Which meetings do you have coming up? How will you ensure that your next meeting is a success?

Most of us have a love-hate relationship with meetings. We get frustrated with how much time they take up but also appreciate that meetings, at some level, are important. So, if we are going to commit time to them, what are the parameters that will make the meeting productive?

If you want a meeting to go well it is vital to prepare effectively. As illustrated in my last post, by answering 7 simple questions you can plan for success. To build on these questions, this post explores the main types of meetings and the subtle differences between them. This is knowledge that has been won through years of not only running gatherings but also through coaching other facilitators and teaching about meetings on leadership courses.

There are lots of types of meetings but most fall into the following categories:

1. Briefing
2. Teaching
3. Decision-making
4. Problem-solving
5. Brainstorming
6. Team building
7. Kick-off
8. Progress
9. Planning
10. One-to-one

Each of these will be considered in more detail but I appreciate it is a long read so you may want to bookmark this article, focus on the section relating to your next meeting, and then come back for reference.

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Briefing

These are short meetings to convey important information.

Why have this meeting?

These meetings take place when critical information needs to be communicated.

What does success look like?

Success is that the people that attend the meeting receive and understand the critical information.

Where should it take place?

The venue should have minimal distractions. Find a place that helps people focus.

Who should be invited?

Be specific. Ensure you target the people who need to hear and understand the content.

When and how long?

If a briefing is of a critical nature, then the timeline is likely to be a short one. This sort of meeting should be brief – as the title implies – and the content should just cover the essentials.  In my experience, these sorts of briefs can be less than 20 minutes, including questions.

How should it be run?

These didactic meetings are generally one-way, followed by questions. Preparation is key if the meeting is to be concise. Using a single visual aid –  such as a single slide, plan or map – can aid focus.

Which options should I consider?

Online is an option for briefings, especially if timelines are tight and teams are dispersed. But remember, people often find it harder to focus online so reinforce the critical points.

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Teaching Forums

These are meetings to disseminate useful information and ideas.

Why have this meeting?

To share learning and educate people.

What does success look like?

Attendees should feel they have learned something important and worthwhile.

Where should it take place?

The venue is driven by the size of the audience; therefore, it could be anything from a small meeting room to a huge auditorium. Holding this sort of meeting online is a good option as this allows maximum attendance (and makes the gathering easy to record).

Who should be invited?

Make sure you target people you need to attend but beyond that education meetings can have a more open invitation.

When and how long?

Teaching sessions can be programmed far in advance to maximise attendance. In terms of length, aim for less than 40 minutes. People’s ability to maintain their attention and retain knowledge goes down sharply beyond this.

How should it be run?

Success is dependent upon the quality of the presenter’s preparation and delivery. For example, if I am preparing new material to deliver to a large audience (and want to do this without reading from notes on stage) then I will plan for an hour of preparation for every one minute of delivery time. This may sound extreme but looking effortless takes a lot of effort.

Which options should I consider?

Consider ways to make things as interactive as possible. With smaller groups, they can be made more interactive, with questions being fired both ways during the session. This is harder with audience sizes beyond around thirty, so for larger audiences consider online tools such as apps for questions or quick polls such as Slido.

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Decision-making Meetings

Here the purpose and outcome of the meeting are shaped by a specific decision or set of choices.

Why have this meeting?

Because a choice needs to be made to allow progress.

What does success look like?

A decision is made and recorded.

Where should it take place?

The venue could take various forms, but as with briefings, ensure that potential distractions are reduced to keep people focussed.

Who should be invited?

Invite only the minimum number possible to ensure a decision can be made. The more people, the harder to make a choice but, if you don’t have the right people (i.e., those with the right authority) then the choice won’t be official.

When and how long?

There is no hard and fast rule here, but it is worth setting boundaries as a deadline will help ensure a decision. The deliberation will generally take as long as you give people so don’t leave it open-ended. In my experience, if you have not achieved consensus in an hour then you either have the wrong people present, the wrong information or the wrong motivation in the team.

How should it be run?

This requires careful facilitation. The facilitator may not be the person of authority, and it often helps if they aren’t, as they can remain impartial and focused on the process. Whoever leads needs to ensure that the critical information is shared (as per a brief) and then that everyone has a chance to contribute and comment.

Which options should I consider?

Get people to engage with the pertinent information before the meeting. This will speed up the process of getting to a decision when people gather. If you want to influence a decision, meet up with individuals before the meeting and set the conditions.

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Problem-solving Gatherings

In this case, it is a problem that is the focus of the meeting.

Why have this meeting?

Because there is an issue that needs to be resolved in a timely manner.

What does success look like?

Coming up with a decision, strategy, or plan to address the problem.

Where should it take place?

Pick a space which allows movement, breakouts and access to whiteboards, flipcharts and other aids.

Who should be invited?

Think about gathering the best minds to help solve the issue. This could well be people outside your team. The number is a balance between focus (better with fewer than 10) and diversity of thought (which might require more). My advice is to keep numbers below 20.

When and how long?

This depends upon the problem. Therefore, I generally do an initial meeting for problem analysis, with the expectation there will be a follow-up session to think about actually planning a solution.

How should it be run?

The most important thing is to start with proper problem analysis. If you start trying to sort the problem without identifying the nature of the problem, you are likely to come up with the wrong solution.

Which options should I consider?

Consider using the Grint or Cynefin problem typologies to identify the type of issue.

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Brainstorming Workshops

These meetings are all about generating new ideas or approaches.

Why have this meeting?

Because you want to foster innovation and creativity.

What does success look like?

A list of novel ideas that can be explored further and new mindsets within the team.

Where should it take place?

Find an environment that is inspiring and challenges people’s normal frame of reference (this is generally not in your normal office space). You will want space that allows you to bring everyone together as well as break out space and as many means as possible for capturing ideas (flipcharts, post-its etc)

Who should be invited?

10-20 people is a good number for brainstorming. Ensure that there is cognitive diversity in the group. It is good to have some outsiders (or mavericks) to challenge assumptions and help avoid groupthink.

When and how long?

Creative sessions generally need more time and I often run them over the course of a day. But the day then needs careful planning, so each session is focussed on a specific outcome and people maintain their energy and focus.

How should it be run?

Have a facilitator who is just focused on running the meeting, not on the ideas. Keep individual sessions below 90 minutes and keep gathering people together to cross-fertilise ideas.

Which options should I consider?

If you have never facilitated this type of meeting before you can try the World Café workshop approach.

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Team Building Events

Every team requires proactive effort to build them up, but the approach depends upon where they are in terms of team development.

Why have this meeting?

To help the team progress in terms of cohesion and performance.

What does success look like?

That the team has moved or made significant progress towards, the next stage of their team development.

Where should it take place?

This also depends on the development stage. For example, if they are forming you might want them in the new place where they will work together. If they are storming you might want a neutral space, removed from the normal workspace.

Who should be invited?

It is self-explanatory that you need all the members of the team. The challenge is getting all of the team members there as people often see team-building sessions as of lesser importance.

When and how long?

These sorts of meetings usually need to be planned with plenty of lead time, as they are often longer in length. Most team-building sessions I have been involved with are at least a half-day and often run for several days.

How should it be run?

There is flexibility here but ensure that every section or session has a defined purpose. Whether you are throwing around ideas or throwing axes, make sure everyone knows why. And ensure maximum engagement and contribution from all team members.

Which options should I consider?

Use the Drexler-Sibbet team performance model to identify the most important question that your team needs to answer at that point in time. Use that to focus your agenda.

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Kick-off Meetings

Any new initiative should have a proper kick-off.

Why have this meeting?

Because a new team or project is being initiated.

What does success look like?

That the team understand the new task and their role in achieving it.

Where should it take place?

Try to pick somewhere that helps people envisage or focus on the project.

Who should be invited?

This should be for core team members primarily and, as with team building, the challenge is making sure the whole team is there.

When and how long?

These meetings don’t need to be as long as team-building sessions. For a simple project, this could be less than an hour. For something larger, a half or full day is worth considering so you can combine some team-building elements in too.

How should it be run?

Start with the overall vision. In other words, start with the why, getting their buy-in, before exploring the whoand the how.

Which options should I consider?

Take people on a visit relevant to the task. For example, if you are a construction manager, gather the team on the construction site. If it is a community project, walk the team around the local environment. If it’s a new product, take them to the factory. Help them see the vision.

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Progress Updates

Most teams have these sorts of meetings, but these need to be well-disciplined to be effective.

Why have this meeting?

To report back on progress (for example on a project, for an operation or given budget)

What does success look like?

That the leader or manager understands the situation and any relevant implications (e.g. things relating to time, quality or budget).

Where should it take place?

These meetings are routine and usual office meeting spaces are therefore suitable.

Who should be invited?

Only the people who need to know (primarily the supervisor) and the key contributors. It does not need the whole team and other stakeholders unless this adds specific value.

When and how long?

These meetings should be planned in as part of the operational routine or to reflect key milestones in a project. Keep them as short as possible; the key danger with these meetings is the feeling that people need to say something (just to sound important or busy).

How should it be run?

Share the critical information first, then give the detail as needed. This is often referred to as giving the BLUF (the Bottom-Line Up Front). As with the brief, keep things punchy then leave time for questions and discussion.

Which options should I consider?

Keep the update concise but hold other detail in reserve. For example, if I am presenting slides, I will create a small number of briefing slides (we are talking single figures) but have the extra data on slides at the end of the pack that I can refer to if needed when addressing questions. I will also have people on standby. They don’t have to be in the meeting necessarily but can be called in as needed to answer specific inquiries.

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Planning Meetings

This covers meetings that are future focused (compared to progress which is usually looking back).

Why have this meeting?

When you need a plan! This is obvious but planning meetings provide an opportunity for a leader. You can just direct a team but involving them in planning creates ownership and deeper commitment.

What does success look like?

To have a credible action plan. Something that can be communicated and executed.

Where should it take place?

As with brainstorming meetings, it is good to have a flexible space where you can have breakouts, move around and use whichever aids necessary for effective planning.

Who should be invited?

In the 8-18-1800 rule, planning tends to fall between the 8 (best for decision-making) and the 18 (for brainstorming). My advice is, if you have more than 8 people, divide the planning up and have small groups working on different elements.

When and how long?

This depends on the criticality of the issue (how urgent it is) and the complexity of the task. Commonly, these can be anything from 1 hour to 1 day, therefore do a time appreciation before you start. In other words, the planning meeting needs a good plan to get the result!

How should it be run?

Run the meeting like a project. Have specific tasks and deadlines. As with brainstorming, set regular milestones for sharing progress and ideas.

Which options should I consider?

Consider, has there been a problem-solving meeting beforehand? As noted previously, make sure the issue has been properly analysed before rushing into planning.

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One-to-one Meetings

Although simple in theory, due to being two people, these are just as important to plan as a large gathering.

Why have this meeting?

Person-to-person meetings can include interviews, coaching, mentoring, and performance meetings.

What does success look like?

This depends upon the type of one-to-one meeting, but the important part is to define what success is. Many people forget to define this when just meeting another person.

Where should it take place?

This is also dependent upon the nature of the meeting. For example, if it is a formal meeting such as an interview you may prefer an office meeting room. If it is a less formal mentoring session you might choose to get away from the office. As with other meetings, think about how the environment will help or hinder your stated outcome.

Who should be invited?

Obvious in this case, being just one other person, but consider how you invite them. The level of formality and detail of the invitation will set the expectation for the content of the meeting.

When and how long?

Again, there are no hard and fast rules but, in my experience, a formal meeting – such as challenging someone over discipline – should be short and concise, a matter of minutes. Coaching and development meetings can be more relaxed and longer. I tend to plan 60-90 mins in these cases which allows for some preparation beforehand and noting taking afterwards.

How should it be run?

Have a plan. If it is a formal meeting, pre-prepare what you are going to say (see how to manage difficult conversations) and if you are going to do a coaching style session, adopt an approach (such as the GROW model) to structure the meeting.

Which options should I consider?

If the meeting is less formal, consider going for a walk. There are many benefits to walking meetings and it is my preferred method for coaching, mentoring and other discursive one-to-one interactions.

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The Art and Science of Meetings

There are few hard and fast rules for meetings. It is a mixture of science and art. Even the typology used here, identifying the most common sort of meetings, is just a rule of thumb. You will find plenty of alternative lists and there is little academic work on the classification of meetings.

There are overlaps between types of meetings, and situations vary, therefore it is a matter of judgement as to how you approach them. But I hope that my experience – gained over many years – will be helpful as a guide as you start your planning.

And if you disagree with some of the classification or advice on meetings then that is fine! It just means that you are thinking critically about the sort of gathering you want to have. And that is vital, as the worst get-togethers are not the ones that don’t follow these guidelines, they are the ones that people have not thought about, the sort that people just attend. We all have a responsibility to eradicate these!

What is the best advice you have for running meetings?

The best guidance I have ever received for facilitating meetings comes from acclaimed author and coach Nancy Kline. Nancy Kline gives nine steps for effective meetings in her book Time to Think, to allow gatherings to be conducted according to the principles of the Thinking Environment. The nine precepts are:

1. Give everyone a turn

2. Begin with a positive reality

3. Let them finish

4. Identify assumptions and ask incisive questions

5. Divide into thinking pairs

6. Go round again

7. Give permission to tell the truth

8. Allow people’s feelings

9. End with a positive turn

Let’s expand on what each of these means with some extra advice from my own experience as a leader and professional facilitator.

1. Give everyone a turn

When you are leading a meeting give everyone an opportunity to contribute. The easiest way to achieve this is to ‘do a round’. This is initiated by the chair or facilitator asking a question and then everyone takes a turn to answer. This is very important psychologically as it ensures that everyone has a voice at the table and this balances contributions from the more extroverted (louder) people with the more introverted (quieter) folk within a group.

2. Begin the meeting with a positive reality

Kick off the meeting with something positive. This shouldn’t be something insincere or contrived, just a positive statement. This will help to frame the meeting positively, and – through understanding cognitive bias– will help keep people in a problem-solving mindset.

One way to achieve this is to do an upbeat round starting with something like, “Please can everyone share a success from this past week.” In this way you can achieve the first two points on this list and set a positive tone before doing a second round with the first agenda point.

3. Let them finish

Probably the most important thing in conversations – be that one-to-one or in large meetings – is ensuring that people are not interrupted. It is a sure sign that people are not listening properly.  If people are not allowed to finish, their train of thought will be broken, ideas will be lost, and psychological safety will be undermined. If people are continually interrupted, they will simply stop contributing and you will be left with the loudest (and rudest) people dominating and lose the cognitive diversity of the group.

To achieve this, set the ground rules before you start, so that everyone will have a turn to speak, and no one will be interrupted. Part of this accord is that those speaking will be concise and not go on for too long (no filibustering!)

If you are leading the meeting, you may need to gently remind people of this agreement if interruptions or long monologues take place. Persevere! Many people are not used to this way of working but hold the line and it will pay dividends in productivity.

4. Identify assumptions and ask incisive questions

Everyone needs to be listening carefully (and not interrupting) if they are going to identify assumptions that come up in the conversation. We need to make assumptions when making decisions because we never have all the facts. This being the case, we need to examine our assumptions and make sure they are reasonable. Questions can help do this, and this sort of questioning is at the heart of Socratic dialogue.

Many decisions are made on false assumptions and these need to be identified and explored using incisive questions. For example, you might hear an assumption (stated as a fact) in a meeting such as “it would be impossible to do that.” When you hear that sort of statement you can use incisive questions to gain a deeper understanding of people’s thoughts. In this case, I might ask questions such as “That’s interesting; what makes you say that it is impossible?” or “Could you explain your thoughts around what makes that impossible?”

These questions will help separate fact from assumption and will also allow for new insights to emerge. For example, the answer to the question above might be “It is impossible on this budget” and then you could explore questions such as “What budget would be enough” or “If budget wasn’t an issue, how would we address this issue?”

5. Divide into thinking pairs (or small groups)

Sometimes, to get people engaged, to get out of a thinking rut, or just to be more productive, it can be helpful to break down the meeting into smaller thinking units. Frequently, when facilitating, I will ask people to take a pause and think individually (often noting ideas down for another round) or to break down into pairs or small groups to tackle a specific agenda item.

With small groups, you may need to move around and even use other break-out spaces, so pairs have the advantage of being quick and easy to organise. There are times when you do want to break the flow and use discussion groups of more than two, but it takes time to re-group so do it sparingly.

6. Go round again

If in doubt, do another round. Set another question and let everyone contribute. The whole agenda can be achieved in this way, but you need to think about your questions first. This should be part of your preparation for the meeting. Alongside the agenda, have some questions to help illuminate each point.

For example, you don’t simply want to say, “Can you give us an update?” For starters, this is a closed question, and people might just say “No” or “Not at the moment”. The question is also too broad and likely to lead to some people taking too long. So, keep things specific. Ask something like, “Please give an update on the progress of X relating to X” or “What is the one most important issue relating to X right now?” If someone raises a tricky problem you can then do another round to invite thoughts and solutions relating to that issue.

7. Give permission to tell the truth

Psychological safety is critical to the success of a meeting. Good leaders create an environment where the team can the truth, not just say what they think the boss wants to hear. This sort of atmosphere, where people are not allowed to tell the truth, is an indication of toxic leadership.

If you are the leader, set an example and don’t avoid the brutal realities of your situation. Share the hard facts, admit mistakes, but maintain a positive attitude. As a facilitator, create an environment where people feel safe. Give encouragement to people who share difficult subjects, acknowledging their honesty and their trust in the group.

8. Allow people’s feelings at the meeting

Many people get uncomfortable with the idea of feelings in the workplace. This is largely due to cultural norms (often patriarchal ones) and the philosophical notion that we are (or should be) purely rational. Modern psychology, such as the work by Daniel Kahneman, has debunked this theory. Our brains are not purely logical by design so don’t expect people to be entirely rational at work (or anywhere else for that matter).

Expect emotion. Give space for people to share how they are feeling. That does not mean that a meeting should be a free-for-all of shouting and crying! But allow people to share the good and the bad of what is going on in their work and personal lives.

Many times, I have been facilitating, and dealing with someone who is undermining the meeting, only to find out they had some hidden work frustration or problem at home. Once this was aired, they started to contribute constructively again. Yes, this can be risky, but in my experience, if these instances are handled well, they build deeper trust and cohesion in a team.

You cannot avoid emotions, but you can regulate them and learn from them. How we feel – the fight or flight mechanism that is triggered in social interactions – can indicate issues that need to be resolved. My favourite tools for exploring feelings and their related meanings are The Iceberg Model and the SCARF model. I recommend reading up on these if you are not familiar with them.

And if you can, get people laughing! It does wonders for rapport, creativity and general well-being.

9. End the meeting with a positive turn

You may have had to deal with a lot of challenging material in your meeting, but always try to end on a high. Start positive and end positive. That does not mean that you need to pretend that everything is rosy when it is not. You can be honest but employ a growth mindset and look at everything through the lens of being a learning opportunity.

Lastly, give appreciation. As the leader or facilitator, thank people for their attendance and contributions. Even better, do a final round and get everyone to give a word of thanks or personal comment of appreciation for other members of the team.

Now to prepare for your next meeting

So, as you look to your next meeting, bear these nine ideas in mind. These guidelines work for in-person and virtual meetings, for small or large gatherings.

And don’t worry if you don’t manage to achieve all these elements in one go. Meeting cultures within organisations run deep. They can be very hard to change. But my advice is to persevere with these ideas; if you do you will find meetings less problematic and more productive, less combative and more creative, less frustrating and more fun.

Yes, meetings can be effective and enjoyable, it is possible! And if you would like more help in your meeting preparation and delivery take a look at How to Plan and Run Effective Meetings (In 7 Questions).

Do you get nervous at the thought of public speaking?

If you do you are in good company. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health indicated that over 40 % of people could be considered to have glossophobia (a fear of public speaking). Another well-cited statistic from various academic surveys is that most people fear public speaking more than death!

I am a professional facilitator, coach, and communicator. I have given talks to crowds of hundreds of people and presentations to board members, politicians, senior military, and even royalty. People are therefore somewhat surprised that historically my most significant hurdle to public speaking was confidence.

This is not the case now and, due to my work, people assume I am extroverted. But in terms of character, I am actually introverted. Although I enjoy social interactions, I find them draining and I must harness my energy to be outgoing, upbeat and take centre stage. It doesn’t come naturally.

What’s more, since childhood, I have harboured unhelpful fears of looking foolish in front of people and an overactive imagination that provides me with hundreds of ways that I could be shamed if I were foolish enough to try to stand up and talk to a crowd, especially to a bunch of strangers!

So, what changed?

An experience that challenged my assumptions about public speaking

I used to think some people were born confident. I used to believe some folks were just natural public speakers. One personal experience helped to change these assumptions.

It happened at a time when I was working backstage during a large event. It was taking place in a theatre in London’s West End. The theatre could seat over a thousand people, and it was packed. I was running all the back-stage operations which included helping presenters with any technical support.

The speaker that day was well-known and very highly regarded. I had seen him many times, on various stages, speaking to audiences of hundreds, sometimes thousands, much as he was about to do now. I had watched in awe as he strode about, effortlessly unpacking intellectual themes and making them understandable to us mere mortals.

It was seconds before he was due to go on stage, the music was queuing up ready for his entrance. In the dark wings of the theatre, between props and backdrops, I stepped up to him to do a final check on his microphone. As I drew close, I could hear him whispering to himself, head down, hands fluttering about. He glanced up, catching my eye and faltering for a moment. I did not know whether he was doing vocal exercises, practising part of his talk or reciting some positive affirmations, but I could see that he was nervous. I was shocked; I literally couldn’t believe it. Him? Nervous?

One way or another it certainly did not seem to impact him. I finished with the microphone, and he stood up straight, faced the stage and walked into the blinding lights to loud applause. Seconds later the audience was silent and hanging onto every word conveyed by his steady voice. And all I could do was stand dumbfounded backstage thinking, hang on, that guy had stage fright moments ago! This giant of public speaking! And you know what? It was one of the most liberating of little moments I have had the privilege to witness.

Ok, what did I learn?

Confidence is a frame of mind that you can develop

You don’t have to be born confident to be a good public speaker. In fact, research shows that you don’t need to have innate self-belief, it can be developed. Neuroscientist Dr Ian Robertson, author of How Confidence Works, has identified that confidence comes down to two core beliefs. He calls these ‘can do’ and ‘can happen’. In other words, you need both the belief that you can do something coupled with the idea that an action can happen and affect the external world.

In this context, you can build both beliefs. For example, have you ever had a conversation with more than one other person at the same time? Most likely you have, even if just around the dinner table. Well done, you have just proven to yourself that you can speak to groups of people.

Another thought. Have you ever said something that someone has found interesting or changed the way someone has thought or behaved? If so, then you also have proof that your communication does have an impact. It can happen. What you say matters to people; you just need to find your audience.

The more instances you can think of to reinforce both the can do and can happen the better. These will strengthen your self-belief. Then build on this confidence; start small and build up. For example, talk to a small group of people you know, just for a few minutes. It could just be a joke or a short story. By doing this you build experience and confidence to increase the size of the audience and length of what you are going to say.

Courage is a decision, not an innate quality

Similarly, with confidence, people often assume that courage is innate, something some people are born with. But this is also a false assumption. As Winston Churchill said:

“Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”

Winston Churchill

We all feel fear. It is a natural psychological reaction to certain situations. This is the in-built fight, flight or freeze response which primarily helps us when we face physical danger. The problem is, the mind has the same response to perceived social danger, as we experience during public speaking.

This can lead to amygdala hijack, the situation where more primal parts of the brain override our more rational brain. This leads to several things but notably that we cannot think straight, and our body is flooded with adrenaline. Therefore, in the case of public speaking, we are likely to forget what we want to say (because we can’t access the pre-frontal cortex), our hearts beat faster, and we start to sweat.

And what is the best way to deal with this? Breathe. Breathing exercises, such as the 5:5:5 technique (breathe in for a count of 5, hold for 5 and out for 5) are proven ways to help manage stress responses.

The other thing is to change your mindset. As comedian Deborah Frances-White points out in her excellent (and highly entertaining) TED talk, you need to stop thinking like prey when you get on stage and take the attitude of the predator. You need to own the space; boldly stalk around the stage while maintaining eye contact with your audience. Do not shrink behind the lectern or hide at the back of the stage.

And fake it until you make it because, as Amy Cuddy tells us, our physiology impacts our psychology. In other words, even if you don’t feel self-assured, forcing your body into a confident posture (e.g. standing tall, maintaining eye contact and not crossing your arms) will actually change your mindset. You will start to feel more confident.

Communication happens when we connect with people

The final thing to help your confidence and courage is to remember that audience is just made up of people like you. As Brené Brown (author of Dare to Lead) says:

“People, people, people are just people, people, people.” 

It doesn’t matter what title they hold, or how rich or famous they are, they are all just human. Many of our assumptions, like those I had of the speaker in my story, are wrong.

Brené Brown also points out why we feel nervous when public speaking; because we make ourselves vulnerable. But that is an opportunity. Vulnerability gives us an opportunity to be authentic. And guess what, other normal humans also feel afraid at times, so these shared feelings can help create empathy. Acknowledging our fear can even help build rapport with an audience.

So, when you look at the audience remember they are like you. If it helps, picture them as school kids, but no matter what, remember that they certainly were all school kids before they were whatever they are now. People are just people.

The positive psychology of public speaking

Do I still get nervous? Yes. Can I effectively manage those feelings and be a successful public speaker? Yes. Can you too? Again, yes.

Mark Twain is accredited with saying:

“There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars”.

So don’t worry about being worried. You can build confidence. You can choose to be courageous. You can use your feelings to build a deeper connection with your audience.

But you do need to practice. So, think of an opportunity where you can stretch yourself a little and develop your speaking. Is nothing specific coming up? Then think of an anecdote, an experience from your life. Pick something fun! Take a few minutes to craft that story, maybe write it down and then say it out loud to yourself. Look at your body language; force yourself to look and sound assured. By doing so you are programming your brain; pre-wiring synapses and setting the conditions of confidence. Then hold onto the story and wait for an opportunity to share it with others.

How to make a cover letter to get you that job interview

What makes a good cover letter?

This is a question I have been pondering recently because, as an employer, I receive and review many cover letters. As with many business leaders, I am constantly on the search for good people for my team. This requires a constant cycle of advertising, appraising applications, and interviewing potential candidates for roles. It is time-consuming, particularly the interview stage, and therefore the initial sift of candidates at the application stage is all important. Generally, this requires filtering tens (and potentially hundreds) of applications down to single figures. When it comes to interviewing, I rarely see more than three people for a given role.

It is also a costly process. The direct cost to a company is an average of $4000 (according to Glassdoor) when you consider the cost of marketing, time clocked by recruiting staff, systems cost etc. But the real cost is much greater, up to double the salary of the new employee in their first year according to some estimates. Therefore, as the head of an organisation, I want value for money and a return on my investment. To ensure this, I want the best chance of making the right decision, and that decision-making process starts with applications and cover letters.

What is an employer looking for in an employee?

So, as an employer, what am I looking for?

That is an obvious question, but the answer may not be exactly what you think. And that is because it is not just about someone’s qualifications. In fact, that is not my most important criterion.

When I am hiring someone, I am thinking about the 3 Cs of character, competency, and chemistry. The 3Cs is a model I learned early on in my career, and I have found it profoundly helpful in selecting team members. The 3Cs come in a priority order as follows:

1. Character. Character is the most important factor as it is the hardest thing to change. In. In other words, it is easier to teach people new skills than to develop better character. Unfortunately, I learned this from the painful experience of having to fire highly capable people because their character undermined the overall performance of the team.

• Competency. Competency comes second and is about the ability to do the job. This is partly qualifications and experience, but it is also about an ability to learn, as no role or job description is static. People need a growth mindset if a business is to grow. I also want to employ people who can develop to take on new challenges and responsibilities.

• Chemistry. Chemistry, the feeling that someone is a good ‘fit’ is important but comes third in this list. We are all wired to like people who are similar to us, and this can help build community in a team. However, this instinct can lead to a lack of cognitive diversity in a team and lead to unhelpful biases such as groupthink. As a leader, I want people who have different perspectives to me. I know I will not be everyone’s best buddy, but an environment respectful challenge is healthy. And, as this sort of environment builds trust, it is likely that in time (if you have chosen someone of good character) the chemistry will come.

The importance of a good cover letter

If you think of the 3Cs listed above, you can see where they are best demonstrated in the recruitment process. You get a feel for chemistry when you meet someone at an interview. You get an idea of competency from a person’s résumé. That means that the first real insight into a person’s character comes from their cover letter. That is why it is so important. It helps to answer an employer’s most important question and it also helps job candidates to rise above other applicants.

Making an impact is important if you are going to make the first cut and make it to the interview stage. So, what makes people notable? Well, a well-written application, (usually in the form of a CV (curriculum vitae or résumé), is very important. But the cover letter is the best opportunity to get ahead of other applications.

The first reason for this is that not everyone writes one. Many people just send out CVs speculatively, sometimes in their hundreds. This carpet-bombing approach to job hunting means the person is likely to eventually hit a target but they might miss out on some opportunities that come about from a more targeted approach.

Taking the time to write a cover letter is an indication of a more targeted strategy. Even just seeing that a person has included a cover letter, and all that implies, means that I am more likely to look favourably at someone who has written one.

How to write a good cover letter

Whether you are writing to land a new paid job, a voluntary role, or a place at college, the principles are much the same. Remember, the primary aim is to get beyond the initial sift and get an interview. Having seen countless job submissions, here are the 3 Ss that help applicants get to my shortlist.

The 3 Ss of writing a good cover letter

Stand out (in a good way)

Think about the initial impact of your letter. The quality of the envelope and paper (the stationary) is the first thing someone sees so invest in something good. White is the standard, but you could consider another colour. If you do, then it is worth getting a second opinion, especially before going too bold on colour choices.

Consider writing by hand with a quality fountain pen. It is a rare treat to receive handwritten letters these days, so it is worth considering, but only if you have legible handwriting! Even a handwritten address or signature block adds an element of class to an otherwise printed document so experiment.

And don’t stand out in a bad way! For example, poor formatting, typos, and spelling mistakes stand out when someone scans your letter and will probably put them off from reading more. It undermines the hard work you have put in so use a spell checker and a proofreader.

(Be) Succinct

The letter should be short; one page at most and made up of 3 to 5 paragraphs. When you are structuring your letter you can use The Rule of 3 or a similar model to help you compose the content. A manager is likely to only glance at your letter, so remember, it needs to communicate a lot in a few seconds or get them interested enough to read more.

Therefore, the opening sentence and paragraph are the most important – they are your hook – so take the most time on these. Be positive and enthusiastic but be careful of using humour as it often doesn’t land with the reader. Getting the right tone is difficult so it is worth getting some feedback on your initial draft.

When crafting your letter, yes, look at examples to get ideas but no, don’t just copy and paste into someone else’s template. Make it your own. And no, no, no, don’t get an AI app to write it for you!

Start with Why

Think of the cover letter like an essay problem and remember, ATFQ! In this case, the critical question is: Why should the employer invite you to interview? To answer this question, you need to have done your research. You need to understand what the company wants, where it is going and who they like to employ. The employer has a problem they want to solve so be future-focused and lay out how you can help solve that challenge.

Simply put, why you? The CV covers your competencies, so here (as mentioned earlier) is a chance to introduce the deeper you; your character, personality, and what makes you tick. Give it a personal touch; remember you trying to build rapport with another person so give opportunities for empathy.

When answering why questions I often think about values. What are your personal values and how would those compliment the organisation’s values? Why are you passionate about the role? What do you find attractive about the company’s mission? These are things, as an employer, that I want to hear about.

It is worth spending time thinking about the ‘why’ question because, if you can’t answer the question, then the job is probably not right for you. You will be doing yourself (and probably the company) a favour if you stop your application there if you cannot think of a good reason why you want the job and why someone should hire you.

Some last words of advice from an employer

When applying for a role, if you want the best chance of getting past the initial sift of applications then a good cover letter will definitely help you.

Remember, as an employer I am looking for character, competence, and chemistry in that order. Your cover letter is a chance for me to get a glimpse at your character, so make it count. It is as important as your CV, often more so.

As you draft your letter make sure you stand out in a good way, that you keep it succinct and you start with why, helping the recruiter quickly see how you can help them solve their problem.

And good luck! I wish you all the best in landing your next role.

How will AI impact leadership and how should leaders lead in the future?

What does it mean to be a leader in the age of artificial intelligence?

Which leadership models best apply to the context of AI? Will leaders still need to exist in the future or are these roles also at risk due to technological disruption?

These are questions that I (along with many others) am pondering. My questions, funnily enough, were prompted by other questions. The first big mental nudge came when I was reading Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. At the end of the book, he poses three important questions, that we need to grapple with:

Are organisms really just algorithms and is life just data processing?

What’s more valuable? Intelligence or consciousness?

What will happen to society, politics, and daily life when non-conscious but highly intelligent algorithms know us better than we know ourselves?

All three questions, and their answers, impact the realm of leadership and it was thinking through how these questions impact leaders that I started to consider supplementary questions that relate to my specific context, i.e.:

1. What does it mean to be a leader in the age of artificial intelligence?
2. Which leadership models best apply to the context of AI?
3. Will leaders still need to exist in the future or are these roles also at risk due to technological disruption?

The deluge of questions relating to AI

These are certainly not the only questions, they may not even be the best questions, but I wanted to start thinking about things where I could bring some practical application, even if it was just in my own small sphere of existence.

There are of course many other questions relating to AI (many of which may ironically be machine-generated) but as a leader of an organisation that is facing significant change, and a professional in the leadership development arena, these three questions are of specific interest to me.

Having mulled over these questions for some time I thought I would share some thoughts. My hope is to generate conversation around how the fields of leadership and artificial intelligence interplay.

I think I should also state my biases up front. Although my wife would say that I generally have a negative bias (I just say that I am a realist), when it comes to AI I am not a prophet of doom. I think there are significant challenges that we need to address. It does feel like a key juncture in our journey as humans, but I don’t think we are just about to lose the human race (excuse the pun) to super-fast computers. You will see why I conclude that in the following reflections.

What does it mean to be a leader in the age of artificial intelligence?

To answer this question, we must ask ourselves, what does it mean to be a leader in any context? What does it actually mean to be a leader and does AI change that?

What is leadership? There are of course many definitions. One of my favourites is from the leadership expert John C. Maxwell who says that leadership, at its most fundamental level, is influence.

“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” John C Maxwell

I like this definition as firstly it is simple. Secondly, it highlights that leadership comes in many forms, not just in the direct management of other people. For example, there is self-leadership, thought leadership, leading-up and other types of leadership outside the stereotypical idea of a command relationship.

And that is why I also prefer the term influence to power. They are similar but power tends to have negative connotations and I believe that the idea of power does not translate as well to all types of leadership, for example, those I have just highlighted (self-leadership, thought leadership and leading-up).

Yes, AI will also have influence (or power) in these same realms, but as per this definition, leadership will continue to exist as long as humans choose to influence themselves and others. Let’s hope we are all around to influence each other – in positive ways – for many years to come.

Which leadership models best apply to the context of AI?

I have studied, taught, and written about many leadership models. I apply many of these theoretical frameworks in my everyday practice as a leader. Therefore, I don’t believe that suddenly, in the light of technological advances, these tools have (or will soon) become redundant. As long as we have any sort of human-to-human interaction then ideas such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership or situational leadership all have their place.

However, these models do not directly address the context of AI. The best thinking that I have come across to date, that does confront the issues of AI, is The Threshold by Dr.Nick Chatrath. In his book, Nick does a great job of exploring the second question set by Harari, namely, “What’s more valuable? Intelligence or consciousness?” In applying this to leaders he introduces four paths for evolving our leadership. These are:

Cultivating Stillness

Thinking independently

Embodying intelligence

Maturing consciousness

But it is not merely theory. What I particularly love about Nick’s book is that each section has resources – including questions, exercises, and processes – for the practical application of each path.

• Cultivating Stillness involves stopping to ask questions and taking time to reflect. It is the discipline of not getting swept away by busyness, change and chaos.
• Thinking independently means embracing our unique cognitive powers, utilising the cognitive diversity of teams and creating thinking environments.
• Embodying intelligence consists of embracing all the types of intelligence that humans have, such as emotional intelligence where we connect with our feelings, or kinaesthetic intelligence, where we utilise senses for thinking and communicating.
• Maturing consciousness is a continual process of embracing change and complexity, being humble (and not threatened) by our limitations and serving others with love and wisdom.

I am attracted to the idea of the paths in this model as it does not set up a framework that seeks to solve ‘the problem’ of leading with AI. Instead, it is a map, indicating the journey that we can embark on, alongside those we lead and the artificial intelligence that we interact with.

Will leaders still need to exist in the future or are these roles also at risk due to technological disruption?

Much of the discussion around AI has centred on who is going to lose their jobs to machines and how soon.

For many workers, machine intelligence will force an evolution of skills and approaches. There are many subtle but important shifts that we need to make.

Such a shift needs to take place for leaders too. Here we come back to the question “What is leadership?” If our answer relates to leadership as a role or position then yes, it is likely that some jobs will be at risk. But as per the earlier definition of leadership, if leadership is about influence, then this will take place as long as humans exist.

And the emergence of new intelligence opens novel leadership opportunities. Burgeoning machine minds need influencing too. This might spawn a whole new field of leadership. There are new leadership books to be written for sure! How about:

• Start With WhAI
• Thinking Fast (machines) and Slow (Humans)
• Good to GreA.I.t
• How to win friendly algorithms and influence highly intelligent, rapidly developing non-biological self-learning entities

Well, maybe not those exactly, but something for sure. And, in this arena, I expect that the concept of values-based leadership will be increasingly important, as how we want to influence the machines that influence us will involve an ethical approach to decision-making. Therefore, leaders are likely to need to study more philosophy and less management. It is a shift that I have already made in my reading and personal development.

What is the future for leaders in a world of artificial intelligence?

So, dear conscious readers, (no, not you, ChatBot, or at least, not yet). Leadership certainly does have a place in the world of AI. The idea of leadership, the exerting of influence will remain.

Leadership will evolve, as with many other roles and professions. New models (such as the 4 paths of The Threshold) will emerge to cover how we better lead humans and machines.

I also believe that we leaders need to broaden our own minds and be more philosophical if we are to grapple effectively with the ethical issues concerning AI, business, work, and life in the future.

And one of the most important things we can do is to talk about this stuff. It is through the sharing of thoughts and ideas that we shape our future. As we engage in dialogue we influence each other. In other words, we lead. If we keep doing that, then there is hope for humans, AI or no.

So, I look forward to the continuing conversation on artificial intelligence and leadership (in all their various forms).

Yours ever, humanly (or at least until I get an upgrade),

Simon (1.0)

How to Use Neuroscience to Talk Confidently to (Almost) Anyone

How do you feel about talking to people you don’t know?

Imagine you are at a party and don’t know anyone, or you are arriving at a new workplace. Maybe what comes to mind is speaking to an attractive stranger at the bar.

What thoughts are going through your head?

Are you getting flashbacks to your first day at school? Is your heart beginning to race?

These negative thoughts and feelings are not universal, but they are common. For some people these sorts of situations are not a bother, they just go up and start chatting. But for those of you (like me) who don’t find this natural, I can share some helpful psychology to help you start a conversation with someone new. As an introvert, it has taken time, practice, and the application of neuroscience to become comfortable with initiating conversations with strangers. But it is possible, and you can even learn to enjoy it.

How to approach someone you don’t know

If you want to talk to someone new, the first thing you must do is to approach them. That is (literally) the first step. The approach is all about the 3 Bs: Belief, Breathing and Body Language.

Believe that you can do it

Confidence, according to neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson, is about the twin beliefs of can do and can happen. In other words, you must believe that you can do something (you have the innate ability) and that it can happen (that the action can take place in the external world).

When you are threatened by negative speech in your mind, focus on facts. Have you ever spoken to someone you don’t know before? Think of a good example, hold it in mind, this proves you can do. Now think of a good conversation you have had with another person; it could be anyone (not just a stranger). Have you got something in mind? That shows that a good conversation can happen. Even just bringing these examples to mind will help prime your brain for the next time you speak to someone so take time to remember good examples and then visualise how a good meeting might go.

Take a deep breath

If you find speaking to people daunting, then it is likely that you will feel nervous. This fear triggers the fight or flight response, resulting in an adrenaline release, increased heart rate and sweat. The best way to combat this natural phenomenon is with another one; taking slow deep breaths. You might want to use a breathing technique such as 5:5 breathing (breath in for a count of 5, out of a count of 5) to help you. But, if you are taking some breaths, don’t stand there staring at the person you want to talk to, that could get weird!

Maintain good body language

Posture is important. If you hold yourself in a confident manner, then you will start to feel more confident. That is because (as psychologist Amy Cuddy expounds) your physiology can override your psychology. So, stand tall, shoulders back, smile and keep your posture open (not crossing arms and legs). Get ready to walk confidently towards the other person. Walk at a relaxed, normal pace, getting ready to look the person in the eyes and smile. Ignore any butterflies in the tummy and keep breathing slowly and deeply.

Got the 3 Bs sorted? Then you are on the way! Next, we can start the conversation.

How to enter a conversation

To start talking to someone remember PIP: proximity, inquisitiveness, and positivity.

Proxemics: getting the right social proximity

If you want to initiate a conversation, you must get within a socially acceptable distance from the person. This is where the science of proxemics can help us. In Western culture, 18 – 48 inches (45-120 cm) is considered personal space, the sort of zone you are aiming for to have a conversation. Closer to 18 inches and you are in their intimate space, and this can quickly become uncomfortable, so bear this in mind even if you are in a loud bar or crowded room.

Be inquisitive; ask good questions

Once you have introduced yourself (keep it simple, a salutation and your name are a good start) ask a question. Make it a genuine one, not a cliché such as “Do you come here often?” Think of something you actually want to know. For example, if you are at a gig you can ask them their opinion of the last song, if you are at a party you could ask something about the food or drink. It is worth having an initial question in mind and I will often think of one before I walk over to chat to someone.

Once you have asked a question, stay inquisitive. Concentrate on listening to what the other person has to say. Then ask further questions following their answers. These can be interspersed with your comments and their return questions (you don’t want it to feel like an interrogation), but the important thing is to give your attention to the other person and what they are saying. Don’t try to be smart, just be genuinely interested. This is an under-emphasised part of rapport building. Often cited techniques such as empathy, finding common ground, and mirroring speech and mannerisms are all dependent upon properly listening to someone. So, pay attention!

Be positive

You are now in conversation, well done! The best way to keep things going and to end well is to remain positive, even if the other person is not. The first part of being positive is remaining in that good posture. Keep smiling, retain eye contact and stay tall.

Don’t fall into the trap of negativity. It is tempting to bond with people by criticising something, in the hope of building common ground, but it is better to focus on the positives. Negative comments and feelings are proven to create strong bonds and you don’t want to associate yourself with these hooks, be that consciously or unconsciously. If someone says something negative, you don’t just have to agree or disagree. Remember, be inquisitive. If you deem a comment to be negative or untrue you might say, “That is interesting, why do you say that?”

Giving compliments is another way to keep things positive, but as with questions, make sure they are genuine. Be cautious when complimenting someone’s looks or even their outfit. If you are paying attention to what the other person is saying it is easy (and natural) to make complimentary remarks. As conversation flows the other person is likely to share a skill, trait, or experience that you don’t have. These are easy things to compliment in a genuine way. For example, whenever I meet someone who can speak multiple languages or has mastered a musical instrument, I am genuinely in awe, and it is easy to compliment such things.

How to finish the conversation

Conversations must come to an end. So, similarly to having a question to start a conversation, also have an exit strategy.

Finish well

Try and finish well. Our brains are most likely to remember the beginning and end of something due to what is known as the serial effect and primacy and recency biases. Therefore, try to end on a high. And that is not about ending with a clever remark, it is about how you feel. Emotions shape our memory more strongly than data and people are more likely to remember you if the feelings related to that memory are positive.

Ending a good discussion

So, keep doing what you have been doing. Be positive, smile, and stay interested in the other person. Just don’t outstay your welcome. If the other person starts to give shorter answers, glances at their watch or away to other parts of the room (such as the exit) then these are all cues that it is time to wrap up. Ideally, you want to finish a conversation before these behaviours manifest, but that can’t always be helped. So, when you do pick up on the signals then get ready to finish. Once again, be nice. You can say – genuinely – how much you enjoyed meeting them and the conversation.

Getting contact details

If you want to keep in contact with that person, now is the time to ask. It is a judgement call as to how to go about this. A phone number is quite a big deal so think before you ask. An email often feels less intimate, and some social media platforms (such as LinkedIn) are relatively low-pressure ways to stay connected. Hopefully, your conversation will give you some context and clues as to the best way to connect.

And if they say no, don’t worry and don’t take it personally. Just say “No problem, lovely to meet” or something similar. If someone you have just met does not want to share their details, then don’t feel rejected. If you enjoyed the conversation, then that should be a reward in itself. You should also feel more confident as you have proved that speaking to strangers is something you can do and good discourse can happen.

Ending a bad conversation

It does not matter how attractive, rich, famous, intelligent, or successful someone is, if they are rude, negative, or dismissive of you, they are not worth spending time with. If someone is behaving negatively, just end the conversation politely and walk away. Don’t take it personally. Being rude or a bore is the other person’s problem, not yours. Don’t carry their negativity; take confidence from the fact that you were brave enough to try, compliment yourself on remaining civil and then take thanks that you don’t have to spend your time with someone who is an emotional drain.

The things to remember when speaking to someone you don’t know

Hopefully, you can now see that with the help of a little science, we can all be more confident in speaking to strangers and having good conversations with people we have just met. I can speak from experience, as an introvert, that knowing a little bit of psychology can go a long way and I have gone from being a nervous introvert to enjoying meeting new people.

Just remember, before you approach someone, have belief in yourself, take a breath and maintain a good body posture.

Get to the right proximity to the other person, be inquisitive and remain positive.

Finally, finish well. Be alert to any signs that the conversation needs to end. Don’t outstay your welcome. Be sensitive if you want contact details and don’t take rejection personally. Finally, permit yourself to exit a negative dialogue.

After all, the end of one conversation is just the opportunity to start another. So, what are you waiting for?

Dysfunctional Teams: Seven reasons why teams fail (and what you can do to help)

Have you ever been a member of any dysfunctional teams?

If you have then you know how frustrating, depressing, and stressful it can be. I certainly have been, both as an employee and as a manager, and leading an underperforming team has given me plenty of sleepless nights as I have sought to turn things around.

My experience has taught me the truth of Stephen R. Covey’s list of team problems. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, went on to write Principle-Centred Leadership, which builds on the first book and highlights the vital importance of personal values in effective leadership models. The book includes lots of practical advice for leaders and managers, including an explanation of the seven persistent issues that undermine organisations. The 7 chronic problems he identifies are:

1. No shared vision or values

2. No strategic path

3. Poor alignment

4. Wrong style

5. Poor skills

6. Low trust

7. No self-integrity

They are called chronic because, as with chronic diseases, dysfunctional team problems are persistent and cause continual pain. If these chronic issues are not treated then the organisation will continue to deteriorate and could even die.

So here is a further explanation of each and some tips on how to avoid these pitfalls, or treat the problems if they already exist.

YouTube video: How to spot the 7 chronic problems of dysfunctional teams

1. No shared vision or values

Every organisation needs a purpose. On the meta scale, a business needs a clear reason to exist, something that attracts customers and employees alike. On the micro-scale, all teams need to know the vision they are working towards.

The problem is that many leaders fail to communicate a vision. Occasionally that is because they don’t know what the vision is, they are unsure of exactly where they are going. But all too often they just forget to tell people their dream or outline exactly the part the team has to play in delivering the larger organisational vision.

One key element of transformational leadership is communicating a team’s vision. If you are a leader and have not outlined your vision then take some time to think about it and put it into words. You need to be able to explain it in simple terms. Paint a picture of the better future that you are working towards. If you are an employee who does not understand the vision then ask; get your boss to share what it is that drives them, the change they want to make.

2. No strategic path

The next problem is related to the first. You cannot have a strategic path without knowing what the vision is. But, even if you have a vision, a leader still needs to lay out the path to get there.

The team needs to know the overarching plan of how they will get to a better future. This is what strategy is. Richard Rumelt, author of Good Strategy, Bad Strategy, gives the following definition:

“A strategy coordinates action to address a specific challenge.”

People need a plan to coordinate their actions. It does not need every detail sorted out, but it does require enough specific direction so that people can keep moving in the right direction. And that too leads us on neatly to our next chronic problem.

3. Poor alignment

Having a vision and strategy are essential, but they won’t guarantee success on their own. Individuals need to be aligned to that direction and that comes down to knowing their role within the team and the values that drive the organisation.

Roles are vital, but here I am not talking about mere titles. If you want an idea of the deluge of lengthy, cool-sounding but confusing job titles, then just take a look on LinkedIn, but I can guarantee that even their owners can struggle to explain their actual role. Here I mean the exact role we have to play in our team and our part in the overall plan.

Within a team we need to know how we fit alongside, to complement their strengths and weaknesses. Using a model such as Belbin’s team role finder can help this process. Individuals also need to understand how their tasks support the overall success of the organisation.

For example, Field Marshall ‘Monty’ Montgomery, when he took over the British 8^th Army in 1942, was in retreat across the African desert. To turn things around, he made sure that everyone, right down to the typists in Battalion headquarters, knew the importance of their contribution. In this way, he aligned everyone to the task of winning and led the Allies to victory in Tunisia in 1943.

4. Wrong style

The next problem is that of leadership style. A manager must employ an effective leadership approach to align their team to the strategy and vision. Situations change and employees differ so a good leader can flex their style accordingly.

If you are unsure how to adapt your management approach then I recommend Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership model along with Max Landsberg’s Skill-Will matrix. Both of these tools help leaders to assess the best approach for the circumstances and team members.

Equally important as finding a good leadership style is avoiding a bad one. Toxic leadership is a sure-fire way to team dysfunctionality so avoid the seven traits of bad leaders, including incompetence, rigidity, intemperance, or being callous, corrupt, insular or evil.

5. Poor skills

Incompetence can be a cause of toxic leadership but competency can be a problem across a whole team. Sometimes people are just not experienced enough to do the job. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest things to fix. If people have the right character and a growth mindset, then they can learn the right skills.

In this instance, the responsibility of the manager is to identify the skills gaps and create personal development plans for individuals. These might be technical skills but don’t forget to consider people’s soft skills. These are often overlooked but are critical. If you don’t know where to start then the United Nations list of the 10 most important life skills can help. For managers who want to improve themselves, using Robert Katz’s framework of leadership skills is a good place to start to identify areas of growth.

6. Low trust

Nothing undermines a team’s performance as quickly as a lack of trust. Trust is the fundamental building block of all relationships, so when this breaks down teams are truly dysfunctional as the lack of trust is a blocker to working together.

We all know that trust is important but sometimes it is hard to quantify and that is why the Trust Equation is so helpful. Research by Green, Maister and Galford (2001) showed that:

 Trust (or Trustworthiness) = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy)/Self-Orientation

Here, credibility and reliability are self-explanatory but intimacy is worth explaining. In this instance, it relates to how safe you feel around a specific person. For this model, self-orientation equates to how self-centred a person is.

Where trust is lacking, there are proven behaviours that can help build trust in teams. Paul Zak identified eight behaviours that help foster trust in teams. These are:

1. Recognise excellence
2. Induce “challenge stress” (difficult but achievable tasks)
3. Give people discretion in how they do their work
4. Enable job crafting (let employees choose projects to work on)
5. Share information broadly
6. Intentionally build relationships
7. Facilitate whole-person growth
8. Show vulnerability

7. No self-integrity

Finally, a lack of self-integrity is symptomatic of poor team health. Integrity is best described as walking the talk, so if a leader or team’s actions do not match their words then there is a problem. At the fundamental level, this is about values. Are people aligned with their principles and are they making decisions that are aligned with the values of their organisation?

My favourite tool for exploring the relationship between behaviours and values is The Iceberg Model. It is a very simple theory. As with a physical iceberg, the visible bit (in this case people’s behaviours and words) is the small element that exists above the surface. Below the surface is the greater mass. In terms of organisational culture, this hidden space includes people’s thoughts and feelings, values and beliefs, fears and needs. To understand the behaviour you have to use questions to dig below the surface and discover the cause. Only once this diagnosis has taken place can a plan be put in place to change the behaviour.

Is your team dysfunctional? Does your team display any of the seven chronic problems?

It is worth taking a few seconds to reflect on your team. How is it performing? If there is a problem, can you identify which of the seven chronic problems are to blame? Ask yourself:

• Is there a shared vision and common values?
• Does the team have a strategic path?
• How well are the team aligned with the strategy?
• Does the management have the right leadership style?
• Are there any skill gaps?
• Is there a lack of trust in the team?
• How is the team’s integrity – do people walk the talk?

If you are a manager, why not get team members to give you some answers as well? It might feel like a painful process, but every team has challenges, so it would be a surprise to not find an area of weakness.

Take heart. What you have done is take the first positive step, that of diagnosis. As Dr Dean Ornish says,

“Awareness is the first step of healing.”

The good news is that you have now taken the first step. Next, you can plan and work out a way to solve the problems, because that is what high-performing teams do; they always seek to be better.

How to give good presentations (with practical tips from TED, Made to Stick and public speaking experts)

What makes a good presentation?

We know effective presentations when we see and hear one. We certainly know a bad one when we are forced to endure it. The phrase, “Death by PowerPoint” was not coined by accident!

That same phrase came to mind to me recently, while I was at a conference. I was pretty sure that death was on the cards, I was just trying to work out whose demise was most imminent; mine or the presenter’s.

Fortunately, I was able to put such dark thoughts aside by focusing instead on what was wrong and how things could be better.

In this instance the problem was not that the presenters were not confident, capable speakers who knew their subject. The issue was that the way they presented their material was poor.

Pretty much every speaker went over their allotted time. Therefore, each section lost time for questions. Breaks were also shortened, meaning that conversation time (important for applying and remembering concepts) was reduced.

Often it was hard to discern what speakers wanted to communicate, the structure was poor, and they were reading from their slides. They obviously thought that because they knew their content, they did not need to practice beforehand.

The PowerPoint slides were packed with words that were hard to discern. To make matters worse, whilst struggling to read the dense text one quickly lost the flow of what the speaker was saying. When pictures were used there were too many on each slide and the graphics had not been properly adjusted for presentational use.

I could not save the conference but I could try to make things better in the future, hence writing this article.

It is somewhat remiss of me that I have not written this sooner because, as a facilitator and leadership coach, I regularly give presentations and coach people in public speaking. From this experience, I have come up with 7 steps for giving good presentations. The seven stages are:

1. Know your timeframe
2. Decide upon the key message
3. Outline the narrative arc
4. Create your slides or visual aides
5. Rehearse
6. Give the presentation
7. Get feedback

What follows is some more detail on each step, with examples and practical tips along the way.

Know your presentation’s timeframe

How long have you been given to present? Make sure you know how long you have, when you need to start and when you need to finish. Then ask yourself, how long should you speak for? Even after getting a slot, don’t feel that you need to speak for the whole time. It is better to have a short, clear message and leave time for questions and discussion afterwards.

Equally, if you feel that the time allotted to you is not sufficient to do justice to what you have to say then ask for more time. If you can’t have more time, think about how to further focus and refine what you have to say.

And that leads us neatly onto step 2:

Decide upon the presentation’s key message

What is the one thing that you want people to take away from the presentation? No matter how long you speak, most people will only remember a tiny percentage of what you say. Therefore, you need to ensure that the thing they recall is the central point of your presentation. Make sure you know what it is and if you are not sure, don’t go any further until you have this question answered.

Who are the key people in your audience? Once you know what the key message is then also think about who are the listeners that you most need to target. Picturing these people, thinking about what they need to hear, feel and understand, is vital information for helping you structure your talk.

Outline the arc to land the message

Once you know the key message and audience, then you can draft the narrative arc. The structure and content should be focused on highlighting and reinforcing the critical information to the most important people. If you are not sure which structure to choose then the Rule of 3 is a good starting point.

Once you have your overall structure, think about the information you need to share. You will likely want to say lots of things so you have to be brutal in your editing. Keep asking yourself, is this information essential to the key message?

If you want your presentation to be memorable, then I recommend following Chip and Dan Heath’s SUCCES framework from their book Made to Stick.

The SUCCES acronym stands for:

• Simple – make sure the message is simple and clear.
• Unexpected – select statements, questions and facts that surprise people (in a good way!)
• Concrete – engage people’s senses and use analogies so the audience can grasp the concepts you are sharing.
• Credible – use evidence or invoke other authorities to make your message credible.
• Emotional – make people feel; engage their hearts as well as their minds.
• Stories – humans are wired to love and remember stories (much more than lists of bullets, facts or random data).

Create your presentation slides or visual aides

One challenge we have these days is that it is very easy to make content. Putting together a slide deck does not need to take much time, especially if you are just scribing bullet points. And there’s the rub. Too often, people think they have a presentation just because they have a slide deck. Hence the proverb:

A bushel of slides does not maketh a presentation!

Ok, I made the proverb up, but the point is still valid!

That is not to say that slides are bad. PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, and other such software can be excellent aides to a presentation. But that is what they are, aides to communication. They are not the presentation itself; that is predominantly what you say.

If you use slides, then use the same principles that TED speakers use:

• One point per slide. That means one message, photo, graph, quote, or whatever. Not multiple bullet points.
• Images and photos. Use these to reinforce what you are saying. This is the “picture paints and thousand words” concept. Use them instead of having words where you can as people cannot read and properly listen to you at the same time but they can look at a picture and listen to you.
• Graphs and Infographics. Ensure these are clear (even when the content is complex).
• Use as little text as possible. And no bullet points! And that is not because I hate bullet points per se, I am using them in this article, but don’t expect people to read stuff if you are speaking. If you are using a PowerPoint or Keynote to create a document for people to read (say, after a presentation) then by all means use bullet points, but don’t have them in the part of the presentation when you are speaking.
• Use a common San Serif font. These are generally easier to read. Helvetica and Verdana are good examples and are both recommended by TED. Helvetica is considered to be one of the easiest-to-read typefaces and Verdana has wide letters and spacing that aid reading and impact.
• Use a font size of 42 or larger. Yes, that’s right 42 or bigger!
• Be careful with font and slide colour. Make sure that the colour of the slides helps legibility. You can experiment but remember that black on white and white on black are safe bets for easy reading.

And don’t feel that you must use digital aides. I still love using flipcharts, whiteboards and props when giving presentations and talks. Experiment and see what works best. And that idea neatly brings us to the rehearsals…

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

Ensure you have time to run through your presentation. Don’t spend all your time on your slides and neglect to practice what you are actually going to say. The words you say are the most important bit and should have the most impact. Try with and without your slides. There is a chance they may not work on the day. So, think about how you can do without them. Have a go at using a flipchart or similar to highlight key concepts.

Talking through the presentation in your head is not enough; you need to speak the words out loud, preferably several times. Rehearse out loud, then in front of a mirror, and then to someone else. Pick someone you love or trust first (that makes taking the criticism easier) and then try a small audience. Accept the feedback, refine your presentation and practice again.

Also, if you want to maximise impact, you are better off not reading from a script. It is much better to have a short talk, that is clear, and you can give without notes, than a long one that you have to read out. Once again, think about TED talks and what makes them great. You don’t necessarily have to be that polished but the principles are the same.

Give the presentation

Firstly, make sure you have time beforehand, so you are not flustered. If you can, get into the room early to set up and test your audio-visual needs. Get comfortable in the space.

If you can’t get into the room before you present, then take some time somewhere else to prepare yourself mentally. One of the things I like to do is to go for a short walk. This gentle exercise has the added benefit of working off excess adrenalin in your system.

So, you are now fully prepared. How do you then start the presentation?

When you get into the room, don’t be flustered. Get yourself ready to go, take a breath and ensure you are upright with an open posture. Pause, take another deep breath and without speaking, take a moment to look around the room, smiling and making eye contact. This will gather people’s attention, reduce any chatter, and help to exude self-confidence (even if your stomach is doing cartwheels!)

Now give your talk and imagine that you are just speaking to one person, sharing something that you are passionate about. Enjoy it!

Get feedback

If you have followed all the steps you can be confident that the presentation has gone well. Enjoy the praise that you get in the aftermath; you have worked hard, and you deserve it!

But there is always room for improvement, so also get some critical feedback. In my experience, this is best-sought one-to-one, away from wherever you did the presentation. Also, ask at least a couple of people that you trust so that you can get multiple views.

When asking for feedback be specific. For example, you could use the three traffic light questions for continual improvement, namely, if you did the talk again:

1. What should you stop doing?
2. What should you continue doing?
3. What should you start doing?

If you get the chance, edit your talk to capture the advice you receive. Even if you never give the exact presentation again, the process of applying the feedback will help to reinforce it in your memory.

Planning for your next presentation

Take a few minutes now and ask yourself, when do you next need to give a presentation? Put some time in the diary to come back to the 7 steps and use them to prepare.

Remember:

1. Know your timeframe
2. Decide upon the key message
3. Outline the narrative arc
4. Create your slides or visual aides
5. Rehearse
6. Give the presentation
7. Get feedback

And have fun with it! Presentations can (and should) be fascinating, entertaining, or both.

If you want some evidence of this and examples of great presentations then try one of the TED.com playlists such as their 24 most popular TED talks of all time.

You may not have been born a leader, but you were born to lead

Do you think of yourself as a leader?

Maybe leadership feels natural to you. Or perhaps, you don’t feel like a leader, even if you are in a management position.

In my case, for a long time, I didn’t think I was a leader. I certainly did not feel that I was born a leader or that I encompassed what I thought were key leadership qualities, such as large amounts of charisma, power, and self-confidence.

But then, much to my surprise I was given some small management roles and (hiding my insecurity) I started to lead others. I won a scholarship with the military and became an Army Officer, gaining invaluable leadership training and practical experience in command.

From there, I have gone on to various leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibility. As well as leading a large organisation, I coach senior leaders, write a regular leadership column, and facilitate leadership courses.

But you would never have predicted that if you had seen me in my early years. So, what happened? What made the difference?

The 3 Simple Truths of Leadership

The shift for me was gradual, but I can now point to three simple (but revolutionary) truths that have impacted my leadership journey. These are:

1. Leadership is all about influence
2. Everyone is a leader to some extent
3. We can all improve and develop our leadership

These truths now drive my purpose. I help others in their leadership path and often this involves de-bunking unhelpful assumptions about what a leader is. And this is an inclusive approach to leadership; everyone can lead and get better at leading.

I love adventure (it is one of my core values) and I like to think of life as a journey. On our road, we often meet or travel alongside others. Each meeting is an opportunity, no matter how long or short the time is that we spend together. With every interaction with others, I think, “What can we teach each other that will make us better leaders and equip us for the next stage of our adventure?”

Therefore, even though we are not together in person now, this is still a moment of connection. I hope some of my thoughts will help you on your journey.

What is the definition of leadership?

Before we unpack the 3 truths of leadership a little more, let’s first define our terms. Specifically, let’s define what we mean by leadership.

There are many definitions of leadership. W.C.H. Prentice, in his famous HBR article of 1961 defined leadership as:

“The accomplishment of a goal through the direction of human assistants”

W.C.H Prentice

Most people think about leadership in these terms. It is about one person using other people to get stuff done.

However, this definition does not quite capture all types of leadership. For example, what about self-leadership, followership, 360-degree leadership, or thought leadership?

Therefore, my favourite definition of leadership is that of author John C. Maxwell who says that leadership is, in its essence, influence.

“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”

John C. Maxwell

Thus, I would define leaders as people who use their influence (or power) to initiate change.

How can everyone be a leader? Am I a leader?

With this definition, of leadership as influence, we can now see the logic of how everyone is, to some degree, a leader. This is because we all have a measure of influence, on ourselves and others.

“Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone.”

John C. Maxwell

The term influence is synonymous with power, but I prefer the term influence. That is mainly due to how people view themselves. If you ask someone “Are you powerful?” very few people would say yes. However, if you ask someone “Do you have a degree of influence, on yourself and others?” then most people would recognise that they do.

Even when people protest that they have little influence on others, they can see that they do have influence on themselves. This is self-leadership. And we all have friends, families, associates, and colleagues who we interact with. Every interaction we have creates little micro changes in ourselves and our environment. So, even if small, our influence is important, because it affects the people we love most.

Therefore, we need to think about what we want to do with our influence. What changes do we want to initiate? To step up as leaders, all we need to think about is what future we are trying to create. What is the positive world that we are trying to bring about in people and our environment?

We can all be better: leadership requires a growth mindset

That change starts with us. It is a choice, committing to self-improvement and then to lead ourselves and others better. The first vision we need is one for ourselves. What is the better version of us that we want to grow into? What sort of leader do you want to be? If we want effective change, we need a clear picture of what we want to change into.

“Be the leader you wish you had.” 

Simon Sinek

And that growth never stops. You may be a new team lead or the CEO of a large company, but the simple fact remains; we can all improve our performance. Therefore, no matter how far along our leadership journey we are, we all need time to reflect and work out what we work on next.

There are many different tools that can help us assess our strengths and weaknesses or identify areas for growth. One useful framework is that of Robert Katz who breaks down skills into technical, human, and conceptual competencies. You can find a breakdown of these in the article Which Leadership Skill Do You Need to Develop Most?

Once you have decided upon an area for development you can start to experiment and learn. A growth mindset is dependent upon experiential learning. As with David Kolb’s learning cycle, we have an experience, we then reflect on it and we think about conceptual tools that can help us. Then we experiment with applying those concepts, thereby creating a new experience, and so the cycle starts again. We might make mistakes, and some things might not work, but by following this cycle we fail forward; always learning and progressing.

And if you are really committed to self-improvement then there are various leadership training programmes and executive coaching options that you can consider.

Are leaders born or made?

No one is born a fully-fledged leader, and no one is a leader by birthright. We should not see someone as either a born leader or not.

“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.”

Vince Lombardi

So we can dispense with Great Man Theory; the idea that some people are destined from birth to be the makers of history. But, if leadership is influence and we all have some influence, then we are all born with some capability to be leaders in that respect.

You may not have been born a leader but you were born to lead.

Whether we recognise that fact, develop ourselves, increase our influence and have a positive effect? That is a personal choice.

So, what choice will you make?

“A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential. Leadership is not about titles or the corner office. It’s about the willingness to step up, put yourself out there, and lean into courage.”

Brené Brown

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