Optimize Business Results

The Power of a Strengths-based Approach to Organizational Strategy

Pat Lynch — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:59:59 +0000

Winning the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its unparalleled public service is emblematic of the vision to which one of my clients aspires. While this may seem ambitious, wait till you hear this: the client developed this vision in spite of the fact that it is a public sector agency whose budget has been decimated over the last 3-4 years, with no relief in sight. Yet while the politicians who make the financial decisions focus on slashing services to meet the available resources, leaders of this organization are articulating a bold vision.

What in the world are these leaders thinking? Have they lost touch with reality completely? To the contrary: in fact, they are totally in touch with the reality of how taking a strengths-based approach to developing a strategy for their organization’s future can ignite the imaginations of employees and stakeholders, compelling them to reach heights they previously had not even considered.

Rather than dwell on weaknesses and things that suck the life out of their employees, leaders of this agency have chosen to identify its strengths and the core factors that make it what it is, that give its employees life, and that energizes them. These leaders have chosen to begin with the end in mind, creating a picture of unparalleled public service that is made possible by focusing on the agency’s strengths and successes. They now are developing the action plan for a strategy that will take the organization from where it is today to the heights to which it aspires.

Will this agency really win the Nobel Peace Prize? It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that regardless of how many or few resources it is allotted by the political powers-that-be, the organization will look far differently, perform at much higher “altitudes,” and provide measurably greater levels of service simply because its leaders chose to aspire to the outcomes made possible by the organization’s strengths and successes rather than to focus on what services they should cut due to the budget shortfall.

Our reality is whatever we do with the hand that we are dealt. So let me ask you this question: does it make more sense to you to build a future by focusing on your organization’s strengths and proven successes, or by dwelling on how to provide minimal services? Which option will get your organization to its “Nobel Peace Prize?”

Feeling Overwhelmed? Try This Technique to Re-gain Your Energy and Momentum

Pat Lynch — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:04:12 +0000

Last week I talked with a coaching client, a successful entrepreneur, who lately had been feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of sustaining her business in a tough economic climate. Because she reported feeling “stuck,” I had encouraged her to start writing every day for thirty minutes as a way of clearing the mental “clutter” and making room for her remarkable creativity to re-emerge. Imagine my delight when she reported during this conversation that she had found herself writing about the positive side of feeling overwhelmed. In fact, she ended up identifying 50 benefits to feeling overwhelmed! Instead of allowing that negative emotion to keep her mired in a state of paralysis, she chose to embrace it and seek its blessings. And she found them – fifty of them, to be exact. She shared a few of them with me on the phone; I can’t wait to read the rest! This entrepreneur now feels energized, victorious, and hopeful, and she was inspired to write a series of articles about what she learned as a result of this simple technique.

What’s the lesson here? When you are experiencing a negative emotion – e.g., feeling overwhelmed, burned out, hopeless, paralyzed – stop fighting it and allowing it to run your life. Instead, look for the benefits that such an experience offers. Make a list – literally. Write down whatever comes to mind as you search for the positives of this emotion. Though you may not find as many as fifty of them, as my client did, you will find some. And by taking action to change your focus from how stuck or paralyzed you feel to curiosity about what opportunities are being presented, you will enable yourself to break the grip of whatever negative emotion has halted your forward momentum.

Isn’t the opportunity to break out of your paralysis – or procrastination or indecisiveness or whatever form of negativity is holding you back – worth giving this suggestion a shot? Which would you rather do: spend your time and energy resisting a negative experience, or taking a simple action that will enable you to re-direct that energy into something productive that will allow you to move forward?

The choice is yours. What will it be?

If These Were My Last Remarks

Pat Lynch — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:44:48 +0000

In February I was at a gathering at which I was asked to speak for two minutes on the topic, “If These Were My Last Remarks.” Rather than interpreting “last remarks” as those I might make on my death bed, I decided instead to approach this invitation from the perspective of my last opportunity to address this group. I chose to share some transformative insights – i.e., wisdom from others that, at one point or another in my life, had a significant impact on the way I see the world. I offer these thoughts for your consideration as you continue your journey through life.

2. We always have choices about how we experience any situation. While we often cannot control the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we always, always can choose how we experience them. Choose to see the opportunities rather than the obstacles.

3. By focusing on opportunities rather than on challenges, we will find many more of the former than we had imagined possible. And we may find them in places we never would have thought to look!

4. Watch your language! Questions are fateful: they send us in the directions in which we seek answers. Whether we choose to look for the positive or the negative, we will find it. What kind of questions are you asking yourself and others?

5. Become aware of your self-talk. Choose to be supportive instead of beating yourself up. Lift yourself up instead of putting yourself down.

6. Be kind to yourself. If you find this concept difficult to grasp, try this: imagine that someone you love very much is in the situation in which you find yourself. What is the best advice you would give that person? Follow that advice yourself.

7. Look at what you have done well, and build on those successes. Focus on your strengths and talents, and find ways to compensate for your weaknesses. Focusing on strengths has a much higher ROI (return on investment) than emphasizing weaknesses.

8. Sometimes we have to let go of the good things in life to make room for the great things. Clear some space, even when you don’t know at that moment what the next “great things” are.

9. Live your passion. Bring it into your life and your work. Drop the word “should” from your vocabulary. Do the things that make your heart sing.

How to Reduce Stress: 31 Ways to Take Care of Yourself

Pat Lynch — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:41:21 +0000

Recently I was interviewed by Ed Poll, Principal of LawBiz Management, about how attorneys can be more effective with their clients and maximize the enjoyment of their practices by reducing their stress levels. During the interview we talked about not just WHAT attorneys can do to reduce their stress, but also HOW they can do it. Although the interview was directed at attorneys, I provided a list of 31 things that anyone can do to take care of themselves. I invite you to take a look at this list, pick a few techniques that work for you, and try them out. Isn’t a dramatic improvement in your health and well-being worth a few minutes of your time?

In Memoriam: Be Like Burnetta

Pat Lynch — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:51:50 +0000

On December 13, 2011 the world lost a remarkable person and I lost a long-time friend. In the days that followed her death, however, the inspiring legacy of Burnetta Burns Williams began to emerge. I believe that legacy has the power to eclipse all the great things she accomplished during her lifetime. A story written by Geoff Caulkins, a sports reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal, makes a compelling case for sharing her story widely. The world would be a much better place if people followed his recurring recommendation, “Be like Burnetta.”

What was so special about Burnetta? The fact that she aspired to do great things with the talents she had been given – and that she insisted that others do the same. Even when you didn’t think you could do something, if Burnetta thought you could, she pushed you until you did it. Speaking for myself, those experiences were not always pleasant: Burnetta pushed really hard when she thought you were holding back on living up to your ability. My observation is that she usually was right: you really could do it.

And that was another thing about Burnetta: it seemed she frequently did things she wasn’t “supposed” to be doing. At her funeral, one of her closest friends said, “Little black girls from the projects in Memphis weren’t supposed to earn degrees from Yale and MIT. They weren’t supposed to grow up to be the Vice President and Treasurer of a Fortune 500 company.” But that was Burnetta – following her aspirations rather than allowing others to limit them.

Because Burnetta was an intensely private person, few people knew the extent to which she devoted her time, energy, resources, and connections to helping others, particularly young women, live up to their talents. The various pieces of her life were revealed during the services and the funeral that followed her death, as family, friends, and colleagues came together to celebrate her life. The stories that people shared were like richly colored threads that, when woven together, enabled us to see the beautiful tapestry that was Burnetta’s life.

So what is Burnetta’s legacy, that which should be passed on to every person, and especially to every young person? For me, it can be summarized in three words: expectations, choices, and focus. These are the things that I believe drove Burnetta to achieve her aspirations, and to help others achieve theirs.

Expectations

Choices: In retrospect, I think Burnetta epitomized the lesson articulated by Viktor Frankl in his book Man’s Search for Meaning. That is, no matter how dire the circumstances in which we find ourselves, human beings ALWAYS have a choice: we get to choose how we experience any given situation. We can choose to be victims and live in a state of victimhood, or we can make healthy choices that allow us to survive and thrive. Burnetta chose to follow her aspirations, and to guide others to do the same.

Focus: Like radar locked on its target, Burnetta was relentless in pursuing her goals and the tasks in front of her. If you were in her line of sight, you were lucky – even though you often didn’t feel that way in the moment – because she would turn that focus on you. Whatever the obstacles, they didn’t stand a chance: Burnetta always found a way to get what she wanted. And in so doing, she inspired others to do the same.

One of the biggest lessons I take from Burnetta’s life is that it was at least as much about others as it was about her. Personal success and accomplishments weren’t enough for her: she had to bring others along with her. Her life is a testament to the point made in the newspaper article: while not everyone can follow Michael Jordan’s path to success, everyone is capable of following Burnetta’s.

The question is, what can YOU do to be like Burnetta? And how can you help others be like her as well?

Guest Column: A Geek for Digital Art

Pat Lynch — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:03:00 +0000

While I was in Atlanta on business recently, I was able to spend some time with a friend who I hadn’t seen in some time. Now retired from a distinguished business career, she is able to focus full-time on her real and long-time passion: art. Gay is an accomplished artist in several media; her article below addresses one that involves computers. For those who aren’t particularly into art, I encourage you to read her practical advice about how you, too, can combine your skills with your passion. And do check out Gay’s work on her web site (below). Enjoy!
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I am a “geek” for digital art and I don’t care who says what about it. It is a natural extension of my creative education, my talents and professional experience, in both photography and information systems. To be able to combine these in creative ways is a thrill of a lifetime.

By using digital photographic techniques and automated tools in new ways, I am exploring and refining new creative territory. The power of computers allows me to take risks; push the edge of current art forms, while maintaining the respect for the essence and guidelines of traditional photography and fine art.

I have dubbed the new art form “refacimento,” (pronounced ree-FATCH-i-men-toe.) The term was first used by William Safire, in On Language, NY Times Magazine, 02-15-09, and is defined as “the radical refashioning of a work of art, often by computer.”

First, I observe what is in the world and construct an original, objective photograph. Then I take the photographic image into my computer and hands, as an artist; and the subjective magic begins. Thus, by constructing a photograph, then deconstructing and reconstructing it using technology, I am enhancing the human experience of the objective scene and magnifying the natural art. The subjective enriches the objective. The camera and computer technology are my tools, much like the watercolors, or oils of the painter. See my web site for samples of my work.

But not everyone is convinced that what I do is art, because, they say, there is a machine (the computer) involved. However, if we take a look at history, we see that Claude Monet and Pierre August Renoir both used dabs and dashes to create many of their masterpieces. George Seurat came along and developed a system which reduced the dabs to dots. Paul Klee, in the 1930’s used a grid of muted colors; over which he painted a mosaic of shapes of 5 centimeters along one dimension; and then added what he called the linear elements. He likened each element of his paintings to a theme in polyphonic musical composition. Polyphony, he said, was “the simultaneity of several independent themes.” We could say that Klee actually created the first pixels, because that is what pixels allow us to do; they allow us to look, with great specificity and depth, at the reality behind the art. Then, using various computer tools, we can change that reality to suit our individual artistic expression.

But, is my effusive declaration, “Follow Your Bliss” enough to help you apply creative tools in your professional life?

I say it is. For, by nature, we are creative creatures. It is that creativity that facilitates our survival….in life, in business and in art. I took to my cutting-edge endeavor out of a desire to combine my skills and life-long interests. You can do the same.

Make two lists. The first contains those things that you have always had an interest in or wanted to do, but never got around to; the second contains those skills that you currently possess that have been your bread and butter.

Now, spend various pieces of time (it usually takes more than one) exploring how you can cross-match items between the two. Can you do the accounting for a belly-dancing society? Handle the interviewing and hiring for the rodeo? Volunteer to do marketing for a local theater company?

By combining your business skills with your avocational interests, you can pave the way for a transition to doing only the fun things, either as a vocation, or as a retirement interest. This method lets you test the waters before making a big break for something you’ve dreamed about, but perhaps may not actually like when you try it.

And you’ll discover other things that you hadn’t expected. This cross-match thinking will help you look at other situations from new perspectives and allow you to create solutions where none were occurring.

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Copyright, 2011, H. Gay Allen

There’s Very Little Merit in “Merit Pay”

Pat Lynch — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:02:10 +0000

I was recently asked about merit systems and how they work. The fact is that there are relatively few organizations that implement a true merit system; however, there are many that say they have one. A true merit pay system means that people are rewarded and recognized on the basis of their performance. So when you have situations in which all employees in a specific classification or job are paid the same and get the same raises, as generally occurs in unionized environments for example, there is no merit pay system. Other organizations call pay increases “merit” pay when in fact they really are based on other elements, such as cost of living adjustments (COLAs) or profit sharing. Another reason why there are few truly “merit” programs is that the performance management systems that must assess performance either don’t exist, or they are inadequate, or they are not used, or they are used improperly. When the underlying assessment tool is faulty, the results on which merit pay decisions are made cannot be correct.

To sum up, a true merit pay system works poorly in most organizations, if it exists at all. In unionized settings, including those in public sector organizations, merit pay is seldom seen. While a great concept, merit pay mostly does not live up to expectations.

Self-care: Critical Success Factor for Organizational Renaissance

Pat Lynch — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:05:22 +0000

Organizational Renaissance™ describes the process of (1) taking a close look at what organizations are doing, how they are doing it, and why they are doing it, and then (2) either re-affirming the path they are on or choosing a new one. Renaissance may be defined as a renewal of life or interest, a re-birth. In a business context, the term Organizational Renaissance™ describes a process that goes beyond merely restoring a previous state (such as one that existed before the on-going recession); instead it defines an ascent to a much higher level of performance.

One of the elements of Organizational Renaissance™ is establishing a norm of self-care. In this video we explain why self-care is critical to organizational success, and we offer five specific suggestions to help you get started in improving your own level of self-care. Let me know what you think!

11 Tips for Self-care: How to Put On Your Oxygen Mask First

Pat Lynch — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:44:02 +0000

Recently I conducted a workshop for managers called Organizational Renaissance™: Choosing the Quality of Your Work Environment whose premise is that, regardless of the situation, each individual has a choice about how he/she experiences the workplace. Given that many work environments have been affected negatively by challenging economic conditions over the past two years, this is great news! However, leaders often struggle with exercising that choice themselves, and teaching others how to do the same, because they don’t realize there is an important pre-requisite: self-care.

Why is taking care of oneself so important? The analogy I use to answer this question is one that’s familiar to anyone who travels by commercial airline. During the pre-flight instructions, passengers are told that in the event of an emergency, they must put on their own oxygen masks first before trying to assist others. While most work environments don’t qualify as “emergency” settings, the lesson is relevant here: if you are gasping for breath (literally or figuratively) and/or losing consciousness, you cannot possibly help anyone, including yourself.

With this point in mind, the workshop focused heavily on self-care as a pre-requisite to being able to lead others effectively. In fact, we identified and discussed 31 tools and practices for self-care. With a nod to the multiple 11s in today’s date (11/11/11), here are 11 of those suggestions. For those who are interested in learning more about these concepts and/or in seeing examples, there are links to some of my articles that provide more details.

Transformative Self-talk

2. Paint a picture of how you want to live your life, and use it as a touchstone for making personal and professional decisions.

3. Surround yourself with people who infuse your life with positive energy.

4. Distinguish clearly and realistically between things you can control and things you can’t. Focus on the former and release the latter. An easy exercise you can use to make that distinction is described in my article Begin to Take Control of the Quality of Your Life. Suggestions about how to release people and things that no longer serve you well, or that you cannot control, are provided in my article How to Release Things You Cannot Control.

5. Focus on your strengths and talents, not on your shortcomings.

6. Make a conscious choice about how you will experience each day by identifying one perspective you intend to take. Using the statement, “Today I choose to ___,” fill in the blank with one intention such as “feel compassion for myself,” “accept myself for who I am,” “be inspired by those around me,” or “feel worthy.” You may find a long list of suggested transformative choices in my article Transformative Choices: What’s on YOUR “To Do” List?

7. Attending to all aspects of your being – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – enables you to ensure you are addressing all the important elements that go into self-care. Just as organizations use a balanced scorecard format to ensure they are measuring all important aspects of their business, so individuals can devise a personal scorecard to keep their self-care on track. You may find an explanation and example of such a tool in my article Creating Balance in Your Personal Life: What’s in YOUR Personal Scorecard?

8. Look for opportunities in every situation rather than obstacles.

9. Be kind to yourself. Imagine your best friend is in your situation. What would you do to support and nurture him/her? Do those things for yourself.

10. Reward yourself on a regular basis. You may find suggestions about how to do this in my article How to Optimize Your Personal Rewards/Recognition ROI.

11. Zealously guard your time. One tool that works exceptionally well in putting things in perspective is a simple question. Ask yourself, “Am I the only person in the world who can do X?” Most the time the answer is “no.” When that’s the case, delegate X (the task) to someone else.

As a leader, you have tremendous responsibility, and often are expected to produce results even in the face of challenging situations. You will be best equipped to rise up to meet those expectations when you take care of yourself first, then teach others to do the same. I invite you to choose just one of the above self-care suggestions and incorporate it into your life. Isn’t improving the quality of your life worth that effort?

7 Ways to Reduce Workplace Struggles

Pat Lynch — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:41:45 +0000

Does going to work sometimes (or often) feel like you’re headed into battle? Do you feel like you have to fight “the powers that be” every day just to be able to do your job properly? Do you feel a great deal of resistance from others? Does there seem to be a lot of unnecessary drama or angst in your workplace? Do you ever wish that work – and/or the people you work with – weren’t such a struggle?

I can relate to all of the above. At different times in my multi-career life, I have experienced all of those scenarios – and more. Those situations and environments are terribly draining – and usually unnecessary. But if you don’t know what to do to break out of them, they can bring you down physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The good news is that there are practical ways to minimize those feelings of struggle in the workplace – and in life.

Recently I read an article about personal relationships that described how one couple refuses to experience the day-to-day differences and disappointments that are part of married life as struggles. Instead, they have chosen to work through the rocky times with humor or laughter instead of with resentment or negativity.

Since reducing one’s struggles in life sounded good to me, I wondered how to apply that suggestion to the workplace. Although humor and laughter certainly may reduce tension and provide some relief from one’s feelings of struggle, they may not work for everyone, or be appropriate in every situation. So here are a dozen other suggestions for actions or attitudes you can take or adopt that will help to reduce your struggles in the workplace:

2. Approach people and ideas with a sense of curiosity instead of judgment

3. Embrace challenges as opportunities rather than view them as obstacles

4. Ask how things could work instead of looking for ways they won’t work

5. Make “imperfect success” your standard, rather than perfection

6. Check your ego at the door

7. See the “glass” as half full instead of as half empty

Which of the above approaches resonates the most with you? I challenge you to find just one that you think with work for you, and give it a try. You might just improve the quality of your life dramatically by reducing your struggles!