Leadership according to Sir Chris Bonington

I had the pleasure yesterday of speaking at the BIFM conference, which had Chris Bonington as its guest speaker. Chris shared with the audience his renowned exhibitions, particularly to Everest, and he drew many parallels with the corporate world.



Here are just some of the highlights:

A true leader listens, consults, then makes firm, clear decisions.

A true leader knows when it's time to turn back.

Leadership is like a ball that you pass among the team, then the leader picks up the reins at the right moment, in a firm, decisive and tactful way.

Trust is what holds teams together.

A true leader acknowledges their wider team, they are all as important to the success of the organisation.

Want to improve your own leadership? Then let's talk 07717 787077

Are you a Manager or a Leader?

What would your team say – are you a Manager or a Leader?

What’s the difference between management and leadership?
How would you say they differ in terms of:
• Power
• Focus
• Risk profile?

This is an age-old question, and one that I have been asked many times, and one that I believe can be answered in several different ways. The main difference between a manager and a leader is how they motivate the people around them.

Do you have to be one or the other? Most of us fulfill both roles, moving from manager to leader when we realize we have to win the hearts and minds of those we want to follow us.

• Managers have subordinates As a line manager you command a certain amount of respect from those who report to you, and you tell them what to do. They do what they are instructed (usually!), because they receive their salary for doing so.
• Manager’s focus As a manager you get paid to make things happen, usually to budget and to deadlines. The actual tasks are usually delegated.
• Managers and risk As a manager you are expected to follow the company’s policies and procedures, without making any substantial changes. Generally this is comfortable for you, as it gives a structure to your role.

• Leaders have followers When you are a leader you don’t have direct reports (although you may still have them in your management role). When you want to lead, you are seeking followers, who follow you because they choose to, not because they are paid to.
• Leader’s focus Telling people what to do does not inspire them to follow you. You need to find out what drives them and show how following you will satisfy their needs. This could be a need for recognition, status, reward, a feeling of ‘giving back’ – as leader you need to know what it is. As a leader you always give credit where it’s due, and avoid blaming others when things go wrong.As a leader you will certainly demonstrate charisma, but this doesn’t mean you have to be friends with everyone, or even be liked by them. Some of the most effective leaders are often seen as ‘loners’.
• Leaders and risk As a leader you expect to face issues and problems, which need to be overcome. You are happy to take measured risks, and follow ‘the path less trodden’, to achieve your vision. People admire your courage – it’s important this is not seen by others as ‘bravado’.

In facilities management, a manager:
• Understands the contract requirements and business plan
• Is confident, a good listener, asks questions, is innovative
• Makes decisions according to the rules
• Customer- and service-focused – gets results by managing tasks
• Meets deadlines, and is focused on short-term results
• Is generally reactive
• Ensures staff understand their responsibilities
• Provides clear guidance to staff – tells them what to do
• Communicates effectively with teams
• Provides regular constructive feedback
• Encourages staff to improve their performance
• Addresses performance issues
• Encourages staff to offer ideas to improve performance

In facilities management, a leader:
• Is consistent in their own style, yet welcomes change and challenges the status quo
• Comes up with new, often radical, ideas
• Breaks the rules
• Generate new ideas and build a vision
• Focuses on long terms results
• Exploits their own strengths, and those of others
• Is aware of their own, and others’ weaknesses
• Pushes people to do and be the best they can
• Speaks in positive terms

So, where do you stand? For a no obligation 30 minute telephone session to identify your leadership strengths and how you can be even more effective, call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077 or coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk

Keeping FM at the Heart of the Organisation – Your 5 Step Plan

Are you tired of your FM team simply being seen as the people who get the call when things go wrong? As their manager, you might actually be OK with that – after all, FM is a reactive business isn’t it? You might see it that way, but what about your team – your staff, service providers and so on?

Here is an easy to use 5 step plan to raise the profile of FM within your organisation

1. Know what the strategy of the organisation is. What are this year’s key business objectives? Who is responsible for each? How are they being measured?

If you were the CEO or MD – what would you be focusing on?
Keeping costs under control? Keeping existing clients satisfied? Growing the business – winning new clients, growing organically? Meeting legislation and other requirements?

From their perspective, what are the stresses, the pressures, the goals, and the demands?

Demonstrating a clear understanding of the strategic focus of the organization will help others to perceive you as a leader and team player.

Once you have a clear sense of this, you are then better able to make decisions, tailor your communications, and make contributions that will enable others to perceive you and your team as invaluable to the running of the business.
Share these objectives with the whole team, so that even suppliers know how they are contributing to the overall performance of the company.

2. What specifically can you and your team do to help the organisation achieve these objectives?

Providing details of the return on investment (ROI) that the company gets from its FM spend – you will no doubt already be reporting on many areas through your management information (MI) system. Apart from your boss, who else gets to see these reports? Why not start displaying the information on notice boards so everyone can see?

What else can you and your team do? For example, if you run the front of house area, what else can you do to make visitors feel welcome (especially existing and potential clients)? Could you greet them by name? Even a simple ‘nice to see you here again Mrs Kentish, how was your journey down from Leeds this morning?’ makes a visitor feel important, as if you really care about them.

Can you set up short lunchtime seminars for the company on topics that are of key importance such as new legislation or new ways of working – but ensure they are fun and interactive so people enjoy them and come back for more.

Wouldn’t it be great for the FM team to be seen not only as the experts, but as the people who deliver training seminars that are fun?!

3. Who are the most influential people in your organisation – it may not always be the most senior people – who are the people that others seem to listen to?

Where do they go when they’re not at their desks or in meetings? What’s uppermost in their minds right now? What can you do to help them? Show people the value of what you do and they will remember and talk to others about it. You already know that your team is indispensable, but does everyone else in the company?
Get these people on your side and they will tell the rest of the business.

4. Recognise your own people, even if others don’t.

When people in your team perform particularly well, make a fuss. You can set up an awards scheme to nominate ‘supplier of the month’, ‘employee of the quarter’, or whatever else you feel will work in your company. Ask your ‘end users’ to vote and make it easy for them – a tick box on a postcard or a token to put into a box at lunchtime for example.

Many studies have shown that you don’t need to give a financial award, a simple thank you in public is what people want.

Don't however measure and reward pointless things that have nothing whatever to do with the success of your company and execution of your company's strategic plan.

5. Blow your own trumpet.

Record and publicise your team’s accomplishments, and inquire about other ways you can contribute to overall team goals. Be assertive about the FM teams’ capabilities and ask for projects that will stretch your current abilities. Be clear about the support you seek from the company, and be equally clear about the deliverables you will produce.

Positive Women - Who Wants to Know the #1 Question to Ask Yourself For More Peace of Mind?

If there was one question you could ask yourself to gain more peace of mind and keep a positive attitude, do you think it would be blanketing billboards, magazines and the internet? Would it be sensational enough to make the news? Would: less controversy, better communication and happier people be worthy of paparazzi? I think not, and that may be why is the best question is not being widely publicized. Or, it may be because most people don't know what the question is to share it with the masses. Or, maybe people who like drama have kept it under wraps since time began. I'll tell you what it is and you tell me your results from asking it. Deal?

The Question: "How is the best way to handle this situation?"

Reason Why it is the #1 Question to Ask Yourself

We tell people what we don't want them to do and they do it because we won't acknowledge that the subconscious mind ignores the word "don't."
We "try" to make things work when we know, good and well, the word "try" implies doubt and gives us an "out." There is never any real commitment when we "try" and there are much better words to use instead, inspiring success instead of failure.

We often end up pleasing ourselves or others by default because we have done everything else and there's only one thing left to do. By this time, we are depleted, frustrated and weakened so are we really pleasing ourselves?

Peace of mind and a positive attitude come from playing your way through life in a manner that makes it fun. Have you ever spoken with someone who feels real peace of mind? They are helpful though avoid taking on everyone else's problems as their own. They see the bright side of situations. How do they do this in a world that is often negative and draining if you let it be? They ask themselves, "What is the best way to handle this situation?" in whatever words or thoughts they might use. They may not consciously realize they are asking it but they are.

Just do it. Your brain will answer any question you ask it so make sure to ask it good questions. What answer will you get? You will get an answer that comes from your gut and that is where you want all answers to come from. No one knows you better than you so ask yourself what you want to know about and always trust it as the right answer. Will it always make sense? No, maybe not immediately but looking back, how many times have you second-guessed yourself and chosen wrong?

Gut feelings are survival instincts you were born with and their job is to keep you alive. Ask the question, trust the answer.

To be more positive, empowered, successful, and have greater peace of mind, I invite you to visit http://PositiveWomenRock.com/gift where you will receive audio and PDF versions of "3 Reasons Positive Women Excel at Everything" and invitations to TeleWomenars - empowering conversations for women.


Submitted by Kelly Rudolph, Creator of PositiveWomenRock. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Rudolph

For one to one support in handling those challenging situations, contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 or coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk