Leadership a - z: B is for Behaviors and Bottom-lining: NaBloPoMo 5

Leadership a - z: B is for Behaviors and Bottom Lining
Copyright 2013 - Jennifer Britton. All Rights Reserved.

Photo from DoortenJ - stock.xchng

Today's leadership a-z blog post is around Behaviors and Bottom-lining, two key areas for any leader - new or experienced.

Behaviors shape results and shape the workplace and team experience. As a team coach, a common focus in my work with teams is to support them in the development of Team Agreements, those behaviors they are going to commit to undertaking no matter what. Research continues to show that one of the factors of a high performing team is that they have developed agreements around behaviors - those appropriate and welcomed, and those that aren't.

In developing team agreements I ask the team to describe behaviorally what things like Respect, TRUST, and other terms bandied around the workplace LOOK LIKE. It's very easy to talk about practices like authenticity, accountability, respect, trust, AND what does it look like? If I were to enter into your workplace today and sit down at a meeting, or walk through the halls, WHAT are the BEHAVIORS I would notice? If I had a smartphone videoing your interactions WHAT would I see, regardless of interaction?

Coaching Questions  Behaviors:
What are your team agreements - the behaviors your team has agreed to?
How consistent are you with these behaviors?
What do your behaviors say about your workplace?

The second B for today's leadership post is around the coaching skill of bottom-lining. This coaching skill is also known as "laser speak" or "headlining" and is an encouragement to get to the core or essence of your communication. In today's business climate getting to the point, and concise communication is key.

Coaching Questions - Bottom Lining
What do you notice about communication patterns within your team?
When could you practice the skill of "bottom lining"?
What value would there be in sharing this with team members?

Have a great day,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized 
Building Leaders and Teams through Coaching, Training and Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
(416)996-TEAM

As an author Jennifer Britton is known for her thought leadership in the area of group and team coaching. She is also a former leader and team builder who spent the first 13 years of her career working within the United Nations as well as the international aid sector. From Boardroom to jungle, beach and forest to mountains, Jennifer has worked to develop teams and leaders in more than 18 countries, and virtually many more. She founded Potentials Realized in 2004 and focuses on leadership, teamwork and coaching skills training.

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