Byron Stock asked:


y received an email from a colleague who I haven’t heard from in years. He reminded me that in the mid 80’s I shared with him my model of factors affecting performance. He asked for another copy as he had given his last copy away to a corporate trainer while on a flight. After searching several sources, he emailed me with his request and described my model as, “probably the best tool ever for explaining why people do or don’t perform as desired.”
As my colleague implied, models are powerful tools providing insight into deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how to take action. My model serves the purpose of identifying performance problem areas and providing insights for remedies, focusing scarce resources on high leverage causes. Use of such a model avoids implementing solutions that may be inappropriate and costly such as formal training when all that may be needed is a simple job aid.

Since the mid 80’s, I have expanded my model to a new, dimensional model that includes Emotional Intelligence (EI) as an all-encompassing factor affecting performance in all areas. And because of its depth and breadth, this revised model is the one I have been using for over a decade.

My original model depicts a nine-box grid (3 boxes by 3 boxes), reflecting my Engineering background. The grid identifies over 30 factors affecting performance according to those who have the most control or influence over the factors – executives, managers, and individual performers. While this model implies that emotion is a factor affecting performance, I’ve discovered that emotion is a factor that all of us, we rational analyzers, have not paid enough attention to as critical to performance.

Research indicates that emotions play a much more important role than other factors. In fact, every sensory input we receive is processed through our emotional center first. When that occurs, an emotional meaning or flavor is attached to each input before it is sent on and processed in our rational mind, the neocortex.1 So our emotional center is the gatekeeper for every response to every input that we receive. Our emotional center attaches an emotional meaning to the assignments we are given (and how they are given), the workload we are given, the noise and lighting in our physical work environment, the information (or lack of information) that we have to do the job, etc.

To reflect the significant impact of emotions, my revised model adds a third dimension - the dimension of Emotion. With the inclusion of depth, this new model indicates that not only do all of those “Head” factors (in my original model) affect our performance, but also our emotions can negatively or positively affect our physical energy, our mental clarity, and our productivity. Just think of how people feel when the initial announcement of a downsizing is released. The vast majority of people perceive the announcement negatively and the result is a decrease in quality, productivity and morale by the vast majority of employees. On the other hand, how do you feel and what happens to you when you are given an honest compliment on your work, when you are genuinely appreciated. Doesn’t that give you an energy boost? Aren’t you more likely to do a little bit more than normal?

The Emotional dimension of the model could be viewed as a continuum. On one end is Fear; on the other is Appreciation. Ask yourself how well people perform when they are anxious, frustrated, fearful, or angry. My personal experience and my observation is that most people don’t perform well. On the other hand, if a person truly feels cared for and appreciated, then those positive emotions facilitate performance. I contend that this is what each of us wants. We want to be appreciated for our contributions; we want to feel that people care about us. We don’t want to act like we can check our emotions at the door in the morning when we come in to work and pick them up again when we go home. We have our emotions - our hearts - with us all of the time.

It’s disquieting to think that so much time is spent on the factors reflected in my two-dimensional, rational, “Head” model. I’m not saying that those factors aren’t important. Obviously they are. But the dramatic results achieved by implementing simple emotional management techniques in my programs tells me that I must actively use the “Head/Heart” model when considering interventions to help improve people’s performance.

1. Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1995, Bantam Books.



TAYLOR

Rintu Basu asked:


The secret to managing top sales professionals is basically made up of three main components. The first component is the sales managers themselves who need to have the know-how to sell, the second is a sales structure/model of a sales process that can be easily replicated or modified to suit the situation and the third is the ability to motivate great sales professionals and to keep them going.

In order for these three components to materialize, one needs exceptional skill in observing and analyzing human behaviour and providing feedback such which leads to agreement. In this article, we will understand how NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming can help develop such skills.

In the case of the first component, that is “knowing how to sell”, it’s a known fact that every competent sales manage must have started out as a decent sales professional and there’s no doubting the fact that they can effect sales. However, just because a person knows how to sell, it doesn’t mean that they are consciously aware of exactly how they sell. In other words, a great sales professional may not be able to achieve the desired results as a sales manager.
The key word in identifying just how your own process of doing something works and what and where the leverage points are, is ATTENTION. Basically, anything that comes naturally to us, it is managed on auto-pilot without conscious awareness and tends to become a behavioural pattern rather than a planned technique. But in order to teach your team how you achieve sales and to develop a good sales model you need to be able to consciously mark what you do to achieve results.

A good NLP practitioner training provides the necessary processes for creating a conscious model of how the mind of an individual works and how they act in order to consistently reach a specific target. This can be used to for developing one’s own skills or for teaching the same to other people. What it does is basically pay deliberate attention to multiple channels of behavioural traits and communication and then replicating selective patterns that are required to achieve a particular result.

Thus NLP trained sales managers are equipped to model not only their own sales processes with precision and in enough detail to be replicated by the staff, but also the sales techniques of their top sales professionals. NLP training gives them the ability to identify and use those components of a sale process which are invisible to the sales professionals themselves.

To conclude, a NLP Practitioner Course enables managers to replicate successful sales models and also gives them the edge in communicating and motivating their staff by noting and understanding the emotional developments taking place in the minds of their employees.

So, managers with NLP training are skilled at helping their staffs perform to their optimum abilities at all times. Thus in a nutshell, NLP helps to build agreements that build effective sales forces!



DENVER

Kris Koonar asked:


Workplace coaching revolves around establishing a mutual relationship between staff members and the supervisor or manager. As a coach, the supervisor is not limited to remedial or corrective coaching.

History of the Coaching Models:

Many of the early coaching models made an attempt to formulate a coaching model based on the static models of learning. This was seen from the 1950s to the 1980s. However, the 90s saw the additional option of sports coaching.

Coaching models should be assessed individually. They are expected to be flexible and adaptable, to facilitate easy implementation according to the need.

Coaching models are also expected to follow certain criteria like:

. Presenting a complete, comprehensive description of all the processes involved.

. Establishing the connection and nature of the component parts.
. Predictive enough to make attaining goals easy.

. Ability to produce sustainable and measurable changes.

Types of coaching models:

Traditional coaching methods were constructed around outdated change models, like the grow model, action planning, simplistic personality profiling and goal setting. Most of these models fall short of formulating measurable and long-lasting behavior competences.

Commonly used coaching models and the change factors addressed:

Stages of the trans-theoretical or change model:

Willingness to make or attempt to bring about a change in behavior differs from individual to individual. A reversion to the old model is a part of the process.

Social learning theory or social cognitive theory:

The main criteria under this theory are environmental influences, personal factors and behavior.

Theory of planned behavior or theory of reasoned action:

Being rational in nature, people pursue a common motto to perform, keeping in mind the beliefs, subjective norms, attitudes and perceived behavioral control.

Solution focused theory:

This particular model is known to assume that the client knows the answers. Considering the critical role of commitment, trust and collaboration, formulating solutions encourages change.

Multi-modal approach to coaching models:

The multi-modal approach to coaching models uses features of various coaching models and techniques. It is considered one of the most systematic and technically diverse approaches. The success of this professional approach lies in the coach training method and the fulfillment of the client or employer needs.

Role of a workplace coach:

Coaches not only help in reaching the goals but also motivate the team members in performing better, like sports coaches do. Coaching is not merely telling someone what to do or offering advice. An efficient coach presents the team members with more challenges, while considering a different approach to deal with workplace problems.

Coaching is a lesson in self-improvement and self-discovery. In the workplace, the managers act as coaches. It is part of their duty to be firm with the team members and monitor their progress. They are expected to act in a specific manner towards the different challenges faced at work. Moreover, coaches double up as mentors. They generally use questionnaires and feedback from the co-workers and role-play exercises to assess the leadership style. To attain all the goals in the workplace, it is essential for the coach to be efficient.



VICTOR