25 March 2020

Leading During Crisis




 (A current case study for leading in challenging times)

There are leadership skills and tools that engage our sense making and perceptiveness.  We have observed in times of crisis, good leaders:

    • Maintain high levels of interpersonal sensitivity  
    • Understand their role and boundaries in providing support or counselling and
    • Shorten the feedback loop to flex and regroup thoughts in an evolving crisis

One of the challenges for leaders new to working with anxious staff, is using the right approach and language when in 1 on 1 conversations.   

A key point from the practice of Psychologists is to ensure you don’t make the situation worse.

Whilst offering ‘proportion and perspective’ in a crisis is important, the concept of ‘normalising’ can be perceived as diminishing people’s concerns – Why? Because the current situation is not normal.

Performance Strategies is working on a daily basis with clients delivering development strategies to support individuals and teams for leading through the #COVID-19 crisis. Yesterday, we delivered a short and sharp workshop on this topic via teleconference to 35 VitaGroup ELT members, our approach contained 3 stages:  

    • Building and maintaining personal effectiveness as leaders in times of stress and uncertainty
    • Ramping up the self-care and resourcefulness of teams
    • Leadership development that improves cognitive flexibility and resilience

 

5 September 2019

7 Benefits of Executive Coaching




The use of Executive Coaching in organisations is booming for one reason, executives and managers are discovering that it works.

Measurable results are getting easier to capture with the improvement in HR information systems and the increased maturity with which organisations are sourcing and selecting executive coaches.

We have observed significant benefits for leaders who engage in coaching programs with us. Seven of these benefits include:

  • Heightened self-awareness
  • Improved self-regulation
  • Removing stumbling blocks including (self defeating behaviours and self-limiting beliefs
  • Boost thinking capacity under pressure
  • Increased levels of motivation
  • Improved leadership abilities
  • Improved organisational outcomes

The standard for organisational success is getting higher while the necessity and demand for a balanced and healthy life becomes more pressing. This creates a tension that most, if not all, organisations are experiencing today. Coaching plays a vital role in easing this tension and in using it to benefit both the organisation and the individual.

Performance Strategies have delivered Executive Coaching programs for executives and senior leaders for over 15 years.

9 February 2017

Executive Sleep, Executive Function




Did you know if you have been awake for close to 17 hours you likely have the cognitive function of a person with a blood alcohol level of .05%. After 20 hours it’s close .1%.

That’s a bad place to be if you are in a leadership position and are expected to be, and are renumerated for being on top of your game. It’s bad enough if you are a corporate executive or office worker, but what if you are a doctor, heavy vehicle operator or pilot?

Much like the drunk driver who knows they are dunk but drives anyway, people know they are exhausted and tired but try to make high level decisions.

With the exception of the military and some industries like Aviation, who are highly experienced at managing and planning for sleep deprivation, spotting it and training for it, the rest of us push on because we are aware we are tired but are rarely aware of the impact it has on us. In the white collar world there is very little oversight through HR policies and procedures to manage its impacts on business. It is even seen as a badge of honour to wok insane hours forgoing sleep and ‘dominating’ in the workplace.

Your prefrontal cortex (the front part of your neocortex) is responsible for executive (brain) function and by extension your effective functioning as an executive.

The neocortex is responsible for:
• Sensory perception,
• motor commands,
• and language.

The prefrontal cortex (executive functioning) is responsible for:
• Problem solving,
• Reasoning,
• Organising,
• Inhibition,
• Planning,
• and executing plans.

Your neocortex suffers heavily when tired. You literally suffer cognitive impairment. You can have fun playing with this standard psychology test for neocortex impairment. It’s called the Stroop test here. Well rested in the morning or after a good nap and you can get 100% providing you are otherwise mentally healthy. Try it after a few drinks or lack of sleep at the end of a long day (say 20 hours) and see how you compare.

Look again at that list above. Those functions are vital to being an effective manager, leader, or even just being on top of your game in ANY role within your business or personal life. Exhausted parents struggle to manage children and relationships effectively compounding the tiredness further. Exhausted executives make poor decisions at every level and interaction that can compound further leading to more issues with stress and fatigue.

You can deep dive into the effects of poor sleep on executives and corporate outcomes in this McKinsey&Company research report

Poor sleep is not necessarily the result of a poor work culture or a recent heavy travel schedule. Real things like depression, medical conditions, diseases, diet and marriage or family problems can contribute. The lack of sleep, as you can see in that list, can compound your ability to make sound rational decisions when trying to deal with and manage those situations, leading to a downward spiral.

At Performance Solutions we are both coaches and psychologists – we can help you get back to your best at work and at home.

Sleep well.

4 October 2016

University of Queensland MBA Careers Week – Building an Effective Business Network




Rupert Bryce delivered a workshop to UQ MBA Careers week to discuss the psychology and emotions of effective business networking. For graduates trying to advance their career prospects, the thought of networking can can surface fears, hesitation and doubt. We discussed a new framework for building a productive network (as opposed to the popular concept ‘networking’). The three key outcomes delivered to the graduate school were:

  • Manage and know yourself – eliminating the fears and concerns to building a network for career success
  • Practical tips on how to enter, sustain and exit conversions in new settings
  • Mapping your network to strategically build advocates and sponsors for career success (see attached photo and link)
The presentation and conversation was exceptionally well received and helped build the confidence and capability of UQ MBA Graduates.