If you have a challenging problem to solve, approaching it in a methodical and structured way can make you more efficient and effective in your search for a solution.
Today’s post is by Mike Lynn, thoughtLEADERS Principal.
Brazilians have a Portuguese idiom that we should have in English…”Descascar o abacaxi”, which literally means “to peel a pineapple.” It’s commonly used as a way to express “to tackle a big problem.”
Too often, we get overwhelmed and daunted by tough, thorny problems put before us. Without a sharp tool and a proven approach, we see that pineapple and wonder how we will get at the fruit inside.
If desperate, we might try to messily smash it open or scrape up our hands trying (and usually failing) to peel the rough, prickly skin. Good luck. Hint one: You need something sharp. Hint two: cutting (not peeling) a pineapple requires following a precise proven pineapple paring process – a let’s call it “5P.”
Problem-solving is similar. The sharp instrument is your brain. Wise Brazilians and wise problem-solvers have to be able to take a step back from the mess and frustration of pineapple smashing or hand scraping to recognize that there has to be a better way.
If you lack this problem-solving sharpness, you’ll repeatedly end up wasting lots of time, going down bad analytical paths, spinning your wheels, “boiling the ocean.” and never getting to any solutions.
Sharpen your machete mind, and prepare to face that pineapple with the power of “5P” – five steps to problem solving.
Some leaders are uncomfortable providing feedback to their team members. Follow this feedback model to make giving feedback easier.
If we want people to improve, we have to give them feedback. Giving feedback can be really difficult because we feel like we might hurt someone’s feelings. We tend to shy away from uncomfortable conversations. We don’t want to tell somebody who we really like and respect that they’re falling short in some regard. So we avoid feedback, but that’s a huge mistake—especially as the leader of a high performing team. I’d like to offer an example of a feedback model that can remove the emotion from these conversations and help people focus on improving performance versus getting defensive. The model goes like this: Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20210901-Two-Women-Talking.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-09-08 06:30:502021-09-08 02:30:06Building High Performing Teams: Providing Feedback
Strong teams often have team members with strong personalities. Learn how to build your team’s conflict resolution skills.
More often than not, high-performing teams operate in high-pressure environments. And many times on a high-performing team, you have some strong personalities at play. When you combine pressure and strong personalities there are plenty of opportunities for conflict between the members of your team. Your job as a leader is not to mediate those conflicts and be a referee. Instead, you need to teach the members of your team how to resolve those conflicts with one another. It’s going to help them build relationships and interpersonal skills. It also keeps you from having to dedicate a significant amount of time and energy every time somebody has a conflict with another member of the team. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20210825-Bulls.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-08-25 06:30:002021-08-25 03:07:06Building High Performing Teams: Resolving Conflict
In my work in collaboration and team effectiveness, I am sometimes approached about helping with a “dysfunctional team.” People use the word “dysfunction” liberally and can mean various things by it. In my 25+ years working with teams, I’ve learned some lessons about team dysfunction, most importantly that it isn’t what I often assumed it was. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210531-Annoyed-Businesswoman.jpg?fit=1280%2C853&ssl=18531280Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-05-31 08:00:232021-05-31 03:42:38Team Dysfunction Isn’t Caused By The Team
Learning common negotiation pitfalls now can help you avoid them in the future.
In any negotiating process, there are some major pitfalls that you want to avoid. Here are the four most common ones I’ve seen:
Not Knowing the Players or the Process
The first pitfall is not knowing the players or the process. If you don’t understand the people across the table from you, as well as what the overarching process is going to be for that negotiation, you’re going to probably give up more value than you should. I’ve done that personally. I entered a deal and I didn’t really appreciate the entire process. There were many more rounds of negotiating than I was prepared for and the problem was, with each round, I gave up a little bit more value. By understanding the structure, the process, and the players, you can avoid this dynamic. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-Mousetrap.jpg?fit=1280%2C854&ssl=18541280Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-05-26 06:30:442021-05-26 05:43:034 Negotiation Pitfalls to Avoid
Your negotiation strategy can make or break a deal. Learning negotiation tactics is key to becoming a more strategic negotiator.
Over the years, I’ve learned some great negotiating techniques and tactics. I’d like to share them now.
The Invisible Man
The first is called The Invisible Man. You can use this technique when you’re in the heat of a deal and you don’t want to give an answer right now, or you don’t like the position that the other party is taking. You just say, “Well, I have to check with my colleagues before I can give you an answer.” That other party isn’t in the room, so you’ve pushed back the negotiation. You’ve bought yourself some time, and now you have the ability to go back to the other party and say, “I know you wanted a 20% discount, but I’ve spoken with my colleagues and the best we can do is 10%.” You’ve created an invisible authority that the other party has to negotiate against. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210519-Business-Negotiation.jpg?fit=1280%2C853&ssl=18531280Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-05-19 06:30:322021-05-19 00:27:216 Negotiation Techniques You Should Add to Your Playbook
Individuals will always have different levels of hesitancy when it comes to change. Learn how to address skepticism in a way that makes change easier for everyone at your organization.
A silly question, perhaps, but an important one to answer when experiencing or initiating a change. Let me explain.
In over 25 years of experience coaching individuals and providing change management consultation to diverse organizations, I have discovered that any change event can trigger three general responses in us and in those we lead. It is important for us to identify them in ourselves and in others. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210517-Change.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=110801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-05-17 08:00:542021-05-17 06:47:02When It Comes to Change, Are You a Cuddly Curmudgeon or Early Adopter?
We’ve all heard of brainstorming, but what exactly is it? In a business sense, brainstorming is the process of coming up with creative ideas and solutions to problems using rapid freethinking. Brainstorming is critical in problem solving, creativity, ideation, and innovation. While in business, many imagine brainstorming as a group activity; it can be done alone or in a group. There are many tips and tricks that can help you have more effective brainstorms. However, there are three unique counterintuitive tips that many ignore. Following these tips can take your brainstorms to the next level.
The first tip is, “During a brainstorm, do not use cell phones, computers, or tablets.”
This is a tough ask for everyone. We take our laptops and phones with us almost everywhere we go. Many of us are addicted to our devices. You may even be wondering, what if I come up with an idea but need to look something up? Don’t. Write down everything that you want to find out more information on in a list during the brainstorm. Then after, look it up. Staring at a device or looking something up will distract your train of thought. It is better to minimize the distractions and get out all of your ideas before bringing devices into the process.
The second tip is, “Always add to ideas, don’t edit or compare ideas.”
Often when we hear a new idea, our first thought is to analyze whether the idea would work. In brainstorming, that is counterproductive. The goal of brainstorming is to get as many possible ideas out there, not edit and start checking the viability of ideas. When someone pitches an idea, it is not our job to rate, evaluate or edit that idea during a brainstorming session. Additionally, it is essential not to compare two ideas to each other. Remember, brainstorming is for getting ideas out there, not trying and figuring out what idea is best. You can feel free to add to ideas, though! Here is an example of the difference between adding and editing: if someone pitches an idea for a new sneaker, you may think, “Wow, that sneaker would go well with these laces.” That is not editing but instead adding more valuable information to the brainstorm. If you instead said, “Well, this sneaker won’t work with this feature.” That is editing. It is important that you or your team clearly understand the difference as editing will hurt a brainstorm’s effectiveness while adding can help grow ideas.
The third tip is, “Don’t have a rigorous schedule.”
In American culture, this one comes as kind of a shock. Typically meetings are set for a distinct amount of time, whether on the hour or half-hour, lasting an exact amount of minutes. A rigorous agenda or schedule can hinder people’s ability to think creatively. Say you need to brainstorm three topics, and you have one hour. Naturally, you’d think it would make sense to brainstorm each subject for 20 minutes. But to be the most productive, you should brainstorm each topic for as long as it is comfortable. It may take 35 minutes for the first topic, 15 minutes for the second, and 10 minutes for the third. If you run out of time, it is important to schedule another meeting or extend the current session to continue. Often ideas can start flowing near the end of a time limit, and putting a time restriction can add unnecessary pressure. During a brainstorm, you want to make sure your team comes up with as many ideas as possible. That way, when you go to evaluate the results, you have as much information as possible.
Today, brainstorming can feel like a lost practice. We are so busy getting work done that it does not seem fruitful or financially profitable to direct employees to brainstorm. However, the best ideas come from the workers in the trenches. Giving employees time to think over their experiences and ideas for innovation in a brainstorm may lead to high-quality cost cutting or profitability-growing results.
Samuel Sanders is an award-winning entrepreneur who has seen innovation, creativity, problem-solving, and ideation in action at many different levels: a Fortune 500 company, an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company, as well as incubators. He also co-founded the company Wundershirt, which at its peak, sold athletic training clothing to Olympic athletes preparing for the 2016 Olympics. Currently, he runs Heard, LLC, a software application that helps governments and large companies get targeted and reviewed feedback from their citizens/employees to improve decision making. His award-winning and highly-praised new book, Your Next Big Idea, is available for pre-order at www.yournextbigideabook.com and Amazon. Connect with Sam Sanders at www.samueltsanders.com.
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https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/20210427-Group-Meeting-Whiteboard.jpg?fit=1920%2C1440&ssl=114401920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2021-05-03 08:00:282021-05-09 09:22:513 Counterintuitive Tips For More Effective Brainstorming
Radical relationships involve conversations that are raw, real, authentic, and transparent. And they can supercharge both your workers and your organization.
A few years back, my phone rang at 6 a.m. It was my dear friend and colleague Robin Glasco, calling to tell me she had decided to quit her job at a big health insurance company. “It’s about &[email protected]%ing time,” I said. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/20210420-Coworkers-Laughing.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Mike Figliuolohttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngMike Figliuolo2021-04-20 08:00:352021-04-20 01:43:06How Radical Relationships Can Transform Your Team
What you say, how you say it, and the medium you choose to communicate your message matter as much today as they did last century
Today’s post is by Luke Sheppard, Founder and Principle of Sheppard & Company, and author of Driving Great Results (CLICK HERE to get your copy).
In 1964, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the medium is the message” in his book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. He made this comment at a time when text messaging, FaceTime, and Zoom calls were but fragments of imagination in the pages of a Robert Heinlein novel.
There were far fewer communication mediums in the 1960s than today, though McLuhan’s phrase still has merit.
What you say, how you say it, and the medium you choose to communicate your message matter as much today as they did in the middle of the last century. In this post are the three factors you need to consider when selecting a medium for your message if you want to have the desired impact. Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20210303-Cell-Phone.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Mike Figliuolohttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngMike Figliuolo2021-04-12 08:00:262021-03-03 22:57:40The Medium Was the Message, And It Still Is
Do you struggle to get your ideas approved? Follow the structured thought process to create better presentations.
When you have a recommendation you’re trying to get approved within your organization, there are going to be a lot of stakeholders you have to get your idea in front of. You’ll have to put it in front of your manager, maybe their boss, a director, and some vice presidents. Some of your ideas may even go all the way up to the C-suite. There’s something I like to call Figliuolo’s Law, which states:
“An individual’s annual compensation is inversely proportional to the number of slides they can look at before they have a stroke.”
I’ve worked with a CEO who said, “If it has a staple, I won’t read it.” I worked closely with another CEO and we went in to present. The other team went to present first. He picked up their presentation, he felt it for heft, and it was about 25 pages long. He threw it across the room and said, Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20210331-Presentation.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Mike Figliuolohttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngMike Figliuolo2021-03-31 06:30:522021-03-31 04:27:47What Makes a Presentation Unsuccessful?
Communication makes vision visible and attractive to others. It can inspire the visionary’s passion in others or drive people away. A poorly communicated vision is dead if not successfully shared with others.
Communication is the essential property of vision and visionary leadership whose primary role is to make vision a collective property, giving it away so others can participate in it. A vision’s strength is determined by how well it is communicated to others.
In practical terms, attracting investors is critical. Attracting as many supporters as possible is even more critical and far more difficult. Only by communicating as broadly and actively as possible does vision gain its full viability and functionality.
Three core elements define effective communication of a vision— Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210222-Presentation.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Mike Figliuolohttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngMike Figliuolo2021-03-29 08:00:042021-02-23 23:39:26How to Communicate Vision To Make It Influential
