Leaders have 2 main jobs:  Direction + Delegation.

You don’t “do the work” anymore – you need to “get things done through others.”  You make the transition from using your functional skills – to supporting other people to use theirs.  Your job now is to prioritize the right actions to be taken – and then get them done through your people.
As mentioned in our previous article, “Advice for new managers” – you start by setting clear goals and providing clear directions.  Put the right systems and performance measures in place.  Hold people accountable.  Provide support.  Now, step back and let your team figure out how to do it.  They’ll develop faster and you’ll get more done.  Yes, you are accountable for the results of your team’s work, but don’t try to control everything that happens.  You may think your way is the right way – but it’s not the only right way.

But you still have to hold people firmly accountable for performance!

Every role should have one objective measure of performance, a “score” which is used to measure that person’s performance on a weekly and/or monthly basis.  Everyone must know at the end of every month whether they are doing a good job or not.
If someone is not achieving the target level of performance, it is important that you deal with it promptly at the end of the month.  Rarely does an issue resolve itself.  Ask questions to understand what is really going on, and agree the specific actions both parties will take to address the performance issue in the coming month.

Don’t procrastinate on this.  You may not enjoy these performance discussions because they can involve confrontation – but doing nothing and hoping that things will magically get better is not good leadership.

Don’t spend too much time trying to “fix” problem performers.

The 80/20 principle shows us time and time again, that we must focus our time and resources on the products, services, and customers which are the highest performers, and on those with the highest future potential.
Unfortunately when it comes to staff, it is an all too common trap for managers to spend most of their time trying to “fix” poor performers – and as a result they can end up neglecting their rock stars.
Assuming you are providing the appropriate training, coaching and support – if a sub-par employee can’t be brought up to speed within a mutually agreed time frame (I suggest 3 months), then you must accept that you have made a hiring error and cut them loose.

Stay in touch.

Make sure you truly know what is truly going on at the front lines.  Get out there and see for yourself.  Make it safe for your people to tell you the raw unvarnished truth.  You may not always like what you hear, but at least now you have the opportunity to put it right.  Get the data you need to make good decisions.  Determine the right performance metrics and keep your people focused on these key numbers.

Make a decision.

The military teaches their officers that any decision is better than no decision.  If you happen to make a wrong decision, then you make a better one – but don’t just stand there!  Occasionally you may decide to “take no action” in response to a situation, but make sure this is a conscious decision that you clearly communicate to your people so they know why – rather than procrastinate and hope things will sort themselves out.

Keep the home fires burning.

Just as we need to keep the romance alive in our personal relationships and not take our loved ones for granted – we need to apply the same thinking with our people.  Praise and recognize people who achieve their target level of performance and who simultaneously model your Core Values.  Involve your people in quarterly reviews of the company’s long term goals and your strategy to reach these goals.  Keep your people focused on “why” your business is doing what it does (your Core Purpose) and how much brighter the future will be when you achieve your goals.
Engage them with your heartfelt passion.  If you are not truly passionate about the journey you are on, then you should not be leading these people.

Stop being the hero.

If you have to keep parachuting in to save the day, you get to feel like a hero, but it is a symptom that you are not yet doing a good job as a leader, and a clear sign that you need to go back and address one or more of the above steps.

Courtesy of RESULTS.com

People in the same team (sometimes even in an entire industry) can tend to all think alike.  This is a trap to beware of when setting strategy and forecasting goals.  Groups can tend to be over-confident and take on greater risks vs. an individual thinking alone.

To counter this tendency, solicit a diverse range of opinions (even contrary opinions) to help you think through the consequences of each option before making a decision.  Be willing to change your mind when new information comes to light that suggests a different course of action.

Past performance does not equal future performance

Just because something happened in the past, does not mean that it will continue to be so in the future.  In a rapidly changing environment, mindless financial goal setting based on past trends quickly becomes divorced from reality.  People quickly become disengaged when they think they have no chance of reaching their goals.

To counter this, great leaders follow a disciplined strategic planning and execution framework, and review their strategy every quarter to ensure relevance with the changing competitive environment.  Thus, goals and projects are set within the context of the current strategic reality and the team can readily “buy in” to them.

Guard against “Confirmation Bias”

We tend to look for, and place more weight on information and data that confirms our personal point of view and discount information that doesn’t.

To counter this tendency, obtain information from a broad range of sources – and make a decision based on a meta-analysis of all the data.  Don’t just cherry pick the data that confirms your own point of view.

Build time for learning into new activities

If you are asking your people to do something new, remember to factor in sufficient time to acquire the knowledge they will need to be able to successfully execute the project.

Eliminate fear

Team members should know that achieving their goals and executing their strategic projects by the due dates will form part of their performance appraisal.

However, you must guard against creating a climate where people fear that they will be punished if they come up short.  If they feel this way, they tend to become ultra-conservative and set deliberately low goals, or allow far more time than they need to complete their projects.

Neither should leaders bully their people into accepting overly aggressive goals – or due dates that are unrealistic, by making them feel inadequate if they don’t accept the challenge.

It is a delicate balancing act.  You want your people to perform to their full potential, AND you want them fully engaged and motivated.

To counter these pitfalls, take time to discuss each goal or project with the person accountable and negotiate a mutual agreement.  As noted in our article “What successful people do differently” it is important to balance optimism with realism.  Agree realistic goals and due dates that take into account that your people still need deal with “business as usual” and fight any fires that come up along the way – yet still achieve their goals and milestones.

Your aim is to create a culture of “keeping promises”, where people make promises to each other that they know they will be able to keep.

“Bank the learnings”

Effective companies follow a cadence where they stop and evaluate their business execution every 90 days.  They ask everyone questions like:  Did we achieve our goals this quarter?  Did we execute our strategic priorities effectively and achieve the milestones we set by the due date?  What did we learn?  What will we start doing?  What will we stop doing?  What will we do better next quarter?

By following a disciplined debriefing process, you “bank the learnings” and make your strategic planning and execution more effective next quarter, and each and every quarter that you repeat this disciplined process.

Courtesy of Paul Coles, Partner and Business Development at RESULTS.com

This week at a company meeting, we found ourselves chatting about slightly different lists as in – life’s experiences list; a.k.a The Bucket List. 

Two had jumped out of aeroplanes, one had learned to play clarinet, one had recently purchased a puppy, one was enrolled to do additional papers part time, one was writing a book and one was competing in Ironman the 2^nd time  and one had decided it was finally time to re-join the library. 

Apart from there being a glorious mixture of goals the common theme that was evident with this bunch was the fact that this was successful lists in action.  Each individual was planning, making lists and above all, checking items off the list as they achieved it.  The sense of satisfaction and achievement they shared was both enviable and contagious.

So, as we head towards the end of March, the clock is ticking and there’s no time like the present to get sorted, take control, break it down, hop in the driver’s seat, get action focussed and avoid that bogged down feeling.

Want to reach out for one of the surest ways to focus?  Then follow these suggestions for making that list;

1)      Refer to your plan (in the working context we use 90 day planning at Frog)
2)      List what needs to be done next
3)      Start each item with a verb so you have a list of real physical actions you will take
4)      Cross off at least half the items on your list. Decide what’s to go and what’s to stay based on importance, not urgency.
5)      Get started!  

HINT: If getting started is the hard part check out the following website for a technique that I was introduced to last year:  http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

The technique is based on working in chunks of 25 minute time slots – so all you need is a timer or better still – download a free pomodoro application to your phone.

This is a story of a young boy who at the age of 12 dreamed of being a watchmaker, and like all good stories, this has a very happy ending.

Now 71, David Brownson has certainly come a long way since he was 12.  He now owns Brownson’s Jewellers in New Plymouth, an extremely successful jewellery business that his father began in 1929, but through David’s willingness to embrace technology, his client base stretches far and wide.

David was in his teens when he began to learn about the jewellery business.  “At the age of 16 I was not that keen on learning French and heading down an academic path,” he says.

At 18 David joined forces with his father in the family business, Brownson’s Jewellers in New Plymouth, which he eventually took over when his father retired.  Things seemed to be going well and falling into place nicely for David, but like anyone in business knows, you have your ups and your downs.

“One of the mistakes I made,” David candidly admits, “was trying to compete with the multi-nationals on price.  The more I did this, my turnover increased but it seriously eroded my profits to the point where the margins were all but non-existent.”

He then took a radical step: he stopped all advertising, got back to the basics and moved into one-off manufactured jewellery.  He not only bought new machinery to create the pieces, but also the computer software needed to create the unique designs which has had a welcome add-on effect.

“I have the best job in the world,” David declares.  “I now get all these hugs from women who just have tears in their eyes when they see the final piece created for them.”

Retaining that family legacy, David’s son Wayne is now part of the business and David laughs at any suggestion he may retire soon.

“My father worked until he was 75 so I look forward to learning a lot more yet.”

David also says he is appalled when he hears people can’t understand the latest technology. “It’s all a mindset. There is no reason for anyone not to continue learning and taking up new challenges.  My motto is ‘never say die’. When it got tough we looked at what we could do differently and the answer was there in the computer.”

This attitude has seen the business nearly double in growth over the past two years, to the extent they have to expand their floor space.

 David has a new range of special Kiwiana jewellery in the making, which includes a silver fern he is particularly proud of. He also points out that aside from the diamonds, everything about his products are New Zealand made, even down to the castings.

 “I love my work and I love making people’s dreams come true.”

 So as we stated in the beginning, this story has a happy ending for everyone.

This time next year Jess Britten, the winner of the Westpac Young Fashion Designer Award, hopes to be enrolled at London’s Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design, a school that has produced some of the world’s most well known fashion designers.

With famed motorcycle inventor and engineer John Britten and former international model Kirsteen Britten as parents, it’s little wonder that Jess has her sights set at the top.

But it takes more than good genes to be a success.

Meeting at their Christchurch home, love RED met with Jess, Kirsteen and sister Izzy, and it quickly became clear the Britten women aren’t afraid of a bit of hard work.

“It’s about acknowledging what you’re good at and going for it,” says the 20 year-old. “My theory is that if you are passionate and have a bit of natural talent then all that stands between you and your dreams is hard work. And that just makes success sweeter when you achieve what you set out to.” 

Kirsteen agrees, comparing Jess’s drive to her father’s, who tragically passed away in 1995. “John always used to say that he wasn’t actually more talented than other people – and that’s debatable – but he had tenacity. That was the one different thing he had. He always finished the things he started.”

It was apparent from an early age that Jess would have a career in fashion, begging Kirsteen for sewing lessons at just seven years old.

“The first thing I made, and I think mum still has it somewhere, is a full length polar fleece skirt that was baby purple with green flowers all over it.”

“I think she wore it to bed for a while as well,” laughs Kirsteen. “Everywhere she went people said ‘wow, what a cool skirt’. Everyone wanted to know where she got it. I wanted to respect all their journeys and I could see that fashion was where she was heading and where she had great talent.”

Jess says it was this kind of encouragement that meant her ideas never stopped.

“No one ever said to me ‘you look crazy or bizarre’ – I thought I looked great. The way you are nurtured is a huge part of it. In my opinion, no matter what you are born with, it can be trodden down by people telling you what you should do and

I can’t remember mum ever saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or ‘that looks hideous’. She let me form my own opinion, whatever I thought looked great – that was what mattered.”

It was Izzy who suggested Jess enter the Westpac Young Designer Competition, even missing a lecture at Polytechnic just hours before the competition closed to model for Jess’s entry.

But Izzy, a commerce student at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, jokes she’s yet to see any personal benefits.

“I bought a dress in an op shop a year ago and I’m still waiting for Jess to hem it!”

Apart from studying at St Martins, Jess’s short term goals include work experience with a New Zealand label and an internship overseas.

Ultimately she hopes all this hard work and training will one day lead to her having her own label.

“I’m still figuring out where I’m best placed in the market. You have to find the balance between being commercial and being a creative genius. I don’t find it useful to look at books or what other people are doing because it affects you subconsciously. I see everything around me and what it could be.”

But in the meantime, Jess’s $5,000 prize money from the Westpac Young Fashion Designer Award and mentoring from Kiwi designers Huffer will go a long way to getting her to London.

Inspired by his travels around Europe and the culinary delights he experienced there, Roger Belton saw the potential New Zealand’s abundance of great shellfish held as a sought after delicacy around the globe.

Upon returning to New Zealand in the early 1980s, the Otago University anthropology graduate noticed there was something special in the local waters, and from there Southern Clams was born.

“We had a country with some of the best raw food materials in the world and we really didn’t do much with them,” he concedes acknowledging that Europe and Asia held clams in a much higher regard than in New Zealand at the time.

So from 1982, Southern Clams began to harvest and export the wild littleneck clams and queen scallops of the Otago coastline to Europe, Asian and North America where demand was high, but Roger says that New Zealand’s attitudes towards the clam are definitely becoming more progressive.

“About 20% now goes to the domestic market and we’ve got good uptake with restaurants. Part of the challenge is educating the market on how to eat and prepare clams. Clams might not be high on the list of possible meals for many Kiwis, but present a well-prepared clam chowder and they will be delighted.”

Southern Clams’ existence was a struggle at first, and they were frequently opening and closing for their first eight years of operation.

“I would have abandoned the whole thing, but when we reopened after being closed for a couple of years, I got on the phone expecting to start from scratch – but two hours later, all the books were full. So I knew people were growing an appetite for what we had to offer – there was definitely something here.”

Because the majority of Southern Clams’ business is exporting live stock, they do unfortunately rack up the food miles, and no one is more aware of their carbon footprint than Roger. That’s why since the company’s inception he has actively sought to mitigate their environmental impact.

“The only viable solution for us is to take full responsibility for our impact and ensure that ultimately we cover our carbon footprint. The easiest way for us to do that is to plant trees and set up carbon forests.”

So far the company has planted an impressive 83 hectares of trees which will allow them to be carbon neutral to the first point of sale this year.  However, that is just the beginning with a massive 300 hectares of forest planned with the goal to be 100% carbon neutral by 2018.

Constant research and careful harvesting methods have ensured that their impact on the natural environment is sustainable and that there is no tangible or appreciable effect on other species in the area.

“It’s about long time frames and after 28 years the biomass in the area that we’ve been harvesting and is more or less the same, the only difference is we removed the old shellfish and now there’s a lot of beautiful young stock in there.

“Ideally we will be able to say that after 100 years, and after a quarter of a century I’m getting pretty confident of that.”

The idea is simple: you take something that has been discarded, perhaps forgotten, and turn it into something extraordinary. You let it fulfil its potential. We’re not talking about Trash Palace’s incredibly successful recycling programme, but the people that they employ.

 In the mid-1990s, the Porirua Psychiatric Hospital was closed leaving patients with mental health care needs nowhere to go. So when Mana Recovery was formed in 1996 by a group who had an interest in the patients’ wellbeing, the intention was simple – to provide real life employment opportunities and vocational rehabilitation programmes for those with mental health care needs with nowhere to turn after the closure of the hospital.

 Thanks to the success of various initiatives in partnership with the Porirua City Council and local businesses, the organisation has now branched out with an award winning commercial recycling enterprise: Trash Palace.  Former Patron and Mayor of Porirua, Jenny Brash, described Trash Palace as the “jewel in the crown” of the Porirua City Council’s environmental programmes.

Whether it’s recovering resources such as metal, e-waste and business recycling, the sale of recycled goods, lawn and garden maintenance work or small contracts, Trash Palace keeps its staff very busy with many jobs around town.

General Manager Elizabeth Coluzzi proudly says that Trash Palace has become a New Zealand icon, attracting international acclaim as a successful model of resource recovery others want to replicate.

“Most importantly we now employ 50% of our staff (25 people) with mental health needs, with our largest employment opportunities being our second hand goods shop and metal recycling operations.”

A favourite spot for shoppers of all sorts, such as bargain hunters, artists, collectors, and environmentalists, the Trash Palace shop sells a range of recycled goods at bargain prices. For no charge the public can drop unwanted goods that were destined for the landfill but could still be reused, such as furniture, whiteware, electrical items, gardening tools and bikes.

Trash Palace also offers Porirua residents two free inorganic material collections per year to help clear out unwanted items, which are then sold on. In 2006, a metal recycling facility was opened which now collects all kinds of electronic and metal waste, recovering valuable metals for recycling. Where possible, electrical goods, parts and appliances are also repaired for resale.

“Over the years we’ve grown a significant customer base. The reasons for purchasing from Trash Palace are varied – from getting a bargain, to assisting a community based organisation and saving the planet for a greener future,” says Elizabeth.

And all of this is delivering in spades for the trainees working at Trash Palace.

“These services assist our trainees to develop socially, gain employment skills and work ethics, build confidence and the opportunity to rehabilitate back into the community,” adds Elizabeth.

The success of Mana Recovery and Trash Palace has been reflected in the organisation’s win at the 2010 Westpac Porirua City Business Excellence Awards. Elizabeth says the award acknowledges the unique nature of the business.

Take a luxury 53 foot catamaran and the beautiful fresh waters of Rotorua’s Lake Rotoiti, add a selection of New Zealand’s best food and wine, plus a splash of true commitment to eco-tourism, and you’ve got Pure Cruise.

 It all started when local husband and wife teams of Tina Masters and Donald Johnstone, and Matt Horder and Annie Walden saw a chance to live their dream by combining passions for New Zealand and the water. All four are from keen boating families and grew up on the water – Tina, of Te Arawa and Tainui descent, in the Coromandel, Donald a New Zealand and International white water kayaking champion, and Matt and Annie skippering super yachts with a number of pacific passages and Atlantic crossings recorded in their log books. 

 Tina and Matt are now the active Directors of Pure Cruise Ltd, defining and driving the Pure Cruise vision.

 In the winter of 2008, the well travelled friends found the catamaran of their dreams in the Caribbean, which they christened ‘Tuia’ (which in Maori means ‘run with the wind’) and then sailed back to New Zealand. Once here she was carried by a house moving truck and lifted by crane into the magical waters of Lake Rotoiti where she remains to this day as the flagship of Pure Cruise.

 After two successful years in operation, Tina says a passion for the outdoors and commitment to sharing the beautiful region with others is what has contributed to Pure Cruise’s success.

 “Knowing our market, understanding our competitors and product, and believing in the potential to evolve and deliver in a way which sets us apart from our competitors is key.”

 Offering a unique eco-sailing experience in a pristine environment, Pure Cruise gives guests the opportunity to discover the beauty of Lake Rotoiti daily.

 “We get such a buzz from exceeding people’s expectations of the sailing experience, as well as sharing the region. Most days we’re meeting new people and on the water – it’s such a privilege.”

 But it’s not just the impressive views on offer as Tina and Matt have developed the Pure Cruise offering with a selection of onboard and land-based activities, such as fishing for the famous Lake Rotoiti trophy trout, or a lake edge soak in the Manupirua thermal pools, accessible only by boat and one of the area’s best kept secrets. The Skipper is also happy to hand over the wheel and winches, after a quick lesson of course, to guests wanting to learn sailing techniques.

 And as sailing is a fully sustainable activity, Pure Cruise is also proud to fly the eco-tourism flag. As well as generating her own power, Tuia also recycles and reuses her own water and features solar panels.

 For Tina and Matt, they’re doing what they love while giving others the chance to experience it as well. 

 “Lake Rotoiti has played an important role in our company’s history. It’s so beautiful; people are just thrilled to get a chance to see it from the catamaran. We’ve developed an experience that’s accessible to anyone, both locals and tourists, and it’s such a pleasure to do this.”

Arekatera Maihi is, quite literally, carving out an impressive career.

Auckland-born Arekatera (Ngāti Whātua o Orakei, Te Waiohua, and Ngā Puhi) is the chief carver for Ngāti Whātua o Orakei.  Now based in Whakatane, Arekatera and his wife Leonie (Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau ā Apanui and Taranaki), established Toitu Design in 2007, creating and producing whakairo (carvings), moko (tattoos) and Maori designs for use in print and web.  

Since then, Arekatera has built a unique portfolio, with a particular focus on carvings that fuse traditional Maori designs into modern applications.  

From whakairo at Auckland’s Vector Arena, to pipes for the newly-restored organ in the Auckland Town Hall that blend the sounds of traditional Maori instruments with traditional organ music (a first for an organ), to four giant pou (carved posts) at the corners of the new Eden Park stadium, Arekatera is adding a distinctive flavour to many of our largest city’s landmarks.

“Fusing contemporary and customary Maori art has been happening since Maori first saw the European ships. We adapted our tool technology from stone to steel by using nails that came from the same ships. With the use of Maori narratives, customary and contemporary media, we have a fusion that can connect the past present and future,” says Arekatera.

A big focus for Arekatera over the last few months has been a carving based on the story of Maui fishing up Te Ika ā Maui (the North Island of Aotearoa).  Commissioned by Westpac New Zealand, the 6 metre high carving will have pride of place in Westpac’s new head office building in Auckland.

Arekatera has been working on the carving, crafted from a 4000-year-old trunk of swamp kauri, since September last year and this month, it will be installed.

We’ve worked very closely with local iwi, Ngāti Whātua, as our new building has taken shape.  Their advice and support has been pivotal and our building has a very distinctive New Zealand feel. The carving of Maui is a particular highlight in our new building.  It’s been a real pleasure to work with Arekatera on this project.”

Christchurch based Linden Leaves has an ambitious goal for 2011: To be the best loved, best selling, best known skin care range in New Zealand.

Established in 1995 by Brigit Blair, the Christchurch based company was inspired by personal experience as two of Brigit’s three children suffered severe eczema and had allergic reactions to almost everything. Buying soaps was a challenge because of the lack of selection in the 1980s, meaning Brigit learned a lot while researching soap ingredients.

“Mum got quite interested in what was going on your skin – and what it did to you,” says daughter and creative director Juliet, “because the doctors were prescribing steroid cream for my sister and she thought that was not that great. So it kind of evolved from there.”

Once her children had grown up, Brigit decided to put her knowledge of natural and soothing skin care products to use by producing and marketing her own brand, in particular exporting to Korea where there was a definite gap in the market for such products.

But it certainly wasn’t all smooth from the get-go. Linden Leaves’ first outlet shop opened in a massive Lotte department store in South Korea, and the company had invested a huge proportion of their stock and faith in the store. However, that same year, poor construction of the building led to its collapse.

Linden Leaves recovered thanks to dedication from Brigit, whose strong focus on word-of-mouth marketing has led to the business steadily flourishing. Now, in 2011, they have customers all over the world and have even branched out into the realm of high-quality day spas, with the first one just opened in Christchurch.

“Our Day Spa is a good way for people who have never come across our products to experience them through a trained therapist.  It’s also nice for our long-term customers to take a different approach to our products.”

Juliet initially had no plans of going to work for her mum, but after 10 years with the company she knows it was the right decision. 

“We’re actually incredibly different personalities and we see different angles of the same equation. I think if we were more similar it would be much harder, and the dynamic we have works really well.”

However, Juliet is quick to stress that it’s not just the female population that Linden Leaves appeals to, and with the recent launch of their ‘Rugby’ line of beauty products, men are a huge part of their customer base.

“Rugby is the third men’s range we’ve released and has just taken off. I think because it’s blokey enough in feel and atmosphere, guys think ‘this is ok for me to use’, and then they come back for more”

It’s this high customer satisfaction rate that means Linden Leaves’ reputation is constantly on the increase, and with products that target everything from head to toe and new day spas in the pipeline, their goal to be the best known skin care range in the country is edging closer.