Mindset: 7 Positive Messages Provided By Procrastination

Do you procrastinate?

I can’t tell you how many times I have met with clients who initially resist telling me they procrastinate. They see procrastination as a poor leadership quality, something to train out of. I offer another explanation to my consulting clients. Set judgement aside and consider your procrastination may carry a message for you. Here are seven positive messages I have identified when analyzing my leadership coaching clients procrastination habits.

You are operating outside of your strengths.

When you operate within your strengths, you get brilliant genius energy. Genius energy activities propel you forward. For me, when I am in my genius energy, I am in strategy mode. I’m instructing a client on communication strategy or working in the background putting strategy together. I am looking at communications, scanning for inconsistency, and making words sing like music. When I am in my genius energy, I am building shared vision in teams. I’m watching it click for them. Whether it’s my team or one of my clients, seeing a team “get it” lights me on fire. When I am activating, making things happen, I am really in my zone. I can keep plates spinning knowing that the cooks are cooking up something delicious to go on them. I make things happen, for myself and for my clients. If I am stuck too long in strategy, I get listless. I like things to move! If they aren’t moving, I get out the scissors and I start cutting red tape. I pull out my personal bulldozer and plow through road blocks.

What’s outside of my genius energy? Sales. I can network once I have a personal connection, but I always go personal first and its a SLOW boil. Even then, procrastination kicks in, as does the SHOULD monster. I SHOULD be handling my own sales, right? Not necessarily. That’s why I’ve decided to bring on a sales team. By removing myself from the “doing” of the sales function and into a leadership role, I will empower my firm to grow.

Where are you operating outside your strengths? Where could you supplement that with team or vendor services?

You are operating outside of your passions.

Have you ever just felt that slog of, “I just don’t want to do it?” I think we all have. When you are jumping out of your shoes to do something, odds are you are passionate about it.

It’s kind of like this blog post for me. I just HAD to write it. And, once I started writing it, it just wrote itself. Writing is not my constant passion, however. Inspiration is necessary for me to write. I would not call writing a passion. Communicating is more of a passion for me. Communication strategy, coaching, teaching, consulting – maybe not the nuts and bolts production of it. But, when I get inspired to teach, I teach. Sometimes, passion and talent can get confused. When I get going, writing is a strength of mine. But, put me in a cubicle and tell me to write all day long. Suddenly, that inspired teacher becomes a factory worker. The flow stops because it’s not my passion.

So what’s one to do? Things need to get done, right? Blogs need to be written. If you can’t afford to grow a team to work only in your passions, give your other tasks a sand box to play in. Set boundaries with it and allow yourself to produce more, but not less. I commit to writing one blog a week because I know this blog might pique your interest about my firm. And I know, as the firm grows, I can teach someone to be my voice and to grow the content marketing, inbound marketing, piece of it. Good sandboxes keep procrastination sand from spilling out and ruining the playground of your business.

What non or quasi passions can you set a sandbox around? How can you play and get things done without getting stuck and sacrificing your precious energy?

You are depriving yourself of fun.

Inside of us, we all have a pleasure-seeking, borderline hedonistic, 7 year old. This id driven archetype wants what they want, when they want it. This inner kid is the reason we turn on the TV, reach for Facebook or other social media, allow co-workers to drone on a little too long in the middle of the day, and stretch the limits on our work boundaries. It’s kind of like going on a diet. If you went on a diet that said, NO CHOCOLATE CAKE, what do you want? You might find yourself really wanting chocolate cake, even if it wasn’t your favorite to begin with. Why? It’s because you told your inner 7 year old you couldn’t have it.

Instead, try this. Don’t time your work, allow your fun and time your fun. Always be working toward your fun. Award your focus with a big proverbial lollipop of whatever you like to do for your 7 year old.

Are you guilty of inner child neglect? What ways could you fix that this week to increase your productivity?

You need to allow a break to inspire you.

Sometimes, you just need a break to gain fresh perspective. I travel a lot and, sometimes, I find myself working at coffee shops or co-working spaces. Two sometimes three times a work session, I will shift my location for a literal change in perspective. A couch versus a table is a good choice for me to work at. This allows me to put my computer down, lounge, and observe my surroundings for a bit. Sometimes this isn’t possible in a corporate environment. But you would be amazed how feasible it might be. Reserve a conference room. Work with a co-worker in their space for a bit. Take a pad of paper to the lunch room. Or, just move to a different area of your office. A break in routine disrupts your thought patterns just enough to jog inspiration loose.

Question to ask: How can you shake up your day to day to leave room for inspiration?

You need a physical break.

Bodies are not meant to sit in the same position for long periods of time. It’s the logic behind the standing desk trend. We don’t stand exactly the same way, in the same space, for long. If we do, muscle fatigue will set in fast. Standing desks encourage movement, collaboration, and variety. Now, I’m a sitter. I always have been and I always will be. I am not advocating you run out and buy a standing desk. What I am saying is, shaking it up is good for your body. It’s good to move. As much as moving around my work space helps my inspiration, it also helps my joints. I’m not as stiff. I’m also more energized when I get up. I’ll throw in a little stretch sometimes to.

What can you do to give yourself a physical break?

You need a mental break.

Last, but never least is your mind. Procrastination seeps in when your mind is just simply tired. Stop slave driving your mind. Genius doesn’t come from overwork. Generally what you get is exhaustion, overwhelm, discontent, and a general distaste for what you are working on – no matter how much you love it. Good self communication comes from understanding when you need a mental break. You might notice this from yawning (your body and mind asking for oxygen). When you need a mental break, you may tend to breathe shallow. Shallow breathing increases anxiety. It’s also exhausting. Set your work to the side and take three diaphragmatic breaths.

Do you feel better about procrastinating now?

Next time you do it, stop and listen to what the procrastination is communicating. You can use it as a productivity hack to increase your energy, effectiveness, and awesomeness at anything you do.

Need help as a leader or with your team? Contact us!

Teamwork and brainstorming concept with businessmen seated around a table each pointing to cards with colorful sketches of light bulbs conceptual of bright ideas and solutions arranged in a circle.
Collaboration: Building Shared Vision in Your Organization

Teamwork and brainstorming concept with businessmen seated around a table each pointing to cards with colorful sketches of light bulbs conceptual of bright ideas and solutions arranged in a circle.It can sound a little harsh, but it’s true. We live in a “what’s in it for me” society. This mindset is at the core of benefits marketing, where marketers need to be very conscious (and communicative) about what the benefit of their product or service is to their target market. However, what some leaders can overlook is how they can apply benefits marketing concepts inside the organization to create shared vision and, as a result, forward momentum.

Shared vision = shared results.

When a leader can build shared vision and specific benefits around a project goal, the buy in increases productivity, momentum, and passion behind the project. In essence, it gets done easier, faster, and better because people see why the project matters to them.

This was highlighted in one of our recent projects in state government. A grant directive was passed down with a short timeline. Although the grant was provided, no succession plan was in place for this great bit of public health communication that was being developed. What Works Consultants worked with the interested internal stakeholders to determine who needed to be involved. More than that, we researched what mattered to each of these stakeholders to develop benefits-driven shared vision for the project. The result: Everyone sees “whats in it for me” and they are bought into the project.

Are there places in your organization where your projects are stuck? Maybe they don’t move as quickly because they lack shared vision.

Here are some quick tips to develop shared vision and get things flowing.

  1. Have a meeting of the minds: Take the time to sit down and discuss the challenges, aspirations, and goals of the people who you would like buy in from. This will show you “what’s in it for them” in regard to your project.
  2. Assess their position: Will they be involved, kept informed, uninvolved, or perhaps they are a supporter who can provide ideas and open doors?
  3. Enlist in their role: Once you see their role, gain buy in on time commitment and responsibilities. Set process around how they prefer to be communicated to and commit to fulfilling your communication promise.

Building shared vision can lead to great collaboration. Do you need help doing this within your organization? Set an appointment to connect with us!

 

Project Management Tips
Project Management: Are you biting off more than you can chew?

You have a grand idea, product, service, event, or project to pull off. Everyone is excited. You have a project to manage. But there’s a problem. Project management has always created problems for you. How can you assure you are not biting off more than you can chew? How do you set yourself up for success by making a project manageable to begin with?

  1. Tent Pole Project: This is the big project. It usually has a firm deadline or drop dead date associated with it. There is some sort of clear consequence tied to not meeting this date. The date is firm and is usually controlled by something outside of yourself (even if that something is just a pressure to get it done).
  2. Sub Project: These are time sensitive projects that exist within the tent pole project. They might be a little more movable in deadline than the tent pole project itself. However, too much movement on a sub project and the outcome of the tent pole project can be put at risk. Example: You are attending an event, but you need to reorder your business cards because you are out.
  3. Milestone: Tent Pole Projects can be milestones if they are under a larger tent. For example, I have a client who is speaking at a TedX Event. This event is one project inside a larger tent pole of a direct to consumer toy industry product launch. The TedX Event is a milestone for her. The development of her web site as well as the manufacturing of the product are also milestones until this major tent pole project of the direct to consumer campaign.

Project Management Tips

Then, you need to get real.

Where leaders get hung up on this in the perception of time and what can be realistically achieved in a time frame. This is where it helps to have a clear handle on start dates, completion dates, project types, costs, and responsible parties. Business will do its thing and interfere with your projects. Knowing where you are in your timeline will help you manage expectations and set yourself up for success as your project moves along.

Need help?

Do you need project clarity? Do you feel stuck? We may be a fit for you. Depending on the size of your project, one consulting hour with us could save you millions. Contact us to receive a 30 minute complimentary consultation to see if we can help.

What Works Consultants, Inc is a Nevada Emerging Small Business
News: What Works Consultants, Inc is an Emerging Small Business in Nevada

What Works Consultants, Inc and dba What Works Coaching Receives Tier 1 Emerging Small Business Certification in the State of Nevada

[July 16, 2018 – Carson City, NV] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Today, What Works Consultants, Inc. is proud to announce it has received Tier 1 Emerging Small Business Certification from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development. This certification will assist What Works Consultants, Inc. as it continues to work with municipal, county, and state government in Nevada in the areas of Management and Consulting Services (NAICS 54161), Human Resources Consulting Services (NAICS 541611), Marketing Consulting Services (NAICS 541613), and Other Management Consulting Services (NAICS 541618).

The Emerging Small Business (ESB) Program is a new initiative within the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development which encourages state and local agencies to do business with small businesses to help them grow and thrive. ESB certification allows small businesses to stand out in the government contracting process.

“Municipal, county and state government have been a cornerstone of our work since our first contract with the Division of Public and Behavioral Health in 2013,” says Diane Dye Hansen, president of What Works Consultants, Inc. “We are honored to participate in this program and are looking forward to using our expertise in management, communication, marketing, and human resources to support Nevadans.”

ABOUT WHAT WORKS CONSULTANTS, INC.

What Works Consultants, Inc. helps government and non-profit organizations understand their stakeholders and communicate to them in a strategic and meaningful way. We do this through research, strategic communication planning, change management consulting, human resources recruitment, and training. We are process-driven as well as personalized in our approach. We specialize in customized solutions that work within the specific environment, by-laws, and policies of our client organizations. As an outcome focused firm, we look at what is possible versus what is impossible in difficult to navigate situations and work with your leadership and teams to help achieve it. What Works Consultants, Inc is the only firm in the nation to coach and consult using Critical Opportunity Theory, a proprietary process which defines the symptoms of organizational decline and trains organizations how to question those symptoms to systematically create opportunity from problem situations. The company is located in Carson City, Nevada and has consultants in California and Idaho. Visit the company online at www.whatworksconsultants.com

PRESS CONTACT:

Diane Dye Hansen, President and Founder, What Works Consultants, Inc.
diane@whatworksconsultants.com, 833-546-7228 ext: 1

HR Views: Hiring to Company Culture

Is your company culture more than writing on the wall?

Unfortunately, at many companies, company culture is something that is written down by the leadership, placed on an inspirational plaque, and left for the dust bunnies to eat. When the leaders are asked about company culture, they point to the wall, not understanding that its the work and not the walls which create the culture.

I have a culture for What Works Coaching and What Works Recruitment that is expressed in how we do business. If you ask those who are part of my company, they don’t just recite the culture, they work it!

What Works Coaching helps individuals and companies in crisis or transition discover opportunity and take action to create results.

THE WHAT WORKS TEAM IS:

Passionate: We are passionate about what we do and why we do it.
Enthusiastic: We radiate enthusiasm. Our clients love our energy and they love to work with us because of it.
Proactive: If we see something that needs to be handled, we do so proactively. We openly and freely exchange ideas.
Original: We come up with original processes and utilize those versus someone else’s cookie cutter. We treat every client as the individual they are.
Empathetic: We put ourselves in our clients shoes and offer solutions with compassion.
Supportive: We are our clients biggest cheerleaders and supporters. We support each other the same way.
Responsible: Civic and social responsibility and responsible client service is at the core of all we do. We always act with integrity.
Honest: Rigorous honesty, internally and with our clients, is our constant policy.
Culture checks come with honest inquiry at the time when the culture itself is challenged? When a team knows to culture check on the parts of the culture they are most challenged by, they can improve themselves AND the service the company provides.

Is your culture infused in your human resources, operations, and communication – or is it just writing on the wall? Let us help you instill the culture your clients deserve.

Diane Dye Hansen teaches you how to accomplish more in a day.
Productivity: 5 Ways to Accomplish More in a Day

Every day, we are granted the same 24 hours. And, every day, some portion of that is wasted. It’s wasted to cell phones, email chains, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, shopping sites… deep breath…. you get the idea. In spite of all of these distractions, it is possible to accomplish more in a day. So, if you are ready to look like a serious rock star – read on. Or watch on. The video is right here.

It’s all about the mission you want to accomplish.

You have a mission. Whether its in your life, your work, or with your family – you have one. And you know what? You deserve to accomplish it! You do! Being clear on your mission and the three action items which move you toward it is the first step to productivity. In my Crappertunity framework, it’s the Awareness piece. You need to know what you want to do before you can do it. Pick three and then choose one to crush.

Then it’s about your mindset.

You need to prepare yourself to crush it if you really want to crush it. If you are the type who feels overwhelmed, doesn’t know where the day went, or tends to let others distract you, then you need a BATTLE CRY to start your day. Choose a word – any word – and speak it when you are at the threshold of your business, of your bedroom, anywhere you need that boost. Say it loud and proud to yourself. Heck, you can say it out loud if you are brave. But the only way to accomplish more is to set yourself up to do it!

The enemy will invade.

No, your friends, family, and co-workers are not your enemies. But they are to your mission if they are pulling you away from it. When you honor your own time, others will honor it too. Be prepared with a holding statement for them. Tell them when you are available. Clue them in on why you are trying to get more out of your time. Let them know when they have your attention, they have all of it. They will appreciate you for it.

Have a feast!

After battle, Caesar’s men would all gather for a feast. They would revel in the win. So should you! Revel hard, my friend, because you are forging your path to success one task at a time. Now, you don’t have to break out and have a party every time you finish something. But you do deserve a pat on the back. This is a new muscle you are conditioning. You are learning to accomplish more by actually accomplishing more. Be sure to acknowledge yourself for that. I know I am proud of you already.

Do it again – and again.

Wash, rinse, repeat – habit is formed when you do it over and over again. It becomes a way of life for you. It becomes who you are to be intentional during your work hours. I have been in the office an hour and a half. I have shot a video and written two columns. My original content for the week is done in less than two hours. I haven’t reached for my cell phone or my email box once. If I can do it, you can. Post your success below. I want to hear from you!

In a sea of sad feeling, you can still shift and be happy.
3 Steps to Change Your Mood and Energy

In a sea of sad feeling, you can still shift and be happy.

Have you ever just felt, blah? Like, you felt so blah you couldn’t shake it? The solution to shaking the blahs is literally in what you do with your body. And, yes, that mean shaking it!

You can change your mood and energy, as long as you are willing to do three things.

  1. Recognize your attitude sucks. Yep, you have to get real with yourself and occasionally others to shift. I have gone into situations totally stiff and then when I opened up about my commute, my day, my challenge du jour, I felt lighter. Try it.
  2. Decide how you want to be. You have total control over how you show up in the world. You just have to identify how you want to feel and then take steps to feel it.
  3. Take action. You have to do the stuff to feel the good stuff, whether that is peace, energy, enthusiasm, connected, sexy (yep, I said sexy), powerful, or anything else.

Watch my video on it.

Try this.

Stop right now and check in. Really check in with yourself and see how you are feeling. Check your body. Do you have a headache? Check your emotions. How are you feeling? Check your vibe – are you sending out a good one or a bad one? This check in will help you get a grip on what you are dealing with.

Consciously level up. Close your eyes and use that big beautiful imagination of yours. Did you know your body doesn’t know the difference between imagination and something that is really happening. That’s why your palms sweat and your heart rate goes up when you imagine bombing a date or interview. Guess what? Your body thinks you have already done it! So imagine success, get real with it. Feel it, taste it, smell it. Let it level you up.

Breathe. In through your nose and out through your mouth, this is breathing in a conscious way. Follow your breath down to your stomach. Observe it inflate. Follow it up and out of your mouth. This exercise brings you mind to a single focal point. It can pull you out of reaction. This practice of following the breath has saved me from doing some stupid stuff!

Post your results in the comments. In many cases, they are immediate!

Our values define us
Culture: 5 Reasons Why Values Matter

Our values define us

In doing my research on my theory of Crappertunity, the moment where crisis generates more opportunity than would have existed without the crisis, I keep stumbling on a major theme. Values are the compass individual and companies use to guide their journeys. Unfortunately, too many lie about their why. They justify what they are doing to society, to their colleagues, to the board, all while ignoring the internal compass that says no no no.

I wrote about values and beliefs in my Carson Now column today, a column I write for a local news site in Carson City, Nevada. In the column, I talk about my mom, how she had to reinvent herself at age 46 after her divorce. She was married 25 years, a housewife, and had to do it all again from scratch. Growing up with this influence, this resilience, I was inspired.

What I Believe

I believe we all have the power to impact, change, and improve what happens in our lives. I believe we are not victims of our circumstances. Rather, those circumstances can benefit us and the world, if we allow it. We can be called to reinvent ourselves at any time. I value connection, with myself and others, and to maintain that bond no matter how rough the seas get. I value integrity, and not letting my solution be someone else’s pain. I value intense passion for life and career. The two to me are not separable. I believe in the power plant of personal growth and how it can change lives and the world.

Some of these values I formed growing up. Others I formed as a result of my own struggles and life experience. But here are seven reasons why values matter.

Values are more than just about Sunday school.

Sure, that’s where some of us learned them. However, what we value is really our truth. We have to know our truth to turn on that internal GPS, make decisions, have confidence, and take action. Without clarity on our values, we turn into people pleasers. When we people please, we cheat people out of knowing who we really are. We cross and break boundaries we didn’t even know we had. Values are life.

Values help you choose a partner.

Life partners can have different hobbies, different ideas about the world, and differing preferences. But where a relationship can fall into trouble is when the values are off kilter. Questioning employees, colleagues, friends, romantic interests, and partners about their values is an exercise in understanding and alignment.

Values dictate happiness in a career.

Have you ever said, my heart’s just not in it? I have. And when I have, for example, when I was working in corporations in marketing and I did not believe in what I was promoting, I was unhappy. My value of integrity butted up against what my job required me to do. Look at your company’s annual report. If they don’t have one, ask them questions about their company values. You will find out quick if you are a fit or not.

Values help you have more fun.

When you are in alignment with your values, life is just more fun in general. If you value peace, you may notice you enjoy peaceful activities. If you value learning, you may find yourself learning for fun. But the point is this. If you know your values, you can be real with yourself about what you enjoy and what you don’t.

Values focus you.

When you know your values, you can laser focus and measure your activities against them. When I coach a company while they are doing their strategic plans, I talk to them about the company culture they want to cultivate. I help them discover this because these values dictate hiring practices, company strategies, and how the company behaves in a crisis.

I do more research on values in my theory of Crappertunity. To learn how you can get updates, participate in the research, or be interviewed, click here to receive information.

News: What Works Recruitment Recruits Top Talent

Today, What Works Coaching officially opened the doors to new direct recruitment contracts through its sister company, What Works Recruitment.  What started as the fulfillment of a consulting client need has grown into its own division specializing in locating specialized and educated employees for today’s complex companies.

We recruit to fit your culture.

We interview every client company to determine cultural fit needs, screen resumes, and hire for select positions on a flat rate basis. We’ve eliminated the disincentive of negotiating salary when dealing with a recruitment agency by instituting a flexible flat-rate structure and per-position agreements. That’s right, we don’t have to handle all your recruiting. But after we send our superstars your way, you might want to!

Never impersonal. Always supportive.

What Works Recruitment is supported by a team of supportive, caring, and best of all, personal recruiter who truly focus on the applicant and their fit with our client companies. Plus, every applicant is supported with 30 minutes of complimentary career coaching once you decide to interview them! It’s a unique model which assures we deliver well-screened, talented, and capable individuals for you to interview.

Pure talent sourcing.

What Works Recruitment does not do testing, drug/alcohol screening, or other HR procedures at this time. What we do is save you time and money in sorting through applicants and give you great candidates to interview.

Companies: Contact Diane Dye Hansen to see if our service is a fit for you.

Applicants: Connect with our lead recruiter, Heather Douglass, on LinkedIn to see if we have a position which fits your skill set!

horse
Productivity: Live a Full Life Through Work and Play

Once upon a time, there was young woman who loved her business. She loved it so much, she worked on it night and day. When she worked with others, she expected them to love her business as much as she did. She didn’t understand when people would take vacations, or breaks for that matter. She ate her lunch at her desk. She was dedicated! She was proud of her work ethic and the fact she would “do what it took” to succeed. After awhile, she was also burned out. No matter how hard she would try to sustain her performance, she just didn’t move as quickly as she wanted to. She lost her energy. And, then, she started wondering why she was working on her business at all. She had a full life. It was just full in ways that drained her.

It’s a nightmare of a fairy tale.

Yet, day after day, this is what many business owners do to themselves. They push hard. They lack working boundaries. Soon their life becomes work until one day someone asks them about their hobbies. The answer becomes, I work.

Awhile back, I wrote an article called “7 reasons why down time is not a waste of time.” This is a continuation of that article. Not only is downtime not a waste of time, it’s essential to re-energize, receive inspiration, and stay healthy. According to Psychology Today, workaholism is a disease. Those who work, regularly, in excess of 50 hours a week without extended time off or regular breaks are more likely to get sick. Additionally, relationships are affected and (gasp) they make less money, not more.

There are two types of full life: 1) the type that is full just to be full and busy, it’s mostly work, and 2) the type that fills your heart and spirit, it energizes you versus drains you.

So what’s a motivated person to do?

You have to work. But, what would happen if you told yourself, “I have to play?”

Step 1: Calendar it out. If you love your calendar, use it to help you build your new habit of play. Pick a color that represents play to you. Mine is bright yellow.

Step 2: Start slow. Remember, it’s not about running away from it all. It’s about taking time away to recharge, get some new ideas (no, you aren’t forcing these ideas by traveling with a way to take notes).

Step 3: Sabotage yourself. Go somewhere its not necessarily convenient to work, a beach, a lake, hiking, horseback riding, somewhere where thoughts can come of their own accord but you have to stay present. Persistent working is a hard habit to break. So set yourself up for success by making sure its hard for you to fall back into old habits.

Step 4: Enjoy. Allow yourself to get into what you are doing. Part of the benefit to play is the release of endorphins and dopamine. It’s that feel good formula that leaves you energized versus tired.

Step 5: Observe. Without trying to make anything happen you will see something is! You are sharper at work. Your body may feel lighter. You may be inspired. You might have more energy overall. And (oh no) you might want to do it again.

I would love to hear how your play experiments go. Drop a comment below. If you need help structuring this full life experiment for yourself, schedule 30 minutes with me. I swear it will be productive.