The business of mindfulness in modern workplaces

By Anthony O’Brien

 

It’s not the start of an Irish joke, but what do search engine Google, retailer Target and bank JP Morgan, share in common? Apart from making plenty of moolah, these corporate heavyweights have introduced a commitment to mindfulness practices into their workplaces in recent years.

While often associated with adherents to the Buddha rather than mammon, mindfulness training courses are becoming common in New Zealand and Australian workplaces as firms seek ways to reduce stress and absenteeism, increase productivity, develop better leaders, and generate more creative workplaces.

The Australian Psychological Society’s website says work-related stress results when the demands of work exceed resources for managing those demands. Another report from the Victorian Government says workers experience stress over organisation culture, bad management practices, job demands, the physical work environment, relationships at work, change management, lack of support, role conflict and trauma.

 

MINDFUL LEADERSHIP

As a leadership tactic, mindfulness helps people to be more effective by directing focus to the most pertinent task at hand, according to Harvard Business Review. Deprogramming multi-tasking tendencies and intentionally focusing with full attention results in higher quality interactions and decisions, says HBR.

Pippa Hanson CMgr FIML, Chief Executive Officer from The Sports Injury Clinic, regularly speaks on the topics of stress management, work-life balance and thriving under pressure. The IML ANZ Member believes the age of the mobile phone and the internet has increased the need for mindfulness. “People are on their emails, not just when they’re sitting in front of a computer but they’re getting access on their phones. They’re carrying those phones around with them, they’re contactable 24/7 if they’re not putting boundaries in place.”

Creating boundaries is being mindful of what limits you’re setting for yourself as a manager and leader, “not only to complete your day-to-day activities, but so you know what your day looks like and what time it starts and finishes,” Hanson advises. “If you allow your day to be interrupted by responding to every email, you’re not mindful of what your day looks like, and that causes pressure, stress, poor mental health, and a lack of productivity. So, a lack of mindfulness has a negative impact on people’s work day.” Hanson also advises managers and leaders to be aware of how many times per day they check emails, while strategies such as turning off app notifications, can improve mindfulness.

 

DEFINING MINDFULNESS

Hanson says mindfulness can be confusing for the uninitiated. “I find some people only associate it with meditation or colouring in. They don’t believe that they’re mindful when they do other activities like crafts,” she says. “Mindfulness is about being present and aware of your current situation, rather than being on a mouse wheel and just going through the motions every day.”

For Hanson, who manages a busy allied health business employing 60 staff including health practitioners and administrators, mindfulness includes taking a midday break to assess the first half of the day before the afternoon shift begins. “I walk, at the end of the day because after a busy schedule of meetings, phone calls and face-to-face contact, just walking and listening to a podcast, radio or music, allows me to switch off from work, before I step back into family time.”

Hanson adds that mindfulness doesn’t just speak to physical fitness, but mental fitness and the ability to cope with pressure, stress, and the unexpected.

 

Mindful leader, Catherine Stock-Haanstra FIML

 

FINDING THE SWEET SPOT

A 90-day mindfulness plan has been around since Warren Buffett was a boy. But it’s only now becoming more widely accepted in business, says Hanson. “Mindfulness has crossed over into leadership in the workplace for health and wellness as well as business strategy and time management.” While practising mindfulness is part of Hanson’s daily routine, it is also a major component of her firm’s broader strategy. “Our leadership team takes a day every quarter to switch off from everything. This day is about focusing on our achievements and where we’re going, but really without interruption and without taking the phone calls and without reacting to the emails. This enables us to be present, slow down and focus without the extra pressure.”

Hanson says individuals will have a unique mindfulness sweet spot. “Mindfulness is different for everyone, and everyone does respond differently, and it’s about identifying that for yourself. There are simple breathing strategies that you can do at lunchtime to slow your heart rate down, and to take those deep breaths, which when you’re rushing and busy you don’t often do. Others might walk around the block, or someone might say, ‘No, I’m going to put my headphones on and listen to music for 10 minutes’.”

Laps of a pool give swimmers plenty of time to cogitate and practise mindfulness, while Hanson says some people gain satisfaction from running or riding. “When you’re focusing solely on something different, your present activity, you are switching off from work, or your family life because you can’t think of both of those things at the same time.”

If managers and leaders can understand mindfulness, they are better placed to educate their teams. “Maybe the phones haven’t stopped and the team won’t take a lunch break or a tea break. However, if managers and leaders can teach their employees about walking away and getting some fresh air and then coming back, it just makes for better relations in workplaces, better relations with clients and better outcomes for everyone.”

The full version of this article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

Career Doctor: How can personal resilience help with stress management?

By Peter Cullen FIML

Resilience has become increasingly important in the workplace due to the positive impact it can have on an individual’s wellbeing and performance. The Oxford English Dictionary definition of resilience is “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties”.

Although some of us are more resilient than others, all of us become more susceptible to pressure and stress when our resilience is low. Everyone can benefit from activities that promote physiological, mental and emotional wellbeing.

 

STRESS ERODES RESILIENCE

Stress is the body’s natural response to pressure or alarming situations – those that make us uncertain whether or not we can cope. The factor or situation causing our stress either positively or negatively is called a stressor. Unfamiliar situations challenge or threaten us and increase our level of stress. A stress response may require higher energy levels to help us cope.

Occupational stress can be defined as the physiological, mental and emotional responses that occur when workers perceive an imbalance between their work demands, their capability, their access to resources and their level of control. Importantly, stress responses occur when the imbalance is such that the employee perceives they are not coping in crucial situations.

On the other hand, positive stress is beneficial and can improve performance. A natural and automatic function of the body is to provide extra energy to help us tackle a stressful situation. It will then naturally return to its former balanced state. This return to balance ensures ongoing health and wellbeing. Some of the body’s beneficial reactions to a stressful situation include: mental alertness, sugar release for energy, increased muscle responsiveness, faster heart rate, increased adrenaline and cortisol, increased blood pressure and faster breathing.

All these reactions occur automatically as the mind and body react to a stressful situation. It is necessary to remember that everybody copes differently with stress and everybody’s stress barrier is different.

 

BE SELF-AWARE, IMPROVE RESILIENCE

To improve how we manage our stress and be more resilient, we need to build our self-awareness to better understand where we are physiologically, mentally and emotionally at any point in time. A simple method to use when you are in the moment is:

  • Identify how you are feeling and what you are thinking.
  • Ask yourself what effect these feelings and thoughts are having upon you.
  • Consider whether these feelings and thoughts are helpful or not.
  • Take action to address these feelings and thoughts if they are unhelpful, or simply continue as is, if they are helpful.

 

Reflect upon a previous stressful event that tested your resilience and follow the above method in your mind. This will help you gain a greater understanding of how this may be useful for you the next time a stressful situation arises.

We can also build and strengthen our resilience by engaging in a variety of activities as part of our normal way of life. Here are some suggestions:

PHYSIOLOGICAL: Aerobic exercise, strength and conditioning, yoga or stretching, healthy nutritious eating, hydration, breath work, appropriate sleep.

MENTAL: Meditation, self-reflection to build self-awareness, relaxation techniques, reframe your thinking, establish boundaries, set achievable goals.

EMOTIONAL: Strengthen constructive relationships, be appropriately honest with yourself and others, respect yourself, talk openly with trusted friends, know and live your personal values, seek support when necessary, learn techniques to manage your emotions.

 

We all can improve our level of resilience and maintain a strong physiological, mental and emotional state. When are you going to start improving your resilience and be the role model for others to follow?

This article originally appeared in the June 2019 edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

The Info: Books on resilient leadership

By Sarah McDuling

 

When it comes to resilience in business, the simple truth is that it isn’t all that different from resilience outside business.

Resilience is defined by the ability to recover after a setback, to adapt quickly to change and persevere when faced with adversity. Learning how to view failures as opportunities, to remain calm in stressful situations, to build a supportive social network and take the time to clarify your goals… these are all important life skills that everyone should have both in their professional and personal lives.

The components that help make a person happy and successful in their personal life (self-assurance, life goals, friends) are the exact same components that help make people successful in business. For example, most strategies to build resilience in business tend to revolve around four key elements: Confidence, Purpose, Social Support and Adaptability.

When you consider those four key elements, it starts to become clear that in many ways, a ‘resilient’ person is really just an optimistic and emotionally stable person. Or in other words, a happy person. If you want to build your resilience, you need to work towards increasing your self-confidence and maintaining a positive outlook.

The reading list on this page contains an inspiring selection of books about resilience. Here you will find some of the best ‘how to’ guides, full of useful tips and strategies to help you build the skills you need to improve your business life, as well as your personal life.

Reading these books will help you develop skills to cope with a stressful work environment, manage time effectively, deal with sudden upheavals and adapt to change. Most importantly, these books will teach you the importance of looking after yourself so that you are better equipped to deal with whatever problems and setbacks may come your way.

When we hear the word ‘resilience’ we so often associate it with being strong, tough and determined. The books on this list will help you to understand that ‘resilience’ isn’t really about strength. It’s about emotional intelligence, positive thinking and self-care.

A resilient person is a happy person… so happy reading!

 

Books to inspire resilience

RESILIENCE BY HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

This book reveals the traits of those who emerge stronger from challenges. It also provides advice on training your brain to withstand the stresses of daily life and presents an approach to an effective career reboot.

 

DIGITAL RESILIENCE BY RAY ROTHROCK

This powerful guide provides the digital resilience-building strategies you need to prevail – no matter what strikes.

 

RESILIENCE AT WORK BY DEBORAH M KHOSHABA, SALVATORE R MADDI

Why do some people remain so calm and collected in the face of looming deadlines, combative meetings, impending layoffs, and turbulent changes? And why are these seemingly unflappable people the ones who consistently get ahead in their lives and their careers? This book provides the answers.

 

HOW TO BE HAPPY BY LIGGY WEBB

You can make the decision right now to be happier if you really want to be, says author Liggy Webb. Life is what you make it, she says, so learn how to be happy, effective and energetic.

 

OPTION B BY SHERYL SANDBERG, ADAM GRANT

From Facebook’s COO and Wharton’s top-rated professor, this powerful, inspiring, and practical book is about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks.

 

FLY! BY RICHARD DE CRESPIGNY

In Fly!, Richard de Crespigny shares the insights and techniques he built up over decades in the high-pressure world of military and civilian aviation. Covering leadership, teamwork, risk assessment, decision-making, crisis management, lifelong resilience and more.

 

POSITIVE THINKING BY GILL HASSON

This book gives readers the tools to view life with a positive outlook and charge ahead in achieving goals that once seemed out of reach.

 

TRAIN THE BRAVE BY MARGIE WARRELL

Train the Brave is a handbook for being more courageous. Written for busy people on the go, its short, focused chapters provide practical tools and empowering perspectives to help you build your ‘courage muscles’ in work, relationships and life.

 

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS BY CHRIS GARDNER, QUINCY TROUPE

The astounding yet true rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street.

 

Sarah McDuling is the Senior Content Producer for Booktopia and the Editor of the Booktopian Blog.

This article originally appeared in the June 2019 edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine.

Step into the public speaking spotlight with confidence

By Nicola Field

 

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld nailed our phobia of public speaking when he said, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Our dislike of public speaking can come down to fear of rejection, according to Tim Bevan AFIML, Chairman of the IML Speaker’s Forum in Brisbane. He explains, “Suddenly we are separated from the herd and we have innate concerns about ‘will the audience be hostile?’ Or ‘will I bore them?’”.

Rather than avoid public speaking altogether, taking steps to improve your skills can boost your confidence – and your career.

 

REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

Emma_Bannister_Presentation_Studio
Emma Bannister, CEO, Presentation Studio

Emma Bannister is the founder and CEO of Presentation Studio, specialising in presentation writing, design and training. She says, “Preparation is so important, and nerves should encourage better presentation.” Bannister believes content is critical. “This is your foundation,” she says. “If your content is good you can be confident in your own message. It can be a massive game changer when you know the information you provide is helping your audience achieve something.”

The clincher is to deliver content in a way that is clear. “Keep the message simple, and repeat your most important points so that people can understand them, remember them, and act on them,” advises Bannister.

Technology has changed the way we deliver presentations, and PowerPoint in particular is widely used, though not always to best effect.

“PowerPoint slides should never be used as a script to read from,” Bannister cautions. “Having a lengthy essay appear on a slide is the equivalent of using a crutch or autocue.” Moreover, she notes that when an audience is focused on reading the screen, they can’t listen to what’s being said, and that makes the speaker irrelevant. Bevan adds, “PowerPoint slides should only feature three or four bullet points, this way the speaker can talk around those points.”

 

FEEL THE ENERGY

When it comes to managing nerves, there’s a lot to be said for the old maxim ‘take a few deep breaths’. Bannister explains, “Deep breathing is critical to ensuring oxygen flows to your brain so you don’t forget what you are saying.”

While it may sound counter-intuitive, the quality of your delivery will improve if you regard your audience as friend rather than foe. “Instead of being afraid of your audience, make eye contact with audience members and use their energy,” suggests Bannister.

“If you’re speaking in a darkened auditorium, ask for the stage lights to be dimmed so that you can see members of the audience.”

Nerves can be the catalyst for rapid-fire speech, and this can seriously downgrade the quality of what you say and the image you project. As Bannister explains, “We often speak rapidly, or talk a lot just to fill in space. Slowing down your pace and allowing for pauses is vital. Have a sip of water if necessary but pause long enough to allow a message to sink in with your audience.”

According to Bevan, a pace of around 120 words a minute is ideal: “When we speak quickly we lose the power of pause, gesture and intonation.”

Speaking slowly also improves clarity. This matters because as Bannister points out you may have audience members who are not native English speakers. This further highlights why simple icons rather than lengthy essays are a must for PowerPoint slides.

 

PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT

 

Tim_Bevan
Tim Bevan AFIML, IML Speaker’s Forum Chairman

Sitting through a monotone speech can be tortuous, and good speakers contrast their pace, volume and modulation. Bannister notes, “As human beings we like change – a bit of variety helps to keep everyone actively listening.” It may sound like a tall order but it can all come with practice. “Don’t just read through your speaking notes on your screen,” says Bannister. “Say them out loud to your team, your kids, the family pet – anyone who will listen. Get someone to video you – or video yourself.”

Bevan emphasises the need to rehearse, saying, “Practice makes permanent, and practising using the wrong techniques can become habit forming.” In his involvement with the IML Speaker’s Forum, Bevan has seen the benefits of practice combined with constructive criticism. Ryan McKergow MIML, for instance, is a current member of the IML Speaker’s Forum and was recently awarded an IML ANZ Sir John Storey Leadership Award in the Emerging Leader category. McKergow joined the group in early 2018, and says, “I’ve noticed a dramatic improvement in my public speaking ability, and also in my day-to-day communications, which is vitally important in my role as a leader.”

 

DANGER ZONES

For nervous speakers, a lectern can seem like a safe harbour. However, Bannister cautions “Audience members often don’t like it when a speaker stands behind a lectern.” She recommends enquiring about the availability of a remote system for the microphone, so that you can move around a little.

The key word is ‘little’. Going overboard with gestures – or repeat gestures like pointing and waving, can be distracting for the audience. Bannister suggests: “If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, follow the likes of Barrack Obama, whose resting position was often one hand on top of the other just below his watch. When speaking, his hands were expressive and animated but not repetitive.”

When all else fails, smile. According to Bannister, “As a general rule, when the speaker smiles, the audience smiles back.”

The thought of fielding questions from an audience can be especially daunting as this is one area where curve balls can be thrown. Bannister says it is possible to control at least part of this by explaining at the outset that you will be speaking for 10 or 20 minutes and taking questions at the end of your presentation. “This discourages interjections and maintains the flow of your presentation,” she notes.

At some stage, you will need to respond to questions, and even Bannister admits “this can be tough”. She advises, “Always start by repeating the question so that everyone else knows what was asked. Make eye contact with the person, and even if you don’t have a ready answer, explain how you are addressing the issue moving forward.”

 

THE NO-GO AREAS

When it comes to workplace presentations, humour can be risky business. “What is funny to you can be offensive to some of your audience members,” cautions Bannister. Play it safe by skipping the jokes altogether.

Bannister also believes metaphors can be equally hazardous: “I’ve seen US-based speakers consistently using baseball analogies, talking about home runs. Audiences outside of the US can become quite upset about this.” She says this highlights the need to “Respect your environment and use analogies that are relevant to your audience – if you must use them at all.”

Few things can be more uncomfortable than the sinking feeling that your audience has lost interest, and unfortunately, these days, people may even start checking their phones during a presentation. That may seem impolite, but the onus is on the speaker to prevent this happening. “Mixing up your content, visuals, and tone of voice and volume keeps the energy and engagement of your audience,” says Bannister. “People notice when things change so keep a good mix.”

Ultimately, a good presentation is relevant to your audience. As Tim Bevan points out, “Don’t focus on yourself, focus on the audience. Your aim is to be a person of influence over your audience.

This article first appeared in the February 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters magazine. 

Why leaders need to develop mindfulness

A less obvious threat within organisations is the that of a psychologically unhealthy workplace. When colleagues, or worse managers, add mental and emotional fatigue to an employee’s work day, it’s enough to drive down productivity if not drive out workers.

It’s not an isolated case either. In Australia alone, the government pays approximately $543 million in workers’ compensation for work-related mental health conditions.

While it’s true that managing processes matters in leadership, managing people is even more crucial. Likewise, creating a mentally-safe workplace starts with having strong policies and processes in place, but ultimately it is defined by the behaviours of the people within.

That’s where mindfulness can play a crucial role.

 

Mindful leadership

Mindful leadership based on being attentive to the present moment and recognising personal feelings and emotions while keeping them under control, particularly during stressful times. It requires an individual’s awareness and understanding its impact on others.

Researchers identified the benefits of mindful leadership and summed it up into three meta-capacities:

  • Metacognition. This is the ability to observe what you are thinking, feeling, and sensing during critical times. It is like removing yourself from an intense situation to actually see what’s going on. It’s an effective means of escaping the dangers of operating on autopilot.
  • Allowing. This refers to the ability to let situations be. It isn’t about weakness or passiveness. Rather, it’s about dealing with experiences with openness and kindness to yourself and others. It links firmly with not letting our criticism of ourselves and others crush our ability to observe what is really happening.
  • Curiosity. This means taking an interest in what occurs within our inner and outer environments. It drives a strong impetus for bringing our awareness into the present moment and staying with it.

 

Emotional intelligence and mindfulness

There are three parts to emotional intelligence according to the man who coined the term back in 1995, Daniel Goleman. The first involves self-awareness, and this is where mindfulness fits in. By monitoring what’s happening within your mind, you can handle it better. This leads to the second part of emotional intelligence, self-management which in turn allows you to manage stressful situations and display a positive attitude despite upsets. The third part is the presence of others and how the other two components combine to determine the quality of our relationships with those around us.

 

Developing mindfulness

A note of caution: this is not a quick fix. Attending one mindfulness session doesn’t make a mindful leader. The key to developing this ability is practice. Take just a few minutes each day to focus on your thoughts and gradually integrate it into your daily tasks.

The Info: Must read

Derek Parker reviews the latest essential reading for Managers and Leaders 

Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness

By Rick Hanson

(Penguin, $33)

A critical area of study that has emerged in the past few years is the intersection of thinking – how you experience things and make sense of them – with neuroscience – the study of the brain as a physical organ. Rick Hanson, an American psychologist, was one of the first to examine this subject with his 2013 bestseller, Hardwiring Happiness. In Resilient he takes the theme further, looking at how feelings of wellbeing can be enhanced and strengthened as a buttress against adversity.

He points to scans of brain activity that show there is a natural ‘negativity bias’. This is an evolutionary hangover from the time when awareness of threats and danger were necessary survival tools but these days the effect is to create undue sensitivity to the stresses of everyday life: rushing about, being continually interrupted, having to jump between tasks, feeling pressured and being overloaded by information. The culture of the 21st century is continually trying to grab our attention with one thing or another, forcing us to move on from positive experiences before they can make their way into our consciousness. The result is anxiety, uncertainty, the sense that nothing is really within our control.

The counter to this, says Hanson, is to grow resilient resources within ourselves, by learning methods to profit from our positive experiences. This can change the physical structure of the brain, in the same way that a muscle is strengthened by conscious training. There are particular chemical responses in the brain that flag an experience as an important one, and new neural pathways to support it are formed.

The crucial step is to become acutely aware of positive experiences. Stretch out the good feeling, Hanson suggests, even if it is only by 20 seconds. This embeds it in our memory. Also, focus on why it feels good and how it connects with other experiences. Try to see what makes it unusual, meaningful, and personally relevant.

He emphasises that there is no definitive ‘good’ experience. It might be walking in a field, or enjoying a game of football, or playing with your children. It might be accomplishing some small task that leaves you quietly satisfied. It is likely to be different for everyone: the point is to understand it, focus on it, and draw upon it. With a conscious effort, moments that would otherwise slip away can become part of a stock of wellbeing, and help to build mindfulness. Over time, the hardware of our minds becomes more resilient and more capable of dealing with challenges, whether personal or professional.

From his neuroscience research and his work as a therapist, Hanson draws up a list of 12 “fundamental inner strengths” that can help to deal with problems and setbacks. Each of these – compassion, mindfulness, learning, grit, gratitude, confidence, calm, motivation, intimacy, courage, aspiration and generosity – is carefully unpacked by Hanson, but he also notes that various individuals might look to other qualities. The principle of training the brain – the technical term is positive neuroplasticity – remains the same.

The point is not to ignore negative experiences and emotions but to avoid being overwhelmed by them. A core of inner strength has the benefit of placing things in context. This means that small stresses and aggravations do not accumulate into large ones. Equally, it is a means to move past old grievances. Of course, in any life there will be serious problems – a major illness, the loss of a close family member – but a sense of resilience can help to deal with them in an appropriate way.

Hanson does not claim to have invented this way of thinking, only to have taken existing methods and organised them into a therapeutic program as well as a set of tools for everyday life. It is not easy, he says, as it means putting aside old patterns of thought and deliberately creating new ones. The good news is that it gets easier as you go along, and eventually becomes nearly automatic.

The benefits to both mental and physical health are significant. Essentially, this sort of resilience makes it easier to survive and thrive in our troubled, difficult times. It is a lesson we could all use.

The Future for Our Kids

By Phil Ruthven

(Wilkinson, $40)

As founder of the business information firm, IBISWorld Phil Ruthven has access to a huge amount of data, and he uses it to extrapolate existing trends to provide a picture of Australia’s future. He is generally upbeat, preferring to focus on opportunities rather than problems, and it is hard to not be caught up in his enthusiasm.

Interestingly, he sees outsourcing – often thought to be a destroyer of jobs – as the single biggest driver of job creation. Already, he says, many young people see themselves as entrepreneurial freelancers, moving from one project to another and being paid for outputs rather than inputs. Ruthven predicts this will increase as the pace of technology creates a truly global marketplace. At the same time, he says, the average working week will be around 20 hours by the end of this century, with a greater focus on fulfilment. Ruthven calculates that Australia is creating many more jobs than the number being lost, and will continue to do so.

At the other end of the demographic scale, longer lifespans will mean longer careers, with older people working well past the traditional retirement age. Older people will also be more likely to return to the education system, either to gain more qualifications or simply to keep their minds fresh.

Ruthven sees Australia as well-placed to take advantage of the continuing shift of economic momentum to Asia, and says Australia’s population mix will become even more diverse. The agriculture sector is likely to expand, both for domestic demand driven by a rising population and for export markets, although the real boom will be in the service sector, especially hospitality, tourism and aged care.

Along the way, Ruthven laments that governments have been slow to introduce ultra-fast broadband technology and to push for a higher GDP growth rate. Nevertheless, we are headed in a positive direction, he says, and the best is yet to come.

Give Back Lead Forward: why every leader should have a mentor and be a mentor

By Julian Carle

(Major Street Publishing, $30)

Julian Carle, the head of leadership training firm Synergen Group, believes that mentoring is the ingredient that turns good managers into great leaders, and in this book he provides a practical framework for getting the most out of the relationship, from both sides of the equation.

He makes clear that mentoring is not about getting together occasionally for a chat. Both mentor and mentee must be chosen carefully, both for their personal and professional attributes. Carle suggests that the two should not come from the same company, and perhaps not even the same industry, but a set of common experiences is important. Mentoring is not about teaching technical information but rather the soft skills of empathy and judgement. The mentor does not provide solutions but helps the mentee find their own answers.

For the mentee the benefit is the opportunity to draw upon the experience of the mentor; for the mentor the benefit is about the self-reflection that comes with understanding another person. The relationship is a balance of the personal and the professional, and there must be enough trust for discussion to be honest and forthright.

Meetings should be regular – Carle suggests every three weeks – with a firm schedule and agenda, as well as milestones to be discussed in quarterly reviews. Being a mentor is not easy: it requires skills to both inspire and motivate. An essential part is to show the mentee how to keep going in the face of setbacks. This can mean, for the mentor, revealing the mistakes they have made along the way – and, crucially, what they learned from them. For the mentee, it means making hard decisions about what sort of person they want to be. Often, says Carle, mentors find that their mentees inspire them.

Carle has mentored many mentees himself and is the host of ‘Mentoring Effectively’, a recorded IML webinar that explores the elements of good coaching practices and mentoring tips to promote personal development. The webinar is available online, here.

Moving up: how to consider the changes

By Geoff Cohen FIML

There you are – a hard-working team player in your thirties determined to have a successful business career. You want to leave a positive mark, your “footprints in the sand”.

With outstanding performance reviews as a technical specialist – complemented by competitive salary packages and bonuses – all your painstaking years put into studies have been rewarded in your career. Well done!

Then you learn that your team manager has moved into another more senior position. So finally, and without much notice, the chance arrives for you to step up into a managerial position and lead the team. Eager to make the most of the opportunity, you start off by getting all the training you need from your colleague. With all the necessary knowledge and expertise successfully transferred in a handover, you feel that you have landed on your feet as a new manager.

However, soon the hidden problems become apparent – your colleague tells you everything about the challenges of the job, from poor staff attitudes to the ever-demanding senior management group. For a second, you may begin to worry whether you’ve made the right decision to step into the role. Still, you are inspired to revolutionise the way things are done around here – no holding back!

Moving from star specialist to fledgling manager is probably one of the biggest challenges you will ever face because now you must manage people and your coworkers as your staff. These are people who have feelings, values and priorities that may not accord with your own. So how are you going to manage them? Should you order them around? After all, they work under your leadership.

However, what you may learn the hard way as a first-time manager is that your staff may put up with being directed by you for a while. But, if they don’t feel part of a consulted team, your best staff may quickly move on to where they will be appreciated – another team or organisation.

Autocratic behaviour is no way to be recognised as a leader. Great leaders earn a respect which makes people choose to follow them. You do not determine your success as a leader – that is something those around you will decide on. Their respect and behavioural response will provide the clues on whether they support you, or not. A wise colleague of mine once said of a new manager: “My loyalty he will have, my respect he will have to earn.”

Indeed, your welcome to management comes with a big challenge: how to instil respect for your leadership. Hopefully, you are attuned enough to know that there are no instant answers. There are many short development courses that you should certainly explore, but this must be abetted by long-term support – much of which you will get while on the job.

The most effective way of development leadership, not matter what stage of your career you’re in, is this: have good ‘soft skills’ – for example, listening, communicating and empathy – and marry them with the ‘hard skills’ that landed you the management position in the first place. With a combination of these, you will have the resources to successfully set you up on your desired career path.

There are few more things worthwhile to think as a manager:

  • Cynicism is, regrettably, part of the workplace today. So, if your staff don’t already know you, will there be a degree of scepticism?
  • Have you just been brought in to shake the place up, make jobs redundant, cut back staff expenditure and budgets?
  • If your staff do know you and watched you rise to new heights, what are they thinking?
  • Maybe they feel you are just filling in until the ‘real’ manager arrives.
  • They could confide in you when you were a co-worker, but maybe not anymore.
  • Perhaps they think you’ll just be a ‘yes man’ for senior management, totally compliant.

While it might be a daunting thought that all these above situations might be a reality, it is important to remember that ultimately, learning from your experiences is necessary for development, even if the message may not be what you want to hear.

Reflecting on these experiences allows you to gain understanding of your leadership strengths and weaknesses, and often it is helpful to reflect on how you are going to manage yourself before you start managing others. It is also a good idea to find a colleague who you respect and trust to share experiences and advice, a proven strategy for professionals around the world. Nurses at hospitals put aside time at the end of a shift each day to ‘debrief’ with the next crew coming in. This process is not just about explaining the status of patients but to relieve stress by telling someone about the frustrations of the day.

Debriefing with someone regularly will improve your resilience, help you manage stress, lead staff with humility and transparency and, above all else, remain positive.

Give it a go… step up to a management role! Don’t wonder what might have been later on.

Geoff Cohen FIML Geoff Cohen FIML, a former General Manager focusing on regional business growth / major property development in NSW, works with startup business entrepreneurs and new managers.

5 Minutes with Brad Fenech

At just 24 years of age, Brad Fenech CMgr AFIML, senior consultant at Approach ICT, has already enjoyed a flourishing career in Canberra’s public and private sectors. He says the key to being a good manager is practising what you preach. we asked him to share six lessons from his career to date.

As told to Lisa Calautti

  1. Be yourself

“Build your own self. And what I mean by that is: it is all well and good to have role models but take bits and pieces from each as it is impossible to mirror one specific person. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses.”

2. Be uncomfortable

“Go outside your typical comfort zones. Take some risks. For me, that’s learning to be more creative. It forces you to learn more skills and talk to people. With that, you naturally find new ideas popping into your head at random times of the day or night.”

3. Take time out

“Something I have really committed to is meditation. And I can’t get enough of it. We are always on the phone, or a computer or some sort of technology, so there is so much going through my head. A good way to just unwind and collect my thoughts is through meditation.”

4. Be creative and innovative

“While I have found it challenging, these traits allow you to be one step ahead.  As a manager or a leader, if you aren’t practising these qualities, when it comes to your team you can’t expect your colleagues to do the same. It is basic psychology – practise what you preach.”

5. Be a good problem solver

“Two words come to mind – passion and confidence. Someone once said to me that life is all about finding problems that you enjoy solving. I guess the stereotype is that a problem is a negative thing but I am slowly coming around to the notion that they are not all negative. I try to find problems that I
enjoy solving.”

6. Be strong in your decisions

“This goes back to confidence for me. You make a decision and you might not be right, but you sure won’t be the last person to make a wrong decision. There will be naysayers but if you are comfortable with your decision and you have remained ethical and considered all the sources of information, then I don’t think there is anything more that you can do. As a manager or leader, it is important to be able to make a confident decision while remaining ethical. It is as simple as that – make a good example of yourself.”

Suncorp’s Dominique Layt – Investing in your leadership with Chartered Manager

 

Dominique Layt CMgr AFIML, Head of Stores and Speciality Banking Delivery at Suncorp and Board Director has built her leadership career from the ground up, over 30 plus years in the financial services industry. After finishing Year 12, Dominique’s parents encouraged her to take all the Banking entry exams, which lead to her first job as a trainee bank teller with NAB. She was keen to learn, asking other colleagues to show her their different roles so she could cover their days off. Dominique worked her way up to a senior role in the State Office over 17 years. She then moved to Westpac as a Regional Manager, but found that she’d need to move to Sydney or Melbourne for further promotion.

Dominique joined Suncorp in 2007 in business banking strategy just as the global financial crisis was biting, which she credits as an amazing learning experience working on the restructure. She moved into risk management, setting up the bank’s risk frameworks and committees. Dominique’s subsequent role was to establish the bank’s customer retention and insights strategy and capability, handpicking a team which took Suncorp to #1 in customer satisfaction over that time. The team implemented a new way of having a conversation with customers, which lead to positively impacting Suncorp’s S&P’s rating.

You’ve enjoyed an incredible career in the Financial Services industry, and you describe coaching, mentoring and leading high performing teams as your greatest passion. Tell us how you’ve built your leadership step by step over your career. 

One of the things I learnt early in my leadership journey was that each individual is different and to be an effective leader I needed to adjust my approach to the individual where needed. The other thing I learned with experience and growing confidence as you get older is to be factual, clear and open when giving feedback and coaching. Most people do not like conflict and they expect they will receive it if they provide constructive feedback to individuals. Whilst this can happen I have found the majority of people are grateful for honest feedback especially when it comes to career development.

I have lost count of the number of conversations I’ve had where someone has said they have asked many other leaders why they had missed out on roles. Or, why they hadn’t progressed and they had never been provided with tangible feedback that would allow them to develop and grow. One of my strongest influencers today is Brene Brown who talks a lot about vulnerability and authentic leadership. These practices are critical to developing high performing teams and being an effective coach and mentor.

You recently obtained your first Board Director role with the Somerville House Foundation. What are your initial observations on the different style of leadership required of Boards versus Management?

The Board is a team and whilst the Chair is in essence the leader of that team it is different than organisational leader roles where the leader has the ultimate decision making authority. Similar to organisational teams a Board has a mix of skills which, when fully leveraged, allows the Board to be effective at its role. The role of the Chair is much more about ensuring the key skills are fully utilised, each member is actively contributing and the focus is absolutely on the objectives of the organisation the Board is privileged to govern.

What has been your greatest challenge?

There have been many challenges throughout my career, as there are for most people, including strategic and operational challenges during the GFC, shifting from a defensive to a growth strategy and transforming cultures from a merged organisation into one cohesive team. The one that stands out the most is maintaining team members motivation and energy during extended periods of multiple restructures and change which involved carrying vacancies for several months.

What are you most proud of?

There are many team and individual successes over my 30+ year career I could talk about, but whenever I am asked this question the moments that make me the proudest have been individual coaching sessions. Those moments where you help someone realise what is possible and the only thing standing in their way is their own self-confidence. When you literally see the light bulb go on and they realise they can achieve what they are aiming for. Those are the moments where you know you have made a difference to someone else and then to watch them achieve their goals and grow and grow from there is truly rewarding.

What motivated you to pursue the internationally recognised Institute of Managers and Leaders’ (IML) Chartered Manager Accreditation?

I have invested most of my career into becoming the best leader I can be. I’ve pursued my own development, sought out mentors who are strong authentic leaders and consistently sought feedback from peers and direct reports. I once commenced a Master of Leadership through a University only to find it was cancelled after less than a year.

When I saw the opportunity to be recognised for the development and investment I have made into leadership I jumped at the opportunity to apply for Chartered Manager Accreditation with IML.

How has achieving Chartered Manager status impacted your leadership journey, and what do you see are the future benefits to come? 

I found the application process another learning opportunity. Completing the application provided me with an opportunity to review, self-assess and consider other areas I wanted to delve further into as part of my growth and continual improvement as a leader.

Now being a Chartered Manager I feel I have the opportunity to expand my career beyond financial services and potentially into areas such as executive coaching or leadership coaching.

What’s one piece of advice for future female leaders?

Read Brene Brown’s books and work out who you are and what sort of leader you want to be. Don’t be afraid to be your authentic self. We do not need to be like anyone else nor do we need to compete with others. If you can be an authentic leader with the right values as your anchor, your team will follow. Servant leadership is a great foundation but authentic leadership means you are “all in” and people will respect you for that; but it takes vulnerability and courage.

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