JAM Sessions

JAM Consulting Group, Inc. JAM Sessions The “Coach” James A Morel President October 2014 Volume 1, Issue 1 Our newest program: Confidence COMPASS—Navigating In working with many of relatively similar skills, the Security comes from Better Finishes our clients the topic of more confident person knowing you can do it confidence comes up quite will always succeed at a well. Learn how to: frequently. How do I get greater level. Confidence comes Maximize the “Yes” it? How do I keep it? Dr. Courage comes from from having done it David Morrison, in his Minimize the “No” wanting to do it well. well! work on the characteris- Eliminate the “Maybe” tics of Highly Successful Executives, found that confidence was a key con- tributor to creating greater personal appeal. In her book Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin & End, Rosabeth Moss Inside this issue: Kanter makes for the Confidence power of confidence. In 1 any situation where two What difference does people are competing with 1% make? 1 What difference doe 1% make? 2 What difference does 1% make? From the Field—Behind Author: Jonathan Males the Bench 3 The consequences of small performance differ- binary – win or lose. So winning an ences are easy to see in sports that directly Olympic medal requires safe passage Coach’s Corner 4 align with the Olympic motto of Citius, Altius, through a series of tournament Fortius, Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger". In matches up to and including the semi- JAM Consulting—Who these sports the outcome variables of time, finals and finals. The cruellest result is we are 4 distance or weight can be precisely measured. to lose in a semi-final, knowing that an It’s harder to document the precise difference Olympic gold medal is now out of that a 1% performance improvement makes to reach, with nothing but the ignominy outcome in sports such as football, tennis, of a third and fourth place play-off. handball or basketball. Here the outcome is Even a bronze medal is not assured. JAM Sessions What difference does 1% make? (continued) Yet talk to any team sport you can use the same prin- outcome then need to be player or coach and you will ciple: small improvements in held in a dynamic balance. learn that these sports are the right areas will lead to Process without outcome examples of chaos theory in big differences. The ques- becomes senseless bureau- action. A shot on goal that tion is, where do you start? cracy, while outcome with- misses by millimetres, an 1. Clarity of intent In out process leads to either injury to a key player, or a business, you also need a wasted resources or blurred single poor refereeing deci- crystal clear image of what ethics. A small change in this sion can all have a significant your role should deliver. balance, in either direction, impact on the ultimate tour- What are the specific out- can make a big difference. nament result. Success in comes you’re responsible Over to you these sports requires that a for? Who are you delivering Clarity of intent, doing the basics long series of coach and to, and by when? How well, pushing through emotional player decisions and actions much of your time and ef- discomfort and managing the Greg “Heff” Heffington RCC unfold well, as well as a fort goes toward achieving balance between process and dose of luck in areas outside them? Without this clarity outcome. In almost any business Managing Partner the team’s control. of intent, you can’t separate or line of work, these are four Clearly it’s not as simple as what’s important from what areas where even small improve- just trying 1% harder. Suc- isn’t. ments can make a big difference. cessful performance in sport 2. Do the basics very In summary, the art of perfor- pulls together a whole raft well In business it’s just as mance is about being able to Clarity of intent, of physical, technical, psy- easy to dismiss the boring think straight, relate well, and chological and logistical fac- basics for the latest shiny act powerfully. No matter how doing the basics tors at exactly the right fad. But what are the essen- good you are already, my chal- time. tials for your role? Are you, lenge to you is to seek out a 1% So small improvements can and your team robust under improvement in any or all of well, pushing make a big difference – and pressure? Could you bring these areas. the closer an athlete or 1% more of your attention through emotional team are to the podium, the to your basic processes and more important these mar- procedures? discomfort and ginal gains become. It’s a 3. It’s not just about modern version of the old feeling good Although proverb; ‘For want of a nail emotions can be an im- managing the the shoe was lost. For want of portant source of infor- a shoe the horse was lost. For mation, they shouldn’t be balance between want of a horse the rider was used to justify inaction or lost. For want of a rider the poor performance in busi- process and message was lost. For want of ness. All too often I see a message the battle was lost. managers who can’t tolerate For want of a battle the king- emotional discomfort, and outcome. dom was lost. And all for the who hide from hard deci- want of a horseshoe nail. sions about themselves, In modern sport this prov- their teams, or their busi- erb is turned around to pay nesses. What if you were 1980 USA’s Ice Hockey win over USSR attention to the quality of just 1% more willing to face each and every nail on the emotional discomfort and battlefield. do what’s right? What can we learn from 4. Get the right balance Olympic sport? between process and Many managers would argue outcome that they’re not aiming for a In business, effective strate- gold medal. But when I’m gies rely on the best possi- working with organisations ble intelligence and careful it’s because they want to judgment about the right make the most of their peo- process to achieve the de- ple’s potential. To do that sired results. Process and Page 2 From the Field Volume 1, Issue 1 Behind the Bench—George score a goal and the only way Amidon that will happen is if the puck is on your stick and it’s only on it Having grown up in Northern Min- 10 percent of the time, what is nesota I was introduced to the game happening the other 90 percent of hockey at an early age. I was for- of the time? That’s what Kevin tunate enough to play with some asked his players. very talented individuals with a num- ber of us going on to play College It’s easy to focus on the fun or Hockey and a few on to the NHL. exciting things but what about One good friend ended up coaching the things that aren’t exciting George Amidon in the NHL. His name is Kevin Con- but are critical to success? In Managing Partner stantine. our business we find that bringing on new clients or bringing in Kevin has coached at nearly every more assets is fun and exciting. level and found significant success But in order for that to happen along the way. He won a National we need to be in front of our Taking the time when you Championship at the Junior level, a clients or prospects. But we Turner Cup Championship at the aren’t there 100 percent of the aren’t in front of your Minor League level and has held time, so when we aren’t what Head Coaching positions with the are we doing to make ourselves clients or prospects to San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins more effective? and New Jersey Devils. polish your skills and That was Kevin’s challenge to I had Kevin speak to an organization his players and my challenge to improve your ability to that I was running and he shared you. What are you doing to communicate can make some insights on how to get better improve your communication results by looking at things a little skills, industry knowledge, un- you more impactful and differently. derstanding of client behaviour, sales skills, etc.? All things that score more often! His first Head Coaching job in the might not be exciting or fun but NHL was with the San Jose Sharks. are critical to your success. At the time Kevin was the 2nd coach in their history and the previ- Kevin by getting his players to ous year they set a record for most focus on the 90 percent away losses in a season. Kevin, realizing from the puck set a record in he needed to change things began to the NHL for the largest point get his players to look at things a change in a single season! little differently. Taking the time when you aren’t in front of your clients or In hockey most of us would agree prospects to polish your skills the most exciting thing to do is to and improve your ability to score a goal. It’s what every hockey communicate can make you player hopes to do. In order for a more impactful and score more goal to be scored, I think everyone often! would agree that the puck needs to be on your stick.

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