Priority Learning Articles

Show Your Product

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:25:01 EST

Show Your Product - This is the second of three articles about product and it sounds a bit self-serving as I write it, but it is necessary. As a leader, your product may be your steadiness when stress is high. It could be your belief in others or your crystal clear clarity about what you want. I have known leaders who were so strong that when others turned their backs on them they got taller, stronger and more patient. These taller, stronger leaders know the power of committing to something of value, even if the cost of that commitment is unpopular.

Let's take some of the things people may have said to you when you asked the "unique" question from last month. You may have heard things like good decision making, determination, courage, patience, calmness, vision, clarity, loyalty, and/or approachability. Here is an example of Show Your Product:

Example: Good decision making and value statements - Most organizations these days have value statements written down someplace. Whether you realize it or not, most of your good decisions are in parallel with those values statements if they are well written. Leaders need to talk about those values in relation to their decisions frequently. If others have cited your ability to make good decisions, you are in a unique position to transfer learning to others. Good decision making is a product of values and judgment. Judgment is your ability to weigh different options and decide what is best for the greater good. Values are the "why" in decision making. So, now that you have been cited as an example of good judgment, think about it and be consistently good in your judgment. If you want to transfer learning when the opportunity is right, share your method for decision making and deciding what is best. People will be interested to hear your value statements and before long they will be following your lead. By the way, you will continue to grow as a decision maker.

Organizational & Departmental Permission

craig@prioritylearningresearch.com (Craig Twombly) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:34:11 EST

The greatest privilege I have with my job is the ability to work with many different companies and individuals. I enjoy learning the craft of their jobs and also the challenges they face in the workplace. As I began to write an article this month I stopped and reflected backwards to not only my career but the work over the last several months. As leaders and managers many of the core skills and behaviors we exhibit, have been taught to us by our managers and leaders along the way. We are the sum of all our experiences, and some of my experiences are worth reviewing and others I just wish could be pushed out of my thoughts. Our experience is what shapes us to who we are today. While working with a group of managers from an organization, I tasked them to put some of the workshop learning into use. The group left and, several weeks later when we met again, I asked the group to tell me about their experiences they had setting expectations with their staff. The room became quiet and you could hear a pin drop. No one shared their individual experience, as I moved in the conversation it became apparent that the group was waiting for permission from their managers. Many organizations face the same issue and a supervisor or manager might wait for permission before taking a risk. The subject is not only intriguing but challenging. So what is the reasoning of why managers feel the need to ask for permission? Or, wait for permission for that matter. Go to our website to read more...

Book Review: Stephen R. Covey's The 3rd Alternative

lorraine@prioritylearningresearch.com (Lorraine Twombly) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:12:56 EST

This is a good book about synergy and people getting together to think of other ways to solve their conflicts or problems. I've always liked that word synergy, because it symbolizes the need to work together to solve stressful problems, such as conflicts with friends, neighbors, and school disputes, as well as financial situations and all things that can go wrong at work with bosses, peers and employees. Synergy also works to enhance your business and personal life. Some people think that synergy is just another buzz word that no one pays attention to. That's very evident when we see how things are going politically in all areas of our country. All we tend to see are the negative ads that will discredit one person from another. This is not just in the political world, but in many media settings and many areas in the workplace. It seems as though some people are only interested in their way to solve the problem, rather than to connect with the person to improve, include, and find new solutions for win/win outcomes or outcomes that both parties can live with.

Know Your Product

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:00:01 EST

Back in the early 90s as I was struggling to make my way into the field of organizational development (OD), a friend gave me some of the best advice I have ever received when he told me to get a job in consulting so I could learn how to do the work. My ego or determination or independence (you pick) had prevented me from such a thought, but poverty, combined with rejection, is a pretty powerful motivator, so I did exactly that - I got a job with a small consulting firm in Portland. This was an important part of who and what Priority Learning is today and it gave me early exposure to some of the most interesting consultants doing some of the most interesting work. The founder of the firm became a close guide, coach and even a mentor in many ways and one of the more profound things he taught me was the difference between a product and a service. Sounds kind of simple, huh? The words may sound simple but in our sometimes passionate discussions about whether or not we should sell products or services was born the philosophy in what we do. You can't pay enough for that kind of education and, as I was listening to the conversation about good leadership mentioned earlier, it occurred to me that each leader needs to know what I learned from that 'wily old dog' way back when.

Collaborative Decision Making

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:56:34 EST

We talk a lot about decision making in our work.Included in that discussion, we frame at least three types of decisions people make in business. First, there are decisions that individuals make without consultation or collaboration in which, as singular leaders or managers, they get to own the responsibility and all its value or misery. The second type of decision is called consultative in which others add their points of view or expertise. This second type is still the responsibility of the manager or leader who begins the discussion, but at least they have acquired "input" from others. The third type, and the most time-consuming type of the three, is the collaborative decision. This requires two or more people sharing responsibility for a decision and requires more work, understanding and time.

Consultative Decision Making

craig@prioritylearningresearch.com (Craig Twombly) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:06:11 EST

Consultative is the second or what we consider as the middle of the three decision making styles. In Ralph's article he outlined the three decision-making styles. To his point decision-making styles and the approaches leaders take are often discussed in length within companies looking for leadership development. All three styles are appropriate in the business and personal settings. The directive style is often used under the crunch of time or deadlines. When these decisions are made they often provide solutions quickly and often are implemented in short order. The Consultative decision-making style is a little more time consuming and, if used correctly, can lead to a more educated, more nimble and engaged workforce. This style is used when there is more time to make a decision on important issues and requires input from people who can (or sometimes cannot) be directly impacted by those decisions. These consultative leaders inevitably make the decision to work within a team or teams for their thoughts before making crucial decisions.

Collaborative Decision Making

lorraine@prioritylearningresearch.com (Lorraine Twombly) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:34:55 EST

Because the collaborative style is very team-like in its approach to solving problems, it is the most appreciated, especially among important decision-making initiatives that will affect the organization as a whole. So, let's get collaborative...of all three decision making styles the collaborative is the most time consuming, but also creates great, profitable businesses, when done right.

Letting Go

lorraine@prioritylearningresearch.com (Lorraine Twombly) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:45:41 EST

Years ago when my son was in high school I learned how smart a trait it is to simply let go of things that are out of my control. You may wonder what I mean by that so I'll tell you a quick story about how that worked out.

My son needed a good school, a different school, to attend because his grammar school experiences were not helping him to be the person he could be. He had more than a few challenges in a "one-size fits all" public-school system. So we looked around at a school that was a better fit for his learning style during his high-school years. Our son, after participating in a summer program, decided to do the four years of high school at the Hyde School in Bath, Maine. The school represents more than just curriculum and getting students into good colleges. They actually insist that their students learn how to behave, confront their issues, to be honest even if it hurts, and to live by a certain value set (integrity, leadership, community service, just to name a few).

Well, this school was right up our alley because their value sets and our value sets were right in line and fit where we thought our son would thrive. Even our young teen-aged son thought he finally found a place where he can be himself and learn and grow into a smart and emotionally intelligent young man.

Today, after having graduated from college two years ago, he is thriving as a young man - not because he's so successful already, but because he has learned mostly to let go of things he cannot control, which was a big learning event not only for him, but for me as well.

Jungle Rules: Resilience and Reflective Time Shifting!

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:34:34 EST

In my article in December we were examining how people fit in or didn't fit in with their respective organizations. As I was writing the article, it had occurred to me (again) that just because someone doesn't fit or doesn't choose to fit doesn't mean that they don't have value or are less personally important in the long run of work and life interests.

Jungle Rules - The story goes like this. There was a young water buffalo who was thirsty and he journeys to the watering hole for a drink. For the first time he notices his reflection in the water. He thinks, "What a handsome dude" and feels just a bit self-satisfied. As he continues to drink he notices something else. The other animals drinking look very different from his reflection. In fact, he discovers that the other animals at the watering hole look very much like the ones he witnessed chasing, catching and eating the ones that look just like him. The other guys have stripes and long teeth and seem to be licking their lips as they stare at him. For the first time he starts to realize that he is different and by no means the dominant animal at the watering hole. Instinctively and wisely he thinks to himself, "Choices need to be made right now."

Risk Taking and Leadership

craig@prioritylearningresearch.com (Craig Twombly) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:28:11 EST

Risks are an inherent part of everyday life, some risks are big and some are small. When you get into a vehicle and drive to work, you are taking a risk. Although it does not seem that risky as I write this, it is. After driving for years, it has become second nature just as brushing your teeth or tying your shoes. This is not to say I am over confident in my driving. Yet, because it is done every day, it has become part of the routine you forget the sheer gravity of driving. Last year during a snow storm, I found myself far from home and needing to get home. During the slow ride trip home I really had time to think about the fact that this is dangerous and the risks versus reward is huge. In this day of texting and using our cell phones while driving, the risk is even more than we think. We have laws in place to protect people and rules of the road to keep everyone safe. We can be involved in an automobile accident where the car is ruined or we're injured and so on. And the point is that risks are everywhere in life and unavoidable.

Risk as defined by Merriam-Webster's dictionary is a: possibility of loss or injury, b: someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard. Risks happen all around us, not only in our personal life but our professional life as well. It is easy to compartmentalize risks as the example above. Yes there is real danger in driving and we see on the news almost daily the outcome of these risks. As leaders of a team or staff it is important to know that there is risk taking involved. I recently sat down and had lunch with a man who is a local business owner. I asked him why after so many years he was successful and still loved it so much. I was not all that surprised at his response, "I may not be successful at something I try today, but you better look out I will be back tomorrow." As a business owner he thrives in the challenge of trying to succeed every day. He makes decisions and reviews the outcomes. This sometimes is taking on a whole new product line or carrying a new vendor that no one has heard of. Either way he is taking business risks. One of the personality traits I admire the most is the fact that he will take risks and loves every minute of it, and yes he has failed more than once with some of those chances.

Why SOPA & PIPA Could Change The Internet As We Know It

milly@prioritylearningresearch.com (Milly Welsh) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:22:56 EST

If you happened to be browsing the web on January 28th you may have noticed that some popular websites like Wikipedia and Reddit were missing in action, protesting two bills currently in the United States House and Senate. The bills are SOPA "Stop Online Piracy Act" and PIPA "Protect IP Act."

At first glance these bills seem like they would be positive for the Internet, certainly most people would agree that piracy is wrong. The devil is in the details of how this bill would be enforced. They wouldn't just step up the penalty for online piracy, they would actually shut down any website suspected of linking to any other website that contains pirated materials or content that is in violation of a copyright infringement. It would be up to website owners and developers to constantly monitor the links and user generated content on the site, which would be very costly from a time and monetary standpoint. If accused of being in violation, small businesses and individuals would likely be unable to defend themselves. It would just cost too much. This would yet again play into the hands of large corporations with unlimited resources.

New Poll Question for January 2012 - What's Your Resolution?

milly@prioritylearningresearch.com (Milly Welsh) — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 12:56:34 EST

Most of us make new resolutions at the start of the new year. Leaders have an important role and we'd like you to choose which of the following has the greatest resonance to you:

Reflections of 2011: Internal Locus of Control

craig@prioritylearningresearch.com (Craig Twombly) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:20:22 EST

As the year comes to an end, it often leaves many people looking back at the last year in reflection. Many people will use the opportunity to look at the success they had during the year. It also leaves people looking at what they had not done but wished they had. As a business consultant my goal is to help maximize the potential of the employee and the leadership base. This past year has brought many successes and struggles on a professional and personal level for me. As last year came to an end I wrote about the value to setting attainable goals for the New Year. We all live in a very fast-paced professional and personal life. As the economy sputtered and struggled to move forward many people have found themselves scratching their heads as they tried to make it all come together. As I reflect back to 2011 it got me thinking about last year's goals that I had set. One of the goals I had put in place was to grow the business and bring in clients that we had not yet had the privilege of working with. So as I reflect at my goals I look at what I did and did not accomplish.

Creating A Google+ Business Page

milly@prioritylearningresearch.com (Milly Welsh) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:05:22 EST

Just when you thought you had a handle on promoting your business with social media, Google throws a wrench in your marketing plans by creating its own social media platform - Google+. Read about why your business should have a Google+ page, how to get started and some tips to promote it.

Creating a Professional Image

lorraine@prioritylearningresearch.com (Lorraine Twombly) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:31:45 EST

Last month I wrote about the many ways leaders behave that turn people off from following them or believing in them. Listed in last month's article were the behavior segments, along with examples of what doesn't work and what does. As I pondered on a topic to write about this month, a recent conversation came to me that I had with a good friend and colleague. We were talking about changing one's image after making serious mistakes in approaches and behaviors with employees. I thought to myself at the time that I've heard about this too many times in my career and, most of the time, the folks who have made behavioral mistakes do not get out alive from that situation and most have been forced out or fired, which is an easy way (and many times wasteful) to get rid of the "bad" apple, so to speak. Lots of organizations do not want to spend the time on people to get them on the right track and the results can be devastating to them because, at that time, these leaders were not given the tools to work with. Just think of the lost time and money it takes to bring another leader on line and if the models don't change, there is a good chance for repeated patterns of failure. I'm not trying to make excuses for managers or leaders. In my experience, I have found that most of these leaders or managers had to figure things out as they went (lack of good preparation and training), followed and admired certain models of leadership behaviors, and did not have good resources or tools to work with. A good feedback tool to start the process is the best way for folks to know about how others think and feel about them as leaders or managers. Mentoring programs work for leaders as do outside resource coaches, however, most organizations have only a bi-annual or an annual process for feedback, such as performance reviews, goal-setting sessions, etc. Many times when we get a leader to coach they have already been the victim of bad habits and behaviors we have to correct much of which could have been avoided by good systematic coaching in the beginning and/or a solid mentor program.

Wrapping Up 2011 From all of us at Priority Learning!

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Mon, 5 Dec 2011 11:14:55 EST

Wow, what happened to 2011? It is December and it seems like only yesterday I was trying to figuring out where I stored my summer clothes. The year has been a very good one for us with continued and ongoing work with old friends, new clients/friends, and lots of new programs. We have met people finding new homes in the area, working in new businesses and we've heard from several people who got promoted. So I thought to wrap up 2011 it might be good to hit on some (not all) of the learning points. Because an organization isn't a good fit for someone doesn't mean that person doesn't fit - 2011 in my mind may be the year of people finding the right employer. It seemed that more and more people found their way home this year. People are deciding that to work in a place simply because they are good at the work or because they need the money is not good enough in many cases. At Priority Learning we are fond of saying; people want appreciation and a voice (participation) in their work and, if not provided, eventually people who need that voice or praise will move on to someplace (sometimes for less money but not usually) that provides a better fit. When the economy is bad, fear is up and people have a tendency to hold onto jobs they might not normally hold on to. With the new economy in mind, I expect that the trend will continue into 2012 because, as the market expends and jobs open up, folks who have been feeling like they are not a good fit currently may see things that are more appealing. Fear will be lower and we all know what a motivator fear is.

Priority Learning Video Series

milly@prioritylearningresearch.com (Milly Welsh) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:16:08 EST

Here at Priority Learning, we spend a lot of time updating and adding to our website. We do this for a few reasons. The most obvious is to promote our business, but this isn't the only reason. In addition to marketing ourselves, our goal is to create a comprehensive resource for people and organizations looking to achieve positive growth through leadership and organizational development. In a step to take this even further, we have started developing a series of videos outlining core business management and leadership concepts in under 3 minutes. Our first video talks about the 10/80/10 rule. Check back as we will add more videos in the coming weeks!

Groupthink

ralph@prioritylearningresearch.com (Ralph Twombly) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:16:58 EST

Last month I promised to return to changing workplace environments along with what really motivates people. Over the next few months, I plan to write about things I have heard from all of you and want to invite you to send along your ideas. As always, we will do our homework and give you our very best thoughts.

Crazy things are happening out there in the world of business. I witnessed a discussion recently about the use of text messaging in the workplace. One person was concerned that their subordinates were texting and weren't getting their work done. They weren't really sure but it felt like "keeping up" with friends was more important than the task at hand. Next came a suggestion from the most vocal person in the room that personal phones should be banned and then something curious happened. One by one each person began to agree. When asked if the texting was important to the work they did, all agreed that it was not. At this point, the manager in the room called a break. At the break the manager confided in me that he felt uncomfortable with the direction they were taking but didn't want to squash the participative process.

This phenomenon is called "Groupthink." There is an abundance of Groupthink information on-line. Here is how it is defined at http://www.psysr.org/about/pubs_resources/groupthink%20overview.htm.

What is Groupthink?

Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of "mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment". Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.

Emotional Transformations

lorraine@prioritylearningresearch.com (Lorraine Twombly) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:22:34 EST

Since coming home from Florida the latter part of September, I've had some adjustments to make. Even though I couldn't wait to come home and get back to my normal life as it was, there's been some differences in my emotions that I never experienced before. For the first time in my life, I've been losing focus on what I thought should be my focus. What I mean by that is not caring as much if my workspace and other spaces are neat and the sense of pride that went with it. I've also lost some of the excitement I used to experience when going to the movies, and even reading a great book is not as good as it's been and reading was (and still is to a certain extent) a great passion of mine. At first it bothered me and I kept asking myself, "What is wrong with me? Why can't I get back into my old groove?"

After feeling this way for a few weeks, I decided to look at this in a positive way and asked myself, "What's right about this?" It's like my brain is telling me that there are other things to be aware of and it's okay to change your emotions and feelings about things, as long as you can follow your intuition and share with loved ones who can lend some perspective and who are open to this type of discussion. Once I figured this out, it became easier for me to analyze the changes and how they affected me.

Okay, so I'm not as organized as I was, I can make the decision to keep my phone at home if Ralph and I are going out, and I've been giving myself enough time to slowly get to my destination so I can enjoy the beauty of Maine in the fall. My emotions have slowed down and I think it has a lot to do with the last year of being a caregiver for my dad before he passed. The experiences gained during this precious time were priceless and I understand what folks were talking about when they said, "You will always remember this experience and will be very glad that you did it and it will change you for life!" That statement is very true! These experiences included getting closer to family members, making new friends, getting to see old friends often, and meeting the most wonderful people on the face of the earth - the caregivers (or angels as I call them) of the sick and dying. It wasn't just the people, however. It was also the learning and growing and executing of the many things that had to be done. During this time, I understood the meaning of the phrase, "Don't sweat the small stuff!"