Apr
13
Vision is something everyone needs and must have in order to achieve their goals. This is a “no-brainer”. So it is interesting that many businesses, who say they understand this, still do not have a clear vision.
So it got me thinking about how the company I work for is progressing and, while we have many people all supporting “progress” we do not know what that progress should look like.
I like to think in pictures and analogies so I try to come up with something that makes sense to me and, perhaps, that I can communicate to others.
So I came up with this. It’s based on a project I am about to embark on with 2 other execs to bring about the change and progress we need in order to succeed.
As an HR Manager, I have taken this from a “people” perspective but you can easily use the model from Finance, Operations, Customer Service.
It starts with the Definition & Structure (well, it doesn’t really but I’ll get to that) and that is where I come in as manager of people policies and procedures.
My role is to research, develop and implement high impact people initiatives. I do this by looking at what other industries do successfully, copy and adjust, poll staff and seek their feedback and their input to the way the processes and policies can be implemented.
Taking a leaf from Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great
I have a Senior Exec as a high level sponsor who is passionate about this stuff. But he is unsure how to go about it. He is asking me to help him here. Excellent!
His role is to sell the ideas, help people see the real benefits of what we are doing. So, keeping in with the train track analogy, he is the tickets salesperson. He’s saying: “This is what we’re doing, come on board and the process will benefit you.”
He is the PR person of what we are trying to achieve. He is very charismatic and can easily win people or at least get them to listen (the first step in winning people.).
Okay, so we have the foundation, the principles, policies and procedures. We’ve now got someone to sell the ideas. There is another, more operational, yet essential role.
You think I’ve forgotten about Vision don’t you? 
Now that we have people on board, using the system and policies and generally being communicated with on a positive, focused manner, we need someone to align everyone. Enthusiasm is one thing, leveraging it is something completely different.
“Leverage well and you won’t believe what you see, don’t leverage it and you won’t see anything!”
So this final person has a critical role in getting everyone signing from the same hymn sheet according to where the company is going. (ahh, the light dawns. 
) Imagine for a moment a training slowly sliding by with everyone signing - a different song! Ouch!
One sings “Que sera sera” - I’ll take what ever comes when work for this company.
Another belows “I did it myyyyy waaayyyyyy.” And you can see the problem we’re having.
And so to the vision and goal. Review the attachment.
What is the goal? What are we aiming for? How will we know we are getting close to the destination? Chants of “Are we there yet?” become deafening without the vision.
So, when I started of and said “It starts with the Definition & Structure (well, it doesn’t really but I’ll get to that) - well, we’re there.
Nothing starts if there is no goal, no vision. Work is done, people exert energy and business is conducted, but not very well, with a lot of frustration and many people will even jump from the moving train.
So, what’s your vison, your goal. If you have one you need those three roles: definition of structure to help smooth the way, a person or group who are selling the vision and bringing people on board and then, once they are on baird there is definitely a role for someone to say “Here, sing this song and here’s how you sing it.”
But nothing … nothing will happen without that vision or goal!
“Leverage well and you won’t believe what you see, don’t leverage it and you won’t see anything!”
Dec
2
Staff Engagement Solutions
Filed Under Business, Development, Success | Leave a Comment
A big issue here in Australia is the lack of skilled staff. Both Western Australia and Queensland have been in the middle of a resources boom for the past 3 or so years and it doesn’t look like ending soon. A recent report also suggested that in the next 10 - 15 years Europe is going to be needing 20 million skilled workers for various opportunities.
All of a sudden, our employment competition is on the other side of the world!
This affects everyone. Every IT company, every blogger, every web focused individual. People’s skills are in demand and there are plenty of people with the resources to steal your better staff.
So in a recent HR Forum a few colleagues and I discussed options for attracting and keeping people within your business. It seems that the best way to keep people is to address the basics of human requirements. Maslow was right all along - as was Herzberg!
I learnt in grade 3 that people were social beings. That we needed each other and there was a need to interact. But the type of interaction is also important. It’s no longer Command and Control, “Do as I say” or “you’re lucky to be here.”
People today are realising more and more that they have options. And options provide us with choice and lifestyle. If I don’t like working for you I’ll go and work for someone else. And you can’t stop them.
So, what do you do?
firstly, it really does come back to basics. People want to be recognized for their part in the business, they want to know that what they do makes a real difference and they want to be heard. The Internet opens up so many options today that there are probably more ideas floating around that there was in the whole of last century.
So ask questions. Find out what your staff are thinking and what they are thinking about their jobs. Ask them how you can help them make their job better. Better still, give them the challenge of making their own job better. They’ll have plenty of ideas and they probably won’t cost you anything.
“Back in my day.” Mentally count the times you say or think this. Now pay yourself $10 for evry time you say it and see how it mounts up. That’s how much you’re probably annoying your team. Now ask them what they need to do today. Ask yourself as well but if you’re in a leadership role remember who’s actually going to be doing the work.
Create small project teams. Ask these teams 3 questions:
- what are we doing that we could improve upon?
- what are we doing that we should stop right away? (and I mean today!)
- what are we doing that is good and we should continue to do?
If you ask these 3 questions and nothing else, you will get a huge amount of feedback that will enliven the team, produce results and build a sense of ownership within the group. And once you have ownership with value, they aren’t going to be going anywhere soon.
Oh, one last thing: don’t start these things and not see them through. If you do, your turnover will go through the roof and your profits will go through the floor.
Bill
Sep
9
I’m Angry and I’m Ticked!
Filed Under Business, Leadership | Leave a Comment
I just wrote a really good post on 10 Things to do in a New Job and when I went to publish it, I lost it! Two full pages at least - gone! My wife crept away and started doing things to keep out of my way! (wise woman!) I have no idea what happed. I refreshed, back tracked. Nothing I did worked. So I’m angry! I can’t write it again now because I have to go out. AArrgghh!!
(Sigh!) 
So, I will leave you, dear reader, with two things I discovered yesterday when cleaning my home office.
One is a quote that I found quite inspiring. I don’t know who wrote it so if you know who did I’d love to find out.
The other is a list I wrote out on leadership probably over 15 years ago. When typewriters were cool. I found myself nodding at each point and thought “that’s just as good today as it was then.”
Quote:
“Out of knowing who you are and what you want (self-awareness) comes a positive passion to make a difference. Find something that excites you, something that scares you a bit because it’s so big and challenging and wonderful, then trust your positive passion to make it happen. That’s what winners do!”
And the list on leadership. Note that even if you are not actually in a formal leadership role, we still lead, or influence others, so this is for everyone:
Qualities of Leadership
- Have you ever broken yourself of a bad habit? To lead others, one must be the master of oneself.
- Do you retain control of yourself when things go wrong?
- Can you think independently?
- Can you handle criticism objectively and remain unmoved under it? Do you use it productively?
- Do you readily secure the cooperation and win the respect and confidence of others?
- Can you secure discipline without the need for a show of authority?
- Can you bring conciliation where there has been disagreement?
- Can you be trusted to handle difficult and delicate situations?
- Can you induce people to happily do some legitimate thing which they would not normally do?
- Can you accept opposition to your point of view without viewing it as a personal affront?
- Do you find it easy to make a keep friends?
- Can you hold a steady course in the face of disapproval?
- Are you at ease in the presence of your superiors or strangers. Do your team members feel at ease in your presence?
- Are you really interested in people? People from all cultures and generations?
- Are you tactful? Can you anticipate the effect of a statement before you make it?
- Do you posses a strong and steady will?
- Do you nurse grudges and resentments? A leader readily forgives and moves on, there are more important things to do.
- Leaders are optimistic.
- Do you have a “master passion”. there is one thing above all else that excites you?
- Do you welcome responsibility? (A test: when the phone rings, are you pleased?)
Okay, I feel better now and it’s time to get ready to go on the day’s bike ride.
Jul
18
Feedback - the Breakfast of Champions
Filed Under Business, Development, Management, Success | Leave a Comment
Feedback is important in every sphere of life but more so in business simply because it tells how we’re going and how we can improve.
If we continue to improve, we’ll continue to grow.
The benefits of feedback are obvious:
1. Consolidates the relationship
2. Lets you know where you’re falling down
3. Opens up communication
4. Can be the catalyst to valuable testimonials
But Many Businesses Still Don’t Do It ( and Many Don’t Do It Well)
So, why do so many businesses fail to implement a proper customer feedback process?
Every business will have their unique reasons and on the face of it, most will be very rational. Here are three:
1. Time - it’s hard, in the traditional format, to arrange constant customer feedback nevermind tracking it and taking action.
2. What to Ask - some questions may seem personal, while others may seem to say “tell me how good I am”. Where’s the balance? What do you want to know?
3. Customer Response - not just to the survey questions but to the survey itself. Just not knowing people’s reactions might hinder the implementation process.
But what if you could get the feedback when you wanted it, automatically and have it collated so you can get an overall feel for how you’re doing?
How priceless would that be?
To know:
- what your customers think about you
- what your customers and prospects think about your product and your service
would be so powerful your business would be at the edge of its performance very quickly.You see, you don’t want “nice & fluffy” feedback.
You need feedback much like the Grand Slalom skiers are getting at the Winter Olympics in Turin at the moment.
If they miss by 2/100ths of a second, they get told. There’s no apology or softening the blow.
That’s what great business is about.
But How do You do This Quickly & Easily?
For those with assistants it may be easier but with any business there are simple and effective ways to get customer feedback. Some use checklists, others have it pre-prepared in the client file and hand it over or post it out at the same time every time.
One way I’m going to suggest is with an online survey.
Why Online?
To my way of thinking this is the best way to get client feedback today.
- The population is increasingly “web aware” and are exploring the Web more and more.
- An online survey (example below) is generally quick saving both you and your customer time.
- Completing the survey privately will allow better responses. You can even have the responses go to a third party like a coach or a manager.
- Inexpensive: this is a big one. Mail out surveys cost both time and money. Online surveys, once they are set up are done. All it needs is for clients to complete them.
Nothing Happens in a Vacuum
I can hear some people question the use of technology and how it might appear to be impersonal. I actually believe the opposite.
If any service provider has made enough of a connection then almost any tool used to promote the relationship (like a survey) will be beneficial. The means to that survey can be immaterial.
I will agree though that online surveys, just shot out of a cannon because it’s the latest fad can do more harm than good. You need a well thought out strategy to go with the surveys.
Overcoming Resistance
If a client refuses an online survey, that in itself is feedback - not to change tools, but to develop a closer relationship, find out their objction to it and help them overcome whatever is getting in the way.
It is a signal to add value.
So How Hard Is It?
I’m not sure who said it but someone wiser than me stated: “The questions you ask are defined by the answers you need.” (not want)
That is how you form your questions. And if you follow the advice the content becomes easier.
Now What To Do
The next thing to do is to work out 3 - 5 questions you’d like to know from your clients and write them out how you’d like to ask them.
If you’d like feedback on your questions you can fire them off to me and I’ll oblige - f.r.e.e. of charge for the next two weeks.
I’ll look forward to your responses.
p.s. if you know someone who is looking into this already, feel free to pass this article on to them.
Jul
13
Business Strategy - Calculate What You Want to Earn
Filed Under Blogging, Business, Development | 1 Comment
As coaches and consultants in solo businesses we all want to make a reasonable salary. There are certainly benefits to working on your own but sometimes getting down to paid work can be hard when there are so many other enjoyable activities to be had.
You know what I’m talking about:
- coffee
- lunches
- drinks
- blogging
- reading
- researching
All those things we like to do and convince ourselves to do because it will pay off in the end. But in the meantime, money isn’t coming in and we wish it was.
So, in my “reading and research” I came across a really great site Freelance Switch. Which, according to the subhead is a “Community & Resource for freelancers of all varieties - designers, writers, programmers, illustrators, photographers …”
There’s quite a bit there already but the post that caught my eye from Digg was “10 Essential Habits for Freelance Workers” and there’s plenty more where that comes from.
And a very kewl tewl (cool tool) is the Rates Calculator which allows you to calculate what you need to earn to support the lifestyle to which you want to become accustomed to. (Read that slowly.)
It’s something (calculating your hourly rate) that all consultants and coaches do from time to time and this was a simple yet reasonably comprehensive way to do a quick reminder of why you charge what you do.
Go check it out. Great site.