Be Your Best During Difficult Conversations

Be Your Best During Difficult Conversations

by | Feb 18, 2021 | Leadership

Over the past week, most of the country experienced cold, winter weather. In the Pacific Northwest, we had a storm that impacted the entire region. At our home, it snowed for nearly two days straight, with a snow total of more than 12 inches. The dogs really enjoyed the snow, but most of the wildlife struggled to find food. We had hummingbird wars, and lots of wildlife visiting our bird feeders, including numerous varieties of bird, a pregnant deer with two youngsters and a few raccoons. I can say that the chickens unequivocally did not enjoy the weather. Even though these chickens are Icelandic, I’d venture to say that it has been a few generations since their ancestors visited their motherland. One of the chickens started down the ramp, slid a little and backed right back up into the coop. None of the chickens left the coop from Friday morning through Tuesday morning. 
 
As you can imagine, we were also concerned about Caramel Corn, our long-lost chicken who left us for our neighbor’s horse pasture. Caramel Corn spends her days with the horses and goats, and in the evening she usually sleeps in the trees and brush along the driveway. During the snowstorm, the horses were in the barn, the goats were in their pen, and there were no chicken tracks on our driveway or the pasture. On Monday, we went down the driveway to find that Caramel Corn had been killed by a predator (thankfully that predator was not named JacX). 
 
Caramel Corn had managed to survive on her own since July. But, unfortunately, the snow kept her from being able to fly or run to safety. The storm changed her environment and removed her natural defenses. I think there are a lot of people who have also been struggling through their own storm, otherwise known as the pandemic. They were strong and resilient, but the pandemic changed everything. 
 
As we start to see a faint light signaling the end of the pandemic, we can’t lose sight of the fact that people are struggling, and businesses are fighting to survive. The key to emerging from this pandemic as healthy individuals is for all of us to be willing to support each other, even as tensions are high. As I share with my clients, I believe all issues, outside of politics, can be resolved with direct, honest communication.
 
Engaging in these difficult conversations can be uncomfortable and, at times, scary. But the benefits of engaging far outweigh the risks. Ignoring the tension will only lead to additional stress, anger and reduced performance. 
 
Every situation is different, but here are some tips that can help you be your best during these difficult conversations:

  • Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. I’m sure this tip isn’t something you haven’t heard before, but this pandemic has made me realize that we are all dealing with different stresses in different areas of our lives. Viewing the situation from a different perspective provides insight into the motivation behind someone’s behavior, which hopefully results in compassion.
  • Listen to understand. It is so hard when tensions are rising to really listen to what the other person is saying. So, take a deep breath, close your mouth and listen. 
  • Ask questions. As I coach my clients, during difficult conversations, or when a conversation takes a turn that you aren’t expecting, the best way to recover is to ask questions. This gives the emotional side of your brain a chance to calm down and the intellectual side of the brain time to respond appropriately. 
  • Don’t ignore it. Most of us would like to avoid these conversations altogether. However, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the best time to eat a frog is in the morning because it isn’t going to taste any better if you wait. Eat the Frog. Have the conversation. 

If you still aren’t sure how to address an issue, please reach out to me, and together we can help you emerge from those necessary but difficult conversations with a deeper relationship and increased confidence for the future. 
 
I think that is what Caramel Corn would have wanted.

My First Encounter with a Rooster

My First Encounter with a Rooster

by | Jan 27, 2021 | EOS

I’d like to preface this story with a reminder that I grew up in the city. I’ve never been around many farm animals, including chickens. So, with this in mind, I’ll tell you about my first encounter with a rooster.

When I went over to my chicken coach’s home to get my rooster and some hens, the men were busy with man things so the ladies went down to the barn to catch the chickens. We entered the coop and there were chickens up in the rafters and on the roost, and a few roosters crowing.

Oden, Our Rooster

We put our eyes on a hen and began the process of trying to catch her. Do you have any idea how to catch a chicken? Well, I certainly don’t. But apparently, you can grab their feet or, in some cases, their tail feathers.

We had the hen cornered and slowly moved in towards her. OK, “we” is a bit strong. It was my chicken coach; I was not sure what to do. Well, as she approached the hen, the hen flew right toward me and we ended up eye to eye.

We both squealed, and the chicken got away. Eventually we caught her, and my chicken coach held the hen and let me pet her and then  hold her. We put her in the transport kennel and then caught the other hen and our rooster, Oden.

We headed home and put them in the run. I should note that it had started raining pretty hard, as we were in the midst of a Pineapple Express. It was approaching dusk but there was still light. So we left them alone and went to the house. After dark, I headed up to the coop to close the door. To my dismay, Oden and the two new hens were roosting in the lean-to and barely out of the driving rain.

Knowing it would be safer and drier for them in the coop and feeling confident that I could handle a hen after my experience earlier that day, I put my hands around the body of the hen closest to me.

Without a hesitation, Oden leaned over and pecked me hard on the hand. His point was clear: leave her alone, she is mine!

I retreated, went back to the house and shared the story with my husband. Later that evening, I went back to the chicken run. They were still roosting in the lean-to and it was still raining. I was very concerned about their safety, but with the temperature about 50 degrees, I figured they would be OK for one night.

The next morning, with the light of day, Oden was able to clearly see his surroundings and immediately took charge of the coop, placing himself at the top of the nine-chicken pecking order.

What I appreciated about my exchange with Oden was that he assumed responsibility for his hens and let me know it.

How many times have you seen leaders say they are in charge but when difficult decisions need to be made, they don’t make or own them? If you want your team members to achieve their full potential, they need a leader they know is looking out for them.

Helping a team reach its full potential requires more than making difficult decisions. It requires the ability to be clear on where the organization is going and how to get there. Creating a vision with a path toward achieving that vision is key to getting employees aligned behind that vision.

What is the best way to create that vision? Some leaders feel that responsibility lands squarely on their shoulders, but I’d challenge that approach.

Involving the team will provide different perspectives, challenging viewpoints and ultimately greater unity. It has been my experience that the more you can get your leadership team and the rest of your organization to see the vision and the path to achieving that vision, the sooner your organization will  get traction toward achieving that vision.

If you aren’t getting the traction or the results you desire, it may be that the organization isn’t clear on the direction or the path.

If you would like a copy of the tool my clients use to establish their vision, I’m happy to share it with you. And if you want loyalty from your team, you may be able to learn something from Oden (just ignore his views on crowing all day long)…

P.S.When your team becomes aligned behind your vision and your path towards achieving that vision that where the magic happens.  “Magic” means accelerated growth, higher profits, and more control.  And that is something everyone can get behind. 

My Costly Mistake Of Not Keeping Score

My Costly Mistake Of Not Keeping Score

by | Jan 7, 2021 | EOS, Leadership

The week before Christmas I filled my chicken coop with hens and one rooster.  I felt pretty good about myself as I was finally on my way to achieving my goal of having free-range eggs on a daily basis.

The following afternoon, I went up to visit the chickens and noticed that one hen was outside the run.  Seeing the rest of the chickens in the run, I made the assumption that our long lost “Caramel Corn” (from the previous batch of hens) had been called in by our rooster.

Both my husband and I were very excited.  And so was our bird dog, JacX.

JacX began chasing the chicken as we discussed how to get her into the coop.  Our attention wasn’t on the dog or the chicken, as we knew Caramel Corn could fly.  Well, apparently, she couldn’t fly as well as we thought. JacX cornered her and killed her.

I was so distraught.  How could this chicken live on her own for the past five months and then get caught by JacX in just a few minutes?  I even think JacX felt bad as well.  It was a sad ending to the “A Chicken’s Way Home” movie.

The next morning, I got the call from my husband: Caramel Corn was up in the front field with our neighbor’s horses and goats.  Yes, Caramel Corn lives again!

So, where had this other chicken come from?  I couldn’t say for sure, but I assumed it was a neighbor’s chicken.  Mostly, I was happy that Caramel Corn was going to live another day.

All was fine until I went up a few days later to clean the coop.  To my dismay, I realized that I was missing a hen.  I searched high and low, but she was gone.

And now I knew where that free-range hen came from.  I still don’t know how she got out, but she did.  So, yes, I am down one chicken.  And, again, I’m feeling really bad about my chicken mama skills.

Not keeping score really hurt me. If I had been keeping count, I would have known that I had lost a chicken and could have taken steps to address the problem before the instincts of our hunting dog took over.

Not keeping track of the leading indicators in your business can also have drastic consequences.  How many times could you have avoided a problem in your business if you had taken steps earlier? That includes things such as declines in revenue, safety issues or losing key personnel who are not feeling appreciated or fulfilled.

The reality is that no matter what plan you set for your business, issues will come up.  Small issues left unattended can grow into large issues.  If you aren’t tracking your business’s key metrics, or leading indicators, you could find yourself reacting too late, after an issue has impacted business performance.

However, by reviewing your leading indicators on a weekly basis, you will be able to see data and trends that let you know you need to take action.

Don’t have a scorecard?  No problem: follow these three steps to develop one.

1. Identify key metrics for each of your departments.

2. Monitor those metrics every week during your leadership team meetings.

3. Take steps once you see a metric trending off track.

To make this even easier, you can request a copy of the scorecard I created that will automatically create graphs for your key metrics.

Send Me Your Scorecard

Now is the time to get yourself and your team aligned on the key metrics that will ensure you launch 2021 on the right foot because I don’t want you to experience anything like the sad ending of “A Chicken’s Way Home.”

P.S. Starting your year with a clear vision and plan to achieve that vision will improve your chances of achieving your goals by 300%.  A scorecard makes sure you are staying on track.

And to All, A Good Night!

And to All, A Good Night!

by | Dec 20, 2020 | EOS, Innovation

Reflecting Back

As I stood outside my chicken coop this morning, I reflected back on all that has happened in 2020.  When the pandemic hit, I had two goals in mind. First, to build a chicken coop and second, to give the gift of humanity to as many people as possible.

Focusing outside of myself has allowed me to impact many people and at the same time, I’ve been impacted by countless individuals.  I appreciate all of you taking the time to read my blogs and provide tips on how to be a better chicken mama.

To end this year with some humor, I’m including some links to the most popular posts from 2020:

And, here’s the good news! I have 9 chickens in my coop including one rooster (who has already pecked me). 2021 promises to have more chicken business posts and maybe a few laughs.

Until then, enjoy the holidays and cheers to the end of 2020!

With respect and gratitude!

Julie

Are you ready to accelerate into 2021?

by | Dec 18, 2020 | Leadership

This is the time of the year when people start thinking about next year.  And many of us are really looking forward to putting 2020 in the rearview mirror.  I’d venture to say that those of you who did set goals had to either really scramble to achieve those goals, or shoved them aside due to the complete upheaval of our business and personal lives.
 
That being said, 2021 is a new year.  We have already lived with the pandemic and really, how much worse can 2021 be (I know, I should never ask that question)? But we should at least be in a better position to set and achieve our 2021 goals. 

Here are the benefits I’ve experienced when I’ve set intentional goals:

  1. Increased clarity
  2. Healthier relationships
  3. More contentment
  4. More focus

Last year, I wrote a blog that outlined the goal-setting process I follow when setting my annual goals.  What I like the most about this process is that it is focused on what I want more of in life.  I remember the first time I followed this process I was coming off a very intense year, and I realized I wanted more balance and more fun.  So, I set my goals with those two things in the forefront of my mind.  This whole process allowed me to take a wholistic look at my life, and as a result, I was able to achieve my goals while maintaining balance and having fun. 
 
If you need some help setting goals centered around what you want more of in life, I’d like to invite you to a free webinar on Friday, December 18th at 10 AM Pacific where I’ll walk through the process I use to set my goals.  If you can’t make it, don’t worry – I’ll have a recording of the webinar for you to review when you are ready to set your goals.  
 
As you consider 2021, I think through what you want more of.  For me, it would be more time with family, more travel and of course, a steady stream of eggs from my free-range chickens! 

P.S. A copy of this webinar can be found here.