What can we learn from “SOS Piet”?

SOS Piet

Since a couple of years we have a cooking program on the Belgian TV called “SOS Piet”. Its success is unseen. Piet Huysentruyt, a former chef and owner of a Michelin star restaurant quit his kitchen and went on the road with a little cooking survival kit and a camera crew to help the Belgian TV audience to cook. He also wrote three cooking books which are top selling books in here in Belgium. What are the secrets of his success and why does the concept sell? SOS Piet applies some fundamentals of the successful sale. What are they?

Put yourself at level with you audience

SOS Piet literally left is kitchen, all his rewards and status signs. This is, as far as I know the first cooking program in the world where a well regarded Michelin Star chef gets in his car and comes to your kitchen. By doing so, he becomes as the expert very accessible and at level with his audience. It will cost you absolutely nothing to have Piet over, you only need to mail him with a real cooking problem and get selected. He is open to anyone and puts himself at level of his customers.

Listen to your audience

Since many years cooking programs are very popular. You can not count how many chefs have their program telling how they do things. SOS Piet reversed the roles. He let you cook in your kitchen. He only observes listens, tastes and sees what goes wrong. Listening is all about the story of the other, noting about your story. And most importantly, Piet does not comment on your problem, he only changes some details in the way you do tings.

Speak their language

In one of the shows the lady is Spanish and speaks a mix of English and Flemish. SOS Piet adapted his language using his best English mixed with some Flemish. The chemistry was not only going in the pan but also in the Kitchen. By copying the same language and wording of your counterpart, you create a connection. The other party feels immediately at level and is motivated to talk.

Think and go in little logical steps that really help

SOS Piet gives “Tips and Tricks”. No more, no less. At the start of a sales training, I ask the participants about their expectations. And I always get the request for Tips and Tricks. Why? It easier to remember little tricks that work rather than having to remember great theories and complex models. We only want that one trick that does it all. SOS Piet gives us this “Wonder Trick”. It is the trick that sticks and will makes a world of a difference. His audience feels helped. Change and success comes in small steps.

Everyone 15 minutes famous

What happens when someone you know in your town comes on television? You will be watching. The whole town will be watching. Is it not more fun to peep into your neighbour’s kitchen? And that person will be the talk of the day. When Andy Warhol said that in the future everybody will be 15 minutes famous, it sounded unrealistic. Coming on TV was only for celebrities. Now you just send a mail to SOS Piet and chances are big that you end up in his cooking show and become the talk of the day. We all want to feel important and need attention.

Back to basics

Every cookbook should start with “how to cook an egg”. It sounds boring but it is essential. If you are not able to cook a potato properly, why would you bother to make “Gratin Dauphinois”? Often when, I coach experienced Sales, I see them make errors against the basics. Bad habits or good habits never learned? In sales, minimum of skills are required. When those are absent, it is no use to invest in advanced sales training programs.

“What did we learn?”

Every activity can be a learning opportunity. We only have to process our learning. This is reflecting on what we did and what was important to remember and repeat or to do different in the future. The most easy and basic way of processing this learning is by asking: “What did we learn?” This question became SOS Piet’s trade mark. I recognise successful sales agents only by their learning attitude. For them every sales call is a learning opportunity and they actively process their learning again and again. Selling is a continuous learning event. Not one sales call is the same.

And have Fun

When SOS Piet is around, everybody has fun. Last, he was invited on the “De Laatste Show” which is a late evening talk show on the Belgian TV. Piet sat on the bench with Sting and Dennis Rodman and made everybody laugh and joke. There is some saying that “if you can’t tell it on a fun way, it is not the truth”. We are naturally attracted to fun. Laughing is one of the best stress relievers and it relaxes us. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Here are some questions that could help you with your success.

How do you put yourself at level with your customer?

How long do you really listen to the story of your customer?

How much do you use the “exact” wording of your customer?

How do you help your customer with small practical advice?

How do you make your customer feel important?

How well do you practice the communication basics?

What did you learn from your last sales call?

When did you last make your customers smile?

Have Fun, Patrick

How helpless is your organization?

Organizations suffering from “learned helplessness” are in a state of immobility. They seem to be unable to get into action and change the situation they are in. And this is not helping them in difficult situations such as the current economic downturn. Big and well known corporations that seem to have passed the test of time can fall in this situation leading them to bankruptcy. The last year we saw big names, like Lehman Brother go under. The more you recognise the symptoms causing this “learned helplessness”, the better it can be cured. And simple interventions can have a huge impact.

“Learned Helplessness” was defined by Martin Seligman, an American psychologist and founder of positive psychology movement.

It is a psychological state where people feel powerless to change their self or situation. This primarily caused when people attribute negative things in life to internal, stable and global factors. Essentially, it means that persons feel as if change is not possible, since there is a pervasive and unchangeable personal problem.

 “We like this training very much but, things will never change over here.” How many times did I hear this one-liner that kills it all, when helping teams on teambuilding interventions? And I have a hard time not feeling depressed when hearing that.

Burn out is common by IT employees who staff IT helpdesks. The simple fact that there is a helpdesk just one call away, make employees helpless for all their computer worries. They would call even the helpdesk for turning on the computer in the morning, you never know…

Leadership coaching, teambuilding or even creativity training make no sense when indeed people need to return to a system that puts them in this learned helplessness. As Trevor Cook writes in his blog:

“Bringing out Americans to teach you to be optimistic won’t matter a jot if your work situation is crap and if you can’t change it and you’re stuck there for life. That’s enough to depress anyone and no amount of fancy psychologising is going to change that.”

Trevor Cook’s Blog

The system needs to change. This change needs to be done by the people that can change the system. But therefore they need to understand what could make the systems helpless.

In extreme cases helplessness can lead to suicide. France Telecom knows already 28 suicides cases since February this year with major reason “the bad work situation”. It is sure that behavioural training will not work to solve this.

The main reasons for helplessness are:

Attribution style

What is the attribution style in the organization? Internal blaming is seen as one of the reasons for learned helplessness. “It’s me.” How much blaming is been done. Deficit language is negative for the morale and could be very threatening. Is there a “half empty bottle” communication or a “half full bottle” communication practised? Every reality can be seen from a negative or a positive stance. How does your organization does look upon reality?

Perception of control and predictability of the future

It is also called “global distortion.” “It will affect everything I do.” How do co-workers perceive having control over the changes that happen to them. Is there a top down directive style of communication in the organization? Or is communication based on consensus where co-workers are really heard? What is done with feedback coming from the work floor? Do co-workers see real change happening when they advise? And if nothing is done with their advice, is that then also communicated to them?

Stability generalization

“It will last forever.” Co-workers see changes as undetermined in time.  They loose completely track of right perspectives. And a small move of the office becomes a major upset. Even a new telephone system can lead people in depression and make them going on sick leave.

Motivational climate

How are co-workers motivated? What happens when people make mistakes? Am I allowed to ask for help when I encounter difficulties in my job or career? Is there help organized by the Learning and Development Department? What is the learning culture in your organization? Do you learn continually or is learning inhibited? Is coaching offered to repair weaknesses or to develop strenghts?

Answers to the problem lie in the positive psychology.

Positive psychology is a movement started by people like Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Erich From. It studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. More recently researchers like Martin Seligman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi have done work in that field.

Positive psychology focuses around Positive experiences and positive future. More recent approaches can be found in Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focussed Coaching.

Positive Experiences

Mindfulness

This approach is a mix of western and eastern knowledge. It is defined as actively searching for novelty. It is characterised as non-judging, non-striving, and accepting.  Its benefits include reduction of stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain.

People accepting changes are more willing to move forward to the change. But it needs facilitation and communication to help everybody through the change cycle. Mindfulness training can be a good help in this. But Meditation and other eastern practices are still seen as odd in our western organisations. In China and Japan it is not uncommon to see groups practice Tai chi or other meditative practices together on the work floor. People that are “well-centred” can coop better with external stressful contexts.

Flow

Flow as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is a state of absorption in one’s work characterised by intense concentration, loss of self awareness, a feeling of control, and a sense of “time is flying”. Flow is an intrinsically rewarding experience and it can also help one achieve a goal or improve skills.

How many of you experience flow at work? And what can you do in your current work environment in order to make flow happen? In our Western organizations there is not much focus on the fact whether employees are having fun in what they do and whether they experience a state of flow. And yet motivation and employee engagement are main issues in organizations.

Positive futures

Self-efficacy

Self-efficacy is one’s belief in one’s ability to accomplish a task by one’s own efforts. High self-efficacy has positive effects on one’s general well being and also the physical well being.

In what extend can your co-workers find themselves the answers to their problems? Is it worth changing the IT help line in an on-line problem solving system?  Why not organize an intranet forum system where co-workers can help each other on their IT problems.

Does your organization stimulates self-efficacy or does it take away the self efficacy of your co-workers? Are employees listened at when they come with solutions for their problems? My experience is that employees are best placed to solve their work related problems. Are they empowered to do so?

Learned optimism

Learned optimism is the habit of attributing one’s failures to causes that are external (not personal), variable (not permanent), and specific (limited to a specific situation). This explanatory style is associated with better performances, greater satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, better coping and less vulnerability to depression.

One big example of this is the model of Timothy Galloway, The inner game of tennis. In his coaching he helps tennis players to focus on the ball and the racket. This helps them to exclude their inner dialogue that undermines their performances. What is the inner dialogue of your organization?

Hope

Hope is a learned style of goal-directed thinking in which the person utilizes both pathways thinking (the perceived capacity to find routes to desired goals) and agency thinking (the requisite motivations to use those routes).

The best examples where this is practised is in Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focussed Coaching. The simpliest form is done with the “Wonder question”. How would you dream your ideal workenvironment?

We helped many groups and teams from a so called “learned helplessness” to a “learned optimism”. It does not take long and the effects are enormous. And it helps organizations to move through difficult moments of change.

Some questions to summarize our thinking:

How much fun do you experience in your workplace?

How many times a day do you experience “flow” when doing your job?

How proud are you to be part of your organization?

How do you cope with failures?

How free are you to try out something different?

How would you describe your ideal worksituation?

Good luck

What my dog taught me about leadership

Weimeraner

It has been said that dogs are chosen by their owners. And after a while the owners start to look like their dog. Having a puppy means spending a lot of time on its training. But without you realizing it, the dog also trains you. Some owners don’t get along with their dog and need help. This help is given by Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer. It is amazing to see how quickly a dog responds to different behaviour. As a proud dog owner, I have read many books about dog training. But in my view, Cesar’s approach stands out. He is a great teacher even for non dog owners.

The principles of handling dogs, which Cesar explains are also very valid for Leadership. I do not want to compare people with dogs, nor do I want to compare teams or organizations with pack dogs, but there are some commonalities. No wonder that a dog is man’s best friend.

Calm Assertiveness

In dog training the master should always remain calm. The emotions of the master are adopted by the dog. If the master is unsure and nervous, the dog will become unsure and nervous. If the master is calm, the dog will remain calm. The dog synchronizes with the mental and emotional state of the master. He mirrors the masters’ behaviour.

Equally teams are copying the behaviour and attitude of their leader. If the leader is suspicious and not trusting his people, the team will have a hard time with trust. Self discipline is an important virtue of a great leader.

Dogs only understand clear signals or orders. Ambiguous messages are not understood. Sit is sit and down is down. Many organizations and teams lack clear instructions. This brings these teams in a vacuum of dilemma’s and frustration. Leaders need to lead with clear messages.

Exercise, Discipline and Affection

First, there is exercise. If your dog lies in his basket all day, he will be an energy bomb. He needs to release this energy by exercising. Humans are the same. The worst thing you can do with a battalion of Para troopers is to let them wait. In the end they will start killing each other. Running is the easiest way of releasing energy. Dogs need a daily walk, and we need that too.

Dogs need discipline. When there is no discipline, the dog will feel stressed by the absence of clear rules. This will end causing aggression by the dog. Clear and consequent application of rules is the answer to this. When I do projects in organizations, I see many leaders shy away from discipline. There are no clear rules, or the rules are not applied.  Leaders are afraid to give corrective feedback in the form of “I messages” when unacceptable behaviour is exposed.

When the crowd is well exercised, when there is a lot of work and there is discipline, the crowd will be happy. That crowd has also time for affection. A dog without affection will slow down, get sick and eventually die.

We are not different. Even in the best performing team there needs to be an appreciative way of relating between the team members. When there is no appreciation, the team will disintegrate. Leaders should set the example of showing this appreciation. I get often reaction of leaders being afraid that they will look weak, when showing too much appreciation.

Dogs forgive very quickly

Dogs do not get stuck in emotional hick ups. They get the message, adapt and go on. People are different. People can get stuck in emotional ballast from years ago. This emotional ballast hinders them to engage in new contacts.

Leaders learned the discipline to engage in a contact with a new and fresh look. They will not get stuck in the emotional past.

Dogs move on

Yes, shit happens. Sometimes my dog gets into a fight that ends up being rough. But when they are taken apart, they will move on. They will not come back after twenty years blaming that beagle that bit him that other day. Also when a dog gets a tough correction, he will accept it and move on.

Great leaders don’t get stuck in negativity. They move on with the plan. I think is this is the main differentiators between average managers and great leaders.

Gaining respect

It is all about respect in dog world. Giving and getting respect. Dog packs have clear picking orders. The lower dogs will always try to take the place of the Alfa dog. The Alfa dog will defend his place. It gains respect by setting a defined behaviour. The Alfa dog will be the one who eats first. The Alfa dog will always be the first to step on new premises. And he will clearly watch over these things.

Great leaders will also be very careful in gaining respect. In my opinion was Ghandi a great leader who gained his respect through the behaviour he exhibited. Great leaders will in return cherish this respect by giving respect to others of the team.

Emitting and receiving energy

In a dog pack it is all about energy. It is said that animals and also dogs have a sixth sense. This sixth sense is their receptiveness for energy. A dog will know that there is a thunderstorm coming only from the changed energy in the air.

Great leaders are also aware of the energy and they can handle that energy. I remember pope Jean Paul II in front of thousands of youngsters on a world catholic congress. For more than twenty minutes, there was nothing said in the audience. But you could feel the energy. And Pope Johannes II really played with that energy.

Aggression is a no go

Aggression is not acceptable in the dog pack of Cesar. When a new dog enters the pack, he needs to learn that rule. And that is not always easy. Aggression is a sign of weakness. By adapting to the rule of “No aggression” the dog will grow stronger.

Great Leaders will have to use no aggression to lead their teams. Leaders that use aggression will not last. All dictators come to an end one day. Also between the team members aggression should not be allowed.

The master acts, the dog reacts

When Cesar speaks on his video’s he says: “we rehabilitate dogs and we train people”. Dogs are extremely dependant on the behaviour of their master. The right behaviour of their master can make a happy well balanced dog. But that same master can make of his dogs an aggressive “hit man” just by his behaviour.

Leaders have unlimited influence over their teams by their behaviour. It is not their words but their overall behaviour that is important. Especially when the behaviour does not match the words, it is that behaviour that will have the most influence. Therefore, I believe that leaders lead by walking and not so much by the talking. You could wonder that a manager is not better off getting a dog to learn about leadership than going to all this expensive Leadership Development programs. It would surely be cheaper for the training budget.

Doctors call in FI team

Flickr.com, CCL, azmil77

Britain’s top children’s hospital has turned to the world of motor racing for help in moving sick babies at maximum speed and with minimum risk.

Doctors call F1 team

This is a nice example of creativity at work. It is applauded to call upon expertise from different domains in order to share best practices. The outcome could be even more exceptional if this process would be facilitated by experts with experience in change management and HPT.