Guess What I Heard?

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:06:00 -0700

Being empowered to take a stand against gossip.

Backstabbing and whispers can wreak havoc on a workplace. Once the rumor mill starts it can be very difficult to stop. But, what if you never let it start? How would that impact your colleagues? Your environment? Your life?

Whether you are a business owner, manager, employee or even an intern, taking a stand against destructive behavior in your workplace will position you as a leader. Recognizing gossip before it starts, avoiding it when it surrounds you and knowing how to stop it when it’s already in motion are the keys to spreading productivity instead of rumors in your office.

Recognize:

Do your conversations start with the preface, “Don’t tell anyone, but…”
Are you/colleagues only talking about people when they are not in the room?
Would you be uncomfortable having this conversation in front of the person you are talking about?
Could this information ruin someone’s reputation?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or all of these questions you are participating in gossip. Run for your life!

Avoid:

Curiosity killed the cat, so don’t ask questions that you know are going to spawn gossip.
If you know Michael is the office gossip, politely avoid him. And when you do have a conversation with him, make sure you are the one setting the tone.

But sometimes a gossiper is so good, so well trained, so practiced in his/her craft that you can’t recognize you’re gossiping until you’re in the thick of the conversation.

Stop:

Walk away from conversations that you know are gossip.
Change the subject if you are part of a conversation that you are not comfortable with.
If some of the facts of the conversation are questionable, let the gossip know you’d like to verify these points with the subject. That is probably the fastest way to stop a gossip.
When all else fails, just tell people you don’t like to gossip. You know how much it would hurt you and you don’t want to hurt others.

The gossip bug has hit all of us at one time or another. But, workplace gossip is an avoidable poison. All it takes is one person to stand up to rumors to make a huge impact on the entire group. But, if you must, feed your need to dish by talking about the sordid lives of your favorite celebrities.

If you want to be a more effective manager or business owner let Pick My Brain help. Contact us at 310.771.0665 for more information.

Dont Sit on the Sidelines

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:05:00 -0700

How hiring an executive coach can help you get in the game.

I stepped into coaching quite by accident a couple of years ago. Frequently, I would receive calls from colleagues and clients wanting to share their business challenges with me. We would discuss the scenario, and I would offer my thoughts on how to tackle it. Sometimes I suggested a specific action be taken; other times, a shift in their style of communication or thinking. But, no matter what the suggestion, I always knew it was imperative to look at the big picture. Analyzing the long-term goals while still zooming in on the intimate details. I realized, after years of managing people as a business owner and a manager in both corporate and volunteer settings, that I had gained a great deal of knowledge on how to deal with business relationships. That’s when I decided I wanted to coach and consult for a living.

Although I consult on a variety of topics, to professionals in every level of business, executive coaching is always in demand. No matter what our level of responsibility, even at the executive level, we can often have trouble getting outside of the minutia and back into the big picture.

So, you might be asking: “What is executive coaching”, and “Why do I/my company need one?”

Look for a definition of executive coaching and you’ll find a variety of answers. One simple definition I like is from Sherpa Coaching:
Regular meetings between a business leader and a trained facilitator, designed
to produce positive changes in business behavior in a limited time frame.

The key elements of this definition being: A business leader – one who is in a business entity and in a position of leadership. This could be an upper-level manager all the way up to the top, or even an entrepreneur. A trained facilitator: one who is skilled in assessing and guiding a leader in development and action – your coach. Production of changes in a limited time frame: Clear and measurable results in a specified time (no more than 6 months).

So, here are the five reasons I believe hiring a business coach is beneficial:

To assess the current situation with a fresh perspective, identifying areas of challenge and setting forth a defined plan of action to achieve specified goals.
To solve tactical problems and clear the path for action.
To develop capabilities – new ways of thinking and doing things – that wil contribute to the effectiveness of the individual and organization.
To integrate new leaders into their positions, building skill sets and gathering consensus to ensure that constituencies are satisfied and have buy-in.
To develop leadership skills and habits that will promote continued learning to achieve maximum partnership between individual & organization.

If you want to develop yourself or leaders within your organization, help transition individuals from one area of responsibility to another, or focus on a the attainment of specific goals for an individual or group, a business coach may be just what your organization needs.

If you are interested in our business consulting and executive coaching services, please contact Pick My Brain at 310.771.0665.

Pick-My-Brain.com: Blog - Executive Coaching

Guess What I Heard?

Dont Sit on the Sidelines

Dont Sit on the Sidelines