"A mistake is simply another way of doing things." --Katharine Graham
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Quick Review - we know that change according to the Heath Brothers will require:
Directing the Rider
Motivating the Elephant
Shaping the Path
Motivation is like Motivating an Elephant. When we decide to workout, many of us go really strong at the gym for a time and then we just lose interest. Other times, we find we just can't get a clear focus and wander around in circles or are lost in the jungle.
In the work world that wandering is often heard with "I've been here all day and haven't completed anything." or "If only I had my desk cleared off, then I could get some work done." or "It just takes forever to get anything done here." These are clear signs the elephant is not motivated - the rider may be but not the elephant.
To get motivated, we need to find the emotion or feeling. Years ago, my sister did a science fair project where she timed a drip in the bathroom sink as it filled a gallon and then did the math to figure out how many gallons are wasted in a week and what that cost. By the way, an average leak is about 30 gallons a day. Just imagine what 30 gallons would look like on your lunchroom table? That is what causes emotion - visualization.
If you need to visualize losing 20 pounds, going to the grocery store and hefting a 20 pound turkey and walking around with it really will let your heart know what it feels like to carry an extra 20 pounds.
If wasted paper is a problem in your office, displaying a day's worth of waste on a table for everyone to see is important.
Now that you have an emotion, you need to shrink the change to something manageable. If elephants are spooked by a mouse just imagine what a huge goal could do.
Right now, if your desk needs cleaning before you can do the most important job on your task list today - just do 5 Minutes of cleaning! That five minutes will help you feel a sense of accomplishment and realize that each 5 minutes will lead to a clean desk faster than just desiring it clean. Remember when your mom would say, "Just eat two more green beans and you can be excused." It worked for you then, it can work now.
Most business goals or desired outcomes are too big, in fact, most projects are too big - breaking down a project into small bites will help get it done and often find opportunities to delegate. They are not bad goals, they just need to be in managable pieces.
Finally we want to grow the people by getting each person to identify and understand the need for this change and growth. If people believe this is important to their boss, their leader, and the health of the company, the right people will be ready to jump in and follow.
Next Week - Shaping the Path!
Enjoy your week!
Linda Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch
Check it Out!
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Check it out!
Monday Morning Motivators is a short burst of business tips you can use through out the week. Our reporters, authors and correspondents strive to present insights to make your business shine.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Monday, August 01, 2011
Switch - Part 2 & Bank Account Protection
"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." --Benjamin Franklin
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Change can be hard because often we don't have a good idea of the direction to go to change. From the book we know that change will require:
Directing the Rider
Motivating the Elephant
Shaping the Path
This week, we will start with some tips on directing the rider.
Now, the rider can be you, your staff or even your family. The Heath brothers have found three steps are critical to help the rider get started.
Find the Bright Spots. When a problem is observed, identifying what is already working means just that - what is working well in the mess of the problem. Anyone who has ever grilled, knows that there are "hot spots" on many grills. If you are looking for a bright spot, you would be saying "why doesn't the chicken burn here and how can be get the entire meal to cook that way." Finding the bright spots in a problem will give you quick success.
Script the Critical Moves. The parent you overheard saying "would you like a carrot or an apple" to their child is scripting the moves. When we limit the choices a person can take, we help them make better decisions. Too many choices often means no decision will be made. That is because Status Quo feels comfortable. Scripting helps all of us crossover our comfort zone.
Point to the Destination. In business, I often call this the vision. It must be clear and well defined and for all practical purposes it will be credible and reachable. Jim Collins who wrote Good to Great and Built to Last calls these destinations BHAG or Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. What are your BHAGs for 2011?
Take some time this week to see how you can direct your riders or maybe just yourself and next week we will talk about motivating the elephant or the emotional side of the process.
Enjoy your week!
Linda Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch
Going the Extra Step to Protect Your Bank Information
Identity theft and fraud can happen to anyone. I've been a victim of it and most everyone I know has had a problem in the past. A few months back, one of my friend's had his bank account cleaned out. He had lost his wallet with a card that his bank account information on it. Luckily the bank was able to get his money back. It took a few weeks and way too much hassle.
It got me thinking, what can be done to protect your bank information? You need to have your accounts written out some place for use. And maybe have that information in unsafe places, like your wallet for easy access. Why not change your account number in some way so you know but no one else would. Such as reverse it. Put the last number first. Divide the number in half. Or add 1 to every number. Now your account number appears to be normal and only you know what your real account number is. It is an easy solution and adds one more layer of security
Jeff Mendelsohn
www.Liquidmechanix.com
Liquid@liquidmechanix.com
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Change can be hard because often we don't have a good idea of the direction to go to change. From the book we know that change will require:
Directing the Rider
Motivating the Elephant
Shaping the Path
This week, we will start with some tips on directing the rider.
Now, the rider can be you, your staff or even your family. The Heath brothers have found three steps are critical to help the rider get started.
Find the Bright Spots. When a problem is observed, identifying what is already working means just that - what is working well in the mess of the problem. Anyone who has ever grilled, knows that there are "hot spots" on many grills. If you are looking for a bright spot, you would be saying "why doesn't the chicken burn here and how can be get the entire meal to cook that way." Finding the bright spots in a problem will give you quick success.
Script the Critical Moves. The parent you overheard saying "would you like a carrot or an apple" to their child is scripting the moves. When we limit the choices a person can take, we help them make better decisions. Too many choices often means no decision will be made. That is because Status Quo feels comfortable. Scripting helps all of us crossover our comfort zone.
Point to the Destination. In business, I often call this the vision. It must be clear and well defined and for all practical purposes it will be credible and reachable. Jim Collins who wrote Good to Great and Built to Last calls these destinations BHAG or Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. What are your BHAGs for 2011?
Take some time this week to see how you can direct your riders or maybe just yourself and next week we will talk about motivating the elephant or the emotional side of the process.
Enjoy your week!
Linda Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch
Going the Extra Step to Protect Your Bank Information
Identity theft and fraud can happen to anyone. I've been a victim of it and most everyone I know has had a problem in the past. A few months back, one of my friend's had his bank account cleaned out. He had lost his wallet with a card that his bank account information on it. Luckily the bank was able to get his money back. It took a few weeks and way too much hassle.
It got me thinking, what can be done to protect your bank information? You need to have your accounts written out some place for use. And maybe have that information in unsafe places, like your wallet for easy access. Why not change your account number in some way so you know but no one else would. Such as reverse it. Put the last number first. Divide the number in half. Or add 1 to every number. Now your account number appears to be normal and only you know what your real account number is. It is an easy solution and adds one more layer of security
Jeff Mendelsohn
www.Liquidmechanix.com
Liquid@liquidmechanix.com
Monday, July 25, 2011
Changing Your Mind - Switch
"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, the lawn mower is broken." --James Dent
Summer Reading - Switch - Part 1
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Changing Lanes,
Changing Clothes,
Changing Direction,
Change has many meanings to each of us, but overall, change is usually not easy. It takes conscious effort to make a change become part of our lives. Most of us have heard about the "if you do it 21 days, it will become habit". That is a plan that works for some, others lose track of what they are trying to change after a day or two.
Even if you are a master at change, you may know friends, staff or family that live in our world where change is hard and requires work. Over the next few weeks, I'll be giving tips on change with the book "Switch " by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. This is one of those books that I first purchased for my Kindle, then got the mp3 and finally a hardcover - it really is that good.
Today, let's just take an overview. For anything to change, someone has to start doing something differently. The beauty of this book and Lean Office is that the leader doesn't have to start the change - anyone that sees a problem can cause change with no authority, power or resources.
Dan and Chip Heath describe change as having an emotional side and rational side or an emotional Elephant and a rational Driver of the elephant.
If you imagine yourself sitting atop an elephant and expect it to change directions you will need a "ton" of convincing. The key to permanent and lasting change is three pronged:
Direct the Rider - the rational mind needs the "why" of the change.
Motivate the Elephant - the emotional, feeling mind needs to feel something. Maybe very quick success, visual examples, small group trials.
Shape the Path - to create behavior change, the situation needs to change. Using checklists, rearranging the workstation, seeding the tip jar are just simple examples of how to remind others "change has happened"
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch
Summer Reading - Switch - Part 1
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Changing Lanes,
Changing Clothes,
Changing Direction,
Change has many meanings to each of us, but overall, change is usually not easy. It takes conscious effort to make a change become part of our lives. Most of us have heard about the "if you do it 21 days, it will become habit". That is a plan that works for some, others lose track of what they are trying to change after a day or two.
Even if you are a master at change, you may know friends, staff or family that live in our world where change is hard and requires work. Over the next few weeks, I'll be giving tips on change with the book "Switch " by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. This is one of those books that I first purchased for my Kindle, then got the mp3 and finally a hardcover - it really is that good.
Today, let's just take an overview. For anything to change, someone has to start doing something differently. The beauty of this book and Lean Office is that the leader doesn't have to start the change - anyone that sees a problem can cause change with no authority, power or resources.
Dan and Chip Heath describe change as having an emotional side and rational side or an emotional Elephant and a rational Driver of the elephant.
If you imagine yourself sitting atop an elephant and expect it to change directions you will need a "ton" of convincing. The key to permanent and lasting change is three pronged:
Direct the Rider - the rational mind needs the "why" of the change.
Motivate the Elephant - the emotional, feeling mind needs to feel something. Maybe very quick success, visual examples, small group trials.
Shape the Path - to create behavior change, the situation needs to change. Using checklists, rearranging the workstation, seeding the tip jar are just simple examples of how to remind others "change has happened"
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch
Monday, July 18, 2011
Lazy Days of Summer
With Harry Potter providing a cooling off time at the theaters, families on vacation and many people taking a causal and slower pace to business, business owners have the perfect opportunity to do some reassessing, planning and maybe just catching up on neglected paperwork.
The slower summer pace is a good time to re-evaluate clients, your plan, align budgets or maybe create budgets. If 2011 started without a written plan, July is not too late to finish this year with a bang. Doing a plan for the next six months will align your business and build a foundation for 2012. It is really quite simple:
1) Vision – Where will this business be by December 31, 2011
3) Mission – Why do customers think we exist?
3) Core Values – How do we get things done?
4) Desired Outcomes – 3 to 8 goals that will help 2011 be a fabulous year
5) Projects – What has to happen to drive to the Vision and meet the Desired?
Need help? Check out the Simple Plan for a quick start to your success or download the Planning PDF
The slower summer pace is a good time to re-evaluate clients, your plan, align budgets or maybe create budgets. If 2011 started without a written plan, July is not too late to finish this year with a bang. Doing a plan for the next six months will align your business and build a foundation for 2012. It is really quite simple:
1) Vision – Where will this business be by December 31, 2011
3) Mission – Why do customers think we exist?
3) Core Values – How do we get things done?
4) Desired Outcomes – 3 to 8 goals that will help 2011 be a fabulous year
5) Projects – What has to happen to drive to the Vision and meet the Desired?
Need help? Check out the Simple Plan for a quick start to your success or download the Planning PDF
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