I am a mom of a special needs child.  I like to say it doesn’t define me as a person but it does play a HUGE part in our lives.

In the Spring I wrote an article for a special needs community I’m part of (SPD Bloggers Network) about my youngest son.  I think that article is not only valuable for parents struggling but leadership development overall. We all strive to evolve as people and I feel I never personally stop learning how to be a better mother, leader, friend, daughter, wife and so on.

In our lives we all get to points where we are frustrated, don’t feel like we have a path or things are running in circles.  I feel like this often at home in regards to my youngest son.  So I’d like to share a personal story and leadership series book that really helped me through the process.  I hope you all enjoy.

Y’vonne

Patience is Not My Virtue; Focus on Your Strengths

It has been in a particular month of very stressful low ends of the of the bell curve for my littlest guy.  He’s becoming more and more difficult for me to handle.  I’d say some of it is being three years old but a lot of it is he is changing and I need support changing with his changing body.

Transition has always been very difficult for him.  Anything different in his routine is very difficult for him to handle and getting him to change activities (from eating to changing clothes, getting from the house to the car..etc.) takes a lot of time and patience on my part.  I’m struggling with finding the right technique and patience to work with him.  I’m doing it but it’s completely wearing me out and every activity can take a long time.  For example the other day it took me two hours to get him to pre-school and it was a disaster.

I thought I might have some magic solution if 1) we made some changes based on his occupational therapists recommendations and 2) he will be in special education pre-school per his psychologist recommendation on his individual education plan (IEP).  He’d get the tools he needs (and so would I) in turn resulting in a little more patience for both of us.  Then of course we hit a HUGE IEP roadblock.

I felt that I had the wind was just knocked out of me and there were any options available.  I sit in my office at 5am and I keep thinking how “patience is definitely not my virtue” but I’m not giving up on finding what works for my littlest guy.  I look up on the shelf on my desk and see this book called “Strength Finder 2.0 from Tom Rath.

Strength Finder 2.0 is a book (one of many) I used as a tool when I was working in the corporate world that comes with a framework that helps identify what an individual is good at.  It has 34 themes (or characteristics) that an individual can carry attributes of and highlights four strength areas for you based on a quiz you take.  Once your characteristics are highlighted it talks about it and then identifies “ideas for actions” and “how to work”.

The reason I bring up this book is it was staring at me as I sat down to write about not having patience and my son’s struggles.  So of course I picked it up and started scanning through the characteristics I remember I fell into.  ARRANGER, BELIEF, CONNECTEDNESS & RELATOR.  So basically to sum them all up for me:  I face complex situations and come up with solutions in creative manners.  I have a very strong belief system that can’t be “rocked.  I connect with “chosen” individuals I have lifelong relationships with I can relate to that have similar passions and would do anything for them.

So when I look at this book it reminds me that even though I haven’t been feeling patient I know it’s a result of the fact that my current plan didn’t work and I need a new one.  So I go back to the actions page and some up with a new plan of attack for my son based on my reminded strengths….:) The book put me back on track.

So if you’re a professional, aspiring leaders, mentor, mentee or parent, I definitely recommend this framework and book.  It’s not for just for corporate individuals.  Anyone can find or be reminded of their strengths.  It helped me to remember that even though “patience is not my virtue” I have to refocus with my strengths and be patient to get to the next chapter.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH ALL OF YOU!

Y’vonne Ormond

Director, Smart Mentoring

Twitter: yormond

More than 60% of software implementations fail; more than 70% of change management programs do not deliver their expected results. The list goes on. Have you ever wondered why these statistics are so high? I remember that when I was at University the statistics were very similar.

Despite changes in technology and several new methodologies later it seems that we are not making progress as fast as we were hoping. One could ask what we and doing or not doing to maintain this not so favourable statistic? Users! Oh yes, they are the people that mess up our plans, always have something to say and always point to something that may not work. Why can’t we just develop software, systems or implement change! We have deadlines to meet and dealing with “them” is too time consuming.

Well, the reason is that one of the biggest failures of system implementation is “a lack of effective user adoption”.

By engaging users we will be able to:

• Generate data for pro-active decision making
• Reduce support costs
• Ensure system is optimally utilised

This post was inspired by the Whitepaper “Don’t forget users” released by Datango.

Could those of you who prospered during the GFC please stand up? No? Not you?

The majority of companies did not. You are in good company. Quick look around and think… major banks, corporate, manufacturers had the same problem your company did. This comparison makes you feel better, it is not only you. You are starting to look for justification. It’s the government, the economy, competition, the CUSTOMER! Don’t they know that your product/service/offering is superior? You spent time, invested in research and development. But “THEY” don’t get it.

You use web, you Google… John and Ann (your employees) suggested that your company should allow the use of iPhone, facebook, YouTube, twitter… They suggested that it can be used to promote your company, market products, stay in touch with customers… You know better, they just want to stay in touch with their friends at company expense. You have no time for this “kids stuff”. You can hardly keep up with your email and answer them all. Sounds familiar?

Now for the reality check:

“Facebook Is the Main Web Source for Product Opinions. In online social networks, 62% of all messages about products and services are posted via just one platform: Facebook”

Read the rest of this entry »

This is a must read. This short story was prepared by HBR and I thought I should share it with you.
A leader who pushes a change agenda too hard risks building resistance and resentment, or even alienating his people. Here are three ways you can challenge the prevailing wisdom and make change happen quietly:

1. Model the change. Demonstrate the way you want things to change through your own language and behavior. Often, seeing a leader do something first gives people the courage to try it themselves.
2. Turn negatives into positives. Find ways to reframe people’s resistance as opportunities for change. This requires that you listen carefully, understand the underlying reasons for the opposition, and address them directly.
3. Find allies. Chances are someone else in the organization wants the change as badly as you do. Find that person and pool your resources and ideas

Today’s Management Tip was adapted from HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Change.