Do you know all there is to leadership? Do you have it all down pat? If so, I would venture to bet that you are guilty of having “ostrichitis” or of taking the ostrich approach. What is that? It is where you are burying your head in the sand and everyone else can see your big rump sticking up in the air. I heard a friend the other day calling it the great comb-over of leadership – denial. None of us has this all figured out nor is done learning about their personal leadership and how it affects co-workers and subordinates. No one knows that better than they do either – they live with it every day. They see our flaws as leaders as clearly as you see an ostrich’s behind in the air.

I know that visual is a little extreme but it did get your attention, didn’t it? Now that you are aware that your flaws are showing you can’t be in denial any more. You either agree to let them show for everyone to see or you commit to doing something about them. I guarantee that your work life and your productivity will improve if you decide to do something about your denial.

The first thing to do is to engage in some self-awareness. Clearly that is lacking if you were not even aware that you were in denial. The best leaders know exactly who they are, how they function and how their actions and decisions impact others. They leverage this knowledge to create environments and situations in which people want to work for them and want to do a great job. That makes it easier and more enjoyable for everyone.

One way to gain self-awareness is to write in a guided journal. A good one is The Discovery Journal available at Lulu. It has starter sentences and phrases that guide you through an inner journey to self-discovery. You can couple that with a coach or group coaching to further enhance your self-awareness.

Another way to gain self-awareness is to sit down with your staff and co-workers and have a good discussion with each of them. It is not easy to admit to them that you are clear that you have not been the best leader in the world but when you do they will probably be glad to give you tips on how you can work with them better. I agree that this is tough and that it takes a big person to do it but I have seen it be amazingly successful with some of my clients. I challenge you do try it. You will learn a great deal this way. Of course you will have to follow through on what you hear but that in itself is a sign of good leadership.

Those are three beginning steps to get past denial. It will take work but recognition of it is the first big step you can take. Good luck – I would love to hear how you do with this.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Leading and managing a team is not an easy thing to do. Teams are made up of different people with different skills, different attitudes, and different ways of doing things. If they could just do work it would be one thing, but they have to learn to work together and build mutual relationships and that is the difficult part. Most managers and leaders do not have a lot of training in team building and team management. Here are a few suggestions to help you be a better team manager and leader.

Teams all go through a growth and bonding process called team group process. It consists of four stages known as forming, storming, norming and conforming. Each stage is important. The stages are not necessarily linear as the team can go backwards if it needs to accept a new member or if it gets new roles or assignments. Let’s take a quick look at each of the group process stages.

· Forming is the initial stage. In this stage people are trying to figure out if they fit in, how they fit in and what their role in the team is going to be. This can be a very cordial stage where people are getting to know each other.

· Storming is the next stage where people begin to jockey for positions in the team. They may do this politely or not so politely. Expect it to happen in a new team or when new assignments are given.

· Norming takes place when the team is figuring out what the spoken and unspoken rules of operating and working together are going to be. Even if there are written rules the team will create some unspoken rules and will be quite willing to enforce them even to the point of ostracizing someone who does not conform to them.

· Performing takes place when the team begins to move ahead and get their work done with minimal conflict and breakdown. Most team leaders know that this can be short lived or may not happen at all. It depends on how well the team does at the first three tasks.

The trick to coaching a team is to make sure the team is aware of these stages. Here are some ideas that may help you coach your team:

1. The manager coach needs to help the team see where they are in the process and help them solve any issues that come up and get in the way of their building a strong, well-oiled team.

2. Be clear on what can happen and point it out immediately. Help the team address it right away so it does not fester and cause break down.

3. Understand that this is an iterative process. The team may go back and forth between stages as it faces new situations. That is ok and to be expected. Just be sure they are aware of the stage they are in and help them get to the next stage.

4. Teach them to problem solve and expect them to do it for themselves.

5. Encourage them to build strong working relationships.

6. Role model good team work and behavior.

7. Reward them as a team not as individual contributors.

8. Facilitate as much as possible so the team learns how to govern itself.

These are just a few ideas to get you on the right path with your team. If you do just these few things you will develop a strong, high performing work team.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Many, many people today are hiring coaches to help them through life’s ups and downs. People from every walk of life are benefiting from having a coach. Executives use a coach to help them navigate their complex environment and stay at the top of their game. Entrepreneurs use a coach to help them get their businesses going and to focus on the right things to be successful. Business people use a coach to help them build strong teams, accomplish more and be more efficient and effective. Moms use a coach to help them manage the vast array of things on their plates and to keep themselves and their homes upbeat and fulfilling. Empty nesters use a coach to help them reinvent themselves and build a new life after the children have moved on to live their own lives. Retirees use a coach to help them create meaningful and rewarding lives and life styles for themselves in their retirement years. The list goes on and on.

How do all of these people make the most of their coaching experience? First they hire the best, well trained coach they can find. They look for a coach who has good credentials – like those earned through the International Coach Federation. This kind of accreditation means that the coach has met certain standards of training and has experience in coaching both paid and pro-bono clients.

They also interview coaches to ensure there is good “chemistry” between them so the coachee or client feels totally comfortable with the coach and the confidentiality the coach will maintain.

Second, they are totally open with their coach. They recognize that their coach is there to be their advocate and to help them make changes and achieve the life they aspire to.

Third, they come to their coaching session prepared. They have completed any fieldwork they have agreed to do and they have decided what they want to accomplish in the session. They know they are responsible and that the coach will keep them focused on their topic and issue.

Fourth, they do not let themselves get caught up in the story around their issue. They focus on the facts and on problem solving. They keep a positive belief that, with their coach’s help, they will be successful.

Fifth, they are open to changing. They recognize that they may have some self-limiting/defeating beliefs that are holding them back from reaching their goals. They are willing to explore those beliefs and challenge them. They want to learn how to adopt and act on more useful and resourceful beliefs.

Finally, they are eager to self-growth and self-awareness. They know that the more they know about themselves the more effective they can be in life. They look forward to that effectiveness bringing them a life of joy and fulfillment.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Hi Everyone –

I am running a free tele-seminar on Friday, September 10 at 11am Central on : “Manage Work/life Balance and Get Your Life Back” . I would love to have all of you join me for this informative call. Topics covered will be: managing stress, aligning goals, values and beliefs, harnessing power and passion, living intentionally, handling outside pressure and creating powerful strategies.

THE CALL-IN NUMBER IS: 218-486-1616; 992904#

If you can’t join me for this call please check out my tele-course “Manage Work/life Balance and Get Your Life Back” at:www.discoverypointcoaching.com/products. I would love to be able to include you in the end-of-summer sale pricing. It will go up next week so sign up soon. I only have a few spots left.

Hope to “see” you on Friday!

Lynn

Are you living the life you want to live yet? If not, this might be the perfect time to think about reinventing yourself. Fall is a time of starting new things for some – like the new school year, or getting ready for the holidays. You can take this on as a challenge or a project. If you not yet achieved your goal there is no time like the present. Through this article let me guide you in the steps you can take to create a new career or a new you. Have yourself ready by the start of the new year to do bigger and better things.

Get your mind open to new things. Do not be judgmental about anything that comes up. Just stay open and flexible so that you can take advantage of opportunities as they come up.
Be curious. Let yourself wonder about lots of things. Get out there and try to experience as much as you can. Try new things, make new memories, learn new skills. Take the best and file it away for the decisions to come.
Be a life-long learner. Engage in learning through ever avenue available. You can take courses, experience new things, create opportunities, try new skills. Make sure you consciously learn something new each day.
Embrace technology. We can’t survive today without being somewhat technologically savvy. Get help with what you need to learn but make it a priority in your life.
Make a list of all the things you like about your life. Make a second list of all the things you would like to change about your life. Compare the two lists. Do you see any trends or similarities? These may give you some hints about how you might want to reinvent yourself.
Create an action plan to change the things you want to change. Do something every day to make those changes and turn them into new habits.
Look at the things on your lists again and figure out where they are pointing. Write that down and write down any things that comes to mind about how you want to reinvent yourself.
Stay open to possibilities and opportunities. If you are really focused on positive change both possibilities and opportunities will show themselves. Be prepared to take advantage of them when they do. You may end up trying several things before you hit upon your final goal.
Create a clear, compelling vision of your goal. Make it real in every detail. Create a collage that depicts you goal and hang it where you see if often.
Make an action plan for yourself to reach your goal. Create doable steps that you can work on daily and weekly.
Celebrate your success and let the world know who you are now and what you have accomplished.

Best wishes on your journey. I hope it is an exciting and fruitful one. As always, if you find it hard to do this yourself, get a good coach to help you out.

Lynn Banis, PD, MCC
Thig High Performance Coach

Have you been trying to use the Law of Attraction to make your life better and to attract the type of life-style you want? This article will cover some techniques and other things that will make your use of the Law of Attraction easier and more productive. It is not something you do once and then hope you get what you want. To engage the Law of Attraction you have to make some major life and mindset adjustments. You must begin to live the kind of life that attracts positive energy and that gives off positive energy. Here are some things that will make it easier for you.

Start by taking care of yourself. Nurture your mind, body and soul. Plan your growth in each area and nurture each as you would a growing plant. Help spread the roots deep and wide within you.
Recognize the abundance that you already have. Look around you. Do you have housing, food, transportation, clothing? What else do you have? You see, the Universe has already brought you abundance. Be sure to show your gratitude for everything you have every day.
Pay attention to how to respond to things and make positive changes. If you worry over household bills be grateful for what you have in exchange for them. Begin thinking differently. Begin seeing things differently. Focus on the positive aspects of things rather than the negative.
Get off auto-pilot. Live your life intentionally and with passion. Create your goals and target them in everything you do. Take planned action to achieve your desires.
Be energy focused. Talk about it, notice it. Surround yourself with people who have high positive energy. “Catch” some of it for yourself and pass it on to others. Acknowledge people for their positive energy – let them know how appreciative you are of it.
Expect to receive your heart’s desire and accept it when you get it. Learn to recognize opportunities when they show up. Do not be surprised when they don’t look exactly like you have imagined them to be. The Universe will provide what you need. Sometimes that is different from what you think you want.
Do not be hesitant. When opportunity shows up grab it. Even though it may not feel exactly right take advantage of it. You may be very surprised at what the Universe has to offer you. You can be assured that it will always be better than what you had imagined for yourself.

Hopefully you have found this useful information. I wish for you only the best of everything.

Lynn Banis, PhF, MCC
Thig High Performance Coach

Are you are caught in the work/life balance snare? Has the time thief robbed you of the life that you want to live? Join the crowd. Almost everyone is in the same boat. Everywhere I go I hear people talking about how much they have to do and how little time they have to do it. People are feeling bad that they can’t seem to get everything done and still have time for themselves and for their families. Many feel they can’t cut down at work for fear of losing their jobs. Others say they feel like a hen being pecked to death by her chickens. What are you saying?

I have just created a new ecourse and teleseminar series to help people get out of their unbalanced situations. I will outline it here for you and hopefully you will find that you can apply some of the ideas and help yourself create a more balanced life. The first thing you have to do is to recognize that you got yourself into the unbalance and that you have to get yourself out of it. Remember that if you let life just take place you will never reach your goals. Success doesn’t happen by chance! Here are some things you can do to learn to manage the balance or integration of your life.

Manage your stress. Learn to deal with it and remove the stressful things in your life. You can do this most easily by looking at how you perceive things. Chances are that you are allowing yourself to think things are stressful when you could be responding to them in a different way that will not result in stress. Learn to manage your perceptions.
Align your values, goals and beliefs. When you do so you will have a strong rudder to guide you in the decisions you make and the actions you take. You will be clear on what you want and what you are willing to do to attain your balanced or integrated life style.
Harness your power and passion. When you are doing what you are passionate about you find your power and you do things more effortlessly and effectively. You enjoy what you are doing immensely. Work does not feel like work. You are clearer and more focused on what you really want.
Live intentionally. Be very clear on what you want and how you show up in the world. Manage your life, do not let it manage you. When you live intentionally you take control and make the decisions that will get you to your goals.
Handle outside pressures by handling your inside self. Learn to be more self-aware so you can know how and why you have the responses you have. Learn to manage yourself and you will be amazed at how well you begin to manage the pressures coming at you from every direction.
Create action strategies to obtain the balanced, integrated life you envision. Just doing the thinking and the self-work will not create it. You have to make some hard decisions and take some tough steps to make it happen. Once you are there you need to work to maintain what you have achieved.
I hope this has been helpful to you.If you have difficulty understanding or doing this it may be time to take a course or get yourself a great coach to help out.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Are you interested in learning more about the Law of Attraction? It has been written about extensively yet most people think it is a relatively new phenomenon. It isn’t. Actually it goes all the way back to the Old Testament of the Bible. The concept that living a positive life and doing good attracts even more positivity and good is ancient.

We know that we are made up of energy fields. We also know that positives attract positives and negatives attract negatives. That is the basis of the Law of Attraction. We attract what we put out. That is why some people always seem to have all the “luck” and some always seem to be down and out. We attract what we focus on.

You may say, “Well, I focus on not being poor but I sure am not financially well off.” Here is the catch,you focus on not being poor. Not is a negative. Our subconscious does not recognize negatives so it interprets your comment as, “Well, I focus on being poor.” Wow! What a difference!

What you really need to focus on is being financially secure, well-to-do or even rich. That way your subconscious will recognize the wealth part not the poor part.

The Law of Attraction works best if we are very, very clear on what it is that we want. We need to work very hard at creating a vision of what it is. Our vision should be as complete, detailed and real as possible. You can do this in a number of ways. You can create a magnificent vision in your head. You can create a collage of pictures representing it (maybe pictures from magazines.)You can take photos of whatever it is that you want to attract. I even had a coaching client who made an elaborate model of what he wanted to attract.

Next it is important to keep yourself centered and in a positive state or mood – remember positive energy attracts positive energy. Keep your image of what you want to attract in front of you so you can refer to it often. Think about it, daydream about it but don’t obsess about it. Be thankful and grateful it is on its way to you.

Finally, be in expectation. The Universe will provide. What you get may not be exactly what you asked for but it will be better. Stay open to opportunities to embrace it. Sometimes we miss it because we forget to stay aware and stay open. Don’t let that happen to you.

My coaching clients have been unbelievably successful with this. You may want to consider hiring a coach to help you get your positive energy aligned and to create your crystal clear, compelling vision of what you want to attract. It is well worth the money to hire a great coach.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Most of us could use a little more energy from time to time. We get up some mornings only to find that we have trouble getting going – even a couple cups of coffee don’t seem to do the trick. Some days it is even worse – we can’t seem to get our motors running at all. Those are the days we could really use some help.

Not only do we need an energy booster on those days, we also usually need an attitude boost. We need a way to wake up and become more tuned in to everything around us. We need to tap into the new sources of energy. Upgrading our energy sources enhances our life experiences. How can we make this happen, especially when we are feeling down and fatigued?

What we need to do is to plug in to attraction. Attraction not only brings us energy, it brings us the very best in life. That is all well and good you may say, but how in the world is it done? You can’t just say I want to attract energy – or anything else for that matter – and just have it happen, can you? Actually, it is a slight bit more than that but not much.

Attracting the good things in life requires first that you get yourself in the right state. To do that think of a time when things were going great for you. A time when you were full of joy and energy and everything seemed be going your way. When that was happening all your positive energy was aligned with the positive energy in the Universe. You want to capture the exact feeling you had at that point. Hang on to it, feel it deep inside you. Now move around and break that state of high energy. Stop and try to get it back. Go through the same process you did a moment ago to achieve the state. Fell it deeply and then move out of the state again. Practice getting it back until you can do so quickly. Now you have achieved the first step in attraction.

Next visualize what it is that you want to attract in all its colorful detail. Include sights, sounds, tastes – use all your five senses. Draw a picture or collect pictures that remind you of it. Keep them someplace where you can see them often.

Now practice a mantra or affirmation like this, “I am grateful ____________ is in the process of coming my way. I am excited to see what the Universe will provide.” Say this several times daily.

Finally all you have to do it so go on with your life keeping your attitude and energy as positive as possible. Be open – the Universe will bring you what you want in the form that is best for you.

If you have difficulty with this get a coach who is familiar with the Law of Attraction. She will help you work it out and get your energy aligned.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach

Are you are caught in the work/life balance snare? Has the time thief robbed you of the life that you want to live? Join the crowd. Almost everyone is in the same boat. Everywhere I go I hear people talking about how much they have to do and how little time they have to do it. People are feeling bad that they can’t seem to get everything done and still have time for themselves and for their families. Many feel they can’t cut down at work for fear of losing their jobs. Others say they feel like a hen being pecked to death by her chickens. What are you saying?

I have just created a new ecourse and teleseminar series to help people get out of their unbalanced situations. I will outline it here for you and hopefully you will find that you can apply some of the ideas and help yourself create a more balanced life. The first thing you have to do is to recognize that you got yourself into the unbalance and that you have to get yourself out of it. Remember that if you let life just take place you will never reach your goals. Success doesn’t happen by chance! Here are some things you can do to learn to manage the balance or integration of your life.

1.Manage your stress. Learn to deal with it and remove the stressful things in your life. You can do this most easily by looking at how you perceive things. Chances are that you are allowing yourself to think things are stressful when you could be responding to them in a different way that will not result in stress. Learn to manage your perceptions.

2.Align your values, goals and beliefs. When you do so you will have a strong rudder to guide you in the decisions you make and the actions you take. You will be clear on what you want and what you are willing to do to attain your balanced or integrated life style.

3.Harness your power and passion. When you are doing what you are passionate about you find your power and you do things more effortlessly and effectively. You enjoy what you are doing immensely. Work does not feel like work. You are clearer and more focused on what you really want.

4.Live intentionally. Be very clear on what you want and how you show up in the world. Manage your life, do not let it manage you. When you live intentionally you take control and make the decisions that will get you to your goals.

5.Handle outside pressures by handling your inside self. Learn to be more self-aware so you can know how and why you have the responses you have. Learn to manage yourself and you will be amazed at how well you begin to manage the pressures coming at you from every direction.

6.Create action strategies to obtain the balanced, integrated life you envision. Just doing the thinking and the self-work will not create it. You have to make some hard decisions and take some tough steps to make it happen. Once you are there you need to work to maintain what you have achieved.

I hope this has been helpful to you.If you have difficulty understanding or doing this it may be time to take a course or get yourself a great coach to help out. Check out my website for information out this new Tele-Seminar called “Manage Work/Life Balance and Get Your Life Back.”: www.discoverypointcoaching.com or contact me at lynn@discoverypointcoaching.com.

Lynn Banis, PhD, MCC
The High Performance Coach