Greg Smith
Lead Navigator & Business Strategist
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and business owners how to solve their problems, grow their business
and create great places to work that attract, retain and motivate
their workforce.
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"I subscribed to The Navigator
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2002 and have never missed an issue. The Navigator helps me deal
with people, gives me the confidence to take on challenges, and I
have moved up in my career. I work in one of the highest
positions in my company, and I owe at least part of
this success to the principles I've learned through your newsletter
~ it is really one of the best out there."
Chris Collins
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Supporting Change
is
a Vital Learning program that provides the tools managers need to
understand and interpret change to prepare them to more successfully
manage their team through it. By working to support change and at
the same time addressing the team’s comfort level with that change,
the manager can more effectively facilitate acceptance of a new way
of doing things.
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 Upcoming
Events
Greg will be speaking at the following
conferences in June.
20th Annual Labor & Employee Relations
Conference, June 23
Location: Miami, FL
SHRM 61st Annual Conference and Exposition,
June 30
Location: New Orleans, LA
Personal Note from the Lead Navigator
"The aim of leadership should be to improve
the performance of man and machine, to improve quality, to increase
output, and simultaneously to bring pride of workmanship to people."
--Dr. Edwards Deming
Personal Note from the Lead Navigator
June marks the fourteenth year we have been in business. Since the
beginning, we have enjoyed tremendous success. I have been able to visit
and work in over 26 countries. Our Navigator Newsletter subscribers have
expanded to over 35,000 people with people from almost every country on
the globe. Now my staff has grown from one person to over 6 different
associates across the U.S. I wrote my first book in 1996 and currently
working on my ninth. June also marks my wedding anniversary (32 years)
with the most wonderful woman in the world. I am blessed beyond measure
and very fortunate. However. . .
Success can blind you and limit your potential and possibilities.
I just spent a week with 10 other successful CEO’s and entrepreneurs
locked into a conference room in Scottsdale, Arizona. We took a
microscope and evaluated each other’s business model. Was it working?
Was it serving our customers? Was it maximizing our talents? At the end
of the week, each of us walked away with new insight, direction and
purpose. Even though the individual pieces are still evolving, I do know
how I help my clients will change dramatically. I guess you can say . .
. I have recharted my own course with clearer direction and focus.
Starting now, I plan on working on a more strategic level with a smaller
group of like minded individuals. They are senior level executives,
business owners and entrepreneurs who want to make their businesses more
profitable and expand their skills to the next level.
Over the next few months you may notice a different focus on our
websites and newsletter. Some information and services will change and
you will see some new additions and focus areas; some parts will be
modified or eliminated altogether. It will be part of a new focus to
provide a better and more impactful value to you.
I challenge you to start your own reinvention process and ask yourself
these questions. Are you leading your organization in the right
direction? Are you growing and making more money? Do you know how to
take your organization to the next level? Have you effectively
communicated this to your team?
If not, we can help you. Contact us today.
Best regards,
Greg Smith
CEO and "Captain
of the Ship"
770-860-9464
Dysfunction in
the Workplace
How Awareness and Communication Improve Team Dynamics
In Patrick Lencioni’s best-selling book, The Five
Dysfunctions of a Team, he tells a tale of a firm’s
executive team struggling with utter dysfunction.
Ineffective communication, multiple egos, fear, office
politics and judgmental attitudes were all contributing to
the absence of dynamics and poor performance.
Does this sound familiar to you?
Have you experienced a dysfunctional team in your career?
If yes, you are not alone. Most everyone
has either been a part of, observed or even faced the
challenge of leading a dysfunctional team like the one
Lencioni describes. In fact, he says, “Teams, because they
are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently
dysfunctional.”
Lencioni’s interrelated model of team
dysfunction outlines five areas that prevent success:
• Absence of trust
• Fear of conflict
• Lack of commitment
• Avoidance of accountability
• Inattention to results
But don’t be discouraged. There is hope
for all of us experiencing a dysfunctional team. As Lencioni
states, “In fact, team building is both possible and
remarkably simple. But it is also painful.” We strongly
believe in two fundamental team building basics that help
teams overcome each of these dysfunctions: awareness and
communication.
Awareness is more than observation; it is an understanding
of what is going on around you. In this case, it is
important to be aware of and appreciate the different
viewpoints of team members and their work habits,
motivators, areas of expertise, and mastery in personal
skills and motives. Doing so will not only help you build
team dynamics, but more importantly will increase personal
effectiveness so you can accomplish more as a team.
Communication is where it all starts. The
importance of open communication simply cannot be overstated
as it is fundamental in building trust, managing conflict,
gaining commitment, holding accountability and identifying
team results. Effective communication involves first
understanding your own communication style, understanding
others’ communication style and appreciating the differences
everyone brings to a team environment.
Teams are, essentially, what drive
results. Take a look at the teams you are in, leading, or
observing, and identify the five areas of dysfunction. What
can you do to focus on team building? Whatever the strategy,
as Lencioni warns, it will be painful. But the results will
be well worth the challenge.
Used with permission: Target Training
International Inc.
 Online
Assessment Center
We provide a comprehensive portfolio of
hiring and development solutions including 360, team,
customer service, executive talent and management
development reports and assessments.
Visit our webpage
http://www.chartcourse.com/Assessment_Center.html
Daily
Cartoon
For those of you needing a little laugh, we invite you to visit the
Daily Cartoon page on our website. The cartoons are provided by Ted
Goff.
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