Category Archives: Soft-Skills Training

Are You Listening?

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Leadership Development, management, Personal Development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Uncategorized

secret 5Are you listening or are you just waiting for the other person to take a breath so you can jump in and take over the conversation? Research conducted by Dr, Ralph Nichols revealed that individuals listen about 25% of the time; most people recall only 50% of what they hear, and 70% of all misunderstandings happen because people don’t listen to each other. The study concluded that grade school-aged children listen to their teacher just 25% of the time. By the time that student graduates from high school they are listening to the teacher just 17% of the time. Based on those percentages how much do you think they are listening by the time they start working for you?

Worth Remembering … “There is no such thing as a bad listener. There is only a person with inflexible listening habits” – Doug Larson

When you change the habit you change the result. We are adults and we can learn new habits. All you have to do is stop doing one thing and start doing another and if you do it often enough – 21 times in a row – it will become your new habit.

Listening is a learned behaviour. You won’t hear a thing if you are the only one talking. The next time you are having a conversation with someone here are 3 things you can do to become a more “active” listener.

  • Be patient with yourself and the speaker. Do not interrupt. Concentrate on what the other person is saying. When they have finished speaking, ask questions for clarity so you know and they know you’ve heard what was said.
  • Focus on the speaker. Put your phone away, put down that paper and pen and face the speaker. Give the speaker your undivided attention. Don’t cross your arms, be sure to smile and nod your head once in a while so the speaker knows you’re still listening.
  • Try not to become emotional. React and respond to what is being said – not who is saying it. Respect the fact that people have a right to express their opinion but you don’t have to agree with it. We are adults and we can agree to disagree.

Worth Remembering … “In the industrial age, the CEO sat on the top of the hierarchy and didn’t have to listen to anybody. In the information age, you have to listen to the ideas of people regardless of where they are in the organization.” – John Sculley

Copyright (c) 2020. Brian Smith – PLD. Not to be reproduced without permission. To find out more about Brian and what he can do for you and your organization visit: https://briansmithpld.com or email him – brian@briansmithpld.com

It’s Called Delegation For A Reason

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Leadership Development, management, Personal Development, Personality Types, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Uncategorized

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Would You Work For You?

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Enduring Principles, Ethics, Leadership Development, management, Personal Development, Personal Values, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Teacher, Uncategorized

choices-2[1].jpgThink of a manager or leader that you admire. What was it about the way they managed or led others that you liked? If you had to list 5 things that they did well – what would you put on that list? Once you’ve completed your list think of a manager or leader that you didn’t like. What didn’t you like about the way they managed or led? The good news is we are not born knowing how to manage or lead others. It is a learned behaviour. Now that you’ve experienced working with a good and not so good manager or leader, you can decide what kind of manager or leader you want to be.

Successful managers or leaders understand the value of the people they work with. They understand it takes a team effort to be successful. Successful managers or leaders are FOCUSED on people. They understand that if you can’t communicate and interact with others then you can’t manage or lead.

Successful managers or leaders are:

Friendly: Someone who can smile and say hello. Someone who enjoys being around people and helping them be successful. Someone who can make everyone feel important.

Observant: Someone who can recognize those who need help and those who don’t. Someone who doesn’t micro-manage the process and gets out of the way and lets you do it.

Consistent: Someone who is consistent in the way they apply policies and procedures. Consistent in the way they manage people and situations. Someone who is fair and treats everyone the same.

Understanding: Someone who is empathetic. and tries to see things from the other person’s point of view. Someone who doesn’t jump to conclusions and waits to get all the facts before making a decision.

Sincere: Someone who truly wants others to be successful. Someone who genuinely feels and believes what they say. Someone who is not dishonest and hypocritical.

Energized: Someone who is enthusiastic. Someone who looks and acts like they really want to be there. Someone who understands that enthusiasm is contagious and will be your biggest cheerleader.

Dependable: Someone who understands that if they are going to talk the talk they must walk the walk. Someone who understands that whatever they say they are going to do – you can depend on them to do it.

Are you ready to get FOCUSED on being the best manager or leader you can be? Your future depends upon it.

Copyright (c) 2019. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. To find out more about Brian and what he can do for you, your management team and your organization visit: https://briansmithpld.com or contact Brian by email: brian@briansmithpld.com

I’ve Just Been Promoted – Now What?

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Leadership Development, management, Personal Development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Uncategorized

millennials-200x192[1].jpgCongratulations on your promotion. You might be wondering where you go from here. You are about to make one of the most difficult transitions there is. Making the transition from worker to manager is difficult at the best of times and it can be even more difficult if you are being promoted within the same department or peer group. One week you’re a co-worker going out for drinks after work and socializing on weekends. The following week you’re their boss. You now have a position of authority to uphold. The things that helped you get noticed within the department or on the shop floor are important. There’s no question you’ll need to bring those qualities with you as you take on your new role.

What makes someone promotable? Do automotive technicians make the best service managers? Do great athletes have what it takes to be a winning coach? Just because people are good at what they do – it doesn’t mean they will be good at managing or leading someone else. Not everyone has what it takes to manage or lead. Managing or leading is about people. If you don’t like being around people and helping them to be successful – then you are going to be a lousy manager. Managing is about giving your staff the tools they’ll need to perform their tasks on time and on budget.

If you had to sit down and write out a job description for a manager – what kinds of things would you put on that list? Managers assign tasks, monitor performance, schedule hours, discipline, input payroll information and build collaborative teams just to name a few. What skills would managers need to be able to execute everything on that list? Managers must be patient, open-minded, have good communication skills, be flexible, show empathy and are able to listen without interrupting. Which ones are you good at – which ones will you have to learn? You get to decide what kind of manager or leader you want to be. Choose wisely.

Copyright (c) 2019. Brian Smith- Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. To find out more about Brian and what he can do for you and your organization visit: https://briansmithpld.com or email Brian – brian@briansmithpld.com