“Focus: Use Different Ways of Seeing the World to Power Success and Influence” by Heidi Grant Halvorson and E. Tory Higgins (Hudson Street Press, $25.95).
Everyone has motivational drivers of promotion (optimism) and prevention (pessimism). Depending on the situation either driver will come into play — but there is a dominant driver.
In the workplace, it’s easy to identify the dominant focus. Promotion-focused workers create change and see opportunity where others see problems. The prevention-focused follow procedure to the letter. They like doing the tried-and-true. Change upsets their applecart; they think about why it won’t work. Both share a common denominator: When things go wrong, both feel worried and dejected.
Which one is more effective in business? If your job entails defining what’s next (i.e. planning, marketing, sales,) you’d be well-served to embrace optimism. If the job requires vigilance (operations, accounting, legal,) focusing on what could go wrong drives actions.
Despite their differing views, the optimists and the pessimists need to take a page from each other’s playbook. Unbridled optimism often leads to overlooking obstacles to success. Following the tried-and-true often leads to lost opportunity.
When working to shift focus (yours or someone else’s,) let the situation be the guide. Are you playing to win, or not to lose? Think about “specific potential outcomes”. Study both sides; make a “what could be gained or lost” list so you see the bigger picture.
Shifting focus to the framed task can create a shared reality that blends “If there’s a will, there’s a way” with “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Instead of wrestling with what they don’t want to hear, the shared reality opens people to what they need to hear.
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“The Winning Manager’s Playbook: 6 Practices Every Manager Needs to Succeed” by John Cioffi and Ken Willig (Career Press, $15.99).
Who wants to be a manager these days? It’s difficult delivering great results when overwhelmed with change, shifting priorities, deadlines, personalities, etc. The “6 Practices” help managers focus their actions and those of their teams to improve productivity and reduce stress.
Here’s a snapshot of how:
1. “Set goals all the time.” Near-term goals change as you look at what’s next. Articulate them keeping in mind the organization’s goals. Pay attention to the goals of individuals because they drive motivation. Make all goals challenging and measurable.
2. “Focus on the process, not a plan.” Identify the information you need and its sources. Engage the team in gathering and assessing the information. Develop “survival of the fittest ideas”. Decide, and then plan the execution. Tweak as new information becomes available.
3. “Coach the right people.” Don’t expect a clarinet player to play the tuba. Make sure job descriptions are accurate. Match the person to the job. Having properly-placed staff makes coaching easier.
4. “Serve the right customer.” You can’t be all things to all people. What can you do to attract and keep customers? It’s a mix of product, price, and service. Fail at one and you’ve failed at all.
5. “Empower your entire team.” While different things motivate employees, they want to know what success looks like. Define the goals (with their buy-in), give them the tools, and let them figure out the how. Provide support as needed.
6. “Do the right things right.” Focus on clarity (what needs to be done and why, communication (you need a constant two-way flow of information to monitor and tweak) and commitment (the staff needs to accept responsibility and accountability).
Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer.
