be less than two minutes, strong and straight to the point. You should be able to easily and confidently explain your skills and strengths, as well as the value you will provide and what you have to offer. Make it easy for people to get to know you, understand you, and remember you. An elevator pitch can be used when networking, updating colleagues or clients, in performance reviews, and of course, for job hunting and contract development.  Remember to use an active voice in the present or future tense.

Also, ensure your online presence is up-to-date and correlates to your personal brand; it is critical to put your digital presence at the forefront as many online searches are done as an initial screening.

Once you have a draft or a completed personal brand statement, ensure you test it and receive feedback regularly. Diarize to revisit your personal brand every six months. Keep a check on it regularly through client, employee, employer or investor feedback.

Download the personal branding worksheet below to help you get started.

Download the Worksheet

Do you need assistance in developing your personal brand? I would love to work with you and help you transform, improve and thrive. To schedule a free 30-minute high-performance coaching consultation, or discuss coaching package options with me, please click on the button below.

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