By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

The more frequently you coach your team members, the greater the level of results that your team will experience. As results are realized, give positive reinforcement to the team members who are delivering the positive gains. This leadership action will accomplish three important outcomes:

1. It will psychologically stroke team members who are driving positive results, positioning them to deliver even more positive results.
2. It will help to solidify in your mind the process you led or techniques you wielded that enabled team members to succeed.
3. It will be noticed by the team members who did not receive praise. And if they have the potential to be high performers, they will rise to the occasion and elevate their game in order to receive your future praise.

Coaching for results does not have to take a lot of time. It does, however, force you to be involved in and astute to your surroundings. It also calls for you to be intentional about delivering effective coaching. The results that are achieved from the coaching process will not disappoint you or your team members. The only party that gets hurt is the competition.    

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a Tampa Bay based leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. To learn more about leadership development programs, coaching and consulting services, visit www.leadershipsimplified.com. 

© 2013 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.

By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

Last week I was shopping at Publix. I like Publix – wide aisles, bright lights, nice. During the checkout process a young bagman looked at the cashier and said, “Only four more hours ‘till my week is over.” The comment that popped into my mind was, “Hey, don’t wish your life away.” Every day is a gift, right? What I wished I had said (in a kind voice) was this: “And in that four hours, if you really put your mind to it, you could do something extraordinary!” Unfortunately I did not utter my challenge. Rather, I said nothing. For some reason my head-trash convinced me that the bagman would think I was just a guy passing judgment on his generation, as opposed to someone who was attempting to inspire him. As a result, I wimped out and remained silent. I missed out on a golden opportunity to take a risk during which I might have embarrassed myself, but I also might have ignited someone to take positive action. In my opinion, I let a cross-roads moment slip by. It haunts me.

So, what is the point of my dribblings? Well, it is to toss the gauntlet at all of you leaders out there to challenge your team members to strive for the extraordinary. Seek to inspire your people. Ignite achievement. Take a risk, and fail. Then take another risk in a different manner, and perhaps make a difference in someone’s life. But do not, my friends, wimp out. It will haunt you.

Do you want to use this blog post in print or online? 

Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a Tampa Bay based leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. To learn more about leadership development programs, coaching and consulting services, visit www.leadershipsimplified.com. 

© 2013 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.

By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

Do you fear speaking in public or making a presentation to a group of people? Most leaders do. In fact, helping leaders and sales professionals become better public speakers and presenters is one of our most popular training sessions. While there are a litany of best practices to share, today we address two tips regarding making presentations and speaking in public.

The first tip is to influence your audience, rather than seeking to convince them. Influence is best achieved by crafting your message in a fashion that leads to audience buy-in. If you present in a manner that hits people over the head as you attempt to convince them, it will only lead to buyer’s remorse. Help your important messages stick by being influential. Your audience is smart, if you treat them as such they will gravitate towards your message.  

The second tip is to think about presentations and public speaking in terms of knowledge transfer. When you address a group of people you are attempting to transfer your knowledge of the core topic(s) being addressed. As such, craft your message and delivery with ‘knowledge transfer’ in the forefront of your mind. Your audience will appreciate the knowledge they gain, plus you will build rapport with them during the transfer process.  

Bottom Line: It is a privilege to speak to groups of people. Make certain your message is influential by transferring knowledge in a manner that is memorable. Treat your audience with the respect they deserve. The most likely result is a mutually beneficial outcome.      

Do you want to use this blog post in print or online? 

Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a Tampa Bay based leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. To learn more about leadership development programs, coaching and consulting services, visit www.leadershipsimplified.com. 

© 2012 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.

By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

“Try” is a word we should eliminate from our business vocabulary. As leaders we should challenge our people to, in the immortal words of Yoda: “Do” or “Do Not.” The word “try” implies that someone is going to attempt something and they probably will not be successful. Well, what organization needs that? Help your team members develop “can do” behaviors by using language that connotes accomplishment. Will team members achieve everything you expect? Answer: Of course not. Recognize their efforts, however, and analyze how or why they missed the mark. Then encourage them to be successful on their next attempt/opportunity. But “try?” Save that word for the minor leagues.    

Do you want to use this blog post in print or online? 

Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a Tampa Bay based leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. To learn more about leadership development programs, coaching and consulting services, visit www.leadershipsimplified.com. 

© 2013 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.