Posts Tagged ‘willpower’

Build and maintain morale

Posted: August 24, 2015 in Leadership
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You can’t generate morale and teamwork through “morale activities” and “teambuilding exercises.” You have to act, adapt, and adjust in line with your objectives and mission on a day-to-day basis with strong leadership and effective, efficient management.

Morale is the will to victory. Whether you’re an individual, team, or organization, the following elements are critical to building and maintaining solid morale.

  • A clear and compelling mission and deepset belief that you are helping others by bringing outstanding value.
  • Passion for the work and the results you bring.
  • A support system, including family, spouse, and close friends.
  • The right tools, supplies, and material support to get the job done.
  • Clear goals and understanding of higher level intent and plans.
  • Training and coaching as needed to build skills and knowledge.
  • Mentoring from someone who has been where you’ve been and achieved great things.
  • A technical advisory team consisting of experts in their domains: e.g., accountant, financial advisor(s), IT and web support, marketing, etc.
  • Business advisor(s) who give you honest feedback quickly and effectively.
  • Celebrating and profiting from wins while learning from temporary setbacks.
  • Knowing what you really want. In some cases, this can only come from the gritty world of action. You don’t know how you will react to something until you actually face it.
  • Experiment and learn from trial and error. Feedback from acting generates a lot more knowledge and wisdom than sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

I’m never too busy to discuss your needs or those of anyone else you feel may benefit from meeting or talking to me. So feel free to contact me at any time!

Richard Martin is The Force Multiplier. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to radically improve performance, grow, and thrive in the face of rapid change, harsh competition, and increasing uncertainty.

© 2015 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Manoeuvre around obstacles and resistance

Posted: June 23, 2014 in Powerful Ideas
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Too often I find myself trying to take on an obstacle or resistance head on. I could be trying to convince one of my daughters that she should follow my (brilliant) advice. Or I could be in a meeting with a prospect or client. I also know that this is one of the most common occurrences in business and management. Here are some tips to help you manoeuvre around that obstacle.

  1. Is the obstacle real or only a figment of your imagination? I’ve often imagined some future resistance that turned out to be just that, my imagination.
  2. Can you avoid a frontal assault? Say you’re trying to convince someone that they should do something. Why not do so gradually by presenting examples and evidence of its advantages rather than a full on attack?
  3. Do you find yourself trying to argue a point rationally all the time? Instead provide an emotional hook to show the psychological benefits of following your proposed course of action.
  4. Avoid confronting or criticizing people in front of others. People don’t like to lose face, so it’s always better to argue a point or engage in criticism in private.
  5. “Soften” up your target by providing positive feedback and encouragement before bringing up criticism.
  6. Is the obstacle or resistance even worth the fight? A basic military tactic is called “picket and bypass.” This means you go around minor centres of resistance while keeping watch on them to ensure they don’t catch you off guard as you go past them.
  7. Remember the most important principle of military strategy: selection and maintenance of the aim. Keep your ultimate objective and priorities in mind as you implement your plans.
  8. Resistance often crumbles in the face of overwhelming force. If you need to eliminate an obstacle to your success, use maximum resources at your disposal to neutralize it.
  9. No plan survives contact with the enemy (reality). Adjust your plans and implementation of them as you advance toward your goals.
  10. Accept that there will always be naysayers and competitors. Accept also that you can’t predict everything ahead of time. Keep resources in reserve to overcome and adjust to unforeseen circumstances.

Richard Martin is the Master Strategist and Leadership Catalyst. As an expert on strategy and leadership, Richard brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2014 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Create the conditions for success

Posted: March 10, 2014 in Leadership
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Last week I gave a list of 10 lessons I learned about leadership, strategy, and management that I learned in my time in the Canadian Army and as a consultant, helping executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations to exploit change and achieve outstanding growth in results and performance. I promised 10 more this week, and they can be summarized as “Create the conditions for success,” so here goes:

  1. Never accept a situation as given. There is always something you can do to…
  2. Create the conditions for success, by…
  3. Shaping the “battlespace” and preparing the ground to your advantage.
  4. Then, make sure your people understand your vision, mission, and intent.
  5. Remember that people power is based on engagement, commitment, and initiative.
  6. Morale is about the will to fight, to persevere, and to win, not just about being happy and in a good mood.
  7. Care for your people and they will reciprocate.
  8. Keep things as simple as needed, but no simpler.
  9. Brilliant strategy and manoeuvres are essential, but they depend on careful logistical and administrative planning and routines.
  10. Remember that we fail as individuals but succeed as a team.

Richard Martin is a consultant, speaker, and executive coach. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2014 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Adopt a readiness mindset

Posted: December 9, 2013 in Readiness & Strategy
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I’ve been reading An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, by Chris Hadfield, Canada’s most successful (and famous) astronaut. Hadfield went to space three times, the last of which entailed a 5-month stay aboard the International Space Station, of which 3 months as overall mission commander.

The biggest lesson I’ve drawn from the book is about readiness. Like probably 80% of boys who witnessed Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon in 1969, Hadfield also wanted to be an astronaut. The difference was that he actually adopted a readiness mindset. It was impossible for a Canadian to be an astronaut until 1983 when Canada launched its own manned spaced programme to be piggy-backed on NASA’s Space Shuttle programme. But Hadfield prepared for the eventuality in case it would become possible. After 1983, he did everything possible in his career to be a perfect candidate, first qualifying as a fighter pilot in the RCAF, then as a test pilot as an exchange officer with the US Navy.

Once he was selected in 1992 in the second round of astronaut recruiting by the Canadian Space Agency, he volunteered for all the courses and odd jobs he could, as an astronaut that is, all so he could be as ready and qualified as possible when the call came. After his second flight on the shuttle in 2001, he was told that he would never fly again, as it would be someone else’s turn. Hadfield decided to keep the readiness mindset that had worked so well for him up to then by continuing to prepare for an eventual return to space, “just in case.”

Even though he was told his chances of flying again were essentially nil, Hadfield volunteered as NASA’s representative to the Russian Space Agency in Star City, near Moscow. He learned Russian. He took extra training to learn how to fly and operate in the Russian Soyuz space launch vehicle. Just when it seemed a return to space was completely out of the question, he was selected to command the space station on mission 34-35, to be flown in late 2012, early 2013. It was Hadfield’s attitude of preparation and readiness “just in case” that enabled his selection. He didn’t give up on his dream to return to space.

Food for Thought
How many of us are ready, “just in case”? Just in case that difficult client calls, just in case that outstanding prospect says yes to our proposal, just in case that opportunity for a promotion or unique posting comes along?

Richard Martin is a consultant, speaker, and executive coach. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2013 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Richard Martin’s Morning Brilliant Manoeuvre — 29 April 2013

Posted: April 29, 2013 in Leadership
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Brilliant Manoeuvre
Morale is critical, but we must also acknowledge and understand all of the components that go into forging an effective organization.

Discussion
The subject of morale often comes up in my work with clients. Unfortunately, there is a very superficial understanding of the concept. As I’ve said before, morale is the willingness to fight and persevere, to make sacrifices to achieve victory or one’s corporate aims. People often confuse morale with other the other main components of organizational dynamics, such as mood, cohesion, and unity of purpose. They all go together, but are all different in focus and purpose. When we add the effects of leadership, we can get a much fuller picture of how to build an effective organization that can perform beyond expectations.

Questions
You can assess the morale in your organization through the following questions:

  • Do people have hope of better days or constant improvement? Are they optimistic or pessimistic?
  • Are your people making plans with themselves in the picture, or are they trying to abandon ship?
  • Do they waste a lot of time or do they focus on ways to continually improve the organization and its performance?

Richard Martin is a consultant, speaker, and executive coach. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2013 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Routine and Discipline

Posted: April 12, 2013 in Professional Development
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Routine means discipline. If you decide to write an hour a day or call 5 prospects every day, you sit down and you write or make your calls. You do it even if you don’t feel like it. At the end of the allotted period, you stop, whether you feel like continuing or not. The point is to not let yourself off the hook for emotional reasons and conversely to not binge and overdo it when you’re feeling ‘in the zone.’ That’s how your create habits, routine, and discipline.

© 2013 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes permitted with full and proper attribution.

Richard Martin’s Monday Morning Brilliant Manoeuvres

Posted: February 4, 2013 in Leadership
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Brilliant Manoeuvre
Complaining isn’t necessarily a sign of bad morale. In fact, the opposite is quite often true. If people stop talk, that’s when you should be worried.

Example
Morale is the willingness to fight, to persevere, and to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve victory. When morale is good, people care enough to complain because they know that things can be better, and that there is a better way to achieve the aim. When I was in the Army, I knew that things were amiss when my subordinates got too quiet. This was a sure sign to me that it was time to get them together so we could talk things out. Sometimes, I would stand my ground while explaining my decisions and plans. At least then my people had felt heard and understood my reasoning. They could then better appreciate the decision and apply it as if it were their own. Often, however, it was an opportunity for me to find out what had gone wrong or where I had been mistaken. I could then adjust my decisions and plans to take the suggestions (and complaints) into account if they made sense. The same applies in business, if you are hearing complaints from your people, or hear about them indirectly, it may be time to sit down with them to find out what is happening. You may be surprised at what you’ll learn.

Tip
Set aside regular time, at least once or twice a month, to meet with all your direct reports to hear from them. Ask them what they understand about the situation you’re in. Tell them what your understanding of the situation is and what you plan to do about it. Use this time to garner their input and to make suggestions for improvements. In the Army this tradition is known as ‘platoon commander’s hour,’ but you can also institute your own ‘CEO’s hour’ or ‘manager’s hour.’

Richard Martin is a consultant, speaker, and executive coach. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2013 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

Do You Have March Discipline?

Posted: January 8, 2013 in Powerful Ideas
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When I was on basic officer training in the Army our instructors would take us on ‘forced marches.’ Sometimes these were in the middle of the night while we were on exercise. Most times, however, this was the favoured way to get to the ranges for a day of marksmanship training. At the end of the day, when we were tired and anxious to get back to clean our rifles and take a nice hot shower, we would have to force march back to the barracks.

I remember finding it ironic that we would march very fast in formation, with all our battle gear on, and then stop for ten minutes every hour in order to rest. What’s the point, I thought, why not just slow down the pace and not take a rest? The idea of a forced march is that you cover a certain distance in a specific amount of time, and do it as a cohesive body of troops. As our instructors said, there’s no point in getting to the objective if we’re alone when we get there.

As I gained in experience as an infantry officer, I realized that there is wisdom in adhering to a demanding schedule—of marching, resting, or whatever else needs to be done. Despite fatigue and other factors, a military unit must be able to cover ground quickly and efficiently, and this makes for predictable results. However, I also learned that it is the easiest and most reliable way to motivate troops to cover the distance quickly. They know they will have to march fast, but they also get a rest every hour. They also know that by getting to their destination as fast as possible that they will be able to get to other important things.

In their book Great by Choice, Jim Collins and Morten Hansen discuss how companies that are consistent about regular and disciplined progress also show the best results over long periods. They call this the ’20-Mile March,’ and they argue it is most effective in chaotic and unpredictable circumstances. Even though the going is tough, a company commits to making small but measurable progress every day, month, and year. The company’s leaders also commit to not overdoing it when the going gets better. That way, they avoid overextending themselves when they are enthusiastic and optimistic, but they also continue to chug along when circumstances get harder and they are prone to a more pessimistic outlook. Collins and Hansen’s ’20-Mile March’ reflects the same philosophy that underlies military forced marching. You commit to predictable and demanding progress, with regular rest periods, and you do it consistently, whether conditions are good or bad.

A product-focused company must be consistent and disciplined about new product development, no matter what the circumstances. A sales team must be consistent about achieving specific objectives for sales activities with proven results, for instance, contacting X number of leads per day, week, or month, following up regularly and quickly on leads, asking for referrals, etc. A manufacturing company must be consistent and disciplined about making small and lasting improvements to its processes, logistics, distribution, sourcing, etc. A warehousing operation must be focused relentlessly on safety and security to minimize workplace accidents and losses due to fire and theft. All companies must be consistent and disciplined about recruiting and developing people for leadership, role redundancy, and succession planning.

You get the idea. Whatever the business objective, you have to commit to a demanding schedule of critical functions or tasks you require that will get you there efficiently and consistently. You then need discipline to maintain that pace through thick and thin. When the going is good, you don’t overextend or overexert yourself, and when the going is rough, you don’t quit or let up. You force yourself to march 20 miles a day, with regular rest periods, whether the weather is great, there is no enemy in sight, and progress is easy, or during storms, darkness, and against enemy resistance. What is your forced march discipline?

© 2013 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes permitted with full and proper attribution.

How’s the Morale on Your Team?

Posted: October 15, 2012 in Leadership
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Two essential skills of highly effective leaders are the ability to assess the morale and mood of their team, and the ability to maintain morale in the face of difficulties and obstacles. This is something I talk about extensively in my new book, Brilliant Manoeuvres: How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles.

Morale is the willingness of an individual, team or organization to win and to succeed. Many people confuse true morale with superficialities such as mood. They take good humour and happy, peaceful feelings as signs of good morale when they are nothing but an adjunct to morale, and a peripheral one at that.

In other words, just because people complain, it doesn’t mean that morale isn’t good. Strong morale is built upon unity of purpose and action, determination to succeed and cohesion in the face of opposition, disruptions, uncertainty, friction and obstacles.

How is the morale in your team?

  • Do you sense that people in your team have hope? Is the language they use optimistic and hopeful, or pessimistic and despairing?
  • Are people making plans for the future with themselves in the plans, or are they instead making plans to abandon ship?
  • Do people have a lot of idle time, or are they working on ways to continually improve the organization and its performance?

How is the mood in your organization?

  • Are people happy to be working together? Do they joke around or are they morose?
  • Do people complain a lot in your organization? What do they complain about? Do they complain about superficial things and minor creature comforts, or are they more focused on substantial issues?
  • Do people feel free to approach management with issues, or do they let them fester and lead to grievances?
  • Are people making suggestions to improve things as a whole, so the team can achieve its mission and goals, or are they focused on their own issues to the exclusion of the team’s?
  • Is there a major discrepancy in perks and privileges between management and the rank and file of the organization? Large differences in this regard can breed resentment and anger in employees and lower level managers.

© 2012 Richard Martin

My New Book Is Available – Mon nouveau livre est maintenant disponible

Posted: September 30, 2012 in Books
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My new book, Brilliant Manoeuvres: How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles, is now available for purchase through my website. It will also be available through all the major online retailers around the world.

It’s a bit more expensive if you order the book through me, but I will ship you a signed copy. If you’re in Canada, the shipping is included in the price. For bulk orders, just drop me a line at 514-453-3993 and we can discuss special pricing.

About the book

“There are quite a few books about parallels between military strategy and corporate strategy. Richard Martin’s Brilliant Manoeuvres makes a difference by not only focusing on the conceptual but also on the operational side of the equation. This book is a hands-on guide to a brilliant corporate strategy.”
Prof. Dr. Guido Quelle, Managing Partner, Mandat Consulting Group, Dortmund, Germany

“Brilliant Maneuvers is Sun Tzu’s Art of War combined with Drucker’s The Effective Executive.”
Alan Weiss, PhD, Author of the bestselling Million Dollar Consulting and The Consulting Bible

“Richard explains the reasons behind the military concepts, backing them up with diagrams and historical and personal examples. He then shows how to apply them in a business context. I highly recommend Brilliant Manoeuvres to beginners and advanced users alike.”
Pierre Bergevin, President & CEO, Cushman & Wakefield Canada

Business executives and entrepreneurs see themselves as modern day warriors and generals, fighting off competitors and conquering new markets. They talk about attacking competitors, defending turf, firing warning shots, establishing beachheads, bypassing the competition, digging a protective moat, and so on. Brilliant Manoeuvres – How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles is for those executives and entrepreneurs who are looking to create and sustain competitive advantage and to lead their teams in the face of determined competition and rivalry. Based on the author’s experience as a soldier, a business consultant and an entrepreneur, the book explains how and why military leaders and planners actually think and operate. It then translates this into terms that business people can readily apply to their own reality so they can survive and thrive. In other words, this book is a practical guidebook, and not just another set of exhortations to “lead from the front” or to “win without fighting”. In particular it demonstrates how some military methods cannot be applied in management.

“With Brilliant Manoeuvres, Richard Martin has produced a guidebook that gets back to the basics of strategy, management, and leadership. We tend to forget the fundamentals because we think they’re too simple or that we’ve outgrown them. Richard demonstrates the linkages between military and business wisdom and shows that these concepts are fundamental and essential. In the process they gain a new relevance and freshness to help in meeting today’s business challenges.”
Louis Gabanna, President, Colas Canada

About the author

Richard Martin is founder and president of Alcera Consulting Inc. Prior to launching his consulting business, Richard attended the prestigious Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean as an officer cadet and then served for 21 years as an infantry officer in the Canadian Army. Richard is the only member of Alan Weiss’s Million Dollar Consulting Mentoring Hall of Fame with extensive military experience. He brings his business and military leadership experience to bear for organizations and executives in both the private and public sectors seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

Regards,

Rich

Richard MartinPresident/Président
Alcera Consulting Inc./Alcera Conseil de gestion inc.
Author of the forthcoming book

Brilliant Manoeuvres: How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles
Published September 2012 by Global Professional Publishing.

“Brilliant Maneuvers is Sun Tzu’s Art of War combined with Drucker’s The Effective Executive.” — Alan Weiss, PhD, Author of the bestselling Million Dollar Consulting

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