NE CORNER

In a recent conversation with a local businessman, he shared with me his most vivid and inspiring memory of our company start-up nearly two years ago.  In the local newspaper story about Next Element in 2008, we were quoted to have said that we were refusing to participate in the recession. This has stuck with him and given him energy ever since.

Nearly two years later nothing has changed in our philosophy.  Although we work our tails off and have had our share of setbacks, we continue to focus on the positive, expect amazing results with our clients, and refuse to let fear and worry get us down.  We look forward to sharing this enthusiasm for new possibilities with you in the coming year. – NR

PCM NUGGET

Close Channels, Build Trust. Can it be that simple? Yes and No. You have nothing to lose, try it out. Click here to read more

THE VALUE OF ROUTINES

I have three children, ages 7, 11, and 13.  Summer in our family is a crazy, fun mix of vacations, sleepovers, late nights, and community activities.  It’s also the hardest time for me to stay healthy.  I am out of rhythm and out of touch with the routines that keep me healthy - regular sleep, exercise, diet, and “me -time.”  As much as I love summer, I also look forward to the routine and structure of the school year to get me back on track.

Summertime at Next Element has also been quite a ride.  We’ve been busier than ever, we’ve ramped up our investment in new product development, and we’ve increased our efforts in sales and networking.  As we become busier, we have made an intentional effort to examine and refine our routines so that the things we value most, stewardship of our relationships with each other and our clients, stays at the core of our daily life.  I invite you to read Michele’s blog about how we re-examined our routine of meeting minutes to stay on track.  As fall approaches, we encourage each of you to find or get back into the routines that support what’s most important to you. - NR

GET THE WRONG PEOPLE OFF THE BUS

Building more effective and efficient work teams is not just about getting the right people “on the bus.”  It’s also about getting the wrong people off the bus.  Don’t misunderstand, we really do believe in people’s ability to change, we see people change every day.  And, we know that many organizations and cultures tolerate unhealthy behavior far too long.  If you’re serious about increasing the effectiveness of your people, are you ready to:

• Motivate and hold accountable those who have potential?
• Stop tolerating those who have no interest in changing?
• Facilitate a speedy departure for those who actively sabotage your best efforts?

If so, we can help, it’s what we do.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Jamie is blogging on Dan Pink’s book, “Drive.” Jeff is blogging on Chip and Dan Heath’s book, “Switch, How to Change When Change is Hard.” Both books are full of terrific learning points around what really drives people and how they can change for the better. Check them out, post your own comments, and get in on the conversation!

ASTD SUNFLOWER CHAPTER

Nate has been working with a group of local business people to revive the Sunflower Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). If you’re interested in joining this group, please plan to attend their Kick-Off event on August 16th, 4:30Lj:30 pm at the Fox & Hound, 1421 North Waterfront Parkway, Wichita.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Advanced PCM® Conflict Resolution Seminar - August 11 - 12, in Frankenmuth, Michigan

Process Facilitation Seminar - August 29 - 31, Topanga California

Process Facilitation Seminar - Frankenmuth, Michigan (exact dates TBD)

Process Facilitation Seminar - November 8 - 10, Newton, Kansas (This seminar is almost full. If you have expressed interest and have not finalized your registration, please contact us today!)

18th National Quality Education Conference, Chicago, Illinois - November 7 - 9; Joe & Judy Pauley will be the Keynote Speakers on the 8th. (pdf is available on our website calendar) Also at 4:00 pm on the 8th, they will offer a session on bullying that will be open to educators in the Chicago area.

Facilitating Self-Efficacy - November 11 - 12, Newton, Kansas

Process Facilitation Seminar - November 15 - 17, Topanga, California

PCM® Trainer Certification - November 15 - 19, Newton, Kansas

(There’s talk of adding more seminars this fall, please check back on our website calendar often!)

FREE STUFF

Executive Communication Assessment - yes, it’s really free.  Click here to learn more.

HOT WING UPDATE

Ok, they weren’t so much “hot” as Honey BBQ, but these four members of the Newton Flyers Track Club had a great time this week in Virginia Beach, Virginia, at the Amateur Athletic Union Track Nationals.  In the photo at the 21st Street Grill from left to right are: Kade Remsberg, Maggie Remsberg, DesiRay Kernal and Taylor Antonowich.  NE Partner, Jamie, and her husband Tad are coaches for the Club.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

We hope to see you at one of the following tradeshows where we’ll be exhibiting, stop by our booth and say “howdy” - you may even score a totally cool NE give-away.
Data Center Inc, Overland Park, Kansas - September 13 - 14
SHRM Conference, Overland Park, Kansas - September 15 - 16
ExpoSure, Wichita, Kansas - September 23

“I’ve always been the opposite of a paranoid. I operate as if everyone is part of a plot to enhance my well-being.” - Stan Dale, Founder of the Human Awareness Institute

Because people are what run business, and Next Element is in the people-business, more often than not, we discover workplace inefficiencies stemming from relationship and communication problems. One of our goals is to advance the success of the businesses in our community.  When you succeed, our whole community succeeds.

Here’s the only catch. We will travel up to 3 hours from Wichita to do the assessment. If it’s further than that? We can discuss options that address travel and lodging costs.

Now about priorities… something dawned on me in a team meeting recently.  We use “minutes” as an outline to direct the content of our meetings.  These minutes start by listing our 5 year, 3 year, and current year goals.  We have to know what our goals are before we can decide how our time is best spent – Business 101, right?  In this recent meeting, I realized that one of our most important goals was at the bottom of our minutes!  Ergo, we ended up spending less, or worse – no time on one of our most important goals!  So, we spent some special time together to discuss our goals – did we still have a shared mental model as to what they were?  And how could our minutes, the driver of our meetings, be more intentional toward our priorities?  It will be interesting to see the results of our re-focusing on our priorities.

Here we are, a new company, we have no excuse for being in a rut.  We’ve read all the great books about business, we are fabulous trainers in soft skills, we’re savvy in communication, we’re self-efficacious.  Yet here we were, neglecting our priorities!  This small, and yet large thing that had been going on for months unnoticed, made me realize just how easy it is to get into a comfortable stride, at work, at home, at church, anywhere.  And to quit growing.  The problem with stagnation is, it won’t be long, and you will find you are no longer effective, no longer contributing, no longer relevant.  Ouch!

Our number one goal is now affectionately called “NEP” – or the Next Element Process.  First and foremost, we engage each other in meaningful, accountable ways, then, and only then, do we move onto the content of business.

So now Nate asks me if I’ll write a blog post about all this.  I’m with Jamie when it comes to feeling a lack of mastery in the social media realm.  I tried once before, and it didn’t work-out.

During my last attempt to write something, I learned a lot about myself.  Learning about myself isn’t something I enjoy.  Turns out I’m not as perfect as my persister part has led me to believe. (If you don’t know what I mean by “persister part” – come to one our PCM seminars)   And, I have learned that it is only through pain and discomfort that I can grow, and become a better person.  And I would like to be a better person, in theory anyway.  So, turn on the spotlight, face me toward the mirror, and be prepared to hand me a tissue and give me a hug!

People that know us, frequently tell us how wonderful it must be for us to work together.  It is.  And it’s hard.  Because we believe in accountability, in practicing what you preach and teach, the standard is pretty high around here.  And we’re all human, we all experience different levels of distress for various reasons on any given day.  Some days, you just want to be lazy.  Some days, your rebel part just wants to be ‘onry.  Some days, we only see what we want to see, and our preconceived perceptions can get in the way of truth, just as it can for anyone.  That’s when the tissues come out.

Despite how difficult some days can be, I would not trade the time I’ve spent with my partners for anything.  With them, I am expected to trust,  to keep learning, to close channels. (Sorry, another PCM reference)  And in turn, they trust me, they give me their patience and encouragement when I’m struggling, and they keep me humble. I’ve decided humility is a necessary component for most persisters to grow.  I’ve never been one to believe it’s okay to rest on your laurels, and that we owe it to ourselves, and those in our lives to keep learning, to keep improving.  NE has been a good fit for me and this ideology.

Yes, it is difficult, and sometimes painful working with people that hold you to a high standard of accountability and growth.  And, it’s wonderful.

“As a facilitator and advisor to nonprofits, my clients rely on my communications skills daily to move their organizations forward. The training I received through Next Element has taken those skills to a new level! The time spent with Next Element has been invaluable.”

- Ranlyn Tilley Hill, JD, President
Benevolent Vision, Counsel to Nonprofits, Los Angeles, CA

PCM NUGGET

“I use the (PCM) tools daily. I had a 30-minute conversation with my 25-yr old son by using complimentary gestures, tones and body language and being attentive to his – the longest talk we’ve had in years!” (click here to read the rest of the story.)

NE CORNER

We invite you to read Jamie’s latest blog post on Chapter 5 of Daniel Pink’s book, “DRIVE.” We think you’ll get a kick out of it. Some of you may even resonate with her pain! And on your next coffee break, check-out this fun, and educational video by RSA Animate on Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

Our friend, Judy Young, founder of Laughter Links , shares her review of “DELIVERING Happiness, A Path To Profits, Passion and Purpose,” by Tony Hsieh. Hot off the press, just published 30 days ago, and already on the New York Times Bestseller List! An easy quick read, with a simple message offering great results. (Click here to read Judy’s complete review on our website.)

WHITE PAPER

In the theme of employee motivation and engagement, we invite you to read Nate’s White Paper titled, “The Five Drivers of Employee Engagement.”

FREE IS GOOD

One of our free services is called an Executive Leadership Team Assessment. An NE trainer will visit your workplace to observe one of your team meetings and administer two short surveys to your staff. Then, we offer you an accurate assessment of your strengths and liabilities along with simple recommendations for improvement. NO CHARGE, and NO STRINGS ATTACHED, honest. Why free? Because knowing our customers needs and building relationships always come first. Call or e-mail us for details. We look forward to meeting your team!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Process Facilitation Seminar - July 19 - 21, in Lincolnshire, IL (Greater Chicago area)
Advanced PCM® Conflict Resolution Seminar - August 11 - 12, in Frankenmuth, MI
PCM® Core Competency Training – October 11 – 13, in Newton, KS
Advanced PCM® Conflict Resolution Seminar – October 14 – 15, in Newton, KS
Process Facilitation Seminar – November 8 – 10, in Newton, KS
Facilitating Self-Efficacy – November 11 – 12, in Newton, KS
PCM® Trainer Certification – November 15 – 19, in Newton, KS

HOT WING UPDATE

No hot wings this month. However, I was able to taste a scorpion at the Typhoon Restaurant in the Santa Monica Airport, during a training in the LA area.  I’d give them a 5 out of 5 for uniqueness.  Not much taste, lots of crunch, definitely original. And, prior to the scorpions, I ate a plate of crickets – equally unique. – JK

WHERE WE’LL BE

Jamie will be in the Chicago, IL area in July for an open-enrollment seminar.  Jeff will be providing an open-enrollment advanced PCM training in Frankenmuth, MI in August.  Jeff and Nate will also be training in Malibu, CA in August.  We hope you’re having as much fun this summer as we are!

“JUMP for JOY . . . The company you now work for . . . has been sold.

Employees at most of the companies I know, when receiving the above news would arrive at work depressed and scared, if they bothered to show up at all.  But not the folks at Zappos; they arrived with an air of excitement and even brought along beach balls to create an instant buzz.  And they really did jump for joy because they knew their culture would be preserved, and their jobs were absolutely secure.”
Hot off the press, just published 30 days ago, and already on the New York Times Bestseller List! An easy quick read, with a simple message offering great results. DELIVERING Happiness A Path To Profits, Passion and Purpose by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.

In 1999, at the age of 24, Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) sold LinkExchange, the company he co-founded, to Microsoft for $265 million. He then joined Zappos as an advisor and investor, and eventually became CEO, where he helped the on-line shoe retailer grow from almost no sales to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales annually, while simultaneously making Fortune magazines’ annual Best Companies to Work For List.  In November 2009, Zappos.com Inc. was acquired by Amazon.com in a deal valued at $1.2 billion on the day of closing.  Hsieh prefers to call it a marriage between Zappos and Amazon, which gives you a bit of insight to his management philosophy.

I found this book to stand head and shoulders above the crowd, punctuating how to grow really happy customers.  To some, Zappos will seem far too weird a place to get any work done.  But, as my grandmother would say, “the proof is in the pudding,” and they truly have created a place were people like to come to work.

Want a primer on how to build a brand of great customer service?

Here is what Zappos did:

• Find and hire people who are already passionate about customer service and whose core values match those of your organization.
• Build engagement and trust among staff by letting them use their own judgment when dealing with customers and give them the authority to make the customer happy.
• Strive to eliminate any kind of cynicism and negative interactions and be respectful of EVERYONE.
• Surprise your most loyal customers with free shipping or a bouquet of flowers.
• Perform random acts of kindness for co-workers.
• Demonstrate true transparency in ALL communications.
• Teach your employees how not to fear change but rather to welcome change.
• Empower your direct reports to drive change.
• Remember people function best when they can be themselves.

The book offers many innovative examples of creativity, one is the “Face Game.” When a Zappos employee clocks-in on their computer, a randomly picked photo of another employee pops up on their screen.  They are given multiple choices to help identify the employee.  It builds loyalty and expands the philosophy that individuals make-up a family unit.

The following is a quote direct from the book and worth repeating to yourself everyday: “No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future.”
(Author Unknown)

This review is by Judy L. Young, you may reach her at www.laughterlinks.com