As we start a new year, I encourage you to step out of your area of comfort and dive in to creating lasting working relationships. I have yet to see an executive make it to the coveted corner office without creating a support base. You need others in order to reach your career goals. Make this the year you reach out to people within your organization that you would normally not interact with. Create opportunities to network with others outside of your typical circle of influence as often as possible.

Do the leaders in your organization know who you are and what you contribute? Have you strategically identified the teams you need to be associated with? Today's work environment is built on team work as the foundation and not as much on what you do as an individual. Although you must continue to perform on an individual level, you will also be more heavily evaluated on how well you work within each assigned team. As companies continue to manage costs, the issue of productivity becomes a bigger challenge. Make sure you are aware of the team(s) that are positioned for success and make it your business to either join them or establish an alliance with someone on the team(s). The purpose is for you to be aligned with the organization's priorities. This is not the year to be the lone ranger.

As you focus on adding team building to your repertoire of skills, I offer you the following recommendations:

1. Identify specific needs of a team you are assigned to. Take responsibility for team success. Consciously work to improve your communication skills during your team meetings. Offer solutions when you contribute to the team discussion. Challenge yourself to make your recommendations succinct and easy to understand and implement. Follow up with team leaders after the meeting to determine how you can assist them in reaching the team goals.
2. Read the book, Successful Team Building, by Thomas L. Quick. One of the features of the book is a diagnostic evaluation of how you show up on your teams.

Karen has been with her company for two years. She has met with her boss to create a development plan. One of the areas where her boss identified an opportunity for improvement is in the category of People.

Karen is viewed as a loner and although she gets her work done at an excellent level, there is concern about her ability to lead others. The boss assigns Karen to a team that has been working together for six months. The team is viewed as dysfunctional due to their lack of results. The boss tells Karen he wants her to participate in the discussions and offer the solutions that he knows she can contribute.

During her first meeting, the team leader is struggling with getting the team to reach agreement on a topic. He asks Karen her opinion. After she gives her opinion, the rest of the team members keep talking as if she never said anything. The team leader continues to struggle with reaching consensus, yet he never calls on Karen again. The boss communicates his disappointment that Karen was not successful in helping the team.

Testimonial
I would like to endorse the services of Chambers Consulting Group. I'm a Sr. Project Manager in the technical field. I met Deborah at a conference where she made a presentation on the value of a professional coach. I was quite intrigued with her professionalism and background. I had also been contemplating making some type of change in my career. I've worked with Deborah for about five months remotely, since I live in Atlanta and Deborah in the Chicago area. The tools Deborah used helped to focus me on another direction within my current organization. Deborah coached me on how to present my findings to my management. As a result of me being proactive in my career, my current manager and department head are considering me for an opportunity in a new organization. This new organization will leverage my technical background as well as allow me to work very closely with the Sales organization. I am a believer in having"a personal career coach.


Johnathan Watkins,PMP
Manheim

Coaches Corner

Coach's response: The first thing I recommend is to ensure your solutions will bring closure to the problem in a timely manner. Make sure you have had success with how your ideas were implemented in a similar environment. In order to be viewed as an influencer, you will need to create a reputation for delivering results. Before meeting with anyone on the team, think through the questions they may have about your suggestions. Be prepared with responses. Think back on prior meetings when solutions were offered by others. What levels of success did they have in getting their ideas implemented? How did they position their recommendations? Was it a consensus or majority decision to accept the recommendations?
Reflect on the known detractors on the team. There is always at least one no matter what the topic is. Think through their typical concerns and make sure your presentation covers these factors. They still may not agree but they will have to come up with some new reasons.

Finally, determine if you can talk through your ideas with selected team members prior to the meeting. Carefully choose these individuals to ensure confidentiality.

Each month a question will be answered in the coach's corner. Submit your question to the coach at: deborah@chambersconsult.com. If your question is chosen, your identity will not be revealed.

Leadership Coach Deborah Chambers Chima offers one on one coaching, consulting, and teleclasses designed to assist professionals in creating a work environment that is challenging and provides opportunity for career growth. If you liked today's issue, you'll benefit from her interactive, results-oriented coaching designed to help you define and execute the professional development plan that will lead to achieving your goals. To learn more, log onto my website at www.chambersconsult.com.

We are extending a special invitation to you for a one-time only, early-bird purchase price of our new book for $15.95. This offer is a $2 discount off the publication price of $17.95. To take advantage of this special early bird purchase price, order your book(s) by January 31, 2005. Your purchase will be shipped by February 12, 2005.

Choose to Lead-Advice, Tools, and Strategies for Women from Women will show you how to make a conscious choice to lead rather than falling into a leadership role by chance. This book is for women who want to learn to lead in powerful and effective ways. This book is also for:

• women who want to serve as coaches and mentors
• women who want to lead but don't know how
• women who have never considered leading because they think it is too difficult
• men who want to relate better to women in leadership
• men or women who seek to understand the importance of nurturing and developing more women leaders

Deborah Chambers Chima is passionate about assisting her clients with achieving their professional goals. Prior to launching her consulting and coaching firm, she achieved an award winning, twenty four year tenure in corporate management in the retail industry, in both international and domestic markets. Her clients appreciate her attention to detail and her desire to assist others in improving their productivity.

To learn more about Deborah, please visit her website at www.chambersconsult.com.

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