Friday 30 October 2020

How to Remain Calm Under Pressure

 

The podcast episode of this post is available on SounderApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsStitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Take control of the action.


BY DOING THIS

–         Concisely summarize what’s going on.

 –        State your views on the best path forward.

–         Suggest the next step or two to put that path into action.


Change projects are natural pressure cookers. Multiple teams, working on different activities with different timelines, often conflict over resources. Misunderstandings and frustrations happen. Anticipating these moments of tension is half the challenge of remaining calm through them.

The secret to keeping your cool is to control the action. It gives you strength and influence and puts you ahead of the crowd.

First, replay the facts of the situation—this will stop you (and others) from being drawn into the emotional drama of the moment. Next, recommend a solution. If others agree, suggest the next step to put the solution into action. If they don’t take your recommendation, facilitate a discussion around other options, summarizing where people are aligned and what they need to resolve.   


KNOWLEDGE BITES



ROLE MODEL PROFILE: How will I physically convey calmness when under pressure?

Think of a leader on the project who demonstrates calm under pressure. (Take 30 seconds)

How do they look (posture, gestures, etc.)?

____________________________________________________________________________

What are they saying?

____________________________________________________________________________

What are their eyes focused on?

____________________________________________________________________________

SUCCESS TIP

Emulating a successful leader subconsciously gives you the strengths you associate with them. 

Thursday 29 October 2020

How to Empathize with Those Who Are Changing


The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Understand their fears.


BY DOING THIS

–         Meet people in their workplaces (in-person or virtually).

 –        Ask them what they think about the change.

–         Restate their concerns and fears to demonstrate that you’ve heard them.


Managing change is about enabling people to do things differently with the least amount of disruption. Leaving tried and true routines can be more difficult than taking on new ones. Current ways are predictable, comfortable, easy and often linked to past successes. The more threatening the new ways appear, the more people will resist giving up the old ones. 

Change management often fails when there’s little understanding of, or empathy for, the people who are changing. Without deep knowledge of the environments in which they work, “ivory tower” assumptions guide change planning and lead to generic and ineffective support programs.

Spending time with people where they work will give you a good sense of their needs. They know their challenges better than you do, and they know what help they need to overcome them. Ask people about their concerns and listen to how they phrase them. This gives you insight into how to support them best as they adopt the change and reduce their resistance to it.


KNOWLEDGE BITES




AUDIENCE PROFILE TOOL: What are my audience's communication preferences?



SUCCESS TIP

Check that people have accurate information about the change before you ask them about their perspectives. Some don’t.



Wednesday 28 October 2020

How to Manage the Unknown

 


The podcast episode of this post is available on SounderApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsStitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 DO THIS

Identify the information needed to understand the situation.


BY DOING THIS

–         List the information you already know.

 –        List the information you need to know.

–         Identify sources of expertise (internal and external) for what you need to know.


People struggle with unknown situations. These events are challenging because we can’t rely on our experience to guide our thoughts, actions or behaviors; we don’t know what to do.

The best approach is to make the unknown known by taking stock of what you know and don’t know. Creating lists for each forms a clearer picture that often looks like something you’ve seen in the past.

Start by listing what you know and what you need to know to understand the situation. Next, identify sources for the information you need to find out, including internal and external resources. Often, people in your circle have experienced similar challenges, and will have views on details and potential solutions. You now have the beginnings of an action plan to follow.


KNOWLEDGE BITES


AUDIENCE PROFILE TOOL: What are my audience's communication preferences?



SUCCESS TIP

Sharing a draft plan is the quickest way to identify more information sources—including those whom you share it with.