Monday Morning Business Coach, Author at Carpenter Smith Consulting, LLC

Combating NW Nice

August 13, 2012

There is something of an epidemic plaguing businesses in the Pacific Northwest called Northwest Nice (NW Nice). NW Nice is an affliction whereby a business professional will smile and speak collaboratively about an issue or a person in a public forum but later, will attack and/or undermine the very same issue or person behind closed doors. The problem with this disease is that the afflicted rarely believe they have the ailment. They deny their behaviors and imply that “others”…

Before you say “I Do”

August 6, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Joining an organization is a lot like a marriage – it’s a commitment that will span the good times and bad, there will be days when you are delighted to stay and days when you think about leaving, and you may have the opportunity to create a connection that is rich and meaningful over time. And, as in a marriage, many of us join an organization because the good feelings we had about the hiring manager and we can be…

Celebrating Success

July 30, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

We often hear complaints about bosses who only focus on what is not working and never acknowledge and celebrate what is going well. Other clients describe their experience of bosses who have nothing to say about their performance until they have made a mistake. Some clients even describe their belief that their bosses are lying in wait – ready to pounce on the one bad thing that happens; so, we thought we would take a few moments to look at…

Trust the Process

July 23, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Often, we hear from experienced managers that they are proud to say that they have learned to “trust the process.” Those same managers will describe that they have encouraged younger, greener mangers to do the same and have been shocked when problems arise. Unfortunately, this advice can get less experienced mangers in trouble especially if “trusting the process” isn’t fully defined, since most of them assume that “trusting the process” means just letting whatever happens happen. And that’s rarely successful.…

Your Drop-Down Menu

July 16, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Many of you have probably seen the original Terminator (1984) movie. In it, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg that has come back in time to kill the future savior of the world. In one scene, the cyborg is in a rundown hotel room tending to some pretty nasty wounds when the hotel manager knocks on the door (wanting to know what the smell is that is coming from the room) and asks him whether he has a dead animal in…

How to Disagree without being Disagreeable

July 9, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Throughout our lives, there are times (sometimes many times) when we disagree with someone about an issue. Whether that person is someone we work with, live with, or relate to on a regular basis, knowing how to disagree with them without being disagreeable in an important skill that will increase your effectiveness and personal power. Two basic things are required to effectively disagree with someone without being disagreeable, the first is knowledge of oneself and second, communication skills. Let’s look…

Building Organizational Commitment

July 2, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

In our last two posts, we’ve encouraged you to get people to move forward because of their commitment to the organization instead of getting stuck on finding fault in others (See 5 Steps to Effectively Attack the Problem and Trust is Not a Weapon). Building commitment to an organization is an underlying and critical aspect of creating an effective work force, yet very few leaders and managers know how they can facilitate the kind of commitment that supports organizational success.…

“Trust” is Not a Weapon

June 25, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Last week we talked about 5 ways to focus your efforts when things go awry. We believe it’s critical that you attack the problem and leave the people associated with the problem intact. Number 3 on that list was: Get participants to move forward because of a commitment to the organization rather than getting caught up on the notion of “trust”. At that time, we promised to share more of our thinking on trust, so here goes. In our experience…

5 Steps to Effectively Attack the Problem

June 18, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

Last week we talked about the importance of attacking the problem and leaving the people associated with the problem intact. Today we want to offer you some guidelines for doing so effectively. In 1981, Roger Fisher and William Ury wrote a game-changing book called Getting to Yes. They were the first to change the conversation about how to go into a negotiation. Their work has dramatically changed the world’s perspective on how to approach tough issues with a level of…

Attack the Problem, Not the Person

June 11, 2012

Monday Morning Business Coach

As this week’s title indicates, we want to explore the concept of fiercely attacking a problem without attacking the person who is attached to the problem (either directly or indirectly.) Seems reasonable, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, for most people, it’s much harder than it sounds. For so many of us, when we hear about a problem, or even a potential problem, the first reaction we have is something along the lines of “What the *%#!*^!” The next thought is typically, “Wasn’t…