Over 137 years later a young doctor wondered why so many patients in the hospital were developing infections after having an intravenous line.  Like any good researcher, he observed what was happening before, during and after an intravenous line was inserted into a patient. Sometimes, procedures that were common knowledge were not being utilized. 

 As a result he created a simple five point checklist to avoid infection when inserting a line. 1. Wash hands with soap; 2. Clean the patient’s skin with antiseptic; 3. Place a sterile drape over the patient; 4. Wear a sterile mask, hat, gown and gloves; 5. Put a sterile dressing over the catheter site.

 This simple idea is credited with saving 1,500 lives in the first 18 months of implementation and the young doctor was named in 2008 to Time magazine’s list of the World’s 100 Most Influential People.  The doctor is Peter Pronovost, a critical care researcher at John Hopkins University, who was born and grew up in Waterbury, CT.

 The lesson of this story is that you should not assume that knowledgeable people always remember to do what they know.  The checklist insures that all the necessary steps are performed.  By the way, Dr. Pronovost used an idea from a different field to create his checklist.  The doctor is also a pilot and would never take off without going through the pre-flight checklist.  What checklist would help you achieve greater results?

1. Focus on only one resolution.  Most people try to accomplish too many resolutions and get overcome with trying to keep all of them.  Pick the one resolution that will give you the biggest return on your investment of time.
2. Keep it SMART.  That stands for Specific, Measured, Achievable, Relevant and Timed.
3. Set up reminders.  Psychologists tell us that it take 21 to 34 days to develop a new habit.  That’s really what a resolution is, a new habit.  If you don’t remind yourself of the desired change you may fall into you old habits.  Put a sign up in your work area as a reminder, program reminders into your computer every week and post a note on your bathroom mirror.
4. Start strong.  A strong start will help you maintain the awareness that this is important.  Let others know what you want to accomplish so they can support you. 
5. Try an accountability partner.  We have used this concept successfully for the past 20+ years.  Contact a friend and ask them to check in with you twice a week for a month to see how you are doing.  You can also help them stay on track for their resolutions.  If you have to report your progress to someone you are more apt to keep doing the new behavior.  After the first month, decide if the arrangement is working and if you want to continue.  
6. Enjoy the ride.  Achieving a resolution, developing a new habit is a process.  Enjoy and celebrate each success along the way and at the end of the year you will be a better you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

1. I know what is expected of me at work.
2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have a best friend at work.
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

_{Copyright © 1992-1999 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.}

Kipling’s thoughts are as relevant today as when they were written.  In interpersonal communication, four of those questions take center stage, What, Who, How and Why.  After many years of observing human behavior, I am convinced that we can improve our interpersonal communication if we just focus on these four questions. 

Most people rely on two of the four questions most of the time when communicating.  The key to effective communication is to answer the other person’s questions first and then deal with your own questions.  Once their questions are answered they are willing to listen and answer your questions.

Let me offer an example: I have a client/friend that I have worked with for many years.  She is extremely capable and detailed and in our communication she is always interested in the How and Why of the project.  My questions tend to be the What and Who of any project.  Although we look at the world differently, we work extremely well together because of our mutual respect and trust.  As long as her How and Why questions are answered she if eager to listen to my What and Who.  Because we deal with all four questions we make a very formidable team.

I am frequently asked for strategies on dealing with a team or one-on-one encounters that are stuck.  There are road blocks and people don’t know how to get passed them.  Here is a strategy that has worked.  First, acknowledge that the process is blocked.  You might say, “We seem to be at an impasse.”  Then say, “May I ask a question” and ask “At this moment which of the following is most important, What, Who, How or Why”.  In most cases this will move the discussion along and the other individual(s) will get their needs met.  Once everyone has their question answered the process can continue and you will achieve your objectives.

                                      Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward, and we want to sit in their radius.”                            Karl Menninger

“It is better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

                                      Abraham Lincoln

“Listen long enough and the person will generally come up with an adequate solution”

                                      Mary Kay Ash

“People who accomplish things do more listening that talking.”

                                      Irving Shapiro, former chairman of DuPont

“The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say.”                     Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart

“You ain’t learnin’ nothin’ when you’re doin’ all the talkin’.”

                                      President Lyndon B. Johnson’s office sign as a Senator

“People will flood you with ideas if you let them.”

                                      Peter Smith, General Signal

“A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years’ study of books.”                         Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“The way to stay fresh is you never stop traveling, you never stop listening.  You never stop asking people what they thing.”

                                      Rene McPherson, former chairman, Dana

Here is a little MAP to help with listening. M is for mental aspect of listening. Keep you mind focused on what is being said and resist mental distractions. A is for attitude. Create the desire to want to listen. We have all had the experience of really listening when dealing with a distraught family member or friend. At those times we listen because we know that it is important. The P is for the physical side of listening. Maintain eye contact, lean into the conversation, watch for nonverbal signals and react to what is said.

Try this MAP and watch your listening ability improve.

This doesn’t mean that companies aren’t watching the dollar; they are just more creative with the training budget.  Blended learning using assessments, webinars, mentors, coaches and live training are all part of the mix.  I have noticed in my own business (30^th year) that self-contained leadership and management modules coupled with webinars are more in demand.  Live training continues, but it’s blended with on-line reinforcement and job aids.   The lesson learned by the successful companies profiled is that investing in employees with high potential will pay dividend now and in the future.

How is your company developing its people?

To read the entire article, go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123395874246058397.html

A study by the U. S. Department of Education found that employers ranked job applicants attitudes, communication skills and work experience as the most important factors in selecting a new employee.  But it’s not just the new employees, attitudes are critical to the personal and organizational success of your current workforce.

Positive attitudes are the key to unlocking people’s productivity, creativity and energy.  In a Yale University study, people displaying positive attitudes lived, on average, seven years longer that those displaying negative attitudes.  So for you and your organization fostering positive attitudes can make a big difference for the future. 

William James, the Harvard psychologist said, “The greatest discovery of this generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind”.  Have you checked

Adequate introduction of new work

Be a straight shooter

Criticize wisely

Develop initiative

Encourage good work

Find ways to build self-respect

Generate sincere praise

Have consideration

Limitation is powerful

Job simplification when possible

Know and understand people

Loyalty to the group

Make every job meaningful

No promise is unimportant

Opportunity for learning

Pride in what they are doing

Quiet the fears

Responsibility develops morale

Smile often

Teach people the good

Understand people resist change

Value every person

Welcome new ideas

X-pect success

You’re a source of encouragement

Zero hour is now, act

In the last post we talked about the five areas of derailment; now let’s share some ideas on what to do about them.  (From Preventing Derailment: What To Do Before It’s Too Late)

1. Focus on results and leadership challenges rather than the technical matters.
2. Don’t over control.  Develop a tolerance for the uncontrollable and life’s ambiguity.  Remember your mind is like a parachute, it only works when it’s open.
3. Beware of your blind spot.  You cannot know everything so seek feedback on both success and failure.
4. Learn to focus on the baton.  In a relay race, the most important task is to smoothly pass the baton from one runner to the other.  Focus on the transition between challenges.  What have you learned that you can apply and what won’t work.
5. People and teams are unique.  Make sure your message is tailored to the specific needs of the group or individual.  One size does not fit all.
6. Increase your self-awareness.  Understand your strengths and weaknesses.  Peter Drucker said, “Success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves – their strengths, their values and how they best perform”.
7. Understand interpersonal impact.  Day to day interactions have a large impact on others.  Trust is build one action at a time.
8. Deal with emotions, likes and dislikes in a cool, calm, and composed manner.  If you get trapped into an emotional response, you are heading toward a derailment.
9. Focus on the here and now.  In sports coaches are always instructing their team to concentrate on the team they are playing now and not the next big game.  Successful executives deal with the problems at hand and develop the talent of the people on their team.
10. Admit mistakes, learn from them and move on.  Remember your job is to fix problems, not blame.  Whether it’s your mistake or a team member’s mistake, the key is to fix it, learn from it and move on.

“It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning.”

– Claude Bernard