Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Michael Bungay Stanier. Michael is the Author of The Coaching Habit and the Senior Partner and Founder of Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations do less Good Work and more Great Work. For more information, http://www.boxofcrayons.biz. SmallBizLady: IF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IS DEAD, WHAT’S FILLING THE VOID? Michael Bungay Stanier: The answer to this hasn’t quite yet emerged, but it is clear that coaching is part of the solution. Managers are crazy busy, and if they don’t have time to coach in 10 minutes or less, then they don’t have time to coach at all. My latest book, The Coaching Habit, offers seven questions that (once they replace old management habits) are practical and easily applicable so that every interaction – long or short, formal or informal – can become a moment of effective, on-the-spot coaching. It’s a combined commitment to profound behaviour change and getting to the work that has more impact and more meaning, all while being cognizant of the very real time constraints and conditions under which most busy managers work. SmallBizLady: HOW DO YOU BUILD A HABIT THAT STICKS? Michael Bungay Stanier: I’m indebted here to Charles Duhigg, B.J. Fogg and others who have written about habits. My thought about successfully creating a new habit centres around the major need to identify what your own “triggers” are – those moments when your old ways of behaving become almost knee-jerk – and transforming those moments into a chance to identify old habits and begin to form new ones. SmallBizLady: IN BUSINESS MEETINGS, HOW DO YOU STOP THE CHIT CHAT AND GET TO THE REAL HEART OF A CONVERSATION FAST? Michael Bungay Stanier: Everyone who has worked in any kind of organization knows how many hours are wasted in meetings and one-on-ones that don’t accomplish anything or identify the real problem. The solution to this is more multivalent, but it starts with a really solid opening line that cuts through the chit chat and gets to the thick of things quickly. The very first question, which I call the “Coaching Bookends”, is: “What’s on your mind?” It’s deceptively simple, but it forces the addressee to quickly get to the point. SmallBizLady: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST POWERFUL COACHING QUESTION IN THE WORLD? Michael Bungay Stanier: In sticking with the theme of deceptive simplicity, I think the most powerful coaching question in the world is one whose acronym is AWE: “And what else?” It may seem like three innocuous little words, but it really is the best coaching question in the world. That’s because the first answer is never the only answer and rarely the best answer. There are more answers to be found and possibilities to be generated. And equally as important, it slows down the “Advice Monster”, that part of every manager that wants to leap in and take over; give advice or be an expert, or solve the problem. SmallBizLady: WHY IS OUR IMPACT ON THE DECLINE WHILE OUR BUSY-NESS IS GOING UP? Michael Bungay Stanier: I think the answer to this is a combination of overwhelm and narrow-mindedness. We’re too busy to slow down and think strategically and too busy pushing all the individual peanuts forward, which results in us solving the wrong problems. We tend to misidentify the real problem as the first problem that arises. But one question, the Focus Question – “What’s the real challenge here for you?” – helps us to slow down our rush to fix the first problem, so that we can get at the heart of the real challenge The key to an effective coaching conversation is to start strong, provide the opportunity for the conversation to deepen, and then bring things into focus. SmallBizLady: IS THERE ANOTHER REASON WE’RE ALL SOLVING THE WRONG PROBLEMS? Michael Bungay Stanier: We are continually distracted by three familiar patterns that can keep us from honing in on the real challenge: Proliferation of Challenges; Coaching the Ghost; and Abstractions and Generalizations. As you list the many challenges at hand, you experience the kind of overwhelm that’s now become Standard Operating Procedures. You’re likely to begin solving the problem that seems easiest to solve, which may not even be a real problem. Slowing down to ask yourself and your team, “What is the real challenge here for you?” can really help you to:
SmallBizLady: WHAT IS THE SECRET OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP? Michael Bungay Stanier: You’re going to think I’m just trying to sound controversial, but my answer is: laziness. This does not mean that you’re not doing anything. It means that you’re committed to empowering others by not “rescuing” them all the time. This is related to taming that “Advice Monster.” It might come as a surprise that sometimes managers’ desire to be helpful can actually have a disempowering effect on the person being helped. The Lazy Question, “How can I help?”, works in two ways. First, it forces the other person to make a clear request by forcing her to get clear on what she wants or needs help with. Second, it is a self-management tool to keep you curious and keep you lazy. It prevents you from spending time doing things you think people want you to do and opens up more time for you to do the work that matters. SmallBizLady: HOW CAN WE RE-THINK STRATEGY? Michael Bungay Stanier: People tend to think strategy is mostly about answers. But questions provide more potential for strategic insight. We’re continually taught to “go for the Yes,” but it’s actually more strategic to slow down and ask: “Where or how could my time be better spent?” This sometimes means “going for the No.” I admit, this isn’t always easy for me. SmallBizLady: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE HARDEST QUESTION FOR AN AMBITIOUS LEADER? Michael Bungay Stanier: The hardest question for the ambitious leader, also known as the Strategic Question, is: “If you’re saying Yes to this, what are you saying No to?” Ask this question if:
This question helps make the promise real, and in some ways, it’s the hardest question of all to face. Because I know that, at least for me, the thing I’m always saying No to is my best work, my Great Work. It’s so much easier to get to all of the little things that seem more pressing, but in the end, it doesn’t have much impact or meaning. They’re just easier to do; they don’t challenge me or bring me to the edge of my own capabilities. No one likes being on that edge, but that’s where the really impactful things happen. There’s a certain amount of routine work that needs to get done. But what if everyone in your organization was doing even just 10% more of their work on that innovative edge? SmallBizLady: WHAT IS THE REAL CAUSE OF MOST WORKPLACE DYSFUNCTION? Michael Bungay Stanier: In the context of organizational behavior, The Drama Triangle helps to explain why most managers spend their time ineffectively overworking, and frustrating themselves and their team in the process. The three points on the triangle are: rescuer, persecutor and victim. You can probably see where you and your colleagues tend to gravitate, but the real insight here is learning how habitual roles prevent managers and teams from getting the real work done. Understanding these three roles and how to escape them can be a profound catalyst for behaviour change. SmallBizLady: WHAT KIND OF NEUROSCIENCE IS BEHIND HOW WE REALLY ENGAGE AT WORK? Michael Bungay Stanier: Neuroscience is the new frontier in management and leadership skills. Brain-based science is giving us a deeper understanding of how we really work and the implications for being an effective leader. Engagement is rooted in an individual’s sense of belonging and autonomy. Understanding how to foster that environment is crucial to having a team that’s maximally engaged and thus positioned to do their best work. SmallBizLady: IF YOU HAD TO GIVE A BUSY MANAGER ONLY ONE TIP ON HOW TO BECOME A BETTER COACH, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Michael Bungay Stanier: My one tip would be: Give less advice and ask more questions. If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/1hZeIlz The post How to Change the Way You Lead in a Small Business appeared first on Succeed As Your Own Boss. from http://succeedasyourownboss.com/change-way-lead-small-business/
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An ecommerce website platform is what any business needs to successfully sell goods online, and several are actually free to launch and come with no monthly fees. We looked at the most popular options and rising stars and decided to review Square, Ecwid, and Spreesy. These companies covered the range for small businesses in terms… The post Best Free Ecommerce Website Platform 2017: Square vs. Ecwid vs. Spreesy appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-free-ecommerce-website-platform/ A good retail store layout starts on paper, where you work out building specs, customer traffic flow, product placement, and more, before ever installing a single display. Thoughtful planning lets you explore options and create a store layout that encourages customers to browse and buy. Here’s how to plan your own winning store layout in… The post Planning Your Store Layout: Step-by-Step Instructions appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/planning-your-store-layout/ Your customer service representatives are the face and voice of your organization, so it is important to fill your team with people who have the right customer service skills. To help you choose the rockstar candidate that will help your business thrive, it is crucial that you understand the universal soft skills that you need… The post Top 25 Customer Service Skills To Look For in Your Next Hire appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/customer-service-skills/ The coffee industry has a ton of international coffee chains that seem to be taking over. However, there are still many entrepreneurs who are trying to compete by offering great alternatives to cookie-cutter establishments. If you are an entrepreneur who feels inspired to start your own coffee shop but clueless on how to name your cafe,… The post 25 Coffee Shop Name Ideas From The Pros appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/coffee-shop-name-ideas/ A section 125 cafeteria plan is a benefits plan that resembles a menu of options for your employees to choose from. It’s nicknamed a “cafeteria plan” because an employee can choose between medical, dental, vision, and other employee benefits like a life insurance, or opt to receive the same amount in cash. Once a section… The post Section 125 Cafeteria Plan – What It Is & How It Works appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/section-125-cafeteria-plan/ Sales is a necessary part of every company, and whether you call it business development, client relationship management, or account management, it’s still sales. Jobs in these spaces tend to have a heavy commission element to them in order to incentivize people to perform. In this article, we are going to look at these commission-based… The post Commission-Based Jobs: Ultimate Guide to Working In One or Hiring Them For Your Business appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/commission-based-jobs/ Call center phone systems and software can range from basic to comprehensive, but they all help your business to deliver better service and utilize your resources more efficiently. We looked at all the top options and chose to review Nextiva, Talkdesk, and RingCentral. They cover the range from industry giants to relative startups and offer… The post Best Call Center Phone System & Software 2017: Nextiva vs Talkdesk vs RingCentral appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/call-center-phone-systems/ Guest Article If you’re reading this right now, it likely means that you’ve fully embraced mobile marketing for your business (if not, then it’s time to start migrating to the online marketplace). Hopefully, you’ve already seen the dividends that reaching out to digital customers offers, so what’s next? It’s time to make the move to paid online marketing. Advertising on Facebook really can’t be perceived as being a huge advantage anymore. Now, you need to look for ways to optimize your marketing campaigns for big gains. I’m talking 10x kind of numbers. With currently over 1.76 billion active users, no marketing medium out there presents more potential for brand growth than Facebook. Professional organizations, large corporations as well as small businesses and startups are beginning to take note. As of September 2016, there were over 60 million Facebook business pages, each of which offers advantages to companies both large and small. For example, it’s estimated that as many as 75 percent of established brands are currently marketing on Facebook. At the same time, nearly 41 percent of small businesses in America rely heavily on Facebook marketing. This is no doubt because of Facebook’s unique abilities to engage with current customers to foster brand loyalty, customer service, and growth. That strategy is obviously working. FB Ad revenues are at an all-time high. Pinpointing the Correct Placement of Your Ads You might see the potential that marketing on Facebook offers as a guaranteed path to online advertising success. Yet it is entirely possible for you to fail in your Facebook marketing efforts if you don’t understand the types of ads that are available, their purposes, and the actual space that they allow to display your content. As inconsequential as it may seem, even testing different headlines in your ads may be a determining factor in your advertising success. Why? It’s simple, if you take a moment to think about it: much of your ability to convert visitors to your site to customers depends upon the user experience. The same holds true for your Facebook ads. The way they are structured can interfere with their performance and, ultimately, the viewer’s satisfaction. Thus, you should make it a goal to completely understand the ad placement options Facebook offers. Currently, there are four Facebook placement alternatives for you to choose from:
The right placement for you will depend largely on the design and display specifications of the types of ads you utilize. You will also need a comprehensive testing and targeting strategy. Some of that spec information is listed below:
The Fact is, you CAN make a very successful Facebook Advertising campaign for your business, but that doesn’t mean you should. Most of my success is because I’ve failed. Repeatedly. It has helped me and my team find out which placements, and audiences work best for certain industries or targets. I’ve learned that when advertising disruptively, you need to be extremely creative in your approach and you MUST track everything. Remember, these people didn’t ask to see your ad so be different and think through each step of the user’s journey through your own customer acquisition funnel. If you need help, you can learn more about our Facebook Ads service here. Lastly, I’ll say that if you are new to digital marketing, this is a great place to start, but when Facebook Ads is paired with no other forms of marketing the return we have seen is substantially less. About the Author: Cody Jensen began his career with the corporate giant, Google Inc. He has been in Search Engine Marketing ever since, and has a specific acumen for SEO/SEM. Cody is the Founder & CEO of Searchbloom an industry leader in digital marketing. The post Understanding Facebook Ad Campaigns appeared first on Succeed As Your Own Boss. from http://succeedasyourownboss.com/understanding-facebook-ad-campaigns/ Since the demand for drone photography and video has skyrocketed in the past few years, insurance carriers have been taking note. While there were very few options for drone insurance even five years ago, today there are many options to choose from. In this article we’ll help you decide if drone insurance is right for… The post Drone Insurance: Do You Really Need It? appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/drone-insurance/ |
AuthorHello I am Teri Crawford 26 years old living in Toronto, Canada. I have recently finished my MBA and planning to start my own business. Archives
November 2018
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