This month I’ve been thinking a lot about the tools and methods that we learn through multiple training events and the way in which they are applied (or not) when people get back to work. You, or your company, may have invested significant sums of money on developing your skills to be able to do “x” (insert whatever it was for you in place of “x”) and yet even if you’ve been one of those who went back to apply your new skills, you maybe still haven’t quite managed to get the results that you were hoping for.
Granted, you may not have picked up all the ins and outs of applying the particular tool and some of that will come with further study or practise. But even those who have seemingly mastered the intellectual skills of a particular method still don’t always seem to get the results that they were expecting.
In some of my recent coaching work, I’ve noticed even more how it’s not the tool or method that’s making the difference, but rather it’s the mindset in which the tool is being applied:
Tools and methods will vary by the type of work that you do, hence they may well be role/profession specific but what makes the difference can be seen as universal and for this month I’m going to focus that upon you. How do you make the difference?
Whatever label you want to place above it; “attitude”, “state”, “focus” or any other related description, the mindset in which you approach you do what you will have a significant impact upon what results you achieve through the people that you work with.
Imagine walking into a workshop or meeting where you’ve done all your physical preparation, your slides/flipcharts, agenda, catering, invitees etc. and then you walk into the room with your shoulders hunched, your head down and mumble some barely understandable greeting to those around the table. Unless you’re doing that as part of some well rehearsed activity in order to then shift the participants soon afterwards, you’ve no doubt already sucked the life out of everyone there! Even if you are a master in whatever it is you are going to talk about, what results are you likely to get?
As opposed to recognising that the way that you walk into the room, the way you greet everyone, the way that you carry yourself through the meeting, the direction in which your mind is positively focussed on achieving your desired outcomes with the energy of the group, this will carry you through – even if you fumble a bit on any tools or methods you use along the way.
So take some extra time before your next meeting. Do your preparation – the physical things, the technical things – and make time to get yourself ready too:
- How will you be in order to achieve the results that you’re planning for?
- How will you maintain your flexibility throughout the session?
- What strategies might you adopt to notice how you’re doing and to keep yourself on track?
- What other help might you need?
If you’d like to talk more and get some coaching in mindset not method then get in touch and let’s talk some more.
Live and love your life!