divi-module-breadcrumbs domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/dh_b3sm9p/partnerscoach.cgstagingsite.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170worth-the-read domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/dh_b3sm9p/partnerscoach.cgstagingsite.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170The post Equipping Managers To Perform appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>We learn so much from our coaching clients, like what they really want, what concerns them and what holds them back. Over the years, our experience has revealed a common theme—that transitioning from staff performer to project manager is one of the most under-appreciated shifts in a career. Unfortunately, firm leaders often neglect equipping managers for success, which negatively impacts the manager, staff, clients, and the firm as a whole.
At the entry level, the primary goal of professionals is reliable performance. It is crucial to develop the work habits and traits necessary for excellence. What worked as a student is often insufficient in a professional setting. In fact, many firms now implement extended onboarding programs to guide their young professionals into a successful career. And the results are telling.
As staff are promoted to managers, the emphasis shifts from personal performance to overseeing projects, ensuring high-quality work that is timely and within budget. This transition is frequently underestimated. It is much more complex than simply promoting someone to a title. Too often, firm leaders allow managers to continue as individual performers, rather than equipping them for their broader role.
Many firms lack a formal manager orientation, assuming that newly promoted managers inherently know what to do. Managers may receive a list of tasks and are told what they should do: delegate more, train your staff, be available for questions, communicate with partners, ensure that client information is obtained. Oh, and meet your charge hour goals. However, without proper guidance, managers struggle to meet these expectations, leading them to frustration and overwhelm. Hoping they will figure it out is not supportive leadership.
It’s no wonder that managers duck back into the known and safe role of being an individual performer. But the result is that projects bottleneck at the last minute, staff are frustrated because their manager is unavailable and partners have only a vague idea how projects are progressing through the system. And clients will just have to wait.
Successful managers excel in four primary areas. In addition to completing their own work, they must ensure staff performance, enlist client cooperation, and track the work to deliver high-quality, on-time, and on-budget projects. This is the essence of the manager’s role.
As a firm leader, consider how you are equipping your managers to succeed in all four areas. Do you leave them alone to figure it out for themselves? Are they merely given a list of duties and then expected to perform? Do you provide any training or mentoring? Are they held accountable for managing high-quality projects? Effective performance won’t happen by chance—it requires intentional support and development.
Leaders must assume the responsibility to set up their managers for success. There are all kinds of resources and support available. If you believe your managers would benefit from being better equipped to perform, contact us to discuss your situation. We may be able to help.
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]]>The post Account For Your Yeses appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>We’ve heard a lot about learning to say no, and rightly so, because we often say yes too much and take on too many responsibilities. It is no fun. However, that said, the real issue just might be that we’ve never learned to say yes effectively.
Remember, every yes has a cost. Minimally, it’s our time and energy; but also exacts from us our priority and focus. What happens when our time, energy and resources are overdrawn? We become overburdened, overwhelmed, which leads to stress and anxiety. Yep, your yeses are a cause of much of your stress.
So how should you account for your yeses? Before you say yes, consider the following:
Capacity Constraints. When something new comes along, think about everything you’ve already committed to, including personal and work-related obligations. What constraints do you face, like tight due dates, conflicting priorities, and other shifting responsibilities? Unfortunately, adopting a FIFO (first in/first out) approach is seldom applicable. Before you say yes, discuss it first with your manager or partner, even if it’s only to let them know of your situation.
Expectations and Reliance. Saying yes creates expectations in others. People are relying on you to follow through. Are you at risk of letting them down? This includes not just clients, partners, or managers, but also your significant other, children, family, and friends.
Neuropsychology has taught us that the negative impact on others when we don’t meet an expectation is much greater and lasts longer than their satisfaction when we meet an expectation. This explains why missed expectations are much more significant and remembered than the times we come through.
Is it time for you to better account for your yeses? After all, you have to protect your reputation. Learn to say yes so that you can make good on ALL of them. Everyone is depending on you.
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]]>The post Enjoy The Journey appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>As you come out of recovery from any intense period (aka busy season), you enter into a season that may be less intense, but still full of activities and responsibilities. Will you enjoy the journey?
For the next four months, you have annual or semi-annual reviews, continuing education opportunities, colleague and client connections and other firm responsibilities. In addition, you have a full personal life—family vacations, personal interests and other activities that beckon your time and energy.
You have a lot going on, don’t you? If you aren’t careful, you will look up and the summer will be over and wonder where the weeks went. Holy smokes!
To protect yourself from this unfortunate demise, there is a popular phrase that really captures it all.
Simply—enjoy the journey. Yes, it’s that simple.
But I’m not the one to write about it. You see, I have an affliction, described in a phrase coined by Phillip Berry, entrepreneur and author. He called it being “arrival-driven.” That’s me. Haahh, is it ever me. He wrote,
“One might argue that we are arrival-driven, that it’s all about getting where we want to go. We’re impatient for completion. Give me my destination so I can begin to enjoy it. I suppose that’s how it is with any goal. Whether it’s time, money, or personal sacrifice, the price we pay is along the way. The payback happens at the end, when we’ve finally arrived.”
I’ve spent the better part of my adult life trying to moderate this affliction. And I’ve made great strides. But every so often, I can still get focused on the end that I forget to enjoy the time and effort—the journey—to get there. I get impatient, frustrated, even fearful that I won’t arrive or accomplish. It only tenses me up so that I stress and fret all the more. Grasping more tightly, I grit and grind to the point that I’m a hot mess with a sore jaw and pounding headache.
But most of the time now, I remember…
Enjoy the journey. Take a breath, calm down, and experience the present moment.
As you enter into this next season, remember to enjoy your journey. You know your own tendencies and what you must do. You have a few months. It starts now. What can you do today? This week? This month?
Whatever you do, enjoy the journey.
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]]>The post Reflect In Order To Learn appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>Whenever we experience intense situations, they get encoded into our memory bank. Strong situations can be pleasant or unpleasant, depending on our initial interpretations. They are formed subconsciously and stored as such. By consciously reflecting on our experiences after the fact, we have the ability to use them to our advantage for growth. Coming out of an intense spring season, what did we learn?
Sometimes, memories get stored in ways that are less helpful. If all we remember is the overtime, the urgency and the overwhelming volume of work, then our memory will be one that is unpleasant. This is natural and is referred to as the negativity bias. It is designed to keep us alert and safe. But since we really aren’t at risk, we can recode the memories to serve as learning experiences.
For instance, rather than recall a situation as overwhelming, you can reflect on how you came together as a team to pull off a big project. Rather than remember all the extended days finishing up projects, you could recall those situations for the relief and sense of accomplishment you felt when done They are both true, but reflection allows you to choose how you will store the memories so you can learn from them.
This is why reflection is a critical ingredient to your professional growth. We get so busy doing the next thing that we don’t hit the pause button to reflect in order to learn. You have to make the time to reflect. Here are three areas for reflection to make them learning memories.
About your work. What can you do now or do better than before the intense situation? Surely, you are more capable now than you were 6 months ago. But because it happened incrementally over time, it is easy to forget, focusing more on the discomfort you experienced in the learning process.
About your team. We all have our foibles, so rather than emphasizing what people are not, why not focus on what they are? What are their superpowers that you appreciate? Who modeled what you want to emulate?
About yourself. How did you manage yourself appropriately in different situations? How are you a better, more capable, and more confident as a person and as a professional?
If you don’t reflect in order to learn, you will miss the growth opportunities you might gain from those memories. Schedule yourself now to reflect on the spring season and begin recoding your experiences into learning memories.
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]]>The post An Effective And Better Life appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>Over the last several weeks, what have you done differently in your work approach and style that have relieved you of the stress-induced demands of your life? I ask you this because each week, we write about best practices of those who are thriving in the profession. The routines are based on solid behavioral research and applied to your work environment. The recent Messages have focused on tips and tricks that will give you an effective and better life. Of course, just hearing about them will do you no good if you aren’t weaving them into how you live.
So this week, you have an opportunity to rate yourself on how well you are doing. The following practices are taken from the Messages of the last seven weeks. Use the following rating to determine how you are doing.
1 = Not at all
2 = A little
3 = Somewhat
4 = Consistently
Be honest with yourself as you rate your practice of these validated procedures. To refresh your memory, each item is linked to the Message in which it appears.
| Item | Score |
| Know your week ahead of time and schedule it accordingly. Otherwise, you will run out of week before you’re done.
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| Block off chunks of time on your calendar for the work that requires your total concentration.
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| Be more assertive to ask questions of your manager or partner for clarification and instruction; or following up with others about their progress.
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| Demonstrate tenacity, perseverance and resilience to keep at it, especially when you aren’t feeling it.
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| Take time to interact with others casually, not just around projects. Laugh, have fun and get away from the work at hand.
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| Reduce your cortisol-induced stress by getting in control of yourself by applying these six effective techniques.
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| Take breaks throughout the day and week where you actually separate yourself from your work.
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How did you do? If your scores are 1s and 2s, they indicate that those practices aren’t important enough to bother with. Time to let them go and move on.
Your score of 3 indicates that you value the practice but struggle with consistency. You believe it would be helpful but haven’t figured out how to integrate the practice into your work approach. If you could do something different to be more consistent, what would it be?
4s suggest that you believe in the practice and have instituted it into your life. Congratulations!
Obviously, the more 4s you have, the more effective and better your life is, compared to your colleagues. Whatever your challenges and struggles are, your colleagues who score lower than 4s are suffering even more. You probably notice how hard life is on them.
With this assessment, you know where you need to focus your attention. These aren’t the only useful practices, and if you aren’t doing these things, what are you doing? You deserve to have an effective and better life and every research-based behavior will make your life and work more enjoyable.
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]]>The post Take Breaks! appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>How often do you take a break in a day? How frequently? It’s more than just another box to check, along with all the other things you have to do. Breaks affect your health and your performance.
William S. Helton, PhD, a professor at George Mason University, conducted a study with students. For 45 minutes, they were to map, track and plan railway lines on a screen, which required sustained effort. One group of students performed the task with no breaks. Another group took a 5-minute break halfway through the task. No surprise, the students who took a break significantly outperformed the no-break students.
Helton said, “The study is one of many that finds focusing our attention for too long can wear us out. Prolonged work seems to be depleting. You start to fade out and there’s a decline in performance.” As we have all observed, prolonged work, whether it’s physical, mental or emotional, will diminish in quality over time.
While the advantage of taking breaks is common knowledge, we each have our own excuses reasons why we won’t take A break. Here are some common ones we use.
No matter what our favs are, they are just not true. NO study has shown that performance remains high after a prolonged period. Yet we continue to function as if we are cyborgs with no physical or cognitive limitations.
Steven Covey coined the Seventh Habit as “sharpening the saw.” He uses the analogy of someone sawing wood. After a while, the saw doesn’t’ work as well, so he saws harder. When asked why he won’t stop to sharpen the saw, he remarks, “Because I’m too busy sawing.” Hmm. There is a lesson in there, somewhere.
There are different kinds of breaks. Micro-breaks are the short, 5-minute step aways. Just be sure you actually step away. I know I’m guilty of this. Sometimes, I “take a break” by getting out of my chair, but I continue to think about what I’m working on. That’s not a break.
Then there are longer breaks, like a whole day away from everything. While it feels worrisome to take that much time away from work, we must gently remind ourselves that we are offline. This is the opposite to what previous generations learned. “24-7” was the rule of the day and we too often ended up as burned out and burned up carnage. The younger workforce isn’t interested.
Finally, there are extended breaks, often referred to as vacations. I’m so pleased when one of my clients report that they went away with their family for a week and didn’t bring their computer. They allowed for periodic check-ins, depending on the importance of current projects, but they prepared by delegating and communicating to everyone their intentions to be offline. Not a single one reported that they wished they brought along their computer. Another lesson learned. (Here are some more ideas about taking breaks)
The question isn’t about the effectiveness of taking breaks or convincing us that we should take breaks. The question is, why don’t we? Maybe it’s time we acknowledge the research, admit to our humanness and assume responsibility for ourselves. TAKE BREAKS!
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]]>The post Energizing And Purposeful appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>If there is an overarching theme among professionals who take their career seriously, one of the top selections would have to be handling stress. Since you are conscientious to do a great job that matters to others, you will experience the pressures of producing excellent work in a timely fashion. There are lots of clients, lots of projects, lots of demands, lots of changes and delays.
Collectively, they can wear and tear you down, if you don’t manage yourself through them all. Managing stress is a discipline you will develop throughout your career. While strengthening your stress-managing muscles, be aware that there are some myths about managing your stress that will lead you astray.
For instance, I read in an article in Forbes magazine that caught my attention. It was posted last summer, and I was surprised by a statement made by the author.
“Burnout is often incorrectly mistaken for prolonged stress, though chronic stress can induce burnout, depending on why such stress occurs. In general, stress occurs as a normal reaction to external stimuli or pressures.”
While the author is correct that prolonged stress is often misdiagnosed as burnout, it is not true that stress occurs (or caused) from external pressures. Stress is actually an internal fabrication of how you perceive the situation to be.
In fact, the author goes on to give 3 examples of professional situations, concluding with this summary:
“In each case, burned out professionals perceive themselves as unable to carry out the jobs they believe embody their professional values and achieve their aspirations no matter how hard they work.”
For your own well-being, understand that stress is induced by your internal perceptions, not your external environment. How you perceive your situation determines your stress. Stress is the result of the story you tell yourself about the situation you are in, not a characteristic of the situation itself.
It’s not the work that gets you. It’s the story you tell yourself about the work. Your perceptions drive your emotions, and then your actions. Do you feel frantic and hurried? Or is it focused and determined? Two different responses to the same situation. The work doesn’t change. How you perceive the work is the only thing that changes.
Whether it is busy season, a difficult client, an uncooperative colleague or the volume of projects, you can view them as impossible and overwhelming (stressful) or as moments to increase your mental and emotional resilience.
This lesson takes time to learn and those who have thrived in the profession have learned it well. While you are enjoying your summer moments, routinely remind yourself that your work, relationships and career are energizing and purposeful; that you matter, your work is important and you are grateful for your opportunities.
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]]>I just returned from the 2023 Engage Conference in LV last week. It was great to see friends and hear about the latest practices, technologies and transformations in the profession. Being around 3500 talented, inspired professionals is truly invigorating.
As Susan and I presented our sessions, we noticed the incredible talent represented, and we wondered about their roles in their home firms. How are they treated and rewarded by their leaders? It is likely that they are the go-getters—the ones who want to be involved and make things happen. They demonstrate energy and apply discretionary effort to their work and the firm’s success. They not only show up, they step up. They typically have aspirations for excellence and contribution.
As a result, they receive bonuses, time off, top drawer training, promotions, and other perks that recognize and appreciate their extra effort and results.
This led me to consider the hundreds of thousands who were not in attendance. Why were they not there? Would they feel out of place among such an august group? Did they even want to attend? Did their leaders even think they would benefit? I realize not everyone can attend this kind of conference. But the ones who do attend have earned the privilege of these opportunities.
It’s interesting to me that those who are less engaged want to receive the same rewards and recognitions as the fully engaged ones, even though they haven’t earned them. They believe they are being treated unfairly if their rewards are less. The thinking seems to be, “Because they got a trophy, so should I.”
This creates a difficult situation for decision-makers. In the interest of preserving cultural harmony and higher retention, managers and leaders may be less willing to deal with this obvious inequity. Do they have frank and honest conversations with everyone about how they are doing and where they stand? Or do they lie low and lead everyone to believe that this is “Lake Wobegon?”
In addition to having honest conversations, leaders must also create a motivational environment where more people are encouraged, challenged and supported to stretch their career horizons and aspirations. How can everyone experience a sense of fulfillment in a purposeful career?
The message is clear: to groom more talented professionals worthy of significant opportunities. High expectations. Honest feedback. Recognize and reward.
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]]>The post Bad Habits Return When Stressed appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>Whenever we experience stressful times, we typically fall prey to previous habits that are longer (or were never) good for us. For instance, when stressed, our eating habits often leave us and we return to former habits that are ingrained in our subconscious minds. It’s our brain’s natural attempt to conserve energy by finding as many low-energy defaults as possible that require less thinking, will power or decision making. So our bad habits return when we are stressed.
I remember when we always had sweet rolls in the breakroom during the heavy seasons. In fact, I used to contribute to making sure there was plenty for everyone else. But they weren’t for me. You see, at an earlier time, I came to the realization that I and they could no longer be an item. So we separated.
All went well initially. I would walk right past the plate of cinnamon buns to the coffeepot, smugly thinking I’m so over them. The first few weeks I thought I had successfully removed them from my world.
Then about the fourth week, I noticed that they were catching my eye, so I would stare a bit longer at them. In only a matter of days, they began to look remarkably “interesting.” Soon it was all I could do to walk past that plate, oozing with sweet creamy icing. That’s when I felt myself begin to weaken.
I found myself paying attention to which kind of sweet roll was on the plate that day. I began counting how many were there and which one I would select IF I were to choose. It became harder to move past the waft of sweetness in the air, to the point I could almost taste it. On my way back to my desk, I would recall some special moments in my past when I especially enjoyed a sweet roll—at my grandmother’s house, at the county fair and at the airport. Oh my.
And then it happened. In a moment of high stress and mental weakness, I decided to take just a taste of one of the delectables. It was amazing—moist, doughy and topped with that wonderful butter cream icing. The cinnamon lingered in my mouth and perfectly blended with my next sip of hot coffee to produce a euphoric moment that I will add to my memory. In only moments, I found myself walking back to my office with the largest sweet roll solidly in my grasp. I had one thought: “Curse you, sweet roll!”
You know how the rest of this story plays out because you know it. And when your cognitive load becomes overtaxed, you are just as susceptible to your former bad habits. Your “sweet roll” may take many forms to the extreme, like procrastination, not exercising, spending, video games; even behaviors like a short temper, poor listening, disrespect—anything that requires little conscious attention.
So, during the next few months, get yourself together. You haven’t failed; you just lost sight of your better self. Whenever your bad habits return from stress, simply acknowledge them and reclaim your fulfilling professional life.
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]]>The post Shift From Stress To Energy appeared first on Partners Coach by Guy Gage.
]]>Gratitude weakens the normal stress response and changes our mindset and mood, allowing us to perceive situations as ones of anticipation and interest. By intentionally expressing gratitude, we can experience the shift from stress to energy, even in just 60 seconds.
In 1939, the British Ministry of Information created slogans to boost the morale of the populace during the German air raids. One slogan has remained to this day. You’ve heard it and know it well. In fact, I saw it again recently: “Keep calm and carry on.” It’s a reminder to remain grounded with a positive disposition through high stress situations in order to shift from stress to energy.
The power of the slogan is more than a trite phrase to mutter when you are stressed. If you have followed this Monday Message, you know that it’s the science behind the phrase that makes the saying so effective.
One study found that having gratitude weakens the normal stress response because it creates a different mindset and mood in which we experience life. Our positive state changes how we perceive it.
If we perceive a situation as tense and stressful, our bodies produce a chemical cocktail that triggers our anxiety. However, if we perceive a situation as one of anticipation and interest, a different hormonal concoction is produced. Gratitude creates the mindset in which we experience our lives.
How much have you made gratitude a part of your life? Do you take time to intentionally express gratitude for your blessings, gifts, opportunities and relationships? If so, you likely don’t experience the same debilitating effects of stressful situations that your non-gratitude colleagues do.
If you were to take just 60 seconds right now to express gratitude, you will notice your heart rate decrease, your breathing slow down and a sense of calm permeate your body and mind. Only 60 seconds. Imagine what would happen if you did that every day, several times a day? You would experience the shift from stress to energy.
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