JJ's Tips
for
August 2013

 

1. Ask For Feedback To Grow
2. JJ's Favorite Quotes
3. Tele-Coaching & Tele-Mentoring

There were many responses to my "July Tips" newsletter that asked: Do You Love Your Job?

One was an excellent website suggestion from Jay Michlin. He wrote, "Your Tips this month reminded me of a presentation I heard yesterday from Ellen Mastros, who has made job- and career-changing a way of life, and success. You may be interested in some of what she says at:

http://www.newworknewlife.com

I found it had great content that some of you may need right now! Enjoy and thanks, Jay!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Use the following tips as training tools.

Present this situation to your group and brainstorm solutions together, or submit your own situation question to be
answered in an upcoming newsletter.

-------------------------------------
SITUATION QUESTION:
-------------------------------------

When you don't get the results you expect do you ever wonder why you didn't? Have you had the courage to ask for feedback from those involved?

---------------------
SOLUTIONS:
---------------------

Asking for feedback can be uncomfortable, especially if you are highly sensitive to criticism. It may trigger childhood memories of being criticized when nurturing was what you needed.

If growing personally and professionally is your goal, override that negative trigger and ask for feedback! Remember, you can't read other people's minds so ask them for honest feedback on how you can improve in your role with them.

An exercise I have used with groups to get honest feedback is called, Assets and Liabilities! You ask coworkers, relatives and friends to give you a list of what your asset and liabilities are in their opinion. Make sure these people are not mad at you at the moment! Assure them you will not be upset with them because you welcome feedback for growth and change. Regardless of the comments, thank them and if there are surprises, politely ask for elaboration on the subject to further understand it.

From those lists, look for comments that everyone or the majority gave you, good or bad. You can be sure those are describing you. If you get a comment that stands alone, consider the person and the relationship and history you have with them. This gives you a starting place to engage them in further conversation.

One of the emails I receive every month is from The John Maxwell Company. Their CEO, Mark Cole wrote in his August 16, 2013 Leadership Wired blog What Do You Think of Me? these three tips:

"1) We must appreciate and respect people if we are going to ask them to provide feedback on our skills, abilities and personal characteristics. If we do not respect the people around us - whether it be across, up or down - then we will not be able to constructively receive their feedback.

2) We must be secure in ourselves, while acknowledging room for growth. This is foundational to being able to go to those whom we work with and ask them to honestly share what they see in us and then receive it.

3) We must be intentional in asking for individuals to participate in the assessment. We must also be intentional about giving them permission to share freely:

http://www.johnmaxwell.com

Another form of feedback is my Evaluation of the Environment of a company that I perform before every speech or training. This is done by phone and on-site interviews that are confidentially conducted with management and a cross section of the staff. They often tell me things they would not tell anyone else in the company. After gaining their trust, I ask them if I can quote them if needed. If they say no, I know they do not trust management that they won't retaliate, or they may not be completely honest with themselves about the situation. Either way it gives me insights into their relationships. After watching for consistent themes throughout the interviews, verbal feedback is given to the manager or management team that hired me. Sometimes surprising feedback is a wake-up call that major change is necessary!

Remember, honest feedback is another way to grow in your work and personal relationships. Have the courage to try the exercise because you'll learn more about yourself as perceived by others…and it's fun too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JJ's FAVORITE QUOTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Truth builds trust."
- Marilyn Suttle

"[All] change, even very large and powerful change, begins when a few
people start talking with one another about something they care about."
~ Margaret J. Wheatley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tele-COACHING & Tele-MENTORING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE in an area? Service? Sales?

* Motivation and growth of your people?
* Dealing with irate internal or external customers?
* Leading and Coaching your staff?

TRY our one-on-one Tele-Mentoring (phone coaching service) that is available to business owners, executives, managers, supervisors and staff members.

Call for your FREE CONSULTATION now! 408 445-1590

EVALUATION OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Have you had an Evaluation of Your Environment lately so you could receive suggestions on improving it? (It's like the doctor's check up, you often don't know you need it, until after you've had it.)

http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html

****************************************
ABOUT JJ:
****************************************

JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC
1716 Husted Ave.
San Jose, CA 95124
Phone 408 445-1590

JJ works with companies that want to give exceptional customer service to increase sales, and with Directors and Call Center/Help Desk Managers who want to improve human performance.

She's an international speaker, trainer, facilitator and certified management consultant (CMC) on customer service management, specializing in performance improvement, call centers, up/cross selling and outbound calling.

For training resources, free articles, tips and streaming video, go to our web site at:

http://www.JJLauderbaugh.com

----------------------------------------------------------
Copyright and Reprints:
----------------------------------------------------------

Reprint permission is granted when the following credit appears:

Reprinted with permission from JJ's Tips, a monthly internet newsletter.
© JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC, JJ Lauderbaugh & Associates, 2013.
For your own personal subscription E-mail:

jj@jjlauderbaugh.com

REFERRALS Requested: Please pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues who would also benefit from it. If you want to unsubscribe, reply Unsubscribe on the subject line. Our database is "never-sold or shared."

You can make a difference! Send your questions and comments as they are always welcome.

Thanks,

JJ