creating a culture of learning is essential to tap into the true potential of your employees and stoke their growth.

BEFORE YOUR LAUCH A COACHING INTERVENTION CREATING A CULTURE OF LEARNING

In a rapidly evolving digital world, human resources are the biggest asset for any organization. Thus, creating a culture of learning is essential to tap into the true potential of your employees and stoke their growth.

A “learning organization,” conceptualized by Peter Senge, empowers individuals to pursue their interests, nurtures innovation and creativity, and focuses on the vision of transformation. In other words, it is synonymous with freedom and collaborative thinking.

In short, by prioritizing the contributions of your employees, you can drive personal growth and manage workplace performance. More importantly, you can instill confidence in employees that their ideas are valued.

Find out more about the five essential traits of a learning organization and see how you can bring them into action.

BAN ORGANISATION HIERARCHY

The process of cultivating a culture of learning starts with the symbolic erosion of a hierarchy. Markedly, a hierarchical structure creates a fear of making mistakes, a habit of seeking permission, and a reluctance to pitch new ideas.

Unlike an organizational setup in traditional organizations, a learning organization works on collaboration and open communication. To nurture a level of interdependence, they naturally adopt a more horizontal organizational structure.

For example, transparency, autonomy, and confidence are some of the most foundational qualities required to build an organizational structure powered by change.

Plan of action

Here are some actionable ways for you to flatten the hierarchy in your organization:

·          An open-door policy of communication

·          A be-your-own-boss approach

·          Cross-functional meetings and remote training

 

PLANT SEEDS  OF INNOVATION

Innovation and change are the only ways organizations can sustain themselves in the future.

Not only does a learning organization imbibe innovation and enable its employees to ideate with autonomy, but it also encourages you to think beyond the mainstream. From senior executives to interns, everybody ideates at the same level and are free to contribute with their out-of-box ideas for solving problems.According to Peter Senge, a learning organization should challenge the assumptions and usual behaviors to learn, innovate, and change.

Plan of action

Implement these practices to promote innovative thinking in your team:

·          Conduct engaging brainstorming sessions

·          Encourage distraction-free deep work

·          Promote learning through blogs and training material

·          Focus on empathizing with the employees

 

A WIN WIN  LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

On the whole, a learning organization focuses on imparting knowledge in a collaborative environment.

Individuals work in a group to brainstorm to combine their diverse skills and expertise. Such differing opinions and ideas can create an enriching learning experience. Moreover, this collaborative knowledge-sharing framework builds trust and confidence among the employees to contribute more freely.

As a matter of fact, a peer learning approach also empowers the team to succeed and fail together and eliminates any rigid perceptions of the members.

Plan of action

Here are some ways you can cultivate greater collaboration in your team:

·          Hold open-for-all meetings and discussions

·          Implement and include knowledge sharing strategies in the day-to-day work culture

·          Encourage cross-functional communication

 

A  MANAGEMENT STYLE WHICH INSPIRES

A lot rests on the kind of leadership present in an organization. Namely, a learning organization thrives on forward-thinking leadership.

More than any employee, the CXOs, managers, and top-level executives must show commitment to their people. These leaders also carry the force of change by giving the team a direction to move forward. Therefore, their approach towards their employees is important.

Furthermore, from identifying challenges to discussing the company’s shared vision, the top leadership is responsible for fostering a learning culture and motivating employees to follow suit.

Plan of action

Promote people-oriented leadership in your organization through these methods:

·          Interact with everyone on a more personal basis

·          Build relationships through consistent communication

·          Publish thoughts on key matters for your team

 

HAVE A BUY IN OF SHARED VALUES AND GOALS

The fifth most essential trait of a learning organization is the vision it is striving to achieve.

A learning organization works with a collective identity and a shared vision. This vision can be either the management’s strategically planned goals or the employees’ shared objectives. In addition, it has to reflect the company culture and act as a guiding principle for the team.

Notably, the key differentiator between a traditional company’s vision and that of a learning organization is that the latter does not believe in putting the vision on the website or the office wall. In effect, a learning organization works toward and iterates on its vision as the company grows.

Plan of action

You can build a mutually accepted vision by encouraging employees to:

·          Share what matters to them

·          Visualize their future for the company

ROUNDING UP

Creating a meaningful culture of learning is a crucial driver of business growth. Basically, as a learning organization, you can offer freethinking and team learning avenues—empowering your employees to maximize their potential. In summary, a learning organization allows individuals to pursue their creativity and make mistakes without the fear of consequences. Because of this, in an increasingly competitive market, inculcating these values in your employees is bound to secure good results for your business goals. Encourage communication and knowledge sharing. Also, shift the focus from your profits to your people–and witness the transformation of your organization.

DO YOU HAVE BEST PRACTICES IN YOUR COMPANY TO SHARE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU 

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

 

  

positive self-talk makes you your best friend and negative self-talk destroys you

                 SELF TALK THERAPY

to reprogram your mind

WHAT IS SELF TALK ? 

It’s the messages you have internalized in your subconscious mind that generates either positive or negative thoughts about yourself.Without even noticing it, your internal dialogue is at work during every second of every day. From menial tasks such as meeting a deadline to making important life decision, the way in which you think and talk to yourself plays a huge role in the way that you live and feel. These thoughts then affect various parts of your life, from your physical health status and your emotional well being, to the way in which you view yourself and others.

 

WHY YOU NEED TO REPROGRAM YOUR SELF TALK?

Self-talk is generally thought to be a mix of conscious and unconscious beliefs and biases that we hold about ourselves and the world generally. It was Sigmund Freud who first created the idea that we have both conscious and unconscious levels of thought, with unconscious cognitive processes influencing our behavior in ways we don’t realize 

Self-talk can be positive or negative – and paying attention to which you most often sway towards, can help you start making proactive changes about how you take on life’s challenges.

Since it is part of the autonomous system of the human being it can be unstructured and indisciplined and self-defeating. Just Like the yogis say your breathing is to be regulated by ‘pranayam’ (known to westerners as breath therapy) Regulating your Self-talk can similarly enhance your performance and general well-being.  

NEGATIVE SELF-TALK

Our patterns of self-talk are sometimes negative – we focus on preconceived ideas that we’re ‘not good enough’ or ‘always a failure’ or ‘can’t do anything right’. Our brains are hardwired to remember negative experiences over positive ones, so we recall the times we didn’t quite get it right more than the times we do. We then replay these messages in our minds, fuelling negative feelings.

 

POSITIVE SELF-TALK

Positive self-talk, as you may have guessed, is the flip of negative self-talk. It’s not about narcissism, or deceiving ourselves into thinking things that are inaccurate. It’s more about showing yourself some self-compassion and understanding for who you are and what you’ve been through. Positive self-talk sees our internal narrative switching to ideas like ‘I can do better next time’ or ‘I choose to learn from my mistakes, not be held back by them’.

positive self-talk and a more optimistic outlook can have other health benefits, including: increased vitality, greater life satisfaction, improved immune function, reduced pain, better cardiovascular health, better physical well-being, reduced risk for death, less stress and distress. Optimists with more positive self-talk certainly experience these benefits. Research has hard and convincing evidence to show self-talk can help athletes with endurance and eventually the success in the final event. People with positive self-talk develop a mindset  that allow them to solve problems, think differently, and be more efficient at coping with hardships or challenges.

SWITCHING FROM  NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE SELF TALK? 

In order to change your inner dialogue, you must first identify whether you practice positive or negative self-talk. If you can admit to it being the latter, then it is time to make some small yet effective changes.

These scenarios are examples of when and how you can turn negative self-talk into positive self-talk. Again, it takes practice. Recognizing some of your own negative self-talk in these scenarios may help you develop skills to flip the thought when it occurs.

1.     Negative: I’ll disappoint everyone if I change my mind.

Positive: I have the power to change my mind. Others will understand.

2.     Negative: I failed and embarrassed myself.

Positive: I’m proud of myself for even trying. That took courage.

3.     Negative: I’m overweight and out of shape. I might as well not bother.

Positive: I am capable and strong, and I want to get healthier for me.

4.     Negative: I let everyone on my team down when I didn’t score.

Positive: Sports are a team event. We win and lose together.

5.     Negative: I’ve never done this before and I’ll be bad at it.

Positive: This is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from others and grow.

6.     Negative: There’s just no way this will work.

Positive: I can and will give it my all to make it work.

Loving or hating the life you are living is solely all in your repeated self-talk. Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself, learn from it, and move on instead of obsessing about it. Equally important, don’t allow anyone else to dwell on your mistakes or shortcomings or to expect perfection from you. 

Positive self-talk is to emotional pain as pain pill is to physical pain. The way you choose to think and speak about yourself (to yourself and others), IS A CHOICE! You may have spent your whole life talking about yourself in a negative way, but that doesn’t mean you have to continue that path. So WATCH OUT  what you tell yourself, you’re likely to believe it AND EVEN MAKE IT YOUR SELF CONCEPT

META+COACH PROGRAM & SELF TALK

META+COACH  model uses the REBT model espoused by Dr Albert Ellis and Prof K M Phadke the pioneer in REBT in India I learnt about this fascinating  therapy in the year 1983 when the founder Dr Albert Ellis visited India. 

My experience using REBT  since 1998 handling different coachees has 2 highlights to share with you

• A quality circle facilitator having training in presentation skills to become a trainer was having an acute mind-block making the act of facing an audience impossible. A series of coaching sessions using REBT and self-talk solutions helped him to over the problem to become a successful presenter

 

• A newly qualified MBA from a premier B-School and working for a MNC was feeling the jitter to make the sales call; albeit his education and the knowledge of the business. He would simple be sweating profusely to make a pathetic picture before the prospect. REBT based coaching and self-talk solutions using a list of affirmations which we jointly have drawn up. This was the breakthrough which resulted in him crossing the threshold. A year later  he began to laugh a his past predicament when he had become a proficient  sales professional

 

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

 

YOUR DAILY SUCCESS SCORECARD - Some empowering quotes to start your day right

An extraordinary life is lived one day at a time. Sucess is always in the long term but achieved meticulously one step at a time. The Romans had an adage for this the called it "CARPE DIEM" (seize the day) Every day, it’s important to ask and answer these questions: “What’s good in my life?” and “What needs to be done?

If somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows. 

 

 

Here are  some  empowering quotes to start your day right and to ease yourself into your day with a  winners attitude.

1.  Make each day your masterpiece. --John Wooden

2.  It's time to start living the life you've imagined --Henry James

3.  The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. --Jimmy Johnson

4.  All our dreams can come true--if we have the courage to pursue them. --Walt Disney

5.  Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. --Judy Garland

6.  If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. --Napoleon Hill

7.  It is never too late to be what you might have been. --George Eliot

8.  11. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. --Steve Jobs

9.  Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. --John Lennon

10.              Don't worry about failures; worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try. --Jack Canfield

11.              You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try. --Beverly Sills

12.              Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. --Les Brown

13.              Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. --Jamie Paolinetti

14.              It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. --Confucius

15.              What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

16.              A year from now you may wish you had started today. --Karen Lamb

17.      Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Robert Breault

 18.      All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

19.      If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun. ~ Katharine Hepburn

20.      The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have. ~ Louis E. Boone

 21.      Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did. ~ Mark Twain

 

22.      One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.  ~ William Feather

 

23.      There is only one success, to be able to spend your life in your own way. ~ Christopher Morley

 

24.      Life has no limitations, except the ones you make. ~ Les Brown

25.      Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. ~ Danny Kaye

 

 Now don’t look back at yesterday. Don't look forward to tomorrow. Just grab the opportunity called today. Don’t wait - make memories today. Celebrate your life the purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. 

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

 

80% to 95% of business managers engaging in procrastination on a regular basis

 

PROCRASTINATION

 #1 THIEF OF TIME

 

What’s one of the greatest deterrents to success? IT IS THE MISMANAGEMENT OF TIME. 

And what is the #1 THIEF OF TIME ….???

 It’s something that stops countless people from enjoying a time-of-your-life they delay or postpone acting on their priorities. 

This is called PROCRASTINATION.

 Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute, or past their deadline. Some researchers define procrastination as a "form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences."

 Managing TIME is a core module of my META+COACH program.  every single participant  has a problem to overcome procrastination. Some do it all the time; some do it for certain categories of task; and some do it occasionally. So everyone procrastinates at some point and each one pays THE PRICE.

THE  SYMPTOMS OF PROCRASTINATION ?

Which of the following symptoms of procrastination do you have?

1.    You often tell yourself there are other things you should do first.
2.    You tell yourself you’ll do it after you get everything organized.
3.    You are easily distracted by other things in your life.
4.    You’re often a day or two (or more) late in completing tasks or projects.
5.    An item remains on your “list” for days or weeks.
6.    You wait for the mood to strike or the “right” time to get started.
7.    You claim you work best when “your back is against the wall.

THE COMMON CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION

One of the biggest factors contributing to procrastination is the notion that we have to feel inspired or motivated to work on a task at a particular moment. The reality is that if you wait until you're in the right frame of mind to do certain tasks (especially undesirable ones), you will probably find that the right time simply never comes along and the task never gets completed.

Experts believe that procrastination is actually a defense mechanism. Your unconscious mind thinks it is helping you. But it is misguided. So the procrastinator’s mind uses a defense mechanism—repression—to kind of forget about the task. ‘Oh, there are so many other things I need to do.’ And the procrastinator usually minimizes the amount of time the task will take. This, of course, is the trick our mind plays with us. It hopes the task will go away. 

Indecision causes procrastination. Common reasons people struggle to make firm decisions some do it because  the  bosses do it for you most of the time; they lack  the courage to follow through on personal  decisions;. Other influences act upon  you, so you have little or no firm desires of your own or worse you take a long time to reach decisions, and you change them quickly. In summary you don’t have a strong desire to see your goals become a physical reality. If, on the other hand, you have made a committed decision to be, do, or have something, you are likely to persist in reaching the goal as quickly as possible. Without a committed decision, procrastination is likely to creep in. Those who reach decisions promptly definitely know what they want, and they generally get it. The leaders in every walk of life decide quickly and firmly

According to researchers, there are 15 key reasons why people procrastinate:⁷

• Not knowing what needs to be done
• Not knowing how to do something
• Not wanting to do something
• Not caring if it gets done or not
• Not caring when something gets done
• Not feeling in the mood to do it
• Being in the habit of waiting until the last minute
• Believing that you work better under pressure
• Thinking that you can finish it at the last minute
• Lacking the initiative to get started
• Forgetting
• Blaming sickness or poor health
• Waiting for the right moment
• Needing time to think about the task
• Delaying one task in favor of working on another

TYPES OF PROCRASTINATION

Some researchers classify procrastination in two main types: passive and active procrastinators.

 Passive procrastinators: Delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them

Active procrastinators: Delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to "feel challenged and motivated"

Others define the types of procrastinators based on different behavioral styles of procrastination, including:

·         Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectly

·         Dreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detail

·         Defier: Doesn't believe someone should dictate their time schedule

·         Worrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of "the known"

·         Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressure

·         Overdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete task

SOME REMEDIES AGAINST PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is a habit, and the only way to get rid of a bad habit is to replace it with a good one. Procrastination is one of those things that even the most well-organized and punctual fall victim to at some point or another. Think about the last time you found yourself watching television when you really should have been doing homework. While common, procrastination can have a detrimental impact on your life, including your annual appraisal.



Commit to important tasks.

Focus on doing, not avoiding. Write down the most critical tasks you need to complete each day and specify a time for doing each one. This will help you to tackle your work efficiently and become far more productive.

Recognize early signals

As you start to tackle items on your list, pay attention to when thoughts of procrastination start to creep into your mind. If you find yourself thinking "I don't feel like doing this now" or "I'll have time to work on this later," then you need to recognize that you are about to procrastinate. When you feel tempted to procrastinate, don't give in to the urge. Instead, force yourself to spend at least a few minutes working on the task. In many cases, you might find that it is easier to complete once you get started.

 

 Rephrase your self-talk. 

 

Replace the phrases “need to” and “have to” with “choose to” or “get to.” Saying the first two phrases implies that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel disempowered and unmotivated to take on large, important tasks. However, saying “I choose to” or “I get to” implies that you want to do the project, and it makes you feel more in control of your life.

Here are few questions to reprogram your inner self-talk and you mindset-Do I want to be, do, or have this?. Will being, doing, or having this move me in the direction of my goal?. Is being, doing, or having this in harmony with my overall plan;

 

Minimize distractions. 

Ask yourself what pulls your attention away the most—whether Instagram, Facebook updates, or the local news—and turn off those sources of distraction. Turn off your email and social media and avoid sitting anywhere near a television while you work. Each person has his own patent style of wasting time or procrastinating ... find out your own after careful self observation of a month or two and then do a self analysis 

 

 Focus on the long game. 

 

If you’re procrastinating because you find a task unpleasant, identify the long-term benefits of completing it. For instance, could it affect your annual performance review, health, or the value of your home?

 

Sense Consequence of delay

For some people, understanding the consequences of avoiding or delaying something makes the task more enjoyable. If that sounds like you, identify the unpleasant effects of avoiding the task. Ask yourself what will happen if you don’t complete it? How might it affect your personal, team, or organizational goals?

Take baby steps: 

When you are faced with a big project, you might feel daunted, intimidated, or even hopeless when you look at the sheer amount of work involved. We often assume that projects won't take as long to finish as they really will, which can lead to a false sense of security when we believe that we still have plenty of time to complete these tasks. At this point, take an overall ' project' view of the task and  break them down into a series of stepsso that your immediate tasks don’t seem so overwhelming.

 

Recognize the warning signs

 Pay attention to any thoughts of procrastination and do your best to resist the urge. If you begin to think about procrastinating, force yourself to spend a few minutes working on your task.

Pat yourself on the back: 

When you finish an item on your to-do list on time, congratulate yourself and reward yourself by indulging in something you find fun. Once you have completed a task (or even a small portion of a larger task), it is important to reward yourself for your efforts.Give yourself the opportunity to indulge in something that you find fun and enjoyable, whether it's attending a sporting event, playing a video game, watching your favorite TV show, or looking at pictures on a social sharing site.

   

ROUNDING UP

There is no magic pill that will put an end to procrastination forever. But these tips will help you take concrete steps toward achieving more and feeling a lot better about yourself. Breaking the procrastination habit isn't easy. After all, if it was simple there wouldn't be an estimated 80% to 95% of business managers  engaging in procrastination on a regular basis. While procrastination might not be something you can avoid entirely, becoming cognizant of the reasons why you procrastinate and how to overcome those tendencies can help. By implementing these strategies, you might find that it is easier to put your nose to the grindstone and get started on those important tasks.

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro