encourage others to reach their potential

Last week I got approached by 3 people to mentor them, 2 people who asked if they could shadow me at work, and 2 people who need help with professional studies.

And of course I said yes to all of them !!

Fabulous lady with so much passion for her job, but all gets a little lost when she tries to do stuff. Spent the last two days with her, talking, listening, suggesting, nudging etc etc.

End result got an email from another colleague last night which said … “Just had Bev on the phone, she is buzzing, dont know what you have done to her but its a job well done”.

I agreed to go back in 3 months so see how things have changed. Fingers crossed she manages to maintain he initial enthusiasm.

Been working with Alex most of the week and things been going very well but on the final day something happened and she was so so so disappointed. Not her fault but I can understand why she feels the way she does. So today I gonna send her a “your are fab” email and let her know that one of the ideas she showed me we will pick up and deliver to 65,000 people. She’s still learning but so important she focusses on all the good stuff rather than the one negative.

Sometimes Yin and Yan seem to get themselves a little muddled !!

I met Gillian this week on my travels. She’s only been working within my company for 2 weeks but stood out like a ray of sunshine amongst her peers. So much energy, so much passion, and above all an ability to challenge, to question in the most astute way. Later that day she sent me an email apologising for asking “contraversial” questions. I replied with the following …

“I remember you asking good questions, I remember you asking interesting questions, and I even remember you asking challenging questions, but i dont remember you asking any contraversial questions. “

It reminded me of a little story I wrote a few year back to illustrate a point to a few of my less open minded colleagues so i sent it to her …

“THE FARMER AND THE GRASSHOPPER”
A KOREAN FABLE

Mr Kim was a simple farmer who lived in a small village. Each year the village had an annual competition and the winner got to farm the best land for the next twelve months. The rules of the competition were very simple, each farmer had to find a grasshopper that could jump higher than any other. Mr Kim was determined to win this competition as he knew that if he got the best land his family would prosper for many years to come.

One day Mr Kim was working in his field when suddenly a grasshopper jumped onto the top of his plough, which stood almost one metre above the ground. Mr Kim had never seen a grasshopper jump so high, and he knew at once that he had found a very special talent. He spoke kindly to the young grasshopper and offered him the chance to perform better than any other, and in return, he would get food, shelter and protection. So the grasshopper left his field and went with the farmer who provided him with a grass filled box in which to live. The box was 25cm square and 25cm high, and every day the grasshopper practiced his jumping so that he would be ready to take his opportunity.

Eventually the day of the competition came and each farmer took his turn to show how high their grasshopper could go. Mr Kim was very confident knowing that he had the best young grasshopper in the village and that the highest jump so far had only been 50cm but sadly things didn’t go to plan. No matter how hard he tried Mr Kim’s grasshopper could only jump 25cm.

At first Mr Kim couldn’t understand what had gone wrong but eventually he realised that although he gave the grasshopper the best of everything, the grasshopper had forgotten how to jump higher than the restriction Mr Kim had placed around him. He promised himself that next time he found such a grasshopper he would ensure it was given the freedom to perform to it’s true ability.

I wonder how many of us in our role as Managers behave like the farmer and how many of our garduates turn into grasshoppers!!

• * * *

I suspect Gillian will go far. I hope so, and I will do everything I can to encourage and support her.

Yesterday Jackie had an assessment to see if she could be promoted to the firts level of management. She passed with flying colours. Have to say I never doubted she would pass but I am so so proud of her.

I went to a shop where a fabulous group of ladies did a presentation to me. It was the first time they had used powerpoint, the first time they had stood up in public (there were 25 others in the room), in fact the first time they had done anything like this.

They did a fabulous job and at lunchtime I had an impulsive trip to the wine counter and bought them each a bottle of bubbly as a thank you.

Yesterday I got an email from them saying that they never thought they could do it, but that my visit had inspired them.

Kath and the rest of the team you got it wrong … it was YOU that inspired ME !!

Got phoned up by Jackies store manager today and he was asking me if I would do her performance review. Sure I said but one thing says Malc … I want to do it against management competencies rather than that of a sales advisor … because that is what she is gonna come back to your store as !!

After a short discussion … he agreed … how cool is that.

She has so so proven to herself and others what she is capable of !!

And with it a challenge. Cant say too much but there’s a job going vacant, and someone I know would be just fabulous to do it.

One problem before Christmas (and without knowing the job was gonna be vacant) they said to me that they would never be able to do the role.

Partly about confidence, partly about how they think the role would need to shape out so my challenge is to explore if they would consider. Can’t be pushy and has to be their decision but I KNOW they would be the best person for the job.

So watch this space and I’ll let you know by the end of January.

Thought I’d share a little story I once wrote. At the time it got me into an awful lot of trouble cos I sent it to a top executive as a less than subtle suggestion on how some of her team manage people ha ha …

Mr Kim was a simple farmer who lived in a small village. Each year the village had an annual competition and the winner got to farm the best land for the next twelve months. The rules of the competition were very simple, each farmer had to find a grasshopper that could jump higher than any other. Mr Kim was determined to win this competition as he knew that if he got the best land his family would prosper for many years to come.

One day Mr Kim was working in his field when suddenly a grasshopper jumped onto the top of his plough, which stood almost one metre above the ground. Mr Kim had never seen a grasshopper jump so high, and he knew at once that he had found a very special talent. He spoke kindly to the young grasshopper and offered him the chance to perform better than any other, and in return, he would get food, shelter and protection. So the grasshopper left his field and went with the farmer who provided him with a grass filled box in which to live. The box was 25cm square and 25cm high, and every day the grasshopper practiced his jumping so that he would be ready to take his opportunity.

Eventually the day of the competition came and each farmer took his turn to show how high their grasshopper could go. Mr Kim was very confident knowing that he had the best young grasshopper in the village and that the highest jump so far had only been 50cm but sadly things didn’t go to plan. No matter how hard he tried Mr Kim’s grasshopper could only jump 25cm.

At first Mr Kim couldn’t understand what had gone wrong but eventually he realised that although he gave the grasshopper the best of everything, the grasshopper had forgotten how to jump higher than the restriction Mr Kim had placed around him. He promised himself that next time he found such a grasshopper he would ensure it was given the freedom to perform to it’s true ability.

Four months ago I started working with a girl called Jackie. Jackie was working as a sales advisor but like so many of them had this hidden potential. She was so so nervous of her new job but I just knew she would make it. Over the past months she has done an amazing job and with it her confidence has grown. She was also very nervous of doing presentations/talking to people but then why not cos it was all so new.

Two days ago, she wrote a note and called me to say she would send it through so I could check it out (guess I’m sorta her boss although I dont really see the relationship that way cos we need to work as a team). Anyway I asked her if she was happy with it and she said “yes”. So I said “well that’s good enough for me”, just send it. Reminds me of a little story I wrote which I’ll post later … but my point is … if ever you check someones work ask yourself three questions …

1) Do I really need to be doing this ?

2) Am I adding value ?

3) What impact will my comments have on their confidence ?

Jackie you did a fab job !!!!!!!!!