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The Power of Asking a Great Question

If you are helping a client, colleague or team member with a problem, asking the right and relevant question will help guide the conversation. Don’t assume what has occurred. Ask specific questions to obtain the background information that will set the scene to enable you to be of assistance. Often you will find, when asking a series of questions to attain information, the individual that you are assisting will often resolve the issue themselves as they verbalize the background and the steps they have taken so far to resolve the issue.

It is not often the knowledge that is missing to prevent an individual from taking action; it is the motivation to follow through and execute on what is required to resolve the situation—working out how to encourage motivation to act and getting buy-in to execute increases the attainment of results. Possessing the self-confidence to take the next best step in a situation also often requires the ability to help an individual feel empowered to do so. 

When a situation or challenge is shared, that is problematic, asking questions and eliciting ideas from the individual on how they feel the situation could be addressed. It can be as simple as ‘Do you have any ideas on how this issue could be resolved?’ or ‘Is there anything that you could do to help with xx?’ this will develop their capacity to see themselves solving the problem and building their resilience and responsibility muscles that in turn will increase their self-confidence

  1. Ask specific questions about the situation to obtain background information and question on what action they have taken to date to resolve the issue/challenge.
  2. Test the motivation of the individual to execute the action steps to resolve the issue/challenge. 
  3. Ask individuals for their input, suggestions or ideas on how to solve a problem.

Executive coaching can bring you, your team, and your business support and elevated success,  please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com or schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session via Jenny Reilly Consulting Calendly.

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Quarter 4 Goals | Your Playbook for Success

For many, at the beginning of the year, you may define business, professional and personal goals and have the best intentions; however, life happened, and you may not be on track to accomplish all you had originally set out to do at the beginning of the year. It is now time to refocus and end the year well.

What will you professionally focus on in Q4?

I discuss Q4 business priorities with many of my Executive Coaching clients. For those of you that do not have a clear plan for Q4, and to assist you in thinking about how you can approach this activity, I have outlined some areas below that I am working on with clients that may help you formulate your areas of focus for Q4. 

What are your key business areas of focus in Q4?  

When conducting a deep dive on my business quarterly, I focus on the following areas:

  1. Client Base + Customer Acquisition
  2. Financial + Revenue Generation
  3. Operational + Execution
  4. IT + Digital
  5. Human Resources + Attracting & Retaining
  6. Sales + Marketing
  7. Administrative + Process
  8. Process Mapping + Improvements

What are your professional and personal goals for Q4?

I set my annual professional and personal goals; however, I also conduct quarterly reviews, and where goals need to change, I pivot and update this list as the year progresses. If you have not done this in 2021 yet, it is time to look back at your original goals. Cross off what you have achieved to date, review what is still outstanding and analyze if those goals still stand as important or need to be completed in Q4. 

As we are in the year’s home stretch with only three months remaining in the calendar year, it is a great time to redefine focus areas for the remainder of the year. Are the goals you initially indicated that you would be working on this quarter still relevant? Due to your current circumstances, do they need to be updated, abandoned, or a new pivot introduced?

The following are eight areas that I think about during my quarterly review. You may include more or less and should base the categories on your situation. When I focus on areas of priority moving forward, I initially rank myself on each item below. We are only as strong as our weakest link, so that is why it is important to look at your whole life canvas and evaluate where you rate yourself, pivot and correct direction if necessary and be confident in the direction you decide to take. 

  1. Career – where do I want to be in my position by December 31st, 2021
  2. Financial – quarterly financial goals
  3. Intellectual – technical or interpersonal professional development focus for the quarter
  4. Parental – areas of focus with each child
  5. Physical – body health and exercise goals
  6. Psychological – attitudinal and emotional focus
  7. Relationship – areas to focus on with significant other
  8. Social – extended family, social and collegial relationship focus

Recognize what is and what is out of your focus of control.  ~ Jenny Reilly

Momentum - jenny Reilly Consulting

Keep the momentum going:

  • Once you start on your goal, connect with your motivators (your ‘why’ for working on the goal) and set a habit frequency to work on your goal daily.
  • When possible, it is best to work on a goal on a specific day/s weekly, to enable consistency in pushing the goal forward.
  • A final note on motivation, when you are working towards something, start with the easiest task first just to get started.
  • Attaining a quick win will help your momentum. 

Focus on what will provide you with the biggest impact professionally and personally in Q4. Once you have reclarified your goals for Q4, break them down into manageable steps, map out your milestone dates, and notate them in your calendar. We need to understand that obstacles may arise in the quarter to slow down progress on our goals; however, if you proactively plan what and how you will complete each step, you will have a greater likelihood of not being derailed and attaining your goals on, or before schedule. 

Take decisive action on your goals. I think of quarters as sprint runs. I have the energy and focus to work on complex projects over three months. A quarter is long enough to make a real impact and short enough not to get bored with the actions required for completion. 

Objectives are not just achieved magically, and work has to be intentional, focused, and planned to make things happen. 

Define your Q4 focus

  1. CLARIFY: When you detail your focus for Q4, it will help you clarify what action you need to take and provide you with the right mindset to move forward.
  2. DESCRIBE each area of focus into a specific goal statement when you detail what needs to be done, how you will do it, and when it provides you with a framework to work within.
  3. ACTION: Taking the first step on a goal is always a motivator to help you take the next. For each action item required, ensure you assign due dates for the activity, so you can map out what can be done by December 31st, 2021.
  4. PRIORITIZE: Having defined goals for the quarter will enable you to prioritize your work to ensure you stay on track and will assist you from falling into a procrastination rabbit hole.
  5. VISION: You can’t go anywhere unless you know where you are going – having your goals to focus on, daily reviewing your list and scheduling the next best step for each will help you formulate a path moving forward.

Your Q4 goals should be thoughtfully formulated. They should motivate action, have clearly defined tactics and an implementation timeline. 

  1. What do you believe you can accomplish in Q4? 
  2. What are your top five priorities over the next 90 days?
  3. What metrics will you track?
  4. How do you see the next three months rolling out in your schedule?
  5. What is your intention, what steps are required, and when will you do it?

Q4 with your team

With each of your teammates at your next team meeting:

  • Evaluate what worked well (in Q3 or over the last three quarters), what did not, and learnings/take-aways from both
  • Determine what action will be continued
  • Provide kudos to those who accomplished goals in the last quarter

If you encountered any wins, setbacks or failures, acknowledge them, learn from them, analyze what went wrong, what went right, and how you could have done things differently to improve the outcome. Reflection on January – September will enable you to facilitate greater progress in Q4. 

 

Achieve your Quarter 4 goals by answering some of these questions and focusing on your key professional and personal areas. If you need support with your strategy and priorities to hit your end of year targets, my executive coaching and business consulting support can help you, your team, and your business excel, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com or schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session via Jenny Reilly Consulting Calendly.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

 

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Leadership Style | What makes a good leader?

Leadership Function and Style

Every leader’s #1 function is (or should be) to communicate, engage and motivate others towards a vision. Leadership style, on the other hand, is unique to an individual and can significantly vary. There are leadership style elements that effective leaders possess, including:

  • authenticity, 
  • decisiveness, 
  • focus, 
  • strong verbal and written communication skills, 
  • excellent hard and soft people skills, and 
  • the ability to always be looking forward with energy and positivity.

One of the biggest challenges that many face within an organization is the frustration around a leader’s inconsistencies. I mean what individuals are told versus how the leader acts. If a leader is inconsistent and does not ‘walk the talk,’ the business suffers, the people are not actively engaged nor working to their best, and lack of business growth and profit loss are a direct result.

Effective leaders:

    • Live by their values as simply as they breathe. 
    • Authentically lead, transparently communicate, execute on the action, and are consistently focused on moving the vision of the business forward.
    • Walk the talk and are exceptional role models.
    • Act decisively, however, are not inflexible. They are willing to pivot or adjust upon new information or circumstances. Shoulder poor decisions, and always share the credit when good decisions are made. 
    • Focus on one priority at a time with full attention. 
    • Manage their time, and recognize time is finite.  
    • Treat each day as a new day. Have a focus on continuous professional improvement, are curious, and love to learn.
    • Provide their personal touch with every interaction. They talk to people, ask for their feedback, and are visible (even if only on zoom due to the pandemic). 
    • Demonstrate self-discipline and the will to do what it takes, no matter how hard, until they achieve their desired outcome.

‘Life is too short to focus on things and people that you are not enjoying.’

~ Jenny Reilly

3 Leadership Questions to Answer:

  1. Do you have the right people in your team/business? If you have less than 90% of the right people on your team, that becomes your #1 priority. 
  2. Are your people on their A-game? If not, the decision is either to develop, replace, or move the person to an alternate position better suited to their strengths and capabilities. 
  3. What is the number one metric you look at weekly? This should be the #1 weekly agenda item to discuss first and focus on. It could be your cash flow, sales, service levels, product development…the objective is to have your #1 priority the first thing you always focus on and discuss.

Leadership tips:

  • Trust your team. A value cannot be ‘respect’ when you do not trust your colleagues.
  • Make decisions. Indecisiveness is paralyzing.
  • Know your top three priorities and consistently communicate on them.
  • Be precise, not irresolute. Imprecision is confusing.
  • Be consistent in what you say and how you say it.
  • Show humility, not indignancy. 

Proven Leadership Tactics:

  • When not attaining your expected results, make a conscious effort to change how you are doing things. Focus on improving, being more effective, and attaining increased results.
  • Be focused and systematic in your approach to learning efficiently. Improve your knowledge of services and products, the current market, technologies, processes and systems, organizational culture and internal politics that require attention.
  • Always match your strategy to the situation and do not take any shortcuts. What worked in the past does not mean it will be effective in the current situation. 
  • Identify strategic opportunities to add value and improve bottom-line results. 
  • Improve working relationships by setting and managing expectations.
  • Be the architect of alignment. Ensure structure fits strategy and that you are focusing on the right things.
  • Evaluate and mobilize team members. Build your team and be strategic in developing strengths and capabilities.
  • Identify individuals (inside and outside the business) who will support and mentor you, call you on areas of challenge and motivate you to take action on opportunities. 
  • Maintain your equilibrium and balance in both your professional and personal life. A more balanced approach enables you to focus better, not lose perspective and make better decisions.

You are only as strong as your weakest link. When you start feeling like you are in a rut or losing momentum or motivation, it is time to try one or more of the above actions to help you kickstart getting back onto the right track. 

Leadership To Do’s

  • Assess each business situation independently
  • Define and communicate your business intent
  • Establish your priorities
  • Act deliberately on strategic priorities
  • Secure early wins
  • Build your team
  • Develop alliances

If you are interested in learning about professional leadership development or executive coaching can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

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Leadership Situation Analysis | Change is Constant

Situation Analysis

Competent leaders understand that they need to stay on top of dealing with change. A situation analysis enables leaders to clarify how they lead, identify issues, challenges, and opportunities, and validate the resources required to match the situation. An adaption to leadership style may be required and is dependent on the situation.

Whether in start-up mode, encountering a business crisis and making a pivot in product or service delivery, going through a period of accelerated growth, realigning business priorities to match the market, or focused on sustaining success and longevity in the business, there is a framework that you can use to ensure success. 

Situation Analysis - Jenny Reilly Consulting - Executive Coaching and Business Consulting

 

Start-up or Expansion

In start-up mode, rapid execution is required in addition to a close focus on budget and finances, people, and technology. A great deal must be worked on with minimum resources and tight timeline constraints. Attracting, recruiting, and onboarding a high-performing team while at the same time building the right strategy is essential. During this phase, successful leaders are organized, make well-informed decisions, and are energized by the business possibilities.

When experiencing periods of accelerated growth, a leader must focus on implementing systems and processes to support scalability. With rapid growth comes the addition of more employees. The challenge is to attract, onboard and integrate them while ensuring transparent communication on the vision, individual expectations, KPI’s and essential engagement to do better and be better in the business. 

Crisis Management

In times of operational crisis, a pivot may be required in product or service delivery to save the business. Leaders need to be transparent every step of the way. When we know what may be coming our way, it is easier to prepare and lean into a situation to enable the strength to change it.

Long Term Success

When focusing on maintaining the longevity of success, the continual focus needs to be maintained on the team and innovatively looking at new ways to improve the business and take it to the next level of success. 

No matter where your business is on the scale, from start-up to maintaining longevity in the market, there are strategies and a framework that you can put in place to ensure success.

 

If you want to learn more about how implementing these frameworks and executive coaching can bring you, your team, and your business success, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com or schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session via Jenny Reilly Consulting Calendly.

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Resilience, Grit and Optimism! | Learn from the Experts

 

Life throws you curve balls continuously. I believe that three key attributes will serve you well, resilience, grit, and optimism.

How you respond to a situation through action, language, and body language is critical. Your determination to move forward out of a situation requires grit, and to positively envisage a path ahead involves optimism. Your level of self-confidence, mood, emotions, and attitude will help you guide your journey, so you want them to be positive.

  • Look for the good in a situation — the glass half full is always better than the alternative.
  • Look for the lesson in a negative or challenging situation, name it, learn from it and move on.
  • Look for the solutions to a problem. Be curious, process issues into smaller compartments, and work through each part until you resolve the issue.
  • Relentlessly focus on your goals, and they will come to fruition.

LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO YOU DEEM SUCCESSFUL… ASK THE EXPERTS!

 

This week ask two people who you identify as successful (professionally, personally, financially) and ask them,

 

‘Can you share three strategies you use around productivity, balancing life’s demands, or finances that you feel I could use in my life?‘.

 

By asking two people per week for the next month (yes, you can do this in person, over the phone, via email or text), you will have 24 options to experiment with to help you improve your performance.

I encourage you to listen, be curious, and then personally try the strategies that resonate with you.

Why reinvent the wheel? If something is proven to have worked for someone around productivity, life hacks, or finances, try it and find out for yourself if it can help you in your situation.

 

‘For 20 minutes in the morning, as a part of my daily routine, I read for professional development. Learning new skills, and developing capabilities and competencies enables me to get better at my consultancy’s critical tasks. Continuous professional development is the key to success.’

~ Jenny Reilly ~

I asked two successful business owners to share three strategies that they have used to help balance life’s demands.

Heather Piowar

Co-Founder — Our Research: Tools to make scholarly research more open, connected, and reusable

Sarah Hay

Founder — Sarah Hay Design: Interior Design and Home Staging Specialist

  • Productivity — On my to do list put my most difficult tasks #1. Getting it done first makes the rest of the day easier.
  • End of work day routine — Organize and prep for next day.
  • Balancing life’s demands — Take time each day to exercise, meditate and laugh. It’s a good day if I get all three in!

 

‘Throughout my many years of experience I have encountered leaders who have lost the drive that propels them forward personally and professionally.

Without it both companies and individuals become stagnant. My objective is to help individuals and companies develop strategies to sustain focus and high-performance over the long term and continue to grow.’

~ Jenny Reilly ~

 

If you are interested in learning about professional development or executive coaching can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

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