One of my stress saving tools is Evernote. This application has a free component and I use it daily. How does it serve me?

It puts all my information in one place, easily labeled and organized so I can find it!

Average Americans spends one year of their life looking for lost or misplaced items. US News and World Report (For more stats, visit http://simplyorderly.com/surprising-statistics/)

As a coach, many clients come to me in overwhelm mode.

The condition can be debilitating. That is why I prefer to reduce stress as a first step to mastery rather than focus on performance. The performance will follow once the chaos is at a manageable level!

Research is part of the service to my clients. The Evernote app and Internet “clipper” permit me to capture data and articles I need to reference. I can review the material at a separate time without breaking the flow of my work at the moment. It is easy to be distracted when gathering information and not knowing where to put it or how to use it immediately.

Then, there is the nagging fear of forgetting something. Evernote is my cure for that too!

For example, when I was renewing my coaching credential, I had to have coursework CEUs. During that time, I listened to webinars and was able to take notes directly into Evernote, add links and recordings. It was all in one folder!

Another tool I use is Reminder Fox on the Firefox browser. It is an ”add on.” Nothing fancy, it is easy to use. I like the pop-up feature; it gets my attention.

Finally, I give myself breaks. No one is pushing me but me. I remind myself that it is important to maintain perspective and parse my workload by priorities. I do a daily triage of sorts to be sure I am attending to what MUST be done rather than getting lost in the weeds of distraction.

This would make a delightful webinar. There are many tips and tactics to use. Let me know if that interests you. —MC

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How Business Literacy Can Solve Organizational Issues Quickly-Part 3

May 26, 2016

Welcome back. Continuous improvement is a noble goal. It is often an intention that does not become realized. Here are several ways to begin your process to get you into action mode. Parts 1 and 2 are available at Business Influences! Blog.

Part 2 Summary:

· Competence is KPI (key performance indicator) of Business Literacy™.

· Communication skills are critical.

· Highlight an emphasis on accuracy and fact-based presentation to achieve desired outcomes.

· Set expectations by how others reference your company, use of uplifting language, and examples of courteous behavior.

The key is to keep the discourse civil and spacious enough for different ideas to stand and flourish. Practiced Literacy raises emotional intelligence across the business enterprise and within the company culture.

Welcome to Part 3 in our Business Literacy™ Series

Please accept five Coach Cubas Coins as a personal gift and invitation to enjoy a personal coaching session. Register your coins here.

Although simplicity is a desired approach to sharing information, the best-practices transformation process is far from simple. Here is a helpful resource in setting up your process—Baldrige Quality Principles: http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/

Part 3 discusses “how” you we can accelerate what you are already achieving into best practices.

3 Best practices are born from business literacy. These are solid starting points:

1. Internal company communications

2. Customer or prospect communications

3. Team member behavior and how the audience perceives it, internal and external.

Here is a starting point, short assessment to begin to catalog and capture your best practices and areas for improvement:

Each department, sector, team, does their own assessment with each team member participating. This is vitally strategic when managing remote locations.

1. Document what your clients and customers feedback to you. Use the actual words.

2. What flows well throughout your office?

3. What captures your attention from your team? Your observations. “I like . . ., I want to change . . .

4. Where are the stoppages, continuous errors, and breakdowns? Fix them or make a list of priorities that will have the most impact on your team.

5. Ask your team what the priorities are. Get two or three solutions for each one. Be sure to give credit to the individuals.

6. Have your team list the top companies they would like to work for and why.

So, where do I begin?

Action Plan to transform a company culture—Initial Phase 1 month

Establish a baseline. Time frame: 1 week

This activity is about progress and advancement, not about criticism and judgment to condemn anyone. A fair and open environment must be created for this plan to work well.

This report is reviewed and findings are shared in a team meeting.

Document what tools are available already.

What do we add like coaching sessions, team coaching, practice, online learning

Leadership is the essential ingredient.

A 360º assessment is useful here to remain neutral and do what is “good for the house.”

How the leader receives the feedback is worthy of note as well. The 360º assessment keeps it as neutral as possible while providing valuable insights.

How the leader behaves sets the tone for the team—non-verbal cues like hands in pockets, tone of voice, engagement with eye contact, and Plain English to deliver Information.

Feedback on what team members desire from the leaders is essential. They based it on their personal experience. In this feedback, team members state what they need from the leader.

Information Flow

o Where are the blocks, continuous errors, gaps, and breakdowns?

o Fix them or make a list of priorities that will have the most impact on your team.

o What new personnel is required?

Review Policies & Procedures

Keep and refresh what still works and eliminate outdated information. Check manuals, orientation plans, and website.

What equipment was added?

What new training is required?

What new skills are required for better service and exceeding customer expectations?

Everyone or specialists assigned.

Provides time to migrate all staff.

Please submit your findings (as a PDF or Word document) if you would like to be acknowledged as a progressive company built upon continuous improvement!

mcubas@positivepotentials.com

As a bonus, I will select one example (with your permission) you provide and produce a case study for you to post and share with your customers, prospects, and online audiences and social media. Tune in.

Upcoming Series Part 4—Business Literacy™ in Action

In Part 4, I will share with you more ways to accelerate what you are already achieving into best practices and a case study.

Please check back and have the blog delivered to directly to you.

Thank you.

Michelle Cubas, CPCC, ACC, Business Analyst & Certified Coach

Resources for you

Article: http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00318?gko=c7329

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Use Pivotal Thinking Tools Overcome Being Invisible in Your Career

April 21, 2016

What is Pivotal Thinking?

It is emotionally intelligent processing that quickly assesses how to take action in a given situation. Emotionally intelligent because analysis takes in a 360° view, then macro to micro in what Malcolm Gladwell calls a “blink.”

The ability to pivot is not about changing one’s mind. It is more about agility and quick response to a present circumstance. Consider how a basketball player pivots, shifting weight from one foot to another to maintain balance so the player does not fall. Use Pivotal Thinking™ for Optimum Action

Most of all, Pivotal Thinking requires an open mind and resourcefulness. For example, think about a movie you have seen where a boat takes on water or a train is running out of control. The “hero” saves the day with a practical or inventive way to avert a tragedy. The McGyver character was famous for this type of resourcefulness. The link takes you to a few ideas you can enjoy.

Pivotal Thinking Genesis

After coaching and training thousands of professionals, I tracked recurring career and personal themes. Why does one succeed and another crash?

Adults today are struggling with how to focus and perform effectively in work and social environments. It’s not you—There are too many distractions and set ups for failure. We are reacting, not thinking in the workplace environment. It is almost impossible to focus.

Areas to explore—

Embrace the “S” theory. The S Theory is built on success and experience.

Here’s how it works: draw a chain of “S” (see sample)

Start at the bottom. Imagine you are an infant. You are in a state of conscious incompetence. As you move up the “S”, your consciousness introduces you to new facts about your world—sounds, smells, features. Watch a baby when s/he discovers feet and hands! It’s an epiphany. Once you get the idea and move from the Unconsious Incompetence (you don’t know you don’t know) to the top of the bottom “S” you have moved to Conscious Incompetence (you know you don’t know something) through to the top to Conscious Competence (where you know what you know and have mastered something) then with practice it becomes Unconsious Competence (an instrument, medical procedures, sports prowess, muscle memory developed through repetition, and natural talents who have it without effort. Think Mozart!)

Put aside conventional wisdom for these sessions. Open your leadership style to robust and thought-provoking proven methods to advance your people, processes, performance and profitability all founded “on purpose.”

Beyond ADD, adults today are struggling with how to focus and perform effectively in work and social environments.

It’s not you. There are too many distractions and set ups for failure.

Join like-minded people in a VMP™ experience to discover the formula that converts productivity into career satisfaction and performance.

Here is where Pivotal Thinking can serve you—

Coach Cubas’ Findings:

Hostile and “tricky” work environments
Short-term thinking
Disconnect between values and actions
Reactive rather than Anticipatory expectations
“ME” focus rather than for the “Good of the House”
Scarcity premise rather than abundant approaches
High emotional intelligence
Innate ability for “other orientation”
Conserve rather than exploit
Willing to take calculated risk
Supports team unconditionally

Consider these emotionally intelligent ideas to discuss in your VMP Group:

What is the gap between influence and impact?

The space between thought and action

What is the difference between tenacious and stubborn?

How do you break the deadlock?

Focus on the desired outcome

Focus and follow the written objectives

Remain unattached to the outcome

Key words:

Strategic thinking
Business development
Communication
Strategic planning
Language and vocabulary
Public speaking
Perspective
Project management

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by Coachcubas

Tips on Productivity Tools

How Business Literacy Can Solve Organizational Issues Quickly-Part 3

Use Pivotal Thinking Tools Overcome Being Invisible in Your Career

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