Do people avoid "keeping you in the loop" or giving you too much information? Are you tempted to snoop around their desks? If your team have tried to include you in their projects and you have changed everything or taken control for no real reason other than you "mean well", then you may be a control freak.

Control freaks typically have three attributes in common:
 

1. They genuinely believe that they are doing what is best for the people they are controlling. Take note of this for yourself. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you are not over controlling because you have good intentions, or that your controlling nature is justified because of your good intentions. Learn more >>

Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. Steven Covey first introduced the notion of a trust bank in his book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People". He suggested that it takes a long time to build up the trust balance of one’s emotional bank account by making small deposits - and this balance can be quickly depleted with just one withdrawal.

The core issue in establishing relationships and building trust is honesty. The idea of a trust bank is that “deposits” of good and ethical work are made regularly and with transparency. These deposits earn interest from clients and colleagues in the way of sales, or by a positive work culture. These deposits should also serve us well if we make a mistake or if we meet with tough times. Learn more >>

If you are providing long distance leadership, the following tips will help you manage expectations, people and communications.
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Stephen Neal is working on a project with Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) to create a more collaborative organisation. SLSNZ has recently restructured itself to remove much of the regional fragmentation that currently exists.
 
The next phase of the transformation is to refresh key collaborative organisational processes and behaviours.
 
SLSNZ are seeking to create a more effective and efficient organisation that is able to work as one team, rather than a number of isolated units, leveraging its strengths to make a bigger difference to all.
 
As the Surf Life Saving community exhibits good collaborative behaviour, it creates an ideal platform from which to build.
 
The project will target key leadership groups to develop more collaborative processes and to adopt more collaborative leadership styles. A collaborative leadership style is focused on empowering others, facilitating dialogue and good decision-making amongst key interest groups. 
  Learn more >>

Some images from John Stuart's Open Space facilitation sessions with the International Paralympic Committee held in Bonn, Germany.

John Stuart of Teamworks Pacific, recently conducted some highly successful Open Space Technology sessions with the International Paralympic Committee in Bonn, Germany.

The theory behind Open Space Technology is for people to own the issues they wish to address.  

Open Space Technology is based on the following principles:

The right people

Whoever comes are the right people.

The right outcome 

Whatever happens is the only thing that could have. Learn more >>

You’ve got lots of complex issues, passionate people and the potential for conflict, so of course you wouldn’t run a meeting without an agenda.  Would you?  Or could you?  Or should you!  Learn more >>

Clive Hopkins from the Sydney Morning Herald looks at Gen Y workers and has discovered a discrepancy between what employers are looking for in terms of commitment - and what Gen Y workers are prepared to give. Learn more >>

“Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.” Learn more >>