In This IssueFeature Article: How's Your "Two-Minute" Drill? How's Your "Two-Minute" Drill?"It's the 4th quarter ALREADY?" she screamed. "Oh no
- I've got waaaay too much to do! I'll NEVER finish in time!" These were the
words of one harried executive who lost track of time somewhere between the end
of summer and beginning of autumn. (Hmmm, might that be why they call it 'fall'
- as we're in for a big one come review time if we don't get cracking?! ) No
surprise then that the mantra for so many this time of year is "So much to do
and so little time." Fortunately there are some lessons-to-be-learned from the
goings on around us, especially now that football season is in full swing.
That's right, the keys to success can be yours if you can just develop (and run)
a really crisp Two-Minute Drill.
They Play Smart - With less than two minutes left in the game, a set of quick passes to the sidelines is often what's best. But other times, there's nothing better than a run right up the gut. Leveraging the entire playing field, and all the options available to you, is an essential 4qtr skill. Who on your staff is ready for that breakout play? Remember it may just be someone you wouldn't ordinarily suspect. Too, a straight line may be to shortest path between two points, but in business - as in football - your ability to zig and zag around the obstacles is what ultimately determines your success. Don't be afraid to take risks; manage them. They Know the Score - In the last two minutes, every player on both teams knows what's needed. If they're behind, they know how many points they need, whether it's a touchdown, that and a two-point conversion, a field goal, and/or any combination thereof. So too in business, it's imperative that you know the score - that you know what's needed to win. And it's not always about smash-mouth football, either. Sometimes it's about precision and finesse:
At year end, there's typically a big push to finish things up (or in some cases, get things going). Be sure you understand what's expected and what's being requested from you. (And be sure that what you're expecting and requesting from others is properly understood, as well.) If you're not sure, ask. That way you can appropriately calibrate your work effort and they can appropriately calibrate theirs. You'll be amazed at the time everyone can save and the appreciation that flows from clearly communicating. And remember, if a field goal is all you need, bring in the kicker. And if it's a touchdown, go for it with everything you've got! At Home: How Do You Show You Care?It's October and you know what that means? The year-end holidays are starting to loom on the horizon. Now granted, it's still early, but that's the point - gift buying doesn't have to be a high-pressure, last-minute annual occurrence. So believe it or not, NOW is a really good the time to start gathering your thoughts about your holiday gift-buying. And to that end, here are some helpful hints to help you find those 'perfect' gifts:
Ask the CoachQuestion: I know that feedback is important for employees. How do you know how much feedback to provide? Answer: What a great question! At its crux, it's a function of whether the message you intended to be received by an employee is the same as the message the employee actually received. Think about how you could determine that. How do you know that you know? Don't just rely on your 'gut instinct' to tell you - that's not a good litmus for these types of things. Try this instead - ask and then listen. "You know I'm not sure if I said that right," you could say, "What did it sound like I was saying?" It can be as simple as that! I remember one time I met with an employee and thought my message was crisp, clear, and to the point. But when I checked in with him about it, he heard something entirely different! (I thought I was complimenting him; he thought I was nit-picking.) Another time I didn't even open my mouth before an employee said, "I know what you're going to say, Barry, so you don't have to say it." I didn't know if she did or didn't, though, so I asked her to explain it to me. She then proceeded, without hesitation, to explain EXACTLY what I was thinking, why it was important, and what changes to her behavior were warranted as a result. And she did it in a way that was far more articulate than anything I was planning on saying to her! Bottom Line: You know when you know when they tell you so. Great Things I Didn't Say!
What's News at GottaGettaCoach!?Testing the Feasibility of Coaching - an article written by Barry Zweibel for trainers wanting to know more about coaching was published by the American Society for Training and Development in their October issue of ASTD Links. The Illinois Dental News published an article in its September 2003 issue called, Business is the Business of Your Business, by Barry Zweibel and Therese H. Gustafson, DDS. Barry Zweibel was quoted on managing success and failure by Now Toronto magazine in No Contest: Don't Turn Your Buds into Rivals. GottaGettaCoach! Incorporated released a Special Report - Employee Discussions: 10 Important Things a Boss MUST Know How to Say, designed to help managers prepare for those upcoming year-end performance reviews. (Get your copy in time for year-end reviews!) Barry Zweibel was cited in the August 2003 issue of Training & Development magazine as having provided, "some of the best dialogue among learning professionals in the industry". His comments were excerpted from an ASTD Learning Community Discussion Board about "Virtual Leadership". Barry Zweibel was quoted in an article called, Money Woes: Stress, Depression and Dieting Affect How We Spend Our Cash, in both the print and on-line editions of Now Toronto magazine.
Leadership Northbrook: An Inside Look, an article written by
life coach/executive coach Barry Zweibel,
was published in Northbrook Business News & Views, the newsletter of the
Northbrook Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Congratulations to Vangie Kupyak of New Jersey,
winner of the 3-Click Challenge and a free month of coaching! For more
information about the 3-Click Challenge, see website.) This edition of Not Just Talk! was written and created by Barry Zweibel,
president of GottaGettaCoach! ? 2003 by GottaGettaCoach! | ||||
