PD Strategies Blog

Every day well deserving individual performers are promoted to supervisor. Are they prepared or have they been set up to fail? Many have remembered the book The Peter Principle which postulates that a person continues to get promoted until they get to their level of incompetence. I have had enough experience to know that it does happen. Companies make a flawed assumption that because the employee was a great individual performer in the previous job that he or she will adapt and become a leader of the team. Inevitably, according to the Peter Principle, the person ends up being promoted to a job where they are no longer competent. This is referred to as their "level of incompetence". The employee has no chance of further promotion, thus reaching his or her career's ceiling in an organization. This is more common people given challenging assignments as they move up the corporate ladder....

Some people thinks that organization will solve their time management problems. Maybe. But organization and time management systems or software is not the cause. It is goals, priorities, and motivation. When my clients in Westchester County New York tell me that they have problems with time management I ask them why. They talk about issues they are having, and I ask them why they are having those issues. Think about something for a minute. Have you ever found a time when you got so much done and had time left over? On the other hand, have there been times when you think I am never going to finish this? In either case you will find it had more to do with your goals and priorities than systems and procedures. Systems and procedures cannot create more time. There are many books that tell you how to organize your time. You can buy...

You are free to make the choices you want. You can choose a safe and easy path which will yield average success and that may be fine. Or you can choose a less traveled path. It is filled with uncertainty but the rewards will be greater. Along this less traveled path you will grow and become stronger. What will it take for you to choose the less traveled path? I was recently coaching a Westchester County NY business executive. She wants to advance in her career. She has been working hard but playing it safe and wondering when she is going to get her “turn.” She said she was waiting for the right time. What is the right time? Another way to describe the right time is what I would call “Getting ready to go to work”. For example, “I still don’t have my resume, my presentation, or my 2 sharpened...

Have all the changes this year made you feel less in control? Some things are out of our control, but you must not lose control of what matters in your business and your life. Many Westchester County business owners have told me that they feel overwhelmed. The current pandemic is key but many also blame the rapid pace of business or the economic fact that business must do more with less. Technology, while automating things that used to take much more time has also created new pressure. Instant communication on handheld devices gives us the sense of urgency and feeling that we must always be working. Everything seems to go faster, leaving everyone feeling overworked, overloaded, and overwhelmed.   Some people may suggest that this is an issue of time management. The real issue is not time management but understanding your goals and your purpose. Here are some tips on surviving being...

A great opportunity now exists to break some bad habits. I know in my own case just the shutdown eliminated a bad habit. It is now been quite a while and now the new successful habit has replaced it for good. Our success or failure is driven by our habits. A bad habit can cause us to continue to do things that are non-productive or destructive. For example, you might have a habit of laying back and taking it easy. The result could be panic when you are up against a deadline. The result could be failure to meet the deadline or failure to achieve good results. All of this is the result of living in a comfort zone. That comfort zone exists for us because we are deriving satisfaction for our current habits. As an example, many people have trouble sticking to a diet because it is more comfortable to...

With these turbulent times people are looking to restart and quickly become productive. To get a clear start I suggest first clearing obstacles. These could include things you are doing which are no longer necessary. Removing the obstacles will clear the way for achievement of new goals. Review your activities to see if they are really productive. Instead of planning what you will do, let’s concentrate on things you should not be doing. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Maybe now is the time to make some changes. If any of you have ever done an assessment with a coach or you have had a developmental assessment for you job you probably saw a section on the worksheet that is titled “I will stop doing…” Attitudes, behaviors, and activities can account for our success or failure. We should be measuring...

Stop worrying about how to do something and stop telling your staff how to do something. Instead, find your why and make sure their why is aligned with yours. Then the way (how) will present itself. Goal planning is not about writing down a list of tasks. Instead, it starts with a why which some people call a dream. Someone said, ”you gotta have a dream if you want a dream to come true. That’s the why. Frankly, if you do not have the WHY the HOW will not matter. Motivation and goal achievement are interrelated. You can’t motivate yourself or motivate others. You need instead to reach down and find that motivation and bring it to the surface. If you know a staff member’s why or hot button just give them the job that fits their passion. You will be amazed at how they will surprise you with results. Make...

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” That line from the movie Cool Hand Luke highlights a fundamental problem. There are many times in our business and personal lives where we don’t achieve a desired result from directing, explaining, or urging action. I would like to concentrate here on the “urging action.” Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is getting people to do what YOU want them to do because THEY want to do it.” Let’s now use that quote and relate it to coaching. Coaching is not telling people what they need to do. On the contrary. It is helping them find the direction within themselves to solve a problem. Coaching is a process between a coach and a person being coached that helps the person being coached produce big results in their lives, careers, or business by deepening learning and improve performance and quality of life. The transformational part...

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” That line from the movie Cool Hand Luke highlights a fundamental problem. There are many times in our business and personal lives where we don’t achieve a desired result from directing, explaining, or urging action. I would like to concentrate here on the “urging action.” Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is getting people to do what YOU want them to do because THEY want to do it.” Let’s now use that quote and relate it to coaching. Coaching is not telling people what they need to do. On the contrary. It is helping them find the direction within themselves to solve a problem. Coaching is a process between a coach and a person being coached that helps the person being coached produce big results in their lives, careers, or business by deepening learning and improve performance and quality of life. The transformational part...

Many times people to not achieve goals or change behaviors because they are paralyzed by fear. This causes people and companies to stand still. Standing still is not an option. Cars change, technology changes, and business practices change. What you did to get to where you are today will not get you where you want to go tomorrow.   If you want to continue hold onto your customers and market share you must adapt to changing times. And if you want to move forward you need to anticipate and get ahead of change. Why do people resist change? Why do people continue to do the same things although they are no longer getting the results they once achieved? Understanding the reasons people resist change can help overcome the obstacles to change and create real progress. So here are four reasons why people resist change and stay in the “Land of Status Quo.”...

When an opportunity is presented do you think or say I don’t have time or I am too busy? If that is the case time may be managing you rather than the other way around. My Westchester County NY business owners tell me that one of their biggest challenges is having enough time. We all have 24 hours a day. No one has more time. It may appear that way because of the way they make time work for them. Unfortunately, many of us feel overwhelmed and that causes them to see their life spinning out of control.   Having a system in place will not alone solve the problem because time management is really not a time management issue. No, you first need to know your purpose. So here are some tips on surviving being overwhelmed. 1. Know Your Purpose and Focus like a Laser. Know your vision, your goals, and...

We have the choice and with choice comes risk. The risk of loss also gives us the opportunity for gain. Some people call this stepping out of your comfort zone. When you step out of your comfort zone you begin to see real progress. I was recently coaching a Westchester County NY business executive. She wants to advance in her career. She has been working hard but playing it safe and wondering when she is going to get her “turn.” She said she was waiting for the right time. What is the right time? Another way to describe the right time is what I would call “Getting ready to go to work”. For example, “I still don’t have my resume, my presentation, or my 2 sharpened number 2 pencils”—you get the idea! Many times people want to do great things but they never follow through. Why? One possible answer is that...

Have you been feeling a little overwhelmed? You are not alone. Many Westchester County business owners have told me that they feel overworked and overwhelmed. Many blame the rapid pace of business or the economic fact that business has to do more with less. Technology, while automating things that used to take much more time has also created new pressure. Instant communication on handheld devices gives us the sense of urgency and feeling that we must always be working. Everything seems to go faster, leaving everyone feeling overworked, overloaded, and overwhelmed.   Some people may suggest that this is an issue of time management. The real issue is not time management but understanding your goals and your purpose.  I covered that topic in my last blog. Some of this overlaps but here are some tips on surviving and avoiding being overwhelmed. 1. Know Your Purpose. Know your vision, your goals, and your...

Have you ever wondered whether coaching is right for you? You may have an idea of what is by how it may be used in the workplace. But it is much more than that. Here is some information on what coaching is and what it is not. Is it right for you? Coaching relationships vary considerably. There are life coaches, sports coaches, health coaches, executive coaches, and so forth. Here is some information on the nature of coaching, its benefits, and how it varies from other type of consulting. Sometimes people confuse coaches with traditional consultants. They might ask a coach for advice. However, a coach’s role is not to provide answers or solutions. Instead a coach helps the client develop his or her own potential. If you have ever been motivated to act or energized by way of conversations, you have experienced the effects of coach. Here is an example....

The biggest obstacle to getting things done is a self-limiting factor called procrastination. We create that obstacle by our behavior. Procrastination is something that we all have to confront and deal with from time to time. It's only natural to procrastinate at times, but the way you deal with your procrastination patterns will determine what effects procrastination has on your life. Why is it that so many people start out with good intentions to achieve a goal but never achieve that goal? When you procrastinate you simply fail to take action on the very things you know will bring you the rewards that you desire. You know you want the rewards and know you must take action but you hold off, make excuses and, in short, procrastinate. Procrastination can be caused by a fear—a fear of failure or the fear of stepping outside your comfort zone. You will certainly have to...

If you received an inheritance of 100,000 would you go out and throw a big party or would you perhaps invest it or use it to pay down debt. Unfortunately, most people do not approach time in the same manner. It is true that you will get more out of the time you have when you learn to get more out of your life. What do you want? What are your values? What do you believe and what are your priorities? The answer to these questions will determine how you spend your day. In order to get more out of you time, you need to know what you want to get out of it. There is a difference between spending time and investing time. According to Webster to spend is to use up, exhaust, or consume. In other words if you spend you have no return. On the other hand when...

Setting goals is one of the most important keys to achieving success. Studies have shown that the most successful people are the ones who have specific, written goals. However, a large number of people do not even have written goals. When you ask them why they don’t have written goals they are likely to respond that they have it in their head. But ask the same people if they have plans for their next vacation and they will produce elaborate written plans. Setting a goal is not as easy as just writing it down. It is not like a New Year's resolution. That is just a wish. Just wishing and hoping for something isn't going to make it happen. Setting a goal involves having target and an action plan to hit the target. When planning your goals, choose which categories you would like for your goals. Establish the time frame. They...

Setting goals is one of the most important keys to achieving success. Studies have shown that the most successful people are the ones who have specific, written goals.  When you set goals that is only the first step toward the actual achievement of your goals. Setting a goal is not like a New Year's resolution, in others words, it is not just a wish. Just wishing and hoping for something isn't going to make it happen. Setting a goal is having a target to shoot for and a plan to get there. When planning your goals, choose which categories you would like for your goals. Establish the time frame. They could be lifetime goals, 10 year, 5 year, 1 year, 6 month, 3 month, 1 month, or weekly goals. Also you can have ongoing goals, such as exercising 3 to 5 times a week. Be specific when you write your goals....

What do you think about when you hear, “I’m Loving It.” Or what do you think when you hear, “Just do it.” You probably said McDonalds and Nike. Why are you able to recall this so quickly? Over a period of time you have heard commercials on TV and radio that continually mention the taglines of McDonalds and Nike. You did not intend to learn this tagline but the advertiser’s use of spaced repetition planted it in your mind. How did you learn your multiplication tables when you were young? Or how did you memorize that poem when you were in grade school? That was also spaced repetition. Spaced repetition is the most effective and powerful way we learn. So how are you incorporating spaced repetition into your learning process, and what about your process with other staff or junior associates? Are you responsible for teaching some other staff how to...

Have you wondered whether you would benefit by having a coach? Here is some information on what coaching is and what it is not. Is it right for you? Coaching relationships vary considerably. There are life coaches, sports coaches, health coaches, business coaches, and so forth. Here is some information on the nature of coaching, its benefits, and how it varies from other type of consulting. Sometimes people confuse coaches with traditional consultants. They might ask a coach for advice. However, a coach’s role is not to provide answers or solutions. Instead a coach helps the client develop their own potential. If you have ever been motivated to act or energized by way of conversations you have experienced the effects of coach. Here is an example. If a child asks you how to spell a word you could provide the child with the correct spelling. That would be the consultant approach....