Good day, team,

This month it seems that all my clients are involved in some sort of strategic planning sessions. They’re either following up on meetings held previously or presenting plans they’ve worked on for months. My individual clients are also strategizing about what they want to achieve in the coming months.

Such activities are a common occurence at this time of year. What better time to think about how we want to position ourselves, the goals we want to achieve, and how much profit we want to make than in preparation for the new year?

People with strengths in strategic thinking relish this sort of task. They love to analyze data and come up with different ways to have a more competitive edge. There’s nothing more fun than coming up with a forecast and then comparing your accuracy as the numbers come in. It’s like gambling: You analyze the cards, strategize your moves and then see how the game plays out.

But in the midst of this activity, it’s equally important to pay attention to what’s in front of us right now. There’s a tendency when involved in strategic planning to ignore what’s actually happening and possibly miss a great opportunity.

Last year, one group of clients got so involved in their strategic planning process that they missed the chance to do business with a client who would have opened up a new segment of their market. The strategic planning committee couldn’t see how the customer fit their plan for the new year, so they ignored the customer’s request. That customer went to a competitor instead and gave that company half a million dollars’ worth of business that my client could easily have garnered.

Your challenge this week is to try to see what’s right in front of you. While you’re thinking strategically, are you also keeping an eye on the opportunities that are here right now? Are you ignoring some of your customers’ current needs while you’re busy thinking about what you’ll give them in the future?

Planning is important, but being flexible enough to alter the plan when opportunity knocks in the here and now can be even more crucial.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

I had an experience recently that seemed an appropriate topic for this week in particular, since Thanksgiving is just a few days away.

While flying back to Portland, I sat next to a 10-year-old girl named Bailey. She seemed just like any other little girl, but as I sat down next to her, the stewardess informed me that Bailey was a “challenged child” (an odd term) in that she could not speak. However, the stewardess went on to say that Bailey would understand everything I said to her and could communicate with movement and expressions.

This news made me immediately uncomfortable, as if she were made of fine porcelain and, if I wasn’t careful, she might break. I was also confused, unsure whether I should speak to her or not, since we usually receive some type of response in communicating.

Fortunately, Bailey immediately put me at ease with her beautiful smile and sparkling blue eyes. When I said hello to her, she smiled and waved hello. The plane took off, and I began to read a magazine. The many Christmas advertisements featured pictures of snowflakes, stars, icicles, presents, etc.

Each time that I turned a page and a picture of a star appeared, Bailey pointed to the star and looked at me and smiled. I would then say, “Yes, that’s a star.” Before long, I noticed that I was actually looking for more pictures of stars so we would have a way to communicate with each other.

Coincidentally, there was a boy sitting behind us about the same age as Bailey. I realized before long that he talked pretty much continuously, first about the Game Boy he wanted for Christmas, then about his friend’s new cell phone, then about school, then about his Dad, and so on and so on.

After awhile, I realized I had toned him out. I may have been open to hearing what he had to say in the beginning, but after so many words, I was no longer interested. And yet every movement and expression of the little girl sitting next to me, who couldn’t speak a word, kept me keenly interested in what she was communicating.

This experience made me think about our basic need to connect with each other as human beings, and the importance of allowing our emotional beings to reach out to each other in any way possible. When we take up all the space by talking about ourselves and don’t allow the other person room to respond, the connection is lost, and the speaker becomes a nuisance rather than someone we want to know.

Bailey taught me something fundamental about our true nature as human beings. Wordlessly, her communication came through loud and clear. Her loving nature spoke volumes, and our communication had a quality that I don’t often experience when I talk with another person.

This week, try connecting with others in ways that you don’t normally use. Experiment with being more present to someone who is speaking to you so that you can not only hear her or his words, but can also notice expressions and gestures. Perhaps you’ll try greeting someone with a smile and some eye contact instead of a hello. If you find that you tend to talk a lot about yourself, try to ask other people questions about themselves instead. Practice listening more, especially to the words that are not being spoken, so that you can have a different experience in your communications.

And finally, be grateful that you have the amazing ability to connect and communicate with others in so many ways. By meeting Bailey, I understood that some of us are not so fortunate and that many of the things we take for granted, like saying our name, are not possible for others.

This week of Thanksgiving, be thankful for your ability to let others know what you think, how you feel, and who you are. And don’t be afraid to really connect by allowing the beauty of your heart to speak out, whether it’s in words or silence.

Have a great week,

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

At this time of year, I meet with my accountant, and it’s always interesting to see what I’ve achieved, both professionally and personally. Now is a good time to take stock of what you’ve accomplished based on the goals you set for this year.

You might begin with questions like these:

1) What goals did I set for myself in the first quarter of 2006?
2) What curve balls were thrown at me that required me to take a different direction and have I been able to fit those changes of direction into my original goals?
3) What have I learned this year and how has it helped me?
4) What people have I met and worked with who have had a significant impact on me?
5) How many of the goals that I set for myself professionally and personally have I met?

By asking these questions, we can see where we are and who we have become. They also give us clues to the new goals we’d like to set for the coming year.

Your challenge this week is to review where you stand in regard to your goals for 2006. If you have a year-end performance review coming up, it’s particularly important to read what suggestions were made for your improvement and to see what actions you’ve actually taken. Maybe someone suggested you take a type of training that you had completely forgotten about: Is there still time to do so? There are six weeks left until the end of the year, and you might be able to fit in that last action that helps you meet your annual goals.

We can all be more successful if we take the time to consider what we want to achieve and set some definite goals for what we want to accomplish. Often just the energy that we summon to aim for a particular goal gives us a leg up in achieving it. This is a good time to remember what we intended to do in 2006 and to consider what we want to do in 2007.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

The coach’s challenge this week is about playing on a winning team. Last evening, I was watching the Portland Trail Blazers play basketball on television. This is a rare occurence since I don’t particularly like watching televised basketball, though it’s a great game in person. I also have no affection for the Trail Blazers, or at least I didn’t before last evening.

For those of you who don’t follow basketball and don’t live in Portland, I’ll include a brief description of our basketball team. Since I moved here in 1998, the Trail Blazers (or the Jail Blazers, as they are affectionately called) behaved like the biggest bunch of spoiled-brat losers I had ever seen. They were all paid outrageous salaries, they frequently made the front page of the newspaper for committing misdemeanors, and when I sheepishly said hi to one of them in the grocery store one day, he just frowned at me. How could life be so bad for someone who gets paid to play sports?

Last season, you couldn’t give away tickets to their basketball games. They were an embarrassment to all of us, and as the coaching staff continued to turn over rapidly, the city was rife with rumors that their wealthy owner was trying to sell both them and the arena in which they play.

But with a new coach and some rookies, much has changed since last year. What I saw last night amazed me. The rookies ran up and down the court as though their lives depended on it, trying to take every shot they could. In fact, the only guys who looked flat-footed were players who were holdovers from last year.

The arena was full, and the fans were shouting and jumping up and down with great enthusiasm. This was a team they could get behind. Here were some winners they could believe in. Maybe, just maybe, things had turned around and the Blazers were back!

Clearly, being part of a winning team is the best. It’s great to be part of an endeavor in which people go beyond their normal limitations to win. It makes everyone feel good to see players who “have each other’s backs” work incredibly well together and support each other on every play. Even the coach didn’t sit down. He paced back and forth on the sidelines, gesturing for the ball to go in the basket, giving his players a high five when they came back to the bench, encouraging them to keep the energy up and not to slack off. And he didn’t shy away from letting the slackers know that they weren’t holding their own for the rest of the team.

This week, consider your team. Whether you’re the coach, or a player, or both, are you winning? Are you letting your team players know that each one of them plays a critical role and that their ability to work together is essential in winning? Does your coach give you all the support and encouragement you need to win? Are you putting out your maximum effort to be the best player on the team?

Your challenge this week is to do just that. Play as though your life depended on it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Have a winning week.

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

Last week, I had an experience that I wanted to share for this week’s coach’s challenge.

Tuesday morning I had to take my car in for servicing. It was about 7 a.m., and the shuttle was supposed to take me back home. After waiting about 15 minutes, I learned that the shuttle driver was stuck in a traffic jam and wouldn’t be arriving at the dealer’s for another 30 minutes. So I decided to walk home.

It was about 45 city blocks, and although more of a walk than I usually take, it seemed like a nice morning for a jaunt. It was still dark when I began walking, but the sun was coming up quickly, and I watched the color of the sky as I walked the city streets.

These were not colors I usually see: muted pinks, with streaks of blue and grey painted across the sky. After a while, the sun came streaming down the sidewalk and as I walked into it, I was struck by the beauty of the sun reflected through colored leaves on the trees. One minute I was walking in filtered grey light, and the next, the bright sun was beaming on my head. What a glorious feeling!

After a few minutes, the sun began to fade, and the weather changed. Within moments, a light mist was falling. I zipped up my jacket and put my hood up. As I walked, I could feel the cool mist on my face, and the sidewalk began to darken as the raindrops fell on the concrete under my feet.

I spied a coffee shop on my left and quickly ducked in to dry out a bit and get a cup of coffee. As I sat in the shop, I watched people fly in and out for their morning coffee and pastries. Everyone was in such a hurry that I’m not sure they noticed whether it was raining or not. But the place was full of bustling energy, and it was a nice contrast to the quiet solitude I had experienced on my walk.

By the time I got home, I realized how invigorated I was by my unexpected walk. I felt so good in that moment. My early morning walk had made me happy, content, invigorated and peaceful, all at once. I wondered, “Why don’t I do this more often?” I could take an early morning walk each day, but I usually just get up, get my coffee, pop into the shower, get dressed and head out the door to work. Why would I ignore the chance to start my day with something that makes me so happy?

Your challenge this week is to identify something that makes you really happy that you don’t usually do, and do it. It can be something very simple, like taking a brief walk before work or during lunch. Maybe you get yourself a special treat at the coffee shop or take a tea break with another team member to talk about your weekend. Perhaps you find your favorite pair of socks in the drawer and wear them, even if they’re not the kind of socks you usually wear to work. Or maybe you won’t wear any socks at all, if that’s what makes you happy.

It’s often the little things in life that bring us joy. We just have to make sure that we take the time to do them and allow ourselves the happiness that arises when we do.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching

Good day, team,

The coach’s challenge this week is about setting healthy boundaries with people at work. Professional boundaries are important because they define the limits and responsibilities of the people with whom you interact in the workplace. When workplace boundaries are clearly defined, the organization works more efficiently because redundant work assignments are eliminated and task performance is accountable. When everyone in an organization is made aware who is responsible for what, healthier workplace environments are created. It then becomes very difficult for someone to blame others for their failed or inadequate performance and good job performance can clearly be identified.

When professional boundaries and priorities have been clearly defined, it’s very likely that a group can function effectively, even in the absence of its leader. If everyone on your team understands what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, then team members will feel safe in their roles. A smooth functioning organization is a tangible demonstration of their team leader’s commitment to their success, which creates trust in leadership. It is the responsibility of every team leader to set the tone of the group by clearly defining acceptable and unacceptable workplace behavior. An effective leader understands that failing to define boundaries, having no boundaries, or having inappropriately rigid boundaries can have an unfavorable impact on their organization and employees. In some cases boundaries need to be firm. For example, lying, stealing, or verbally or physically abusing others is never allowed. It may sound as if the responsibility to create a smooth functioning organization falls only upon the team leaders; however every team member has a role to play as well. It is the responsibility of every individual team member to be willing to speak up to a colleague or supervisor and clearly define their problem and help find a resolution that works for everyone.

Another important area that should be negotiated is interpersonal boundaries, because professional and interpersonal boundaries substantially impact workplace productivity and the quality of social environment. Interpersonal boundary parameters include:

* The tone people use with each other.
* The attitude and approach co-workers use with each other.
* The ability to focus on work objectives even with people you don’t
like or with whom you are having personal conflict.
* The ability to effectively set limits with others who have poor
boundaries.
* Clearly defining the consequences when a boundary is violated and
sticking to it.

Boundaries will have no meaning if your actions don’t back up your words.

**Here are some suggestions for setting healthy boundaries with your team members:*

*1. Know your limits: what you can do well within the allotted time frame.*
Don’t exaggerate your ability by overselling it. Give accurate estimates. Delivering a good product on time will improve your credibility, while missing deadlines or delivering a substandard product will only hurt your reputation.

*2. Tactfully and openly communicate about goals and limitations.*
Don’t try to undersell or misrepresent your ability. Underselling artificially prevents you from being able to demonstrate your professional skills, which might affect your career advancement. When discussing your limitations, focus on what you want and what you are willing to do to get it. Keep your focus on your positive intentions; ask for help when it’s needed to ensure good quality work; actively engage in problem solving, and don’t complain about the problem. Ensure that others are receiving the message you intended by asking for feedback when it’s not forthcoming.

*3. Be available to discuss differences and reach agreements.*
Reflect back your understanding of the other person’s needs, interests, and concerns. Attempt to negotiate win-win solutions.

*4. Don’t be afraid to let someone know if they’re acting inappropriately.* Work place bullying is much more common than we think; it can come in the form of expressing undo negativity towards another, intentionally excluding others from team activities, or ganging up on someone. It can also come in the form of domination by withholding information or not keeping one’s part of the bargain by actively engaging and contributing to the work. It’s important to let people know when they act out inappropriately and that it is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated. The emotional health and safety of an organization depends on direct and clear communication when someone has trespassed on a professional and/or personal boundary.

This week, try setting healthy boundaries with your team members. You’ll find that establishing boundaries and priorities go hand in hand because they both help manage interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Together they go a long way toward establishing productive work environments based on trust. Competent and credible leaders understand these principles and consistently model them for their staff.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

* Special thanks to the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at UCSF for most of the information in this challenge. They are a great resource!
*

Today’s challenge was written by my associate, Kate Dwyer.

Good day, team.,

In talking with a client recently. I asked how things are going and he said something that continues to stick with me. He said, ” So far so good. As long as I can keep adding value, I’m happy.” Not “As long as I get paid what I’m worth…” or “As long as we meet our numbers…” or “As long as my job description doesn’t change…” or “As long as I don’t have to work with so and so….”

There are as many frustrations available in the workplace as there are workers. Injustice happens; good work gets overlooked and under-praised. Our attention gets stretched in too many directions at once and we lose our ability to be effective. Deadlines seem designed to stretch us too thin and new variables, that we didn’t even suspect, pop up and undermine our success. Worst of all, finger-pointing can spread like the common cold.

My client’s reply made me realize that every time I see my attention focusing too closely on the performance of others, it’s the perfect time to turn my focus back on myself and ask, “What can I do to add value?” Forget about what everyone else should be doing or who is doing what to whom; never mind all that. What can I do to add value?
That one question can take us back to the most powerful and effective stance we can take, regardless of the circumstances. It’s also one of the shortest routes to job satisfaction.

The challenge this week is to turn inward and ask that question. Whether it’s a relatively normal week, or you’ve got something very challenging going on, ask that question. Look and listen carefully, and then take action.

Have a good week, everyone.

Kate Dwyer
Pathfinder’s Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

This week’s challenge is about salesmanship and the power of belief. I once asked a client who is the CEO of a medium-sized company how he spent his time each day: what he actually did and what percentage of his time was spent directing, managing and leading. He replied, ‘”Frankly, I spend 95 percent of my time selling and 5 percent ensuring that we make a profit.”

He went on to explain that he realized that in almost every conversation he had-whether with board members, shareholders, team members, his direct reports, industry analysts, suppliers or customers-he was constantly telling them what the company did best, how it delivered better than anyone else, and why the people in the company were great.

Ironically, this man didn’t particularly like selling, and it hadn’t been his career path: He had started out as an accountant. However, he had learned over time that as CEO, he was the person who truly represented and spoke for the company as a whole, and if he couldn’t convince others of its excellence, the company would fail under his leadership. As he said, “If I can’t sell this to anyone within the company and anyone outside the company, then I shouldn’t be in this position. I have to believe more strongly than anyone else how good we are, how terrific our people are, and how our particular brand of service and products is better than anyone else’s. I have to know what we do best and believe that we do it better than anyone else. Otherwise, no one will believe me, and they’ll go with someone else who’s more convincing.”

His experience reminded me how powerful it is to have someone believe in us and in what we do. All of the good leaders I know believe in their people first and foremost. These leaders show-not just in their words, but in their actions-that they respect their employees, and they encourage them to continue to do what they do best. Interestingly enough, by doing this they also attract the same kind of respect and admiration from their team members. This doesn’t mean that they expect perfection from anyone, just that they see what is best in others and they continue to call on it in their daily business practices.

In coaching, we call it the “law of attraction,” that is, you get back what you give out. So if you’re unhappy with the work your people do and you think they’re not sharp enough, they tend to feel the same way about you. If you disagree with them a lot and humilate them in front of others, they will do the same to you, and so on.

Most important, what we reveal in our treatment of others is, in fact, how we feel about ourselves. We tend to project the same feelings we have about ourselves. So if we love and admire ourselves, we tend to give out those emotions toward others, and they evoke the same emotions in return.

All good leaders know that the real trick to selling anything is being authentic in the sale: You have to believe in what you’re selling. If you’re convinced that you and your people have the best to offer, then all you need to do is communicate it, and the sale happens. But if you don’t believe it, you can’t sell it. Whatever you believe is what you’re selling!

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day, team,

This week’s challenge comes from famous author and statesman Mark Twain, who wrote about life’s realities in a way many people could appreciate:

“A man may plan as much as he wants to, but nothing of consequence is likely to come of it until the magician circumstance steps in and takes the matter off his hands.”

This observation encourages us to pay attention to whatever is happening in the moment so we can respond to the opportunities it presents, even if they don’t fit our plan.

A friend of mine recently experienced the truth of Twain’s statement. About 12 years ago, he started a training business with a man he had worked with in the past. Because they had both been successful working for large companies that offered sales and marketing training to their clients, they decided to start their own company. They put together an extensive business plan that defined their core business as “a company that offers innovative, customized sales training to give our customer’s a competitive advantage.”

They contacted everyone who might be interested in their service, and they were off and running. Although they didn’t expect a profit in their first year, they actually made a little money, and in the second year, they doubled their revenues. The pattern fit their original business plan, and they were enjoying their success.

In the fifth year of the business, an unusual thing happened. More and more independent sales people asked to buy their training materials and the approach they used with customers. The partners realized that a brand new opportunity was emerging. If they could franchise their business model, they could expand their business far beyond anything either of them had ever expected.

However, when they went to their board of directors with this idea, some of the members argued that, since franchising wasn’t part of the original plan, the risk and investment it entailed might be unwise, especially since they were very successful operating just as they had originally planned. The dissenting board members logically asked, “Why change a good thing?”

In the end, the partners influenced the board members in favor of changing the plan to meet the circumstances. They franchised their business, and after seven years of being highly successful using the new plan, they recently sold the company for about $40 million. Their original plan was to become a $10 million company. But because they revised the plan to take advantage of new circumstances, they made four times as much money. Both my friend and his partner now spend most of their time on the golf course, looking for the right circumstances for improving their golf game.

This week, take a good look at your current circumstances. Are you ignoring an opportunity that’s right in front of you because it’s either not part of your plan or you haven’t seen it before? How often do you talk yourself out of maximizing something, just because it doesn’t fit your idea of the way it should be or the way it has always been?

Then consider whether your plan is limiting your ability to expand or improve. If the plan has gotten in the way of the opportunity, it no longer serves you. Don’t be afraid to try a new approach that better fits what’s right in front of you.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

Good day team,