I’m super excited to share this video I shot with John Read; a successful Agri Business owner, entrepreneur and a friend of mine after a breakfast event I was speaking at. John provides some excellent leadership tips from his experience and while this was filmed in April, I think it is really timely given our current ongoing lockdown in Tamaki Makaurau…

I’m excited to share the first leadership interview in a series I’m putting together over this year. I’m wanting to highlight leaders working in a variety of practical industries to see what learnings we can take from their styles and approaches to leadership. Russell Pedersen is a technical support and training manager in the New Zealand building industry. Russell joined me to answer three leadership questions…

When I wrote my book ‘Leading People - a practical toolbox for managers’ in 2019 we had no Coronavirus and I was hot about 1-on-1’s. 18 months on and I’m even more passionate and convinced that this is an essential ‘big rock’ in our current environment. Read my post outlining six benefits to investing time into 1-on-1’s..

I’m all about connection. Anyone who’s worked with me knows that. In workshops, in person, on the sports field, I love to connect with people. As we grapple with the ongoing impacts of this pandemic, I want to share a few reminders of how we can continue to connect 1-on-1 in simple and effective ways…

Click in to watch my short video message from me taken on the Tongariro Crossing walk to round out a bizarre year with three key messages. The photo above is a sneak peak of our new venture in Ashley, North Canterbury…

After you have got into the right frame of mind, use this discussion template to plan the right questions. This series of great questions from Ken Trass, Professional Development Manager at the New Zealand Law Society, will assist you to think deeply about what is causing the issue and facilitate a successful tough conversation…

Before confronting a team member with a tough conversation, first take a close, objective look at what might be causing the person’s poor behaviour or performance – starting with yourself. It could be that initiating the tough conversation is the first step in resolving the issue that is causing the poor performance. This would be a great outcome for both of you. Whatever the outcome, some preparation and planning needs to happen before you have the tough conversation…

There’s a fine line between the need for coaching/feedback and the need for a tough conversation. Discernment and judgment is required on your part to identify what is really at play and evaluate the best way to deal with the situation. So what exactly is a tough conversation? I could replace the word tough with firm, clear, direct, or courageous. A manager who refuses to deal with the current reality is on a slippery slope as the leader of the team…

Well what a difference one week can make! Everyone’s world and approach to work is literally changing hour by hour. I thought I’d pass on a few tips from my book that can help you navigate these uncertain times.

Last July my Dad, his partner and two other family members were seriously injured in a dramatic accident. Being the only Auckland-based son meant my role was going to involve lots of driving to and from the hospital, being on call for visitors and making time to be at Dad’s bedside. It meant I very quickly had to sort out what my key priorities were in the short-term. What did I absolutely need to do, what could I delegate and what could I ignore or deflect for now? When the accident occurred it suddenly brought into focus a very famous matrix when Urgency and Importance get sorted out quite easily.

I really admire the coaching leadership approach shown recently by Greg Foran, the new CEO of Air New Zealand, when he asked his customers three questions. Not only is it very smart and simple to ask your most regular customers what could be improved, but it gives me a clue to his style of leadership. It is tempting for new leaders to pretend they will bring the answers, but a great leader knows that all the insights already lie with the people who care the most, the staff and the customers.

“To get the best out of people, we have to believe the best is in there – but how do we know it is, how much is there, and how do we get it out?” ― Sir John Whitmore

It can sometimes be a struggle working out what a coaching conversation actually is and what sort of topics you can use in these conversations. My answer is that anytime there is an opportunity to tell an employee how to do something, you could turn that into a coaching conversation. If you can listen well and ask questions, you can help uncover what it is a person needs to help improve their performance or change an expected outcome.

"Coaching focuses on future possibilities, not past mistakes” - Sir John Whitmore

If that isn’t a strong enough reason to coach your people, I don’t know what is. People leaders learn from other leaders and managers around them. It’s that simple. Focusing on the day-to- day experiences that get you interacting and engaging with your people is a must for all leaders. It’s not enough to just employ people based on their previous job experience and trust that they will know what to do in an organisation. Managers need to show how they would like their direct reports to manage their people by demonstrating the skills and tools themselves.

If you still are trying to work out what coaching is and how it can assist you in leading people, then take a few minutes to read this. Coaching is a just another way of having a conversation. It is aimed at developing the thinking, competence, and autonomy of the person being coached. The concept of coaching as a technique has been around for almost 50 years, but I am constantly surprised that many managers with direct reports aren’t using this important tool to their advantage.

What are some styles of giving feedback, and how effective are they? Managers wanting to give their staff feedback commonly employ the sandwich technique, also known as the ‘commend, recommend, commend’ technique but I think it misses the mark.  By following the SBI/AA paradigm, you can communicate clearly to your direct report.

Generally speaking, New Zealanders are not great at giving feedback in business. I have heard countless stories of either poorly given feedback or no feedback at all. Many people who have attended my workshops over the years have mentioned they don’t often get feedback, so they don’t really know how they are doing. This is a huge disservice to employees, who give their time and expertise to work in the organisation.  

Active listeners are deliberate. They remind themselves frequently that their goal is to truly hear what the other person is saying. They set aside all other thoughts and behaviours, and concentrate on the message. Developing active listening skills requires you to analyse your position within the conversation. It is essential that you understand how you ‘come across’ as you listen.

Managers need to become better listeners. In fact, not only is it a good managerial skill, it’s also a key leadership skill. I firmly believe that the higher up you are in an organisation, the more listening you should do. But listening can be really hard! All the distractions of the day clog our minds. Read my tips on how to stay focused on the 1-on-1 interactions that count.

When a 1 on 1 with a direct report comes around, remember: the most important task in your calendar is to be present, right now! You have both put aside the time to be here and meet. It isn’t urgent, but it is critically important. Use the time you have put aside for the intended purpose. Shut the laptop, turn your phone off, and move these devices aside.

As managers, you are responsible and accountable for the performance, growth, and on-the-job wellbeing of your direct reports. The 1-on-1 meeting is the simplest and most effective way to invest time in your direct reports. This investment will pay dividends in almost every area of your business.