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Contents
Jan Burnes
page 18
Biography
Page 19
Learning From the Wisdom of Others
A structured mentoring program provides an organisation with the
greatest opportunity for growth and professional development.
Page 20
Taming Those Difficult People…
“Why be difficult – when, with a little effort, you can be impossible!” Are
you working with someone who is difficult to deal with, aggressive,
submissive or totally disinterested? Does it make you wonder if some
people’s main ambition in life is to gain an MBA – a “Master of
Business Aggression!”
Page 21
Coping with the Difficult Person on Your Team…
No, you’re not imagining it. There are some people who can brighten a
room just by leaving it!
Page 22
Switch on Your Selling Power!
When faced with the task of having to ‘SELL’, many staff secretly believe
it is ‘beneath them.’ And, whilst they may pay ‘lip service’ to any sales
training offered, the question remains: “Do they really enjoy selling?”
Corporate Trends
Contents
Catherine Devrye
page 23
Biography
page 24
Change is Inevitable. Learning is Optional!
We can’t stop change but some people just never learn to accept it
and adjust.
page 25
The Customer Service Zoo
Create customers for life—and a life for yourself!
page 26
Life is Like a Bicycle…
Life is like a 21 speed bicycle…most of us have gears we never e
ven use…
page 27
Hot Lemon & Honey
Think of people, outside family and friends, who have contributed in
some way, large or small, to make your life more pleasant.
page 28
Reflections for Success in Times of Change…
When what used to work at work no longer works…it’s time to change
our ways of thinking — and think of ways of changing.
page 29
The Five Circles of Excellence…
With Australia hosting the Olympics, why not go for gold in achieving
your goals in life?
page 30
Dream it… Dare it… and Do it!
During the Olympic Games, many a dream was achieved or shattered in
just a mere thousandth of a second…
page 31
Make Any New Millennium Resolutions?
When what used to work at work no longer works, it’s time to change our
ways of thinking and think of ways of changing…
page 32
‘Life is not a Practice Round’
If you’re not a golfer, never have been or never wish to become one,
then read no further…
page 33
How to Avoid Death by Voicemail…
Arthur C Clarke, once said, “We had better pay attention to the future,
because that's where we are going to spend the rest of our lives!”
page 34
Moving on from Disbelief to Belief
We grow when we move from disbelief in others to a stronger belief
in ourselves
page 35
Hope Happens!
“A leader is a dealer in hope.” So said Napoleon Bonaparte before his
death in 1821. Nearly two centuries later, we need hope more than ever,
in our organisations and our personal lives.
Corporate Trends
Contents
Iven Frangi
page 36
Biography
Page 37
Salesmanagers - Get Effective or Get Out!
Your top performers are doing something different and better, mapping
is how you discover what it is.
Page 38
Sack the Salespeople… Hire a Buyer’s Assistant
Prepare for the revolution! Read this and decide which side you want to
be on…
Page 39
No Pain, No Gain — That’s for Amateurs!
One of the best salespeople I’ve ever met turned out to be someone
totally unexpected…
Page 40
Rainbow Balls and the Corner Store
Do you remember shopping at the corner store? Why did you like it?
Page 41
Why up to 90% of Your Staff Training Could be Wasted…
Would you like to achieve a ten times greater return on your training
investment? Silly question, right? Well, the chances are you can do just
that because according to the latest research, on average, only ten per
cent of every dollar you spend on your staff training is effective.
Page 43
You Can Lead a Horse to Water — So What!
Good salespeople ask good questions. The kind of questions that you
would ask at a function when you first meet someone...
Page 44
Are Your Customers Suffering from Sales Information Overload?
Renaming old sales techniques and practices, won’t make them work
any better than they did in the past…
Page 45
400BC, The Thunderbirds & Rumpole
Looking for the world's best sales person? Look to 400 BC, the
Thunderbirds and Rumpole…
Page 46
Two Ways to Sell More in a Recession
“This is the best time ever for good sales people. There is more
opportunity now than there has been for the last five years and we plan
to take advantage of the current conditions. We intend to put all the
expertise we can gather into the marketplace.”
Page 47
Confused in Paradise? Not Anymore!
Sitting on the back of an army truck going up a very steep road is not
the normal place you’d expect a sales lesson but it happened
Page 48
How to Manage Sales so Everyone Does Better…
With the headlong rush towards what is new and exciting in technology
and business tools, it is timely to ensure that we remember what works
and what doesn’t. It’s also very necessary to create stability and
certainty in sales and in your sales force.
Page 49
The Sales Competence Trap
Many of today’s top business managers make the mistake if hiring
for skills...
Corporate Trends
Contents
Robyn Henderson
page 50
Biography
Page 51
The Magic of Networking…
Networking is the best way of increasing your business and usually at
little or no cost.
Page 52
Hot Tips for Attending Networking Functions
If you are going to attend networking functions, why not make the most
of the opportunity?
Page 53
Hot Tips for Attending Conferences and Seminars
With the main conference season about to commence, here are some
timely tips to sharpen your networking skills
Page 54
Networking Millennium Style… Making Money for Your Clients
Business today goes to those service providers who without questions
exceed their clients expectations…
Page 55
What Do I Say, After I Say, “Hello”?
Mastering the gentle art of conversation, can help you become a much
more effective networker.
Page 56
9 Keys to Developing Strategic Alliances
Strategic alliances can help you get the edge in today’s competitive
marketplace. But where do you start?
Page 57
Are You an Interesting Person?
Off the top of your head, you can probably list the names of 20 people
you consider to be interesting...
Page 58
No Time to Network?
Are you one of the new time poor? Too much to do and so little time to
do it in? All the more reason to network…
Page 59
Don’t Just Focus on the ‘Big Kahuna!’
Mastering the gentle art of conversation, can help you avoid trade expo
disasters and set sales records...
Page 60
B2B – Beyond Business Cards to Actual Business
The number one reason many people don’t convert business cards into
business is – they never follow up!
Page 61
Stop Sabotaging – Start Networking
You’re attending the business networks, handing out the business cards,
following up within 48 hours of exchanging cards and still NOTHING.
Page 62
Can you make the TOUGH DECISIONS?
It’s okay to make a mistake. Successful networkers make lots of
mistakes — that’s what makes them successful!
Corporate Trends
Contents
Max Hitchins
page 64
Page 65
Biography
Four Secrets for Creative Thinking
Call it thinking outside of the square or creative thinking but what you
think is what you become
Page 66
Too old to learn about the Internet?
Page 67
All Things Being Equal…
Page 68
Thanks for the Memory…
Have you ever forgotten someone’s name less than three seconds after
you have been introduced?
Page 69
You CAN Remember!
Developing a good memory
, is a skill you can learn. It’s simply a matter
of Patience, Persistence and Practice!
Page 70
The #1 Business Skill – Remembering Names…
Dale Carnegie said, “The most important sound in the English language
is the sound of your own name!”
Page 71
Those Magic Olympic Moments…
Have you ever been somewhere – seen a potentially wonderful photo –
and wished you had your camera with you? Have you ever been in a
room with a celebrity and wished you had your camera with you? Have
you ever been standing behind a crowd of TALL PEOPLE and missed
getting the photo you so desperately wanted to take…?
Page 72
The Power of Words…
“The sky weeps because you are leaving us were the beautiful words
used by my new friend Areef, as he bade me farewell from the paradise
that is the Rangali Hilton Hotel in the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean…
Page 73
Our General Manager is Hopeless!
Well, that
’ s what the receptionist of one of Brisbane’s leading hotels told
me recently…
Page 74
Take Time OutT o Think…
Clarence Birdseye took time to think. So did Edward Lowe, Joe Resnik
and even good old Gene Autry. If you have an open mind for ideas and
you take time out to think, sometimes synchronicity can occur. “Synchro
what, I hear you ask? What’s synchronicity?”
Page 75
OPMs Can Save You Millions!
OPMs are other people’s mistakes. You might be surprised at how much
you can learn from them…
Page 76
The Problem of One
“ONE is a very dangerous number, Max.” my American friend Bill Marvin,
wrote in an email to me recently. “ONE type thinking can kill a business
stone dead,” he continued…
Corporate Trends
Contents
Tim Hyde
page 77
Page 78
Biography
Think like a Magician!
Magicians think differently to other people. And this often produces
‘magic’ results!
Page 79
The Secret of the Service Station…
Psst…like to learn a magic trick? One that will stop your customers from
disappearing?
Page 80
The Secret of Juan the Smuggler…
Timothy Hyde, our resident magician, explores the irresistible power of
our own hypnosis and explains why our expectations and assumptions,
ultimately form our beliefs and tells us how to put this to good use when
solving our own problems and challenges…
Corporate Trends
Contents
W Mitchell
page 81
Biography
Page 82
It’s Not What Happens to You, It’s What You Do About It…
All of us are blessed with inner strengths. It’s just through circumstance,
some of us have to use them more than others…
Page 83
Never Ever, Say Never…
Nothing splendid has ever been achieved, except by those who believed
that something inside of them was superior to circumstances....
Page 84
My Biggest Fee Ever…
He suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body in a terrible motor
cycle accident. Then, he was involved in a plane crash and paralysed
from the waist down. In spite of his fate, today, Mitchell travels the world
spreading his message of hope. He claims, “It’s not what happens to you
in life, it’s what you do about it.”
Page 85
And that’s why I Speak…
He suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body in a terrible motor cycle
accident. Then, he was involved in a plane crash and paralysed from the
waist down. In spite of his fate today, Mitchell travels the world spreading
his messages of hope and inspiration. He claims, “It’s not what happens
to you in life, it’s what you do about it.”
Page 86
Take Responsibility for Your Life…
\When you take responsibility for your life, you take responsibility for
where you are going to go next…
Page 87
The Choice is Yours…
In July 1971, Mitchell was involved in a terrible accident when his
motorcycle was hit by a laundry truck. The petrol capped popped off and
the fuel caught fire, he suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body. In spite of
his misfortune, today Mitchell travels the world spreading his message of
hope: It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it…
Page 88
Why I Travel the World Speaking to People…
W Mitchell was involved in a terrible accident when his motorcycle was
hit by a truck. The fuel caught fire and he suffered terrible burns to 65
per cent of his body. He was later involved in a plane crash that left him
unable to walk. Despite these setbacks, today Mitchell travels the world
spreading his message of hope to others – it’s not what happens to you,
it’s what you do about it…
Page 89
Breaking the Barriers
So many barriers we are told are real, don’t exist at all. And even the real
ones cpan be vanquished through sheer effort. Things like picking up a
quarter with no fingers or having a wonderful, accomplished life though you
are burned and in a wheelchair – most can be surmounted through effort
and a willingness to dig under them, go around them or hop over them…
Page 90
Corporate Trends
The Man Who Would Not Be Defeated…
Contents
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth
page 92
Biography
Page 93
What’s the Real Secret of Successful People?
Why are some people fabulously successful, while others never make it,
no matter how hard they try?
Page 94
Managing Chaos!
I guarantee that 99 per cent of you reading this now, found it a challenge
to find the time to do so…
Page 95
Personal Leadership for the Present Moment…
Has your work environment changed in the last 12 months? Found it
challenging?
Page 96
Conditions for Successful Change…
A useful definition of insanity is: “Doing what you did yesterday and
expecting a different outcome.
Page 97
Who’s in Charge Around Here, Anyway?
“What this business/ organisation/team needs is some good oldfashioned leadership!”
Page 98
Life Can Be So Easy… With a System
There are three kinds of people… those who make it happen, those who
let it happen and those who wonder what happened!
Page 99
Life is Merely Froth and Bubble…
Two things stand ike stone… Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in
your own.
Page 100 Turning People On!
If you have responsibility for getting results through people while keeping
your costs under control, you’ll already have discovered that the
challenge of motivation and retention in your organisation is a bit like
trying to keep frogs together in a wheelbarrow!
Page 101 Here’s a Certain Formula for Failure!
Aren’t you sick of formulas for success? I know I am. Well, prepare
yourself for something totally different…
Page 102 Moving Forward – the only way to go!
When you’re green you’re growing, when you’re not, you rot…
Corporate Trends
Contents
Robyn Pearce
page 103 Biography
Page 104 Don’t Look at my Desk!
Somebody once said a busy desk is the sign of a busy mind but it is
more likely to mean chaos!
Page 105 Have You Got a Minute?
If you want more time in your day, try training people to come up with
their own solutions to their problems…
Page 106 How To Stretch Time
24 hours are definitely enough to do what you want to do — the secret
lies in how you use them…
Page 107 Which Diary or Planner Should I Use?
It’s not the diary or planner that makes you organised – it’s how you use it!
Page 108 The Magic of Chunking
Ever looked at a task, shaken your head and walked away feeling
overwhelmed?
Page 109 “Oh, She’s Always Late!”
Have you ever been driven to the point of near distraction by other
people's time habits?
Page 110 Those Meetings Can Start On Time!
Sitting around waiting for a meeting to start is not only annoying, it can
also be a very costly exercise…
Page 111 Time-Saving Travel Tips
If your business requires a reasonable amount of travel, you will find
these tips invaluable…
Page 112 Hot Email Tips for Time Efficiency
Most people understand, at least intellectually, that a clear desk equals
an uncluttered mind
Page 113 Are You Drowning in E-mail?
Email is a wonderful tool. Only problem is, many people are trying to use
it in the same way they handle paper – not very well!
Page 114 It’s About Time!
You could be forgiven for thinking every thing there is to say about time
management has already been said
Page 115 Procrastinate! – Who, Me?
I regularly ask participants at speeches and workshops what their big
issues are and procrastination always rears its ugly head. But – is it
always ugly? Did you know there is such a thing as creative
procrastination? So, let’s poke a stick at the topic and see if we can’t find
some new angles.
Corporate Trends
Contents
Ann Reinten
page 117 Biography
Page 118 Don’t Shoot the Messenger
You spent a lot of time and money getting the message right but what
about the messenger?
Page 119 Blueprinting Success…
What is it that makes one person a success and another person
a failure?
Page 120 The Casualisation of Australian Workplaces
It’s no secret that businesses that are receptive to change move forward
but take that step forward with caution…
Page 121 Dare Yourself to Shine!
If your company’s products or services were packaged like you, would
they sell?
Page 122 Scary First Steps
Being the new kid on the block isn’t easy and at times you will feel like a
leprechaun at a bar mitzvah!
Corporate Trends
Contents
Anne Riches
page 123 Biography
Page 124 Surviving, Thriving and Driving Change
When implementing change managers often overlook the most important
factor - people!
Page 125 You Must be Consistent If You Want to Change
Are you sending out conflicting messages and sabotaging the
change process?
Page 126 The Four Emotional Stages of Change
When organisations go through major change, employees experience a
strong sense of loss…
Page 127 The Power of Emotionally Intelligent Teams
US$28 Trillion! That’s the estimated value of mergers and acquisitions
world wide for 1999.
Page 128 Leadership & Change – an Oxymoron?
If you want to institute changes in culture, attitude and behaviour — get
out there and communicate!
Page 129 How ‘Valuable’ Are Your Values…?
One of the most significant and difficult challenges facing organisations
today is the ‘War for Talent’.
Page 130 Are You an HR Manager or a Business Partner?
Chief Executives are worried. The trans-lation of strategy into
organisational performance is the critical success factor.
Page 131 Culture – Are you Dancing with the Devil?
The challenges of reforming the NSW Police Force, provide some vivid
examples of the difficulties in implementing change.
Page 132 The Power of Emotionally Intelligent Teams
These days the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) at work is
largely accepted by most organisations…
Page 133 Choosing a facilitator…
Companies often use outside facilitators for various reasons, however,
it’s important to get the right one for the job
Page 134 Leadership at Ground Zero
Leadership is almost impossible to define. Yet you know it when you see
it and you know when it’s not there…
Page 135 What is the Value of Your Values?
Do you know how your values fit in with your organisation’s values?
Corporate Trends
Contents
Rob Salisbury
page 136 Biography
Page 137 Lessons from Jeff… what we can learn…
It’s not necessarily the best products that get our attention…it’s the best
promoted products…
Page 138 “Wow…That was Sydney Australia…Wow…Wow !”
Every person living in Australia should have been proud of the showcase
Sydney made to the world on New Years Eve.
Page 139 Act Like a Lamb… Sell Like a Lion!
At some point in your life, you may have heard the song, “What’s it all
about Alfie?” and pondered the words…
Page 140 Some Fat is Necessary to Stay Lean & Profitable
In our quest to become business ‘champions’ we need to make sure we
have all the basics in place…
Page 141 The Rise and Rise of Fatso…!
Who would have thought that a cheeky, irreverent character like Fatso,
would so encapture the Aussie spirit…
Page 142 Going for Line Honours
Billions are invested in sport but who are the true winners? What are the
real rewards of promotion and sponsorship…?
Page 143 THE POWER OF PERSONAL MARKETING
Corporate Trends
Contents
Mike Schoettler
page 145 Biography
Page 146 Good Service is Simply Not Enough…
Most people think if they simply provide good service, the world will beat
a path to their door…
Page 147 Change or be Changed
The customer is going to win. But is the customer going to win with you
or somebody else?
Page 148 It’s Not the Product — It’s You!
According to Albert Gray, winners have simply formed the habit of doing
the things losers don’t like to do.
Page 149 Winners are Grinners!
Everybody loves a winner, its true but there is more to creating winners
than just handing out awards. . .
Page 150 The Secret of Prospecting
“Who’s calling?” A bit abrupt but it is still an easy one to answer.
(Although with my name I have to be careful not to go too fast).
Page 151 Management vs Leadership — What’s the Difference?
The King, President, or Prime Minister is the leader of the nation. Have
you ever heard them referred to as the manager of the nation?
Page 152 Can You Afford to be so Busy?
Unfortunately, some sales people go through life collecting excuses
instead of results…
Page 153 A Genius Taught Me…
“How many joys are crushed under foot because people look up at the
sky and disregard what is at their feet?” Catharina Goethe
Page 154 It’s About Building Relationships…
The fundamentals of wake up, show up, and follow up, will serve to keep
you focused on the values you deliver…
Page 155 Listening – Your Shortcut to Success
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. once said, “It is the province of knowledge to
speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.
Page 156 Are You a Relationship Builder?
Technology is getting a bad rap. It is being blamed for stale voice mail that
sounds like a filter and incomplete email that is so abrupt it offends people.
Page 157 Where Have All The People Gone?
In 2001, there is a worldwide shortage of skilled staff. Finding the right
people is going to be one of your biggest challenges…
Corporate Trends
Contents
Jill Sweatman
page 159 Biography
Page 160 Propaganda… It Simply Won’t Work
Telling people you are a wonderful company isn’t enough, you have to
add congruence and action…
Page 161 Cultural Changes Can Make Your Team Fly…
… but careful planning and good communication are the keys to
successfully carrying them out.
Page 162 Reward Failures… Are You Kidding?
No! Not if you are serious about asking your people to perform with
initiative and adopt empowerment…
Page 163 Know When to Say, No!
Knowing when and how to say, “no” is a skill worth learning in our ever
busier workplace…
Page 164 Team Player or Team Slayer?
Beware. Some of the people on your team may be holding you back.
Ask the tough question — you may be surprised…
Page 165 Customer or Culture — What Comes First?
Question: How many of your employees are volunteers?
Answer: ALL of them!
Page 166 Cultural Due Diligence — the Secret to Success
For a truly successful merger to take place, each company must first
devolve in order to evolve…
Page 167 Cultural Due Diligence — a window into the “how”
Organisations that are truly successful in enlisting the lasting support of
their people, are those that genuinely listen to their staff.
Page 168 Lessons for a Successful Merger or Acquisition …and some good
stuff for all businesses…
There are some important lessons that companies who wish to improve
their profits or simply stay in business, cannot afford to ignore. Especially
if they are involved in a merger or acquisition. These lessons were
brought sharply into focus recently while I was preparing a company for
its float…
Page 169 Start by Changing Your Thinking…
Somebody once said, “You can’t make a good omelette without first
breaking a few eggs.” How true…
Page 170 Cultural Due Diligence: People Are The Key To Success…
Before the ink dries on the agreement is the best time to start planning
your cultural integration for a successful merger or acquisition.
Corporate Trends
Contents
Peter Thorpe
page 172 Biography
Page 173 What Price Loyalty?
Most companies spend a fortune trying to win new clients and virtually
ignore their greatest profit centre…
Page 174 Beware of the Fifth ‘P’
You can’t enter the next millennium using the same marketing strategies
you are using now…
Page 175 Sex and the Internet…
Using the word “sex” in my headline was a grubby way to get your
attention, wasn’t it? But it is relevant to what I have to say…
Page 176 The ‘Price’ of Success
For some people, dropping prices is the only way they know to combat
competition. But there is a better way—add value!
Page 177 Have you seen our Company’s Website?
It’s not enough to simply have a ‘presence’ on the Internet, you need a
valid reason for being there…
Page 178 The Importance of the Three ‘R’s…
What employees want from their job is in stark contrast to what their
managers think they want…
Page 179 Back to the Big Picture!
It’s a well worn adage but it’s as true today as it ever was — companies
that fail to plan, plan to fail…
Page 180 What’s in a Name?
According to William Shakespeare, a rose by any other name would still
smell as sweet…
Page 181 Relationship Marketing – Back to the Future
In real estate they talk about the three Ps – Position, Position, Position.
In our marketing efforts today, more than ever before, we need to think
about the three Rs – Relationships, Relationships, Relationships. If
you’re not working on better ways to build meaningful relationships with
your clients, then you are probably about to join the dinosaurs…
Page 182 CRM = Customers Really Matter!
Why do so many companies spend a fortune upgrading their systems
and forget to upgrade their people?
Page 183 Website Design Traps and Rip-offs
If you are thinking of getting a website for your company or you are
wanting to update your existing website – take care – you could pay a
hell of a lot more than you need to…
Corporate Trends
Contents
Candy Tymson
page 184 Biography
Page 185 How are you Managing?
The traditional roles of men and women in the workforce are
slowly changing…
Page 186 IQ vs EQ…How’s Yours?
For years, companies have used IQ as an indication of suitability but now
they are looking at people’s EQ as well…
Page 187 Handling Difficult People
Every organisation has some. There is often one in your team and more
than likely you have a number as clients…
Page 188 Don’t Just Stand There… Stand Out!
Got an important presentation coming up? Here are a few simple tips to
make it more memorable!
Page 189 How to Handle Those Difficult Conversations
The first step to handling difficult conversations lies in understanding
what’s really going on…
Page 190 That’s Not What I Meant (or how misunderstandings happen)
Agreeing on team values, goals and guidelines is one of the secrets to
creating successful team dynamics…
Page 191 How to Sell to Women…
It’s reported that Sigmund Freud studied “The Great Question…” for 30
years and still didn’t came up with a satisfactory answer.....
Page 193 Male and Female Speak – understanding the differences
Generally speaking, men and women communicate quite differently and
use language to achieve different outcomes.
Page 194 Resolving the Unresolved
Do you have someone in your life that you dread running into? Someone
you avoid like the plague?
Page 195 What You Say vs What You Mean
Words are such powerful things – be sure to choose them carefully and
think before you write…
Page 196 I See What You Are Saying…
It’s not just what we say that counts. There are messages we can give,
without saying a word!
Corporate Trends
Jan Burnes
Jan Burnes, MBA, is the founder and Director of
an Internationally known Training Consultancy,
and winner of the Telstra Business Woman
of the Year Award.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS, BUSINESS
Previously the director of a top performing company employing over 1,000 people, Jan is now a training
consultant specialising in Sales, Customer Service, Management and Communication Skills. She works
with many major organisations developing people at all levels to achieve higher standards of performance.
A Nationally accredited trainer, she is also an accredited workplace assessor, training-needs analyst, and
curriculum designer; She has an MBA majoring in Business Communication and was the winner of the
Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award in 1997.
International known as a trainer and speaker, Jan believes that effective learning has to be participative and
interactive - her learning events are built around practical exercises, role-play and case studies. Her training
style focuses not only on explaining new ideas or developing new skills, but also on motivating people to
use them and develop themselves as individuals. She manages to achieve the right balance between style
and substance, content and format. Participants leave with many practical, proven and often original ideas
they can easily implement in their own working environment.
Topics include but are not limited to: Professional Selling Skills, Exceptional Customer Service, Coping
with Negative Situations and Difficult People, Communication Skills, Mentoring and Coaching, The
Experienced Supervisor and The Art of Leadership. Contact Jan on Tel: (02) 9974 4899, Fax: (02) 9974
4833, e-mail: [email protected] or visit her website at: www.businessinaction.com.au
JAN BURNES
Learning From the Wisdom of Others
A structured mentoring program
provides an organisation with the
greatest opportunity for growth and
professional development.
W
hen you were young and
searching for the meaning of
life, can you recall someone,
maybe a grandparent or a
teacher; someone older, patient and wise,
who understood you and helped you to see
the world as a more profound place and gave
you sound advice to help you make your
way through it.
Maybe, like me, you lost track of your
Mentor as you made your way, the insights
faded and the world seemed harsher.
Wouldn't you like to see that person again,
ask the bigger questions that still haunt you,
receive the wisdom for your busy life today
the way you once did when you were
younger?
The origins of “Mentoring” come from
the ancient Greeks. When Odysseys, King of
Ithaca, went to fight the Trojan War, he
entrusted the care of his son, Telemachus, to
his friend, Mentor. In time, the word Mentor
became synonymous with a trusted friend,
teacher or wise person.
History offers many examples of helpful
mentoring relationships: Socrates and Plato,
Hayden and Beethoven, Freud and Yung.
Legend and history record the deeds of
princes and kings but each of us has a
birthright to be all that we can be. Mentors
are those special people in our lives, who,
through their deeds and work, help us to
move toward fulfiling our potential.
Mentoring in the Workplace
My first workplace mentor was also my
boss; it came naturally to him as part of his
management style. We never discussed
mentoring and it's only with hindsight that I
realise that this is what occurred.
This manager challenged me – gave me
assignments that stretched me. He coached
me, led by example and demonstrated ways
of doing things. When I brought a problem
to him he would listen attentively, ask some
astute questions, then utter the most
powerful words a protégé will ever hear:
“…and what do you think we should do
about this?”
I quickly learned not to bring him the
problem without also offering a potential
solution. Over the three years I worked with
Colin, I learned and grew. The knowledge,
skills and attitudes that I gained, built
competence and confidence.
Mentoring is not about creating
dependency – it’s about encouraging the
protégé to become independent. Develop
their latent abilities, spread their wings – fly!
Mentoring, in one form or another,
happens in almost every work environment.
These relationships are often informal, with
the protégé selecting their own ‘guru’;
approaching them when guidance is needed.
Benefits of Mentoring
for the Organisation
• Measured performance improvement
• More cost effective than external
training
• Organisational objectives can be
achieved
• Maximises job satisfaction
• Less time away from work
• Tailored to meet specific needs
• Fast tracking promotability
• Increased staff loyalty
• Reduces the failure/leaving rate
• Improves productivity
• Speeds up induction of new recruits
• Provides equal opportunities to
otherwise disadvantaged groups
A formal or structured mentoring program
however, assists the organisation to change
and achieve it’s objectives in a positive and
nurturing environment. Staff morale
improves, productivity increases and quality
standards are raised.
Experienced staff are the most valuable
asset an organisation has. When these
people mentor new or junior employees,
there is an imparting of knowledge, skills
and information which could otherwise take
years for the protégé to acquire.
Young staff often feel isolated from senior
management, creating a, ‘them and us’
culture. The mentor can provide a valuable
conduit to the upper echelons of your
organisation giving the protégé a real
feeling of belonging; being a part of the
overall picture.
Key Success Factors
The success of a formal Mentoring Program
depends on the commitment shown by
everyone involved to meet the challenges
and capitalise on the opportunities of
mentoring. The first step is to develop a clear
statement of program objectives against
which progress may be monitored and
measured.
Selecting the right people to become
mentors is of prime importance – not
everyone is suited to the role or will want to
participate. A selection criteria needs to be
developed, outlining the skills and attributes
required in the mentors. This criteria should
be based on the culture of the organisation
and the objectives to be achieved.
The selection of protégés should be made
on solid track record rather than a
prospective protégé’s ability to present
themselves well at a one-off interview.
Merrill Lynch, developed an application
form for protégés where they had to state
why they thought they were suitable
candidates, what benefits and skills they
wished to obtain and what kind of selfdevelopment activities they have pursued in
the last year.
Training for both the mentors and the
protégés should be provided to ensure they
fully understand their role and
responsibilities, the benefits of the program,
how to develop goals and milestones and
how to establish and maintain a professional,
friendly relationship. An awareness of some
of the problems that could arise and how to
avoid them is also essential to the success of
the program.
Mentoring programs can be short term or
long term. A brief ‘meeting of the minds’ or
last for years, until the protégé finally
outgrows their mentor. There is no hard and
fast formula but experience has shown that a
one-year program appears to be the
minimum to produce measurable outcomes.
The rewards can be great for everyone
involved. Happy Mentoring!
Jan Burnes is one of Australia’s leading
Business Communications Trainers. She
runs practical, highly effective workshops
on “Professional Selling Skills”.
Tel: (02) 9974 4899
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.businessinaction.com.au
Corporate Trends 19
JAN BURNES
Taming Those Difficult People…
“Why be difficult – when, with a little effort, you can be impossible!”
Are you working with someone who is difficult to deal with, aggressive,
submissive or totally disinterested? Does it make you wonder if some
people’s main ambition in life is to gain an MBA – a “Master of
Business Aggression!”
A
ll of us recognise difficult
behaviour when we see it. It’s
when people: ‘blow up’ over
the smallest thing or complain
constantly about anything and everything.
They are in a perpetual ‘sulk’, spread
rumours, start ‘small wars’ and always say,
“It’s not my fault” or “It’s not my job.”
These behaviours can easily destabilise an
otherwise happy workplace. We feel
reluctant to go to work, our productivity
plummets and morale generally lowers.
So, what can we do about it?
Strangely enough, the place to begin to
understand difficult behaviour in others, lies
in understanding ourselves. Just as every
person has differently shaped feet, we all
have differently ‘shaped’ personalities.
However, when two people have opposing
personality traits, a negative ‘clash of
personalities’ can occur.
In a recent interview, Sophia Loren, the
Italian film star, was asked if she continues
to ‘act’ when she meets people. Her
response was, “No, I’m like litmus paper - I
don’t ‘act’, I ‘react’ to people.” And that is
true of most of us. Different personality
styles have different effects on us, both
negative and positive.
Incompatible personality styles
Most of us have met people who give us the
instant ‘irrits’ and yet who seem to be quite
popular with other people! It therefore
follows that many cases of difficult
behaviour in others, results from
incompatible personality styles. By finding
out more about who we are, our behaviour
traits and our personality style, we can begin
to understand how others differ from us.
This understanding in itself, often solves our
problem with these ‘difficult’ people
The first thing participants do, in our oneday workshop ‘Dealing with Difficult
People’, is to identify their own personality
style. They then learn how to identify other
people’s personality styles.
In some cases, however, people habitually
behave in ways that cause stress and
20 Corporate Trends
demotivation and undermine others’ efforts.
In this case of habitual bad behaviour
(actually probably fewer than 10 per cent),
recognition of the difficult behaviour
patterns can be followed with specific
coping strategies. We can’t change these
people but we can learn to cope with them.
Here are five power questions that can help
you to analyse any difficult situation:
The 5 Power Questions
1. How frequently do these types of
situations occur with this difficult person?
If you answer ‘rarely’ or ‘sometimes’ the
problem is most likely solely one of
incompatibility.
If your answer is ‘rarely’ it may not even
justify an action. Just ignoring the person on
these occasions can be sufficient to deter
them – if they don’t get a reaction, it ain’t
fun anymore!
2. Am I being objective?
What observations, feedback or interpretations have you received regarding your
difficult person? Are others having a similar
problem or just you?
3. How does your difficult person view
you? Would s/he consider you a difficult
person? What behaviours, attitudes or habits
of yours might be considered difficult?
4. What specific changes are you actually
looking for in your difficult person’s
behaviour? How do they make you feel
about yourself?
behaviour is affecting others. In other words,
confront the difficult behaviour directly. If
you’re lucky, the person will realise the
problem and change their behaviour. If not,
then you can move on to implement specific
coping techniques. When you do this make
sure you:
• Make an appointment so you’re sure
you have the person’s attention. State your
ambivalence about bringing up the matter.
• State your assumption that the person
doesn’t know what s/he’s doing or how
it’s affecting you.
• Describe the behaviour and it’s effect on
others matter-of-factly
• Offer help
A good example of the effectiveness of this
strategy was the recent very public spat
between the Health Minister and the
President of the AMA. They amicably
resolved their differences over a lunch
meeting. The pair can now make a ‘fresh
start’ and move on.
Habitually difficult people are nearly
always damaged in some way. They’ve been
badly hurt – usually early on in life – and are
not in charge of their emotions. In fact, they
often have no idea about the effect they have
on others because they, themselves feel such
victims inside.
This is the classic situation of someone
who has been abused or mistreated in some
way actually abusing or mistreating others,
consciously or unconsciously.
Difficult people usually feel unloved, the
odd-one-out and unlikable. But they put it
on other people to make it better instead of
taking charge for themselves. They will
nearly always make you feel guilty for what
is, in fact, their problem.
Difficult people are everywhere, and it’s
an important part of our personal
development to learn how to turn close
encounters of the worst kind into civil, sane
and productive exchanges.
5. What actions can you personally take
to help change the situation?
The strategies to use
Once you have clearly identified the
behavioural styles of yourself and your
difficult person and objectively analysed the
situation, here are the steps to use:
The first strategy you should try is honest
confrontation. It may be that your difficult
person is simply unaware of how his or her
Jan Burnes is one of Australia’s leading
Business Communications Trainers. She
runs practical, highly effective workshops
on “Professional Selling Skills”.
Tel: (02) 9974 4899
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.businessinaction.com.au
JAN BURNES
Coping with the Difficult
Person on Your Team…
No, you’re not imagining it. There are some people who can
brighten a room just by leaving it!
owever, according to experts
such as Dr Robert Bramson,
author of the book, “Dealing
with Difficult People” over 90
per cent of workers, want to do a good job
and get along well with others. If you are
reading this, a member of the minority is
probably causing you some grief. Some
problems exist, and as a supervisor, you
need to try and work things out.
It might simply be a personality clash or
your employee may have some problems
that need to be worked out. Even if it is
‘their problem’ you must take ownership of
finding a solution. Letting the situation
remain unresolved may have a contagious
effect on the rest of your staff members.
Try to recall past conversations with your
problem employee. What was the tone of
your meetings like? Were you highly critical
and quick to point out mistakes in the
person’s work? Were tensions high and
emotions running at fever pitch? Maybe not
each and every time… but be honest now,
didn’t just a little bit of that exist?
H
Children in adult’s bodies
As a supervisor you will quickly learn (if
you haven’t already) that difficult staff
members are just like children – nothing
more than little people in big people’s
bodies; and, just like children, they tend to
live up to our expectations of them.
Therefore, if we are always critical and
complaining, they will continue to act in a
way to give rise to criticism. They often
misbehave for the intended purpose of
attracting attention. If they can’t get
attention with positive behaviour, they begin
to act improperly to get their pay-off.
Conversely, if we praise and recognise
them, they seem to blossom and grow –
even if they were a ‘little stinker’ before!
Give the employee a ‘quick fix’ by giving
reassurance of their ability. Chances may be
the person lacks the confidence needed to
keep up with others in the team. A kind,
reassuring word from the boss may be just
the boost needed to get over some hurdles.
It may be that the employee is just
overwhelmed with the amount of work that
needs to be done. Schedules, deadlines, new
technology and the like can get pretty
frightening at times. Be there, to provide the
encouragement needed.
Be prepared for one more possibility. You
may not like hearing this, but it just might be
that this person doesn’t like you. In fact, this
person might not like their colleagues either.
Some people just don’t seem to like anyone!
This is extremely frustrating for the
supervisor who works hard to develop a
sense of team spirit and camaraderie
amongst the staff.
It’s results that count
Don’t lose sight of your long-term goal.
Getting the work out is what counts. Be
willing to accept the other person’s feelings
as long as this doesn’t interfere with your
work, the work of others and the overall
results of your team. It’s not required that
you like someone or be liked in return, in
order to get the job done. This is difficult to
accept if you are a high “Relater”
personality type.
Put your personal feelings about this
person aside for a moment. Check with
others to get a feel for the mood in the
department along with their attitudes about
this particular person. What would happen if
you did nothing further? Sometimes, in
difficult situations, the ‘cure’ can be worse
than the ‘complaint’ – the hardest thing is to
do nothing.
There’s always one…
An example of this came about four weeks
after I hired a new receptionist. She used to
put all my incoming faxes on my desk first
thing in the morning – still in the long
continuous roll as they had emerged from
the fax machine. This made extra work for
me, as I had to cut and separate the
individual faxes, collate them and then
staple them together.
I approached the young woman, feeling
quite agitated and requested that in future
would she please staple my incoming faxes
together. The following morning there was
the usual pile of faxes on my desk but this
time she had stapled all of them together
by putting the staples round every edge of
the pages!
You need to decide if you and the rest of
your team could continue to “live with it”
and work with this person? How has this
employee affected team morale and team
productivity? When these last two points
become an issue, it is time to do something
about it – and fast! This situation, more than
any other you may face as a supervisor, calls
for immediate and decisive action.
Difficult employees can be among the
most trying of management challenges. It is
not easy to get maximum productivity out
of your people and maintain a satisfied,
loyal workforce. But it is these twin goals
that lie at the heart of good management.
Jan Burnes is one of Australia’s leading
Business Communications Trainers. She
runs practical, highly effective workshops
on “Professional Selling Skills”.
Tel: (02) 9974 4899
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.businessinaction.com.au
Corporate Trends 21
JAN BURNES
Switch on Your
Selling Power!
When faced with the task of having to ‘SELL’, many staff secretly
utilise them. Old selling techniques no
longer meet today’s challenges. Instead of
simply trying to sell, we are reaching for a
higher plateau by providing solutions to
people’s problems.
The essence of selling is the people
involved. It focuses on effective two-way
communication. Today’s professional
sales person is:
believe it is ‘beneath them.’ And, whilst they may pay ‘lip service’
• A good listener – rather than a good
talker
• A good questioner who encourages
people to talk honestly about their
needs
• Genuinely interested in people
• Good at gathering information and
using it to help people satisfy their
needs and solve their problems.
to any sales training offered, the question remains: “Do they
really enjoy selling?”
s your organisation technology and
product driven? Are your staff
opposed to having to SELL? One of
the biggest challenges for senior
managers today, is to introduce a Sales
Culture into an organisation that has not, by
tradition, been involved in selling.
The answer to this dilemnna is to
encourage our staff to, Switch on their
Selling Power, by using their natural
abilities in a confident, professional and
profitable way.
I
Harnessing nature’s gifts
From the moment we start to communicate,
we attempt to persuade others to take the
actions we want. We implore, reason,
encourage, threaten, cajole, seduce, tempt,
charm and a host of other actions in order to
try to achieve this.
Just take the example of getting our
children to clean up their room or eat
their greens. Getting our partner to agree
to accompany us to a movie he or
she doesn’t want to see or encouraging
our staff to perform an unpleasant or
tedious task.
Despite it’s vital role in business, some
staff instinctively feel selling is not quite
their thing; and even those employed as
professional sales people try to cover up
their function with euphemisms such as
Territory Manager, Account Executive,
Marketing Consultant, etc. However, in
today’s
extremely
competitive
marketplace, organisations have to
actively ‘SELL’ their products and
services to their clients.
The Erroneous Zones
Another reason some business professionals
(especially those from IT and finance), find
it so difficult to ‘SELL’ is their ‘personality
style’. These industries attract people who
are very cerebral, analytical, and taskorientated, rather than people-orientated.
22 Corporate Trends
The tired old jokes about the (lack of) interpersonal skills of accountants or computer
boffins may not be entirely groundless!
It follows therefore, that when faced
with the prospect of having to establish a
relationship with clients (you know – all
that warm and fuzzy stuff), the
analytical-thinker feels uncomfortable.
During their careers it has been
necessary for them to mainly function in
the left (analytical) side of their brain.
While this ensures they are technically
competent, it doesn’t suffice in today’s
business climate.
The professional salesperson
Today, there is a whole new breed of sales
person in the market place. Selling is no
longer the job you do when you haven’t got
a job. It’s the job you do because you enjoy
it. It’s a job that requires specific skills and
knowledge and a high level of expertise to
Selling is all about using our natural abilities
to identify which features and benefits our
customer really wants and then helping
them to make the right decision.
“Selling isn’t something you do to
people – it’s something you do with
people through effective communication
and sensitive interaction.”
Jan Burnes is one of Australia’s leading
Business Communications Trainers. She
runs practical, highly effective workshops
on “Professional Selling Skills”.
Tel: (02) 9974 4899
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.businessinaction.com.au
EXPLORING THE SALES MYTH
In our, Professional Selling Skills, workshop, one of the first activities we get
participants to do is to consider how they feel about themselves (and other sales
people) by completing the following questionnaire:
Answer YES or No to the following questions:
• I would feel offended if someone introduced me as a ‘Sales Rep’
• Most salespeople do not let you get a word in edgeways
• People can usually be persuaded by a good talker
• The role of a salesperson is to convince me that I need what they are offering
• Good salespeople need to be extroverts and able to dominate the discussion
• Sales people avoid any objections I may have
• I do not enjoy being ‘sold to’
• I think men are more suited to the demands of the sales role
• I lack the aggression and persistence needed to make people buy.
The objective of this exercise is to uncover some of the commonly held ‘myths’
surrounding the profession of selling.
Catherine Devrye
Every day above the ground is a
good one!
A #1 best selling author, former Australian Executive Woman of the Year & Speaker of the Year, Catherine
is one of the most sought after speakers today. She has worked with business leaders and elite athletes. A
keen sportswoman herself, she has attended the Barcelona Olympics, completed marathons, bicycled over
the Andes and climbed 20,000 feet to the summit of Kilimanjaro in Africa. She was also honoured to carry
the Olympic torch on the day of the opening ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Yet, she believes
the greatest challenges of all... are those we face in our everyday lives.
Catherine has worked for a decade with IBM in marketing, education, communications and personnel.
Following two years in Japan as Asia Pacific Headquarters Personnel Manager, she gained a heightened
awareness and commitment to quality customer service. As Customer Education Manager for Asia/South
Pacific, she acquired an appreciation of regional differences and current leadership issues. Earlier
experiences as Communications and Special Events Manager provided insight into effective, motivational
programs and conference organisation. Following IBM, Catherine was CEO of Young (Junior)
Achievement Australia.
A former board member of the NSW Police Service, Catherine also worked for state government as a
speech writer and press secretary to Ministers of Consumer Affairs and Education. Prior to that, she was
responsible for all sports funding and involved in the establishment of the award-winning 'Life. Be in It'
fitness campaign.
Catherine holds a Master of Science degree and has attended short courses at Harvard University and the
Monash/Mt Eliza Business School where she is also a frequent lecturer.
Her best selling books are Hope Happens!, Good Service is Good Business, Hot Lemon & Honey, The
Customer Service Zoo, Japan-An A-Z Guide
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Change is Inevitable.
Learning is Optional!
We can’t stop change but some
people just never learn to accept
it and adjust.
o you sometimes feel that
you are only constantly
banging your head against a
wall because it feels so good
when you stop? Do you know people
who, when faced with immovable
objects, tasks or situations, never seem
to stop banging their head
against whatever imaginary brick wall
is in their way?
They never seem to learn. They never
seem willing to adapt by looking at
alternatives such as going around the
brick wall rather than trying in vain to
go through it.
D
A change in the road
It may be something as simple as a
detour on a familiar, well travelled road.
I know a person who became incensed
when repairs were being done to a street
and they could no longer take their
chosen route to work.
One of their colleagues pointed out
that they had inadvertently discovered
that the alternative route was, in fact
shorter. It contained one less set of
traffic lights so, they would continue
using it, even once repairs to the old
route were completed.
Still, our complainer complained;
became almost obsessed with the
diversion and how the change in route
had changed his routine. This same
person was always the one whinging at
work as well; resisting new technology,
an altered product line, a new manager
or renovations to the office layout. You
name it, he resisted it, either actively
or passively.
Sometimes the grumble would be
only a low mumble when other times,
the gripe would continue long after
24 Corporate Trends
everyone else had forgotten there had
even been a change!
It wasn’t hard to see why this
employee, who was highly qualified and
technically competent, had been passed
over for promotions. As his manager at
the time, I felt obliged to point this out
during a performance review.
I cited a joke about two guys who went
to see ‘True Grit’. John Wayne, who
never falls off his horse, did so in that
movie. One of the men had seen it
before, so he bet his buddy five dollars
that John Wayne would fall off his
horse. Naturally, his friend took the bet,
thinking that John Wayne never falls off
his horse.
“Even if you’re on
the right track, you’ll
get run over if you
just stand there!”
Will Rogers
Optional learning
After they came out of the picture
theatre, he reached into his pocket to pay
his bet, muttering that he couldn't
believe that John Wayne fell off his
horse. His friend refused to accept his
winnings, admitting that he'd seen the
movie before and had tricked his friend
into the bet.
‘Well, I'd seen it before too”, he replied
“but I can’t believe he'd fall off twice!
I thought this story was a light-hearted
example about optional learning from
changed circumstance. However, the
analogy seemed to fall on deaf ears for
the problem employee, which prompted
me to reflect that you could lead a horse
to water but you couldn’t make it drink!
The biggest mistake of all
Few of us welcome all changes. And, all
of us make mistakes. But one of the
biggest mistakes of all, is to welcome no
change whatsoever.
With the advent of cars at the turn of
the century, it was inevitable that there
would be a decline in the buggy whip
market. Computers have replaced typewriters. Faxes have replaced telegrams
and will likely be obsolete themselves
with the growth of electronic mail.
In the 1950’s, IBM founder, Thomas
Watson, stated that there would only be
a global market for five computers!
In the 1970’s, the chairman of Digital,
boldly declared there would never be
computers in the home. And, in 1981,
the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates,
stated that no user would ever require
more than 640K of memory!
Admit they were wrong
Even these leaders of multinational
corporations hadn’t anticipated the
changes in the technology market at the
time. What made their organisations
successful under their leadership was
their ability to admit their predictions
were wrong and revise their strategies
accordingly in a changing world.
Like the cowboy philosopher, Will
Rogers, they also knew that even if
you’re on the right track, you’ll get run
over if you just stand there!
Without doubt, they also knew that:
‘Change is inevitable. Learning from
change is optional!’
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
CATHERINE DEVRYE
The Customer Service Zoo
Create customers for life—and a life for yourself!
contrary to popular business thinking
but we can't possibly serve others to the
best of our ability unless we have ample
physical and mental reserves ourselves.
We need to be at our personal best to
give our personal best.
If we take better care of ourselves,
we’ll be able to take better care of our
customers. In return, they will take
better care of our financial needs
through repeat business. That’s why it’s
The wombat theory
important to strike that delicate balance
Remember the wombat theory of
in our environment.
marketing? “Word Of Mouth-Best
Unlike the zebra, few customer
Advertising Technique” because it costs
situations are ever black or white and
five times more to obtain a new
the future success of any
business, large or small, will
depend on survival of
the wisest.
Yes, it can be a zoo out
there but it doesn’t need
to be.
One organisation I’d
spoken to, informed me that
they’d saved $300,000 as a
result of my presentation;
another boasted they had
boosted productivity 40
per cent.
Flattered as I was, the truth
is that it wasn’t so much
what I said, but what the staff
heard.
More
so,
management allowed them
The customer service
to be empowered to act
Me with a hairy friend at the zoo. (I’m the one on the left).
zoo
upon what they’d heard.
In listening to my own customers, they
customer than it does to retain an
Even as the author of a previous #1
recall not so much the facts and figures
existing one. But, what about
best selling book “Good Service is
of my presentations but the stories.
maintaining your own sanity in this
Good Business”, I know that c
That’s why the ‘Customer Service Zoo’
turbulent customer world?
contains 26 animal analogies, in
Create customers for life —and a life
alphabetical order, within a larger story
for yourself!
of a parent who takes a child to the zoo
“I'm too busy to exercise. I never have
and finds some simple answers
time for family and friends. Who can
to customer service among the
spare an hour to go to the gym? How
animal kingdom.
can I read a book or listen to music
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
It’s not the way we’ve always written
when I've got so much to do?”
seller Good Service is Good Business and
business books but it does demonstrate
Does this sound familiar?
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
the bottom line benefits of acting in a
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
giraffe like fashion and sticking your
The customer is #1
Winner of the Australian Executive
neck out to set higher standards.
No doubt you've either spoken or heard
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
Great customer service yields tangible
one of these distressed comments. After
internationally on managing change,
financial benefits and perceived service
all, we've been told that the customer is
customer service and turning obstacles
leaders can charge an average of 9-10
number one.
to opportunities.
per cent more for the same basic good or
Rubbish!
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
service, grow two times faster than their
Customer well being is not nearly as
competition and improve market share
Email: [email protected]
important as my personal well being.
an average of 6 per cent, per year.
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Admittedly, this may sound selfish and
D
o you ever feel that it’s a zoo
out there? That you’re the
only one who truly cares
about customer care while
everyone else pays lip service to
customer service? That others try to
complicate the simple truths of service
excellence? That you’re so busy looking
after your customers you don’t have
time to look after yourself?
If so, then a moment at ‘The
Customer Service Zoo’ may be just
what you need to regain perspective.
Listen to your customers and
your staff
Unlike an ostrich, never bury
your head in the sand and
ignore changing customer
expectations as research shows
that 67 per cent of Australian
consumers have significantly
higher expectations than
5 years ago. The six most
expensive words in business
are: “We’ve always done it
that way”.
To avoid becoming an
endangered species of business,
be receptive to suggestions
from new staff who may have a
different perspective from your
traditional way of operations.
Complaints are good news
Most businesses dread customer
complaints. Yet, these seemingly
negative comments provide the best
opportunity to turn lions into lambs and
create loyal customers and referrals.
Loyal customers are the most likely to
take time to complain. Others simply
take their business elsewhere.
Corporate Trends 25
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Life is Like a Bicycle…
Life is like a 21 speed bicycle…
most of us have gears we never
even use…
t had been some years since I'd
cycled and the three gears on my
old bike were unlikely to provide
the technological advantage I'd
need for an unsupported cycle
adventure over the Andes And, on the
other side of forty, I'd need all the help I
could get!
“What would you recommend for a
middle aged woman wanting to cycle
over the Andes,” I asked a young
salesman in the cycle shop?
“Why don't you bring her in and we'll
see what we can do,” he replied with a
wry smile.
I
A service genius
He was either a service genius or a con
man! I discovered it was the former, as
he patiently explained the various
products and I eventually decided on a
twenty-one speed model.
With the best technology available,
seven of us started planning logistics
and it was soon evident that there were
many similarities with business
challenges. First, we had set a goal of
ascending over 5,200 metres from
Argentina to the border of Chile, then
head downhill from the summit to the
Pacific Ocean, over 800 kms away.
The map provided a preliminary plan,
admittedly daunting until the overall
project was broken down into
manageable chunks: estimating how
much ground could be covered each
day,
making
allowances
for
breakdowns, weather and questionable
road conditions.
After obtaining visas and security
clearances, training started in earnest.
We had inadvertently started when first
learning to ride a bike, all those years
ago. And, although most had not cycled
much since, the basic skills (like many
we possess), lay dormant and training
wheels weren't necessary.
26 Corporate Trends
Still, aging muscles needed to be gently
eased into a training regime. Starting
with easy rides on cycle paths, we
scheduled increasingly difficult rides,
progressing to the roads and hills in
preparation for Buenos Aires traffic
(although nothing could have
adequately prepared us for that!) Like a
good business plan, we needed to walk
before we could run.
Set rewards along the way
Months rolled on, fitness increased and
after each session, we enjoyed
camaraderie over cappuccinos and
some tasty treat. Likewise, on a
business journey, it's important to set
little rewards along the way. This is
especially true when you feel you're
constantly pedalling uphill or into a
head wind.
We set off to the airport full of
unbridled enthusiasm. Confidence
waned when our bikes arrived
damaged. Our tyres and spirits were
both flat but we hadn't come this far to
give in easily.
After repairs, the first day was a nine
hour up-hill battle against gale force
winds and we wondered if we'd made a
serious mistake. We hadn't seen a single
vehicle in that entire time, so there was
no choice but to continue. Arriving sore
and dirty, we agreed that we should
have trained more rigorously in the first
place. We wished we were at home in
our own comfortable environment, yet
if there, knew we'd have been wishing
we were on an exciting adventure!
The following days seemed easier as we
worked more as a team, gaining some
relief from the winds by riding close
together in each other's slipstream.
When we encountered 80 kilometre per
hour head winds and snow, our goal
seemed impossible. But, through
persistence, we reached the border of
Argentina and Chile at the top of the
summit pass. “Why would anyone in
their right mind want to cycle over the
Andes anyway,” you might ask?
Customs officials probably thought
the same thing and body searched us for
drugs. They were convinced we had to
be on them! But, the rush we felt was a
natural high, as we headed downhill,
easily covering twice the daily distance
of the ascent, taking time to stop and
enjoy the magnificent scenery.
Crazy — until it works!
So too, people with innovative business
ideas are considered crazy — until the
idea works! We'd stepped outside our
comfort zones and tested our own
limits. Dwarfed by mountain grandeur,
we were reminded that we were only
part of a much bigger picture and we
often lost perspective about minor
roadblocks in our way.
So, how do ordinary, middle aged
people cycle over the Andes?
Exactly the same way we should
approach all challenges in our everyday
life — one pedal stroke at a time; one
step at a time; one distance at a time, as
we set higher challenges for ourselves
than anyone else would, always
remembering that:
Life is like a 21 speed bicycle — most
of us have gears we never even use!
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Hot Lemon & Honey
Think of people, outside family
and friends, who have contributed
in some way, large or small, to
make your life more pleasant.
t could have been an encouraging
teacher, a boss who believed in
you, an elderly aunt who
expanded your horizons or a
colleague who willingly helped on a
project outside their job description.
It could have even been a complete
stranger—a burly truck driver who, in
spite of a tight schedule, stops to change
a tyre for a stranded motorist or an
insurance agent who calls a widow long
after her husband’s death, just to say
hello. It might be a mobile phone dealer
who loans his own phone to a tradesman
relying on communication; or a
manager who arranges child care for a
single mother in need of an operation; or
a chemist who delivers a prescription to
a pensioner after hours.
After all, none of us are really in the
transport, insurance, retail or health care
business. We’re all in the people
business! And, people buy goods and
services from people they like.
I
Helping ourselves
In every one of those true examples
mentioned, repeat business flowed to
those who did that little bit extra.
By helping others, we help ourselves,
even if it’s just feeling better about
ourselves. When we think of helping
occupations, our minds traditionally
turn to the caring professions of nursing,
social work and emergency workers.
But, every career has the capacity to
care; to combine the head and the heart;
to feel we’re making a difference to
both our own pocket books and filling
pockets of need in others, through
random acts of kindness and beauty.
When I started speaking professionally,
I believed I could make money and
make a difference. However, like most
small business owners, I was often
plagued with doubt. One such occasion
followed a five-hour flight when I
arrived at the hotel with no voice.
Scheduled to speak to 400 real estate
agents the next morning, this was
indeed a predicament!
At check-in, the receptionist started
her standard greeting, outlining the five
star facilities but I cut her short, with
little more than a whisper, to say that I
wasn’t well and simply wanted to get to
my room immediately. I promptly
“Make your life
worth living as
your living is
being made”.
unpacked, showered and curled up in
bed, feeling somewhat sorry for myself
away from home, when I heard an
unexpected knock at the door.
A pleasant surprise
“Room service,” the voice on the other
side of the door said. I croakily
informed him that I hadn’t ordered
room service.
“Yes, Ms DeVrye, we know you
haven’t ordered room service but we
also know you’re not feeling well, so
we have brought some hot lemon and
honey with our compliments.”
Sure enough, on a silver tray, was
exactly what I would have wanted if I’d
been home. In addition, there was a
hand written note from the chef offering
to make chicken soup and another note
from the concierge, with some vitamin
C tablets and an offer to obtain any
additional medication from the
pharmacy in town.
As someone who spends over 80
nights a year in five star hotels, I know
that sort of service isn’t standard, nor is
it in anyone’s job description. The
receptionist put herself in my shoes and
coordinated others to deliver
outstanding service. I felt better already
and naturally, any traveller would
remember that experience long after
they’d forgotten the marble in the foyer!
My voice marginally restored, the
next day, I addressed the realtors and
used this real time example of going
that extra mile to truly care about the
customer. I’d arranged for the
receptionist to attend the presentation
and when I later checked out, she said
she felt somewhat shocked by the
spontaneous applause from the
audience.
“Just to know that you felt better,
made me feel better about my day. I
didn’t expect any thanks,” she said. By
doing that little extra, she gained extra
satisfaction for herself.
A winning theme
I’m pleased to report that the real estate
company adopted ‘Hot Lemon &
Honey’, service as their annual theme,
achieving record profits that year. And,
‘Hot Lemon & Honey…Reflections
For Success in Times of Change’
subsequently became the title for my
new book, which I’m honoured to have
endorsed by Sir Edmund Hillary and
Jack Canfield, author of ‘Chicken Soup
for the Soul’.
Remember this receptionist, and all
the other folks mentioned in this article,
when you get up and head off to work
each day. Because, in spite of the
frustration we all experience in our
daily tasks, isn’t it reassuring to
remember that we too truly can:
‘Make our life worth living as our
living is being made’.
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Corporate Trends 27
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Reflections for Success
in Times of Change…
When what used to work at work
no longer works…it’s time to
change our ways of thinking
— and think of ways of changing.
ometimes, we’re so busy
being busy, we hardly have
time to think about what it is
that we’re actually trying to
achieve in our work and in our lives.
If you’ve ever felt swamped with
workload…If you’ve ever wondered
how to better balance your professional
and personal life…If you’ve ever
wanted a good reason to take some
reflective time to think on those days
when you don’t know whether you’re
coming or going…Then, my latest book
‘Hot Lemon & Honey — Reflections
For Success in Times of Change’ has
been written just for you.
Thousands of others have already
read it and in less than six weeks, it was
on its second print run. I believe the
book’s success, highlights that others
share a similar sense of questioning and
‘Hot Lemon & Honey’, hit a nerve.
It offers inspiration and encouragement to anyone who might be
questioning their role. It contains a
series of quotable quotes that have been
expanded to embrace a wider
philosophy in the workplace — to touch
the heart, as well as the head.
S
Time to think
In his book, ‘Age of Uncertainty’, best
selling British author and futurist,
Charles Handy, states: “If the research is
to be believed, most executives will not
have spent more than ten consecutive
minutes alone in the working day. They
have not had the time to think, even if
they know what to think about and
where to start”.
In talking with thousands of individuals,
I’ve found that whether one is an
28 Corporate Trends
executive or factory floor worker, most
face similar struggles, only in a different
context.
Worker boss mentality
The worker thinks the boss never has
any problems because they are ‘in
charge’, without understanding that the
problems are simply different and more
complex the higher one goes on an
organisational chart. Meanwhile, the
boss often wishes to return to the
simpler life of not having to manage
other people, who seem to be the cause
Whether in Delhi or
Dallas, New York
or New Zealand,
I find there are more
similarities than
differences with the
human side of
workplace issues.
of his or her problems, without
remembering the different problems
that they had when they weren’t ‘in
charge’. It’s a strange paradox.
Whether in Delhi or Dallas, New
Zealand or New York, I find there are
more similarities than differences with
the human side of workplace issues.
Certainly, there are significant cultural
differences but employees and
employers alike, around the world, all
share a common desire — to provide the
best possible livelihood and lifestyle for
themselves and their families to live
happily. So to, the differences within the
cultures of individual organisations or
even departments within organisations.
Beware of management gurus with
instant secrets to success or magic
overnight formulas. You have the
answer to know what will work best for
you! After all, so much of life is a
paradox. Consider some of the old
fashioned quotes you probably heard
from your grandparents. Some seem
immutable, while others, we may in
time question. For instance, I was
brought up to believe:
“Look before you leap” and “He who
hesitates is lost”.
I must admit that, until recently, I
hadn’t given any consideration to the
obvious contradiction, when these
quotes are placed side by side!
However, that doesn’t necessarily
diminish the wisdom in either because
both, at the appropriate time, may be
equally apt.
Look at things differently
‘Hot Lemon & Honey’ is a collection of
timeless quotes and modern day
business philosophy. It’s intended to
inspire the reader who may usually be
too busy to be bothered with ideas; ideas
which impact our professional and
personal lives; ideas which touch the
heart and the head; ideas which make a
difference if we take time to look at
things differently.
As you reflect, with an open mind, as
you undoubtedly do as a reader of
Corporate Trends, on the common
sense relevance of simple thoughts,
you’ll discover that it truly is possible to
make your life worth living as your
living is being made, if you can
remember:
“When what used to work at work no
longer works…it’s time to change our
ways of thinking and think of ways
of changing”.
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
CATHERINE DEVRYE
The Five Circles of Excellence…
With Australia hosting the Olympics, persevere, often against incredible odds.
why not go for gold in achieving
your goals in life?
he Olympics gave Australia the
opportunity to show the world
that we’re world class. Not only
in the pool or on the track but
that our pool of talent in the work place will
give this country a great track record for
many years to come.
I’ve been privileged to attend the closing
ceremonies in Atlanta when the flame was
extinguished and four years later stand at
Uluru, where Nova Peris Kneebone, an
outstanding athlete and ambassador
for her sport and country, accepted
the first torch on Australian soil.
T
Races aren’t won or lost in the main
stadium in a few seconds. They’re won or
lost on lonely, empty tracks, year after year,
week after week, day after day of hard
practice, before one even gets near the big
event. It’s the same at work.
In short, winners do what losers didn’t.
Champions take risks and
Accept the consequences
What makes a champion?
This prompted me to wonder
what makes a champion —
on or off the field.
Countless similarities exist between
success in sport and success in business but
space here only allows for five so I’ve called
them The Five Circles of Excellence — like
the five Olympic rings.
Here they are:
Champions strive for
continuous improvement
The Olympic ideal of faster, higher,
stronger, could easily be applied to business,
especially in these days of high speed
internet communications, higher customer
expectations
and
stronger
global
competition.
Champions are
persistent
Vince Lombardi, legendary gridiron coach
(not yet an Olympic sport!) once stated:
‘Winners never quit and quitters never win!’
We all like to be seen as winners but few
are willing to make the necessary
commitment. In sport, and most areas of
human endeavour, it is nothing less than
consistent performance that identifies the
ultimate champion. The eventual winner is
not hesitant to put in the additional hours or
go the extra distance. They exercise not only
their bodies but also the self-discipline to
Ironically, winners lose more often because
they’re willing to take more risks.
Sport forces athletes to make instant
decisions and accept the consequences of
their actions. Confidence increases with
every victory — however small. Only
practice, combined with assessments of
success and failure, can develop the
intuitive decisiveness and timing that are
the critical success factors in sport and
business alike. Winning managers will
provide opportunities for individuals to try
new skills and perfect old ones.
Champions don’t make
excuses
The score on the board is the bottom line in
business. The arena is the market place and
little can be gained from blaming a spate of
industrial injuries for poor performance or
using the government referees and
interference simply as a scapegoat.
Justifications may be valid but the
ultimate responsibility rests with the
individual leader who must accept and place
such situations in perspective and continue
moving toward the ultimate long-range
goal, in spite of setbacks along the way.
Champions have attitude
Champions have attitude and always give
their Personal Best.
A healthy ego, whether dormant or
bordering on arrogance, is not
uncharacteristic of leaders in sport and
business. Only through this inner belief in
themselves and their goals, are they able to
motivate others. Top performers in the
workplace, should be treated as heroes. But
remember, true champions are also gracious
and make others feel special in their
presence.
Let’s all go for gold
Most Australians participated in
the
Olympic
opening
ceremonies on September 15,
2000. That’s the day most Australians
participated in the opening ceremonies:
opening the fridge, opening a cool can of
their favourite brew and, opening their
hearts to worldwide visitors, who for a brief
moment in time, shared the joys of this great
Southern land. More than ever before, let’s
all go for gold medal service — to our
customers, our colleagues and our country.
Who knows, maybe it will become a
habit? Good habits lead to excellence and
consistent excellence creates champions.
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Corporate Trends 29
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Dream it… Dare it… and Do it!
During the Olympic Games, many
a dream was achieved or shattered
in just a mere thousandth of a
second…
or some, silver medals were
disappointing, although being
second best in the world is
certainly no shame. Others like
‘Eric the Eel’, had their wildest dreams
fulfiled by simply competing, even though
they finished last. For this African swimmer,
who had never before swam in a 50 metre
pool, winning was never an expectation so,
never a disappointment. He enjoyed the
moment more than most, as did so many of
the Paralympians, who are an example of
courage to us all.
F
of the performance we put in as a nation. We
combined old fashioned Aussie friendliness,
with world best class practice, to show the
world we’re a force to be reckoned with –
on and off the field.
We need to make sure that long after the
Games of the millennium are over, we never
forget that as individuals, going about our
more mundane business, we each continue
to give our personal best. We must never
settle for anything less to insure Australia
has a great track record for years to come, in
the globally competitive world of
commerce.
It starts with YOU
Your personal best starts with you. With our
proud egalitarian past, we’ve often confused
service with subservience but we need to
each give our personal best service to our
Carrying the torch
I was thrilled and humbled to carry the
Olympic torch on the day of the opening
ceremonies. As Sydney hosted the biggest
party in our history, I couldn’t help but
reflect that I never had a 21st birthday
celebration because my parents died from
cancer within that year and the dreams I’d
dreamed up until that time, were suddenly
shattered. My best friend was in Australia at
a time when I really needed a best friend so,
with no immediate family, I left Canada
with a backpack and $200 for a 3 month
working holiday down under, feeling
vulnerable and very alone.
Some timely advice
Within days of arrival, an elderly gent
wisely advised: “Everyday above the
ground is a good one”.
Isn’t that the truth, especially in a country
as blessed as Australia! At the time, little did
I realise that the biggest problem of my life
would become the biggest opportunity.
Now, a proud Australian citizen for over a
quarter of a century, who travels half a
million kilometres per year, I’m grateful to
live in this wonderful island continent and
am acutely aware that it’s up to all of us to
keep it that way.
Sure, there were some glitches with the
organisation of the biggest event in the
world, but organisers, volunteers and
ordinary citizens alike, should all feel proud
30 Corporate Trends
Most of us participated in the opening
ceremonies – opening the fridge, opening a
cool can of our favourite brew and opening
our hearts to worldwide visitors, who for a
brief moment in time, shared the joys of this
great Southern land.
Australia comes of age
We need to remember that the best customer
relations, is not to treat our customers like
we treat our relations – like people we feel
we need to put up with or people we take for
granted – until it’s too late.
I may have missed my 21st birthday
celebrations, one September a long time
ago, when I first learned this lesson and
arrived in Australia with my life at an all
time low. But I made up for it in September
2000, when life was near an all time high,
when I carried the flame. As the Olympic
Games become little more than a memory,
it’s safe to say that as a nation, the rest of the
world will now know that we’ve well and
truly come of age.
Dream it. Dare it! Do it!
Whenever I think about the Olympic flame,
I will always think of it as a symbol of hope
burning eternal and the need to never lose a
burning passion for life. The Olympic flame
serves as a constant reminder to have big
dreams, like Pierre de Coubertin, founder of
the modern Olympic Games. We all need to
dream great things. Then, we need to dare to
follow those dreams. But ultimately, like the
words of a famous sponsor we all know, we
just need to do it. And, we’ll keep growing,
as a nation and as individuals, if we continue
to dream it, dare it and do it!
Catherine running with the Olympic
torch on Manly Beach, September 2000
customers, community and country.
Whether Australian by birth or Australian by
choice, we need to unite to go that extra
distance, if we’re to continue to enjoy the
quality of life that we’ve come to take for
granted in this lucky country.
Igniting the flame
I’ve been privileged to attend the closing
ceremonies when the flame was
extinguished in Atlanta and four years later
stand at Uluru, when it first arrived on our
shore. It was a tremendous honour to carry it
on the day of the Opening Ceremonies.
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1
best seller Good Service is Good Business
and
latest
best
seller
Hope
Happens!…Words of Encouragement for
Tough Times’. Winner of the Australian
Executive Woman of the Year Award,
she speaks internationally on managing
change, customer service and turning
obstacles to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
CATHERINE DEVRYE
What New Resolutions Will You Make?
When what used to work at work
no longer works, it’s time to change
our ways of thinking and think
of ways of changing…
W
hat New Millennium
resolutions did you
make? How many will
you keep? And, why
bother if you don’t plan to follow through?
Whether a new millennium or simply a
new year, it’s that time when we vow to
make changes to our lives. Sure, we’d like to
change others or change the world but as I
recently had the privilege to hear Nelson
Mandela, say:
“When you have overcome the difficulty
of changing yourself, then you can face the
difficulty of changing others.”
Unlike Mandela, how many of us are
willing to pay the personal price of turning
resolutions into realities? It’s far easier to do
what we’ve always done and point the
finger at someone else for our short falls.
My elderly aunt used to say, ‘May your
troubles last as long as your New Year’s
resolutions’.
She never became a household name but
like Mandela, her homespun wisdom is no
less relevant. After the dazzling fireworks
have long faded in the night sky and the
champagne is flatter than a pancake, many
feel much the same, as they head back to
work – rather than welcoming the dawn of a
new day with its countless opportunities
stretching ahead.
Time to think
What’s great about New Year’s Day – even
though it’s just another 24 hour day – is that
we’re prompted to pause for at least a little
while to reassess the direction in which
we’re headed. We’re so busy being busy, we
hardly have time to think about what it is
we’re actually trying to achieve in our work
and in our lives.
Have you ever felt swamped with the
workload? Have you ever wondered how to
better balance your professional and
personal life? Have you ever wanted a
reason to take some reflective time to think,
on those days when you don’t know
whether you’re coming or going? Ever
thought you’re the only person who feels
this way? Then, read on…
In ‘Age of Uncertainty’ best selling British
author, Charles Handy, states:“If research is
to be believed, most executives will not
spend more than ten consecutive minutes
alone in the working day. They have not had
the time to think – even if they know what to
think about and where to start.”
Reflections for success
That’s why I wrote ‘Hot Lemon & Honey –
Reflections for Success in Times of Change’.
Written specifically for today’s busy person,
the 52 chapters were carefully designed so
you could comfortably spend just 10
minutes each week of the year reading a
chapter and then have the remainder of the
week to reflect on how those thoughts might
apply to you.
Okay, okay. I know that sounds like a
unashamed, blatant plug for my book (and it
is) but again, let me ask you the question:
Hot Lemon & Honey
‘When was the last time you set time aside
to seriously think about the direction in
which you are headed?’
Congratulations if you’ve done so
recently but be honest – is once a year
enough? What would happen if you set aside
just 10 minutes a week for a mental tune up?
Whether speaking in Delhi or Dallas,
Singapore or Sydney, I find there are more
similarities than differences when it comes
to the human side of workplace issues.
Certainly, there are cultural differences.
However, employees and employers alike
around the world, all share a common desire
to provide the best possible livelihood and
lifestyle for themselves and their families.
So too, there are differences within the
cultures of individual organisations or even
departments within organisations.
I don’t pretend to prescribe answers, just
questions that are worth thinking about. You
have the answer to what will work best for
you! And, your personal ‘truths’ will differ
from time to time. Even if you consider some
old fashioned quotes that we probably heard
from grandparents, some seem immutable
while others we may, in time, question.
For instance, I was brought up to believe,
‘Look before you leap’ and ‘He who
hesitates is lost.’
I must admit that, until writing ‘Hot
Lemon & Honey’, I hadn’t given any
consideration to the obvious contradiction
when these quotes are placed side by side!
However, that doesn’t necessarily diminish
the wisdom in either because both may be
equally apt at the appropriate time. So much
of life is a paradox.
Ideas make the difference
What’s right for you at this moment? Are
you too busy to be bothered with ideas –
ideas which impact our professional and
personal lives; ideas which touch the heart
and the head; ideas that make a difference if
we take the time to look at things differently?
Stop now and spend a few minutes
thinking about what you think will work best
for you in the year ahead? Take time out to
write down your goals and put a firm time
frame on them.
As you reflect, with an open mind, you’ll
discover that it truly is possible to, ‘make
your life worth living as your living is being
made.’ You just need to remember that:
‘When what used to work at work no longer
works, it’s time to change our ways of
thinking – and think of ways of changing!’
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Corporate Trends 31
CATHERINE DEVRYE
‘Life is not a Practice Round’
If you’re not a golfer, never have
been or never wish to become one,
then read no further…
nless you’ve ever wondered
why otherwise rational friends,
colleagues or customers, might
be avid fans or fanatics of the
game, as the case might be. With the growth
of golf as a means of networking, even
cynics may be surprised at links between the
golf and the business game – a rather
curious connection that I reflected on, while
driving home from a corporate charity golf
day with one of my clients.
Let’s face it, it’s not a logical game at first
glance. And it certainly seems less so if
you’ve had a bad round, as I had on that
particular day. Any creature observing from
outer space would be convinced there was
no intelligent form of life on our planet, if
they saw homo sapiens spend four hours
trying to move a little white sphere as far as
possible, while taking as little dirt as
possible from a bigger sphere, called Earth.
Since a regulation round of golf consists
of 18 holes, here are 18 tips to help you also
improve your career scorecard, lower your
handicap and play to par:
U
1. Learn the basic fundamentals. A coach
can teach invaluable lessons but those at the
top of the leader board ultimately develop
and fine-tune their own unique style, with
input from trusted mentors.
2. Always get a good grip-on the situation.
Be as thoroughly prepared as possible –
physically and mentally.
6. Keep you head down. Focus on the ball to
block out any distractions. Don’t worry
about the gallery but where the ball is going.
7. Allow for changing environmental
conditions. Know which way and how
strong the wind is blowing and be ready
for unexpected head winds or cross
winds.
8. Try to stay out of trouble and
avoid hazards whenever possible.
Even with the best intent, accept
you’ll inevitably hit some
rough. The founder of Sony,
Akio Morita, once compared
the volatile Japanese money
market to a golf game, in
which holes had a different
handicap each day.
9. Don’t get greedy in the rough. Know
when to pitch, when to lay up and when
to run.
10. Have some extra balls in
your bag (or extra cash in the
bank for those rainy days) when
you lose more than you anticipate.
11. Give it your best shot every time but
remember that few will ever be a hole in
one. When a journalist once asked John
Opel, if he would do things differently, the
former CEO of IBM replied: ‘All of us
would but I don't carry those things around
in my head or it spoils the bigger picture. If
you worry about the putt you missed on the
third hole, you’ll ruin the rest of your game.’
3. Follow the correct set-up. Know where
you’re aiming and visualise the ball
reaching its desired destination. On his way
to a tournament, Jack Nicklaus would
picture each and every hole in his mind – in
full colour – and methodically play each
shot from tee to green, without leaving his
automobile or aeroplane seat.
12. Never lose sight of your drive. And
remember to drive for show and putt for
dough. Never underestimate the importance
of finesse. It’s one thing to start off with a
big hit or big mouth – but another to
satisfactorily finish the job by paying
attention to the little things.
4. Make solid contact – and solid contacts in
business. It’s impossible to over emphasise
the importance of ‘qual-i-tee’ relationships.
5. Skill, plus strategy, tactics, lots of drive
and a little luck all help. Know when to go
for the flag and when to play it safe.
13. Consistency is the key. Golf and
business aren’t sprint events. Weekend
warriors might practice until they get it
right. But professionals practice in the hope
they’ll never get it wrong.
As Gary Player so wisely quipped: ‘The
harder I practice, the luckier I get’.
32 Corporate Trends
– Sir Frank Packer
14. Have decent tools of the trade but we
often have more clubs than we need in the
bag. And, even the best equipment in the
world won’t help if your execution is lousy.
15. Know the rules, use them to your
maximum advantage but always
play by the book. Stick to
fairways and ‘fair ways’. If
someone cheats in golf, can
you trust them in business?
16. And, as you remember the
ethics, don’t forget the
etiquettes. Be fun to play with
and respect your playing
partners. I was initially
intimidated to find myself
playing in a pro am with five
times British Open champion,
Peter Thompson – until he showed
what a true world class champion
he was by his good manners and
relaxed attitude.
17. Confidence can cure the
yips. Be bold. Be strong but with
a gentleness of grip and demeanour.
One of the best things about golf is, it
can keep even the greatest humble.
18. Always, always, always follow throughon your swing and your promises.
19. And here’s one extra as a bonus:
Last but not least, don’t forget the 19th hole.
Take some time to enjoy the scenery and
smell the flowers along the way. We all have
those ‘off days’ but as media magnate, the
late Sir Frank Packer, once said: ‘Life is not
a practice round!’
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1
best seller Good Service is Good Business
and
latest
best
seller
Hope
Happens!…Words of Encouragement for
Tough Times’. Winner of the Australian
Executive Woman of the Year Award,
she speaks internationally on managing
change, customer service and turning
obstacles to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
CATHERINE DEVRYE
How to Avoid Death by Voicemail…
Arthur C Clarke, once said, “We had
better pay attention to the future,
because that's where we are going to
spend the rest of our lives!”
ave you ever wondered if you’ll
spend the rest of your life
caught in an inescapable
voicemail loop? Have you ever
been increasingly frustrated that it
sometimes seems near impossible to speak
to a living, breathing human being on the
other end of the phone? So you talk to
yourself instead. Muttering away while on
interminable hold. Do you ever feel a
victim of a ‘death by voicemail’ conspiracy
and wonder if the folks designing such
systems ever considered the human element?
H
Use technology wisely
Now, don’t get me wrong and label me as
some troglodyte. As a former executive with
IBM, I’m a big believer in using technology
to improve customer service and there’s no
doubt that it has in countless instances. But
there is also little doubt that many systems
are designed purely in the interest of high
tech-completely ignoring the element of
high touch and seemingly oblivious to the
fact that most people can actually survive
without a particular organisation but no
organisation can survive without people.
Therefore, call centres and help desks
need to be sure they are staffed with people
who recognise this immutable law. They
need to be sure that they give those people
the proper tools to be able to truly help
customers, rather than simply rattle off some
standard script. Management needs to
ensure that help desks and call centres don’t
become ‘hell desks’ and ‘cuss centres’
where staff check their brains at the door
before they put on the head sets.
It may be obvious that I’ve recently had a
bad experience with a ‘help’ desk. Over an
hour on the phone, I was transferred from
one person to another, forced to repeat the
same story and in the meantime listening to
a recorded message about what a ‘valued
customer’ I was. When I finally gave up and
asked for the name and address of someone
I could write to, I was told that it was
impossible as they couldn’t provide postal,
email or fax contacts! Needless to say I am
no longer a ‘valued customer.’
Effective use of technology
Now, let me share two examples of more
effective uses of technology.
Some time ago, I was in New Zealand
when one of the airlines had industrial
problems. Although I was booked on
another airline, which was not affected, I
called to confirm my flight. Not
surprisingly, I got a recorded message but
what did surprise, and impress me, was the
fact that it was up to date. It went something
along the lines of:
“Thank you for calling Air New Zealand.
We’re sorry that due to industrial problems
with a competitor (gotcha!) we’re a little
busier than normal and apologise for this
unusually long wait. Please feel free to call
back later or if you prefer to stay on the line,
the waiting time will be six minutes.”
Management needs
to ensure that
help desks and
call centres don’t
become ‘hell desks’
and ‘cuss centres’
Using technology to add value
I decided to wait and set my stopwatch to
see if they met their promise of six minutes.
Sure enough, I was pleasantly surprised that
within four minutes, my call was answered.
Even though they were under extra pressure,
due to passengers changing flights, they
took a few seconds to update their message
and set customer expectations at a realistic
level. They were still using the technology
but to add value (not grey hairs), to the
customer on the end of the phone.
When I spoke at a technology in customer
service conference in the US, an executive
with a huge pharmaceutical company,
presented a case study on how the
introduction of voice recognition had
resulted in huge reductions in staffing costs.
Attendees frantically took notes on how this
cost saving technology could be applied to
their own organisation. But, they stopped
writing in their tracks as the presenter then
went on to say why his company abandoned
the expensive system…
“When people phone about our
pharmaceutical products, they are often sick
and want someone on the end of the line
who will give them confidence with their
medication and offer empathy. So, we
replaced the voice recognition with retired
nurses to access the information in our data
base. Although initial staffing costs soared,
over a period of eighteen months, so did our
customer satisfaction levels and profits.”
The executive went on to say that he had
an MBA in Information Technology and
added to a stunned audience, “Never would
I have thought that the biggest innovation
we’ve had in the last ten years has been
going from machines back to people!”
Don’t be a mug!
I have a mug that states: ‘Thanks for calling
our customer service department. If you
have a complaint, press 1. If you would like
an apology press 2. If you would like an
excuse press 3. And, if you would like to
send a mild electric shock to whoever
designed this system, press 4!’
I don’t mean to shock or alienate any
providers of voice technology or the
thousands of dedicated people in call
centres, who do an excellent job under
enormous pressure, as I truly believe these
functions can be useful. But, don’t be a mug
and rush into any technology without first
making sure that you understand your
customer set and plan accordingly to ensure
that ‘death by voicemail’ doesn’t become
the death of your organisation.
Develop customer friendly technologies
and heed Arthur Clarke’s words: “We had
better pay attention to the future,
because that's where we are going to
spend the rest of our lives!”
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Corporate Trends 33
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Moving on from Disbelief to Belief
We grow when we move from
disbelief in others to a stronger
belief in ourselves
n September 11, 2001, the
world stopped stunned in
disbelief as planes bombarded
buildings and New York –
challenging past beliefs.
This was not the first tragedy in history.
Sadly, it won’t be the last. But in images of
the remains, it remains indelible because of
live news coverage – that seldom brings
every man and woman’s everyday disasters
into our homes via satellite.
Yet, ultimately, it’s the personal ‘mini’
tragedies in life that cause greatest grief.
That same week, a friend phoned to say her
mother had died. She shared compassion
with thousands of strangers on TV but the
loss of one life weighed far heavier on her
mind. To her, this was more than a media
cliché about the world changing. The world
always changes – but her own life had
tumbled and changed irrevocably with the
death of the one person who had always
been central in her world.
Her mother wasn’t a princess nor
celebrity but one of the thousands of
mothers, wives, daughters, grandmothers or
aunts who die daily. I shared what I
reminded myself of, time and time again,
after my biggest tragedy… that we can’t
always control change but we can always
control our attitude toward it.
O
Cope or crumble?
People often asked how I coped at 21, when
my parents died. What was the choice?
Cope or crumble? I had no intention of
crumbling. Sure, there were days of despair
but we only find courage if we look for
some glimmer of hope on the horizon. We
can chose to look backward or forward.
I urged my friend to look forward because
today is always the first day of the rest of
our lives.
I knew, all too well, it was easier said than
done and words seemed hollow in her
sorrow. Likewise, I was lost for words later
that day while driving to speak at a
conference about customer service and
managing change.
34 Corporate Trends
As I stopped for petrol, a stranger,
overhearing my North American inflection,
gently touched me on the arm and
stammered ‘I’m sorry’. His heavy accent
was European but his kind gesture resonated
with universal eloquence and helped me
find the words for my presentation.
I realised that we must think not just
of service to our customers-but to our
families, communities and planet. And,
to view quality not as ISO 9000 or TQM but
as the quality of life we’ve come to take
for granted in free countries. We can no
longer assume that quality of life but each of
us can do whatever we can to live this day
the best we can.
However hard, we must get on with
getting on. And, get on better with others.
Whatever our country by birth or by
choice,
Now is the time to unite with one voice.
As we look to the future with respect for
the past,
To strive in the present for dreams that
will last.
To reach our potential as one and a
nation,
Giving all a fair go, without hesitation.
And regardless of faith – to keep faith in
our future, our country and ourselves.
John Lennon said…‘Life is what happens
when we’re making other plans. We need to
keep our plans and dreams alive.
Where to from here?
Will we ever make sense of the senseless?
Will we ever lose that sense of loss? As
individuals, we may not find answers to
world peace but can achieve greater inner
peace by fully appreciating the little joys of
everyday more than ever before. Whether it
be solitary meditation or prayer, let’s
connect our heads and hearts to try and find
some solace in sadness. Or, be a little kinder
to others along the way, as we turn
stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
The pain of personal tragedy never
disappears completely. It is no greater or less
for anonymous people losing jobs or loved
ones, their wealth or their health. We’re all
everyday people with everyday problems in
this journey called life.
Life, with all it’s tragic and magic, is a
continual learning exercise. Especially in
times of adversity. Learn to more fully
appreciate your inner strength because
belief in yourself is like a muscle. It is
strengthened only by constant and careful
use. And there’s no time like the present to
flex your resolve and remember that:
We grow when we move from disbelief in
others – to a stronger belief in ourselves.
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Here are some practical things we can do to keep our plans and dreams alive:
• Switch off bad news on TV to create your own reality. Turn off 60 Minutes and take
60 seconds each evening to be grateful for what you do have – not what you don’t have.
In my own case, I give thanks for such things as clean sheets, a hot shower, a full tummy,
good friends and freedom of speech.
• Smile at a stranger in the street. And smile at yourself in the mirror every morning.
• Determine what gives you joy and schedule time for yourself on your ‘to do’ list.
• Think of someone less fortunate than you and do something to help them – even if it’s
just an encouraging word.
• If you had only one call to make, who would you call and what would you say? What’s
stopping you from calling today? Tell someone you love them or thank someone who has
made a difference in your life.
CATHERINE DEVRYE
Hope Happens!
“A leader is a dealer in hope.”
So said Napoleon Bonaparte before his death in 1821. Nearly two
centuries later, we need hope more than ever, in our organisations
and our personal lives.
ave you ever lost an important
business deal or contract? Or,
more importantly – lost a loved
one or close friend?
Are you worried by lost health or wealth;
loss of a job or loss of perspective? Whether
that loss is temporary or permanent, you
need to dig deep for courage to get on with
getting on – to find hope in seemingly
hopeless situations.
When you’ve lost whatever is important
in your life, it’s important to find hope and
as a leader, to help others find hope within
themselves.
H
World changing events
On September 11, 2001, I happened to
address over a thousand delegates at the
World Airline Entertainment Association. I
felt sickened by global events and also by
bronchitis, when a friend phoned to say her
mother had died of cancer. Certainly, she
shared compassion with thousands of
people on the other side of the globe, but the
loss of one life weighed far heavier on her
mind. To her, talk of the ‘world changing’
was more than a media cliché – the world
always changes – but her own life had
tumbled and changed irrevocably with the
death of the one person who had always
been central to her world.
As I sat despondently at the airport, I
couldn’t help but think that, undoubtedly,
global tragedy impacts on us all in various
ways, from the personal to the economic.
Yet, ultimately, the everyday, non-publicised
tragedies cause the greatest grief, wherever
we live on the planet.
My thoughts were interrupted when a
vibrant young woman introduced herself
and said she had been inspired by one of my
presentations. She said she had since been
promoted to London and took only six
books, including the last one I’d written,
‘Hot Lemon & Honey… Reflections for
Success in Times of Change.’
“Whenever I’m feeling down, I delve into
that book and magically find just the right
words of inspiration and encouragement,”
she enthused.
“Oh, what chapter was that? I could do
with a little inspiration myself at the
moment,” I asked, before smiling at
the irony.
More recently, a senior executive, one of
my corporate clients, called-ostensibly just
to say ‘hello’.
‘How’s things, Bill?’
‘Oh I’m fine’, he replied but something in
the tone of his voice implied that he wasn’t.
‘Hmm. You don’t sound your normal
self.’ I ventured.
‘Well, uh, my father died this afternoon
and I’m feeling kinda flat’.
What a classic understatement, I thought,
in the same breath wondering why he had
called me, rather than one of his close
friends or family? I offered words of
condolence while we chatted at length, he
was obviously emotional but contained and
in control as he believed his ‘role’ dictated.
Hours later, I still wondered why he had
called me – before realising that he was the
eldest son, head of his own family, chief of
a large corporation and in fulfiling those
various roles of leadership, felt that he
needed to be perceived as a pillar of
strength. He was unable to show emotion or
perceived weakness, even though what he
felt was not at all weak but a normal human
condition of grief.
Yes, it can be lonely at the top (or even in
the middle!) and one should never feel too
proud to ask for help from others who have
walked that rocky road.
People often ask how I coped when my
folks died when I was 21? What choice did
I have? Cope or crumble – and, I had no
intention of crumbling. Since those early
dark days, I’ve been privileged to meet
world leaders, sports stars and music icons
and was surprised to discover that, at times,
they all share the same sense of loss and
uncertainty as my next-door neighbour or a
stranger on a plane. Behind the facade, no
life is perfect and the grass isn’t always
greener on the other side of the fence. It
never has been. It never will be.
Far from the tragedy of world events in
the media, are untold traumas of everyday
people facing everyday problems. And,
we’re all everyday people! That’s what
prompted me, shortly after September 11, to
write ‘Hope Happens!
Yes, there’s truth in the popularised
saying, ‘S_ _ _ Happens!’ But, it’s time we
focused on the reverse. ‘Hope Happens!’
includes inspirational quotes and
photographs that have helped me in times of
adversity and I hope they can help you
do likewise.
Today, and every day, we need to keep our
plans and dreams alive and must not be
swamped by nightmares of negativity
and despair.
HOPE helps us cope
H elp others – and never be too proud to
ask for help yourself.
O ptimise opportunities. In every business
or personal problem, there is always an
opportunity, so remain optimistic.
P ersist, no matter what. Tough times
don’t last but tough people do, so never give
up. Move from being a ‘victim’ of change to
a ‘victor’ of change.
E mpower others and give yourself
permission to be empowered. Take time out
for yourself, as you can’t take care of others
if you don’t take care of yourself.
There’s no better time to get some hope
happening in your life and your
organisation. Whether it’s the beginning of
the calendar year or financial year – today
is still the first day of the rest of your life!
Catherine DeVrye is the author of the #1 best
seller Good Service is Good Business and
latest best seller Hope Happens!…Words of
Encouragement for Tough Times’.
Winner of the Australian Executive
Woman of the Year Award, she speaks
internationally on managing change,
customer service and turning obstacles
to opportunities.
Website: www.greatmotivation.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 61-2-9977 3177
Corporate Trends 35
Iven Frangi
A guide to Stress Free Selling™
- making more sales, in less time with
less effort.
SALES, MARKETING, MOTIVATION
Iven has extensive experience in the areas of direct sales,
management and marketing where the art of dealing with
people and getting results is paramount.
Iven began his sales career at National Mutual at age 21
where his sales manager was "Mr Body Language" Allan
Pease. He became one of the youngest ever qualifiers to the
exclusive Million Dollar Round Table. He moved to the Lion
Insurance brokers and was part of a team that had the highest
per head earnings in the industry.
He was then recruited to set up and manage a sales team to start Westpac Life, which became one of the
fastest growing companies of its type in the world. As the youngest Regional Manager he looked after 50
branches and a sales team with productivity 4 times the industry average.
With that track record in 1991 he established his own company specializing in creating increased sales
results for his clients.
Iven is a graduate in Marketing from the University of Technology. He has recently been retained by Deakin
University to present their Marketing and Sales Management distance-learning program. With his
background in psychology and marketing Iven has been invited to work with the worldwide Peppers and
Rogers group to consult to businesses on their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and 1 to 1
marketing strategies.
As a presenter and speaker Iven is one of the top 7% of people awarded the CSP - Certified Speaking
Professional form the International Federation of Professional Speakers.
Programs
Stress Free Selling - How to keep your results up and your blood pressure down
Stress Free Sales Management — How to create outstanding team results so you can relax.
Stress Free Presentations — How to present like a star and be as calm as seasoned professional.
The Power of Business Passion — How to find your business passion so you can stop working and start
enjoying life.
Iven is a business builder. His task is to build your business.
Phone 61 2 99083333
Email [email protected]
Web www.stressfreeselling.com
IVEN FRANGI
Salesmanagers - Get
Effective or Get Out!
Your top performers are doing something different and better, mapping is
how you discover what it is.
his was the clear message
delivered by the CEO of a
national organisation to the 23
sales managers present. They
had already down-sized, right-sized, reengineered and re-organised to squeeze
all the gains they could in efficiency.
Sales managers I speak to are under
increasing pressure. A common
response in recent times has been to go
to SFA — Sales Force Automation.
This puts sales people under increased
scrutiny and takes inexperienced sales
managers down a well-worn track. The
path to cop—not coach!
Armed with all the data and tracking
information, these well meaning sales
managers start to manage familiar and
easily measurable criteria:
How many calls made? How many
clients seen? The number of proposals
made and so on.
T
The salesmanager’s trap
Sales people in a recent report,
indicated that the sales manager is now
seen more as a cop (catching them
doing the wrong thing), than a coach
(helping them to do the right thing).
One of my colleagues was sitting
with a client conducting a needs
analysis. The client produced a graph
which showed a gloomy picture.
Something had changed in normally
stable sales and profit results. For the
last quarter, number of sales increased
but the average value of each sale
dropped. We had seen this before. There
was a simple question, “What had
happened in the management of the
sales force 30-60 days before the
change in results?”
The General Manager didn't know
but said he would find out.
The news was not good
He came back with the news that around
thirty days before the sales went up and
the revenue dropped. Yes, you guessed
correctly. An activity management
program was introduced! My
observation is that under pressure, many
sales managers are doing the opposite of
what their teams need. They chase
efficiency
through
activity
management. Simply put, the more
pressure they face, the more they use
over calling on existing customers."
The goal is to prove that they are being
‘active’.
SFA also creates more reporting and
paperwork. Okay, as a manager, you
can't track and measure without data,
but when changed from paper to
electronic, the salespeople see it as the
same old wolf in a new sheep's clothing.
Am I against SFA? Not at all! I
support it. It is a needed tool for
managing sales. I believe the key lies in
combining separate proven disciplines,
to create a method that has always
produced increased results. I have seen
sales increase by as much as 43 to 100
percent plus using this method. This is
across both individual sales-people's
performances and entire teams.
Three critical factors
Three factors need to be combined:
1. An Impact Matrix
An Impact Matrix is all about preparing
people for training before it takes place,
ensuring quality when it does take place
and supporting the people to use the
new skills after the training.
2. Mapping the Gap
The marketplace and your sales results
are already telling you your top
performers are doing something
different — and better. Mapping is how
you find out what it is.
this non-useful (when used in isolation)
improvement tool.
Managing efficiency only
The simple truth is, managing efficiency
only could lead to your ultimate
extinction! Do you know of a similar
story, where the outcome was a spike in
sales due to increased activity and quick
hits being encouraged?
There is another outcome, reported
by researchers Rackham and Ruff:
“Management pressure for increased
activity doesn't mean salespeople knock
on more doors. It can also mean they
knock on the same door more times,
3. Measuring Effectiveness
Knowing the actual behaviours top
performers use and coaching those
behaviours in lower performers, you can
lift the entire team’s result.
The steps are simple and have been
marketplace proven.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
Corporate Trends 37
IVAN FRANGI
Sack the Salespeople…
Hire a Buyer’s Assistant
Prepare for the revolution! Read
this and decide which side you
want to be on…
T
he traditional method of
teaching sales skills is one
where the role of the sales
person is to create an
environment in which their product or
service is viewed favourably, promoted
and ultimately purchased.
The process followed by the
traditional and consultative schools of
methodology use for the most part a
similar approach... there is a strong
opening, a product focussed needs
analysis, a comprehensive pitch and
then an attempt to handle objections,
negotiate and close.
In my view this is outdated and
increasingly inappropriate behaviour.
The outmoded approach
Picture this .. You need some new tyres
for your car so you go to a tyre retailer
and what do you find? Lots of tyres, that
apart from the tread pattern, look pretty
much the same to you (unless you are an
expert on tyres). After the usual
greeting the standard question to qualify
you is likely to be “how much do you
want to spend?”
That is the attempt by the seller to
decide their course of action and what to
sell you. This is usually followed by an
attempt to convince you of the merits of
the product or service deemed to be best
for you. The one that fits your price
range or the range they want you in. Is
this scenario at all familiar?
Have you got lost in this process?
Have you noticed that there are times
when you don’t need to be sold
anything,? What you really need is
someone to help you decide which
product option or service is the one you
would rather own?
38 Corporate Trends
The major challenge
More than ever we want to be included
in the decision process.
My research shows that a majority of
people have the genesis of an idea about
the solution to their problem and their
major challenge is—confusion.
As with most products today the
range of choices is not the problem. The
real challenge is to differentiate between
the large number of choices available.
Why the revolution?
Customers today want, and are
demanding, more control over the
interaction with suppliers. The
discovery is that selling (if done without
this knowledge) and buying can actually
solution and may need help to clarify it,
the seller has the questions to facilitate
the discovery process.
A totally new outcome
When the focus of the interaction, is to
become the buyer’s assistant, what are
some of the outcomes?
The first and immediate response of
graduates of my Selling Skills
workshops is that there is now an
almost complete lack of objections.
Working with a bank, many
customers stopped asking what the
interest rate was on the home loan.
Customers with a national travel agents
group moved away from just wanting
the cheapest package deal, to a properly
planned and satisfying itinerary.
When you look at getting on the
current popular bandwagon of
relationship selling, ask yourself this
key question; Is the ultimate prize the
buyer’s money or their trust? It could
help you determine which side you will
be on—come the revolution!
The role of the
person is to help the
buyer through the
discovery process
be opposites rather than complimentary.
The revolution is built around
understanding how people make a
decision to buy and the factors that are
present—not what needs to be done to
sell them something. The role of the
person in a sales capacity, is to help the
buyer through the discovery process and
actually make a strategic shift to
become a buyer’s assistant.
The buyer’s assistant
This new way of thinking brings some
inherent changes in philosophy:
• People buy using their own buying
patterns, not a seller’s selling patterns
• Relationships come first, tasks come
second
• The buyer has the genesis of the
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
IMPORTANT NOTE
All of the people who write articles for
this magazine are professional speakers
and trainers. They are available to speak
at your next conference or meeting or
to assist you with staff training.
Contact them direct to discuss their
fees and availability. Contact details
appear at the bottom of each article or
get more information online at:
www.speakertrainer.com.au
IVEN FRANGI
No Pain, No Gain —
That’s for Amateurs!
One of the best salespeople I’ve ever
met turned out to be someone
totally unexpected…
H
ere’s the challenge. You
have higher than average
fees. People usually have a
horror story to tell about
your profession. You sell pain. Yes pain.
Real pain, or at least the perception of it.
Your task is to get my attention, make
me comfortable and start the business
process. You are my dentist.
The first meeting
The dentist (Dr. Dan Brenner) was on
time and actually waiting for me when I
arrived. This contrasts with my usual
experience of being kept waiting. (I
have a personal pet hate of
‘professionals’who charge for their time
and don’t keep appointments. He
looked me in the eye, smiled and
welcomed me by name. First
impression was excellent.
I was taken to an interview space that
did not have a dentist’s chair or any
instruments in it. "Iven thank you for
your time today. As it’s your first time
here I thought an overview of what we
do would be helpful. I do things a little
differently here. We use a two step
process. Firstly, I would like to ask you
some questions about your teeth and
your goals for your dental health. Then,
I would like to thoroughly examine your
teeth, which will take around an hour. I
will then prepare an analysis. On your
next visit, I will explain what I have
found, give you my recommendations,
answer your questions, and then we can
decide together what actions, if any, you
wish to take. The fee for both visits is $x
of which the health fund will return all
but $80. Can we proceed on that basis?"
So, I now had an outline of the
process, a time frame, a clear
impression that I was in the hands of a
professional and a small decision to
make about the cost.
It was an easy decision. I was on referral
and had been assured this was going to
be unlike any dentist I had visited
before. So far that was true. I was also
curious as to what would come next. I
was not disappointed.
How does that help you?
If I came with you (or one of your sales
people) to a sales interview, what would
the client feel in the first few minutes?
Would they have similar outcomes?
Comfort, clear direction, curiosity and
permission to proceed.
In research with my own clients over
the last two and a half years, the skill of
setting an agenda in an interview is
often neglected. It is however, critical.
Observing the “in call behaviour” of
over five hundred top sales
professionals with whom I work 76 per
cent demonstrated a clear ability to
master this behaviour. Observation of
the average to poor performers revealed
only 23 per cent set an effective agenda.
What happened next?
At the second interview, a new agenda
was set that built on the first. Again, Dan
was exactly on time.
“Today Iven, I want to report to you
what I found. I have some photos to
show you. I’ve prepared a plan of
treatment that we can discuss and I can
answer any questions. It was at this
point he was able to assure me that pain
was no longer a factor patients had to
worry about.
“At the end of our roughly 45
minutes, we will be in a position to
know how to proceed. How does that
sound?” Again a clear agenda.
So, from this example and my documented observations, here are the ‘top
performers’ in call behaviours:
• Set an agenda. Regardless of the
industry
• Overview the pathway. “This will
be a two step process”.
• Explain the method. “Firstly, I
would like to thoroughly examine
your teeth…"
• Indicate the time frame. “Which
will take around an hour…”
• Layout future steps. “At your next
visit…”
• Ask checking questions. “How does
that sound?”
• Gain commitment. “Can we
proceed on that basis?”
The observations also revealed that top
producers showed flexibility. They
retained the key agenda elements but
varied the usage depending on the
situation. i.e. A different agenda with
referral sources. Average and poor
producers had a standard agenda they
set, no matter what the circumstance.
The agenda is the gateway to the sales
interaction. Top performers practice
behaviours that create a wide and
comfortable entrance that is inviting and
secure. Sales that are missed or lost are
mostly traced to poor openings, not poor
closing.
For me this was no pain — real gain.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
Corporate Trends 39
IVAN FRANGI
Rainbow Balls and the Corner Store
Do you remember shopping at the
corner store? Why did you like it?
R
ecently, I asked a group this
question and the answer was
fascinating. They said it was
convenient, the household
essentials, odd useful things like light
globes and potato peelers, the
shopkeeper knew you and sometimes
there were even little gifts—rewards for
shopping there.
I remember my local shopkeeper
rewarding me with rainbow balls (my
favourites, some of you are too young to
remember these delightful indulgences)
when Mum told him I did well in a
school test. I was seven years old.
The other reported feedback was that
the corner store cost a little more, but we
liked it, so that was fine.
So, what happened to the corner
store? For the most part they are gone.
Replaced by large supermarkets or
shopping centres that are trying to
recreate the easy relaxed atmosphere in
a large complex that we miss by adding
the, “Joe and Tom Fruit &
Veg section.”
Mass personalisation
No, it’s not an oxymoron. With all the
talk today of value not price, building
relationships and getting to know the
customer, etc., aren’t we going back to
the corner store way of thinking?
I thought about this because a client
was briefing me recently for a sales
skills workshop and I was struck with
the similarity of the outcomes that were
required. The difference was the client’s
team is delivering the needed customer
outcomes via e-mail, voice mail, a net
site, conference calls, faxes, PowerPoint
presentations, mobile phones, a
telephone centre, “schedule plus”
organised calling and of course, actually
visiting the customer.
All this was designed to keep the
customer informed and creating a
relationship that worked for both—and
40 Corporate Trends
it does. The technology of today,
intelligently used, supports and expands
the customer experience and the
delivery of the required services and
products.
Are we forgetting something?
An experience I had recently, brought
home the use and limitations of
technology in selling our capabilities.
I checked into a five star, international
resort for a three day stay. I checked in
late, at 12.20 am. The doorman was
welcoming and friendly. He commented
I was the latest check in he had ever had.
At the desk, another warm welcome and
“Sorry, the computer is down but there
is a room ready.”
I had booked a room facing the ocean
and the morning
would bring a spectacular view.
Arriving at the room, I was excited—
until I opened the curtains and found a
wonderful view of the car park! The
porter responded quickly and rang the
front desk, only to discover all the ocean
view rooms were taken. This could wait
until the morning, all I wanted to do
right then was sleep!
In the morning, I went to the front
desk and was greeted by a lady named
Sissy. The response was “Yes, Mr
Frangi, we know about you.” (Had there
been a special staff meeting?) This was
good they were prepared.
She apologised, the computer was still
down (now 36 hours) and my room was
not yet ready. I told her I was not really
upset, the computer problem was not her
fault and that it must be very difficult, if
not impossible, to work without it. I told
Sissy that my business was sales
training and customer contact skills and
at times, mistakes happened. It was how
the business recovered that was the true
measure of excellence. I also told her
that I would use this story in some of my
future seminars. She seemed genuinely
relieved at my reaction, it had obviously
been a hard morning!
What a recovery…
Later, I was waiting in my room for the
porter to arrive to go to my new room.
Sissy rang to say all was organised and
“there was a surprise”. I was led to the
Plumeria suite (which is coincidentally
Frangipanni) a magnificent room with
an outside spa, lounge room and a
stunning view. I was impressed, and
curious.
I discovered that Sissy had told the
Duty Manager about my comment. He
had authorised the upgrade and made
sure the room was cleaned and prepared
(the house keeper told me).
Now that’s what I call a recovery—
and smart business. Because of Sissy
and Vinnie spotting an opportunity, they
turned a potential complaint into a
promotional story for the Sheraton
Kauai Resort. Thousands of people will
get to hear this good news story. They
created the best sales outcome
possible—a delighted customer! Well
done to them both and Sheraton Hawaii.
In selling and dealing with customers,
the technology and equipment can
support you enormously in looking after
your customers. It is vital.
However, it won’t and can’t pacify
upset customers, handle complaints,
make decisions, smile, develop special
relationships and most of all, spot
opportunities. That’s what people do.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
IVEN FRANGI
Why up to 90% of Your Staff
Training Could be Wasted…
Would you like to achieve a ten times greater return on your training
investment? Silly question, right? Well, the chances are you can do just that
because according to the latest research, on average, only ten per cent of
every dollar you spend on your staff training is effective.
T
en per cent effectiveness?
You wouldn’t put up with
that kind of performance in
other parts of your business
would you? Well, get set for this — you
probably already do!
In their book, ‘Transfer of Training’
authors and researchers, Board and
Newstrom, identify that most training is
only ten per cent effective. They
attribute this to three major reasons:
Firstly, some training programs fit into
the category of pure ‘enter-train-ment’.
Participants have fun, derive short-term
motivation and little, if any, long-term
behavioural change.
The second and more serious reason,
is that the training is often a knee jerk,
poorly prepared response to a recently
sighted problem. Whereas it needed to
be part of a continuous and planned
process for the development of the
people being trained.
The third and most interesting (and
critical) reason I will give you later.
Let’s review the first two reasons.
The first reason
Ever been bored while at a conference
or training? Of course. We all have.
Good presentations fight and even expel
boredom. Interesting, interactive and
fun presentations get everyone paying
attention. Result? When we enjoy it, we
remember it and take away more. The
trick lies in balancing the learning with
the fun.
An inside secret! Picture this scene: I
am sitting with a client who has asked
me to do a keynote presentation on sales
or marketing. How do I find out if
training is part of the culture of the
company or a Band Aid fix?
Easy! My key question when taking a
brief is this: “Apart from my
presentation, what other things are you
doing in the company to support the
sales or marketing message I am
delivering?”
The second reason
What is the response over 80 per cent of
the time? Looking a little perplexed they
answer, “Nothing, that’s what you’re
here to do”.
Now, with agreement, I can be of extra
Many training programs
fit into the category of
‘enter-train-ment’.
Participants have fun,
derive short-term
motivation and little,
if any, long-term
behavioural change.
value and usefulness, by helping to
create a development plan to achieve
greater results. It helps the client and I
really am able to multiply the return on
their investment. Everyone wins!
How do you get a far greater return on
your investment in training?
Back to Board and Newstrom and the
research: They identified the key factors
that have the greatest impact on training
effectiveness on the manager, the trainer
and the participant, are:
• Before the training
• During the training, and
• After the training
These influences were, like many
things, obvious when pointed out. They
put these factors together and created
the matrix on the opposite page.
The top three factors
I have shown this to many managers
without the ranking numbers filled in
and asked them to identify the top three
factors for training effectiveness.
The most important factor they
normally choose, is the Participant
during the training.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
If the Participant pays attention and
gets involved in the program, then the
training will be effective. However, in
the research, the Participant during the
training came in numbers five, six and
seven out of nine.
Did that surprise you?
Their study revealed that the top three
factors in order are:
1. The Manager before the training
2. The Trainer before the training, and
3. The Manager after the training.
Essentially, they showed that the most
important person in making training
effective was the manager both before
and after the training.
(Email me for a more complete copy of
the matrix. It’s free and fascinating
reading and includes what managers
and trainers must do to be effective and
maximise their investment in training).
The third reason
I promised you the third reason was the
most critical and the most interesting.
Here it is:
Managers, although central to training
effectiveness were, in the vast majority
of cases, totally ill-equipped to be
highly effective.
Why?
They were managers not trainers. Yet,
no matter what the business, managers
are expected to teach and coach!
Corporate Trends 41
IVAN FRANGI
Further they are expected to teach and
coach both skills and attitudes. Mostly
without a proper training background.
Unless a manager comes from a training
or possibly HR role, how could they be
equipped to effectively train and coach?
Many can coach either tangible skills
(handling the telephone, goal setting) or
attitudes (professionalism, pride,
integrity) but rarely both.
Good managers have learned by
experience, lots of trial and error — and
sometimes training — how to train and
coach. However, many still struggle
because the extra job of preparing
quality training on a month in month out
basis, is very time consuming and is
most often done on the run the day
before the sales or team meeting.
Also, there is the fun factor.
It’s a challenge for anyone (even
professionals) to keep the content
interesting and fun, meeting after
meeting. Have you or one of your team
been in this predicament? What are the
options? How do you create continuous,
ongoing learning of skills and attitudes
that is enjoyable and effective?
The solution
There are three clear options. All of
them have pros and cons, as follows:
1. Bring in an outside speaker/trainer
for your regular meetings.
Pros:
You will get great results. Meetings
will be fun and interesting. This
magazine is full of excellent people to
choose from.
Cons:
It may stretch the budget.
2. Train the Managers to be effective
trainers. ie: Train the trainer.
Pros:
Get results. Good long-term benefits.
Cons:
Takes managers from their jobs. Is a
high investment at the start.
IBT TRAINING IMPACT MATRIX
WHO?
WHEN?
MANAGER
TRAINER
PARTICIPANT
BEFORE THE
PROGRAM
1
2
7
DURING THE
PROGRAM
8
4
5
AFTER THE
PROGRAM
3
9
6
Ranking: 1
2 to 5
6 to 9
=
=
=
Greatest impact on transfer of skills
Lesser impact on transfer of skills
Least impact on transfer of skills
Reviewing each factor in descending order of importance:
MANAGERS’ INVOLVEMENT PRIOR TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM
This is the most important factor. Managers can assist by:
• Reviewing the content of the program in order to satisfy themselves of its appropriateness
and by being able to discuss with trainees what they should expect from the program.
TRAINERS INVOLVEMENT BEFORE THE TRAINING PROGRAM
This is the second most important factor. Trainers can assist by:
• Ensuring that managers are briefed on the critical value of their role in facilitating the
transfer process
• Providing support, including materials, for managers to conduct pre-training briefing
sessions with participants.
42 Corporate Trends
3. Use video or computer based training
programs.
There are a number of programs
available that offer video and or
computer based training. The good ones
come with leaders guides, course notes
and work books.
Pros:
Can be highly effective if you get the
right program and stick to the guidelines. Usually less costly than hiring a
live trainer.
Cons:
Not as easy to implement as hiring an
outside trainer. May still be limited by
the quality of the course leader.
Footnote: I am personally involved in
an excellent program called TIPs.*
How to maximise your
training dollar investment
When people are bored they don’t learn
well. Balance the fun with solid content.
Properly brief the person presenting.
Get the managers involved in both the
pre and post training activity. I’ll send
you the Matrix with the detailed
information
Most managers are not skilled
trainers. If you continue to use them for
training, get them the best support you
can for their regular meetings.
Fortunately, there are some specific
strategies, which if adopted, can
significantly impact the effectiveness of
training. They are summarised in the
IBT TRAINING IMPACT MATRIX
opposite. Following these guidelines
will greatly increase your return on your
training dollars.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
* TIPs is The International Professionals
series. A monthly training program on
attitudes and skills. It features a selection of
outstanding Australian presenters on video,
CD ROM and audio. Anyone can present it.
Ongoing continuous improvement and
guaranteed results, delivered monthly.
IVEN FRANGI
You Can Lead a Horse
to Water — So What!
Good salespeople ask good questions. The kind of questions that you would
ask at a function when you first meet someone...
W
e all know the old saying
about horses, water and
drinking. That’s just the
trouble, it’s an old saying
and it needs updating.
When selling your products and services
today, just taking a potential client to your
water trough won’t get you a sale. Unless of
course you make them thirsty.
Here are some steps to get your clients
thirsty to do business with you:
Differentiate your benefits
I was walking past a car dealership recently,
when one particular car caught my eye.
It had all the smooth curves and lines of
the latest designs but there was a problem. I
couldn’t tell what type of car it was until I
found the maker’s badge.
The amount of choice in most products
and services today is wide and increasing.
Your ads, marketing, service and sales
people must clearly differentiate your best
benefits to your prospects so they can easily
recognise you and your company.
Good salespeople can’t
always sell anything
My first sales manager was not only a good
salesman, he was also a good manager. He
taught me all he knew and he was thorough.
The challenge was however, because our
individual personalities were different, we
sold very differently.
Passing on sales techniques back then,
was done the same way parents pass their
knowledge and experiences on to their
children. Consequently, the strengths and
weaknesses were carried from one
generation to the next.
Neil Rackham changed that.
How?
He and his team reviewed 35,000 sales
interviews and established by research and
observation, which factors were needed for
success in today’s situations.
The research showed that large and small
cost items, demand different approaches
and skills. ‘Constant closing’, isn’t effective
if you sell big ticket items but it can be if
you are selling low priced higher volume
products.
I couldn’t summarise all the findings here
so I strongly suggest you read SPIN Selling.
(McGraw Hill).
Determine the appropriate skills
Prescription without diagnosis is
malpractice. Before conducting Sales
Training Workshops it is essential that I help
my clients determine the appropriate skills
and approach for their particular market
and customers.
“I was so busy rehearsing my new
sales pitch, I forgot who I want to see”
And the Winner is…
The research highlighted (and it is now
incorporated into our sales training
workshops) that good salespeople will ask
good ‘preliminary’, questions. The kind of
questions that you would ask at a function
when you first meet someone.
“What do you do? How long have you
been doing it?”, etc. etc.
They then move on to the area of
opportunity and problem questions and they
do this quite well.
“Do you like what you do? What are the
challenges in your business”, etc.
AND THEN THEY STOP!
The next stage is the most critical and it is
often omitted entirely or overlooked.
Questions that explore effect
Simply put — the effect the challenge or
problem would have on the prospect.
The ramification of handling or not
handling the issues raised in the earlier
investigation stage. These are the, “What
would happen if…”, questions.
Why do they get missed by sales people?
Why do they go straight to presenting the
solution or product?
Two simple reasons:
Firstly, they (or you, until now) didn’t know
how important it is to ask questions that let
the prospect see and feel the outcome of
their situation with and without your help.
Secondly ( and this is probably the easiest
to understand), these questions raise the
tension level in an interview.
So, rather than raise tensions (which
needs to happen), salespeople go to where
they are most comfortable — describing
their products and services.
What to do
So, what can you do now that you know
about it? It’s time to do your own research.
Watch and see if only getting to the first
two questions is happening in your business.
(It will be unusual if it’s not happening and
you should celebrate if you don’t find it.)
When you see this happening, think about
what the impact is on your business and
what you could achieve if your sales effort
was aligned (by training), to install fully
researched strategies for success in selling.
Once you have determined the extent of
the symptoms, you need to carefully
prescribe the remedy. (If you need help in
the diagnosis, call me).
Your treatments include looking at your
sales culture, checking what your
successful competitors are doing,
communicating with your people to alert
them to what you find with your
observations and of course, training.
Invest some time here, the results are
more than worth the effort.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
Corporate Trends 43
IVAN FRANGI
Are Your Customers Suffering from
Sales Information Overload?
Renaming old sales techniques
and practices, won’t make them
work any better than they did
in the past…
n a recent interview on Channel 9 with
conservationist David Suzuki, the
interviewer observed that with his
world-wide schedule, email and the
internet, must have been extremely useful
tools. Amazingly, Suzuki responded that he
used neither!
Not surprisingly, with the e-world upon us
and Suzuki’s need to stay in touch, the
interviewer questioned his wisdom.
Suzuki’s reply was fascinating. He said
that he didn’t have a shortage of information
and he certainly didn’t need more.
He said that the majority of the
extra information available was
naturally interesting but not vital. I
could really relate to that, can you?
I
communications was progressing at the
University of Queensland.
Damien got very excited and animated
about the latest material he was studying and
in particular, a book he was reading. He
enthused about how relevant, useful and
pertinent it was to his understanding of the
marketplace today. Furthermore, he quoted
examples of how he had personally applied
these leading edge, interpersonal skills.
Knowing that Dennis was in the
communications business, Damien made a
point of recommending the book. It was,
“How To Win Friends and Influence
People”, by Dale Carnegie. He asked if
Dennis had ever heard of it?
To many of us, of course, this book has
long been a classic – and as useful today as
the day it was written, over 40 years ago.
the replacements are no better and
sometimes worse.
Need another new idea?
How many new ideas and practices have
you been exposed to recently? Have you
recently shifted a paradigm, re-engineered a
process, benchmarked a business practice,
shifted an internal mindset, given 360
degree feedback, upward feedback, checked
your Renaissance measures, balanced a
scorecard, managed a matrix, down-sized,
reorganised or negatively recruited?
Surfing the latest waves
As this shows, today what is being
witnessed is a propensity to ‘ride the latest
wave’, often by merely re-naming existing
practices. We are inspired by newness.
Eileen Shapiro encapsulates this in her
book,
‘Fadsurfing
in
the
Boardroom’. Sales training, for
instance, is looked at as, “A process
of relabelling the fundamentals of
good selling as the fundamentals of
inspirational salesmanship, in the
A classic example
hope that such re-labelling will
Recently, I observed an example of
make those techniques more easily
this oversupply of information. I
absorbed”. (This has been edited a
watched a comprehensive sales
little but you will get the drift…). As
pitch being made using charts,
the French say, Plus ca change, plus
graphics, illustrations and creativity.
ca la meme chose — the more
All questions were comprethings change, the more they stay
hensively answered. The prospect
the same!
said that he was very impressed but
With all the technology and
he still didn’t buy. When I later
‘change’ happening around us today,
asked why, he said he was
it is timely to remember that at the
overwhelmed with all the
core of our business and at the heart
information and options presented.
of selling, are people. Whilst
In short he was totally confused.
“Well, actually, we’re closed on weekends”.
constantly striving to improve,
When a sales presentation is
selling is about our customers and how our
This story shows that improvement is a
loaded with information that is interesting
new skills and processes – improved or
but not vital to the prospect, what is created
relative measure (pun intended!).
proven – are able to enhance our
There is a potential trap in seeking to
is unnecessary confusion – not opportunity.
relationships.
improve any area of business. When we try
Be brief not abrupt. Salespeople cannot
to improve anything, for example the sales
know too much but they can talk too much.
process or any other process, there is risk
A New Lesson?
involved. What if the supposed
No. The great writer of Genesis told the
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
improvement is not, in fact, an
story of the creation of the world in 442
Sales and Marketing. For further
improvement at all? It’s not the original
words – about seventy five percent of the
information please contact:
version that is reverted to but the revamped
words in this article!
Website: www.frangi.com
version, which is reworked yet again.
At a family function recently, a colleague of
Email: [email protected]
Result? Some of the fundamentally good
mine named Dennis, was asking his nephew
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
practices already in existence are lost and
Damien, about how his degree in
44 Corporate Trends
IVEN FRANGI
400BC, The Thunderbirds & Rumpole
Looking for the world's best sales
person? Look to 400 BC, the
Thunderbirds and Rumpole…
o what do ancient history, TV
puppets and courtroom dramas
have to do with selling? To
understand that, we need to do a
quick history check.
The first model for all these analogies
dates back to around 400BC. One man was
noted for his ability to win crowds to his
point of view in the face of fierce opposition.
He created opportunities that had not
existed, led people to decisions and more
importantly, to their own conclusions. His
name was, Socrates. Today, the method still
bears his name – the Socratic method.
It’s the method taught to professional
interviewers, like barristers and policemen
and women, to gain information. These
trained professionals can, by the skilful use
of questions, draw the listener to a new point
of view. Often, they use the listener’s own
position as the starting point.
Australian, Leo McKern, better known as
Rumpole of the Bailey, was a master of the
art. Cop shows like The Bill, often feature
detectives discovering what the suspect
knows through the use of skilful questioning.
S
The similarity to selling?
The best sales people take suspects and
question them, to see if there is any need to
proceed further to the prospect stage.
What stands in the way is the
Thunderbirds.
Do you remember the acknowledgement
that the little puppets (I loved Lady Penelope
and Parker in the Rolls) exchanged to
indicate that they understood an instruction
and would take action?
“Scott, take the pod from Thunderbird 3
with the mole to the rescue site.”
“F.A.B, father”. (If you don’t know what
“F.A.B” means – give me a call!)
Like many sales people, I was trained in
the Thunderbirds method:
F.A.B. is an well used acromym in sales
training. It stands for: Features, Advantages
and Benefits. This is where, in response to a
“buying signal” we would tell the customer:
A feature:
“This widget has titanium alloy”.
An advantage:
“Which gives it industrial strength” – and
A benefit:
“Which means you will only ever need one
for the rest of your life.”
Now, this still has a place in selling – the
right place. However, salespeople who
practice the first sin of selling – talking too
much – usually use it too early in the sale.
Socrates would argue that giving
information is fine, after the sales person
fully understands the issues the potential
customer sees as important.
This requires the skill of listening to be
practised. It is a skill because we can learn to
listen, unlike hearing – we either can or
can’t hear, it’s as simple as that.
Finding the customer’s issues
The obvious answer is to ask a question. A
good place to start is by asking an open
question. Interesting research from an
extensive study carried out by the Huthwaite
Institute, shows that an “open” question is a
“type” of question. However, the more
important aspect of effective questioning is
the “style” of question you use. By that I
mean the intent or direction of the question.
It can still be an open question but it’s not a
wasted question.
When seeking opportunities for your
products, you must first understand the
issues and the impact that those issues have
on the customer.
Here are a few example questions:
Open and Broad:
“What are the important issues facing your
business?”
To understand more:
“Tell me more about....” or “Which issue
would be most important?” or “Why would
you choose that one?”
Open and specific:
“Tell me more about that.”or “How is that
effecting things?”
Now, this is not revolutionary. This is basic
selling. Yet, I see sales people, experienced
people, who don’t go past the first level of
questioning to dig up importance and
relevance. This gets to the heart of the
prospect’s motivations.
Next steps
After all the questions are asked, to clarify
the issues and effects, it’s time to formulate
a solution. This becomes easier as you gain
more information and a full understanding
of the prospect’s motivation: “So, what you
see as important is…” or “Is that right?”
You will either get acceptance or need
clarification. Once you have completed the
questioning process and you are armed with
clarity and understanding, you can move on
to statements like:
“Based on what you’ve told me, I’d
recommend… (short explanation).” Link
your solution to the benefits and test it:
“How does that work for you?”
If agreement is given, move to the order.
If not, address the response with questions
to clarify the specifics and repeat the process
over again.
A proven method
The Socratic method is proven and it works.
You can ask for what you want if you know
how to ask the appropriate questions and use
effective language.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
Corporate Trends 45
IVAN FRANGI
Two Ways to Sell More in a Recession
“This is the best time ever for good sales people. There is more opportunity
now than there has been for the last five years and we plan to take
advantage of the current conditions. We intend to put all the expertise we
can gather into the marketplace.”
hat statement was not made in a
boom time or during a market
that was giddily growing with
every passing day. It is a
statement that was made now. Now, when
the market is tight and a number of people
and organisations are feeling the squeeze. It
was a declaration made by a client of mine
in the IT/computer market. As you would
know a market that is experiencing it’s share
of challenges and market pressures.
We researched previous tight market
conditions and arrived at a sales strategy that
we could use successfully to prosper in a
down market.
T
Two ways to get more business
A friend and I were discussing the new
Grollo building at Docklands in Melbourne.
It is billed as the world’s tallest building
(when finished). It got me thinking about
selling and growing your business.
Some sales people see the best way of
having the tallest building in town, as
tearing down any building taller than their
own. They do this in a sale by attacking their
competitor’s products. You know the style.
They make disparaging statements about the
quality, reliability, range or usefulness of
anyone else’s product. They call it “planting
seeds of doubt” . Sometimes effective as a
tactic but always damaging in the long run.
The second way
The second way to a bigger, taller building
is to build it that way from the start. The first
rule here is to never tear anyone else’s
down. A simple and proven method.
You and I do business with many people and
organisations. Why would we change?
Because we get to keep the benefits of what
we already have and add some other
benefits that we want and don’t have right
now. As a sales person, how do you find out
this vital information and take business from
your customers current supplier?
Ask your prospects this simple question:
(relate it to what you sell). For this example
let’s use a printing business: “What does
46 Corporate Trends
your current printer do well, in the way they
do business with you?”
The prospect will give you a list of what
they ALREADY have as benefits. They
may answer, they got to know me, they
deliver, the quality of the work is good, etc.
Of course, they will add, we get a good
price!
You now have a list of what this prospect
will not give up. Now we have one more
question. “What else could your current
supplier do differently or better?” That is the
short version of the question. You can flesh
it out a little. Keep it simple.
The prospect will usually start to tell you
Two questions that
will guarantee you
get extra business.
No, this is definitely
not a trick…!
about other areas that they would like and
are not getting. For example: they could be
quicker at returning phone calls, they could
deliver closer to the time they say they will
or I would like more advice about design
and layout.
So, what do you have?
A list of all the reasons that they could be
open to move to another supplier. It won’t
yet be you. You still have a sales job to do.
But what you do have is a clear set of criteria
to use when selling.
What about the old price issue?
Naturally, any sensible prospect won’t be
able to resist throwing “Lower prices” onto
their list. We will come back to that.
Now you have your list you use a standard
checking question and gain agreement.
“When looking at printing, your current
supplier got to know you, they deliver, the
quality of the work is good. You also want
quicker returning of phone calls, delivery
closer to the time agreed and more advice
about design and layout. In relation to what
you pay, you want to be sure that you are
getting real value for money.
If you could find a printer that did all of
those things, that would be the company you
would want to do business with, correct?”
Three points to make
The following three points sum up this
successful questioning technique.
1. The entire list of the prospects supplier
requirements has been put in one. This
means that you now have a sales format to
work with.
2. The issue of lower prices has been
rephrased, so that it now represents a
reasonable proposition to both. You
delivering a good product that is fairly
priced and the prospect knowing that they
have received value for what they paid. Try
using this when you are in a price
discussion.
3. You have helped the prospect clarify what
is important to them (in this case it’s print
supply. In your case it will be your product).
The statement, “If you could find a - your
product or service – that did all those things,
that is the company you would want to do
business with?” is a powerful one, because it
moves all potential suppliers to a new
starting point. A point where you have a
much greater opportunity!
There is more opportunity now for good
sales people because when the market
tightens up, we find out who can actually
sell and who were the ‘professional
visitors.’ Sales people who concentrate on
building a taller building by being better and
giving prospects and customers what they
want, will always prosper – no matter what
the prevailing market conditions.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
IVEN FRANGI
Confused in Paradise? Not Anymore!
Sitting on the back of an army truck going up a very steep road is not the
normal place you’d expect a sales lesson but it happened
Two related perspectives
Selling anything involves being aware of
two related perspectives. There’s always a
problem and a solution. Each has two ways
of being viewed - the customer's view and
the salesperson's view. So there are four
positions in total.
In business, when we have worked hard
to put together a process that we believe is
customer friendly, it can be a challenge to
constantly review it and look to improve it.
After all, before Carol's insight, Hamilton
Island had two tour desks, staffed by
excellent people who knew their products
well and were extremely service focused. It
still does.
becoming the – Buyers Assistant!
was at Hamilton Island, to speak at the
As a “customer” of Hamilton Island, Carol
Richardson & Wrench national
knew the challenge. She had experienced it
convention. On the Saturday evening
a ‘Safari’ had been organised to go to
personally. By putting together such a great
the top of the island, followed by a BBQ on
range of activities, the Island had actually
the beach. (If you ever go to Hamilton
created a potential problem – confusion of
Island, I would recommend it).
choice – especially for first timers.
Along the way, I asked one of the tour
team, Carol, what she did on the island. In
A typical dilemma
her brief reply, she demonstrated the total
Many businesses face this dilemma essence of selling and gathering business: “I
perhaps yours is one of them? You have
work at the tour desk,” she said. “Well, not
gathered or created a range of products and
actually at the desk. I found that I couldn't
services that you firmly believe give you a
The Win/Win/Win
help the clients much being behind the desk.”
real edge in the marketplace. To ensure that
Now because the customer's view of the
Carol explained that when she first came
your customers are fully served, your range
problem was recognised (and I suspect most
to the island, there was so much to do with
is comprehensive. Variations are available,
guests didn't even realise they had a
all the various activities like scuba diving,
to customise solutions when needed. You
“problem” or that they were “confused”),
golf, tennis, visiting the reef, seeing the
have worked hard to get it just right. Now
the service has been enhanced, resulting in a
other islands, go-karting and the like, that
you are wondering why more people are
genuine win/win/win.
she got confused.
notusing the entire range of your services.
Why the extra win?
What should she do first – then what, etc?
The customer wins
After she had been there
with
an enhanced
a couple of months and
experience.
The
participated in all the
business
wins
with
activities herself, she got
increased sales and
to
know
from
repeat business. And,
experience, just how
the staff member wins.
things worked.
Carol took her idea to
She said, “I thought
Simon
McGrath,
about it and decided that
Acting
GM
who
lots of people who come
approved
the
trial.
here for a holiday
Great
news
for
experience the same
initiative
and
team
confusion. It's different
involvement.
for the people who are
A lesson on selling from a tropical Paradise – the glorious Hamilton Island
returning and know what
to do. So, now I go and talk to the guests
The Essential Question
Footnote: Simon tells me that like any new
around the pool, on the beach or wherever
Start by asking yourself the essential
idea there was a fair degree of comments
and help them by asking what sort of
question: “What do people find difficult
like, “It works OK now, do we really need to
holiday they want. By letting them know
about doing business with me or my
do that?” Now, because of the great results,
my experiences, I can help them better plan
company?” This simple question led to
and positive guest feedback, he is
what they want to do.
Carol's wonderful insight.
considering starting a second of these
“Simple things like how long it takes to
She took into account the customers view
roving ‘fun ambassadors’. And Carol has
go somewhere, would children be OK and I
of the product - the range of activities. Then,
the satisfaction of knowing she has made a
also take my photos along to show them so
she took action to solve the problem - the
real contribution.
they can get a feel for how much fun they
confusion.
can have. If they only have a short holiday,
Results?
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
a day or two of being unsure of what to do,
A far better holiday for the visitor.
Sales and Marketing. For further
can be really costly.”
Outcome?
information please contact:
I love stories like this! Carol demonstrated
A delighted customer, and a resort selling
Website: www.frangi.com
the essential core of relationship selling –
more services and activities to people who
Email: [email protected]
the simple but effective practice of
now had a reason to want them.
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
I
Corporate Trends 47
IVAN FRANGI
How to Manage Sales so
Everyone Does Better…
With the headlong rush towards what is new and exciting in
technology and business tools, it is timely to ensure that we
remember what works and what doesn’t. It’s also very necessary to
create stability and certainty in sales and in your sales force.
ew is great. Everybody loves
new. New products, new
features, new ways to improve,
new ways to sell, new ways to
communicate and on it goes. But new can
also be challenging. With this in mind, here
are two practices that will always work,
every time, guaranteed. They are tried and
proven practices of master managers who
combine business savvy with good judgement about people.
N
Practice #1:
Get a simple song and sing it
at every opportunity.
The enemy of sales success is complication.
Unfortunately some organisations seem to
have vested interest in complication. They
create processes and procedures that slow
their ability to do business down to a crawl.
The same thing can happen with the
procedures that support the sales process.
Now, let’s understand that almost every
sales person who is ever asked about
systems and procedures will tell you that
there are just to many. As a group most sales
people like to fly freely and unfettered. The
challenge is managing so there is a
reasonable balance between freedom to
perform and the needed rigor of systems –
even when change is happening rapidly.
Lessons from the field
I have had the privilege of working with two
managers who showed how to handle
change and challenge and still create
market-leading results. George Lawson,
(former) GM Retail and Gary Walmsley,
(former) Senior Manager Sales at the Bank
of Melbourne (BML). As a partnership they
worked with clarity and simplicity as their
guides. BML had a market leading position
in the Victorian market. One of the strong
contributing factors was, George knew how
to select and sing a simple song – and have
everyone join in. There is no doubt that
48 Corporate Trends
banking is a complex business. George’s
gift was that he would choose a theme and
wherever he was, in meetings, with branch
staff, with the sales team, he would
champion it. “Customers First,” was one of
my favourites.
Can you imagine the turmoil and
challenge of keeping BML’s business and
staff operating effectively with customers
during the time that Westpac was rumoured
“Simplicity and
being direct.
In times of change
and newness, these
are the traditional
skills that stand
the test of time.”
to be (and then became) BML’s new owner?
The task was immense. As the dust settled
George sang a new song. “One bank. One
goal.” It was beautifully simple and
extremely effective.
Gary had the task of keeping the sales
force focussed and producing. Sales teams
survive and thrive on the feeling and spirit
that they engender amongst themselves and
their customers. The opportunity for
instability and a resulting crash was rife.
Gary sang George’s song and added a
special verse for his sales team. Nothing
complicated. Simple messages, simple
focus. In the months that followed the sales
team regained their position to again lead
the market with service and results.
Practice #2: Be Direct.
Everyone loves certainty.
Uncertainty can debilitate a sales team
quickly. e.g. Uncertainty about who the
manager will be, what the new bonus scales
are, waiting for the next product launch.
Certainty is a vital ingredient.
Now we know that it is not always
possible to be certain about what is
happening. The market is variable,
customers can change their thinking and
even government policy changes will
potentially affect some businesses. So what
can we be certain about?
The usual picture of a sales manager is of
the out front, over the battlements, lead the
charge kind of person. Peter Etherington, is
best described as a man of quiet confidence.
When he transferred to take over the team I
was a part of, naturally we checked him out
with the team he had just managed. The
response was a universal endorsement of his
skills and leadership.
Then I met him and was a little confused.
He was reserved, friendly, relatively quiet
and happy to take his own time to settle
and see the lay of the new land. Not
the leadership I was used to or I must
say, expected.
Over the next three months Peter
evaluated, observed, sought information,
asked questions and really sought to
understand his new environment and
people. He did all this very well. He then
displayed the reasons his previous team
were so sad to see him go.
One by one he asked each of the
managers reporting to him to come and see
him and go through his synopsis of the
picture he had pieced together.
One of Peter’s major skills is the ability to
be direct without being blunt. He was clear,
concise, open to feedback and willing to
share his opinion when he felt it was needed.
The major lesson from Peter was that as a
manager or as a communicator, when you
are direct and clear, it creates a feeling in the
people around you that they can depend
on what is being said and that is what
creates certainty.
Not certainty that we know what will
happen. Certainty in the knowledge that the
manager is self assured that whatever
happens, he has the skills to draw the team
together and move forward.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
IVEN FRANGI
The Sales Competence Trap
Many of today’s top business
managers make the mistake if
hiring for skills...
see organisations today that have a
major problem and they can’t see it
clearly. They focus on the bottom line
all the time and wonder why they are
not doing better. Many of them recruited
backwards. They have recruited people with
good skills and then they try
to train them to have great attitudes. That’s
doing it backwards.
“Recruit people with great attitudes and
then improve their skills. It’s easier for you.
People with great attitudes to their jobs will
push you to constantly train them. They are
hungry to be better. And, they stay hungry –
that’s who they are.”
So said Howard Putnam, the former CEO
of Southwest Airlines. A fascinating man
with a real ‘can do’ attitude. I learned a great
deal from him recently when I was lucky
enough to spend some time with him.
Howard ran one of the most famous and
most profitable airlines in the world. You
can feel the great attitude when you step on
the aircraft. It’s a rewarding experience to
fly with them.
On my first Southwest flight (I had to see
if the stories were true) I opened an
overhead locker to find a bubbly flight
attendant greeting me. It got my
attention! They have permission to have
fun (safety standards allowing). “There
may be fifty ways to leave your lover but
there are only four ways to leave this
aircraft!” Howard’s book, ‘The Winds
of Turbulence,’ is excellent, read it.
Great attitude shows. It’s also highly
profitable. More than anything else, people
with excellent attitudes create the
experience for the customer that
differentiates you from your competition.
I
The competency trap.
We are witnessing a needed shift to
competency based training. This has meant
measurable results in the way skills are
assessed in a job. I advocate “If you can
measure it – you can manage it.” (read this
edition on my web site*)
The trap is what Howard Putnam
described as, ‘skills over attitudes’. We’ve
all seen the brand new sales person going to
training and coming back all fired up with
enthusiasm and a limited product
knowledge. They go out selling and for a
couple of months they do very well. You
decide – is it the knowledge of the product
features and benefits? Is it their superior skill
that creates the results? It is definitely their
enthusiasm. When they start, they are fired
up with excitement. They can’t help it. It’s
contagious – and prospects get infected and
become customers.
People with excellent
attitudes create the
experience for the
customer that
differentiates you
from your competition
The four reasons
There are four reasons people don’t perform
in their jobs. Because we can measure
results more easily in sales teams, it’s easier
to spot with them. They are:
1. The person doesn’t know what to do.
2. The person doesn’t know how to do
the job.
3. The person doesn’t want to do the job.
4. The person can’t do the job.
What would you think would be the most
challenging reasons to manage and correct?
Let’s start by looking at the remedies for the
reasons one by one.
1. If they don’t know what to do – that’s
a communication challenge. Tell them
what needs to be done.
2. If they don’t know how to do the job
– that’s a training challenge. Teach them
the skills.
3. If they don’t want to do the job –
that’s a motivation challenge. They need
to feel a desire to do the job.
4. If they can’t do the job – that’s a
selection challenge. If they are unable to
do the job, you have probably selected the
wrong person.
The first two reasons are easily addressed.
Training and communication are areas that
you can manage and control. Reason four
can be painful to repair but it is manageable.
Reason three is the one that presents the
greatest challenge. It’s the attitude reason.
All the skills needed to do the job
are wasted if the desire to do the job
doesn’t exist.
They are most useful when reason four –
effective recruiting – has been addressed.
So, how do you get people with excellent
attitudes to work with you? Simple, check
for good attitudes when recruiting:
• Observe the phone manner. How was
the candidate on the phone when setting
up the interview? This will be how they
come across to your customers
• Ask the receptionist. They are usually
the first person to meet them. Did they
greet the receptionist warmly and treat
them with respect?
• Question their history. This is a reliable
guide to the future. Ask about client and
internal office situations. Check for
attitudes to others and solving problems
• Ask for ten references. Anyone can give
you their three friends. This will give you
a wide range. Ask for customers to check
with
• Finally, does this person enjoy what
they do? Fun is often underrated and
people who enjoy life are more
productive.
Last, and by no means least, check your
own attitudes towards your work and your
people. Like attracts like. Our attitude is
contagious, too. Balance competence with
attitude. As Howard Putnam said, recruit for
attitude and teach them the skills.
Iven Frangi is an expert who speaks on
Sales and Marketing. For further
information please contact:
Website: www.frangi.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9413 3055
Corporate Trends 49
Robyn Henderson
10 HOT ARTICLES TO GIVE YOU THE
LEADING NETWORKING EDGE
ROBYN HENDERSON
Global Networking Specialist Robyn Henderson has spoken in 10 countries, presents over 150 times each
year and has never advertised. All her work comes from networking, referrals and her website:
http://www.networkingtowin.com.au
She has authored 5 books:
• The Magic of Networking – 366 hot networking tips
• Be Seen, Get Known, Move Ahead – a beginners guide to self promotion
• How to Master Networking
• Are you the VIP in your Life?
• Networking for $uccess
She is a contributing author and joint publisher of the:
• American Bestseller – Masters of Networking
• Australian Released - Lessons in Leadership
Plus many audio and CD programs, videos, ebooks, home study programs, on line learning programs and
networking accessories.
Her career includes over 10 years as a professional speaker, 9 years in sales and telemarketing management
and 13 years in hospitality. Robyn also successfully ran women’s networks for 6 years in the early ‘90s.
Robyn was presented with the 1997 Speaker Award from the National Speakers Association of Australia in
November 1997 for her contribution to the speaking industry and is a CSP – Certified Speaking
Professional with the NSAA. This accrediation is shared by only 15 women in Australia and less than 150
women globally.
Robyn is a speaker who walks her talk and gets results!!
ROBYN HENDERSON
The Magic
of Networking…
Networking is the best way of increasing your business
and usually at little or no cost.
etworking accounts for
approximately 87% of
business in the market place
today. It is a word that is
bandied around in daily newspapers,
offices and boardrooms.
But how do you know if you are
networking effectively or if there is
room for improvement with your
networking style?
Networking is in fact a life skill, not
just something we do when we want
something from someone we know or
from a total stranger.
N
The two major keys
There are two main keys to successful
networking:
profession or industry. They do this
firstly, by constantly exceeding their
clients expectations.
Secondly, they believe in making the
pie bigger for everyone. With an
abundance mentality they are
encouraged to cross network with
competitors and regularly give referrals.
Their business card becomes their form
of introduction. “Hi, my name is
Robyn”, as they offer their card to you.
In the networking
world, it's not who
you know that counts
– it’s who knows you
• Give without expectation. Do things
for others. Not just to get something
back but rather to help that person
achieve their goals or solve their
problems.
• Have an abundance mentality.
Firmly believe that there is plenty of
opportunities
(business
and
personal) for everyone.
This is the basis of great networking.
Some die-hard salespeople from the
eighties - really struggle with giving
without expectation. Why should they
do something for someone when they
know there is ‘nothing in it for them?’
Networking is a non traditional style
of selling – in fact, it is not selling at all.
However, networking can generate
more business and career opportunities
than any advertising campaign could
ever hope to achieve.
Great networkers believe in lifting the
level of professionalism for their
Some people may find this a little pushy
or maybe even too bold for their
personality. However, how will
someone ever be able to make contact
with you if you don't give them that
initial information?
Great networkers listen
Great networkers are generally great
listeners. They believe in having quality
conversations not quantity. They don't
try to talk to everyone in a crowded
networking event. What's the point? The
conversations will be shallow, brief and
more than likely not memorable for
either party.
Quality conversations, on the other
hand, allow you to get to know a little
more about the other person, build
rapport and hopefully develop the
foundation of trust. And trust, is the glue
that keeps networking together.
People today want to do business with
people they know, like and trust.
Without trust, business rarely happens.
A suggestion to assist with
remembering who you have met and
differentiating them from all the
business cards in your top drawer is
quite simple.
Make notes on cards
After you meet a person and exchange
cards, you may like to make a note on
the back of their card. Include the date
and place where you met and
something that you remember about
them. Preferably something you spoke
about that was not work related. e.g.
golf, grandchildren, tennis.
Great networkers attend networking
events at least once a week wherever
possible. Rather than belong to a lot of
networks and go to each of them
occasionally, they belong to one or two
and attend regularly. In that way, they
become known as the ‘real estate
agent” or “financial planner” for that
group. It may take time to generate
business however, every time they
attend that group, they become more
well known and their reputation grows.
Tracking separate networks
You may start a separate business card
holder for each network that you belong
to. After attending each meeting and
exchanging business cards with a
variety of people (making the notes on
the back of their cards), you can then
place their cards in this specific holder.
Then, when you are returning to that
network, refresh your memory on who
the people are by glancing through your
specific holder.
In the networking world, it's not who
you know, it’s who knows you.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 51
ROBYN HENDERSON
Hot Tips for Attending
Networking Functions
If you are going to attend
networking functions, why not
make the most of the opportunity?
E
veryday there are an
unlimited
number
of
networking
breakfasts,
lunches, dinners, seminars,
workshops you can go to. Your budget
probably determines how many of these
you can afford to attend. More often
than not, your positive mindset
determines the outcomes in attending
these functions.
Many people arrive at these events
stressed, angry, basically not wanting to
be there. They do themselves a
disservice being there, because all they
will attract is negative people like
themselves. They are guaranteed to
have a miserable time. So how can you
maximise these opportunities?
Here are ten simple tips:
1. Decide why you want to attend.
What do you want to get out of this
event? Is there a specific person you
want to meet? Are you looking for a
certain service provider? Or are you
simply wanting to network with others
in your industry, to share the highs and
lows and keep up to date with what is
happening in the marketplace? The
clearer you are on why you are going,
the more chance you will have of
achieving your objective.
2. Decide on the logistics.
Do I have to block out time in my diary
the hour before the function starts, to
arrive on time? Will others you know be
going? What is the dress code? Will you
need to bring a change of clothes to
work on the day?
3. Take plenty of business cards.
A business card that clearly states your
name, what you do and your contact details
is imperative for effective networking.
In Singapore, business cards are
called ‘name cards’ and it is said your
card represent a summary of you.
Always treat other people’s business
52 Corporate Trends
cards with respect. Give your business
card to the person you are meeting as
part of your introduction, “Hi, I'm
Robyn Henderson, I'm a global
networking specialist.” That’s as much
as you should say about yourself, unless
they ask.
4. Have quality conversations
Have quality conversations rather than
quantity. If there are fifty people at the
event, don't expect to speak to all fifty.
Be content with a quality conversation
with five to seven people, who the next
day will look at your card and remember
you and what you spoke about. And
more importantly remember you the
next time they see you.
The best networkers are the best
listeners. Anyone will speak to you for
ten minutes if you are not speaking
Listen more than you
talk and you will be
surprised at the results
about yourself.
5. Take along a few ice-breakers
If you are a little nervous about what to
talk about, listen to the latest news or
talk back radio on your way to the
event, so that you have a couple of
interesting current topics to talk about.
The first 60 seconds of any
conversation with a complete stranger is
the hardest. If you have a question
prepared (e.g. what was the highlight of
your day/weekend) the conversation
will flow.
6. Don't fear pregnant pauses.
If there is a pause in the conversation,
that's okay. Don't feel that you have to
jump in and fill the gaps with trivia.
7. Avoid talking about work.
Eighty per cent of the population don't
get recognition on the job and don't
want to speak about their job at all.
Most people become very animated
when they speak about their interests
outside of work. Often, by revealing a
little about yourself, people feel more
comfortable sharing their experiences.
8. Always make eye contact.
Always make eye contact when you are
speaking to someone. Looking over
their shoulder for someone better to
speak to is not only insulting but very
foolish. You never know who knows
the person you are speaking to.
Take the focus off you, listen more
than you talk and you will be surprised
at the results.
9. Act like the host.
When you sit down with a table of
strangers, start the ball rolling by
suggesting that you all introduce
yourself—your name, the work you do,
why you have come to the event. On an
average table of ten, three people may
think you are pushy (that's okay), while
the other six people will be relieved that
you had the initiative to make it happen.
10. Finally—have fun.
Great networkers have a great time.
They know that by having quality
conversations with the people they meet
and keeping in touch, following up,
doing the things they say they will do,
they will build trust. The by product of
trust is - constantly build a strong and
effective network.
Remember, every best friend was a
perfect stranger at one time!
Will it be possible to have a shower
before I change clothes? For male and
female networkers, I would suggest you
keep a "refresher pack" at the office - it
may include toothpaste, toothbrush,
deodorant, after shave/perfume. The
fresher you feel, the more confident you
will look.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
ROBYN HENDERSON
Hot Tips for Attending
Seminars & Conferences
With the main conference season about to commence, here are
some timely tips to sharpen your networking skills
orporate organisations are
spending thousands of
dollars
every
year
attending national and
international conventions, seminars
and conferences. Could they be
missing out on valuable networking
opportunities at these events purely
through lack of planning?
Some of the most valuable
networking happens in the most
informal situations. So, be prepared!
Here are a few tips:
C
Prior to the conference:
1. Remember to take plenty of your
business cards. If you are running low
on cards, order more now, don’t be
caught short. Check with the organisers,
how many people are attending. Work
out how many people you assume you
will meet and have a quality
conversation with, the number of
exhibitors who may ask for your contact
details and then allow another ten cards
or so, for the unexpected.
2. Take a small pile of blank cards with
you. You will find a number of good
contacts who may have forgotten to take
their cards or have run out. Don’t miss
an opportunity to follow up with these
people. Give them one of your blank
cards to write their contact details, email
address, etc.
3. Include a highlight pen in your
conference pack. Use this to highlight
on your program the breakout sessions
you wish to attend, important starting
times, etc.
If you are fortunate enough to be
given a list of attendees, highlight those
you wish to make contact with. The
clearer you are on the outcomes you
want, the more chance you have of
achieving them.
4. If it is an international conference,
remember your camera. It is far easier to
have a photographic reminder of the
people you meet, sit with at dinner,
attend excursions with, etc., than
committing everything to memory.
It’s not what you
know, that counts,
it’s who knows
what you know!
When you do develop the photos,
have two for one prints made and send a
copy of the photo to the other delegates
you have met. Always include your
name and contact details(preferably on
a sticker) on the back of the photos and
date of the event. It is surprising how
often these photographs can help to
cement an international negotiation. Be
seen, get known, move ahead.
5. Remember to change your voice-mail
or pager message advising that you will
be unavailable for the length of the
conference. Leave an urgent venue
contact number for anything that is truly
urgent.
6. Take a brightly coloured action plan.
Aim to write action bullet points as they
come to you during the event. If you
don’t write them down, it is possible
you will forget them.
At the conference:
1. Where possible, arrive early for all
sessions. This will give you an
opportunity to plan where you will sit,
speak to other delegates prior to the
speakers commencing and meet more
people.If you arrive just in time, or late,
you will have little opportunity to
network other than to nod to the person
you eventually sit beside.
2. Select a well lit, central location that
will become a “meeting place” for
interesting people you meet, strangers
you want to get to know a little better
and a great spot for crowd watching.
When you meet new people, you may
suggest to them that they join you for a
coffee/drink at this meeting place at the
end of the session, prior to excursions,
etc. Often people wander around
aimlessly wishing they had the
opportunity to connect with others
during the down time/free time at the
conference. Basically, act like the host
and not the guest!
3. Attend as many of the social events
for the conference as possible. Some of
the best contacts you will make may
happen in the relaxed atmosphere of a
cocktail party or barbeque.
4. At conference meal times - aim to sit
with a different group at each sitting and
preferably people you don’t know.
Avoid sitting with people from your
own organisation at the meal times and
during the sessions. Catch up for a 10
minute debrief at the end of the day. . .
you have plenty of time to see them
back at the office. Move out of your
comfort zone.
And, finally, enjoy yourself and
remember to always follow up with the
people you meet.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 53
ROBYN HENDERSON
Networking Millennium Style…
Making Money for Your Clients
Business today goes to those service
providers who without questions
exceed their clients expectations…
eading edge organisations,
grow their clients businesses
at the same time as their own.
In the USA, they call it
‘revenue enhancement’. Basically it
means making money for your clients
as well as yourself. Let me assure you,
this is definitely non-traditional selling.
However, it has a powerful impact on
both your bottom line and your clients’.
So, how do you do it and more
importantly, why would you bother?
L
The why and how
The ‘why’ is very clear—client revenue
enhancement will enable you to stand
out from all your competitors and create
far greater loyalty than any price cut or
special deal ever will. Today, you don’t
have to be the cheapest. In fact you can
charge more for your services, because
you are in fact giving more. You are
giving referrals to your clients at no
extra charge—as well as providing your
normal exceptional service.
The ‘how’ is also relatively easy and
may just require a little lateral thinking
on your part. We all know that the key to
business growth is getting customers to
buy twice and in fact turning them into
a client and ultimately an advocate.
Look at your client base—be it 10
clients or 1000 clients—and, if you
haven’t already done so, grade them
into A, B and C clients depending on
frequency or volume of orders or
whatever your criteria may be. We are
wanting to clarify where is our business
coming from and what can we do to
ensure that we do not lose even one of
our major accounts.
We may then choose to work from the
top client right through to the bottom.
54 Corporate Trends
People often make the mistake of
dismissing small clients, not realising
that they may just be one of a number of
service providers for that company. But
if they were to gain a greater market
share of their business, they could
become one of their major accounts.
Next step, one by one, look at these
clients and ask the questions:
• How well do you really understand
their business (not yours)
• Do you have any idea of the sorts of
customers they are looking to do
business with?
The clearer you are on this one point,
the easier the revenue enhancement
becomes. If you’re unclear, why not
phone your key person and ask the
specific question: “Describe to me the
perfect customer for you”.
You may choose to explain that part
of your client retention program this
year will be your intention to refer
business to this client. Don’t be
surprised if they are taken aback with
your offer. Record their responses and
then start asking yourself the questions:
• Do I know anyone who fits this
description?
• Do I know anyone who knows
anyone who fits this description?
Maybe you don’t know anyone
today, however, you now know what
you are looking for. Repeat this process
for maybe 10 clients at a time. Without
doubt, you will find that you already
know people who are potential
prospects either in your client base or
your associates. Now it is a simple case
of connecting two people together.
When you do make the initial call,
ask the client to send you five of their
business cards. When they ask why,
explain that this will make it a lot easier
for you to refer business to them, if you
can just give their business card to the
potential prospect. You then create a
specific referral business card holder,
that would be portable, as well as an
electronic record.
Add your name
Most importantly, before you place
their business card in your referral
holder, write your name on the back of
their card—referred by John Jones.
You may decide to work on giving
referrals to just ten clients per month
and another ten the following month.
Energy follows thought—what we
think about in our lives, is what we
create for ourselves. If our intention is
to give referrals to our clients, we will
find that this happens. Basically, it’s as
simple as having their business card
available and giving it to a prospect at
an appropriate time. Linking people
with similar interests, potential business
objectives and opportunities is great fun
and very satisfying.
The by-product will be more business
and referrals for you and all it took was
a little of your time and a little lateral
thinking. And, always remember—
what you give out comes back ten fold!
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 54
ROBYN HENDERSON
What Do I Say, After I Say, “Hello”?
Mastering the gentle art of
conversation, can help you become
a much more effective networker.
T
here are lots of people out
there who have an absolute
terror of talking to strangers.
This fear however, is
generally totally unfounded.
Some arrive at a networking function
feeling a little nervous, because they
don’t know many of the people
attending. This often causes them to
leave their personality at the venue
doorstep. They are unable to start or
finish conversations and usually have a
miserable time. They leave, vowing
never to return and to avoid future
networking events at all costs.
Comfort zones
However, back in their comfort zone,
they can express opinions on just about
anything and rarely allow themselves to
feel intimidated by anything or anyone.
So, we may surmise that it is actually
our nerves and fear of meeting strangers
that sometimes gets the better of us at
these events. Therefore, to improve
your networking skills, it will help
dramatically if you work on improving
your conversation skills.
Think about some of the better
communicators in your networks —
what makes them different? Is it that
they do any or all of the following:
• listen to your answer
• allow you to finish your response
without interrupting
• make eye contact
• genuinely act as if they do care
about your answer
• somehow make you feel special
• follow up when they say they will
• offer helpful suggestions
• remember snippets of previous
conversations you may have had.
The one thing each of these great
communicators do, is make a heart to
heart connection with you.
This is not in a romantic sense. Rather
the listener focuses on you and the
conversation you are having together.
Whether there are one or five people in
the group, they are focussed on the
general conversation. They are not
distracted. They are “in the moment” or
“in the now”.
When we speak from our heads, we
often become flustered and nervous,
Good networkers usually have a
couple of open ended questions
prepared. Here are a few examples:
• What was the highlight of your
weekend/day/holiday?
• What tips would you give
someone, who has never
attended one of these events?
• I may already know someone
who could do business with
you, what would your ideal
client look like?
• What's your opinion on…?
• What's your favourite…?
restaurant, movie, sport, etc.
• Your… looks great, where did
you buy your…(jacket, tie, etc.)?
• What do you like most about
your…job, home, living in…?
stumbling over words. We are so
worried about what we are going to say
next or what a word means or whether
we are wearing the right clothes, etc.,
etc. With all this head stuff happening,
anyone having a conversation with us,
just thinks we are uninterested in their
answers and distracted.
When we make that heart to heart
connection, we listen actively to the
conversation. We don’t have to worry
about what we are going to say next,
because when we are listening, we
receive lots of cues for responses or
more questions. If we are quiet long
enough, we can even learn lots of things.
Think for a moment of the last time you
had a conversation with someone over
the phone and you knew, possibly by the
background noise or by their distracted
manner, that they were not listening to
you. Their mind was elsewhere — they
were definitely not in the “now”.
Then, think about a phone conversation with someone who was in the
now and listened actively and with a
focus. More often than not, the conversation was quality not quantity. You
both kept to the point, said what you had
to say, and agreed on an outcome.
Conversations at networking events
are no different to phone conversations,
we want to feel that the person we are
speaking to is in fact listening.
Effective networkers have a belief
system that every single person they
meet is incredibly interesting and has
much to contribute to any conversation.
Key to making connection
When you focus on that heart to heart
connection, once the conversation
starts, it generally flows. The key to
making the connection is basically you
are treating people the way you would
like to be treated yourself.
If you knew everyone in the room and
a stranger walked into the room, what
would they be hoping someone in the
room would do? Befriend them of
course, just as they would do if
positions were reversed.
So, the next time you see a person
standing alone and looking a little
nervous or out of place, talk to them.
Say, “Hi, my name is…, mind if I join
you?” Or, even better, catch their eye
and invite them to join your group.
If by chance you befriend someone
who does not want to join in your
conversation, that’s okay. At least you
extended the hand of friendship to them.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 55
ROBYN HENDERSON
9 Keys to Developing
Strategic Alliances
Strategic alliances can help you get the edge in today’s
competitive marketplace. But where do you start?
orming key relationships or
partnering with other businesses
could be the most important thing
you do to ensure your success,
however, the wrong decision could be a
recipe for disaster. To successfully develop
worthwhile strategic alliances, consider the
following eight keys points:
F
1. Select partners carefully
Make sure you attract like minded people
with similar values and ethics. Today there
are still many ‘cowboys’ in the marketplace.
People who ride into town, with lots of
fanfare, making lots of noise and hollow
promises. However, if you are looking for a
long term relationship with your clients,
don't network with the cowboys or you are
sure to have a stormy ride.
Look at your peers and competitors and
identifying those who think like you, run
their businesses along the same ethical lines
and basically have a good business name.
2. Be clear on outcomes
Be as specific as possible. Identify exactly:
• how big you want your connection to
grow
• the turnover you anticipate
• the number of hours you can commit to
the project
• any other commitments that may affect
your financial situation
• any fears you may have about the
business relationship
• identify exactly how many widgets you
want to produce, when and by whom
• how much you can afford to invest and
lose, should your partnership fail.
3. Never assume anything
Many business partnerships fail because of
poor communication. Some partners think
everything that needs to be discussed is
covered once the dollars are finalised but
this is far from reality. Clarify everything.
Put everything in writing as soon as possible
after your meetings. Take notes during the
56 Corporate Trends
meeting or have the meeting and minutes
recorded for you.
4. Set specific time lines
Many people agree in principal to
something and then find that due to prior
commitments or unexpected events, they
cannot honour their agreement.
By setting trial time frames, you can get
an idea of your partner’s management style,
their attention to detail and their investment
in the project.
5. Allow for exit clauses
Better to lose a partner in the early stages,
than lose your good name in the
marketplace. Sometimes the different styles
of
management
and
leadership
create disharmony.
Something that seemed like a small
annoyance may become a huge irritation
down the track. For example, you may form
a partnership with someone who always
runs at least forty minutes late for every
meeting. You on the other hand are always
ten minutes early.
You may initially laugh this habit away,
however, after a few months of being kept
waiting, you may not see the humour
anymore.
You may like to put in place a ‘trial time
frame’ e.g. ‘lets review this in 30 days and
see how we are travelling. If things are not
working out by then, we can dissolve the
partnership without any hard feelings’.
This one point will ensure a clean break if
one becomes required in the future.
6. Aim for the WIN-WIN
Brainstorm possible, best and worst case
scenarios regarding this strategic alliance.
What is the worst thing that can happen and
can you cope with that outcome? If you can,
then you have absolutely nothing to lose. If
you can't cope with that outcome, you may
like to review the situation or review the
guidelines.
7. Celebrate your successes
In life, some people are so busy doing,
doing, doing, that they forgot to stop and
smell the roses. To maintain your and your
partners motivation, it’s important to record
the milestones in your alliance: ie Your first
order or contract, your first payment in
excess of $X, etc. Acknowledge these wins
regularly. If you don't give yourself
recognition, why would you expect others to
give it to you?
8. Do your homework
Prepare your business plan, do a SWOT
analysis highlighting the positives and the
negatives of a joint alliance. Prepare all the
information that you consider your potential
partner would need to know before they
could comfortably make a decision about
forming an alliance with you.
9. Don’t be afraid to go for it
And finally, when you have selected your
partner to be, make the phone call, send the
fax, email, whatever the approach — make
contact. Remember, if you never ask the
question, the answer is always, no!
Ask for six minutes of their time. Talk
fast — let your passion and enthusiasm sell
your idea. After all, what’s the worst thing
that can happen — rejection? You can live
with that. Remember, they are not rejecting
you, they are rejecting your product, service
or a specific opportunity. Tomorrow, they
may change their mind or better still, they
may introduce you to a person they consider
to be your ideal strategic alliance partner.
If we have courage to face the challenge
and make our dreams, goals and targets
greater than our fears — we can have
whatever we want in life.
Dream big dreams…
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
ROBYN HENDERSON
Are You an Interesting Person?
Off the top of your head, you can probably list the names
of 20 people you consider to be interesting...
aybe you could fill a page
with names, if you really
gave it some thought. What
are
the
characteristics of interesting or charismatic people?
Is there any advantage in becoming more
interesting? From a networkers perspective,
the answer is a most resounding – yes!
We all know that people do business with
people they know, like and trust. Ask
yourself, would you want to spend time
with someone who you find interesting or
someone who bores you stupid?
The answer is obvious. An interesting
person attracts people to them and most
likely expends a lot less effort promoting
and selling their product or services or fasttracking their career.
Think about the last networking and/or
social function you attended. What people
do you recall having a conversation with?
More importantly, what do you remember
about those conversations?
Many interesting people basically repeat
little pieces of trivia – things they found
interesting and assume others will, too.
Basically they teach what they learn. This
doesn’t include gossip, of course, only good
news stories.
M
Gifted story-tellers
Interesting people are often gifted at telling
stories. Unfortunately, at social and
networking functions, you often have to
give a shortened version of an event and this
may take practice. We all know people who
can embellish a story and stretch the truth.
In the networking world, stretching the truth
is totally unnecessary and very often
backfires. More often than not, it’s a great
story just as it happened. It’s the storyteller
that makes the story come alive with
passion and enthusiasm.
If you are really serious about improving
your personal skills including your
communication or social skills, lets
consider story telling. Would you agree that
people recall stories, especially when they
are positive, entertaining and trigger
emotions – happy or sad. By the way, if
sadness has been triggered, the great
storyteller has a way of turning a negative
into a positive, even if it is just to state how
lucky we are at that moment.
So lets look at simple strategies that you
may consider introducing into your life to
become a more interesting person. ( The
basic reason for doing this would be for you
to have a more interesting life, more
fulfilment and a broader circle of friends.
Once trust is built, who knows how many of
those people may be interested in furthering
your career ).
Always be sincere and give without
“Life is what happens
to you while you are
making other plans.”
John Lennon
expectation. People can intuitively sense a
fraud a mile away. We all know those
people who are just being nice to you
because they want something. They are
rarely interesting – basically because they
are only interested in themselves and what
they can take, not in what they can give.
In today’s competitive marketplace, many
employees get caught up in the – work long
hours, go home, crash – work long hours,
go home, crash – cycle. When they do get
a day off, its all they can do to drag
themselves out of bed and many have to
really force themselves to go out and do
something remotely social. Life is like
exercise, once you are actually at the gym,
you feel great. It’s just getting there that
takes the effort.
Research your interests
The Internet has opened up the
information world. All we have to do is
know how to access that information.
Search engines make that incredibly easy
for us. In particular, you may like to visit
Ask Jeeves - www.aj.com. You will find that
Jeeves can answer just about any question
you can create, no matter how obscure – and
all in the space of nanoseconds.
I have an interest in taking photos of
sunsets and sunrises and as I travel, I get
to see many examples of nature’s
magnificence. One night, I collected a batch
of photos and was a little disappointed with
them. Other than doing a photography
course, I wondered if, “Ask Jeeves” might
have a suggestion for me. Sure enough,
after typing in a query, “where would I
learn to take better photos of sunrises and
sunsets”– I was directed to an article: ‘How
to take better photos of sunrises.’ I kid you
not! Ask Jeeves is definitely worth a visit.
Get focussed
Take a few moments now and write a list of
20 things that you would be interested in
doing if you had a month off and an
unlimited budget. Really let your
imagination take hold. Your list may
include some old hobbies, new interests,
maybe even more of what you are currently
doing.
Move out of your comfort
Zone
Many people sit back and wait for life to
happen — they wait a long time! Proactive
people are the ones who make life happen.
Attend a special course
So many people think that networking has
to be work related. In actual fact, some of
the best contacts you will make, will be in a
social or special interest situation.
Time poor people may be reluctant to
commit to long-term studies. However,
many colleges regularly have short-term
special interest courses to suit our restricted
availability. What a great way to network!
You are learning something new,
improving your skill, making new friends
and the by product is – you are becoming
more interesting.
John Lennon summed it up with his
quote: “Life is what happens while you are
making other plans.” Interesting people are
not born. You won’t find ‘interesting
person’ listed in the newspaper birth
notices. However, they are easy to spot at
networking functions. They are the ones
that everyone wants to be around.
Happy networking!
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 57
ROBYN HENDERSON
No Time to Network?
Are you one of the new time poor? Too much to do and so
little time to do it in? All the more reason to network…
A
s our diaries and Palm Pilots go
into overload and the days,
weeks and months seem to fly
past at an alarming rate – we
sometimes wonder just where we will find
time to network. Many small business
owner/operators and middle managers alike
constantly complain of not having a “life”
and are constantly in a time poor state. Yet
senior management continually stress the
need to bring business to the organisation
and the obvious way to do that is
networking. So, where do we fit networking
into our busy schedule? And more
importantly, why should we bother?
Firstly, lets look at how we can include
networking into our busy schedule. For this
exercise lets define networking functions as
internal or external (from our organisations)
events, cultural, social and/or sporting
functions. Straight away, we realise that
networking doesn’t just have to be about
business – some of the best networking
opportunities often take place in less formal
situations. Be it a football match, cricket
test, tennis game or school fete, networking
opportunities abound. And if we combine
networking with our social events, we will
certainly be saving time.
In the networking ladder of loyalty, we
can walk into a room full of strangers, not
knowing anyone. Through communication
– basically a combination of speaking and
listening – we build trust. The more we
communicate, the more trust we build and
the faster we move our relationship up the
networking ladder of loyalty from stranger
through to acquaintance through to friend.
Some people shy away from the use of
the word “friend” – concerned that they
either have enough friends already or more
“friends” mean more commitments.
On the contrary basically what we are
doing in building a network of friends is
creating communities full of open doors.
Open doors where we can pick up the
phone, send an email, offer information, ask
for help – knowing always that the help is
reciprocal. Knowing WHO to call, can save
us time, money and effort. Basically we are
connecting
like
minded
people,
communicating with friends and
acquaintances and cementing our blocks of
trust. In so doing, we form solid foundations
Some of the main reasons to network include:
• Find out what is happening in your marketplace, not just what the media reports. You
may be able to identify any future trends, movements of key players, new competitors or
hear of competitors who may have gone out of business or worse, won your key account.
• You have an opportunity to see where a person of your calibre, experience and integrity
actually fits in the marketplace. By meeting your peers, you can gauge, in the big picture
of your industry or profession, are you up there with the top ten or has your ranking
slipped since you lost that last account . If you are not in the top ten, what are those people
doing that you’re not doing.
• If you are a people person, you get to meet many interesting people and constantly learn
about new ideas and concepts. The more open your mind, the more interesting
conversations you will have.
• Energy is exchanged between people. Positive people re-energise other positive people.
Sometimes you’ve just had a bad day, when things have not gone to plan. Often attending
a networking function re-energises and revitalises your enthusiasm and love of life.
• Often you will run into current and past clients. There is much less pressure in a social
environment than making a telephone call or unannounced visit to a past client. You can
often find out informally just why you are not their main supplier now. Sometimes just
seeing you reminds them that they did want to make contact with you anyway.
• Every best friend you have was once a perfect stranger – if you make a new friend at
every function you attend, you are blessed and its usually a sign that you are great
company and an interesting person.
58 Corporate Trends
of networks and contacts and often become
known as a sphere of influence – someone
who knows a little bit about a lot of things
and a lot about one or two areas of our
expertise. We are reliable, professional and
great at both finding and accessing vital
information.
It is also helpful to remind ourselves of the
three keys to networking:
1. giving without expectations
Doing something for someone not to get
something back. Basically giving without
remembering and receiving without
forgetting.
2. An abundance mentality
The belief system that regardless of our
profession or location, there are plenty of
opportunities for everyone. We are generous
with sharing our information and
connections, without fearing scarcity or lack.
3. The law of reciprocity
Understanding the universal law of
reciprocity. This basically states that what
you give out comes back tenfold – if you
want referrals – start giving them to others.
Networking is a life-skill, rather than
something we just do when we want
something – which is where most people go
wrong. Whether it’s a phone call, an email,
a fax, thank you card, kind word to a fellow
worker or neighbour, its all part of
networking.
Based on the above definition and
examples, we can see that networking
actually goes way beyond attending
networking functions. This in itself is a great
time management bonus – fifteen minutes
per day, keeping in touch, following up and
being remembered positively, will add to
our networking profile.
Networking also fits into the income
building area of our business or career.
Income is generated by the service or
product we provide, income building is
where we plant the seeds to generate
possible interest in our product or service.
One thing is certain – if you aren’t
networking, you will never know just what
you are missing.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
ROBYN HENDERSON
Don’t Just Focus on the ‘Big Kahuna!’
Mastering the gentle art of conversation, can help you
avoid trade expo disasters and set sales records...
icture this scenario: You have
blown your budget on your trade
display, had thousands of
brochures printed, updated your
website, have a full compliment of staff in
attendance and on day two, you still haven’t
taken your first order! What is happening –
or rather is not happening?
Many sales people would love potential
buyers to wear signs saying “My name is
John Smith and I am in the market for one
of your $50,000 widgits – be nice to me and
you may get the order.” Or “I’m married to
the head of the company you are trying to
secure a contract from. If you treat me as the
intelligent person I am, rather than ignoring
me as you are doing now, I may introduce
you to my partner.” Or “I am the company
scout – I am checking out all the stands
today, before the big boss arrives tomorrow.
If you keep patronising me today, you will
not see my boss and the decision maker
tomorrow – I will make sure of it!”
That would be really simple for everyone
and then, all we would have to do is be able
to read. Sure, when you read the name badge
of the potential customer, interpret whatever
code the organisers are using (be it colour or
symbol), we could then only speak to those
that we perceive to be important.
How foolish that would be…
P
It’s not what you know
Remember, it’s not what you know but who
knows what you know.
No one is a nobody. Yes, their name badge
may have a lesser code than someone else
however, who do they know and why are
they looking at your stand? Certainly not for
something to do to fill in their day. We are all
so time poor today, that sometimes we just
don’t realise how important it is to take the
time to have a conversation with everyone
we come into contact with – whether they
look like buyers or not!
Pick up The Big Kahuna, movie with
Danny De Vito and Kevin Spacey when you
next visit your favourite video store. It
brings home well and truly the, “no one is a
nobody.” The Big Kahuna’s – (the No. 1
buyers) – often deliberately avoid drawing
attention to themselves.
Think about some of the better
communicators in your networks – what
makes them different? Is it that they do any
or all of the following:
• Listen to your answer
• Allow you to finish your response
without interrupting
• Make eye contact (unless it is culturally
unacceptable)
• Genuinely act as though they do care
about your answer
• Somehow make you feel special
• Follow up when they say they will
• Offer helpful suggestions
• Remember snippets of previous
conversations you may have had that
may be relevant to the current situation.
Communicate today,
build trust and most
of all, have fun – the
orders will follow!
The heart to heart connection
Not surprisingly, most good sales people
also do all of the above.
The one thing that great communicators and
sales people do is make a heart to heart
connection with you.
This is not in a romantic sense. Rather the
listener focuses on you and the conversation
you are having together. Whether there are
one or five people in the group, they are
focused on the general conversation. They
are not distracted. They are “in the moment”
or “in the now”. They are listening with their
heart as well as their ears.
When we speak from our heads, we often
become flustered and nervous, stumbling
over words. We are so worried about
missing the next “important” person that
comes onto the stand and we mentally try to
weigh up whether this current person is
buying or not. Meanwhile we have lost two
potential customers, the one we are speaking
to and the one who came onto the stand,
overheard your distracted conversation and
made a decision not to come back.
When we make a heart to heart connection,
we listen actively to the conversation. We
don’t have to worry about what we are going
to say next, because when we are listening.
We also receive lots of cues for responses or
more questions. And, if we are quiet long
enough, we can even learn lots of things.
Trade show tips
Start treating people the way you would like
to be treated. Ask open ended questions that
start with who, what, how, when, where, why
and allow the person to expand on what is
possibly one of the most important things in
their life – their business.
Good exhibitors usually have a couple of
open ended questions prepared. Questions
that they feel comfortable asking and
answering. Here are a few examples:
• Tell me about your business, what type
of customers do you have?
• How many businesses in your area, sell
the same products as you?
• Throughout the exhibition, what product
has caught your eye so far?
• What, specifically, did you come to the
trade show for?
• What size is your showroom?
• What sort of effect has the internet and
e-business had on your outlet?
• What has been the highlight of your day?
Rather than constantly looking for the sale,
look for a quality conversation. No one
wants to be treated like a dollar sign!
However, quality conversations build trust
and from trust comes business opportunities.
The quickest way to turn a prospect into an
advocate, is to make a heart to heart
connection. Focus on the person in front of
you, not those walking down the aisles,
those you think you may miss.
They will come back to you again and
again – you see, good communicators are
hard to find. Communicate today, build trust,
and most of all, have fun and the orders will
follow. Why not try it and see for yourself?
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 59
ROBYN HENDERSON
B2B – Beyond Business
Cards to Actual Business
The number one reason many people don’t convert business cards
into business is – they never follow up!
ffective systems make or break
good
networkers.
Master
networking goes way beyond
just giving out business cards.
Granted this is one of the first steps in
actually making new contacts – but
returning to your office with 15 business
cards after attending a Chamber of
Commerce meeting, is totally useless unless
you do something with them.
Consider the cost, door to door, for you to
attend this event. Calculate the number of
hours from when you left your office or
home to the actual time you returned. Yes,
you may have only been at the function for
two hours but door to door may in fact be
closer to four or five hours. Now, consider
your charge out rate for five hours – almost
a full day. Include the cost of your ticket and
any parking charges and you have now
come up with the actual cost for attending
that event.
Conservatively lets say that your charge
out rate is $100 per hour, the parking
another $25 and the cost to attend say $75.
The total is now $600. Then if we allow
another hour for follow up after the event,
(be it sending information or just recording
the contacts), we are now looking at an
investment of $700. And if your charge out
is more than $100 per hour – well you do the
maths. For the self employed person this
equates to a considerable cost. For the
employed, it’s another cost to be absorbed
by your employer. No wonder they expect
results!
So, it’s important we get more value out
of attending networking events. Here are
some tips to help you do that:
E
1. Prepare before the event.
What outcomes are you wanting ? Who
would you like to meet? If you meet the
ideal prospect, have you remembered your
business cards. At least one third of people
attending networking events for the sole
purpose of doing business – forget to bring
their business cards!
2. Change your focus
Rather than thinking you stop work and
60 Corporate Trends
then go to the networking event – consider
the networking event is in fact an extension
of your workday – you are just changing
locations. Conversely, if you were attending
a breakfast function, you in fact started work
at 7 a.m. today. With a work focus at this
event, your priorities will be quite different.
Basically you are building trust
through communication. If you don’t talk
to people, you cannot build trust and rapport
with them.
3. Become a connector
At networking functions – practice linking
people together. Asking questions like,
“What were you hoping to achieve from
tonight’s function?” or “Did you have a
specific objective for attending tonight?”
Get people talking about why they are
there and then, if possible, connect them
with the people they are looking for or if that
is not possible, at least someone who may
know someone. This is a really valuable
skill to master and in this information age
when information is currency, your role as a
connector becomes invaluable – during and
post any event.
4. Don’t over-commit.
If you commit to forward information post
event, don’t over-commit. Be honest, if you
have a full schedule that week, indicate that
it may be 4-5 days before you can forward
the information and check if that is okay.
Most people are quite okay with this. It’s
when you say you will do something and
don’t do it that you can lose credibility.
5. Develop a post event system
This may include having a specific business
cards holder for that network, where you
place all the cards from the people you meet
at this event. Prior to putting them in the
folder, make a note on the back of the card
with the date and place you met the person
and something you remember about them –
ideally something they are interested in
outside of work. Prior to going to the next
event at that network, you browse through
the cards to remind yourself who you met.
You may also enter the contact details from
the card of key prospects in your electronic
database and make a note to reconnect with
them in 30 to 45 days time. Remember you
are building trust and earning the right to
gain business, as well as aiming to
be remembered positively – without
being pushy.
6. Pass it on
One of the easy ways of making contact
with people post event, is to send them a
copy of an invitation to another event they
may be interested in attending. An email or
fax: “Hi Joe, enjoyed our conversation at
the Chamber of Commerce, here is the
invitation I mentioned. Hope to connect
with you again.” Another may be sending
an article that is relevant to the person’s
business or profession. You may in fact
collect a file full of these and forward them
on as required. For your reference,
www.corporatetrends.com.au has a large
selection of appropriate articles on a variety
of business subjects.
7. Send an electronic postcard.
Visit www.networkingtowin.com.au and
click on send a postcard. You will find a
variety of designs that are different, easy to
send and download quickly. The key point
is that you follow up – otherwise that $700
investment of time, money and effort has
gone down the drain.
If you see attending networking events as a
three part process, preparation before you
go, connecting with people at the function
and most importantly follow up after the
event, you will really start to see reward for
your effort. Always remember small but
significant help can be extremely powerful
and memorable.
Happy networking!
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
ROBYN HENDERSON
Stop Sabotaging — Start Networking!
You’re attending the business networks, handing out the business cards,
following up within 48 hours of exchanging cards and still NOTHING.
Could it be that your language is sabotaging your results? Not me – you
say! If you are not getting results from your networking, your self
sabotaging behaviours may be one of the reasons…
hen we are new to an
industry, profession, city,
country or network, our
language is one way we
often sabotage our networking success.
Just because we have only worked with a
firm for three months in this new senior
role, does not mean that the five years
with another firm is dismissed – unless
we are the ones dismissing it or not
bothering to mention it at all. People will
not value you, unless you give them
something to value.
In the same vein, we have launched our
small business six months ago with great
fanfare. Since then, we have been battling
to make ends meet and we just seem to be
going nowhere fast. However, every time
we introduce ourselves, our voice
quavers and our credibility is often lost
instantly. We may have been in our own
small business only six months, however,
we have had fifteen years in the industry.
We were, in fact, so good at our work, we
were continually headhunted by other
companies wanting our expertise.
So, why is it so hard to talk ourselves
up today and possibly attract new clients?
W
The critical 30 seconds
Whatever your position, surveys show we
have less than 30 seconds to really make
an impression. Sure, we can look good
(we can buy flattering clothes), we can
make all the right moves but if our
language is letting us down, we are going
to have to network ten times as hard as
someone who values their worth. That
means, you will have to talk to nine more
people than a confident person! And,
quite frankly, if you are into self
sabotaging language, its highly unlikely
you will speak to nine people all night!
What follows are some examples of
introductions from what appeared to be
(initially) well dressed, professionals, whom
I may have considered doing business
with. (or at least introducing
to someone in my network, who
may have been interested in doing
business with them) and ways I feel they
could be improved. My thought responses
are in brackets after their comments,
followed by a possible introduction (in
italics) that does not diminish the ability of
the person and can, in fact, further the
conversation. Finally, there’s my possible
response to the new introduction.
If you want to stop
sabotaging yourself,
remove the following
negative words from
your vocabulary:
but, no worries, can’t,
won’t, might, try, just a…
Alternative: I’m a graphic designer, I
specialise
in
corporate
logos,
advertisements, website, anything that
corporates need to make them look good
as well as be memorable. I work for
myself now, after 15 years in the industry
and find that I can now give clients that one
on one service that is missing in the
marketplace today.
Comments: One on one – that’s what I
need! Someone who understands me, quick
get his card…
And this, from a fearless but sabotaging
25 year old, who allowed themselves to be
intimidated by someone ten years older than
them!
Introduction: I’m just a graduate with
DDD, they don’t let me near any clients yet,
just put me in the back room to do all the
support stuff. I’m really good at what I do
though. I topped my class at uni.
(If you were that good, they would let you
out in the marketplace! I don’t think so…
back in the box. I won’t follow up with this
one – not experienced enough yet…
Alternative: I work with DDD, they
headhunted me as I topped my class at uni.
They realise that even though I am only 25,
I have a lot to offer the organisation and the
client base. We specialise in creating…
Comments: Wow – what a bright young
person! She will really go far – good on her!
It’s great to see a 25 year old with that much
confidence. I must connect her with a few of
the movers and shakers here tonight.
Introduction: I’m just a junior partner.
(Well sounds like I had better wait until I
meet the senior partner, before I give my
business to your firm.)
Alternative: I’m a junior partner with
XYZ – we are true innovators in the areas of
bbb and aaa. You may have seen our firm
written up in last Thursday’s Financial
Review?
Comments: This person really sounds
like they know what they are doing – I
wonder if he has room for another client?)
If you feel you may have been guilty of
sabotaging yourself through your negative
introductions, start practising today. Even
if you have to write out your introduction
and repeat it again and again, until it rolls
off your tongue.
You will be surprised how easily people
will respond to you, when you start to
value your own worth. Because the bottom
line is always this: if you don’t value
yourself, how can you expect anyone else
to value you?
Happy networking!
Introduction: I’ve just started my small
business. I’m, um, a designer, a graphic
designer but I am finding it really tough to
get things happening.…
(Sounds a bit too vague to me, not sure
what he does, can’t be any good or he
would be busy! I think I will steer clear
for now – let someone else find out if he’s
good or not).
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 61
ROBYN HENDERSON
Can you make the
TOUGH DECISIONS?
It’s okay to make a mistake. Successful networkers make lots of
mistakes — that’s what makes them successful!
eing able to make a decision
quickly and comfortably is one
of the keys to great leadership
and effective networking.
Picture yourself at a networking business
function, having a conversation with
someone whom you consider to be, “well
connected”. You are spontaneously invited
to attend a social sailing day, with only a
limited number of people invited on board.
If you are a confident decision maker,
you possibly asked a few key questions, e.g.
time of departure and expected return time,
would it matter that you weren’t a yachtie
and really ranked yourself as a beginner?
(Note: its better to under promise and over
deliver than vice versa).
Based on those key points, you probably
accepted or declined on the spot.
B
Or did you hesitate?
If decision making does not come easily to
you, you probably asked a few questions
and then had a major or minor stress attack
trying to decide whether to go or not. In the
end, you may have asked if you could get
back to them in 24 hours. Too late,
unfortunately, the boat was filled before the
function ended.
Another missed opportunity for you. Who
knows what great opportunities may have
come your way on board that boat or who
you may have met?
When the need arises to make a quick
decision always consider: what’s the worst
thing that can happen? Once this is
identified, then ask yourself: can I cope with
that? If you can, then go for it — if not, it
may be best to decline.
In the yachting scenario, the worst thing
that could have happened , may have been
that you had to re-schedule a meeting so you
could attend and there’s always the
possibility that you will make a fool of
yourself on the boat. Big deal! You will
never become good at networking (or
sailing or management for that matter) if
you are not prepared to make a few mistakes
along the way.
62 Corporate Trends
Is FEAR your problem?
At times FEAR is the thing that stops us
from making a decision. You may recall
times when fear has frozen you in your
tracks. (Remember, the acronym for FEAR
is False Evidence Appearing Real).
Fears that regularly occur for some people
include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fear of making a mistake
Fear of failing
Fear of looking or feeling stupid
Fear of rejection
Fear of losing friends
Fear of not being liked.
the above fears can actually manifest into
headaches, pain, stress or a multitude of
physical ailments. However, if we look at
the real reason these symptoms appear, it is
often started by an imagined fear, similar to
those listed above.
The more we stay in the moment and stop
the endless chatter in our heads, the more
clarity we have around decision making.
With networking opportunities, not only act
like the host rather than the guest but also
think like the host.
If you asked people to a special event and
they all declined without explaining, how
would you feel? Clear communication is
always appreciated, even if at times it
means you have to swallow your pride.
With the sailing invitation above, what if
you were actually brave enough to thank the
host for their invitation and explain that you
have never been sailing before and may feel
you would let the team down. The host
would certainly appreciate your honesty.
Making the big decisions
With large decision making, I have found
the following to be useful:
These fears are usually totally unfounded.
Maybe you’re a worrier?
Worriers often worry about things that may
never happen. What a waste of energy!
This is not to dismiss these fears, because
at the time they are incredibly real. Any of
1. State the problem or situation
What is the obvious problem or what are
people implying the problem is?
2. State the facts
From a total outsiders point of view, what
TAKE THE CHAINS OFF YOUR BRAINS!
A change of environment can often stimulate creative decision making. It may only be a
quick walk to the cafeteria or local sandwich shop to buy a snack,. That change of
physiology and mindset might just give you and your cluttered mind, that breathe of fresh
air and ideas you need.
If you have time, arrange a brainstorming session with a few like minded people but
preferably people who are not in your industry. Industry specialist often have clouded
vision, because this is the way we have always done it. Someone either from another age
group, different background, totally different industry or nationality, can bring their own
experiences to assist with your tough decisions.
IT'S OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND
If you realise you are on the wrong track, it won't matter how far down the track you go,
it will still be the wrong track. It may be better to admit your error and cut your losses.
A brave person, prepared to admit their mistake might say, “In light of the new
information, I've changed my mind”. A fearful person unwilling to admit a mistake
because of the possible repercussions, may just ignore the problem hoping it will just go
away. Unfortunately, that rarely happens.
Another very simple decision making tip is to take a couple of minutes focussing on
deep breathing from your tummy rather than your chest. In the same way that meditation
slows your thoughts down, deep breathing will have a similar effect.
And if all else fails, have a good nights sleep.
ROBYN HENDERSON
are the actual facts? Don’t deal in unknowns
or worst case scenarios.
3. State the real problem
Based on the facts, is it necessary to restate
the problem or situation? (ie: With the
yachting invitation, was it just that the
invitee had not been sailing before and was
afraid of making a fool of themselves?)
4. List the options — both outrageous and
mainstream. An outrageous option would
have been that the person take a crash
course in sailing before the appointed date
and pretend they were a seasoned yachtie!
A mainstream option may have been to
make a phone call the next day, saying that
you are not a competent sailor and did not
want to hold the others back on the day and
seek the okay to attend on that basis.
5. Pick the best option
Pick the option with the best outcome based
on the facts you have at hand at the time.
And make sure it’s a real problem. Often the
problem we think we have to fix is not the
real problem.
Remember, it’s okay to make a mistake.
Time will tell whether it was a right or
wrong decision.
If you do make a mistake — that’s okay.
Things are rarely irreversible and from
every mistake, you will learn how to do it
next time and of course, how not to do it.
Good communication is a must when you
are faced with a tough decision. Often
asking a number of direct questions, can
help you find the real problems.
These questions may include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
How could we improve…
What would happen if…
How many ways could we…
Is this what you meant?
Wouldn’t it be fun if we could…
Who else has a suggestion…?
“Actually, I like meeting people, it’s just
that they don’t like meeting me…”
Author, Sergio Bambaren, tells us, “Most of
us are not prepared to overcome our failures
and because of this, we are not able to fulfil
our gifts. It is easy to stand for something
that does not carry a risk”.
Don’t be held back in your career and
your personal life by fear of making
decisions. Networking is about taking risks.
And making mistakes, feeling stupid at
times, constantly moving out of your
comfort zone and making choices.
This quotation from Henry C. Link sums
it up well: “While one person hesitates
because he feels inferior, the other is busy
making mistakes and becoming superior”. Why not give it a try?
May your decisions always be wise ones
and your networking lots of fun.
Global Networking Specialist, Robyn
Henderson is an international business
educator and author. For daily networking
tips and more articles visit her website:
Website: www.networkingtowin.com.au
Fax: 02 9369.1053
Email: [email protected]
As an international business educator,
Robyn Henderson runs a variety of programs:
•
•
•
•
•
Customised keynote, half and full day networking programs
Customised networking game – a must to maximise your convention
networking opportunities
Strategic alliance formation one on one coaching for senior and
executive management.
Consulting for maximising sponsorship and networking opportunities
from major events
One on one coaching for "rising stars" – staff earmarked for future
managerial positions
CUSTOMISED WRITING
Robyn is also available for targeted writing for:
In-house magazines, newsletters and e-zines
Customised e-books on industry specific networking
Customised networking books for large corporations, multi-level
marketing and direct selling organizations.
•
•
•
FOR ALL YOUR NETWORKING NEEDS
CONTACT : ROBYN HENDERSON
Phone: 02 9369.1025 Fax 02 9369.105
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.networkingtowin.com.au
http://www.robynhenderson.com.au
To download your complimentary 63
page e-book NETWORKING FOR
$UCCESS, visit:
http://www.networkingtowin.com.au/success/
Max Hitchins
In 1995/96 Max was elected to the position of National
President of National Speakers Association of Australia.
In 1997 Max was selected by NSA America to receive the
International Ambassador's Award for outstanding
achievement and service to the speaking industry (Only the
third time in 25 years had it been awarded).
In 1998 he was selected by NSA Australia for the
associations highest honour -The Nevin Award.
In 1999 Sharing Ideas Magazine, after conducting a poll of
speakers bureau's around the world, selected Max as the
World's Consummate Speaker of the Year. The only other non
American ever to receive this prestigious award was Dame
Margaret Thatcher the ex Prime Minister of England.
In 2000 Max He was elected as World President/Chair of the
InternationalFederation of Professional Speakers
Hospitality and Tourism's Management and Marketing Expert
Max is an expert who speaks. In Australia Max is known as the Hospitality Doctor. In Asia they call
him the Hospitality Magician and in America he is called the Wizard from OZ. Max is renowned for
his ability to create business 'out of thin air.'
He is a 'hands on' business man who owns and operates very successful hotels and taverns in
Australia. Audiences confirm their successes using Max's innovative marketing ideas on his website
www.HospitalityDoctor.com. He is the author of nine books including Hands On Hospitality; The
Hospitality Jungle; 365 Marketing Ideas for the Hospitality Industry; Zebra Marketing and
Hospitality Scams.
American Internet guru Terry Brock, on his web site www.terrybrock.com, describes Max as an
Internet marketing genius. He tells how "This Aussie is teaching Americans how to market their
businesses on the Internet. He's even found a way to sell draught beer over the Net!" Max's Internet
site welcomes in excess of 100,000 visitors per year.
"Swim with the Sharks" author Harvey Mackay described Max as one of the most incredible
marketers he had encountered. In 2002 Max was invited as one of the speakers to share the platform
with George Bush Snr at the world's largest hospitality convention in Chicago.
The #1 Hotel in the world - The Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai - invited Max to share the nine
principles from his book - The Hospitality Jungle - in a session with their management staff. Since
then these principles have been adapted and adopted in the training of the hoted's 1500 staff.
In this E-book Max shares a variety of thoughts, ideas, skills which lead to self improvement. Max
subscribes to quote by Canadian Ian Percy "Life is a buffet...not a sit down meal. No one is going
to serve you. You've got to walk up to the table and fill your own plate."
MAX HITCHINS
Four Secrets for
Creative Thinking
Call it thinking outside of the square or creative thinking but
what you think is what you become
C
reative thinking can give
you the winning edge
needed to succeed in
business. And like most
things in life, the more you do it, the
better at it you become. But first, it
helps if you learn a few of the ‘secrets’
of powerful, creative thinking:
Secret #1
The first 20 minutes of our day, we are
in the ‘alpha’ state of consciousness.
Awake but not fully awake. During this
period, we are at our highest level of
learning receptivity. Set yourself up for
the day during this time, by focussing
only on positive and creative things.
Secret #2
During my first twenty waking
minutes, I continually ask
myself, “If I were on trial today
for being creative, what would
the prosecution use as
evidence?” I repeat this over
and over. I use it to motivate
myself to think creatively, which
is often referred to as thinking
‘outside the square’.
Secret #3
I also remind myself of the ‘4T’
Principle. This principle simply states:
Take Time To Think—creatively!
Does this work? I believe it does.
I like to think I'm a ‘practical’ creative
marketer. Practical, because all the
marketing ideas I talk about have already
been tested in one of our businesses.
We operate a speaking business as well
as a hotel broking business. However,
the place where we conduct most of our
marketing experiments, is our pub in the
Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The pub is
called Billy The Pigs - the friendliest pub
in town. Billy's is a perfect venue to test
everything.
Perhaps the most successful
marketing we do is via our database. We
believe this is the way of the future.
Particularly, because it enables small
business to combat big business. We
keep in constant contact with our
customers with our birthday club gift
vouchers, our newsletters and our Billy's
Post Cards.
One of ‘Billy’s bucks’
We also print our own money—Billy's
Bucks! And we have a Billy's sponsored
Melbourne Cup Book titled, Fact, Fiction
and Fables of the Melbourne Cup.
Secret #4
The Internet is going to change
everything it touches and it will touch
almost everything. It offers incredible
marketing opportunities.
Our Billy The Pig's website
(www.billythepigs.com.au) and Hitchins
Marketing website (www.hitchins.com.au)
have welcomed in excess of 200,000
visitors!
Perhaps the best idea we market to the
world, via the Internet, is personalised
wine labels. We are able to personalise a
single bottle of wine and make it a super
special and high impact gift. We can
scan any photograph sent to us onto the
label. We then add your message.
It really has a ‘knock your socks off’
effect on the person receiving it.
I continually use the idea to say ‘thank
you’. Every time I do a media interview,
I always say thanks by sending this very
personal gift.
I sent one to Bert Newton, for having
me as a guest on Good Morning
Australia. I'm told the bottle has pride of
place in Bert's dressing room .
The gift makes me 'memorable'.
Message ‘on’ a bottle
We have real estate companies using the
idea now. They give the wine bottle to
clients with a picture of their new house
on the label. On the bottle the message
says—Congratulations Bill and Joan
Smith on the purchase of your new
house at 10 Jones Road, Dural.
Discreetly on the bottom, is the name
of the salesman and the company.
Imagine what happens when Bill and
Joan's friends visit the new house. The
conversation would always include,
“And look what our Real Estate agent
gave us!”
As I mentioned, we also
operate a hotel broking
company. Recently, we sold a
$3,000,000 hotel for a client.
We gave him a personalised
wine bottle three years ago
when he won a senior's golf
tournament. He told us the
empty bottle is still sitting on
his living room shelf and this
prompted him to call us.
From our hotel in Bondi Junction,
we’ve had orders from as far away as
Ireland, Hanoi and Jamaica! How
would we ever market to these places
without the Internet?
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 65
MAX HITCHINS
Too old to learn
about the Internet?
f you think this, may I remind you
what Walt Disney once said, “In
this volatile business of ours, we
can ill afford to rest on our laurels
or even to pause in retrospect. Times
and conditions change so rapidly that
we must keep our aim constantly on the
future.”
In the Boston Globe on the 16th of
January, 1999, John Ellis finished an indepth article about the changes wrought
by the Internet with: “The Internet
changes everything it touches, and it
will touch almost everything.”
My business focus is the Hospitality
Industry. Do you think the Internet will
effect our industry? You’d better believe
it. Perhaps this is why J Willard Marriott
was recently quoted as saying “Any
senior hotel executive who cannot
‘imagine’ the future will not be around
to enjoy it.”
Let me ask you again: “Do you think
you are too old to learn about the
Internet?”
I
The best time to start
The best time to plant a tree was twenty
years ago. The second best time is
TODAY.
The best time to get into computers
was when Bill Gates did. (By the way,
did you know if Bill Gates decided to
transfer all his money from Redmond in
Washington State to Sydney, it would
need 246 Jumbo Jets to do it?) Perhaps,
the best time to begin using the Internet
was in 1991 (prior to 1991 incidentally,
it was illegal to buy and sell on the
Internet!) Certainly the second best time
is NOW, TODAY, IMMEDIATELY.
Are you selling products on the
Internet? Internet sales are exploding.
American Internet Sales jumped from
$2.3 billion in 1997 to $5 billion in
1998. IRC (the Internet Research
Company) indicate Internet usage will
rocket to 147 million users in 1999. This
66 Corporate Trends
is larger than the entire
population of Japan.
The Net has seemingly
limitless potential. There is
gold in them thar computers!
Are you getting your share?
Selling on the Net is simple—but
it’s not easy. Earning the right to do
business with customers first is
essential.
We have two sites. One for our pub:
www.billythepigs.com.au And, would
you believe we recently sold draft beer
to Ireland? Here's how it happened:
Tom Fennelly, a Dubliner, emailed
me telling that his daughter and friends
frequented our pub, Billy the Pigs at
Bondi Junction. He’d found us on the
Net and asked if he could send $150 to
us by credit card to be ‘put on the bar’
for his daughter's birthday. Naturally,
we were delighted to fulfil his request.
We then thought this was such a good
idea we should tell our 4000 Billy The
Pig's club members about it. Since then,
we have been inundated with E-mails
from mums and dads wanting to ‘shout’
their kids a drink in our pub. We offer to
take pictures of them and post the
pictures on the Internet so family and
friends can see them at Billy's.
Start your own E-zine
Our
second
website
is
www.HospitalityDoctor.com This site
markets me to my target audience—the
Hospitality Industry. Each week, we
email out to thousands of people around
the world, Dr Max's Hospitality
Industry Secrets, Tips, Tonics,
Remedies, Scams and Medicines.
Under the heading of ‘Secrets’ we
wrote: Here is a Convention
Opportunity: In the year 2000 Microsoft
will celebrate it's 25th Anniversary.
Microsoft, one of the world's largest
companies, (their founder now being
listed as the world's richest man), only
began in 1975.
Wow, what a
great potential
database of people
who would be willing
to celebrate 25 years of
incredible
growth
and
achievement.
Useful tips and ideas
Under the heading of ‘Tips’ we wrote:
Has this ever happened to you? You
visited a city hoping to do business with
a new client. During the meeting, with
your prospective new client, you were
asked for the telephone number of your
hotel. You scrambled for it and
bemoaned the fact you did not write it
down. You looked unprofessional.
Or….you visited a foreign city and,
unable to speak the language, and you
could not communicate the address of
your hotel to the cab driver.
While on a recent speaking
engagement in Hong Kong, I stayed at
the Shangri-la Hotel. In my room I
found calling cards on my desk. The
cards simply read (in Chinese and in
English) “My address in Hong Kong
is….” On the card was printed the
address, telephone and fax numbers of
the Shangri-la Hotel. I thought, what a
useful, effective and memorable idea.
Our E-mails build credibility. We
have earned the right to do business.
Because of this, we sell our Hospitality
Industry books and products to many
countries. And, as a speaker, the
Internet brings me engagements from
around the world.
Too old to learn? NEVER!
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
MAX HITCHINS
All Things Being Equal…
A
ll things being equal,
people will buy from a
friend. All things being not
quite so equal, people will
still buy from a friend…so
make friends!
That’s what Mark McCormack said in
his book, “What they don’t teach you at
Harvard Business School.”
In my latest book — The Hospitality
Jungle — we introduce the readers to
the Panda Principle, which is all about
the skills required to make friends.
We give examples of how leaders
from history have achieved undying
loyalty from their followers, their
friends. We focus on the skills required
to develop great teamwork. We discuss
the difference in men’s and women’s
buying habits and we give you some
tips on how to handle the customer from
hell!
We sum up by using the adage:
“Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.”
A football legend
Which bring me to writing about
someone I never really cared for,
someone I never really liked. I refer to
the Rugby League footballer Wally
Lewis. The reason I didn’t like him was
very simple. Most of the time he played
for the opposing state team,
Queensland. Each year, he would bring
his team of marauding maroons to
Sydney and usually beat the pants off
my New South Wales team. That was
good enough reason for me not to like
him. Of course, when Wally played for
Australia against England, ahhhhh, then
it was different. Then I loved him. The
way he bamboozled the Brits was a
sight to see.
The story of Mathew
However, there was a nine year old boy,
in the northern New South Wales city of
Tamworth, who was much smarter than
me. He was able to put aside State
prejudices and give credit to Wally for
what he was — a football genius. The
boy’s name was Matthew Devins.
Wally was his hero. Wally was his
‘king’ of Australian football. Tragically,
Matthew was dying of leukemia.
Come with me a moment, in your
imagination. Be with me on the day
when Matthew opened the front door of
his home to Wally Lewis. The story of
Matthew’s illness had been related to
Wally and on a promotional tour to
Tamworth, he scheduled a visit to
Matthew. The two sat and talked about
football for several hours. WOW! Can
you imagine how young Matthew
must have felt?
Come with me again, a month later,
when Wally invited Matthew to join his
family at Dreamworld on Queensland’s
Gold Coast. Be there, in your
imagination, watching Matthew and
Wally’s kids, Mitchell and Lincoln,
speeding around the dodgem car circuit.
Hear Lincoln, when Matthew smashed
into him, say, “Matthew, give yourself
an
uppercut!”
(Our
Aussie
colloquialism jokingly meaning “You
had better smarten up!”)
Come with me again, soon after the
Dreamworld experience, to the funeral
of Matthew Devins. See Matthew, lying
in the tiny coffin, wearing the ‘No 6’
football jersey worn by his hero Wally
Lewis in the State of Origin matches.
See the coffin draped in the colours of
the Queensland team.
During the last few days of his life,
Matthew asked his Dad to give a
message to the Lewis’ kids. He
suggested Mitchell should keep
practicing on his computer...and
Lincoln should, “Give himself an
uppercut.”
Now, I don’t know how much Wally
Lewis knows but I do know how much
he cares. And that now makes him very
special in my eyes.
The Hospitality Jungle
But let’s revisit the Hospitality Jungle.
As well as the Panda Principle, there are
eight other principles. These are:
The Elephant Principle to improve
your memory for names and faces.
The Spider Principle to show you
how to build you an Internet work of
clients.
The Zebra Principle to improve your
sales and marketing skills and help you
‘stand out’ from the herd.
The Hog Principle which suggests
we all have to ‘go through the mud’ but
we don’t have to stay there. We
demonstrate how to set goals and
targets to get ‘out of the mud’.
The Lion Principle introduces skills
to help you to become ‘King’ of your
work.
The Owl Principle is about improving
your observing, listening and thinking
skills.
The Kangaroo Principle helps you to
realise that failures need not be fatal. It
gives examples of the famous who have
failed and tells how they bounced back.
And finally, the Jackass Principle
tells that nothing will ‘happen’ for you
unless you get off your jackass!
Learn these principles and be
prepared to work hard. Then, you can
sit back and laugh at the world — just
like a Jackass!
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 67
MAX HITCHINS
Thanks for the Memory…
Have you ever forgotten someone’s
name less than three seconds after
you have been introduced?
an your memory or brain be
that bad?
Can you
remember the name of one
of your teachers in primary
school? You probably can. So, even
though you may not have thought of
that teacher for years, the name
automatically came to you. How can
that happen, if you can’t remember a
name three seconds after you’ve been
introduced?
Well, there’s no need to worry
because, although we’ve not met, my
diagnosis is there is nothing wrong with
your brain. It’s your attention span that
needs some adjustment. Let me share a
couple of secrets with you:
C
Secret #1
The first secret of a good memory for
names is ‘Attention’. Attention to a
subject depends upon your motivation
and interest in the subject. Let me give
you an example: Can you recall at
school, when you saw a girl or a guy, for
the first time, who was an absolute
‘knockout?’ I’ll bet you turned immediately to the closest person and said,
“What’s his/her name?” Your motivation and interest
was aroused. Now,
years later, you can
probably still remember the name of
that ‘knockout’ you
were interested in.
So, the most
important thing, if
you
want
to
improve
your
memory for names,
is to change your attitude to the people
you are meeting. You have to really
want to remember their names. If you
want to remember you can.
In the hospitality industry, we realise the
importance of remembering names. I
suspect the same thing applies in your
68 Corporate Trends
business, too. Are you interested in your
clients? Are you interested enough to try
to remember their names? If the answer
is “No”, please, stop reading and go to
another article. If your answer is “Yes”,
please read on…
Secret #2: Practice
Once you start your quest to improve
your memory, it’s important to realise
you will still fail, still forget. Don’t give
up! A good memory for names is an
acquired skill and one that takes time,
effort and commitment. So, the second
secret is the need for practice, practice
and more practice. Golfers like Tiger
Woods and Greg Norman, are the
leaders of the world in their chosen
profession. Getting to the top did not
just happen. Getting there required
patience, persistence and practice.
Getting there meant many failures and
many bad shots. Getting there meant not
giving up when they hit those bad shots
and made mistakes. But they had a fire
inside them to be the best in the world.
You can light that same fire inside you
to give you a burning desire to
remember names—if you want to strike
the match. It’s really up to you!
Sure, Greg and Tiger still hit
occasional bad shots, just as you or I
will forget names or faces. But having
that burning desire inside striving to
improve, to keep trying, to practice and
never give up, keeps them (and will
keep you) at the top of the tree.
Secret #3: Persistence
In 1923, Calvin Coolidge became the
thirtieth President of the United States.
He was not a spectacular president.
However, he was known for his
integrity and efficiency. Perhaps that is
reflected in this statement of his, on
persistence:
“Nothing in the world can take the
place of persistence. Talent will not; for
the world is full of talented,
unsuccessful people. Genius will not;
for unrewarded genius is almost a
proverb. Education will not; for the
world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and dedication alone are
omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’
always has and always will, solve the
problems of the human race”.
The elephant principle
In my latest book, ‘The Hospitality
Jungle’, under the heading of the
Elephant Principle, I have identified
seven secrets to improving your
memory for names.
These are just three
of them. As well, we
cover
how
to
remember faces;
how to connect
names to faces; how
to
remember
unusual names; how
to
remember
shopping lists; how to remember
speeches and many more memory skills
to help develop professionalism.
I will be covering these in future
editions of Corporate Trends but if you
can't wait, may I suggest you look for
the book in any good book store or
contact my office at the number below.
P.S. Don’t forget!
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
MAX HITCHINS
You CAN Remember!
Developing a good memory, is a skill you can learn. It’s
simply a matter of Patience, Persistence and Practice!
n the last issue of Corporate
Trends, I wrote about the first two
of my seven secrets to remember
names and connecting them to
faces. Hopefully, if you read the article
you will remember they were Attention
and Practice.
I
Secret #3 — Organisation
The third secret lies in organising your
mind in a systematic manner.
Imagine what your room would look
like, if when you took your clothes off
each evening, you just kept throwing
everything onto the floor. Obviously, it’s
best if you want to find things easily, to
organise your clothes. If you hang things
up or pack them in drawers, they are
easier to find when you need them.
You can use this same principle to
organise your mind. You
need to give your mind some
drawers in which to store
things and easily access
them. Your mind also needs
to have pegs or hangers. You
need these drawers and pegs
or hangers to help you
remember where things are
stored.
Remember the
ELEPHANT
Here is a prop to help you. You can use
this today. I call it my Elephant
acronym. (Elephants are reputed to have
good memories!) When you meet
somebody today, force yourself to
concentrate. Then use this prompt and
your imagination, to draw some mental
pictures using the word e-l-e-p-h-a-n-t.
E
yes…see them with a name sign on
each one
isten…carefully, concentrate and
hear the name
ars…see them with a name sign on
each one
L
E
Please…ask your new acquaintance to
repeat and spell their name
air…see their hair on fire and a fire
hose with their name on it
ssociate…their name with a friend or
an associate’s name
ose…see a sign with their name
attached to their nose
eeth…see their name written across
their front teeth.
H
A
N
T
Now, you don’t necessarily have to go
through the complete acronym. Try to
get into the habit of ‘really
concentrating’ on the person you are
meeting. Focus on using say, just two of
the above. Perhaps visualising the
person’s hair on fire and a fire hose
draped across their head
with their name on it and a
name sign on their eyes.
Again, I cannot over
emphasise the importance
of patience, persistence
and practice. Don’t give
in…you can do it!
Secret #4 —
Association and
Visualisation
Association
and
visualisation are the key factors in
developing a better memory for
surnames. Let me explain by way of an
example. I recently met a man named
Ron Nevins. I went through my
Elephant acronym to help me remember
the name Ron. Then I associated Ron’s
surname with that of my good friend
John Nevin, the founder of the National
Speakers Association of Australia. John
is an outstanding keynote speaker. So, I
visualised Ron Nevins and myself
sitting in huge hall, on our own,
listening to a lecture given by
John Nevin.
You may be thinking, “But isn’t that
confusing?” Next time I see Ron, I
might call him John? Well, the answer
seems to lie in that magnificent
computer on our shoulders.It seems to
com-partmentalise (or put into drawers)
the information and give it back to us in
the
correct
sequence. The
main factor is
your concentration
and
desire
to
remember the
name of your
new
contact.
That
and
Patience,
Persistence and
Practice!
Try, Try, Try again
Don’t be concerned if it doesn’t work
the first time. (I’ll bet you fell over many
times before you learned to walk or ride
a bike!) Persist and you will find
yourself on the picturesque road to
improving your memory.
At least, try it. If you try it and it fails,
are you any worse off?
In my latest book, ‘The Hospitality
Jungle’, under the heading of the
Elephant Principle, as well as the seven
secrets to remembering names and
connecting them to faces, we also cover
remembering
shopping
lists,
remembering speeches and many more
memory skills to help you develop your
professionalism.
Footnote: We will discuss other memory
secrets in future editions of Corporate
Trends. However, if you can’t wait and
must have the book now, may I suggest
you look for it in any good book store or
order it from our office or our website
listed below.
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 69
MAX HITCHINS
The #1 Business Skill –
Remembering Names…
Dale Carnegie said, “The most important sound in the
English language is the sound of your own name!”
hat was over 50 years ago and
nothing has changed. Napoleon
Bonaparte’s ability to command
loyalty from his troops has been
credited to his dedication to
memorising the names and personal details
of many of his officers. I suggest to you, it is
this skill that most impresses clients today.
In earlier editions of Corporate Trends,
we intro-duced you to the seven secrets for
improving your memory. So far we have
focussed on the first four
secrets.
You may remember the first
secret was ‘Attention’. The
second secret was ‘Practice’.
The
third
secret
was
‘Organisation’ and the fourth
secret was ‘Association and
Visualisation’.
T
The fifth secret
The focus of the fifth secret is
remembering names and
particularly unusual names.
How do you remember unusual names?
Again, association and visualisation
together with size, movement and a bit of
imaginative thinking is the answer.
As an exercise, look at your local
telephone book and select some unusual
names to try and remember. I’m doing it
now. I’ve selected the names Mr Drakovic,
Mrs Hahandsiu and Mr Koenman. How
would you remember these names?
To help me remember and recall these
names here is what I’d do. I’d visualise Mr
Drakovik (pronounced Drako-vic) wearing an oversize
Dracula mask and holding up
his two fingers in a V for
victory sign.
For
Mrs
Hahandsiu
( p r o n o u n c e d
Ha-hand-so) I’d visualise her
standing in front of me
laughing uproariously, (ha,
ha) with one hand holding
her stomach and the other
hand waving a huge sewing (so) needle.
For Mr Koenman (pronounced Kone70 Corporate Trends
man), I simply see him with a huge ice
cream cone on top of his head and running
towards me carrying an enormous sign that
says, “I’m the cone man.”
Sound kind of silly?
These visuals prompt me to remember Mr
Drakovic, Mrs Hahandsiu and Mr
Koenman. Stupid, ridiculous- , did I hear
you say? Try this then: Seriously try to make
these same outlandish associations.
Visualise them in your mind. Now, forget
about this article for twentyfour hours. Before opening
your copy of Corporate
Trends tomorrow, see if you
can
remember
your
outlandish associations.
Remember to practice,
practice and practice.
Telephone books are really
good to sharpen your
association and visualisation
skills with names.
The names I have trouble
with are the easy ones. Names
like Smith, Jones, Cameron
and Walker. I have developed
a strategy for this problem.
Whenever I hear Smith I
associate it with the trade of a
blacksmith and I visualise the
person pulling metal out of a
hot furnace and shaping it
with a hammer. I associate all
Jones’ with the biblical story
of Jonah and the Whale. For Cameron, I
associate with an oversized
camera. For Walker, I see the
person being pushed around in
a baby walker.
Developing a good memory
takes practice. But then again,
developing any skill requires
practice.
I still forget names. But I’m
better than I was and I’m not
giving up, I want to keep
getting better and better!
When all else fails, you might want to try
this last resort tactic, “What is your name
again?” And then, with either their given
name or their surname, you say knowingly,
“Oh yes, I knew that but what is your
surname/first name?”
Although I personally don’t like this
tactic, anything is better than the age-old
admission of failure — using words like,
mate, pal, darling, love or the like.
Honesty is the best policy
I believe honesty is the best policy and that
it is far better to say something like, “People
and names are important to me. May I ask
your name again?” Even if you have asked
the person's name several times before, you
will find they are far more impressed with
you for making the effort.
Let me use an analogy to explain how the
other person will feel: Imagine going to a
function, with twenty other people, to meet
your favourite celebrity. You would not
expect the celebrity to remember everyone's
name at the function but you would
certainly be impressed if he or she
remembered your name. But if, during the
function, the celebrity said to you, “People
and names are important to me, may I ask
your name again? How would you feel? I
suggest you would feel very important. And
you would probably become an even greater
fan than before.
Tom Hopkins is said to be the world’s
most successful real estate sales trainer. His
message is not to be concerned when you
receive rejection to your cold
canvassing.
Whenever I fail to
remember a name, I recall
one of his great quotes:
“Don’t judge me by the
number of times I fail but by
the number of times I
succeed; and the number of
times I succeed is in direct
proportion to the number of
times I fail but keep trying.”
I guarantee, if you try to
master the above skills, your memory will
improve. I’m not saying you will always
remember everybody but I ask you — if you
try these ideas and they fail, are you any
worse off?
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
MAX HITCHINS
Those Magic Olympic Moments…
Have you ever been somewhere – seen a potentially wonderful photo – and
wished you had your camera with you? Have you ever been in a room with
a celebrity and wished you had your camera with you? Have you ever been
standing behind a crowd of TALL PEOPLE and missed getting the photo
you so desperately wanted to take…?
n international celebrity was
attending a function here at
the Sydney Olympics. As you
would expect, he was
surrounded by a zillion professional and
amateur photographers. As the celebrity
drove off in his stretch limo, he noticed a
small boy with a camera who had just
managed to push his way through the legs
of all the TALL adults. The boy
had tears in his eyes as he realised
he had missed his once in a lifetime
‘photo opportunity’.
The
celebrity
saw
the
disappointment on the boy’s face
and ordered the driver to stop
(even though they were running
late). The driver reversed the limo.
The celebrity alighted and went
over to the boy. He asked for the
camera and then asked a bystander
to take a photograph of him and the
boy. You know, Mohammed Ali
really is a knockout!
A
Olympic Moments
The above story was one of my
Olympic Moments that I sent out to
international friends and clients
around the world. I stumbled onto the idea
and it has turned out to be one of the best
marketing ideas I’ve ever used. It began
when I fully realised the potential of the
Olympics as a communication tool. So, I
wrote the following email letter:
Hello… (I personalised the letter with
their name using a mail merge in ACT)
As the Sydney Olympics are about to
begin I wanted to bring a few selected
international friends some special Olympic
moments. I guess you are going to see a lot
of my country, Australia and my home city
of Sydney on your television sets over the
next few weeks.
I’m hoping my short emails will provide
you with stories you can share with your
friends and proudly say, “My Aussie pal
Max, is keeping me in touch with the ‘inside
information’ about the Sydney Olympics.”
With one day to go I was very proud to hear
about this radio research:
The radio station, Today FM, set up a
supposedly lost American tourist, complete
with a map and a small Stars and Stripes
flag, wandering around various parts of
Sydney. The research was to find out how
long it would take before a friendly
Sydneysider would offer to help the ‘tourist’.
In ten locations around Sydney, they found
that the average time was less than sixty
seconds. As the Olympics are being
promoted worldwide as The Friendly
Games, I’m very proud of my fellow Aussies.
I hope this might prompt you to come and
try out our Aussie Hospitality… soon!
Sincerely
Your Aussie Mate
Max Hitchins
Another of the Moments:
The last time I seriously swam 100 metres
(two laps of the pool) I was timed at 72.2
seconds. This effectively means I’d be just
finishing my first lap as Pieter van den
Hoogenband and Ian Thorpe were finished
their second. Not fast!
On Wednesday the swimmer who won the
hearts of the entire audience and was given
a standing ovation at the Sydney Olympic
swimming stadium, swam the same distance
in 112.72 seconds! He was the ‘wildcard’
entrant, Eric Moussambani, from the tiny
African nation Equatorial Guinea. He only
learned to swim nine months ago. He was
forced to swim alone in his race because the
two other wild card entrants, Karim Bare
from Nigeria and Farkhood Oripov from
Tajikistan, broke at the start and were
disqualified.
Eric swims with his head out of the water.
Which is not all that surprising. You see,
Eric trains in the snake and crocodile
infested rivers near his home in inland
Molobu. I understand his trainer follows
Eric in a boat with a shotgun… just
in case! (Betcha you’d swim with
your head out, too!)
“How did Eric get to the Games,”
I hear you asking. Well, the world
international swimming body FINA,
permits some countries to enter
competitors in the interest of
universality.
On Thursday the makers of the
new and controversial shark skin
swim suit (that supposedly can
shave a few hundredths of a second
off your time) presented Eric with
his own brand new, especially fitted
swim suit. He was photographed in
it and I’m sure you’d have to operate
on him to remove his huge toothy
smile. Hmmm… What was my time?
72.2… wonder if a shark skin suit might get
me to Athens in 2004?
And here’s the best part…
Space doesn’t permit me to tell you all the
results and feedback I’ve had from these
Olympic Moments. But perhaps the best
thing that has happened to me so far is, I
have been invited to Athens for the 2004
Olympics to write the ‘Moments’ from
there!
WOW!
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 71
MAX HITCHINS
The Power of Words…
“The sky weeps because you are leaving us were the beautiful words
used by my new friend Areef, as he bade me farewell from the
paradise that is the Rangali Hilton Hotel in the Maldives, in the
Indian Ocean…
I
had been there to do several seminars
for the Island Chief of Rangali Island,
Tom McLoughlan. The three of us
were standing there, watching the rain
fall gently from a multi coloured sky, when
Areef used those unforgettable words. They
will forever be etched on my brain.
And I started to think about the wisdom
and beauty of words, stories and verse.
My daughter, Sallee, recently shared a
delightful story with me. It goes like this:
There once was a little boy who had a
bad temper. His father gave him a bag
of nails and told him every time he
lost his temper, he had to hammer a
nail into a fence.
The first day the boy had
driven 37 nails into the fence.
Over the next few weeks, he
learned to control his anger
and the number of nails he
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should
hammered daily gradually
sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or
dwindled
down.
He
Beethoven played music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.
discovered it was much
He should sweep streets so well, that all the hosts of
easier to hold his temper
heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great
than to drive those nails
street sweeper who did his job well.”
into that fence.
Martin Luther King
Finally, the day came
And then I recalled this verse by an
when the boy didn't lose his
unknown author about friends:
temper at all. He told his father about it and
the father suggested that the boy now pull
I count my garden by the flowers
out one nail for each day that he was able to
Never by the leaves that fall;
hold his temper. The days passed and the
I count my days by golden hours
young boy was finally able to tell his father
I don’t remember clouds at all.
that all the nails were gone.
I count the nights by stars, not shadows
The father took his son by the hand and
I count my life by smiles, not tears
led him to the fence. He said, “You have
And with the joy of every birthday
done well my son but look at the holes in the
I count my age, by friends – not years.
fence. The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a
I remembered Willy Jolley, an African
scar just like this one. You can put a knife in
American professional speaker and
a man and draw it out. It won't matter how
wordsmith. He introduced another speaker
many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is
with these words: “It is my treat, my
still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a
treasure, my joy beyond all measure, to
physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel,
introduce my friend today…” began Willey.
indeed.
They make you smile and
Wow! What an opening.
encourage you to succeed. They lend an
Another favourite Willey Jolley, original,
ear, they share a word of praise and they
is his ‘rap’ tribute to Father Time.
always want to open their hearts to us.”
72 Corporate Trends
I have only just a minute
Only sixty seconds in it
Forced upon me, can’t refuse it
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it
But it’s up to me to use it
Give account, if I abuse it
I will suffer, if I loose it
Just a tiny little minute
But an eternity is in it
Colin Pearce, a professional speaker from
South Australia, sent me this verse. It was
used on air by long serving ABC radio
announcer, Russ Tyson. It’s called, “There
is no indispensable man”.
Sometime when you are feeling important
Sometime when you’re ego’s in bloom
Sometime when you take it for granted
You’re the best qualified in the room
Sometime you feel that you’re going
Would leave an unfillable hole
Just follow this simple instruction
And see how it humbles your soul
Take a bucket and fill it with water
Put your hand in it up to the wrist
Pull it out, and the hole that’s remaining
Is a measure of how you’ll will be missed
You could splash all you please when you enter
You can stir up the water galore
But stop, and you’ll find in a minute
That it looks just the same as before
Now the moral in this quaint example
Is to do just the best that you can
Be proud of yourself but remember
There is no indispensable man
And finally, I recalled the words spoken by
the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr
Martin Luther King:
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper,
he should sweep streets even as
Michelangelo painted or Beethoven played
music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He
should sweep streets so well, that all the
hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say,
here lived a great street sweeper who did
his job well.”
Yes, they’re just words but so powerful
when used well.
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
MAX HITCHINS
Our General Manager
is Hopeless!
Well, that’s what the receptionist of
one of Brisbane’s leading hotels
told me recently…
he went on to say, “He has no
idea what the Internet and email
is about. If you want to send him
something via email you’ll have
to send it to the F & B Manager.”
So I did as instructed.
I was attempting to put forward a proposal
to do some Internet training for the hotel’s
sales and marketing team. Eight weeks
have passed since I sent that proposal to the
General Manager and, as yet, I’ve received
no reply of any kind. WOW!
“But the Internet bubble has burst. The
Internet is finished…” Did I hear you say?
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Yes, most of the shares listed on the Nasdaq
Board in America have crashed. And yes,
the Aussie dotcom stocks are following. But
the fact remains, the Internet still offers
enormous opportunity.
S
Better days ahead
“The bad times will pass.” So said Thomas
Siebel, CEO of at the Internet World Spring
2001 trade show in the USA. “Investors
didn't know how to evaluate Internet
companies. For some reason, these people
thought they could determine valuation by
things like clicks per hour or eyeballs per
day. That is not the way you valuate. You
valuate by profitability. That sounds old and
tired but that is the way it is.”
Even so, the College drop out Internet and
computer nerd Bill Gates, is still the richest
man in the USA. Unfortunately his net
worth has decreased the by $38 billion. He
now has only $54.4 billion to play with…
poor Bill!
Boston Consulting Group, recently
likened introduction of e-commerce in
business to the introduction of air power in
warfare. E-commerce, they suggest, is a
new weapon, and those that do not learn to
adapt their strategies to use it, are at a critical
strategic disadvantage to those that do.
And what about the rest of the world and its
use of the Internet. Jupiter MMXI research
says over the last six months, the number of
people in the UK using the Net at home has
increased by one million.
In Asia, Singapore and Taiwan lead the
way with their use of the Net. Almost half of
all Singapore households have Internet
access, followed closely by Taiwan with 40
per cent.
E-commerce and security
An innovative idea I recently noted was that
a Singapore company has launched
TeleMoney. It is a system that calls
customers on their mobile phone when they
make a purchase on the Internet, so that they
don't have to divulge credit card information
on-line.
The President of the European
Community, Romano Prodi, recently said,
“E-business is changing the economy
forever.” He told the E-Economy In Europe
conference in Brussels that the true essence
of the e-economy was the digitisation of the
entire economic fabric.
Just one benefit he quoted – US
productivity has risen since the mid 1990s by
2.5 per cent every year, compared with an
annual rise of 1.3 per cent up to 1990.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics
reported a 66 per cent increase in on-line
shopping last year, with 1.3 million adults
purchasing goods or services over the
Internet. It predicts that half of all Australian
households will have home Net access
before the end of this year. The ABS is on
the Web at: www.abs.gov.au .
“So, how can the Net benefit my
business,” you may ask?
Join the club
Recently I spoke at the Club Managers
Association on the Gold Coast. I told of the
savings offered to Clubs by the Net. Soon
after I was engaged as an Internet Marketing
Consultant for one of Sydney’s best known
Clubs. Our task is to make it the #1 Club in
Australia on the Internet.
Our five year plan includes converting the
majority of the club’s members to using the
Net. This means a better opportunity to
promote the Club’s activities at minimal
cost. The savings in hard copy printing
alone will be enormous.
Another goal is to have the membership
use the Net to rejoin and pay their annual
subscription fees online. This is currently
done in ‘hard copy’ format and is the most
dreaded chore of the year.
Can we help you?
The first person I thought of to help me in the
task, was none other than the editor of
Corporate Trends and ‘Wizard of a
Webmaster’ – Peter Thorpe.
And so, let me ask you: “What is the
hardest task or ‘most dreaded task’ in your
business?” Perhaps we can help you solve it
with intelligent use of the Internet.
Finally, rest assured, the Internet changes
everything it touches and it will touch almost
everything. Apparently it hasn’t touched that
Brisbane General Manager yet! Oh, but it
will. As hotelier, J Willard Marriott, once
said, “Any senior executive who cannot
imagine the future, will not be around to
enjoy it!” How true!
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 73
MAX HITCHINS
Take Time Out To Think…
Clarence Birdseye took time to think. So did Edward Lowe, Joe
Resnik and even good old Gene Autry.
If you have an open mind for ideas and you take time out to think,
sometimes synchronicity can occur. “Synchro what, I hear you ask?
What’s synchronicity?”
et me explain by giving you some
examples of synchronicity:
Prior to 1914 Clarence Birdseye
was scratching out a meagre living
as a fur trader in Canada. He noticed when
catching fish in sub zero temperatures, the
fish would freeze solid when brought them
up through the ice. He also noted when it
thawed out, it tasted just like fresh fish. Yes,
believe it or not, that was the beginning of
the now internationally famous, Birdseye
seafood products.
L
Money in ‘kitty’
In the 1940s, Edward Lowe, produced a clay
based material to soak up oil and grease. A
neighbour asked if she could use the clay
based material for her cat’s litter box. He
realised he was ‘on to something’ and began
selling the product to pet shops. Soon he had
forty per cent of $400,000,000 a year cat box
filler market.
His antenna was up
Joe Resnick, was a TV repair man. His job
was to install TV antennae on rooves.
Regularly, while grappling with the antennae
on the roof, he’d find pieces missing from
the boxes in which they were packed. He
thought about it and
decided to build a preassembled antennae.
Within three years his
company was selling a
million dollars worth of
antennae.
In 1948, Gene Autry,
was looking for a follow
up song to, “Here comes
Santa Clause.” Song
writer Johnny Mark,
sent him a song. Autry
was fairly ambivalent
about it but he thought
about it for a while and decided to ‘give it a
go’. Now, “Rudolph The Red Nosed
Reindeer” has been recorded by 400 artists
and has sold over 100 million copies!
74 Corporate Trends
Don’t make these mistakes
To give yourself the best chance with
synchronicity you need be prepared to take
time to think and have an open mind for
ideas. Don’t make these mistakes:
Ken Olson, chairman of Digital
Equipment Corporation, didn’t have an
open mind when, in 1977,
he said, “There is no
reason anyone would want
a computer in their home.”
Then,
there’s
the
Western Union Man-ager
who
composed
this
internal memo in 1876. He
showed he didn’t have an
open mind when he wrote,
“This ‘telephone’ has too
many short comings to be
seriously considered as a
means of communication.
The device is inherently of
no value to us.”
The Decca Record-ing
Company manager didn’t
have much of an open
mind
either
when,
rejecting the Beatles in
1962, he said, “We don't
like their sound and guitar music is on the
way out.”
M a r e c h a l
Ferdinand Foch,
Professor
of
Strategy,
Ecole
Superieure
de
Guerre didn’t have
any when prior to
the First World War
he said: “Airplanes
are interesting toys
but have no military
use or value.”
The President of
the Michigan Bank
didn’t have when he said in 1903, “The
horse is here to stay, but the automobile is
only a novelty – a fad.” He was advising
Horace Rackham, not to invest in the Ford
Motor Company. Rackham (Ford’s lawyer)
ignored the advice and bought $5,000 worth
of stock which he later sold for $12.5
million – a lot of money back then.
And finally, nor did Charles H. Duell,
Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents in
1899, when he said: “Everything that can be
invented, has been invented.”
“But”, I hear you say “I haven’t got time
to think!” As Lucy, in the Peanuts comics
used to say to Charlie Brown, “Make time!”
How do you ‘make’ time?
Well, about twenty years ago I discovered if
I got out of bed one hour earlier each day
and I did it for fifty two weeks of the year, I
would give myself an additional fifteen days
per year. Wow! I’d found a way to create an
additional two weeks of time!
Is
time
important? To
understand the
value of a year,
ask a student who
has failed a final
exam.
To
understand the
value of a month,
ask a mother who
has given birth to
a premature child.
To understand the
value of a week,
ask the Editor of a
w e e k l y
newspaper. To
understand the
value of an hour,
ask lovers who
are waiting for
each other at an
airport. To understand the value of a minute,
ask a person who has just missed a plane. To
understand the value of a second, ask a
person who has been in an accident. To
understand the value of a mili-second, ask
the person who won a silver medal at the
Olympics.
Is it important to take time to think?
What do you think?
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
MAX HITCHINS
OPMs Can Save You Millions!
OPMs are other people’s mistakes.
You might be surprised at how much you can learn from them…
here was blood all over the luggage
compartments! Children were
screaming - so were the adults.
The aeroplane had fallen 3000 feet
in a matter of seconds. Those passengers
who had not heeded the Captain’s warning
to keep their seat belts fastened, in case of
unexpected turbulence, were now bleeding
profusely. The blood mainly came from
wounds created when their heads slammed
against the luggage compartments above.
Ever seen passengers ignore a pilot’s
request to turn off mobile phones, computer
games and lap top computers in
an aeroplane because they may interfere
with instruments?
Recently, I was guilty of this offense
myself. I was flying to Melbourne for a
speaking engagement and I was a bit slow
turning off my computer. (Just had one more
thing to do!) Qantas customer service
manager David Armitage, shared the above
story with me. It happened on descent into
in Heathrow Airport in London. The
automatic pilot had unexpectedly disengaged. Authorities believe this was
caused by a computer being left on or by
two people turning on their mobile phones.
T
Learning from OPMs and OPEs.
That story got me thinking about learning
from OPMs and OPEs. (Other people’s
mistakes and other people’s experiences).
We are never going to live long enough to
learn from our own mistakes, so it makes
sense to learn from others.
American writer and publisher Elbert
Hubbard, once said, “A failure is someone
who has blundered but is not able to learn
from the experience.”
Some years ago I saw a great movie called
City Slickers. It starred Billy Crystal (a city
slicker) and Jack Palance (a crusty, cranky
cattle trail boss). Billy Crystal and two of his
mates were going through a ‘mid life’ crisis,
bemoaning their existence and dreaming of
the good old days when they were young
and daring. Summoning up all their lost
courage and bravado, they decided to go to
a ‘tender foot’ ranch and enrol for a cattle
drive. Now these guys had never ever been
near a horse, let alone ridden one!
And so they set off to drive these cattle
across America with Curly, as the trail boss.
I recall in one scene Curly said to Billy
Crystal, “You city slickers don’t know shit!
You are all looking for the answers to life.
Let me tell you - the answer to life is this!”
(Curly held up one finger). Billy Crystal
said “A finger.” “No” said a disgusted Curly,
“It’s ONE thing and YOU have to find it.”
Well, I’m not as smart as Curly. I can’t
reduce the search for answers to one thing or
one word. But I think you can definitely
‘fast track’ your learning curve from those
OPM’s and OPE’s
“What mistakes,” you ask?
Let me share some whoppers with you!
Now you wouldn’t think a company the size
of Coca Cola would make mistakes, would
you? Not so.
When Coca-Cola decided to enter the
market in China, it was first called Ke-kouke-la. Unfortunately, the Coke company did
not discover until after thousands of signs
had been printed that the phrase means “bite
the wax tadpole” or “female horse stuffed
with wax” depending on the dialect. Coke
then researched 40,000 Chinese characters
and found a close phonetic equivalent,
“ko-kou-ko-le,” which loosely translated
means, “happiness in the mouth”. I’ll
drink to that!
In Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi
slogan, “Come alive with the Pepsi
Generation,” came out as, “Pepsi will bring
your ancestors back from the dead!”
More legendary mistakes
In Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken
slogan “finger-lickin’ good” translated to
“eat your fingers off.”
When General Motors introduced the
Chevy Nova in South America, it was
apparently unaware that “no va” means “it
doesn’t go.” The car didn’t sell!
Ford had a similar problem in Brazil with
their Pinto model. The company discovered
Pinto was Brazilian slang for, “tiny male
genitals.” Ford later substituted the name
Corcel, which means horse.
Hunt-Wesson introduced its Big John
products in French Canada as Gros Jos
before finding out that the phrase, in slang,
means, “big breasts.”
Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France
called Cue, the name of a notorious
porno magazine.
Japan's second-largest tourist agency
were surprised at the requests for sex tours
when it entered the English-speaking
markets. The company name was the Kinki
Nippon Tourist Company. They promptly
changed the name!
Coors, the American beer company
translated its slogan, “Turn it loose,”
into Spanish, where it was read as “Suffer
from diarrhoea”.
What should we learn?
Do your research. Learn from OPM’s and
OPE’s. Be aware. Be like the Owl. Keep
your eyes open and your mouth shut.
It was the scientist H. Krantzberg who
said, “Information is everywhere but no one
stops to think.”
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 75
MAX HITCHINS
The Problem of One
“ONE is a very dangerous number, Max.” my American friend Bill
Marvin, wrote in an email to me recently. “ONE type thinking can
kill a business stone dead,” he continued…
T
his got me thinking about the
problems of being too
dependant on one thing or one
skill. If you and your business
are in any way one-dimensional, you are
sitting (or is it skating on) thin ice. My
friend, Bryce Courtenay, says “If you find
yourself skating on thin ice – you may as
well tap dance!”.
Well, I guess that’s good advice.
however, perhaps it’s better if we
can avoid getting onto the thin ice in the
first place.
recall seeing advertisements in 2001 for
Mazda, celebrating their 40th year in
Australia or Sydney Radio Station 2GB
celebrating its 75th year of broadcasting.
New Idea magazine will celebrate its 100th
anniversary this year.
We set a goal to build a database of
these dates. We now have documented
the anniversary dates of thousands of
companies and organisations. Our
database reveals in 2002, major
companies like Shell, Texaco, General
Electric, Australian Stock Exchange,
CBS, Universal Studios and the
Adding a new dimension
Bryce Courtenay is a good example of
someone who added an additional
dimension to his life skills. Bryce, was an
extremely successful advertising executive
before he turned his hand to writing books.
The result was the book, “The Power of
One.” It instantly became a best seller and
then an extremely successful movie. Wow!
Not bad for a first book and a first effort in
changing to being multi-dimensional.
What happens if you are too dependent
on one market? Look at what happened in
my industry – the hospitality industry –
as a result of the happenings in New York
on September 11th. Those hotels whose
total focus was on conventions, nose
dived. This trend has continued
throughout the world. It is only now
beginning to pick up.
Find ways to add value
My business focus is the hospitality
industry. I share motivation and
management magic with hospitality
audiences all over the world. Initially I
began with my focus on ‘customer service.’
It wasn’t long before I realised I had to
become multi dimensional. I had to find a
way to become ‘more valuable’ to
prospective clients.
Ten years ago, my brother Ernie and I
started developing a database of the
anniversaries of major companies. You may
76 Corporate Trends
Sheraton’s Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Honolulu,
all
celebrate
major
anniversaries. This database is a valuable
asset. It’s made me more valuable to
potential clients, particularly after the
events of September 11th 2001.
Order taker to order maker
Up until the 11th September 2001, the
hospitality was a pretty ‘cool’ place to
work as a sales and marketing executive.
Business rolled in. You didn’t have to be
proactive. All you needed to do was ‘take
the orders.’
Jack Westergom, the Chairman and
Managing Director of Manhattan
Hospitality, said recently, “The bad news
is that the hospitality industry will have to
create a new generation of order makers,
as opposed to order takers. Many hotel
sales and marketing staff have never lived
through a downturn and have no idea how
to create or attract business in a down
market. Those hotels who fail to do so
will cease to exist!” Powerful stuff.
Because of my push to become multidimensional in the hospitality industry,
I’m now being invited to speak all around
the world. This year, I’ll do tourism and
hospitality seminars in Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur, Thailand and China. As well,
I’m to speak in Seattle, Phoenix and
Chicago at the world’s largest hospitality
convention.
How’s your business?
And so let me ask you – are you too
dependent on one particular product? If,
for example, you were running
a restaurant and the price of beef
suddenly went through the roof (or
perhaps because of Mad Cow disease)
would you be out of business?
Are you dependent on one form of
marketing? If your advertising and
marketing channel dried up or became
too expensive, how would operate?
Have you taken the time to learn
about new forms of marketing – perhaps
more effective use of the Internet?
Are you too dependent on one key
employee? Accidents happen .– people
leave – people die. Don’t sell out your
peace of mind by having your financial
success hang on the talents of any one
person – including yourself by the way!
Cross-train. Have good control systems
and make sure people take holidays.
In short, I believe it is good
management to carefully dissect our
business to find any place where we may
be one-dimensional. Wherever the #1
appears, it must be erased and replaced
with a bigger and better number. And the
sooner, the better.
Max Hitchins is known around the world
as the Hospitality Doctor and is
regarded as a marketing, motivation and
management magician.
Website: www.HospitalityDoctor.com
Tel: (02) 99 66 11 44
Email: [email protected]
Timothy Hyde
Helping people become better at
Problem Solving and Business Creativity
MAGIC COMEDY MOTIVATION
Acknowledged as Australia's master Magician of the Mind, Timothy will inspire, motivate and entertain
your audience with his unique ability to read and influence peoples minds. But you will be more amazed
at his ability to weave and incorporate your message, aims and ideals into the presentation and further the
purpose of the meeting.
Timothy is an accredited member of the National Speakers Association of Australia. He is a highly skilled
MC and is able to use his bag of tricks to keep your event, on track, on time and in safe hands.
If you expect your sales team, work force or partners to achieve the impossible for you or would like your
invited guests and clients to know that you will achieve the impossible for them, then who better to show
them how?
Tim's happy clients include:
Tetra Pac, MLC Life, Linbrook International, IBM, AAP, Orica, Corrective Services, Expresss Bookeeping,
AMP Customer Services and St George Bank.
Website: http://www.achieving.com.au
TIM HYDE
Think like a Magician!
Magicians think differently to
other people. And this often
produces ‘magic’ results!
n a blinding flash of the obvious
some time ago, I realised that
magicians think differently from
everyone else in the world. Well,
look at it this way, who else wakes up
every morning and seeks out impossible
tasks to perform all day?
After twenty years of working as a
professional magician, mainly for
corporate audiences at conferences, I
came to the realisation that magicians
approach problem solving and creativity
in a unique manner. And, the more I
thought about it, the more I realised that
there was a way of thinking, a series of
lessons, that could be drawn from the
Art of Magic. Lessons that could also be
applied by non-magicians to their own
thinking.
I
The ‘Creative Toolbox’
These lessons are the basis for my own
creative thinking toolbox, the tools I use
in my day to day business of
entertaining people. They are also the
foundations for the sessions I run
exploring problem solving and business
creativity.
One of the most important lessons we
tackle, is the simple but often
overlooked notion that there is always
one more way to achieve anything. A
magician will always go one step
further. They will always go beyond
thinking ‘outside the square'.
One of the most over-used metaphors
of the last decade was the classic nine
dots puzzle. I'm sure you all know how
to do it. What is the least number of lines
you can use to connect a set of 9 dots,
with straight lines and not lifting your
pencil off the paper?
The basic answer of course is five, until
you start thinking outside the square.
When your lines start to extend beyond
78 Corporate Trends
the self-imposed limits of the
boundaries, you can achieve a result of
four lines.
Beyond Outside the Square
It certainly is a great metaphor for
problem-solving but the pity is most
people stop the puzzle and the metaphor
right there. Before they start exploring
beyond ‘outside the square’ and
discovering further solutions.
Remember the nine dots exercise?
Because, just as there are usually many
ways to solve any challenge, there are
many other ways to solve this puzzle.
There is a way to join the dots with 3
lines. There are several ways to join the
dots with 1 line! For instance, changing
the tool you are using, to a large fat
pencil will join the dots in one short fat
stroke. Or, changing the parameters of
the problem by folding the paper onto
itself several times to line up the dots
one above each other. Then if your
pencil (like your mind and your idea) is
sharp enough, you can join the dots by
stabbing through the paper!
All too often after struggling with a
problem for some time, your first
brainwave solution is seized upon as the
only solution. You are so pleased to
finally come up with an option, that you
fail to push on. But this is not
necessarily going to be your only
solution. And, it is not necessarily going
to be the best one.
Magicians will always have several
methods to achieve any one trick. Not
only does this mean they can easily use a
different method if the parameters of the
performance change but they can also
change methods to help disguise the way
they are doing something. But the
benefit of their way of thinking, is that
there is no ‘best way’. It is an ongoing
process that evolves and is flexible.
The ‘Vision’ thing
Another major concept lesson that every
successful magician embraces is the
Vision thing.
Having a clear, simple and
explainable vision of what they are
trying to achieve aids in the
accomplishment of this very goal.
Having a clear vision enables one to
identify the problems that will have to
be overcome to attain it. Having an
easily explainable vision enables them
to enthuse others to come on board and
help in that achievement.
The great effects of magic have
always been encapsulated in one
sentence. They are simple, memorable
and uncomplicated. ‘Cutting a woman
in half’ is the classic example.
‘Vanishing the Statue of Liberty’ or
‘Flying’ are modern examples from
David Copperfield's repertoire.
Can you explain what you are trying
to achieve in one sentence?
Finally, all the lessons, brainstorming,
thinking and planning are of no point
unless it’s put into practice.
So, when are you going to start
Thinking like a Magician?
Timothy Hyde, Australia’s Magician of the
Mind, teaches people to think like a
Magician! His highly entertaining keynotes
and workshops help people and
organisations become more creative, better
at problem solving and more motivated.
Website: www.achieving.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 4758 8961
TIM HYDE
The Secret of the
Service Station…
Psst…like to learn a magic trick?
One that will stop your customers
from disappearing?
eware. The following is a
subtle but powerful secret.
However, it will be easy for
some of you to dismiss it.
But do so with care, as it may be used
against you.
From where I live (in the Blue
Mountains), to the Sydney CBD, is a
drive of 90 minutes. On the drive,
which I make two or three times a week,
I must pass about 15 petrol stations. (I'm
hesitant to call them service stations,
because only two of them offer any
service but that's another story).
B
Why do I buy there?
Anyway, I always try to buy my petrol
at the same one. Why? It's not the
cheapest or necessarily the cleanest. I
don't even have an account there.
I stop there because the guy who runs
it knows a powerful secret. He calls me
by my name! Its only a tiny thing but it
is enough to influence my choice on
where to buy my petrol. And, it adds up
— $45 dollars a week, $2,340 a year.
How many other people choose to
buy their petrol there for the same
reason? To actually stop and buy at that
particular outlet rather than driving on
another 200 metres? Even if this one
simple technique only affects a tiny
proportion of his customers, it must be
multiplied by the many thousands of
people who drive past each day.
It adds directly to his bottom line.
As someone with an interest in
‘secrets’ and in mind, magic and
memory skills, (I teach memory
techniques as part of my workshop
sessions), I observed him closely over a
period of a few weeks. I was impressed
with his ability for remembering
peoples names and I observed the
friendly reaction he got from the people
in front of me at the queue. New
customers were often startled and
thought they must have known the guy
from somewhere else. Or perhaps had
left their name badge on after a
convention!
The ‘secret’ unveiled
Others, like me, eventually worked out
the secret of the service station.
Because in a blinding flash of the
obvious one day, I realised what he was
doing. And, it didn't require any
advanced memory skills at all!
A quick glimpse of the name on the
credit card as he swiped it through or he
read it off the bottom of the docket as it
was printed out. As he hands back the
Memory Success Secrets
• Make sure you hear a person’s
name properly.
• Use their name again early in the
conversation.
• Be genuinely interested in the
person.
• Use the M.E.C.H.S. method to form
a name — face association.
(Movement, Exaggeration, Colour,
Humour, Sex)
• Don’t tell yourself that you have a
bad memory for names — it will
come true!
card and docket, he looks me straight in
the eye and says, “Thank you,
Mr Hyde.”
Dale Carnegie often said the most
valuable possession a person has, is
their name. And, subsequently, it's the
one thing we most like to hear other
people say.
It hits the spot. It pushes a button. We
feel warm inside. We feel real and
involved. In short, it works!
Qantas knows this. When you walk
on the plane, struggling with your bags
and duty free goods, wondering who
you have to sit next to for the next 12
hours, the flight attendants welcome
you by name and make you feel
relaxed. A quick glimpse of the name on
your boarding pass is all that they
needed to produce the effect.
Simple memory training
Of course, you can improve your
memory skills to the point where you
are able to remember people’s names
after just one meeting. Some people
have a natural skill for this, others need
some simple memory training.
On a recent visit to the magical
O'Reilly's in the Lamington National
Park earlier this year, I was impressed
by the response the name effect had on
the atmosphere in the dining room.
Raylene, the hostess, could remember
everyone's names. She would introduce
strangers and rattle off all the names at
a big table. But she wasn't showing off.
She knew the power of this effect and
what it could do to the customers. She
used it well. And so can you!
Using either the simple clues that are
offered to us or by increasing the use of
our natural abilities with some training,
we can all use this ‘secret’ to produce a
magical effect in our customers.
Timothy Hyde, Australia’s Magician of the
Mind, teaches people to think like a
Magician! His highly entertaining keynotes
and workshops help people and
organisations become more creative, better
at problem solving and more motivated.
Website: www.achieving.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 4758 8961
Corporate Trends 79
TIM HYDE
The Secret of Juan the Smuggler…
Magicians think differently to other people. And this often produces
‘magic’ results! Timothy Hyde, our resident magician, explores the
irresistible power of our own hypnosis and explains why our expectations
and assumptions, ultimately form our beliefs and tells us how to put this
to good use when solving our own problems and challenges…
o, let me tell you the story of
Juan the Smuggler. Juan comes
up to the Mexican border on his
bicycle. He’s got two large bags
over his shoulders. The guard stops him and
says, “What’s in the bags?”
“Sand,” answered Juan.
The guard says, “We’ll just see about that,
get off the bike.” The guard takes the bags
and rips them apart; he empties them out
and finds nothing in them but sand. He
detains Juan overnight and has the sand
analysed, only to discover that there is
nothing but pure sand in the bags. The guard
releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags,
hefts them onto the man’s shoulders, and
lets him cross the border.
A week later, the same thing happens. The
guard again asks, “What have you got in
those bags?”
“Sand,” says Juan.
The guard does his thorough examination
and discovers once again the bags contain
nothing but sand. He gives the sand back to
Juan and Juan crosses the border again.
This sequence of events is repeated every
week for three years. One day Juan doesn’t
show up and the guard meets him in a
Cantina in Mexico.
“Hey, Buddy,” says the guard, “I know
you are smuggling something. It’s driving
me crazy. It’s all I think about… I can’t
sleep. Just between you and me, what are
you smuggling?”
Juan sips his beer and says, “Bicycles!”
The story of Juan the Smuggler,
delightfully illustrates two of the lessons
from the art of magic that I teach in my
Creative Thinking and Problem Solving
keynotes and workshops. Those of
Assumptions and Expectations.
S
The power of hypnosis
I have a friend in Pittsburg, USA , Richard
Busch, an Ericksonian hypnotherapist who
has a theory that we go through all of our
lives in a state of hypnosis. No, we weren’t
all captured by a tall magician with a
swinging gold watch and placed in a trance.
80 Corporate Trends
We place ourselves in this state! Richard
calls it, “The Irresistible power of our own
hypnosis. It’s based on our expectations, our
assumptions and our beliefs.”
The role of the hypnotist
Every thing we do and think, as we struggle
along through life, is ruled and filtered by
these three things. The tale of Juan the
Smuggler, clearly illustrates this. Juan plays
the role of hypnotist! He is a master
communicator indeed, creating a powerful
vs. that infamous doctor’s office smell we all
still remember and cringe at since our first
shots as children?
What is the irresistible power behind the
sound of a lone bird outside our bedroom
window on a gorgeous summer’s morning,
just as we are awakening vs. the heavy clap
of thunder and lightening outside the very
same window in the middle of the night?
What is the irresistible power of a human
smile vs. an angry frown?
A natural human function
The answer is hypnotic response! How our
thoughts translate into behaviours and
responses. The question is not how does
this strange process happen but rather,
when doesn’t this natural, normal momentto-moment human function happen? It’s
just inherent in the human condition, how
our minds and bodies are wired. Politicians
know it. Speakers know it. Managers know
it. Successful sales people know it. This is
the principle behind closing those difficult
business transactions.
The border guard, of course, saw what he
expected to see and was distracted by the
blatantly obvious. And he failed to see
something equally as obvious right in front
of his eyes. He was lead astray by his own
assumptions and expectations, as so many
of us are, when faced with a difficult
challenge or problem.
So learn a Lesson from the Art of Magic
(and Juan the Smuggler ) and next time you
face a challenge or a problem that needs
solving, ask yourself these two questions.
• Are you making any false assumptions
about the problem?
likelihood for assumption and expectation.
He utilises their suspicion (“Juan is a
smuggler”), provides a congruent frame of
reference (“it must be in those mysterious
bags of sand”), and ends with a post
hypnotic behaviour (“if we keep checking
those bags, we will catch him”). Note how
long the power of those false assumptions,
expectations, and beliefs lasted. If Juan
hadn’t told the guards about the bicycles,
they would still be analysing common sand
to this very day!
Understanding the power of our own
thoughts and responses is the key. What is
the irresistible power behind the smell of
freshly-popped popcorn in a movie theatre
• Are you just seeing what you expect to
see?
And remember, our expectations and our
assumptions, ultimately form our beliefs.
Timothy Hyde, Australia’s Magician of the
Mind, teaches people to think like a
Magician! His highly entertaining keynotes
and workshops help people and
organisations become more creative, better
at problem solving and more motivated.
Website: www.achieving.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 4758 8961
W Mitchell
It’s not what happens to you,
it’s what you do about it
INSPIRATION & CHALLENGE, MOTIVATION, CHANGE
• Television Host • Author • Businessman • Public Speaker
"He could no longer walk, so he learned to fly." Paul Harvey Radio Commentator
Who is W Mitchell?One of the top keynote speakers in the world. Fun-loving, professional and
easy to work with--a partner for meeting planners. He is a "wow 'em" presenter with lasting content and
substance. You'll meet the internationally-recognized mayor "who saved a mountain"; the co-founding
chairman of a $65 million dollar company; a pilot, river rafter and sky diver.
ChallengeWe all face challenges of varying degrees every day, whether it's professional or personal, large
or small, immediate or over time. And change -- some invited, some unasked for -- is our biggest challenge.
The title of W Mitchell's newest book is also his philosophy on life -- "It's not what happens to you...it's
what you do about it." This expert on taking responsibility for change shows his audiences not only how to
gain perspective, but how to cope, and even better, to prosper with personal and professional change.
W Mitchell knows about challenge, change and courage--all first hand. He speaks to you about the battles
and the victories of life. From co-founding a metal casting company that put thousands to work, from his
election as mayor and congressional nominee, from a fiery motorcycle accident that left him burned over
65% of his body, and from the airplane crash that took away his ability to walk, Mitchell now soars above
the rest with grace, good humor and gumption. Mitchell speaks with passion about the human spirit. He
focuses on the positives of change--taking responsibility- - and the proven result - himself.
"Before I was paralyzed there were 10,000 things I could do; now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on
the 1,000 I've lost or focus on the 9,000 I have left."
His personal story is of life's challenges in the world of business, politics and day-to-day living; of a new
understanding of your inner strengths and abilities. Through his speeches, books, tapes and television
appearances, Mitchell has enthralled over 60 million people worldwide. Are you asking how "mental
wheelchairs" are holding back your organization? Listen to this powerful story. Across the globe, from the
Indian Ocean to Indiana, from Presidents to Parliaments and from non-profits to multi-national giants,
audiences herald his thought-provoking words about perseverance and becoming more than just a survivor.
He delivers from the heart, with warmth, wit and wisdom. You'll hear an unforgettable speaker with an
invaluable message.
W MITCHELL
It’s Not What Happens to You,
It’s What You Do About It…
All of us are blessed with inner
strengths. It’s just through
circumstance, some of us have
to use them more than others…
ife is what you make it,” some
people say. But most of us
don’t really believe that. “If
only,” you might say, “If only I
weren’t so old. So broke. So saddled by
my mortgage. If only I had less pressure
in my job. A family that understands
me. There’s nothing I can do, Mitchell.”
To which I simply say, “Look at me.”
My face looks like a badly made leather
quilt. It has literally made children
chant, “Monster, monster,” as I pass by.
I have no fingers. I cannot walk.
L
Fate struck twice
Furthermore, all of this did not happen
at once. I did not have the ‘luxury’ of
one great, grand accident to get over.
First, I was burned nearly to a crisp.
There is probably not one person in a
billion who has endured more physical
pain than I have. Then, four years later,
in an entirely separate accident, I was
paralysed from the waist down. The
average person might call me the
unluckiest man alive.
But, what I hope to do in these
articles—and in my speeches—is to
teach you not to think like the average
person. To show you that nothing,
absolutely nothing is absolute. Your life
is entirely what you decide it is. The
universe starts in your head and spreads
out into the world. Change what
happens in your head and the universe
changes.
Really. I hope to be a touchstone for
people, a route to a new way of
thinking. Symbols are potent. In
America, the liberty bell conjures the
concept of freedom in a single image. In
India, the Taj Mahal shows us, at a
82 Corporate Trends
glance, the depth and extravagance of
human love. In San Francisco, my
adopted hometown, the Golden Gate
bridge is a testament to engineering
ingenuity that speaks volumes.
What I want, is to be a symbol for
you. With my scarred face, my
fingerless paws, my wheelchair—and
real, genuine happiness in my heart—I
want to be your mental image of the
power of the human mind to transcend
circumstances. As I say in my speeches
and my book, “It’s not what happens to
you, it’s what you do about it.”
“In the midst of
winter, I finally
learned there
was in me an
invincible summer.”
Albert Camus
When you feel you have met an
insurmountable obstacle, I want you to
think of me. And, then say to yourself,
“If he can be successful, I can, too.”
What kind of success are we talking
about? I can rattle off my resume if you
like: millionaire, Mayor, member of
many
boards
of
directors,
environmental
leader,
media
personality, political commentator,
commercial pilot, international public
speaker, even river-rafter and skydiver.
These may, or may not, be your
measures of success, none the less, I
know that whatever you want, you can
achieve it—just as I have. You can
because you are not that different from
me, believe it or not.
I don’t have any special powers, any
magical gift of birth that has allowed
me to create my own happiness in the
face of tremendous trials. I am no
stronger or smarter than the average
person. I am a long way from ever
being a ‘saintly’ guy. In fact, one of the
secrets I share is that being pushy, even
obnoxious, at the right times, has been
crucial to my success.
The only difference between us, is
that I had the good fortune to learn a
few important points along the way—
both before and after my injuries—that
helped me immeasurably.
Inner strength
All of us are blessed with an inner
strength, buried inside us somewhere.
It’s just that most don’t get the
opportunity to use it as much as I have.
I have a favourite quotation that I
have thought about often and it has
helped me through some tough times.
I’d like to share it with you. It’s from a
man called, Albert Camus:
“In the midst of winter, I finally
learned there was in me an invincible
summer.”
Isn’t that beautiful?
In subsequent issues of Corporate
Trends, I’d like to share some of the
things I’ve learned. If they have kept
me happy, imagine what they will do
for you. I have a great life. You can
have a great life, too!
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
W MITCHELL
Never Ever, Say Never…
Nothing splendid has ever been achieved, except by those who
believed that something inside of them was superior to circumstances.
Bruce Barton
t the age of 28, I suffered a
very serious motorcycle
accident. The resulting fire
burned most of my face
and body and left me without hands.
Yet, when I looked back just four and a
half years later, I felt better off than I did
before my accident.
A
Unbeknown to me, the wings of my
aircraft were covered with a thin sheet
of ice. This slowed the normal climb
rate of the plane. Directly ahead of me,
there were huge rocks. I had to make a
quick decision and there was no choice
but to get back down on the runway as
soon as I could. I pulled the power and
— the plane stalled, falling like a rock.
It smashed into the ground rupturing the
gas tank and spilling fuel all over the
wings. All I could think about was fire.
I yelled at my passengers, “Get out
now!” They wedged a door open and
Yet again, friends came to see me.
Phone calls, letters, and cookies arrived
from Crested Butte, my home town.
One day, nearly four weeks after the
accident, a young woman called me.
She said, “Mitchell, I hear you're not
doing very well. I wonder if you
remember when I had some problems,
you told me something I’ll never forget.
You said, it's not what happens to you
— it's what you do about it. Do you still
believe that, Mitchell?”
Don’t you hate it when people do
that? That advice was for her! Leave me
alone; I’m enjoying being miserable!
A world of impossibilities
Lessons of life
The next morning, when the orderlies
Through my recovery, I’d learned things
came in my room, I asked them to put
about myself I never would have
me in a wheelchair. I hated it. It was
learned otherwise. I'd grown in ways
impossible. I couldn’t make it go places
unimaginable without the lessons life
that had been so easy just a few
had taught me. Not only
weeks before. Even if I could, I
had I become successful
might fall. Objects were too
financially (having started
high. Steps were in my way.
a major new business),
My whole world was filled with
more importantly, I had
obstacles;
filled
with
become
successful
impossibilities.
emotionally. I now liked
But every morning, they put
who lived inside Mitchell.
me
back in the chair and I’d go
It had come with
back into the gym. Every
enormous struggle but I'd
morning, thanks to the nurses,
made it.
technicians, volunteers, friends
In the years before the
and yes, thanks to me, another
fire, I’d learned to fly. On
obstacle would disappear.
recovery I returned to the
Mitchell continues his love of flying in Australia — seen here in his
Another oppor-tunity would
skies. Even with my new
friend Max Hitchin’s plane.
Photo: W Mitchell collection
appear. Every day, the thing that
stump-like hands, I
had been utterly impossible the day
managed to crawl away.
finished all my pilot’s training, from
before became a little less impossible.
It was my turn to get out and I had to
commercial to multi-engine to sailplane.
And, every day, I hated myself a little bit
hurry. Starting to climb out, my feet
This gave me a new freedom and
less and I learned to love myself again,
seemed stuck under the pedals so I
enabled me to fly above it all, like
a little bit more.
lifted harder. It was then I realised that I
Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I even
You know, it’s true. It isn’t what
couldn’t move my legs.
bought my own plane. However, soon I
happens. It’s what you do about it.
For several days, doctors did every
was to learn that fate had not finished
test imaginable. On the third day, the
with W Mitchell, yet.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
neuro-surgeon came to deliver the
I remember the morning well. It was
internationally sought after speaker who
news. “Mitchell, you may not walk
one of those crisp, clear, gorgeous
motivates and inspires audiences worldagain. You’re going to have to use a
Colorado mornings. I was going flying
wide. His positive message about taking
wheelchair now to get around.”
and four others had come along for the
responsibility for change, told with warmth
“Why me?”, I thought. “WHY ME!!!
ride. Taxiing to the end of the runway,
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
What had I done to deserve this plane
we lifted off into the air. The plane was
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
crash, this motorcycle accident?”
climbing fine: 25 feet. 50 feet. At 75
Australian office on:
I lay there on that hospital bed, once
feet, something was wrong…terribly
Tel: 1 800 421 484
again wondering what future there
wrong. The plane was not rising as
Email: [email protected]
could possibly be for me.
quickly as it should.
Website: www.WMitchell.com
Corporate Trends 83
W MITCHELL
My Biggest Fee Ever…
He suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body in a terrible motor
cycle accident. Then, he was involved in a plane crash and
paralysed from the waist down. In spite of his fate, today, Mitchell
travels the world spreading his message of hope. He claims, “It’s not
what happens to you in life, it’s what you do about it.”
ou might be surprised to learn
that my favourite speaking jobs
are not for a large corporations
that happily shell out my
standard fee, (more than most people earn in
a month). Rather, it's the barn at the Griffith
Centre, near Denver, where I speak for free.
It’s a centre for kids who have literally
been thrown on the junk pile. They have
been beaten, abused, neglected, thrown out
and this centre is their last chance. Many of
these kids have been ‘programmed’ in a
million ways, both direct and subtle, to
believe that life has stacked the deck against
them and that only a chump wastes time
trying to learn how to make a contribution.
And then they see me A mutilated face.
No fingers. A wheelchair. And I am a happy
man. A man who had every excuse in the
world to be miserable and refused them all.
Y
Bringing back memories
Every time I stand in front of kids, I am
transported back in time to that day years
ago when I walked by the playground and
heard the chant of, “Monster, monster.”
How I longed to speak to those kids and
gently show them how wrong they were.
I take a moment and catch my breath,
because my dream is coming true. I'm here.
I'm talking to them. I've got their attention. I
tell them about my accidents. I explain, in
great detail, the many opportunities I had to
quit and how and why I refused to take
them. But I don't just talk about myself.
I tell them about John Thompson, the 18
year old North Dakota farm boy who was on
the farm by himself while his parents visited
a friend in hospital. He was doing his chores,
which included loading grain into the barn.
He remembers turning on the auger, a huge
screw inside a cylinder that carries grain into
a silo. His shirt tail was hanging out. It got
caught in the auger and began pulling him
into the machinery.
He resisted, he fought but it pulled him
harder and harder. He doesn’t remember
much else but he was spun five times and
84 Corporate Trends
then thrown to the ground. He looked to his
right and saw that his right arm was gone.
He struggled to his feet, standing there,
shaking. He looked to his left. Most of that
arm was gone, too. Still he didn’t quit. He
ran 400 yards up the hill to his house. With
what little was left of one of his arms, he
tried and tried again to open the sliding glass
door. He couldn't but once again, he refused
to quit. He ran around to the side door and
managed to open the screen door; he still
doesn’t remember how.
“Adversity reveals
genius.”
Horace
Once inside the kitchen, he knocked the
phone off the cradle and tried punching the
buttons with his nose but when that didn't
work, he didn't quit. He looked around,
found a pencil, and picked it up in his teeth,
and pressed buttons on the phone with the
eraser. He called his cousin's house, and
when the cousin answered, he shouted,
“This is John! Get help, quickly, I've had a
terrible accident!” Then, he had the
presence of mind to pick up the receiver
with his teeth and hang up, remembering
that on their party line, if he didn't break the
connection, his cousin couldn’t make a call.
Then, John Thompson, this 18 year old
high school senior, this average kid who got
Cs in his classes and had never impressed
anyone as anything special, went into the
bathroom and sat in the bathtub so that he
wouldn't bleed on his mother's rug.
When the paramedics pulled back the
shower curtain, they were so shaken that he
had to calm them down, telling them where
his arms were and where there was ice in
the refrigerator and garbage sacks in which
to pack them. His arms were re-attached in
a six-hour operation. When, weeks later, a
reporter asked him how it felt to be a hero,
the question seemed to baffle him. “I'm no
hero”, he said sincerely. “I did what anyone
would have done.”
He had a point. He was and is a regular
kid, who has the same resources any of us
have. And I'm a regular guy, who has the
same resources you do. The point I make to
these kids is that we are not heroes, we are
not different from you. We just chose to do
what we needed to do.
You can, too. I can’t help everyone. But
some of these kids, these beautiful kids, with
strong bodies and active minds, have just
enough sensitivity left to see the
significance of what I am and what I am
saying to them. Sometimes (and they are
magical times), I know that I have gotten
through to them in time. The core memory
is not entirely buried under reams of
negativity. There is a chance for my
message to get through.
My biggest fee ever
The biggest fee I have ever been paid as a
speaker was at the first talk I ever gave at the
centre. I didn’t know much about the place
and I agreed to speak without a real clue. As
I drove there, I worried. Here I was, starting
my speaking career, unsure of myself,
unsure if this speech that I had crafted for
adults, would mean anything to kids,
particularly hardened kids like these.
When I finished my talk, I could plainly
see that I had made an impact. I could see it
on those faces looking back at me. But the
final confirmation — the greatest fee — was
the reaction of a 13 year old kid, clearly
from the inner city, who came up to me after
the speech with tears in his eyes.
He told me that he had tried to commit
suicide three times. I was amazed at his
story but from the way he told it, it was
clearly true. Then, he said, if he ever felt like
doing something like that again, he was just
going to stop and remember what I had said
that day.
Now both of us had tears in our eyes.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
W MITCHELL
And that’s why I Speak…
He suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body in
a terrible motor cycle accident. Then, he was involved in a plane
crash and paralysed from the waist down. In spite of his fate today,
Mitchell travels the world spreading his messages of hope and
inspiration. He claims, “It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s
what you do about it.”
I
remember the day I decided to make
my message the focus of my life. I
was walking past a primary school
playground. One kid spotted me,
shouted something to the others and soon
they all ran to the fence to stare at me. By
twos and threes, soon en masse, they
chanted, “Monster, monster, monster…”
And they were right. I did resemble a
monster. The type they might have seen in
the movies — because of my accident some
months before.
Hell on earth
If hell on earth really does exist, mine started
on July 19, 1971.
Strangely enough, I started the day on top
of the world. In the morning, I had fulfiled a
lifelong dream of soloing in an aeroplane for
the first time. That afternoon, I was riding
my new motorcycle. It was the biggest,
snazziest, meanest cycle on the market. I
had bought it just the day before and I
adored it.
A writer once wrote that life is a twisting
river. None of us knows what’s around the
next bend. In my case, it was a truck. A
laundry truck turned suddenly in front of my
motorcycle and I hit it squarely in the side.
As I went down, the lid on my gas tank
popped open and it all went up with a
WHOOSH! The fireball was visible for
several blocks.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was
judged to be at the low end of survivability,
having been burned over 65 per cent of my
body. Doctors were not sure I would
survive. And my face had been burned
almost beyond recognition.
The comeback
I must have looked gruesome. A succession
of visitors who grimace and/or pass out at
the sight of your face, quickly gives you that
impression. But through incredibly loving
care, multiple skin grafts, stubbornness,
determination, and many small steps to take
back control of my life, I did recover.
One of the turning points came two
months after the accident, the afternoon the
plastic surgeon came to see me. “Mitchell,”
he said, “your original face has been burned
off. We need to make you a new one. Do
you have any pictures of what you looked
like before?”
Someone gave him my driver’s license.
Staring at the photo for a long time, he
finally said, “Man, I know we can do better
than this.”
And I laughed. It hurt like hell but I
laughed.
Good people are
good because they’ve
come to wisdom
through failure.
William Saroyan
For the first time since the accident, I had
found some humour in my life. And with it
I gained some perspective: “It’s not what
happens to you, it’s what you do about it.”
How I started speaking
When I first started speaking, I had no set
‘speech’ as such. But I had always been
pretty good at speaking off the cuff. So, I
started out by simply telling groups my story
– the funny parts, the tough parts, the
triumphant parts. People loved it.
Most people have scars, too. Of course,
they are not always as visible as mine –
maybe they were scarred by abusive parents
or dyslexia or some other invisible malady –
but that doesn’t mean they are not real or
that they can’t learn from someone who has
overcome his own, more visible scars.
That was the real start of my speaking
career. The hundreds and hundreds of
political speeches, talks I had given on
disability issues, my testimonies before
Congress and other committees and
countless interviews, all came together.
The cumulative experience worked.
Doing things again and again breeds a
familiarity, a competence. So often, we
ignore life’s little homilies. It is sad, because
practice often really does make perfect.
More and more, I was being asked to
speak to various groups. I spoke before
environmental groups, handicap advocacy
groups and several congressional
committees considering environmental
legislation. What flipped the switch for me
was a woman approaching me in a
supermarket. She was putting together a
convention for temporary employment
agencies and knew of me and wondered if I
would speak. I was lukewarm, until she
mentioned it paid two hundred dollars.
Imagine, I thought. A two hundred dollar
cheque and a free meal to boot!
By the fall of 1987, I realised that I had a
wonderful opportunity. I saw that I could
make my living by doing something that I
had previously gladly done for free –
sharing the lessons I had learned about life,
telling people that it’s not what happens to
you – it’s what you do about it.
A vital truth
By the time those children in the school yard
saw me, I had already achieved many small
and large victories. I had recovered my self
respect. So I was actually not offended when
they called me a ‘monster’. But I did have
an overwhelming desire to show them a
vital truth: that someone who looks
monstrous on the outside can be good,
warm, funny and caring on the inside.
Someone you might even like as well as you
like your best friend.
I knew that chewing out those kids would
not be half as effective as gently and
personally showing them who I was inside.
And that’s why I speak…
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
Corporate Trends 85
W MITCHELL
Take Responsibility for Your Life…
When you take responsibility for
your life, you take responsibility for
where you are going to go next…
he fireball was about three
metres high and a metre wide.
The flame was blue and searing,
with the peculiar, intense heat of
petrol burning in the open air. Even standing
fifty feet away, on the corner of 26th and
South Van Ness street, you would have felt
the increase in temperature on your face and
hands – a warmth that easily cut through
San Francisco’s gentle, early summer.
And, you would have had company, too –
a mysterious bonfire in the middle of a
suburban intersection, definitely draws a
crowd. But this is only what I’ve been told.
I can’t comment, personally, on the fireball’s
external dimension and characteristics.
You see, I was in the middle of it!
That’s how my book, The Man Who
Would Not Be Defeated, starts. It tells of my
experience of being involved in an
horrendous motor cycle accident, which left
me with burns to 65 per cent of my body,
my face and fingers literally burnt off.
T
Life has many twists
That was the first of the many twists in my
life. Obviously, I survived the fire or I
wouldn’t be here writing this. I also survived
a plane crash four years later, although it left
me paralysed from the waist down and
permanently in a wheelchair.
What surprises most people is, neither
accident has held me back from living a full
and fruitful life. In spite of what happened to
me, I went on to become a successful
businessman, (sometimes) successful
politician, environmental activist, a speaker
and author. And today, I travel the world
spreading my message of hope: It’s not what
happens to you in life, it’s what you do about
it. You can read all about my experiences
and the lessons I learned, in my book
(*Editor’s note: now available through this
magazine – see centre pages).
Just about all of us are born with the same
set of equipment. Hands, eyes, ears, the
ability to think and so forth. True, some
people are brighter than others but the real
question in life is, ‘What are we going to do
with this equipment?’
People tell me I’m quite special but I
believe all of us have the ability to do what
86 Corporate Trends
I’ve done. But all too often, we spend our
lives deciding why we can’t do something.
As Jonathan Swift said,“You can’t change
the direction of the wind but you can adjust
your sails.”
All of us have the ability to make those
important decisions that can change our
lives, in a big way or a small way.
For instance, it’s hard to quit smoking or
quit eating M&Ms. I understand that. Fact
is, however, smoking is a very conscious
effort. You have to choose to do it. Firstly,
of course, you have to make a conscious
decision to purchase the cigarettes. You
then have to open the pack, light the match
and inhale. We make a choice to smoke –
nobody forces us to do it.
Look at Olympic athletes. How many
choices did that person have to make before
they were able to stand up there and receive
that gold medal? You’re not a failure if you
“You can’t change
the direction of the
wind but you can
adjust your sails.”
Jonathan Swift
don’t make it. You’re a failure if you allow
yourself to be limited in this world by other
people’s actions and beliefs.
I talk a lot about responsibility, the ability
to respond. But do we choose to respond?
We must recognise that we are in control.
People tell me after hearing me that I’ve
changed their lives – I’m their excuse. I love
it but the fact is, they simply used me to trim
their sails. Everything I know, I’ve learned
from someone else. Maybe I just string the
words together better than others.
Many professional educators use the
example of the baby walking. A baby
attempts to walk millions of times and fails
millions of times. The baby doesn’t succeed,
hits its head, smashes its face, looks
ridiculous and it’s down-right dangerous.
In fact, the baby fails and fails, if you choose
to call it ‘failure’. Then, one day, he or she
will take their first step. It’s not failure is it?
It’s called, learning; the baby is learning to
walk. They’re not mistakes – they’re
experiences. They either shut you down or
you make it to the goal line.
Truth is, there are tons of things I’ve given
up on in life. But to me, the saddest thing is
people who don’t do anything; nobody does
everything. Instead of people focusing on
what they can do, they focus on what they
can’t do.
Focus on what you can do
Before my accident I could do 10,000
things. Now I can do 9,000 things. I can
either spend the rest of my life focussing on
the 9,000 things I can do or the 1,000 things
I can’t do. The choice is mine – it’s up to me.
We’re all programmed at birth. Anthony
Robbins tells about the little computer each
of us gets when we’re born. It’s blank. Then
somebody programs it for us, with programs
like ‘totally worthless’, ‘relationships suck’all kinds of inconsistent messages. Nobody
gives us an owner’s manual. It’s amazing
we’re not all lemmings. However, all of us
can make the decision to re-program.
We can make the decision to be
responsible. The key word is focus. When
you take responsibility for your life, you
take responsibility for where you are going
to go next.
The longest journey begins with a single
step. By changing one small behaviour, you
can make a huge amount of difference. You
also need tools. All of us have the same
tools; it’s how we choose to use them.
Experts once chopped up Einstein’s brain,
to see if it was different. It was no different
to anyone else’s brain; the difference is what
he chose to do with it.
If I was to point out one beacon, it is
simply that I take responsibility.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
W MITCHELL
The Choice is Yours…
In July 1971, Mitchell was involved in a terrible accident when his
motorcycle was hit by a laundry truck. The petrol capped popped off and
the fuel caught fire, he suffered burns to 65 per cent of his body. In spite of
his misfortune, today Mitchell travels the world spreading his message of
hope: It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it…
am told the lawyers began swarming
around my hospital room long before
I regained consciousness. It’s no
wonder. This was no ‘stiff neck from
whiplash’ case – the pain and suffering were
abundantly clear. Eventually, we shooed
away the ambulance-chasers and got a
referral from a friend to a guy named, Pat
Coyle. So by the time I knew what was
going on, my case was well underway.
He was convinced we had a good case
against both Honda and the company that
owned the laundry truck. So, we sued them
for a total of $2.75 million. That figure was
based on the idea this poor, ruined, hideous
heap of flesh (me), would never be able to
drive a car, hold a job or do anything but
vegetate and that amount of money would
compensate me for a lifetime of lost earnings.
We went to trial in June 1973, two years
after the accident. By then, there was little I
couldn’t do, but the lawyers insisted I go out
of my way not to look too able. They wanted
someone to attend to me at all times.
I
Unexpected company
I remember going to the men’s room in the
courthouse alone one time and as I came
out, Coyle saw me and his face became
ashen. He practically grabbed me, dragged
me to the side of the hallway and demanded,
“What in hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I had to take a leak,” I said.
“Did you realise that one of their lawyers
was in there at the same time as you? From
now on, I’ll go in with you.”
The opposition focused on the fact that I
was flying planes again and seemed to be
fairly competent. Coyle responded by
having a film made of me, highlighting all
the things I could not do. This highlights the
strangeness of our legal system, which
rewards helplessness and penalises success.
I had no problem with suing. My life had
been interrupted, and getting fried was not
how I would have chosen to spend that
afternoon. What we finally discovered,
however, was that it was not my apparent
helplessness but my friendliness and charm
that were our greatest legal allies. The jury
liked me; I think they even admired me.
That, more than anything else, made the
opposing attorneys eager to settle.
The settlement offer
Two weeks into the trial, the judge decided
there should be a settlement conference. He
feared extremes: I would either get no
money or too much money, either of which
would lead to endless appeals.
“In my youth,” said his father,
“I took to the law and argued
each case with my wife. And
the muscular strength which it
gave to my jaw, has lasted the
rest of my life.”
Lewis Carroll
After this conference, my lawyers gave me
the news. The defendants had offered
$450,000 apiece. My share of the $900,000,
after the lawyer’s fees, would be about
$500,000. I had to decide: should I shoot the
dice and go for more, with a chance of
getting nothing or should I take the offer?
That was a big decision. But right from the
start, I had decided that this was “found”
money. I knew my life was okay so it seemed
pointless to get greedy. I took the money.
One final note on the psychiatric front.
Around the time of my trial, my lawyers
could not believe that I was not seeing a
shrink, so they got me one. If ever anyone
needed a shrink, it was this guy! He had
serious psychological problems, most
notably a God complex. He was convinced
he had all the answers and his therapy group
participants knew nothing. Several group
members had bought into this charade; there
were a bunch of people who had been seeing
this nutcase for four years, convinced they
could not survive without his omniscience.
These people were dearly addicted to the
idea that they were sick.
I agree that psychiatry has its place in the
world and some people have scars that are so
deep that they need more than a Swedish
massage. But I could not understand this
brand of group therapy at all. Sure,
sometimes things don’t feel good, you get
pissed off, nobody likes you… to which my
reaction is, welcome aboard, nice to have
you here on Spaceship Earth!
The choice is yours…
You can spend your whole life focusing on
the worst aspects of your life if you choose
to. Do you want to spend all of your time
focusing on how bad your relationship, job,
appearance is or do you want to focus on
how good it can become? Do you want to
talk only about how bad smoking is, or shall
we focus on how wonderful fresh air and
health can be?
The idea of self-help groups should be just
that – to help people understand that the
decision is up to them. As I see it, you can
also sleep on a bed of nails and wallop your
forehead every half hour with a two-by-four
if that’s your desire. But wallowing in angst
is not my thing and that’s what these sessions
were all about. So after a few sessions, I quit.
I pointed out that I didn’t want to spend an
hour a week thinking about problems I
considered to be relatively minor, when there
was so much positive stuff to do and be in
the world. I even threw them some
Morehouse (the idea that we are all perfect)
because, while I resisted that idea for quite a
while, it does make some sense.
I got a lot of major-league hostility from
the group but what stands out is a letter I got
from the shrink. The gist of it was, sure, now,
in 1973, I was doing well. But if I didn’t get
long-term therapy, sooner or later I would
jump out of a window.
It’s now 2001 and I haven’t jumped!
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
Corporate Trends 87
W MITCHELL
Why I Travel the World
Speaking to People…
W Mitchell was involved in a terrible accident when his motorcycle was
hit by a truck. The fuel caught fire and he suffered terrible burns to 65 per
cent of his body. He was later involved in a plane crash that left him
unable to walk. Despite these setbacks, today Mitchell travels the world
spreading his message of hope to others – it’s not what happens to you, it’s
what you do about it…
A
fter my first accident, when I
got out of hospital, I walked
quite a bit to build my strength
back up. It must have been
quite a show.
I had Puppy, my huge, male Great Dane.
He walked with me everywhere. And
because the plastic surgeons kept
emphasising that I shouldn’t get too much
sun, I would always wear a hat – usually my
Smokey the Bear hat.
Well, the sight must have been
unbelievable. This monster dog, and this
emaciated, burned up, fingerless guy with
long hair and a drill instructor’s hat,
strolling the boulevards of San Francisco. In
a city full of weird looking people,
especially in those Haight-Ashbury days, I
must have ranked among the weirdest. The
sight obviously did overload a few circuits.
I remember a couple of cases in particular.
How it started
Once, I walked to the hospital to visit some
patients. The nurses had actually put me to
work, making the rounds of bum patients. I
told them things like, “Man, you're the only
guy in this place who's as funny-looking as
I am,” as a way to help them gain some
perspective. This was probably the start of
my sharing the message: “It's not what
happens to you, it's what you do about it.”
Anyway, on this particular trip, I told
Puppy, to stay at the entrance. He was very
good about this. He simply would not move
and at 125 muscular pounds in weight, few
people were inclined to move him.
When I came out a man staggered up,
obviously drunk and started to berate me.
“God, you're a mess. Jesus, you're the
ugliest thing I ever saw. What the hell do
you think you're doing here? I'm gonna beat
that ugly face of yours,” he railed at me.
Despite the guy’s condition and the fact
88 Corporate Trends
that he was probably twenty years older
than me, there was simply no way I could
have defended myself. I had been a superb
physical specimen, an excellent skier, a
cable-car gripman, a guy who never had
anything to fear. To feel so defenceless was
a new and not so pleasant sensation.
When I said nothing, he got more abusive as
he realised I was not going to fight back.
Just as he was ready to begin, I noticed my
dog had reappeared. So I said, “Look, I'm
pretty messed up. I won't be much of a
match for you. But would you like to fight
my buddy?”
He said, “Sure.”
“The chief cause of
human error, is to
be found in the
prejudices picked
up in childhood.”
Rene Descartes
I said “Puppy, come, I want you to meet
this guy because he wants to fight with
you.” The fellow took one look at the dog,
froze for an instant and then took off so fast
even Puppy couldn’t have caught him.
It was an early, but classic example of
what was to become my overriding
philosophy: Do whatever it takes. In this
case, the simple solution – pounding the guy
into hamburger – was denied to me, so I had
to get creative. What would I have done if
Puppy had not bounded up?
Perhaps I would have started a conversation
with the guy. Maybe I would have enlisted
the aid of a bystander. I could have zipped
back inside the hospital. At every moment,
we have more options than we can imagine;
and one good thing that comes from
handicaps is that it opens one's eyes to the
reality of that.
In any case, this guy was an example of
the kind of garbage that gets poured into
some unfortunate people’s brains, usually
when they are children and can't ward it off.
Fortunately, such profoundly insensitive
people are rare.
The worst was yet to come
But the most distressing situation arose as
Puppy and I walked passed a primary school
playground. One kid spotted me, shouted
something to the others and soon they all
broke off their playing and ran to the fence
to stare at me. Then, by twos and threes at
first, but soon en masse, they chanted:
Monster, monster, monster, monster...”
Teachers swooped down on them
immediately, herding them inside,
admonishing them for such behaviour.
But I was struck by a feeling of loss. I was
not offended by what they had said. I did,
indeed, resemble a monster that a child
might have seen in a movie – rather like
Freddy Kruger with a few Frankenstein
stitches thrown in.
But I had an overwhelming desire to show
them a vital truth: that someone who looks
monstrous on the outside can be good,
warm, funny, and caring on the inside,
someone you might like as well as you like
your best friend. I knew that chewing out
those kids for their boorishness would not be
half as effective as personally showing them
their honest mistake. That there was a good
person under all that scar tissue. I wanted to
tell them something that a wonderful
speaker and good friend shared with me
much later. That the wrapping might have
been damaged but the gift inside was still in
good shape.
I think at that moment I subconsciously
resolved to make sharing that message with
people, especially kids, the focus of my life.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
W MITCHELL
Breaking the Barriers
So many barriers we are told are real, don’t exist at all. And even the real
ones can be vanquished through sheer effort. Things like picking up a
quarter with no fingers or having a wonderful, accomplished life
though you are burned and in a wheelchair – most can be
surmounted through effort and a willingness to dig under
them, go around them or hop over them…
first met Tony Robbins when I spoke
at a seminar he was running in
Phoenix. The highlight of the seminar
was to be the firewalk, where you
stroll barefoot over red hot coals.
Three days after I arrived, firewalk night
rolled around. Three beds of mesquite coals
were prepared, ranging from twelve to forty
feet long. This was the hottest fire Tony had
ever used. I was about eight feet away and
the heat was so intense, I was worried it
would somehow mess up the plastic surgery
work that had just been done on me, so I had
them back me up.
I planned only to watch, for a couple of
reasons. First, I don’t walk. Second, I had
had my fire experience. Third, I didn’t need
this routine anyway. The whole idea behind
this is that if you can walk on fire, you prove
to yourself that you can do damn near
anything, that any limitations in your life are
probably self-imposed. I had already
figured that out in my own way, so who
needed this?
I
My first fire ‘walk’
People started walking through the coals. As
they emerged, they were exultant. No one
was burned. I’d guess 250 people did it.
I don’t even remember how it came about
but suddenly, there I was at the end of this
bed of coals in my wheelchair, taking off
my shoes and socks and saying to Tony and
another friend, Tom Crum, “One of you
grab me under the right arm, one under the
left, lift me up and turn me around, because
we are going to do this backwards.
And that’s what we did.
I had more contact with the coals than
anyone else. While the other workshop
participants had stepped through the coals, I
was literally dragged through them. When
we got to the other side, I could see the two
dark trails where my heels had gone.
I did not have a single burn.
What did it mean?
A lot of scientists are sceptical that
anything mystical is involved. There are
elaborate theories about perspiration on
the feet repelling the heat, through
a principle similar to touching a wet finger
to a hot iron and not being burned. These
theories might be true – although I was in
contact for quite a while.
But even if it is not literal magic, it
certainly is a potent metaphor. It is a visible
illustration of the power anyone has to face
when confronted by a frightening barrier
and discovering that there was no real
reason to fear it at all.
“It is courage the world
needs, not infallibility,
courage is always the
surest wisdom.”
Sir Wilfred Grenfell
I firmly believe that most barriers are selfimposed. We first get them from society –
you can’t do that, that’s immoral, that’s
crazy, no one in our family does that and so
on. But we forget that we have the power to
accept or reject these barriers. We treat them
as if they are immovable, immutable, when,
in fact, they may be silly, cause unnecessary
misery or just be plain nonexistent.
To illustrate this with one more vivid
example: back in the 1950s, it was widely
accepted that no one would ever run a fourminute mile – that was, simply, something
that human beings were not capable of
doing. Then, in 1954, Roger Bannister ran
one in three minutes, fifty nine and fourtenths’ seconds. The next year, some fifty
people broke the four-minute “barrier.”
Now, high school athletes break it routinely.
Bannister demonstrated that the barrier was
not real, but the remarkable thing is that any
of those fifty people could have figured it
out on their own. They didn’t need to wait
for Bannister to show them the fallacy of it.
An even more poignant example, and one
closer to all of your hearts I’m sure, is the
story of Cliff Young, a rather unsuccessful
sixty-five-year old farmer from Australia,
who showed up at the starting line of the
annual five hundred kilometre Sydney to
Melbourne race. Hundreds of people show
up at the start of that race every year, but this
was the first time anyone had arrived in his
gum boots and bib overalls, causing the
more polite of the bystanders to smile and
the ruder ones to ridicule the old guy.
They were still hooting as the gun
sounded and the runners zoomed ahead of
Cliff. He didn’t even run correctly. He just
shuffled along in his gum boots. And at
night, when the six hour break came (which
everyone knew you had to take to have the
stamina to win), Cliff was too stupid even to
understand that. When he finally arrived at
the break point, he just kept running. And
that was the last any of the other runners
ever saw of him. Cliff Young broke the
Sydney to Melbourne record by some 12
hours and no one was laughing anymore.
Now, everybody’s shuffling
By the next year, everyone was shuffling
like Cliff Young. It became the preferred
style of ultra-long distance running. Quite a
few people broke Cliff’s record, thanks to
what they learned from him.
I had already discovered this: it’s the folks
who don’t pay attention to what “everybody
knows” who often succeed in life.
But it was wonderful to see the faces of
the 250 people who walked through the
firepit that night. I suspected that, from that
point on, it would be difficult to convince
any of them that he or she faced an
insurmountable obstacle. This is not to say
that every obstacle can simply be “walked
across” like that firepit. Often, tremendous
energy and hard work are required, and the
obstacle may need to be surmounted in a
way no one could have guessed.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
Corporate Trends 89
W MITCHELL
The Man Who Would
Not Be Defeated…
Mitchell (or just
Mitchell, as he prefers
to be called) was born
in Pennsylvania in
1943 to an upper middle-class
American family.
After dropping out of school and
serving briefly in the Marines, he
became a cab driver and then a gripman
on the San Francisco cable cars.
Mitchell claims, for a man with a love of
mechanical things and an eye for a
pretty girl, this had to be the ultimate job
in the world.
Mitchell was a good looking young
man with a zest for living life in the fast
lane. He had a passion for fast moving
sports, including snow skiing, flying
light planes and riding motor bikes. It
was this love of fast moving machines
that led to the events that so
dramatically changed his life.
W
An appointment with fate
On 19 July 1971, Mitchell jumped on
his motorcycle and headed off to visit
his girlfriend. That morning he had
made his first solo flight in a light
aircraft. He was working in a job he
loved, with plenty of friends and plenty
of money. He was riding his new Honda
750 motorcycle, purchased the day
before and life was looking pretty good.
Mitchell didn't see the laundry truck
until it was too late. He hit it squarely in
the side and went down. The petrol tank
on the motorcycle popped its lid,
pouring gallons of petrol onto the bike's
hot engine and all over Mitchell. The
ensuing fireball was ten feet high and
four feet wide.
His life would probably have ended
right there, except for a nearby car
salesman who grabbed a fire extinguisher and literally put him out. The
ambulance arrived minutes later and
raced him to the San Francisco General
90 Corporate Trends
Hospital. He had suffered horrific burns
to sixty five per cent of his body and his
survival chances were judged to be
extremely low. His crash helmet had
saved his scalp but most of his face and
hands were literally burnt off.
Fortunately for him, he passed into a
deep coma and, aided by massive doses
of drugs, the next two weeks remain a
fuzzy blur.
The ensuing months were spent
undergoing extensive plastic surgery.
Surgeons virtually re-built Mitchell's
face but even the best plastic surgeons
can only do so much. The end result
was a patch-work of grafted skin that
once caused a group of children to run
away screaming, “monster, monster.”
Feelings of hopelessness
Apart from his physical appearance, all
his fingers and thumbs had been burnt
off in the accident and he was left with
two stumps where his hands used to be.
One can only try to imagine the pain
and feeling of hopelessness that he must
have gone through in the next few years
as he tried desperately to learn to live
with his disabilities and rebuild some
sort of life for himself.
He recalls that initially the pain in his
hands was so excruciating he couldn't
even bear a breeze on them, let alone
use them for any worthwhile purpose.
He was virtually helpless and even
relatively simple tasks like opening a
door seemed insurmountable.
Probably many people faced with his
pain and problems would have given
up. But Mitchell is no ordinary person.
Despite his seemingly overwhelming
disabilities, he continued on, not only
learning how to adjust to the problems
but actually returning to doing most of
things he had done before. He even
managed to fly a plane again.
Because of his appearance, Mitchell
decided to move from San Francisco.
He figured that in a small town people
would soon learn his story and after a
while forget his appearance and look
beyond that to see Mitchell the person.
His eventual choice was Crested
Butte, a small mining town 20 miles
from the ski fields of Colorado. He used
part of his accident settlement money to
establish himself in business and he
opened a bar in the town which enjoyed
good trade. He also made some real
estate investments in the area and
eventually invested with friends in a
project manufacturing a new type of
fuel burning stove, which was to
eventually return him a tremendous
profit.
Entry into politics
He also made a name for himself in
politics. His successful environmental
battle with a giant mining company
made him a popular local identity and
he went on to eventually become Mayor
of Crested Butte. He even ran for
Congress and went very close to being
elected. All in all, life looked pretty
good. But fate was not yet finished with
W Mitchell.
Mitchell now held a commercial
pilot's licence and had bought a Cessna
206 aeroplane, regularly taking
passengers to different destinations to
help pay his fuel bills.
W MITCHELL
One morning in November 1975, he
was preparing to fly with three friends
to San Francisco. It was a fairly routine
flight and one he had made countless
times before. This morning it had been
snowing and it was extremely cold.
Mitchell thought that all the ice had
melted off the wings. Unfortunately, he
was wrong. The plane reached a height
of about one hundred feet and the
engine stalled. The plane fell for around
two seconds and then slammed back
onto the runway belly up, bursting open
the fuel tanks.
Fearing his dreaded enemy, fire,
Mitchell yelled to his passengers to get
out of the plane and tried to free himself.
He could not move. He thought his feet
must be have been jammed under the
rudder pedals. Then, he noticed the
numbness in his legs and the pain in his
back and realised something was
terribly wrong.
Later, in hospital, the doctor told him
he had crushed his spine and was
paralysed from the waist down. He
would be confined to a wheelchair for
the rest of his life. For a man who had
just spent the last four years of his life
recovering from incredibly devastating
injuries, it seemed just too much to bear.
“It's not what
happens to you in
life that counts,
it's what you
do about it.”
However, once again with amazing
courage and determination, Mitchell
managed to overcome his problems.
Despite his many disabilities he
continues to live a full life.
Director of the board of a number of
companies, an environmental leader
and a successful businessman, he still
lists amongst his hobbies white river
rafting and skydiving! He says simply,
before his accidents he could do 10,000
things — now, he can only do 9,000
things. He can either spend his time
focusing on the 1,000 things that he can
no longer do or the 9,000 things that he
can do. Mitchell says he simply prefers
to do the latter.
These days, he spends much of his
time travelling the world spreading his
powerful message of hope and
inspiration to others. And, as Mitchell
says, disabilities are not always
physical. Often our biggest disability is
our failure to recognise our problems
and to learn to deal with them.
Mitchell's philosophy is simple: “It's
not what happens to you in life that
counts, it's what you do about it”.
W Mitchell, CPS, CSP, CPAE, is an
internationally sought after speaker who
motivates and inspires audiences worldwide. His positive message about taking
responsibility for change, told with warmth
and wit, make Mitchell one of the most
requested and respected professional
speakers today. Contact Mitchell’s
Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.WMitchell.com
“IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS
TO YOU, IT’S WHAT YOU DO ABOUT IT.”
To invite Mitchell to speak to your convention, association or meeting, contact your favourite Australian
Speakers Bureau or call Sue at Mitchell’s Australian office on 1 800 421 484.
Now available: in audio cassette,
video or book!
“IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU,
IT’S WHAT YOU DO ABOUT IT.”
Hard cover book $29.95*
Audio cassette tape set $29.95*
One hour video tape $59.95*
* plus $5.50 postage & handling fee
Now you can get W Mitchell’s amazing life story
in book form or on video. To order your copy
today, contact Mitchell’s Australian office on:
Tel: 1 800 421 484
Website: www.WMitchell.com
Corporate Trends 91
Catherine
Palin-Brinkworth
International presenter and business consultant
on Leadership Growth and Change with
Messages that Matter for the times we live in.
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH M.App.Sci CSP
On the platform her audiences have described her as:
"Terrific" - "One of the best ever" "Major impact" "A high point" "Most refreshing" "Enthusiasm and wit"
"Professional and intelligent" "An absolute joy"
In her corporate life, Catherine cut her teeth in one of the most challenging environments in the business
world; for several years she built and managed teams of outstanding performers in the life insurance and
investment industry.
Her history has been one of building businesses from the ground up, from 5 to 250, from zero to $60
million. For several years she held senior national sales and marketing management roles and for the last
10 years, she has run her own highly successful business consultancy. Her skills have been honed by
national and international leadership of professional organisations, including the National Speakers
Association of Australia. Her own life story is powerful and motivational. Her empowerment of others has
been recognised by the highest awards from her peers, and she is continually asked back by her clients.
Catherine has an amazing ability to bring out the best in people, to turn around individual and team
performance, and to stimulate positive change. Her track record speaks for itself.
Other testimonials include:
"Best ever...impressed with the take home value that attendees commented on"
"You have a unique ability to present your message in a manner that is readily understood and retained by
your audience. The results are on the board. Thank you!"
"Catherine would be the most refreshing woman speaker I have ever heard. She shot from the hip, played
it straight and delivered a lot."
"Catherine's presentation was a high point within our conference. Catherine spoke with sincerity,
enthusiasm and wit, keeping attention pivoted upon her message. We were delighted with the content and
relevance of her talk."
CATHERINE PALIN BRINKWORTH
What’s the Real Secret
of Successful People?
Remembering that know-how is no
good unless it becomes do-how.
Information doesn’t actually become
knowledge until we use it and discover
the effects.
walls and a floor, as well. It surrounds us
and encloses us totally, for our entire
lives. And it’s not put there by anyone
else. It’s custom designed and
developed by us.
Discipline develops dreams
Discipline, is a word which I’m a little
uncomfortable with, I must confess! But
I do know that when I apply it, miracles
happen.
For me it means making small
commitments and requiring myself to
keep them. Keeping commitments to
others is not an issue—it’s essential.
Keeping them to myself however, is the
tough call. Will—the inner drive—is
very often the missing link.
My mentor, John Nevin, used to say:
“You gottawanna”. If the will isn’t
there, all of the skill in the world is
useless. Check in on your will to
succeed. Do you really wanna?
I have a theory that we always do
actually get what we want; our real
goals are shining back at us from our
outcomes.
For instance - I want to be pencil slim,
lean and lithe.
Really?
If I really did, I would be. There’s a
part of me that likes the curves and the
cappuccino ice cream, enough to want
to keep them in my life. The pencil slim
business is just a vague notion of the
ideal, not the outcome I actually
choose—at least for now.
Want to be Numero Uno in your
company? Really? Are you seriously
willing to do what is required? Have
you done it? Because that’s the only
genuine proof of will, don’t you think?
Or is it time you found out what’s
really in your Glass Cage?™.
Why are some people fabulously
successful, while others never make
it, no matter how hard they try?
ave you ever wondered
how some people become
successful? You know the
ones I mean. Lacking all the
expected attributes of a winner, often
with far more obstacles to overcome
than you and I, they become rich and
famous. Or at least, impressive.
And you sit there and wonder what’s
wrong with you? Why aren’t you up
there too? How come this individual
seems to have it made?
You seem to have more talent, more
intelligence, more potential—and it’s
just not happening.
H
Persistence is not enough
Motivational speakers often quote
Calvin Coolidge:
Nothing can take the place of
persistence. Talent will not; nothing is
more common than unsuccessful men
with talent…etc. etc.
Calvin, I’m sorry. I’m afraid I have
serious doubts about this. In my
experience, persistence can often create
nothing but a sore head when you’re
banging it up against the wrong wall—or
just banging it against any wall, come to
think of it.
The real barrier.
If you have the same level of energy,
skill, discipline and will as the other guy
—and you’re not as successful—it isn’t
persistence that is holding you back. It’s
really your Glass Cage ™.
People often use the term ‘glass
ceiling’ to describe the limits or barriers
that are imposed by others—if someone
else is doing this to you, and they stop,
you will be free. Mmm…true, in some
cases. In other cases, the barrier in fact ,
is not just a ceiling, it’s a cage. It has four
What to do about it
If you don’t have the same level of
energy, skill, discipline and will as the
successful people, you can do something
about it. Those bits are easy. Energy
comes from a body in motion, not a body
at rest. So, to create energy, just do
something. Anything really—it doesn’t
have to be brilliant or perfect. It just has
to be activity that is directed towards the
Information doesn’t
actually become
knowledge until
we use it and
discover the effects
outcome you are seeking.
For instance, if you want more
business in the door, pick up the phone
and ring someone. (If you want to know
what to say when they answer, call me).
Delight in achievements
Energy is most effective when it’s
focussed, of course, and it feels best
when it’s positive.
Someone reminded me recently to
simply delight in the achievement of
every moment; that certainly felt good
and seemed to create a whole lot more
energy almost instantly. Try it, and let me
know what happens for you!
Skill can be easily developed by
acquiring new, how-to information and
then doing some practice. So, there’s an
idea—do some experiential learning and
enhance your current abilities.
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 93
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
Managing Chaos!
I guarantee that 99 per cent of you
reading this now, found it a
challenge to find the time to do so…
kay, we know that all
things are impermanent.
But didn’t they used to
change more slowly?
Today, change is not the issue. The
word that arises everywhere is CHAOS.
A few years ago businesses were
experiencing massive restructurings, reengineerings, and redirection. Skills
and tools were needed for response to
various impacts, to help us create rather
than react.
But now we’re spinning faster, and the
group change tools don’t always seem
to work. Perhaps what’s needed is an
actual chaos management strategy!
Whether it’s the Y2K dawn or the
Sydney Olympics, your workplace or
your personal relationships; whether
you run a large organisation, a small
business, a tiny team or simply your
own life — the tools you need now are
for managing chaos.
O
1. Know the "I"
Start by considering a hurricane, or a
cyclone. Utter chaos, causing great
devastation. Think of the centre. Calm,
peaceful, quiet. The eye. Think of it as
yourself. You may not be able to stop
or even control the wind and the noise
around you. But you can retain your
own centre. Find your strength, your
capabilities, your power and your value,
and stand quietly in your own ability to
respond to each situation with courage
and wisdom. We all have it. We just
forget it sometimes when the winds of
change are howling around us.
2. Know What Matters
"The first rule of success, and the one
that supersedes all others, is to have
energy. It is important to know how to
concentrate it and focus it on the
important things, instead of frittering it
94 Corporate Trends
away on trivia." (Michael Korda)
The most powerful thing you can do at
any moment is re-focus. What do you
want to achieve?
Why is this
important?
3. Nurture your network
No man is an island….nor woman
either.
We operate best when
interdependent.
Not leaning, but
supported. It may be time to re-value
family, to re-assess social contacts, to reenergise team consciousness in the
workplace. One of the keys to
managing chaos is the ability to tap into
support facilities. Productivity almost
invariably increases when we delegate,
leverage and pull together.
“To make a living is
no longer enough.
Work also has to
make a life.”
Peter Drucker
4. Courage to tell the truth
This may not be so for you, but for
many people an enormous amount of
time and energy is wasted in developing
and maintaining the mask. There’s no
time any more to do that - have you
noticed? It’s time for ‘impowerment’
(the CPB word for claiming your own
power, rather than grabbing it from
others).
5. Learn to live with less
A strange concept for many of us in
business who have spent much of
our working lives running after ‘more’.
When life moves fast, the less baggage
we have to carry the better. Travelling
light - in many ways - becomes more
effective.
We’re discovering that a
simpler life can be a lot less stressful.
Not to decry wealth and its pleasures just to eliminate the desperate
struggle for it!
6. Rejoice regularly
A behavioural researcher visited a
kindergarten. “How many of you can
sing,” he asked? All hands went up.
“How many of you can paint?” Again
all hands were proudly thrust in the air.
“And, how many can dance?” “Me,
me, me,” was the answer.
The researcher asked the same
questions in a university lecture hall.
“How many of you can sing?” Two
hands. “How many of you can paint?”
Not one. “And how many can dance?”
Fingers were pointed at others, with
comments and laughter, but not one
claimed the ability. What happened?
Why did we forget, or decide our own
self-expression was not good enough?
It’s just about a joyful release of stress
hormones — good for the mind, the
soul and the body.
7. Choose care over fear
I first learned it from Marianne
Williamson, who wrote the beautiful
words Nelson
Mandela used in his
inaugural address. There are only two
fundamental emotions - love and fear.
Anything that isn’t one, is the other.
Until recently, we didn’t talk about this
in the corporate arena. Now we know,
tough love builds good teams, and
chaos is exacerbated by fear. This is not
about being soft and gooey - you know
that. It’s about finding a way to address
issues head on with an intelligent mix
of
courage
commitment
and
compassion.
Chaos is inevitable. In the sense that
perturbation is evolutionary, it’s also
desirable. But managing it is essential.
It’s no use for any of us to hope that
someone else will do it. Do you have
your own personal strategies in place?
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
CATHERINE PALIN BRINKWORTH
Personal Leadership for
the Present Moment…
Has your work environment
changed in the last 12 months?
Found it challenging?
‘black hat thinking’ to explore potential
risks, but with a faith that knows we can
overcome obstacles with commitment
courage and creativity.
t a conference recently, I
asked everyone how many
of them had undergone
major change recently.
The ocean of hands made me seasick!
We are in a time of the fastest change
in human history. Never before, in peace
time, have we been required to be so
adaptable, so flexible, yet so focused.
Personal leadership for the present
moment is about predicting and
managing change. Personal leaders are
people who lead themselves forward
with strength and confidence so that
others may be inspired to join with them
in equal strength and inner belief.
Personal leaders create a point of
reference. They create, claim and
embody success.
Here are a few of the essential skills
and qualities:
3. Action
Whatever we want our ideal world to
be, action will be necessary. It may be
an uncomfortable change of habit or a
courageous new beginning. It may be
huge fun! And, it may be extremely
uncomfortable. Do it anyway! Personal
leaders take action. Any is better than
none, in a changing world. There’s no
such thing as a wrong decision—
everything will take you somewhere—
and even so-called failures are valuable
lessons. Aren’t they?
A
1. Vision
What does your ideal world look like?
How would you like your family to be?
Your workplace? Your business? Your
industry? Yourself? Only with a vision
of the desired outcome can you even
begin to achieve it. It may change
constantly—as it does—and so of
course, will the method of achievement.
But a constantly renewed vision is
essential for personal leadership.
2. Optimism
Boost the vision with a positive belief in
its realism! Martin Seligman’s work
with Learned Optimism is wonderful;
from a totally scientific base he has
created strong evidence that when we
believe, we achieve. Not with naive
foolishness, but with awareness and
sound information. Using De Bono’s
“All things pass.
You can view it as
death and mourn,
or you can allow
the winds of change
to dance about your
feet and celebrate…”
4. Communication
All leaders call on this skill as their
major tool of trade. Personal leaders
need it too. The ability to stand on your
feet and state what you want and why.
The ability to share your vision and
inspire others to support you in it. The
skill of honest, well prepared
negotiation to create your own
circumstances or change them. The
understanding of different personalities,
different behavioural styles, different
age and gender needs, different cultural
orientations. The ability to speak your
mind clearly and easily, with the right
words at your command, with
sensitivity and respect but with truth.
5. Confidence
Many people ask me for advice or help
on developing confidence. It’s simple.
Confidence is about trust. When we
trust ourselves, we have selfconfidence. The greatest barrier is selfcriticism. Not honest self-evaluation
with a desire to improve but the
negative, destructive, soul-destroying
self-talk that often consumes us.
I often ask audiences, “how many of
you have ever felt inadequate?” It’s
sobering how many feel incapable or
unworthy almost every day in some
way! Yet everything we have ever done
has been the best we could possibly do
at that time in that place. When we
really get this, and stop our selfflagellation, life gets easier, more joyful
and more successful. Somehow, we then
stop beating up on others as well and
their level of trust in us develops
accordingly. Try it! You’ll like it!
So, I dare you:
Rate yourself out of 10 for each of the
above. 10 is perfect and 1 needs work.
Be pleased if you discover an area of
weakness (we all have them), and
personal leaders acknowledge and
improve on them. Only fools live in
denial and maintain the status quo.
Because the truth about life in the new
millennium is, there is no status quo.
There is, in our tangible material
world, absolutely nothing that is
permanent. Only when we forget that,
and cling to what is passing, do we incur
discomfort. A calm inner strength
accompanies the personal leader who
knows that all will pass in time, finding
peace in the middle of chaos.
Find the present moment. Find your
own magnificence, and revel in it. Selfdevelopment will be a primary key for
success in the new millennium, I
promise you.
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 95
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
Conditions for Successful Change…
A useful definition of insanity is:
“Doing what you did yesterday
and expecting a different outcome.
h huh. I agree – it’s crazy!
Yet how many of us want
improved
lives
and
enhanced performance —
without the will to change?
Every single desirable development of
our lives will require change. The “C”
word. Why on earth do we resist it
so? Well…
1. It hurts…
Yes, it does. There is an in-built part of
my brain, and yours, which is absolutely
dedicated to preserving homeostasis.
Anything
different
(particularly
exercise, in my opinion) causes severe
discomfort — and so it should! This
clever reptilian brain of ours, is just
trying to protect us from imbalance. It
hasn’t realised we’re in the 21st century
and if we DON’T change we’ll die.
U
2. It’s somebody else’s idea…
Well, that’s usually true! Most other
people seem to feel they know what’s
good for us, better than we do, right? So
almost all change or improvement
initiatives are initially inspired by an
external source. The question is — do
we share the same desire for us to be
different?
3. On the other hand…
Maybe if I do change, other people in
my life might become uncomfortable.
Because they know me as I am and they
are resisting change. So if I embrace it, I
may not be able to embrace them any
more or they may not embrace me. That
could be very lonely.
4. It shakes my self-concept…
I form my identity, my world-view, my
core belief system which drives all my
responses, behaviours and actions, quite
early in my life. It creates my
orientation. If anything happens to alter
that orientation, I become a displaced
96 Corporate Trends
person. Even if it’s only momentary, it
requires an adjustment on my part.
That’s hard work. If I have to do it too
often, I can become quite disoriented
and dysfunctional. After all, how can I
possibly perform at my peak if I don’t
know who I am?
5. I like things just the way they are.
Well, maybe they’re not perfect. But
they’re OK. And if we change things,
they could be worse! Better the devil
you know, than the devil we don’t!
Just take a moment to check in with me
on this:
• Have you ever wanted conditions in
your life/work/family to change?
• Have you ever owned any of the
above resistances?
• Have you ever observed them in
others around you?
They’re common. They’re almost
universal. They will get in the way of
just about every improvement you want
to implement in your business
environment or in your personal life.
The final challenge
And here’s a final challenge in creating
change. Check out the beliefs of
everyone involved. Robert Fritz, author
of ‘The Path of Least Resistance’,
shows graphically how a negative belief
will inevitably sabotage any attempt to
move out of the current situation. The
resulting Structural Conflict will make
any improvement impossible, without
awareness, open acknowledgement and
the chance to shape a managing
strategy.
Success strategies are simple.
You know what you want. You
believe you can have it. You work out
how to get it. You take action. You
know with confidence that you will
have it —and it arrives.
We do it every day and love it! So,
why on earth do we sometimes make it
so difficult?
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Use the BEST© Change Formula to easily manage change
in your personal or business life:
Build the vision
Get it strong, big, bright, clear, moving, real. Discuss all the positive effects.
Accept the challenges and the obstacles. Know the value. Ensure there is 100 per
cent ownership and support.
Establish the power
None of us is a powerless victim of our world. We can stay and grow or we can
run and hide. We can choose to make a difference and we can choose to be
different. We should be responsible for our own accountability.
Select an action
All change requires effort. One action alone can get it started. Any action is better
than none. All action provides feedback. The whole process may not always be
clear — and probably can’t be.
No one needs to know all the answers in advance.
Take a step
With personal courage, acknowledging any risks and ensuring there’s a safety net.
Provide self-encouragement, every step takes us somewhere. Check the results
with the vision. And, the next step is of course, to build the vision.
CATHERINE PALIN BRINKWORTH
Who’s in Charge Around
Here, Anyway?
“What this business/ organisation/team needs is some good oldfashioned leadership!”
ow many times have you heard
someone say that?
Yet we are caught up in one of
the greatest dichotomies of our
time: I call it the ‘Spock Paradox’.
No, I don’t mean the guy with the long,
pointy ears but the baby doctor. The man
who revolutionised western culture around
parenting back in the fifties. He taught us,
amongst other things, that babies should be
fed on demand! Until then, for many
decades, they had been fed by the clock! He
told us to listen to our children – that they
know what they need and will tell us how to
care for them. He was particularly against
any reign of terror — discipline was to be by
dialogue and rational agreement. (Although
if you’ve had a two year old, you’ll know
who tries to reign over whom!)
H
The ‘Spock’ mentality
Whatever your opinions of his work, I
believe Dr. Spock changed our lives
dramatically. Because if you are managing a
team in today’s business environment, you
are managing Spock babies. You probably
are one yourself. Your team colleagues are
fully-fledged Spock participants, believing
they have a right to be heard, to think for
themselves, to be fed on demand.
To some of our older colleagues who are
pre-Spock people, that’s outrageous (or at
the least challenging). To others, it can be a
nuisance! Especially if we’ve been ‘trained’
in management or leadership by the preSpockies. But to the wise, it’s a joy.
The “Spock’ paradox
And here’s the paradox: We Spockies will
cry for leadership but we won’t accept it. We
want to be shown the way but we won’t
follow. We ask someone to solve our
problems but we won’t be told what to do.
We want to make up our own minds. We
want to be in control of our own destiny.
“How can you possibly lead that?” you well
may ask.
The answer is simple but not necessarily
easy. It’s about encouraging and nurturing
a particular kind of leadership within
your /organisation.
Positional leadership
It’s not about Positional Leadership —you
know, the kind that comes with the title on
your business card. Because although
positional hierarchies are still the way we
traditionally get things organised, they are
no longer the way to most effectively get
things done.
Positional Leadership can be guiding and
inspiring but it often isn’t. Often it falls into
the hollow ring of authority, to which Spock
babies are highly allergic (if you haven’t
already noticed).
Having leadership
problems?
Chances are it’s
all due to…
Dr. Spock!
Circumstantial Leadership
Real leadership actually just turns up in
certain circumstances — I call it
Circumstantial Leadership.
It’s when someone moves into a place of
challenge and change, whether they are
invited or appointed — you can’t hold them
down. They have the knowledge, they have
the courage, they have the ideas and beliefs
and they go for it! It’s a joy to watch. They
claim the leadership role — without a title,
without the trappings — and they enlist
support. And, when they are encouraged,
they run with it.
How do you know when you’re a good
leader?
When others follow you. Especially when
it’s tough. That’s what happens in
Circumstantial Leadership.
Who can own this skill?
Anyone. Everyone. And not only is it useful
to encourage — it’s essential.
Everyone has some specific area of
expertise or a topic to which they are
passionately committed. Everyone has a
time to give and to lead. Everyone has a
place at the front for their time. And, in a
high performing team, the official
leader/facilitator/captain/coach makes sure
that happens.
What does it take to nurture?
It takes the development and ownership of
Personal Leadership.
Where everyone in a team is trained and
encouraged to know that they are all
intrinsically leaders, with heaps of value to
contribute in the field of their own
greatness.
Validation and nurturing
Human beings need only two elements to
enable them to give of their best: validation
and nurturing. When we are validated, and
when we feel nurtured, we will own
Personal Leadership.
We will take
responsibility for our own lives, our own
directions and our outcomes, and for our
significant contribution to the shared goals
of our team. We can create a group energy
that is unstoppable, with each team member
contributing to the fullest.
I’ve seen it happen. I’ve been part of a
hugely successful team where we made it
happen. It’s awesome.
Where will it take us?
Wherever we want to go.
Where do you get it?
Right inside the Spockies that already
exist on your team. No matter how well
they hide it, it’s there.
If you would like a hand to bring it out, let
me know. I’d be happy to oblige.
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 97
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
Life Can Be So Easy…
With a System
There are three kinds of people… those
who make it happen, those who let it
happen and those who wonder
what happened!
ow many times have you lost a
deal, lost a customer, lost a
good staff member — and
wondered what happened?
Where did I go wrong? What
did I do that didn’t work? What did I do that
DID work so I can do it again?
A lot of the time we wing it, don’t we?
And there’s nothing wrong with that — the
use of our intuition, our experience and our
spontaneity brings a freshness and reality to
any situation. But I learned years
ago when I first started in sales
management, when you create a
system, you take the guess work
out of life and provide more
opportunity, energy (and safety),
for that freshness. It’s like knowing
which side of the road to drive on!
H
Try this quick test
Once upon a time, I was shown a
puzzle. It’s now shown to you,
right here in the centre of this page.
I know you’re busy but take just a
moment and count how many
squares you can see.
How many? 16? 17? 21? 26?
There are actually 30 squares.
The big one around the outside, of
course. Then, the sixteen small
squares. That’s 17. There is a
square of four in each corner, a
square of four on each side and one in the
middle. That’s 26. Then there is a square of
nine small squares in each corner also — an
extra 4, totalling 30. Amazing, isn’t it?
So what, you ask? Look for the metaphor.
It’s a difficult puzzle for most people to do,
at least in a short time. Because you are
looking at a muddle of lines and spaces, and
it’s tricky to sort out what you have counted
already and what you haven’t. Keeping track
is challenging, unless you have coloured
pens at the ready. So, we either give up (and
lose) or we get it wrong or we spend a lot of
time sorting it out.
98 Corporate Trends
Life’s like that. Selling is like that. Service
is like that. Management is like that.
We are usually dealing with a fairly complex
circumstance, of communication between at
least two different people with different
styles, mindsets, agendas, attitudes and
beliefs. We struggle and muddle trying to
sort out each circumstance individually,
trying to remember everything we know and
it’s hard work. Or we just wing it and risk
that we get it wrong. Or we give up because
it’s too hard (and lose).
Bring systems into your life
Life can get so much easier when we use a
system!
Let’s go back to the squares for a minute.
There’s a system we can use to make the
At our organisation, we have a theory that
there are no difficult people — just different
people! (Actually, just about everyone other
than us is totally weird, aren’t they?) And if I
can use a system to recognise their style and
their needs and treat them the way they need
to be treated, they become very co-operative.
And life gets so easy.
A system for selling
2. There’s a system for selling that works
every time. If you can’t sell, it’s because you
didn’t complete every step of the system well
enough. Or because you forgot to use the
system for screening deals.
A system for negotiating
3. There’s a system for negotiation. Every
time we fail to win in a negotiation it’s
because we left out a vital ingredient. Can
you afford that?
A system for service
4. There’s a System for Service. It’s as easy
as pie. Complete the process and your
customers will love you for it.
A system for management
5. There’s a System for Leadership, for
Sales Management and for Coaching
too. Follow the numbers, bring your
heart and soul, skill and will to the steps
and strategies, and it will work for you.
puzzle easy to solve. There are four rows of
squares. If we square the numbers 1, 2, 3 and
4 individually, and then add them (that’s 1, 4,
9 and 16) we get 30!
Brilliant, isn’t it? It works every time. And
it works for more rows of squares too. It
works because there is a system.
In your life, in your business, what
systems could you adopt to make life easier?
Here are a few we teach:
A system for understanding
1. There’s a system for understanding
different people’s behavioural styles.
Every morning when you wake up
you follow a system – a well worn set
of steps and processes that gets you
ready for the world outside. If you
leave any of the bits out you just don’t
feel right all day!
When you start your car you follow a
system. It’s become unconscious
competence by now — but miss a step
and it won’t go.
Systems make it so easy. Learn them,
use them, and you get to save heaps of
time and energy. Isn’t that the way
to go?
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
CATHERINE PALIN BRINKWORTH
Life is Merely Froth and Bubble…
Two things stand ike stone…
Kindness in another’s trouble,
Courage in your own.
o wrote Australian poet Adam
Lindsay Gordon.
As I spent some of my
holidays walking the beach,
watching the waves and the tides come and
go, those words kept coming to me, like the
words of a song you can’t get out of your
head. It seemed to reflect on the chaotic
comings and goings of business trends, the
cycles, the swings and roundabouts of
corporate life. And most particularly, the
values that seem to make the difference in
succeeding – even thriving - in that chaos.
Ideally, leading the way through it.
S
Standing like stone
One of the keys is to ‘know the I’. The eye
of the cyclone, the peace in the centre, the
dependable you that is strong, steady,
focused and unshakeable in its values.
There’s an old quip (mangled from Kipling)
that says, ‘If you can keep your head when
all around you is falling apart, you just
haven’t got a clue what’s going on!’
Possibly true – or maybe a reflection of your
inner stone.
That kind of strength underscores
capacity for leadership. That ability to take
responsibility for situations and for
responses, to be committed, inspiring and
powerfully influential in creating a better
outcome. Whether it’s of thousands or just
of yourself, organisational or personal, the
model for leadership relies on a centre that
stands like stone. The three outer
ingredients depend on it.
Firstly, leading through chaos needs
Vision – of an alternative state or outcome.
An idea of how things could be better, with
the courage to think differently.
Then there needs to be Action. A vision
without action, is just a dream! And the
primary action required is effective
communication, with empathy and respect.
Even kindness.
Finally and continually, there needs to be
Self-Development. So that as you grow,
your vision grows and so do your actions.
It’s a trustworthy model, which will lead
you through anything.
Is all this self-development relevant in a
business environment? Only if you want
your business to be successful! Chaos does
not allow anything to stay the same. If you
choose for yourself and your colleagues to
thrive, the only option is to grow.
One of my great lessons in management,
was what has become Progress Leadership
Vision
Selfdevelopment
Action
The CPB Personal Leadership Model © 1996
Principle #1: People can only ever perform
up to the level of their belief in themselves.
I learned it through observation – and so
have you.
Developing belief systems
For people to thrive in a chaotic
environment, of course, they need to have
direction, clarity, skills, incentives and
support. But unless they believe they can do
it, they won’t. Self-development in business
has to focus on helping people to know
themselves, their proven and potential
strengths and their current perceived
limitations, and then to help them build
themselves, accompanying that process
with continual reflection and reward.
Kindness and encouragement, to build selfbelief. (Look back to when you’ve grown –
I bet it was fastest and easiest when someone
was kind enough to encourage you.)
And when you believe in your people,
they will believe in you. Together, you can
lead the way through anything.
Occasionally when ‘techies’ or strictly
left-brainers hear this, the response is – “Oh
yeah, that’s the soft stuff!”
For sure, self-development is often
described as a ‘soft skill’. But I reckon (and
you’ll agree if you’ve been involved in it)
that looking inside yourself and setting
about developing that self, is one of the
hardest things we can ever do. Soft skills are
the hardest skills to master, with infinite
variables involved.
Is this for real?
Gordon challenges our current corporate
values with quite a jolt, don’t you think? Do
kindness and courage really stand like stone
in the tough cold hard world of business?
Well, maybe they do.
Look back at the amazing experience
Sydney had during the Olympics and
Paralympics – now almost long gone into
memory. Do you recall the kindness and
courage that we witnessed all over this city?
Almost a cliché now, it’s so well
recognised?
For those of you who live in Sydney,
wasn’t it funny how quickly everyone
reverted to our habitual impatience and selfinterest? Yet, I’ve been told that the human
mind once expanded can not revert to its
original status. As a community we grew
and we now know ourselves capable of
much more. That was self-development. It
stands like stone. All the rest, Gordon might
say was delicious froth and bubble.
I’ve had the privilege of working with
some great leaders through my business
career. Unquestioningly, they demonstrated
the truth of the rhyme.
Here are some bold suggestions:
1. Insist on doing an extra kindness
every day to someone who wouldn’t
normally expect it from you.
2. Every time a choice arises, for the
next month, take the path that requires the
highest courage.
Try them and just see what happens.
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 99
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
Turning People On!
If you have responsibility for getting results through people while keeping
your costs under control, you’ll already have discovered that the challenge
of motivation and retention in your organisation is a bit like trying to
keep frogs together in a wheelbarrow!
ou’re up against at least as
many different personalities as
you have seats, with varying
levels of expertise, energy and
enthusiasm – all of which can turn
downwards faster than the Nasdaq.
I once heard that there is only one thing
more contagious than enthusiasm – the lack
of it! I’ll bet you’ve found out that’s true.
Of course, I’m not able to provide all the
solutions here in one short article but there
are some fundamental factors of motivation
that could help to contribute to the success
strategies for your team immediately.
Through years of hard work and many
well-learned lessons in management,
building several teams from the ground up,
discovering and developing talent, winning
some, losing some – and most particularly
through the last twelve years in consulting
and facilitating – I’ve developed Progress
Principles for Leadership, which could help
you bring the best out in your people:
Y
Progress Principles for Leadership
1. People can only perform up to the level of
belief they have in themselves. I promise
you, it can’t work any other way. If you
would lift their performance, first lift their
belief in what they are capable of doing.
Good conferences and training programs
can contribute enormously to this, by lifting
not only skills competence but also selfesteem and confidence. Teaching managers,
too, on how to give good positive feedback
in a useful way i.e. comfortable, genuine
and constructive and how to give negative
feedback in a positive way.
Good recognition programs will do it.
Here are some essential components:
(a) Recognise gains in personal bests,
rewarding them for outdoing themselves,
rather than always encouraging them to
outdo their mates.
(b) Create recognition for team gains as
well as for personal gains. This will avoid
internal dissension – no-one wins unless
everybody wins.
(c) Understand that some wonderful high
performers do love to continually remain the
100 Corporate Trends
champ. Support them in doing that,
providing they deserve it.
2. People will always perform for their
reasons, not yours. It’s common sense.
If you really want to keep your people
motivated and happy, find out what their
reasons for working with you are, agree on
what constitutes excellent performance and
reward them for it in a way they want you to.
For some people it will be money. For some
it could be time off or more flexibility. For
Prof. Livingstone’s
‘Pygmalion effect’
established quite
powerfully that we
actually see what
we expect to see
in our people…
others it could be work variety, new
challenges or learning. I’ve found that it’s
essential to include goal setting and selfempowerment modules in all of our
programs, to provide the right mindset for
the skillset to be used on the job.
Involvement in decision making can also
be a powerful reward for team members,
like status statements or badges of privilege.
Work with their egos if you need to – we all
have one! Understand personality
differences. Some people will be more
comfortable with private coaching and
recognition while others will want public
announcements, possibly from the rooftops!
Consultation and Listening themselves
are powerful forms of recognition. Regular
ongoing meetings and coaching sessions
provide a lot of motivation, as well as real
skills development.
3. People will always behave pretty much as
you expect them to.
Back in the 1960’s, Professor Livingstone
conducted experiments which resulted in
documentation of the Pygmalion Effect. He
established quite powerfully that we
actually see what we expect to see in people,
using our internal filters to delete
information that might run contrary to our
prejudices. Train your Managers to expect
the best, look for it and comment on it. Form
verbal contracts with your people around it
and reward it at every possible opportunity.
It’s important that new managers are
trained in objective assessment and
measurement criteria and that they are able
to value difference, rather than see it as
irritating. We teach people that there are no
‘difficult’ customers – only ‘different’
customers! It’s true of employees, too.
Leadership development around reward
and recognition can have a major impact on
performance. From the time of our birth,
most of us have been conditioned to believe
we are not good enough. When someone in
our work place tells us that we are not only
good enough, we are outstanding – we glow,
we shine and we work to earn it.
Of course that doesn’t mean that it’s
effective to flatter and sleaze when it’s not
deserved – that only creates an atmosphere
of disillusion, distrust and disrespect. But it
does work to praise potential and to reward
effort, energy and enthusiasm.
People work for three reasons:
1. They will work for people they know,
like, trust and believe in.
2. They will work for a purpose – an
organisational mission and their own goals.
3. They will work for positive feedback.
Check on your own experiences to see if this
has been true for you.
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
CATHERINE PALIN BRINKWORTH
Here’s a Certain Formula for Failure!
Aren’t you sick of formulas for
success? I know I am. Well, prepare
yourself for something totally
different…
won’t claim authorship of this one –
but I will claim experience – and
undying gratitude. Many years ago
one of my best mates gave it to me
(originally noted by Steve Brown, of the
Fortune Training Group).
He said there are three major reasons
people fail:
I
2. People will fail if they don’t
know HOW to do their job
Oh, yes indeed. But even more so if they
won’t admit they don’t know how. And
here’s the rub. We are hired and rewarded
for ‘knowing’, aren’t we? And often
criticised for ‘not knowing’. Yet the enemy
of learning is knowing! And each day we
need to be willing to learn anew how to do
our job in a more innovative, more creative
and even more effective way than we did it
yesterday.
Continual learning is now accepted as a
valuable framework for organisations to
operate within – but they won’t do it if
• They don’t know what their job is
• They don’t know how to do it – and/or
• Someone or something gets in the way
How simple is that? And isn’t it so true? It
struck me as essentially wise. Not only in its
content but in its application. Because if you
know what the causes of failure are, it’s a
whole lot easier to avoid them.
I often use this formula as the basis for my
work – in remedial consultancy, in
coaching, in workshops and conference
presentations. It’s a very valid structure for
planning your management strategies
around your business, your self – and even
your family!
Let’s take a look at each one of these
reasons for failure in turn:
1. People will fail if they don’t
know WHAT their job is:
I would add – and if they don’t know why it
matters. This clearly means that we all need
clarity and understanding of our purpose,
before we can move towards it.
But one of the things I’ve learned is that
some of us are ‘global’ thinkers with a big
picture orientation and some of us are
‘specific’ thinkers, with a detail orientation.
The Globals will want the why, the macro,
the values, the goals and the purpose. The
Specifics will want the who, what, when,
and where – the boundaries, the priorities,
and the focus.
Each thinking framework has difficulty
understanding the needs of the other – and
yet we need both. So, whether in our own
lives or in management, we need to really
understand that a lot of people need a
different type of input to us, around the what
– or they won’t act. It’s a set up for failure.
mistakes are disallowed and learning is not
applauded. The willingness to learn is the
key. Being stuck in old knowledge or worse,
pride and arrogance, is the real downfall.
3. People will fail if someone
or something gets in the WAY
Now get real. You and I both know that
someone or something always gets in the
way! I guarantee you we could both name at
least a dozen saboteurs, provocateurs and
other more nastily named culprits on whom
we can blame our failures, with total ease.
Clients, customers, colleagues – and most
certainly the government! Even good old
family and friends get a run in the blame
game. It’s a fact of life that the rest of the
world does not sit back or move over to let
us have our way every time, unfortunately!
But it’s also a feature of life that creates our
greatest and most valuable learning,
develops our creativity and flexibility and
teaches us wisdom. The answer is
responsibility. Respons-Ability. Claiming
personal power, the energy within, finding
those wonderful qualities we all possess
when we remember them, of innovation and
resilience, determination, courage and
commitment.
The wheel turns
Eventually, the wheel turns full circle –
because if the what and why are strong, we
will find the how and readily deal with
whatever is in the way.
If you’re sick of slick formulae, I don’t
blame you. But with this one, think again.
It’s value is in its simplicity.
This three pronged fork of failure, has
helped me to avoid it on many occasions
and to analyse and learn from it on many
more. I hope it proves as useful for you.
And just in case it doesn’t – and you ever
fail at anything in the future……..
Here’s your insurance policy
FAILURE is an acronym for Forging An
Invaluable Lesson Under Real Experience!
That’s the CPB version, at least.
I don’t know about you, but everything
really valuable I’ve ever learned, I’ve
learned the hard way. When I get it right, I
do my best to analyse what it was that
worked but the truth is that my golden glow
probably obscures some potentially
valuable lessons. I tend to celebrate and
move on.
When I fail, however, I do it hard. The
feedback hits me in the face, as long as I’m
courageous enough to face it. Sometimes
it’s very painful but our greatest gifts can lie
in our deepest wounds.
If you don’t want to fail, pay careful
attention to the formula I’ve shared with you
here. And if you want a good lesson, have a
gutsy go at failure now and again!
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 101
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
CATHERINE PALIN-BRINKWORTH
Moving Forward –
the only way to go!
When you’re green you’re
growing, when you’re not,
you rot…
read the other day of a local bus
company running its entire fleet of
diesel buses on canola oil. True. No
modifications needed to the engine, an
initial ten per cent increase in fuel costs
expected to reduce and the only pollution is
the smell of cooking fish and chips!
The metaphor for business change is
powerful: Every day in businesses
everywhere, people are offered
possibilities for improvement. There are
changes required in thinking, the
willingness to be and do something
different. The costs involved are
sometimes significant but the potential
for a positive outcome outweighs the
risk. Will we act? Will we grasp the
change? Will we jump forward into new
action? Or will we hesitate, afraid of
ridicule, afraid of discomfort, afraid of
any potential loss and gradually lose our
chances for growth?
I
The six alternatives
There are six alternatives in movement.
Forward, back, up, down, sideways and
still. Our world does not allow still for very
long. Pauses are precious and essential
but essentially temporary. So which
direction are you going? Where is your
organisation heading?
Forward does not necessarily mean
‘more’. It might mean ‘better’ or ‘easier’.
Being more of who and what you are
capable of being, whether you are a
person or an organisation. Growth
doesn’t just mean getting bigger. It may
not mean bigger at all. Indeed, ninety
percent of nature’s energy actually goes
into maintenance – so will ours. But with
ten per cent of our energy available
for growth, there is a need for
careful thought, determined action and
radical improvement.
Many years ago, my treasured mentor,
John Nevin, sent me a letter in an
102 Corporate Trends
envelope on which he had written a
motivational message. The contents of
the envelope have been long forgotten
but the message remained powerfully
with me. I’m sure you’ve heard it before:
“When you’re green you’re growing,
when you’re not, you rot.”
At the time I was in major change.
Those words have come to me time
and again as I’ve moved through more
change and as I’ve helped client
organisations move through theirs. When
you’re uncertain, out of control, you’re
green. Sometimes to the gills. That’s
when you’re growing.
“If you don’t like it – move – you’re
not a tree!” Jim Rohn
One of the fundamental laws of nature is
that all growth happens on the edge of order
and chaos. When you’re calm, confident, in
control, watch out. You’ve stopped!
Clear agreed values are required – the
journey forward can definitely be hazardous
and values provide the guidelines. Check in
with your team to see if your values have
been understood, agreed and shared.
Concepts like honesty, openness, respect,
life balance might be considered.
On the journey (which never ends, by
the way!) your fellow travellers will be
unpleasant. It’s part of the deal. We all
grumble, whinge, find fault and
complain, when we are experiencing
change. Hear it, understand it, get value
from it in the form of ideas and
suggestions and move on. Our resistance
to change provides us with useful
information for risk management
strategies. The ‘what ifs’ are important
but don’t let them become a deterrent.
Check if people are willing and able to
change what concerns them or if they
simply want and need to be heard.
Victimhood is not an option. There is no
time, and anyway, it’s a nonsense in our
business environment. Every one of us,
in any given moment, has the power to
choose. In our privileged world, we are
not able to be forced to do anything
without our consent. We have
alternatives. Our power is the right to
choose from them. If there’s anything
unsatisfactory about our lives, our work,
our environment, we can change. As
author and philosopher Jim Rohn, would
say: “If you don’t like it – move – you’re
not a tree!”
Part of the movement is release. It’s
impossible to take a step forward unless
you’re willing to release the back foot.
Letting go of the past is sometimes the
hardest part of all. Sift and select that
which would be valuably retained, record
the rest with honour and move on.
The BEST change process
We like to utilise our BEST® Change
Process:
• Build the new vision
• Establish values, beliefs, goals and
priorities
• Set up an action plan
• Take a step forward
This process is equally effective for a
daily kick-start or a major change project.
The most important step is the first
one. It sets the direction, the energy and
the emotion. Very few of us will be
willing to move anywhere unless we
have some kind of a clear vision of what
it will be like when we get there. Tension
seeks resolution. We crave order and
control. In an educated free world, one
person’s vision is not enough to get
others to move forward – it has to be
shared clearly and confidently, received
clearly and confidently and agreed to.
Some kind of framework helps us to
feel safer and stronger. We’ll need time
frames, strategic purpose, goal posts and
as much of a sense of structure as
possible. And we need to be realistically
aware that these will change.
Whatever the next few months bring
for you, make sure it takes you forward.
It’s the only way to go!
Catherine Palin-Brinkworth is an
international speaker and facilitator on
leadership, change and growth. She is also
a director of Progress Training Systems,
they provide customised programs on sales,
management and customer service.
Tel: 04 1922 1916
Web: www.catherinepalinbrinkworth.com
Email: [email protected]
Robyn Pearce
‘Australasia's leading time management
expert helps you take control of your
time and your life'
TIME MANAGEMENT, PRODUCTIVITY BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
The cry in business today is: "We need more balance in our lives. We haven't got enough time. We're
overloaded with information. How can we be more productive, efficient, and still have more quality time
with our families?"
Robyn Pearce has worked as a keynote speaker and trainer with thousands of people at all levels in
business, education and the general public. She is best selling author of 'Getting a Grip on Time' and 'About
Time - 120 tips for those with no time!, has further books in the production line, is a regular columnist for
many business publications, and makes frequent radio and television appearances.
Robyn's practical and common-sense approach to time management focuses on restoring quality, balance
and enjoyment in life, as well as simple ways to become more effective and efficient in the work place.
Participants learn how to focus on proactive action, how to achieve the important and not just the urgent.
Since the early 1990's Robyn has studied, researched and then developed the most practical, effective, and
easy-to-implement time management programme in the marketplace. What's more, the course material has
been constructed in a modular way, so that the participants can get the benefit of rehearsal and follow-up the best way to learn new habits and improve old ones. Licensees and associates of her company,
TimeLogic Corporation, deliver training solutions. They are rich with practical, skill-based, common sense
strategies for effective daily business practice, and tailored to your company needs. Robyn herself is
regularly found working as a keynote or workshop presenter at major national and international
conferences.
ROBYN PEARCE
Don’t Look at my Desk!
Somebody once said a busy desk is the sign of a busy mind but it is more
likely to mean chaos!
ave you ever walked into an
office and had the owner say
with an embarrassed laugh,
'Don't look at my desk!
Have you seen the stress in their faces?
Felt their sense of overload?
When an office is set up inefficiently
and the workers in that office don’t have
good equipment and/or effective
systems, it becomes a huge contributor
to lost productivity. The good news is —
it’s easy to fix and maintain when
you know how.
It’s really amazing how often
such a simple and basic matter is
overlooked in the mad rush to
'make a buck'. The situation is
aggravated because most of us
have spent years and thousands of
dollars being educated for highly
complex work. Basic things such
as office setup and paper flow
often slip through the net.
H
The desk and desktop
Today, let's just look at the desk and
desktop. If you're in a position to
choose, get a desk that makes you feel
productive, looks good to you and
supports you in your activity. I've seen
everything from huge walnut
monstrosities so large you can't reach
the other side, through to a skimpy little
shelf leaving the user a few inches to
place current action. There are sixdrawer abundance enthusiasts, one or
two-drawer budget buys, and even the
lean and rangy no-drawer minimalists!
Put it on wheels
If your desk doesn’t have enough
drawers (after you’ve cleaned out any
lurking junk), look for mobile drawer
and filing units on wheels. They fit
under or beside a desk. Or, for on-theroad consultants, there is even the packaway desk which you collect from a
storage area on arrival at your office.
104 Corporate Trends
You then wheel it to a computer and
phone connection and open up to start
work. The next day, you’re on the road
and someone else is in the same spot,
working from their wheel-away desk!
Everything within reach
Treat your closest space as your most
precious time-saving commodity.
If you find yourself constantly jumping
up to use a piece of equipment,
fetch stationery or look for files, find a
way to reposition those items so that you
can reach them whilst sitting down.
Consider a return or side-extension,
shelves behind a second tier or an extra
shelf just above your desk. Keep future
tasks close at hand but out of eye range
while you work.
There are many forms of storage that
can expand the immediate space around
your desk. Go to a good office stationery
and furniture shop, browse through
catalogues, and look for good ideas in
every business premises you go into.
The basics for the top of a desk vary,
depending on your role. You'll probably
have a computer, penholder, note paper
or a message pad (in case someone else
happens to be taking a message off your
phone) and your diary. Very rarely do
you need much else.
Take into account your learning style.
Right-brain creative people will
operate much better if they have some
visual stimulation around them. They
find an immaculate and totally clean
desk rather sterile.
Add a little colour
It may be colourful upright containers at
the side of your desk, containing current
projects. There may be photos of your
loved ones (the ones you are trying to
get home to see, if you could only get
away from this damned desk)! It could
be a beautiful pot-plant which improves
the oxygen in your office, reduces the
emissions from the computers and gives
you a sense of well-being. What about
some colourful desk accessories (but not
too many of them)?
Instead of using plain
manilla folders in your filing
drawer, get the brightly
colourful ones. Use coloured
scribble pads, post-it notes and
different coloured pens (my all
time favourite colour is
purple).
Just make sure any desktop
accessories you use are not
crowding your working space.
Piles of papers belong in an
action file, not obliterating the
top of your desk. When they sit
under your nose they
constantly distract you. Sort them into
order and place them in the file drawer
in your desk, out of eye range.
A tidy desk will improve your
efficiency and make your work time
more enjoyable.
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’ contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
ROBYN PEARCE
Have You Got a Minute?
If you want more time in your day, try training people to come up with
their own solutions to their problems…
o you ever feel that you
either have to come in early
or stay late to get the “real”
work done?
Does it seem that every minute of the
day is gobbled up by phone calls,
meetings and people saying “Have you
got a minute?”
As I talk to business people in all
industries and at all levels it seems that
interruptions are the single biggest issue.
We’ve come out of the dark ages where
managers
never
communicated
anything to their underlings, through the
development of open communication
and empowerment, to the point where
many people feel they have to “be
available” all day.
D
Open plan layout problems
Open plan layouts compound the
problem. They appear to be a good idea.
It’s easy to communicate with your
team, problems can be shared rapidly,
expensive floor space is saved and
internal partitioning is relatively
inexpensive. But they create another
whole raft of problems, headed by
interruptions!
As with any fashion, the pendulum
swings from one extreme to the other. I
believe this one has gone too far. Open
and free communication is great—but
not THAT great!
However, there are ways to minimise
the down side. How much more work
would you get done if you had one
uninterrupted hour a day?
Does this sound good? It’s easy to
achieve. Create a company culture of
“Red Time/Green Time”.
Translated, this means that everyone
gets an hour a day when no one is
allowed to interrupt. Colleagues take
your calls, no interruptions are allowed
from either internal or external sources,
and you can concentrate on the “real”
work, or the “thinking” work, which is
impossible to do when fifty thousand
people keep interrupting you. Basically,
you’re in a meeting with yourself!
Use time flags
Find a signal that everyone in the
company recognises. Our company
has created little 'Green Time/Red
Time' flags to go on the desk you'll find ordering details at
http://www.gettingagripontime.com/
products/TL007.html '. If you have a
lot of concentration work, try two
blocks—one in the morning and one in
the afternoon. Look for a time that
impacts as little as possible on other
people.
Another simple technique to reduce
interruptions is the layout of your
office. How is your desk situated? An
Information Technology manager in a
large retail franchise realised that his
desk faced swinging doors through
which, in any day, at least 100 people
walked. He swung his desk around to
face away from the door, positioned
some bookshelves to block the view,
and was delighted at the extra hours he
gained and the dramatic reduction of
interruptions. His work requires lots of
concentration, but being the nice man
he is, every time someone came
through the door the temptation was to
lift his head and make eye contact. Once
eye contact is established you give
unspoken permission to interrupt, and at
very least it breaks the concentration of
the worker at the desk.
The cure
Last tip for this article. If competent
people keep interrupting you with
questions they should be able to handle,
ask them to bring two solutions every
time they come with a question. Pretty
soon you’ll reduce the questions.
If they’ve had to work out the answers
before they come, they’ll soon realise
they don’t need to interrupt you for what
amounts to a “rubber-stamp job’. If
you’re too quick to supply the answer
you
encourage
laziness
and
dependency. It’s human nature to take
the easy road—saves thinking!
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’ contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
Corporate Trends 105
ROBYN PEARCE
How To Stretch Time
24 hours are definitely enough to
do what you want to do — the
secret lies in how you use them…
R
ecently, as I participated in
a live-to-air TV training
session
on
time
management (for Pacific
Knowledge Television), a caller rang in
with a question. He is in the computer
industry and wanted to know how he
could balance his heavy and demanding
workload with the demands of a young
family. The question lingers in my mind
because for a large sector of society it is
a serious matter.
The issue is how we view time. It
seems we never have enough. My man
desperately wanted to know how to find
the time to enjoy his children. His
question is repeated in offices,
classrooms, boardrooms and homes
throughout the western world.
Today many of us live in a world of
sensory overload, of speed and a sense of
time-poverty. Technology moves faster
and faster. We feel as if we can never
catch up, that there is never enough time.
But it’s illusion. Time hasn’t changed —
we have.
So, what can we do? Here are a few
strategies for you:
What we focus on enlarges
If our whole attention and our top
priorities are our important and
demanding work, our families, our
relationships and our health will suffer. In
order to find time for these areas, which
so often get lip service, three actions are
needed: mind-space, time allocation and
physical action.
A good intention is useless unless acted
on. You might have to take time out from
work to regularly do things with your
family or for yourself. In most jobs that
time will easily be made up with extra
hours, or you can arrange ‘glide-time’.
106 Corporate Trends
What are your KPIs?
(Key Performance Indicators)
How can you judge your efficacy as a
parent or partner? How much time do
you allocate? Make appointments with
yourself and your family on a weekly
basis. Treat them as seriously as
appointments with a key client and
you’ll find the other ‘stuff’ fits in and
around your core personal activities.
Schedule in the Important People in
your week
If you don’t block in ‘special’ time
with your special people, they’ll
eventually get tired of waiting.
Live in the ‘now’
Today many of us have forgotten how
to live in the moment. We make
bedfellows of stress and anxiety. We
focus either on the past and what we
could have done better, or in the futureplanning or worrying over coming
events. We’re so busy squeezing more
in to every moment that most of us
forget to be ‘present’. We therefore
miss the joy of the experience. And so
time seems to race by-because we’re
not ‘in’ it.
Change Your Language
Notice your words, and how the people
around you speak. How often do you
hear, ‘I’m so busy’, ‘I can’t fit it in’, ‘I
have no time’, and ‘I’m always
late/overworked/tired/have too much to
do?” Start to use affirmations like, ‘I’m
getting much better at my time
management’ or ‘There is always
enough time to do the things that
matter.’
An attitude of gratitude
Practice honouring the moment.
Develop a sense of gratitude for the gift
of life, for the beauty of small things.
Find something in every event to
appreciate. This is not just ‘Pollyanna’
behaviour, it will enhance your health
and stretch your hours.
Enjoy the mundane
Next time you wash the dishes, the car,
mow the lawns, feed the children, sort
out the paperwork on your desk or any
other simple task, enjoy the activity for
itself. Try not to spend the time in which
your body is occupied thinking about
something else. Don’t wish the task was
completed, honour the moment and the
experience. You’ll be more relaxed
when you finish. Time will expand
instead of leaving you with the feeling
of hurry, pressure and impatience often
felt with a mundane task. And many
times you’ll be surprised to find that it
was a pleasant duty instead of the chore
you didn’t want to do.
Meditate
Learn to meditate or if this seems too
hard, try every day to sit quietly for at
least 10 minutes. Focus on a plant or
some other object. As thoughts drift into
your mind, acknowledge them and let
them go. Breathe deeply from your
abdomen, mentally saying ‘Breathe out’
with every outgoing breath and
‘Breathe in’ with every incoming
breath. This helps you slow down to the
natural rhythms around you. It
‘stretches’ time.
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’ contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
ROBYN PEARCE
Which Diary or Planner
Should I Use?
attractive ring binder and leave them at
your desk. You can run the monthly and
annual view for the year off the contact
manager system that you probably have
on your computer.
It’s not the diary or planner that
makes you organised – it’s how you
use it!
Try to use only one diary
You’ve got more than one diary system?
What can you simplify? Try to operate
with only one organiser/diary.
You’ve got a desk diary or a
computer-based view for everyone to
access and like to carry a diary with
you? Or the company uses an Intranet to
book meetings? You have to be very
vigilant—there’s no simple answer—
especially if you are synchronising two
paper-based systems.
If you’re thinking of going electronic,
look at tools such as the Palm Pilot, the
Sharp organisers and the Psion. They
offer synchronisation. Whenever you
come back to your main computer you
can dock in and download updates.
Some mobile phones and hand-held
devices also have laser synchronisation.
Warning: The best planning system is
one that does the job you need—in the
simplest possible way. As soon as it
becomes complicated you set yourself
up for difficulties. Trial, test, ask others,
and wait until you’re absolutely sure
you need the latest bells and whistles.
Why make a simple task complex?
very year, when it’s time to
order a new diary or organiser,
most of us revisit the planning
tools we’re using.
For medium to large organisations,
there are many wonderful time-savers in
using a LAN and software such as
Outlook or Lotus Notes to schedule
meetings, turn emails into tasks and
more. However, I find most companies
miss major efficiency opportunities by
not training their staff on the finer points
of their programmes. Either hire a
specialist trainer to run a regular short
course or ask a ‘best practice’ staff
member to train everyone else.
E
Electronic or paper diary?
Hand-held electronic or paper diary
system? Basically, it depends on your
preferences. Even some very
technology smart people prefer paperbased diary systems because they need a
bigger view or don’t feel connected to
their plans unless they can hold a paper
planner in their hands. Don’t spend a lot
of money on fancy technology until
you’re sure that it’s right for you.
If you have a fairly complex life with
a range of responsibilities, it’s probably
worthwhile getting a seven ring binder
system. There are a number of good
proprietary systems available. Their key
advantage is the ability to organise
projects. Coloured tabs to create
separate sections let you keep notes on
key projects or interest areas.
Information is stored efficiently—like
with like.
Another feature is the phone list.
Because these systems are loose leaf,
you don’t have to rewrite your key
phone numbers at the beginning of
every year. The part that changes is the
yearly pages, not the support features.
Many people find a simple diary from
the local stationers is all they need.
Preferably, look for a two page per day
style. This gives you room to write
notes, record phone calls, and all the
miscellany of information you’d
otherwise be tempted to jot down on
scraps of paper. Unfortunately, they
rarely have a weekly view, unless it has
the days running across the page, which
is not as clear or quick to view as the
days running down the page.
'I've designed a simple weekly
planning pad. More details at
http://www.gettingagripontime.com/
products/TL003.html If you don’t need
a lot of daily writing space, nor need to
Following is a list of the diary/planner
products I’m most familiar with in
Australia and New Zealand:
• Daytimers
• PLAN-it—a comprehensive new
Australian system at a cheaper price
than most of the others (similar to
Daytimers) www.planitorganizer.com
Tel: (61) 2 9402 6630
• Self-Reliance Planners—which
you can get through any Amway
distributor
• Franklin-Covey (which has a good
weekly view).
• Filofax (not as useful as some of the
others (in my opinion) but available in
major bookstores.
• Day Runner (some of its features
are confusing but it is a loose-leaf
system).
• Priority Manager (most expensive
and complex of the range but with
some very sophisticated features and
good backup).
carry a diary around, my weekly page
may be all you need. Run off a year’s
supply from my master, (or you can buy
them in pads from us) keep them in an
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’ contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
Corporate Trends 107
ROBYN PEARCE
The Magic of Chunking
Ever looked at a task, shaken your
head and walked away feeling
overwhelmed?
hen, you’ve beaten yourself
up for procrastinating?
Many times the sense of
overwhelm is because you
didn’t chunk the task out. The good
news is — it’s easy to fix.
T
The 3 Styles of Chunking
Chunking is a three step sorting process:
1. Chunk up to identify the bigger
elements of a task, looking for the
bigger picture.
2. Chunk down by breaking large
blocks of information into smaller
snippets.
3. Chunk sideways (lateral chunking)
clump like things together.
Here’s an example of what can happen
if chunking up isn’t done:
A salesperson in a large meat
processing company was asked by the
general manager to prepare figures of
lamb exports to the Middle East. The
salesman, knowing it was for the big
boss, turned a short job into a four hour
work of art, thinking he would impress
him. A few days later the GM saw him
in the lunch room.
“Thanks for the figures, Bill, but you
didn’t need to go to that much trouble.
Just a few numbers would have been
fine”. If Bill had chunked up by getting
the big picture, he would have taken
fifteen minutes instead of four hours.
Downward Chunking
Write down your top tasks for the day.
Then identify the top five. Number
them one to five and start at number
one. Keep focused on the current
highest priority, which may include
interruptions. By chunking overwhelming amounts of work into small
108 Corporate Trends
bite-sized pieces of achievable activity,
you can easily focus your mind on the
priorities that give the best impact.
Lateral chunking
Sort mail as if you were putting a pack
of cards into suits. Make categories like:
data entry, phone calls, Internet
activities, writing, reading and
discussions with a team member.
They don’t all have equal value but by
separating categories into like with like,
it’s easier to see what needs to be done.
It’s also easier to stay focused on one
task at a time.
Chunking up
A building company had a high level of
customer complaints. They appointed a
Customer Services Officer but not
much changed. The GM then brought
me in to train the whole company in
customer service, communication and
team building (effective communication
is one of the greatest time-savers we can
find)! This was the first big chunk up,
getting everyone with a common
starting point.
The next stage was a four hour
SWOT analysis, chunking down into
the four areas. For the first time, all the
staff were given a facilitated forum to
have their say (instead of moaning over
their Friday drinks). Drilling down into
each area and then sideways chunking,
(i.e. concerns and issues with each
other) it suddenly became easy for me,
the outsider, to get a clear overall picture
of what was going on.
The GM had previously ignored
comments from the ranks. This time,
however, he acted on the report.
1. What we get for free we often don’t
appreciate. He had invested a decent
amount of money and everybody’s
time, which created a very strong
motivation to get a return on his dollar.
Ever noticed that if we pay good money
our ears listen harder!
2. How often do we respond to a
suggestion from someone we don’t
know very well, and those nearest to us
say, “But I’ve been saying that for
ages!” It’s human nature and there’s
very little any of us can do about it! I
think it was Solomon who said: “A
prophet is without honour in his own
country”. A new voice, and a new
perspective, allows us to hear in a
different way.
3. For the first time the concerns from
everyone were chunked together. By
doing so a clear pattern emerged.
Previously the busy GM had heard each
complaint in isolation and brushed most
of them off, like flies at a picnic.
Pebbles dropped one by one into a pool
create a very small ripple. A big tree
falling into a pool creates a huge splash
and often leaves something sticking out!
Beware of bottlenecks
Many issues arose and many solutions
were aired. The biggest one was a key
manager who had taken on too much.
This created a bottleneck in Production
that translated into unhappy customers,
disgruntled supervisors, disenchanted
salespeople, and endless problems.
The manager’s job was halved. Very
quickly,
the
customer
record
dramatically improved. So did the
repeat and referral sales and therefore
the profitability. The GM’s investment
was repaid in the next referral sale. The
other major outcome was a lift in
company morale, because the team felt
they’d been listened to, and their
opinions valued.
Have fun chunking!
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
ROBYN PEARCE
“Oh, She’s Always Late!”
Have you ever been driven to the
point of near distraction by other
people's time habits?
f you’ve ever felt this way about a
person, your frustration is probably
because they process time in a
different way to you.
Each of us fits broadly into one
processing style (although you can modify
as you progress through life) and some
people are one style at home and the other at
work. The study of behavioural science
known as Neuro Linguistic Programming
uses the terms in-time and through-time to
explain how this works.
I
In-time people
An in-time person is great at being present
in the moment — very focused on what's
under their nose but struggling to manage
their long-range time habits. Their ability to
mentally detach and forward plan is
minimal and it's very difficult to predict how
long an action will take. Therefore, they're
often late for deadlines, actions or events.
They talk about ‘looking back’ in time to
past events. A future event, on the other
hand, is usually in front. If they were to
draw a line between past and future (a timeline) it almost always passes through them –
hence the term ‘in-time’. Their strength is in
being fully focused on what's in hand: their
weakness is they're often late for things and
chaos runs rampant behind them.
Through-time people
Through-time people, on the other hand,
often have their past on one side and their
future on the other, or both out in front. They
are more objective about time; able to
detach, to see themselves outside of the
events they’re involved in. They seem to be
effortlessly punctual. Their ability to easily
see 'through' or along a time continuum
makes it pretty simple for them to plan
ahead, to estimate how long they'll need for
any activity. Their strength is their ability to
plan and anticipate: their weakness is —
they're sometimes perceived as aloof and
uncaring, because of their ability to detach.
Because opposites attract, intuitively
seeking the qualities they lack, couples and
even work units are frequently a mixture of
styles. As you can imagine, this often causes
huge frustration, until they learn to
understand and compensate for each other!
The least in-time member of the
partnership or work group almost always
takes responsibility for the unit’s timekeeping. They’re not trying to irritate each
other with their time habits but they often
do. Sound familiar? It happens in nearly
every family!
You can’t change others
Through-timers, I’m sorry, you can’t singlehandedly change your in-time buddies. They
have to do it for themselves. It might be
useful to show them this article though.
You, on the other hand, may need to learn
more about relaxing, going with the flow
(when it doesn't really matter what time you
get somewhere) and being more focused on
the 'now'.
How you process time
will affect the way you
manage time. Are you
an in-time or a
through-time person?
The good news is, we can modify our
behaviour to make life easier for ourselves.
In-timers, here are some tips for you:
1. Change the pattern
If you’re tempted to fit in one more task,
notice your thoughts. Whenever you catch
yourself saying, ‘I’ll just do this one thing
more’ — don’t! Intuitively you know it will
make you late but you’ve become used to
blocking that thought. Become more aware
of what you are doing.
2. Start with the end in mind
Consider what time you want to be
somewhere and then count back the
minutes, including drive time, park time,
can’t-find-the-keys time, toilet, coffee and
last-minute interruption time. Then, add on
an extra 15 minutes as a safety net. You’ll be
shocked at how much earlier you have to
leave! But I really encourage you to just try
it a few times. You’ll be delighted with the
stress-free feeling you experience at the
other end. What you’re doing at a cellular
level is creating an earlier trigger to tell you
it’s time to get going.
3. It’s not a waste of time
You’re probably reading this and saying,
‘But I’ll waste time by getting there too
early!’ It’s unlikely — but just in case, take
something to read or work on whilst you
wait.
4. Visualise success
When you’ve had a punctuality ‘win’, notice
your feelings of success, calm and nonstress. Hear the congratulations of surprised
friends or workmates. See yourself arriving
relaxed at your destination. Anchor those
feelings and thoughts. The next time you’re
tempted to last-minute, remember how
success felt and act accordingly.
5. Do it one step at a time
Like a reforming alcoholic, don’t worry
about total change in one hit — it may seem
too big! Just concentrate on one task at a
time, one day at a time. Make a mission of
being on time for one thing each day. One
day, you’ll look back in amazement and
realise that you’re now regularly on time for
almost everything.
By the way, you might be wondering how I
can describe so accurately the feelings and
experiences of an in-time person.
Very easy — I am one!
For years I struggled but the good news
is… I won! Every now and then I break out
(especially if it’s a social occasion and it
doesn’t really matter what time we get there)
but these days it’s very rare for me to be late
for any business event.
I wish you joy and success as you create
the behaviour of your choice and remember
— it can be done!
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
Corporate Trends 109
ROBYN PEARCE
Those Meetings Can Start On Time!
Sitting around waiting for a
meeting to start is not only
annoying, it can also be a very
costly exercise…
ver noticed that most big
companies have an insidious
culture of running late for
meetings? And it seems almost
that the bigger the organisation, the worse
the problem is.
Of course, there can be a number of
contributing reasons but one big one is very
simple and ragingly obvious – some people
just don’t allow themselves enough time to
get there.
If you work in any organisation bigger
than about four or five people all in
the same room, you’ll have walking
time, quite aside from all the other
factors. Add a few floors, slow
elevators or even different buildings
to travel to and from and no one is
surprised when people run late. Then,
insidiously, it becomes the norm to
start late and run over time. I don’t
believe this is ever acceptable (unless
there
are
very
unusual
circumstances).
E
If you share your schedule via your
internal LAN, others can search
electronically to find the gaps. As soon as
they find one, whoosh, you’ll have a
meeting to accept or reject. And then you
don’t like to muck others around, especially
if you know it’s hard to find gaps when
everyone is free. So, set it up beforehand so
you control your schedule instead of being
controlled by everyone else.
There’s another very common reason for
late starts – people feel obliged to wait until
most of them are there. Don’t wait for latecomers – start without them or leave – even
when it’s the boss.
“That’s radical, Robyn,” you might be
thinking. Sure, but I’ve seen it done with
Let’s look at some possible ways to deal
with the tardy ones:
• Suppose you’re an on-time chairperson and
one of your people is regularly late. You
could refuse them admittance.
• Don’t go over things they’ve missed – it’s
their responsibility to catch up, and unfair to
the prompt people to have to listen to a recap.
• Some chairs make the person who is late
take the minutes.
• You might try poking fun at them in a jovial
sort of way.
• Some companies have a fine system or
the late one has to shout beers on Friday
night or chocolate cake for morning tea.
Start without them
What if the person who called the
meeting is constantly late? It may be
appropriate to start without them or the
other alternative is to leave. Even if it’s
the boss, give them 5 or 10 minutes grace
and then go back to your work. You may
choose to leave a note – ‘Decided not to
wait – we knew you wouldn’t want us
wasting our time!’ or some other
Travelling time
appropriate comment. Be diplomatic,
Trouble is, not only is there the travel
use humour and make a stand.
time but what about toilet time,
Only one note of caution – be cautious
‘gather my wits’ time, the quick and
of
career limiting moves! At present you
urgent phone call, the last minute
“The main purpose of this meeting is to set a time for
may
feel this wouldn’t work; perhaps
‘please help’ from a staff member as
our next meeting…”
your
boss is a very dominant person
you head out the door. The coffee and
great
effect.
Obviously,
all
things
need
to
be
who
expects
obedience. The interesting
water time when you get to the other end?
considered
but
let’s
look
at
what
we’re
thing
is,
I’ve
noticed
with such people that a
It’s as if most people go into a time warp and
saying
here.
staff
member
who
stands
up for what they
blank out reality. Just notice — if even one
believe
in,
is
almost
always
treated with
prompt person is waiting, the company
respect
by
the
senior
person.
If
they don’t,
Look
at
the
big
picture
resources and money are being wasted. Try
are
you
in
the
right
organisation?
Take
the
big
picture
position.
Who’s
doing a cost analysis on that in any decent
constantly late? What impact does it have on
sized company and you’ll be absolutely
Time Management specialist and keynote
the productivity of the others, the efficiency
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
horrified at the price tag.
of the meeting, and the culture of the group?
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
Here’s another way to deal with this issue:
(Every
group,
even
a
voluntary
one,
has
a
productivity consulting company, who run
Whether you’re using a paper-based diary, a
top quality time management programmes.
culture
of
some
sort).
LAN (local area network) or a combination
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
Perhaps
my
perspective
is
a
little
of the two, the same solution applies. As
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestcoloured
from
raising
six
kids
but
if
you
soon as you accept a meeting, block out the
selling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
don’t train people to your expectations,
travel time and 15 minutes either side of it.
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
you get what you deserve. And the
If you manage your own diary and no-one
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
chronological age and seniority has
else sees it, this will act as a prompt when
E-mail: [email protected]
nothing to do with it. It’s simply a matter of
you’re tempted to slide in ‘just one more last
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
forming good habits.
thing’ before you go.
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
110 Corporate Trends
ROBYN PEARCE
Time-Saving Travel Tips
If your business requires a
reasonable amount of travel, you
will find these tips invaluable…
ver thought about how much
time you spend packing,
unpacking, waiting in airports,
riding in cabs, etc? Here are a
few tips to maximise that time.
E
Travel light
Be ruthlessly minimal in your packing –
pretend you’re a backpacker!
Experienced travelers know this one but it
is still tempting. You look at that new tie or
suit, the extra pair of shoes, the spare jacket
you may need if it gets cold and you add it
to the pile. Bad idea! You waste time
packing and unpacking at the beginning, at
new locations and on your return. You
clutter up your hotel room with unnecessary
gear. You risk damaging your back, heaving
heavy bags off and on luggage carousels
and what if the bag was lost?
When you've selected your clothes, stand
back and say to yourself, “What can I do
without?” Unless you're a celebrity guest,
use conservative and versatile dark clothes
that can be used for more than one occasion.
For instance, an overcoat doubles as a
dressing gown; socks make fine slippers.
You’ll have a few special things more
important for your comfort and convenience
than extra clothes. I can’t begin to count the
times I’ve used my Swiss Army knife. I take
my preferred coffee (some hotel coffee is
crap) and the eye-patch they gave you on
your last long haul plane flight will cut out
unwanted light and give you a better sleep.
Create a checklist on your computer and
tick it off as you pack. Have a personal one
and a business one plus a list of optional
extras. Then, as long as you've got your
clothes in the wardrobe, you’ll only take a
few minutes to throw things in a bag.
Carry vital documents
Carry any vital documents or items in your
carry-on luggage. As you pack, ask yourself,
“What do I absolutely have to have with me
tomorrow?” Take it in your hand luggage.
One of my friends had a very important
meeting in another city, starting at 7am and
needed his secretary with him. When they
arrived at 10 pm the night before, her bags
had gone on vacation. She is a very
immaculate young woman and the loss of
her gear devastated her. Apart from drama
and delay at the airport, she was so
inflexible that it was beyond her wildest
nightmare to appear at the meeting the next
morning in yesterday’s clothes and no
makeup. She refused to attend and William
had to do the meeting without her. What a
waste of time and money!
Use practical luggage
Use luggage that saves both your time and
your back.
I love people watching in airports. You
can tell at a hundred yards who travels a
lot. A new corporate traveller has round
shoulders, an exhausted face and arms
almost touching the ground. They're
weighed down with a bulging-at-the-seams
briefcase on one side, a useful but heavy
computer bag hanging off the other
shoulder and duty free bags cutting their
fingers. Definitely a modern-day version of
a camel. (Get your duty free goods at the
other end – saves lots of hassle, – unless
you have room to pack it in your hand
luggage before you board).
Learn from the experts
On the other hand, ever watched what the
airline crews carry off a plane? Copy them.
Forget heavy briefcases and overshoulder computer bags. Buy yourself a
cabin-size wheelie bag instead and make
sure its handle pulls up at a touch. In it goes
your computer, spare battery if it’s a long
flight, work or reading for the plane, travel
and hotel documentation and anything vital
for the next day, should the worst happen.
Your trolley bag isn’t quite as elegant as
your standard briefcase when it comes to
business meetings, but a number of people
now use them as portable briefcases – much
better for your back. An alternative is to
pack a smart folder or soft satchel.
Add to this a small suit bag over your
shoulder (instead of a suitcase) and you can
usually carry everything on to the plane,
saving time at check-in and the luggage
carrousel
.
A bonus comfort tip:
When flying the long overnight hauls,
especially long cross-zone links like the one
between Australia (or New Zealand) and
America, take a bottle of water and a snack.
I’ll give the airlines the benefit of the doubt
and assume they’re trying to get you into the
eating patterns of the destination but you
tend to get quite hungry. And water – even
though they provide water – it’s easy to get
dehydrated. Your own bottle enables you to
sip when you feel like it, not when it’s
convenient for busy crew.
Put these tips in place and I guarantee you
will have a happier travel experience.
Bon Voyage!
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
Corporate Trends 111
ROBYN PEARCE
Hot Email Tips for Time Efficiency
Most people understand, at least intellectually, that a clear desk equals an
uncluttered mind…
owever, a surprising number
don’t realise that the same thing
applies to our email In-box. I
recently spotted 1,519 messages
in a client’s In-box – no wonder she felt
overwhelmed! (And her office paralleled
the In-box – there wasn’t a clear centimetre
of space anywhere).
The next week I was back with Helen’s
organisation. She couldn’t wait to show me
her office and computer. She’d implemented
some of the ideas listed below and we could
see the top of her desk, the colour of the
chair covers and a lot less in her In-box.
“Robyn,” she said, her eyes sparkling
with joy, “it’s as if a mountain has gone off
my back. I feel more relaxed and up-to-date
than I have for years!”
Some of you will already have great email
strategies, but maybe your associates don’t.
One thing I consistently see in the business
world is highly educated professional
people who don’t have any real
understanding of common sense paper and
information techniques. If it were taught in
schools and universities as a pre-requisite
for further education, what a useful life skill
that would be! We’re talking information
management here – and as information
transferral gets faster and we feel more and
more deluged, it becomes more and more
critical to success in all our endeavours.
H
How to run your Email:
1. Treat your Email system like a filing
cabinet. Set up folders for every major topic
of interest, and sub-folders under key
headings. To create, highlight the heading
under which you want the new folder
placed. Then right-click, New Folder and
give it a name.
2. Never leave read mail in your In-box for
more than a few days. Treat it as you should
handle paper on your desk – if it’s worth
keeping move it into a named folder by a
click/hold/drag action.
3. Develop a low tolerance for a mailbox
where you can’t see blank space at the
bottom of the page. In most In-boxes that
gives you about 12 messages to look at,
although the size of your Mailbox can be
altered by clicking on the line in the middle
112 Corporate Trends
of the page and dragging the line up or
down to suit your needs.
4. Be prepared to shift mail of long-term
interest to folders unread and schedule in
reading time. One could be entitled
‘Newsletters to read’, and another one
called ‘Web research to do’. Saves you
getting distracted, (a common challenge
once we start scrolling) and you can do your
‘further education’ at a less busy time.
5. Something you must not forget and
you’re scared you’ll lose sight of it, if
shifted to an ‘Action Pending’ file? There
are a few things you can do here, depending
on whether you’re visual or not.
If you feel happy to get it out of the In-box
as long as you can find it again when you
need it, use your contact management
system or diary of whatever sort (as long as
you’re using them regularly) to put an alert
on the date you want to do the action, and
where you’ve filed the message. The
electronic systems are the most reliable –
they annoy the heck out of you until you do
something with them!
Another option, if you’re seriously visual
and panic at the thought of shifting mail out
of sight before it’s acted on, is to leave mail
in your In-box that still needs attention but
keep it minimal. If you’ve developed the
sense of discomfort we talked about in Point
three, this will help to drive you to action,
and reduce procrastination.
The third option is a mix of the two, and
I’ve just discovered it. I find I feel quite
bogged down if things sit in my In-box for
more than a day or two, but some of them
are really not vital to the business of the day.
If you’ve created the ‘Action Pending’ file
from In-box, the file will be down the tree a
little bit, and easily overlooked. Instead,
make it a sub-folder of the In-box folder.
Then it is immediately below the In-box,
easy to drop into, and also very easy to click
on with one tiny hand movement, once the
current new daily crop has been winnowed
and harvested (if you have a few minutes to
deal with the backlog).
6. Be ruthless about deleting e-mails you
don’t need. Remember – they’re usually
only an alternative to a quick phone
message.
7. Most programmes, unless your company
has installed a default, don’t automatically
empty the Delete folder. Many people think
an item dragged into Delete is gone. It’s not.
You almost always have to instruct it to
Trash or Empty. With modern equipment a
right-click gives you that option.
8. Store ‘Sent’ mail as well as ‘Received’
items in your folders, putting ‘like with like’
as you would file paper in a filing cabinet.
9. If it is important to keep a full record of
correspondence, save your ‘Reply’ rather
than the incoming message. Then both parts
of the story are together. The quickest way
is to develop the habit of going to the ‘Sent’
box as soon as you’ve dispatched an
important mail, and dragging it immediately
into the relevant folder.
10. Every month empty your Sent box for as
far back as you’re comfortable to delete.
Click, hold, and drag any really important
messages and delete the rest. I usually keep
only two months worth of messages. After 2
months, most of it will be unimportant.
Next issue we’ll bring you etiquette,
common sense suggestions and other good
ideas on email handling.
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
ROBYN PEARCE
Are You Drowning in E-mail?
Email is a wonderful tool. Only problem is, many people are trying to use
it in the same way they handle paper – not very well!
E
•
•
•
•
•
•
mail usage can be split into three
main areas (and chunking the topic
down as we teach others to do, you
can simplify it even more):
A communication tool
Getting set up
Good efficiency habits
Netiquette (or good net manners)
A marketing tool
A business tool
Email can be all of the above but in this
article, I will hone in on one major area –
developing some good efficiency habits.
Each person, organisation or group of
people has a preferred communication
method and culture. You may be a skillful
communicator and adept at all, but to get the
best response, find out and use the preferred
method of the people you deal with. Is it
email, voice-mail, phone, personal face-toface communication, or paper – fax, letter or
memo? If you find someone isn’t replying to
you in one medium, try something else.
I’d received an email from a client
wanting some of our red and green flags (see
our website www.gettingagripontime.com)
asking me to call. I tried for weeks to
connect, then finally, I remembered my own
advice – try something else! The email I then
sent was responded to within minutes.
Don’t over use email
Be very careful the medium is not over-used.
The new office of an IT security firm
initially had no walls. Once high partitions
were put in place, the use of phone and email
(to talk to each other) went up, even though
people were sitting a few paces away! The
CEO refused to let them get away with it. If
she hadn't done so, they would have fallen
into poor communication habits, like so
many other companies.
Turn off that flashing thing!
Turn off the alert telling you that new mail
has arrived. It's a distraction. Instead, set
regular reading times. Don't know how?
Each programme will be slightly different,
but in Outlook go to: Options>
Preferences> Email Options> Advanced
Email Options – to remove the ‘beep’.
Do you get mail that really should go
elsewhere? Use rules to pass a message
automatically or re-route mail.
You can redirect it automatically by
writing a rule in Inbox Assistant or Tools,
which sends the message straight to the right
person. It will divert all mail from specified
sources straight to that recipient and you can
choose whether to delete it or store it in
another folder on your system. Key point –
you want it out of your Inbox.
For instance, one of our clients receives
regular mail from a Government source that
she doesn’t need to action. However, one of
her colleagues does need that information.
Instead of bothering to go back to the
source and asking them to redirect it (which
could take a while!), she’s taken the simple
route and created a rule that instantly
redirects all mail from that person to the
appropriate recipient. (Having said that, I do
recommend that you do your best to get off
irrelevant group mail outs).
Handling email on holiday
Have you ever felt obliged to check your
emails whilst on holiday? You do it because
you know if you don’t, you’ll be penalised
with a ridiculous amount of material in your
Inbox on your return.
My friend Yvette, has a great solution.
She’s in a very fast-paced IT sales support
role, with hundreds of emails a day from all
over the world. At first she tried to keep up
with everything, even to the extent of taking
the laptop away on holidays. Then she
decided to get smart!
Like most people in a corporate
environment, she has two levels of email
communication. Some of her email is
addressed to sales@hercompany in response
to the firm’s web marketing. They are easy to
divert to someone else in the organisation, by
using rules as outlined above.
The other type of communication is
addressed to her personally. That’s the stuff
that lingers. Now, she uses a different rule
through Inbox Assistant to auto-respond to
these, throwing the responsibility for further
action back on the sender. They get a
message something like the following:
‘Hi, you’ve reached (name) I’m on leave
until (date) and this message will not be
replied to. If you need help with (subject)
please contact (name) at (give the email
address and/or phone number of another
colleague). If your message is for me
personally, please resend your message after
(date – and insert your return date).’
So, when Yvette returns from leave, she
can confidently just delete all the email that’s
come in her absence and start from scratch.
If you want to take away the temptation to
‘just check’ what’s come in, set another rule
to shift any email received during that time
straight to the Delete Box or another folder,
once the auto response has been sent.
There are many other options within rules.
Have a play and see what other regular
functions you can streamline.
Email filing
If you use communal machines and have
some centrally held information, your
organisation needs to establish a uniform
policy for all filing, including emails. (As
simple as possible but give guidelines so
new people know what the policies are and
from where important information can easily
be retrieved). Basically, we’re talking about
knowledge management.
Another related idea, is to have a
Discussion Board or Notice Board of some
kind where you can post regular information.
If your company needs help on
efficient
email
management,
you
might
like
to
check
out
http://www.gettingagripontime.com/training
/getting-a-grip-on.html#email
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
Corporate Trends 113
ROBYN PEARCE
It’s About Time!
You could be forgiven for thinking
every thing there is to say about time
management has already been said
he amazing thing is, the more
years I spend in this field, the
more great ideas people share
with me. And of course, every
new question creates a golden opportunity to
dig a bit deeper.
My publisher at Reed Publishing, having
noticed a steady stream of great little ideas
in our regular ezine (electronic newsletter)
asked for them to be turned into a book of
tips. And so ‘About Time! 120 tips for those
with no time’ was born, and has just hit the
bookshops in Australia and New Zealand,
and of course our website.
Over the next couple of issues of
Corporate Trends, we’ll share a few of these
tips (each one is very short). Here are the
first ones:
T
Key Point 31
Interruptions are insidious - each small one
invisibly slashes the concentration of all
parties concerned. Save them for the next
appropriate break - don’t interrupt yourself
or others with only one question or topic.
Take your mind back to the last time you
were engaged in a big and important task. I
bet at some stage you interrupted yourself.
You noticed an important idea slipping past
the corners of your mind – and you had to
catch it by the coat tails or it would vanish.
Or a person you needed to speak to walked
past your desk. Almost before you realised
it, you found yourself talking to your
colleague or on the phone, the internet or
down the corridor. The Very Important Task
lay languishing on your desk.
Five, ten or thirty minutes later, you look
at your desk again, shake your head and try
to remember what you were up to.
Familiar? It is for most people. And then
we wonder why we feel so frequently
frustrated and end up staying back late to get
the ‘real’ work done. Staff do it to bosses
and each other, bosses do it to their staff.
The reason we jump when the idea sneaks
in is that we think we’ll forget it if we don’t
do something immediately. That’s true.
However, that action does not need to be
an interruption. Try one of these
simple techniques to handcuff your
self-induced thieves.
114 Corporate Trends
• Have a piece of paper beside you but just
out of eye-range. Jot that passing thought
down and you can then go back to the task
in hand with confidence.
• Make the action a quick note on your
‘To Do’ list
• If it’s someone you report to or who
reports to you, have a coloured manila
folder in your desk file drawer with their
name on it, whip out the file, jot the note
and put it back until a pre-arranged
meeting time.
• If one of your colleagues is an
interrupter, ask them to save their queries
and give them a time you’ll be free.
The really bad ones can’t help themselves –
refuse to talk to them, remind them of your
request and keep working.
Here’s an example of how to handle
self-interruptions:
As I write a book, something I write
triggers other things I want say or a better
way I could describe a point. If I stop then
and find the place to insert the little visitor,
I’m likely to be sidetracked and most
importantly, I loose the flow of the current
section. I keep a piece of paper beside me,
quickly jot the idea down and at my next
natural break scroll through the pages to find
the best place to insert it.
Key Point 36
If every day you become one per cent better
on at least one regular activity, the only thing
standing between you and your success is
time. Develop a mindset of continuous
improvement. As long as it’s done in a
positive way, accepting of where you
already are, you’re on a winning formula.
However, a big warning. Sometimes people
get so fixated on the goal that they forget to
enjoy the journey. Beware of beating
yourself up because you haven’t reached the
giddy heights you’re aspiring to – that’s a
seriously unuseful exercise in selfflagellation and about as useful as an
ashtray on a motorbike!
We have a wonderful role model in Ben
Franklin. Although his formal schooling
ended at age ten, he was committed to
continuing his education. So, his next step
was to study arithmetic at night. At age
twelve he added formal writing exercises. In
his teens he added foreign languages,
including French, Italian, Spanish and
Latin. He achieved outstanding success as a
scientist, inventor, statesman and writer and
in a relatively short number of years moved
from poverty to great wealth. Today
millions of people’s lives are better because
of his inventions (bi-focal glasses being just
one of them).
One of his secrets was his system of selfevaluation, not on his academic skills but
his attitudes and behaviour. For most of his
adult life he ran a scoring system on 12 key
attributes such as Temperance, Honesty,
Virtue and Timeliness. (If you can find a
copy of his autobiography you’ll get a full
description). Had you frisked his pockets
you would have found a little notebook,
with a grid pattern of lines on every page.
Also listed was the one behaviour he
wanted to focus on that week. As the day
progressed a sequence of dots, based on his
own code, indicated how he scored himself.
As an old man he described his young self
as a self-opiniated young man, lacking in
true friends and obnoxious to the people he
admired. His scoring system enabled him to
change that, small step by small step, until
he became one of the most famous and
admired men of his age.
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who run
top quality time management programmes.
To purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About Time
– 120 tips for those with no time’ or bestselling ‘Getting a grip on time’contact your
local bookshop or Robyn’s website:
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Sydney Office Tel: (02) 9904 9182
Auckland Office Tel: (09) 521 2126
ROBYN PEARCE
Procrastinate! – Who, Me?
I regularly ask participants at speeches and workshops what their big issues are and procrastination always
rears its ugly head. But – is it always ugly? Did you know there is such a thing as creative procrastination?
So, let’s poke a stick at the topic and see if we can’t find some new angles. Tips 2, 13, 14 & 19 from
Robyn's latest book About Time! - 120 tips for those with no time
rocrastination is not the key
problem with time management
- lack of clarity about what's
important is.
Have you got a clear idea of exactly
everything you want to achieve in your life
for the next 12 months? If so, is it written
down? I ask this question of most of the
groups I work with, and typically about 5
per cent of the room will have any written
goals. (Maybe that’s why they’re with me!)
Think of it this way: Picture a very rainy
day and a house with blocked guttering. It’s
a while since anyone cleared the sticks and
twigs in the spouting. Therefore, it can’t
cope with the deluge and water is
everywhere – spilling over the gutters,
flooding the paths and gardens. However, if
someone were to clear the blockage in the
guttering, the water would very quickly
drain away.
P
Too many choices
I see our brain working the same way. So
often our minds feel overwhelmed with too
many choices. It’s as if we’re punching
cotton wool. Result – overload, confusion,
lack of focus, no clarity and indecision. Our
mental drains are blocked.
The fastest way to unblock them is to pick
up a writing stick, (otherwise known as a
pen or your fast-flashing keyboard fingers)
and jot down everything currently rattling
around in that necktop computer of yours.
As soon as things are down on paper (or the
electronic equivalent) the flood of ideas is
channelled and easy to manage. There is an
immediate reduction of pressure (stress) and
we’re in control.
People are usually reasonable at planning
the small things in life. How silly then not to
do it with the things that really matter.
Otherwise, we may wake up when we’re too
old, saying, “I wish I’d done…” Too late!
So, what excuse have you got now? Get to
it – it will only take you about 20 to 30
minutes to write down what you’d like to
achieve, in all areas of your life, for the next
12 months. Be spontaneous, go with the
top–of–mind ideas and have fun.
Try these first
Try these headings – they cover pretty well
everything:
• Self
• Well–Being and Spirituality
• Business and Career
• Home and Family
• Community and Humanity.
‘But’, you say, ‘it’s not about planning and
goals – I really get stuck’.
Okay. Try these next two tips:
1. Eat your vegetables first!
Do the hard thing first and the rest is a
breeze.
Ever procrastinated on something, even
though you know it’s important? By doing
the most important thing or sometimes the
hardest thing, first thing in the day, we
experience more job satisfaction, less stress,
and do a better job.
Think of the last time you dragged the
chain on a tricky task, put off something
unpleasant, deferred deadlines, used
side–stepping avoidance techniques that
would make a football player envious!
How did you feel? Heavy, lethargic,
guilty even? Generally less than top class?
Conversely, ever noticed the rush
of adrenaline when you finally tackle a
task that’s been hanging over your head
for ages?
Learn to actively seek the feelings of
success by taking action quickly. It releases
endorphins: they make us feel more
energetic and able to move faster, and we
actually get more done.
2. Don’t major in minor things
The easy tasks can very easily seduce us into
wasting time. I guess this phrase is a new
take on ‘fiddling while Rome burns’.
Sometimes we find ourselves doing low
priority low value activities, just to have a
break. Or we’ve moved up the business
ladder but enjoy doing some of these routine
activities and don’t really want to let go. Or,
it may be that we haven’t yet learned how to
delegate and train effectively.
Ask yourself, ‘What hourly rate is this
work worth?’ If it’s worth less than the rate
you’re earning or can earn, look for ways to
outsource or delegate it. Whenever you do
work that’s worth a lesser amount, you’re
effectively earning that lower figure (or
you’re a very expensive resource to your
organisation).
Check out the benefits
You also need to be aware of the
benefits you gain by involvement in the
activity in question and find other ways to
get those benefits.
The CEO of a middle–sized company
enjoys helping to load the trucks at the
factory door from time to time. He learns all
kinds of useful information. The down-side
is, he’s working ridiculous hours to get his
‘real’ work done. He needs to decide which
activities are the ones only he can do and
how else he can efficiently receive the
information he wants. It may be that a truck
loading session still occurs from time to
time but he gets more help with those
executive tasks.
Only the person in that position can assess
the pros and cons. What is the best use of
your time? The answer may not be simple
but it is waiting to be discovered.
So, what was this creative procrastination I mentioned, you may
be wondering?
Corporate Trends 115
ROBYN PEARCE
Enjoy creative procrastination
Put off until tomorrow, that which won’t
advance your life plan by being done today.
Give yourself the gift of prime time to do
whatever you like, including doing nothing
– if that’s your choice.
Procrastination is not all bad – there’s
good procrastination as well! Learn to focus
on the activities that lead you toward your
goals and block out or procrastinate on the
trivial, time–consuming minutiae. ‘Stuff’
(great word) is never going to go away.
My friend Mary Henderson, who with her
husband Tony heads an enormous network
marketing company, says, ‘Will it make a
difference in 5 years’ time?’ If it won’t, she
doesn’t let the ‘busy work’ get in the way
of enjoying life, family and friends. This
has been Mary’s philosophy right from the
early days of her business and a key part of
her success.
Work the 80/20 rule to your advantage.
After all, Pareto said that 20 per cent of our
activity would generate 80 per cent of our
results and 80 per cent of our activity would
only generate 20 per cent of our results.
Next time you think of keeping going when
your intuition tells you it’s time to stop,
think to yourself, ‘What’s important here?’
116 Corporate Trends
And what about this ‘doing nothing’ idea?
Well balanced people with healthy
relationships and family lives, know that
time for themselves is also important and
just as vital as working productively and
spending time with others. It’s not selfish to
give yourself quality time. In fact, I believe
it is selfish not to. Someone who never takes
time to recharge their batteries, ceases to be
effective in their responsibilities.
Time Management specialist and keynote
speaker Robyn Pearce is the director of
TimeLogic Corporation, an international
productivity consulting company, who also
run top quality time management
programmes. And don’t forget to check out
all the help available on the company
website – you’ll find all manner of useful
resources there.
You can purchase Robyn’s new book ‘About
Time – 120 tips for those with no time’, or
the best–selling ‘Getting a Grip on Time’at
her website or at your local bookshop.
Contact:
Tel: Sydney (02) 9904 9182
Tel: Auckland +64 9 521 2126
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.gettingagripontime.com
From the
Editor’s desk…
Regular subscribers to Corporate
Trends will notice we have changed the
format of your magazine slightly.
The main difference is we now have
the content of each edition on the front
cover, rather than on the inside. We felt
this format would be more user friendly
in today’s business climate of
information overload. This way you can
easily gloss the articles or topics you
are interested in and go straight to
them. We have also dropped the glossy
colour cover and opted more for a
‘report’ style publication.
We hope you like the new format.
Peter Thorpe
Editor
Corporate Trends is published by:
The Advertising Department Pty Ltd
Tel: (02) 9314 6879 Fax: (02) 9326 6334
Email: [email protected]
Layout and design: Simon Sinacori
Ann Reinten
Ensuring Your Visual, Verbal and
Behavioural Success
"Creating Power Through Visual, Verbal and Behavioural
Effectiveness"
Long recognised as a master in her field, Ann Reinten is one of Australia's leading image professionals. She
is a member of the Association of Image Consultants International and is one of only 120 members worldwide who carry the status of 'Professional Member'. Ann is also the President of the Melbourne Chapter of
AICI and an active member of The National Speakers Association.
As founder, director and visionary of The Australian Image Company, Ann leads with a dedication aimed
at helping anyone find their full potential through the discovery of their personal power and improved
personal presentation.
"I can help anyone achieve a substantial improvement in their image. For those wishing to climb the
corporate ladder this improvement will result in others seeing them as 'more professional and promotable'.
Even more importantly, they too will look in a mirror and see a person 'worth more' and this has an
enormous impact on their self-esteem and level of confidence.
Feeling good about yourself and how you look sets you free to confidently strive for, and reach, every goal
you set".
After reaching the position of Southern States Director with a previous image company, Ann decided to
create her own image company in 1995. Today, The Australian Image Company is one of Australia's fastest
growing and most respected image companies with consultants in every state of Australia and a growing
number in the United States of America. The image services by TAIC vary in structure and content to cater
for the needs of the individual, company or corporation and all programs can be complimented with
comprehensive training manuals and/or customised image portfolios.
As a speaker Ann has often been referred to as an 'entertrainer' because her seminars are filled with humour
and are presented in an entertaining and down-to-earth manner.
ANN REINTEN
Don’t Shoot the Messenger
You spent a lot of time and money
getting the message right but what
about the messenger?
een any good ads lately? One
that comes to mind is the BT
(Bankers Trust) series of
television advertisements.
These ads have been extremely well
thought out and are presented in a way
that quickly gains attention. They also
effectively convey to the viewer the
sincerity, competency and credibility of
the investment managers.
In other words, everything that is said
during the advertisement is validated by
the managers professional visual and
verbal image.
To the people who create advertising
campaigns, the critical relationship
between what is said and what is seen,
have always been appreciated.
However, out in the business world, this
relationship is often overlooked.
S
Look at the person
Take a step back from the ‘actual’
product or service being sold and look at
the person whose job it is to convey the
information about the product or service
to the consumer. Sometimes the reason
for a failed sale, dismissal of an idea or
a lost client, becomes painfully
apparent. We are living in the era of
image and communication. Where
information about our skills, integrity
and character must be delivered in the
shortest possible time and by the most
effective means available.
The impact of visual image in the law
courts is so powerful, the difference
between a conservative suit and a pair of
jeans can add years to a sentence.
Each hour of every day, hundreds of
thousands of dollars are spent on the
image development of products,
companies or ideas, in an effort to gain
or increase market share. Yet,
comparatively little is spent on
improving the image or communication
skills of those whose job it is to promote
118 Corporate Trends
The 4 dimensions of image
To build a winning image, your first
move should be to establish what
elements of your dress, behaviour and
surroundings will fulfil the four
dimensions of the image you want to
portray of your product or service.
The four dimensions of image are:
•
•
•
•
or represent these products.
Imagine the enormous gains to be
had, if those who represented the
company or product, had an image
consistent with the image of the product.
It’s simply a matter of smart marketing.
Give employees the skills necessary
to look good, act appropriately and
promote themselves in the best possible
way, and then watch not only the sales
figures rise but also corporate morale.
Today’s winning companies are experts
at impression management.
Casual Fridays didn’t work
The American business world has found
out the hard way how important image
is, after surrendering to employees
demands for permanent casual dress
days in the workplace.
At first, casual Fridays were heralded
as an enormous break through, and the
average worker felt freed from the
conformity of the corporate uniform, at
least for one day a week.
Eventually, casual Fridays were
exchanged for casual everyday and
from that moment corporations started
to feel the effects of image decay.
Productivity decreased and sales
figures dropped. There was a 63 per cent
increase in customer complaints, a 50
per cent decrease in employee’s
commitment to the job and a 35 per cent
increase in complaints regarding
provocative actions and tardiness.
Credibility
Likability
Personal Attractiveness
Dominance
Credibility is of central importance to
image. It sets your level of believability,
trustworthiness and competence. If you
were a funds manager, one way this
could be achieved is by dressing in
quality clothes, wearing accessories of
status and having a prestige car and
office, thus indicating that you are a
successful funds manager.
Likability is the second factor and
entails not only being seen as likable
and friendly but also how much like the
client you appear to be.
Personal Attractiveness will always be
an issue, even if it is seen by some as
discriminatory. We may not verbalise, it
but we all make judgements involving
issues of personal attractiveness, to ignore
this element of image would be naive.
Finally, Dominance is how selfassured or powerful we appear to be.
This gives those we deal with
confidence in our ability to get the job
done and validates our association with
the product.
Impression management is all about
finding what set of behaviours and
visual clues will be most valuable in
assisting you to meet your goals. And,
while a great image will never replace
the need to be good at what we do, it
will open doors and invite opportunities
that poor presentation rarely receives.
Ann Reinten AICI is an internationally
certified image professional and CEO of
The Australian Image Company. For
information regarding Ann’s full range of
seminars including ‘From Campus to
Corporate’ please visit her website
Website: www.austimageco.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9841-7197
ANN REINTEN
Blueprinting Success…
What is it that makes one person a
success and another person a
failure?
ost would agree that success
does not come from IQ alone
– we’ve all seen brilliant
people fade into mediocre
jobs. Nor does it emanate solely from great
clothes or a fantastic attitude. The degree to
which a person becomes a success or failure
depends on how they manage the essential
and indivisible elements that make up their
Total Image.
For years we have been told, “If you look
good you will feel good.” To a point, this is
true. Looking good does please the mind and
elevate the spirits but it’s effects are only
fleeting. It is only in the discovery of what
you are truly passionate about and in
understanding the needs of your heart and
soul that you can be truly successful. Too
often people feel trapped in jobs or
marriages they dislike or find unfulfilling
and this leads to a slow and painful
degradation of the spirit. Ultimately, this
infects the person and those around them.
True success is a total package that requires
both personal and professional fulfilment.
M
your way or impeding your path with
preconceived ideas and prejudices. Your
reputation must be carefully created,
maintained and guarded. You must know
what others say and think of you. Selfpositioning is a valuable skill in image
management.
3. Seen Image
As the saying goes, ‘seeing is believing’,
therefore this level is most powerful when
meeting someone for the first time. Research
has shown that visual presentation accounts
for more than half of the impression we
make on others. When you dress and act in
the manner expected of a successful person,
in most cases it will be assumed that you
possess the talent, personality and
characteristics that accompany that image.
4. Experienced Image
Closely allied with visual image are your
behaviour and communication skills. Being
Total Image
Assumed
Proven
The Five Areas of Total Image:
1. Hidden Image
This lies central to your being. It is the area
of ‘inner image’ – your sense of ‘self’,
thoughts and soul – that decides your:
values, beliefs, ethics, integrity, passion,
purpose, attitude, personality, self-esteem
and confidence.
Your inner image is the foundation that
your life is built on and it governs
everything you do. It determines your
ultimate level of success. Anyone can be
groomed to walk into a room and make a
smashing impression but it’s the substance
and satisfaction behind the performance that
will ultimately sustain the impression.
Dysfunction in this area has the power to
override and destroy efforts in all other
areas.
2. Assumed/Believed Image
This is your reputation. In many cases
your reputation precedes you, smoothing
Hidden
Experienced
Seen
able to quickly gain rapport with people
through effective verbal and non-verbal
communication and courteous behaviour
will produce lasting relationships and
professional endeavours that run more
smoothly and gain quicker results.
5. Proven Image
This area governs your ultimate altitude. It
is the combination and results of your
talents, successes and failures as proven over
time. Within this level are your
communication and people skills, your
performance, your decision making record
and your experience.
How do you rate on the Total
Image scale?
Give yourself a score out of ten for each
area:.
• Are you developing a well-rounded
image?
• Are you aware of and working on the
image areas that your know you are
weakest in?
• Do you accurately reflect the image
qualities that your customers and
organisation desire?
• Are you passionate about something?
• Do you see yourself as others see you?
• Is your appearance working for or against
you?
• Is your attitude positive and optimistic?
• Are you a competent and effective
communicator?
Your future is in your hands
You alone are responsible for your future.
Where you are now, where you have been
and where you are going, is a result of every
conscious and unconscious decision you
have ever (or will ever) make. Your success
or failure is ultimately in your hands, not
your parent’s, wife’s, partner’s, children’s,
friend’s or even your employer’s – but
yours.
Success rarely comes easily or by
accident. In most cases it involves consistent
personal development – lessons learned
from painful mistakes, clear personal goals,
careful planning, self-promotion, continuing
education and consistency of effort.
Reading this article you now know that no
single area can make you successful or
happy for the long term. Likewise be aware
that awareness alone does not create success
– action does!
Corporations that take their Total Image
seriously will be leading the way in the
future. Are you giving equal weight to your
inner needs, attitude, outer presentation,
behaviour, communication skills and
reputation? If so, you are well on the way to
business success.
Ann Reinten AICI is an internationally
certified image professional and CEO of
The Australian Image Company. For
information regarding Ann’s full range of
seminars including ‘From Campus to
Corporate’ please visit her website
Website: www.austimageco.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9841-7197
Corporate Trends 119
ANN REINTEN
The Casualisation of Australian Workplaces
It’s no secret that businesses that are
receptive to change move forward –
but take that step forward with caution…
ike many workplace changes
there are often challenges to
overcome, traditions to be broken
and mindsets to alter. And this is
certainly the case with adopting Casual
Dress into in the workplace.
However, in witnessing the challenges
experienced by many organisations in
implementing a business casual dress policy,
it is evident that the ultimate success of
‘business casual’ is reliant upon the up-front
institution of clear, concise guidelines and
regular reviews. I have seen many
companies who initially implemented
'Casual Fridays' with great success, go on
and without a second thought expected the
transition to ‘permanent casual dress’ to be
equally easy and uneventful. Each carried
the expectation that their employees would
be able to call upon their common sense to
determine where business casual dress fitted
between sloppy casual and formal business
attire. As a result they were usually sorely
disappointed within a few months or by mid
summer when bare midriffs and flabby
upper arms showed themselves.
L
The move to casual everyday
In many instances, employees who dress in
traditional business attire four days a week
can dress on ‘Casual Fridays’ with the
expected level of professionalism. However,
when ‘Casual Friday’ becomes Casual
Everyday, often the expected dress is
whittled away to jeans and sloppy knits or
awkward mixes of clothing such as chino
pants and business suit jackets in no time.
With all this said, Business Casual is a
fabulous phenomena and I believe is here to
stay. Especially when major companies such
as Price WaterHouse, BHP, IBM and Arthur
Andersen are leading the way with many
others hot on their heels.
Casual dress can be successfully
implemented and maintained if, the
expectations of the client is always kept
paramount in the mind of employees.
When considering the move to casual
dress for your workplace start of by giving
120 Corporate Trends
the change a name that will have a positive
impact on the mindset. Rather than calling
the change Casual Dress (which implies
many different things to many people)
include the word 'Business'. 'Business
Casual' opens the mind to a clearer
interpretation of what is expected than does
full-time casual dress.
Saboteurs of casual dress:
1. A bad attitude
2. Chewing gum
3. Failing to smile
4. A disinterested voice
5. Poor grammar
6. Failure to look interested and fully
engage with others
7. Poor taste jokes
8. Politically incorrectness
9. Failure to keep your word
10. Failure to show due care.
THREE LEVELS OF DRESS
Relaxed Casual
For employees who have no face to face and
minimal verbal contact with clients.
Key Item: Jeans
Description of Look: The type of clothes you
would wear to friend’s place for a BBQ.
Desired Message: Relaxed, comfortable and
approachable.
The impact and perception of
business casual dress
Probable positives of business casual dress:
• Approachable
• Friendly
• Less Formal
• More Casual
• More Relaxed
• More Comfortable
• Less Professional
Possible negatives of business casual dress:
• Given the dress is already casual any
further drop in another vital area of
professional image (manner, grooming,
tone of voice, customer service etc) will be
exaggerated in the client/ customer's mind.
• Confusion as to what’s too casual and
what’s too dressed up
• Dress standards to drop to unacceptable
levels
• Sales and promotions to be lost through
poor first impressions
• A drop in work ethics and professional
attitude (when work attire is relaxed some
people tend to adopt a similar attitude
toward their work)
• Some people to feel less confident and
professional
• Confusion and concern as some
employees may have to manage and
maintain two business wardrobes.
Smart Casual
For employees who have face to face
contact with clients in similar dress or who
may be seen by office visitors.
Key Item: 2 or 3 piece outfits or layers.
Men: Collared shirts and tops
Women: Hosiery
Description of Look: The type of clothes you
would wear to an informal dinner at an
upmarket restaurant.
Desired Message: Comfortable, competent
and approachable.
Business Casual
For employees who have face to face
contact with clients.
Key Items - Women: Hosiery and jackets.
Men: Jackets and collared shirts and tops.
Description of Look: The type of clothes you
would wear to a gallery opening.
Desired Message: Professional, reliable and
competent.
Finally, not all business days are alike.
Some days we see different people, go
different places and do different tasks.
Ann Reinten AICI is an internationally
certified image professional and CEO of
The Australian Image Company. For
information regarding Ann’s full range of
seminars including ‘From Campus to
Corporate’ please visit her website
Website: www.austimageco.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9841-7197
ANN REINTEN
Dare Yourself to Shine!
If your company’s products or
services were packaged like you,
would they sell?
will I manage my visual appearance,
behaviour and verbal communication, who
will be present and what do I need to do to
impress them?
HOW TO IMPRESS
ANYONE, ANYTIME
1. Commence all meetings with a firm, web-toweb handshake (web of the hand).
2. Look people in the eye when speaking to
people or being spoken to.
3. Smile with your whole of your face.
oor packaging costs companies
hundreds of thousands of dollars
in lost sales. How much is your
packaging costing you?
We live in a grab-it-and-go world where
opportunities are won and lost on first
impressions. Ask any successful high level
professional and you are likely to discover
that their success was due not only to their
expertise but also to a carefully thought out
Personal Marketing Strategy. Which
usually holds paramount the goal of making
an instant and positive impression with
everyone they meet.
P
People search for signs
Keep in mind that most people
unconsciously search for signs of credibility,
areas of rapport or similarity, a degree of
personal attractiveness and an agreeable
level of confidence in order to ascertain if
they like, trust and/or want to do business
with someone.
Never let your guard down as chance
encounters often lead to serendipitous
opportunities.
Of course true success emanates from your
personal values and integrity. Those that live
4. Introduce yourself and/or others with
confidence and grace.
5. Always carry business cards and offer them
after your introduction.
6. Walk with confidence and purpose.
7. Stand tall and confident.
8. Maintain an open body posture.
9. Actively listen to others.
10. Be sensitive to personal space.
Climbing the corporate ladder
It’s no secret that climbing today’s corporate
ladder requires, talent, a competitive spirit
and a well managed game plan. No longer
will a mediocre appearance, adequate
performance, compliant behaviour or years
on-the-job be enough to guarantee career
advancement. And a job for life as reward
for services rendered is long gone. To scale
the corporate ladder you must learn to outshine your competitors in every way
possible, and at every available opportunity.
Some may call this manipulation, I call it
Impression Management – knowing what
you want and making it happen in an ethical
and proactive manner. If practiced
consistently you will soon find yourself;
taken more seriously, listened to, given
more responsibility, appreciated, rewarded
and offered exciting opportunities.
Start by seeking areas where you need
improvement. It may be that the way you
dress, your people skills, body language or
attitude needs some adjustment before you
start. Often we are the last person to know
about our faults, so ask a few trusted
colleagues for their honest appraisal and be
gracious and grateful for their input. Act on
the information you receive – contrary to
public perception, knowledge isn’t power –
action is.
Next, plan your business and social
opportunities to gain maximum kudos. Prior
to the event ask yourself; what impression
do I want to make, what is my goal, how
11. Take a genuine interest in others
12. Be pleasant, positive and enthusiastic.
13. Always volunteer for projects that put you in
front of people.
14. Keep your word without being reminded.
15. Dress to impress - Appropriate quality
clothes that are figure flattering, clean and
pressed. Including hosiery and make-up for
women.
16. Avoid: distractions such as; poor grooming,
short ties, perfume, uncommon lapel pins, too
many or inappropriate accessories
Contrary to the popular public perception –
knowledge isn't power – action is.
their values are able to perform consistently
over a long period of time. While those who
follow the values of others often stumble.
Learning to shine also means being
adaptable to change; both personally and
professionally.
Constantly
seeking
improvement by enhancing your skill and
knowledge base to keep pace with an everchanging world, coping with changes in
corporate direction, leadership and
disappointments. As well as managing your
style of dress and grooming to suit changes
associated with age and body shape.
17. Avoid: gossip, off colour or insensitive jokes,
talk of health problems, marriage break-ups or
other controversial topics.
18. Do unto others as they would have you do
unto them (and as you would have them do
unto you).
19. Limit your smoking and alcohol intake.
Ann Reinten AICI is an internationally
certified image professional and CEO of
The Australian Image Company. For
information regarding Ann’s full range of
seminars including ‘From Campus to
Corporate’ please visit her website
Website: www.austimageco.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9841-7197
Corporate Trends 121
ANN REINTEN
Scary First Steps
Being the new kid on the block
isn’t easy and at times you will
feel like a leprechaun at a bar
mitzvah!
his is how one new graduate
described how he felt during the
initial weeks at his first place of
full time employment. His
feelings are shared by many new recruits.
Image this: you have just finished years of
study and have landed your first real job.
You’re excited and bursting to get going
only to find your excitement has mutated
into alarm as you experience the down-toearth thud that comes with realising – ‘This
is nothing like university and I seem to
know nothing’.
In the first few weeks of employment new
graduates are on a steep and scary learning
curve. They strive to understand the
corporate culture, seek to establish new
relationships, struggle to produce some
meaningful work and endeavour to mix
their former lifestyle with that of their new.
It is during this time that mentoring or
buddy programs coupled with structured
‘professional readiness programs’ are most
effective. Both are able to assist graduates to
effect a smooth transition into the corporate
arena and can establish sound attitudes and
habits that can set them up for life as
capable, confident professionals.
T
Riding the Learning Curve
(Instructions for the new graduate)
Dress Smart: No one expects graduates to
turn up in designer suits but a professional
and pulled-together appearance is expected,
as is good grooming and consistency.
A common complaint from managers is
that graduates look great for the first few
weeks and then go into a steady decline.
Looking the part is important on a continual
basis and as a new graduate, you are being
continually observed and managers are ever
vigilant to discover the next rising star.
Maintaining a great professional image on a
continual basis speaks volumes about your
level of self-esteem and confidence and will
help others to see you as being capable of
more responsible duties.
When you are feeling a little shaky, being
able to see yourself in a mirror as well
122 Corporate Trends
dressed, is also a great way to boost your
morale and self confidence (and of course,
don’t forget to smile).
Little Things Count:
A great image also involves taking care of
the little things such as wearing shiny well
cared-for shoes, wearing a clean shirt,
having dandruff-free shoulders, fresh breath
and wearing clean, freshly pressed
clothes. A great outfit will always be ruined
by poor grooming.
Get a Grip on the Basics:
As soon as possible get to know where the
bathroom, cafeteria and meeting rooms are,
and how things like the photocopier and
telephone system work. That way you will
save yourself the embarrassment of having
to continually ask.
have learned so far leads up to this day but
90 per cent of what you have learned so far
will be of no value. So, today is the first day
of the rest of your life and the learning now
really starts”. Organisations want people
who are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and
open but above all, they want people who
are teachable and willing to learn how to do
things their way.
Watch and Learn
Keep your eyes open and continue to learn
from those around you. Every new skill or
piece of knowledge gained will have a
direct impact on your income, security and
professional future.
Ask Questions
Everyone knows you are 'the new kid on the
block' so there is no sense trying to hide the
fact. If you do not know how to do
something, say so, and ask for their help.
Most people will appreciate the fact that you
do not pretend to know more than you do.
Be clear on your job description
Meeting expectations will be easier if you
know what they are. Most organisations will
have a written description of your job. Get it
and read it.
Name and Rank
Learn the names of those you will be
working with as soon as possible. Write
down their names and positions until you
have committed them to memory. Learning
and using people’s names is the fastest way
to build rapport and the quickest way
to make you feel and be accepted as part
of the team.
When in Rome
To truly feel at ease it is important to
discover the culture, dynamics, politics,
written and unwritten rules unique to the
organisation you have joined. So keep your
eyes and ears open, ask questions and learn
to read between the lines.
Be Teachable:
You’ve learned plenty at university but not
nearly enough to make-it on the outside. As
Richard Denny (business guru and author of
four best selling books on the subject of
success in business) says, “Everything you
Don’t Listen to Gossip:
The politics of an organisation are hard
enough to judge without the added
interference of gossip. Meet people, listen
and make your own mind up. Within any
company no one is entirely objective,
everyone has their own perspective,
responsibilities and sometimes agenda.
Remain Cool:
The first few months of any new job is
tough, new people, new environment, new
ways of doing things. The best way to cope
is to take things a step of the time and try to
remain cool and unruffled. When
challenges occur concentrate on finding a
solution rather than on the problem and
break every assignment down into
manageable chunks.
Ann Reinten AICI is an internationally
certified image professional and CEO of
The Australian Image Company. For
information regarding Ann’s full range of
seminars including ‘From Campus to
Corporate’ please visit her website
Website: www.austimageco.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9841-7197
Anne Riches
Vision without action is a daydream
Action without vision is a nightmare
(Japanese proverb)
TOPICS: CHANGE, LEADERSHIP,
FACILITATOR
With over 25 years hands-on change management and
leadership experience Anne Riches is a specialist in developing
strategies for managing and implementing sustainable
organizational change and developing leadership qualities in
managers, supervisors and team leaders. Anne’s qualifications
are BA (Hons), LLM (Hons), Dip Jur, GCCM, FAICD, FAIM,
FAITD, AFAHRI, CSP.
Anne is an expert in the field of people-issues in organizations. She is in constant demand as a
facilitator because of the exceptional results she helps participants at meetings and strategic planning
sessions achieve. Anne works with senior executives in corporations, the professions and the public
sector in Australasia, to develop and deliver successful pragmatic solutions to the toughest transitional
hurdles facing organisations today.
Before establishing her company 6 years ago, Anne was a barrister and senior university lecturer.
Anne also enjoyed a number of challenging start-up and change agent roles in the private and public
sectors and with the professions. She was headhunted to Human Resources Director positions in both
an international merchant bank and a leading law firm. As the first Education Director of the Judicial
Commission, Anne was responsible for implementing the first comprehensive scheme of judicial
education in the Southern Hemisphere.
She is presently on the Boards of Totalcare Industries Ltd and The Ted Noffs Foundation. She is a
NSW Councillor of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Ethics
Committee of the NSW Institute of Psychiatry. She is also a member of the National Education
Committee and the Remuneration Task Force of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In 1991 Anne was awarded the Women and Management Achievement Award. In 1989 she won a Law
Foundation of NSW Travelling Fellowship. In 1997, Anne was a finalist in the NSW Telstra Business
Women’s Awards in the first year of her own business.
Anne has also held numerous leadership positions including President of the Women Lawyers’
Association of NSW, State and Territory Councillor of the Australian Human Resources Institute and
National Councillor of the Australian Association of Philanthropy.
Her peers acknowledge the quality of Anne’s outstanding work. She is a Fellow of the Australian
Institute of Management, the Australian Institute of Training and Development and the Australian
Institute of Company Directors. Recently, the National Speakers’ Association of Australia Anne was
awarded Anne the highest accreditation possible as a speaking professional by the National Speakers’
Association of Australia, the internationally recognised CSP (Certified Speaking Professional).
She specialises in the facilitation and implementation of strategies for improving organisational
effectiveness particularly embedding change-ability, developing leadership capability and human
resource management.
ANNE RICHES
Surviving, Thriving
and Driving Change
When implementing change managers often overlook the most
important factor - people!
ver heard this before: “He's a
really great guy but I just hate
the way he dresses/ drinks his
coffee/leaves the cap off the
toothpaste, etc. But I can change
all that.”
And does he (or she) change?
Rarely!
It's the same with organisations.
Whether you're trying to improve your
customer service, re-engineer your
business systems, restructure a
department or outsource a function,
very few organisations successfully
achieve the results they want.
A report last year by KMPG on
change management in both the public
and private sector over the last year,
revealed that only 22 per cent of change
initiatives fully delivered the intended
benefits, on budget and on time. Other
surveys support this.
E
Outsourcing hasn’t worked
They show that in many cases
outsourcing has failed to deliver and
downsizing has mostly been a disaster;
the best people have gone, taking their
corporate knowledge with them.
Morale (and often the health) of those
who are left is in tatters and productivity
has declined. Cashflows are precarious
too, (often because of the high cost of
retrenchment packages). And often
there’s a need to re-hire expertise,
usually at increased rates.
So, where did we go wrong?
Ask anyone who has tried to change
the way their organisation does
business. They will invariably tell you
it’s the ‘people factor’.
Even Michael Hammer, father of the reengineering system, acknowledges that
70 per cent of re-engineering activities
have failed.
124 Corporate Trends
He told The Wall Street Journal
recently, “I wasn't smart enough about
that. I was reflecting my engineering
background and wasn’t sufficiently
appreciative of the human dimension.”
Put people first, profit will follow.
Due diligence
Think of it this way. Would you ever
acquire or merge with another business
without first doing your financial due
diligence? Would you plan to build a
power station without doing your
environmental due diligence?
Of course you wouldn’t!
So, why do so many organisations try to
introduce change without doing
‘human’ due diligence?
Start with these threshold questions:
Why are we doing this? Why now? What
if we don't do it now? What is our
destination? Precisely, how will we get
there? What's in it for our people? Will
the gains outweigh the losses? How will
we bring our people along with us?
How will we consolidate the changes?
Until these questions are clearly and
fully addressed, don't even think about
implementing the change.
Two major strategies
When you've got the answers to the
above questions, there are two major
strategies that need to run in parallel:
• Plan the change
implementation, and
and
its
• Prepare your people for the
changes that are about to happen.
Many managers don’t understand that
increasingly, human capacity to absorb
and implement change, is the major risk
management factor.
In both cases, communication is the
number one issue. And, while this may
seem like a statement of the blinding
obvious, communication is still reported
as the major problem in successfully
implementing change. It is crucial to
building trust and maintaining loyalty
and productivity and involves many
layers and levels. Telling them once by
memo is never enough!
The management of organisational
change is never to be underestimated.
However, those managers who invest
the time and resources in planning and
thinking through the human factor,
recognise that their people are the only
key difference they have against
the competition.
These managers and their organizations will not only survive change,
they will thrive.
What can we do?
Let’s say you want to introduce a new
strategic vision, improve customer
satisfaction, restructure or simply
deliver a new product or service. Here’s
a few quick tips to decrease the ‘people
risk’ factor in your organisation’s
change initiatives:
Take time to plan every facet of the
change project, especially the people
strategy. Nothing should be left to
chance. The “She'll be right, mate,”
attitude has no place in business.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
“I wasn’t sufficiently
appreciative of the
human dimension”.
Michael Hammer
(the father of re-engineering)
ANNE RICHES
You Must be Consistent
If You Want to Change
Are you sending out conflicting
messages and sabotaging the
change process?
colleague of mine works
for a time management
company. The company
sells diaries and organisers
so we can manage our time more
effectively and
improve our
productivity and performance.
Great stuff!
So, can you imagine how my
colleague felt when her boss said he just
didn’t have time to meet with her to go
through her performance review and
career development plan! Does it
surprise you that the company has a staff
retention problem?
A
Common reasons for failure
That example set me thinking about
why so many change efforts stall or lose
momentum. One of the most common
reasons is congruence or consistency (or
lack of it).
For example, let’s say you decide that
to remain competitive and relevant, your
organisation has to change its corporate
culture. To date, the culture has been
inward looking and process driven but
now this must change to become an
outward, customer focussed one.
The company embarks on the change
process. It restructures; it retrains staff
and starts on a culture change program
for the front line. But the senior
management is still focussed on costs
and the numbers. So despite the
proclaimed reason for the change, it
starts a cost cutting exercise. Senior
management even visits the front line to
drive the cost-cutting message home.
What’s the result?
Staff are confused by the mixed
messages; they remain inward looking,
there is no focus on the customer and in
fact, costs go up. Another example:
returning from a scuba diving trip
recently, I was talking to a man who
works in customer service in the motor
industry. He was a bit agitated and we
hadn’t even seen a shark! He told me
that the reason for his jumpiness was a
quality audit on Monday. He was just
praying that everything would be okay.
When I asked why he was worried, he
said they only did things according to
the quality manuals when they knew an
audit was coming up. They did not
follow the manuals every day, because
his boss thought ‘the quality thing’ was
too much hassle so, “We just do things
the way we’ve always done them.”
“Progress is impossible
without change; and those
who cannot change their
minds, cannot change
anything.”
George Bernard Shaw
The result? A highly stressed
employee, unimproved customer
service, a completely ineffective
quality change program and wasted
resources.
Leaders should set the pace
During times of change and pressure,
people always look to their leaders to
set the pace and show the way.
Psychologically we are designed to
respond positively or at least neutrally,
to consistency.
Comedians play on this and make us
laugh by delivering a line we can’t
predict. You can’t see it coming.
The advertising industry uses this
approach, too. Do you remember the
beautiful young woman in the back of
the New York cab who, having
freshened her lipstick, finishes off by
shaving ‘her’ stubble with an electric
razor! If you have seen it, you’ll
remember the brand of the razor.
Inconsistency is acceptable out of
work in some situations but what most
people want in the workplace is to know
what’s coming next and to be able to
rely on their leaders. People believe
what they see, not what is said. They
want leaders they can trust.
I have never met an employee yet who
says, “I love the way I don’t know how
the boss is going to react. It’s great that
it is never the same.”
Just consider your reaction and the
reaction of the American people to the
recent Bill Clinton—Monica Lewinsky
debacle. Most people did not care too
much about the fact that the President
had an affair. What started to shift
opinions were his inconsistent
statements. That inconsistency, not the
affair, almost cost him the Presidency
and most certainly impacted on
the level of trust in him by the
American people.
Beware the silent saboteur
If leaders “don’t practice what they
preach” or “walk their talk”, their
people don’t trust them. When that
happens, people become cynical,
unresponsive to change and at worst
become ‘silent saboteurs’. We know
there is a problem and the change isn’t
going according to plan but we just
can’t seem to put our finger on it.
A major challenge for leaders of
change is they must have the resilience,
tenacity and clarity of vision to shake off
the old and focus on the new. In complex
and difficult change situations, it’s easy
to fall back into the old ways of doing
things when the going gets tough.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Corporate Trends 125
ANNE RICHES
The Four Emotional
Stages of Change
When organisations go through
major change, employees experience
a strong sense of loss…
to do now. How am I going to get it all
done?” “Okay, let’s try it but who’s
doing what now?” “ I’ll never learn this
new system — I need training.”
his is obvious if it involves
the loss of a job. Often, the
reasons for the sense of loss
are not so clear but the
effects can be just as profound — both
for the individual and on the
organisation’s bottom line.
Most people go through four
emotional changes when they
experience a major shock. Test these
stages against your own personal
experience of say, the death of a family
member or friend; a divorce; the loss of
your job; a major change at work or a
confronting medical procedure:
4. The final stage
When employees commit to the
change, they start focussing on the
future instead of dwelling on the past.
They have a clear sense of their roles
and where they are going.
What are the implications of these
emotions when we are planning and
implementing organisational change?
T
1. Disbelief and denial
Initially the change is met with disbelief
and denial. “It won’t happen to me.”
“No, they won’t close the plant - they’ll
find a way through the problems, they
always have.” “If I just keep my head
down, it’ll be business as usual soon.”
2. Anger and blame
Next, it is common to see anger and
blame. In workplace change at this time
some employees will actively resist the
changes saying things like: “Why
should I change? Is this how they treat
us after we’ve worked our butts off?”
What is more risky is withdrawal and
lack of concentration. In this high risk
period, watch out for an increase in
accidents, a drop off in quality, more
absenteeism, corruption or fraud.
3. Reluctant acceptance
As people work through their anger,
they move to the third stage where they
reluctantly begin to accept the changes
and start to explore their role in it. You’ll
hear things like: “There’s just too much
126 Corporate Trends
1. During denial
Do everything you can to minimise the
The impact of unexpected
and unwanted change,
varies dramatically
from person to person
shock. Plan ahead. Give them plenty of
information. Let them know what the
changes will be, who will be affected by
them and how. Give them your best
estimate of the likely time frame —
remembering that things always take
longer than originally planned. Give
them a chance to prepare themselves
and let the changes sink in. You cannot
over-communicate now.
2. During resistance
Listen to what people have to say.
Empathise. Don’t tell them to snap out
of it or pull themselves together. People
don’t want your solutions, they just
want their responses and reactions
acknowledged. Denying their feelings
will only drive the resistance deeper and
make it last longer.
3. During exploration
Now people need practical encour-
agement and support. Provide training.
Involve them in planning and setting
goals. Focus on some short term wins to
get early runs on the board — show the
benefit of the changes. People will
respond well if they can see the positive
impact of the change.
Watch out if the changes do not
provide any immediate observable
benefit. Then, there is a real likelihood
that people will sink back into
resistance and may even undermine
your change strategy completely.
4. During commitment
Now that you are through the transition,
set about consolidating the change.
Implement an appropriate cultural
change program. Recognise and reward
people who are responding well to the
change. Be careful not to inadvertently
reward any behaviour that is inconsistent with what you’re aiming for.
A final tip:
People move through the emotional
stages of change at different rates.
That’s why these transitions can be hard
and counter-productive.
Sometimes it is impossible to tell
people too much ahead of the change
because of market forces. But if people
are in denial, or are angry or resistant,
productivity will be low. You might see
a short term spike in response to the
change but it is likely to be short lived
until these stages are worked through.
Design and plan your change
management strategy to recognise and
support the transition phase. Do this and
you will reduce the impact of the
inevitable drop in productivity. More
importantly, you will gain the on-going
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
ANNE RICHES
The Power of Emotionally Intelligent Teams
US$28 Trillion! That’s the
estimated value of mergers and
acquisitions world wide for 1999.
n Australia alone we did A$14.6
billion in M & A deals last year.
However, what is perhaps even
more incredible, is that four out of
five M & As fail to deliver their
financial or strategic objectives, yet,
M & A activity is increasing!
Even Stephen Covey couldn’t get it
right. In 1997, the Covey Leadership
Centre merged with the Franklin Quest
Company (known for their day planners).
In announcing the deal, they said: “We
intend to apply our own expertise to our
own merger, thereby creating a model
merger for corporate industry.”
Two years later, operating earnings
had fallen by a disastrous 94 per cent,
sales had grown by only 2 per cent and
the merged entity, Franklin Covey, is
now said to be down-sizing by about 15
per cent, outsourcing some functions
and overhauling its salesforce. As for
the people side of the merger, it was
reported that: “There was so much
internal fighting it got almost comical.”
All this from a guru who has sold
around 13 million copies of “The Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People”,
urging us to ‘put first things first’, strive
for ‘the win—win’ and synergize!
So, why do most M & As fail?
The most common three reasons are:
incompatible cultures, inability to
manage the target company and
inability to implement the change. In
other words—the integration factor.
Many of you reading this article are
working or have worked in companies,
government departments or business
units that have been taken over or
merged with another group. Whether
you’ve had a good experience of this or
a poor one, the key will be the same.
The quality of the integration strategy.
Managing change during M & As
involves the same general principles
that apply during any change activity.
I
People are the key to any change success.
Examine what is involved in and behind
the general principles and most common
success factors and then determine how
and if they can be tailored and applied to
your circumstances.
Covey may have wanted his merger
to be the model for all others but as he
said later: “It is much different when
you go through it, than when you look
at it from some academic ivory tower”.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Only 20 per cent of mergers and acquisitions are
successful. Here are four common success factors:
1. People due diligence
No company would contemplate a
merger or acquisition without
undertaking financial due diligence.
Because most M & As fail through poor
people integration, initial due diligence
must include ‘people due diligence’.
This means knowing about our own
people too. What is our culture? What is
the capacity of our people to change?
How ready are they to change? How
much change can they absorb and adapt
to? How will any resistance show itself?
We then make the same enquiries (or
try to) of the target company. If the
target company is suffering from
extreme change fatigue or the existing
cultures are incompatible, it will be
almost impossible to achieve a new
integrated company and culture, so look
for an alternative target.
2. Appoint a full time
integration leader
Integration is not a part time job. It is a
critical change management role that
must be in the hands of an appropriately
qualified leader. It obviously includes
developing and implementing a plan
that deals quickly with operational
issues like alignment of remuneration,
rewards, performance management,
terms and conditions.
But more importantly, successful
integration management focuses on:
• Transition strategies—facilitating
employees letting go of the former
corporate identity and accepting the
new name and brand.
• Key people retention plans and
putting the right people in the right jobs
• Devising a cultural change program.
• Addressing morale and culture
problems head-on
• Setting up projects to enable people
from both pre-merger organisations to
work efficiently and effectively together
as soon as possible
• Identifying and providing necessary
learning opportunities.
3. Communications plan
The integration plan has to include a
comprehensive communications plan,
using every type of medium possible, at
every step of the way from
announcement to 12 months on,
reaching every level in the organisation.
Lack of communication leads to
breakdown in trust, confusion, cynicism
and frighteningly quickly, to ugly
political and internal in-fighting, as
Covey found out to his cost.
4. Work fast
Make, announce and implement people
decisions early. This is arguably the best
chance to minimise resistance,
confusion and cynicism. For example,
spill and fill positions as rapidly and as
fairly as can be done, implement
changes in key areas such as pay and
incentives from day one, take the hard
decisions up front.
Corporate Trends 127
ANNE RICHES
Leadership & Change – an Oxymoron?
If you want to institute changes in
culture, attitude and behaviour —
get out there and communicate!
recently heard Howard Putnam
speak. He is the former CEO of
South West Airlines – an airline
with a reputation for being safe,
cheap and more importantly, fun!
Putnam was talking about what he did to
lead South West into one of the most
successful airlines in the USA, by being
the lowest cost operator.
What he did, enabled the airline to
constantly win multiple awards, remain
profitable (even though it had the
lowest cost tickets), and never downsize anyone.
There was no magic in it. He simply
spent 60 to 70 per cent of his time
talking one on one to the people who
worked for the airline. He regularly
worked a number of hours on the
baggage handling line. In fact, he says
his greatest achievement was never to
do anything he learned at other airlines!
I
First the vision
Putnam said, first you have to have a
vision. Next, you need to know what
business you are in. Putnam said South
West was not in the airline business but
in mass transportation — and that
perspective changed the way he ran the
airline. Then, comes the really big
challenge — the critical part — you
have to build the culture.
You get a sense of his focus and
commitment when you find out that
South West has a ‘people department’
not HR or Personnel. They have
‘people
committees’ who
are
responsible for sorting out business
problems. Employees feel able and are
encouraged to talk to management
about what’s going on in the business
without fear of repercussions. They are
given a sense of ownership, through
shares in the airline.
So, what can we learn from this
approach? Can it help us answer why so
128 Corporate Trends
many expensive Australian business
change initiatives fail to deliver the
expected results? And, interestingly,
why is it that most CEO’s and managers
appear to know the answer but only
about one in five organisations
implement the solution for success?
Leadership from the top
The CEO. The Board. The senior
executive team. That’s what is needed.
People change to the
degree to which they
are motivated by the
‘I can do it’ factor.
No one is going to try
anything they don’t
think they can do.
But all too often the CEO either
delegates the responsibility or worse,
doesn’t believe it is necessary to get out
there and lead the change to build an
organisation that has adaptability as a
core competence.
Why? Many I have spoken to say
they don’t have time or that they need to
focus on the day to day. A short term
view resulting in long term loss.
My own view is that more often than
not, it’s not actually unwillingness or
lack of awareness. It’s more likely to be
because the senior team members do
not know what to do and how.
When it becomes important to refocus your organisation and change the
way things are done, CEO’s and
managers should think about how they
are going to move their people through
the process. Here are the four levels of
readiness that most people experience
as they adapt to change:
The four stages of change
The first stage is comfortable oblivion.
Employees deny the need to change.
They don’t see the point of it
and therefore, resist any attempts
or overtures.
The second stage is one of mild
contemplation. They are pretty well
ambivalent about what’s happening.
There is the beginning of recognition
that maybe they need to do something
but they procrastinate, substitute
thinking for action, adopt what is
cheekily called in the Australian
vernacular, the ‘gunna’ approach!
The third stage is preparation. When
at last people begin to see there is a
problem and focus on the solution.
Often a critical event causes this leap.
For example, if the organisation is trying
to implement a new attitude to safety,
then maybe it takes a serious accident to
bring about the mind shift.
If you are trying to convince your
colleagues of the importance of real
customer focus (as opposed to the
rhetoric), the loss of a major account
might be the catalyst.
Perhaps you are trying to put some
work/life balance into your own life – a
car accident through tiredness might be
the key motivator.
The last stage on the readiness ladder
is when your people start to take action.
They visibly practice and changes start
to take place. Your people are at last
motivated to give it a go.
It’s also worth remembering that
people change to the degree to which
they are motivated by the ‘I can do it’
factor. No one is going to try anything
they don’t think they can do.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
ANNE RICHES
How ‘Valuable’ Are Your Values…?
One of the most significant and
difficult challenges facing
organisations today is the
‘War for Talent’.
ow do we attract the right
people for the right jobs at the
right time? But what about the
flipside? What are we doing to
make sure our existing key people and best
performers don’t leave?
As organisations continuously and
relentlessly change, the best people know
they can always find another job if their
present employer doesn’t give them what
they are looking for. Money is important
and is often the explanation people give for
leaving. But is that really the reason?
One of the most common motives I hear
from key people leaving their jobs is, “I’m
fed up with the company professing one
thing but doing another”.
So what could this mean?
H
Values misalignment
Over the last decade or so, most
organisations have looked at the kind of
behaviours they need in their workplaces to
get the work done to meet the needs of the
various stakeholders. Employers have
explored a range of ways to change
behaviours that are not consistent with their
strategic intent.
One approach has been to examine the
organisation’s ‘values’. There is renewed
interest in ‘values alignment’, to bring about
change in organisations. As Charles Handy
said: “The vision and values stuff really
matters. If there is no common goal, people
put their own goals first”.
In Collins and Porras’s important book
Built to Last, they showed how
organisations that persist with and remain
true to their core values are not only
‘visionary’ but produce consistently and
significantly better shareholder returns.
Two examples
Take for example, the company that
emphasised ‘communication’, as a core
value. It had state of the art
telecommunications, a communications
department with regular in-house magazine,
teleconferencing facilities, email bulletins
and six monthly road shows for all staff.
But a closer look showed that
communication was always from the top
down — and there were no mechanisms in
place to facilitate upward communication.
Nor was there any regular cross-divisional
communication.
One very highly regarded senior manager
left this company. He said: “the importance
of ‘communication’, was painted on the
coffee mug, highlighted in the tender
documents, demonstrated by size of the IT
and communications department and in
bold in the Annual Report. But I never
found out anything about my Division until
after the decisions had been made — even
if I had to do the downsizing!
No one asked me for my input. If they
don’t want two way communication, that’s
fine but please don’t spend time and money
telling us how important it is, if you don’t
practice what you preach.”
“If there is no common
goal, people put their
own goals first”.
Charles Handy
Other core values
Take the company that has ‘respect’ as a
core value. Another key employee walked
away saying she thought ‘respect’ was a
three-way activity – for the customer, for the
employer and for the employee.
This female manager with two young
children, felt that she was disadvantaged
because of the timing of significant
meetings and discussions. She made a
number of fruitless attempts to try and
change the time of important meetings to
between 8 am and 6 pm.
She had been with the company for three
years, was annually exceeding her budget
and was generally regarded as a strong
performer. The company described itself as
‘family friendly’ and had even entered the
Work and Family Awards.
But this manager felt she was not a prime
candidate for promotion as she was not able
to attend the late night meetings that seemed
to count. For her ‘respect’ was talked about
but not acted out in the corporate culture.
Does your company practice what it
preaches? In both cases, these employees
left because the company did not ‘walk its
talk’. An important point is that companies
often do not know that their culture,
systems, structures, processes or policies are
not in sync with the stated core values. The
practices and behaviours are so embedded
as to be invisible.
The two examples above showed that
incongruent values increased recruitment
and turnover costs, and meant the loss of
intellectual capital, corporate memory and
goodwill. Neither of these employees is out
there as advocates or PR spokespeople for
their former employers, if talking to
potential new employees.
Walking the talk
What can you do to make sure that your
company is walking its talk?
One way is to get some small groups
together and ask them about aspects of their
day to day work that are inconsistent with
the stated core values. My guess is that there
will be some common themes.
You could also undertake a review of the
recruitment and induction processes, the
kind of training that’s done and how people
are rewarded and promoted. Look at your
performance management approach, the
usual times and structures for important
meetings and decision-making processes,
the formal and informal communication
channels, your security systems (especially
if ‘trust’ is a stated value). Don’t look at just
the written systems and policies but find out
how it actually happens in practice and how
this lines up with the firm’s values.
You might also want to contact the people
who have left the company over the last six
months – especially those who you did not
want to leave. Now that they are settled in
their new role, they may well feel free to talk
about the real reasons for their leaving and
also be able to contribute their experiences
of any value/reality mismatch.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Corporate Trends 129
ANNE RICHES
Are You an HR Manager
or a Business Partner?
Chief Executives are worried.
The trans-lation of strategy into
organisational performance is the
critical success factor.
o now is the time when the HR
practitioner can and must (if they
haven’t already), become recognised as a business partner.
This is a critical point for the HR
profession and its role in the future. And I
believe that many HR managers can step up
to the challenge.
Strategic HR managers focus on outcomes
that support and drive the responses to the
strategic challenges facing organisations.
These HR practitioners recognise that their
role is to work with the executive team to
anticipate, plan and manage the challenges
of constant change and innovation and to
ensure that strategies are implemented.
If you are not already at the executive
table, here are some starting points to
becoming a business partner:
S
10 steps to becoming a
strategic business partner
1. If it has not already happened, take a hard
look at what your HR department currently
does and whether it is meeting the
organisation’s strategic business needs in the
most effective and cost-efficient way.
To free yourself from non-strategic HR
activities, ensure that an efficient and costeffective administrative process is in place to
deliver essential HR activities. Outsource
any activities that can be more efficiently
managed by external providers. Improve
delivery of HR services by creating and
implementing an IT infrastructure for HR
that integrates all traditional HR activities
from policy to delivery and incorporates selfservice, knowledge base systems, case
management, HR information systems and
data warehouse capabilities.
2. Analyse and identify how existing HR
activities align with and support the business
strategy. Eliminate any activities that do not
contribute or add value to the strategic goals
of the business. Focus on outcomes not
output. Assess the skills and capabilities you
130 Corporate Trends
need and don’t need in the HR department
and re-structure as necessary.
3. Examine the existing employee capability
of your organisation. Do you currently have
a workforce with the skills, knowledge and
ability to drive the business strategy? Work
with the executive team to explicitly identify
and name or describe what this means for the
organisation in real terms. Work with that
team also to predict as far as possible, what
capability will be needed 1 year, 3 years, 5
years from now.
4. Develop both short term and longer-term
strategies around building and sustaining
employee capability. Explore in detail all the
“Brainpower is to the
global information
economy, what oil
was to the industrial
economy.”
Rosabeth Moss Kanter
indicators and predictors of attraction,
retention and turn over rates. Research the
changing demographics of the workforce.
Develop strategies to deal with anticipated
and unanticipated staff or skills shortages.
5. Explore the levels of employee motivation
and commitment to the organisation’s
business strategy. Do they know what the
strategy is? Do they know what the measures
of success are? Do they know how the
organisation is performing against its
targets? Develop strategies, measures and
indicators for influencing and tracking
motivation and commitment.
6. Frankly identify the leadership breadth
and depth in your organisation. Work with
other executives and managers to define
what leadership means for your business.
Then set in place the relevant strategies to
develop it.
7. Assess your organisation’s approach to
building the necessary skills and
competencies to deliver your organisation’s
strategy. Is commitment to learning part of
the culture? Does it need to be? What formal
and informal systems are in place to ensure
that learning takes place? What does your
organisation do to capture that learning and
knowledge development and turn it into an
organisational capability?
8. Measure your organisation’s change
capability. Does it align and support your
organisation’s strategy? Are change
management skills deeply embedded in your
organisation? Are employees equipped,
motivated and supported to innovate and
change as the business demands? Has your
organisation developed its own change
management methodology? What’s your
organisation’s success rate in change
implementation and management? What’s
the role of HR people in change
implementation and management? Do the
HR and other systems assist or hinder
organisational change? Set up a project team
with representatives from across the
organisation to explore these issues and
develop a strategic response.
9. Coach your executives and managers in
how HR people and HR management,
practices, systems, policies etc can be
utilised strategically to deliver business
results. Demonstrate how focus and
alignment can turn ‘people issues’ into your
competitive advantage. Earn your place at
the table by demonstrating a sound
understanding of the business challenges.
Translate the HR initiatives into the impact
on the bottom line. And do not shy away
from surfacing the barriers and obstacles to
outstanding organisational performance.
10. Do it now. Don’t wait to be asked. The
competitive globalised world of business
will
squeeze
out
non-responsive
organisations.
This article is based on a presentation Anne
was invited to give this month to the Annual
Conference of the Arabian Society for
Human Resource Management in Bahrain.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international
experience
planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
ANNE RICHES
Culture – Are you Dancing with the Devil?
The challenges of reforming the NSW
Police Force, provide some vivid
examples of the difficulties in
implementing change.
nless the culture of an
organisation supports the
change or at least, can be altered
to support the new initiatives,
there will inevitably be problems.
In a dramatic turn of events in the NSW
Police Force just before Christmas, the
Commissioner dumped two members of the
Police Reform Group.
In time, the Police Integrity Commission
may reveal the true story. The sacked
employees are prevented from speaking
publicly about the matter. But that did not
stop one of the wives commenting. The
Sydney Morning Herald reported (Dec 30,
2000) one of the wives saying to her
husband: ‘You have danced with the devil.’
The devil being a deeply embedded police
culture that was resisting reform.
U
A recent reminder
I recently was reminded how intense
resistance can be in another way. In
November last year, I visited the Cu Chi
Tunnels, just outside Ho Chi Minh City, in
Vietnam. These are some of the tunnels that
the Viet Cong dug during the Vietnam War.
I crawled 50 metres along an original
section of the tunnels on my hands and
knees, as there was no other way in which I
could fit inside. Half way along this almost
dark and very claustrophobic journey, my
heart was racing wildly and I had to stop and
breathe deeply to calm myself.
Yet the Viet Cong, lived for months in 3
levels of these tunnels, often crawling up to
10 km at a time to make one single attack on
a nearby airfield. And sometimes, having to
make the return journey with wounded
compatriots on their backs. Whatever your
views on the politics of the Vietnam War,
the people who lived and fought for years
from these tunnels, showed extraordinary
commitment to their way of life and their
culture. This was manifested in their
extreme resistance to imposed change.
On the other hand, sometimes our
resistance to change is born of apathy.
Sometimes of just not being aware of what
Here are 10 cultural components that one writer (Timothy Galpin, HR Magazine,
March 1996) says to consider when implementing change:
1. Rules and Policies
Eliminate rules and policies that hinder the change and create new ones that reinforce
the desired way of operating. Develop and document new procedures.
2. Goals and Measurement
Develop goals and measurements that reinforce the desired changes.
3. Customs and Norms
Replace old ways of doing things that reinforce the old ways with new customs and
norms. e.g. Replace written reports with face-to-face meetings.
4. Training
Again replace training that reinforces the old way of doing things with new training.
Develop experiential training that provides real time, hands on experiences with new
processes and procedures.
5. Ceremonies and Events
Put in place ceremonies and events that reinforce the new ways. Recognise individual
and team contributions to making the changes work.
6. Management Behaviours.
Publicly recognise and reward managers who change by linking promotion and pay to
the desired behaviours. Do not promote or give pay increases to managers who do not
come on board.
7. Rewards and Recognition
Make rewards specific to the change goals that have been set. Ensure that the
performance management system recognises and rewards the desired ways of operating
and does not simply reinforce the old ways. For example, a performance management
system that measures only individual behaviour, will undermine any attempts to
inculcate a culture of teamwork.
8. Communications
Deliver communications in new ways to show commitment to change. Use multiple
channels to deliver consistent messages at all stages during the transition, before, during
and after.
9. Physical environment
Make sure the physical environment reflects the change. If knowledge and information
sharing is your goal, get people out of offices and into open, shared areas. If you want
them to talk to their customers, create “virtual” offices so that your people are
encouraged to work outside the office with customers.
10. Organisational structure
Make sure your structure reinforces the operational changes. Combine overlapping
divisions; reorganise around customers, as opposed to functions.
is available and how it will impact us. How
many of you rushed out and bought a black
box converter for your TV so that you could
receive digital TV from 1 January 2001?
Any large-scale change requires us to
confront the large issue of culture. This can
be a daunting task – even identifying
culture, that invisible and often complex
system of beliefs and practices that
determines how people act in organisations
is fraught with difficulty.
So, make sure you do your homework
before you start dancing with the Devil.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Corporate Trends 131
ANNE RICHES
The Power of Emotionally Intelligent Teams
These days the importance of
emotional intelligence (EQ) at work
is largely accepted by most
organisations…
or example, if we assess EQ as
well as technical competence when
we recruit and promote, it has been
shown to significantly reduce staff
turnover – in one case by 63 per cent!
There is increasing evidence that hiring
emotionally intelligent recruiters will in
itself increase our ability to attract and retain
the employees we want.
In other studies, emotionally more
competent salespeople in an insurance firm,
a cosmetics and beauty products producer
and a large beverage firm, outsold other
salespeople and dramatically improved the
bottom line. And in two manufacturing
plants, training the managers in EQ resulted
in a 50 per cent reduction of lost-time
accidents, increased production of 17 per
cent and a reduction in formal grievances
from 15 per cent to 3 per cent.
Further research has shown that the
primary cause of derailment in executives is
not because of technical incompetence or
lack of IQ. It is consistently because of poor
EQ skills: unsuccessful executives have
difficulty in handling change, are poor at
interpersonal relations and are unable to
work well in teams.
The ability to work in teams is still one of
the key requirements for employees today.
Which leads to this question: Does a team
need to have its own EQ? ie If you take a
number of emotionally intelligent
F
individuals and put them together, do you get
an emotionally intelligent team?
Think about teams that you have worked
in or observed. What makes the effective
ones work well together? When and why do
they fall apart? In my experience, powerful
and productive teams have a strong sense of
trust, are open and honest with each other
and hold each other explicitly accountable
for their contribution to the team’s goals.
Dysfunctionality begins when the team
members do not honestly communicate with
each other, there is no real trust and little
mutual accountability – and these are all EQ
competencies.
Self-awareness and evaluation
Understandably, teams are pre-occupied
with getting the job done. Few teams
regularly take time out to reflect on how the
team itself is working and what it needs to do
to improve its modus operandi. Even fewer,
set measurable objectives for team
functioning and/or get feedback from
internal and external customers about their
teams’ effectiveness.
Yet these are critical components of
effective and productive teams. It is the first
part of team EQ – self-awareness and
evaluation.
It requires more than individual members
relating well on a one-on-one basis to have
an honest discussion about the way the team
is working. It requires the team itself to be
able to address its own issues as a group.
On one team I worked with, most of the
team members had very good individual EQ
but they all knew that the team was not
functioning as well as it needed to. There
What is Emotional Intelligence?
were delays in making important decisions, a
sense that not everyone was committed,
frustration that information was withheld or
not openly shared and a lack of clarity about
what the team goals actually were.
When they came together to discuss the
team’s functioning, the level of tension and
discomfort was palpable. They were
experiencing emotional responses to the
team’s poor EQ dynamics. They needed a
way to articulate this and find solutions.
Happily, they have started to address what
EQ behaviours were supporting the team’s
objectives and what were getting in the way.
Yet how many times have you heard the
phrase: “let’s leave feelings out of this”
explicitly or by implication? It’s clear now
that successful organisations can’t and don’t.
Improving your teams’ EQ
So, how can you improve your team’s EQ?
One way is to establish agreed norms or
rules for how the team is to operate and
rigorously stick to them. Norms could
address the obligations of team members to
the team, how it will assess its performance,
how it will work together, what motivation
systems will be used, how it will relate to
customers and the mechanisms to facilitate
an honest exchange about the team norms
and behaviours. Sometimes it is helpful to
have an external person facilitate these
discussions particularly if the team is in the
early stages of building its collective EQ.
Establishing, articulating and reviewing
norms is also important when there are
changes in the team membership –
particularly if the team does not have a major
role in determining who should be in the
team. A discussion about the group EQ is
also valuable at times of success as well as
more challenging occasions.
EQ has 5 broad components:
1. Our ability to be aware of, recognise and evaluate what we are feeling and how we are
reacting at any time, at work and elsewhere. How well do we know ourselves? How
honest and realistic are we about our own strengths and weaknesses?
2. How we manage and control those feelings instead of letting them control us. How
flexible are we in handling change?
3. How good are we at motivating ourselves, persisting, hanging in there, and gearing up
– even when the going gets tough? Do we see the glass as half full or half empty?
4. How good are we at sensing how others are feeling? Are we empathic? Can we
‘bracket’our feelings and remain attuned and focussed on the other person’s perspective?
5. Are we good at relationships? What sort of interpersonal skills do we have? Can we
lead others, influence them, resolve conflicts, collaborate and co-operate with people?
132 Corporate Trends
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
ANNE RICHES
Choosing a facilitator…
Companies often use outside
facilitators for various reasons,
however, it’s important to get the
right one for the job
he word ‘facilitator’is often used
when bringing external expertise
into an organisation. However
there are a number of roles a
facilitator can play and it might be helpful to
clarify these so that you get the right skill set
for what you need.
There are many reasons why
organisations, large and small,
corporate and public sector, use
external facilitators. Sometimes
it is to bring specialist
knowledge
into
their
organisations as part of their
strategic
training
and
development program for
employees.
Other times, an external
facilitator is brought in as part of
a change management program Neutral
or to help solve problems or
assist with strategic or business
planning. External facilitators
are also used to get feedback
from staff or customers or
facilitate a discussion of difficult
or contentious issues with
various stakeholders.
T
Different skill sets
These different reasons for
facilitation require different
skills. Looking at the diagram
opposite, you can see that there are four
different types of facilitator:
1. A neutral and judgmental role is the part
played, for example, by magistrates and
judges.
2. Managers and participants, usually fit into
the judgmental and advocate’s role.
3. The non-judgmental advocate, is the
person who presents information and
learning experiences so individuals can learn.
Speakers and trainers are this kind of
facilitator. For example, if you want to bring
specialist knowledge into your organisation
about leadership, networking, time
management, selling, business writing and
so on, you will be looking for a speaker or
trainer with demonstrated expertise and
experience in this area. One who has a
successful track record of being able to
change the behaviours and attitudes of the
target audience in your organisations.
Looking at the diagram, this facilitator will
be non-judgmental but will be advocating a
particular approach.
Organisations such as the National Speakers
Association of Australia and the Australian
Judgemental
Non-judgemental
Institute of Training and Development
accredit their members at various levels,
according to their experience and expertise.
These are good places to start looking for
these sorts of facilitators.
4. The non-judgmental and neutral person is
someone who helps a group or team to work
together in a collaborative way by focussing
on the process.
Here you are looking for someone who is
neutral, as well as non-judgmental. The role
of this facilitator is to enable the participants
themselves to come up with their own
answers and solutions. The facilitator is there
to focus on the process, not the content – the
how not the what.
This facilitator is not a performer, is
interested not interesting, is questioning not
advocating, is a synthesiser not a provider of
ideas, and is totally flexible.
An expert in many things
This facilitator should be an expert in
designing structured activities and
processes, confronting others, managing
differences, collaboration and being able to
detach themselves from, and relinquish,
control over the results. They must be able to
recognise the symptoms of process
problems, diagnose underlying patterns of
behaviours and attitudes, intervene in group
processes, keep the group focussed on the
task and push for action outcomes.
At the moment, I am not
aware of any separate
professional membership
organisation for this kind of
facilitator, so track record,
credentials and referrals
would be a valuable way of
sourcing such people.
If someone is a skilled
training and development
facilitator, there is no reason
why they cannot shift from
the
non-judgmental
advocates role, to the nonAdvocate judgmental neutral role, as
the circumstances change.
Being one kind of facilitator
does not exclude one from
being another.
External facilitation is
invaluable
in
helping
individuals and groups get to
an agreed or desired
outcome. Being clear about
the kind of facilitation that
will best serve your desired
outcome is a sure step along
the way to getting it.
* Note: A Power Point presentation on this
topic can be found on Anne’s website at:
www.anneriches.com.au/facilitation.html
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Corporate Trends 133
ANNE RICHES
Leadership at Ground Zero
Leadership is almost impossible to
define. Yet you know it when you see
it and you know when it’s
not there…
hat a difference a day makes.
The primary election for the
new Mayor of New York
City was already underway
on September 11 but was postponed
after the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Centre.
Incumbent Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, was
coming to the end of his second and last
possible term as Mayor of New York City.
He was a man who was physically
weakened from prostrate cancer. He was
also politically battered, not only because of
his extra-marital affair and his divorce. He
had withdrawn from the US Senate race and
from standing against Hillary Rodham
Clinton to represent New York City, an
election Clinton subsequently won.
Is this the same man who is now being
called ‘Rudy the Rock’? Is this the same man
for whom people want the laws changed so
that he can stay on for another term? What
has Giuliani done such that on September
25, when the re-scheduled primary was
held, a mere 15 per cent of New Yorkers
turned out to vote and many of those wrote
his name on the ballot paper.
The answer is leadership. That almost
impossible to define concept. Yet it remains
true that you know it when you see it and
you know when it’s not there. Even more
difficult than defining it, is identifying what
makes a leader, although thousands of books
and articles have attempted to.
Let’s look at some of the characteristics
that Giuliani has shown.
W
Visibility
It seems that in the first few weeks after
September 11, Giuliani was everywhere in
New York City. From his constant presence
at Ground Zero, his tireless attendance at
funerals and memorial services, his almost
daily briefing of the press, his appearance at
the United Nations to urge support for the
implementation of an anti-terrorism
resolution, the Mayor was everywhere.
Contrast that to the demise of Ansett.
Where was Gary Toomey? Where was Air
New Zealand and Ansett management? If
you talked to Ansett staff at that time, they
134 Corporate Trends
told you that they were learning about their
own disaster on TV, radio and in the press.
Strong and compelling leadership
demands our leaders to be visible in times of
crisis as well as the good times. Toomey was
very visible during the upbeat “Absolutely’
marketing campaign – but wasn’t there
something about, “Absolutely committed to
you?” Tell that to the staff who are now
trying to get a job and to the travelling
public who were so shabbily treated.
Congruency
Which leads us to another element of
leadership – congruency, i.e. actions
consistent with words. Toomey failed that
test absolutely. Giuliani on the other hand is
modelling the way.
For example: in the first week of October
the Mayor called on New Yorkers to return
Rudolph Giuliani – hero of Ground Zero
to business as usual, just as he had forced
himself to do. This call was made for a
number of reasons, including support for the
personal healing process as well as the
City’s, which was financially bleeding.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
One of the most obvious leadership qualities
that Giuliani has displayed is his emotional
intelligence. People interviewed in the street
said: he just seemed to understand how we
were feeling emotionally. He had the right
emotional response. He was at the right
level. He used the right tone. His face
showed his own emotional anguish at what
had happened to the City and yet David
Letterman described him as, “The
personification of courage.”
According to the Washington Times,
Giuliani is emerging as a father figure, a
corporate executive, an avenging angel and
most of all, a man sensitive to the agony of
those around him. Robert Jervis, a political
science professor at Columbia University
and a self-described Giuliani-hater said:
“This is what we expect of really good
leaders and rarely get. He is steady
and calming.”
In other words, he showed empathy, a
key EQ competency. Even as he said that
any hope of finding survivors was gone, he
closed that door ‘gently’ immediately
offering the City’s assistance to families in
completing the necessary paperwork to
have their loved ones declared dead. He
announced that there would be a beautiful,
inspirational and fitting memorial on the
site of the WTC, which for many people
will be their burial site.
Where was empathy from the leaders of
Ansett, One-Tel and HIH during their
spectacular collapses?
Communication
“In the days since this attack, we have met
the worst of humanity with the best
of humanity.”
In his speech at Yankee Stadium on
September 23, Giuliani used simple and
clear language, invoked powerful
comparisons, drew inspirational images
from history, acknowledged the pain and
described the future. His words united New
Yorkers as they go forward to rebuild New
York City.
This kind of communication is also the
hallmark of a true leader. Think Mandela,
think Martin Luther King, think Churchill.
Simple, compelling, moving, galvanising
language. Whatever the future holds for
Rudolph Giuliani, he has shown observers
of ‘leadership’ one clear thing – leadership
can emerge from those who you would
least expect it to come from. All we can
hope is that we never again have to live
through the experience of September 11 to
see such leadership appear.
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
ANNE RICHES
What is the Value
of Your Values?
Do you know how your values fit
in with your organisation’s
values?
ave you ever wondered if it
might be easier to run away and
join a circus? At least part of
your job description would be
to keep all the balls in the air while
maintaining balance at the same time!
When you think about your competing
priorities, do you ever wonder where to
start? What choices to make? How to
identify what is the ‘right thing’ to do,
when the options appear to be in stark
contrast to each other?
For example, have you ever been in a
leadership position during restructuring,
down-sizing, cutting costs, outsourcing
or implementing a new IT system? Were
you under pressure, as a leader, to get the
project happening ‘yesterday’ and the
results on the ‘bottom line’ today?
You might have been torn by the
competing desire for time to assist your
people prepare for the change,
knowing that in the long run, it would be
more productive in terms of morale and
hence outcomes?
H
Forward planning is rare
Maybe you are lucky enough to work in an
organisation that does decent forward
planning or has good antenna to foresee
most of the events that appear without
warning. However, I doubt there are many
organisations like this around.
Even if the change is expected, it can
be personally challenging as a leader if
you don’t agree with the new strategic
direction or response you have
to implement.
For example, a new round of downsizing has begun especially in the air
transport and tourism industries. Most
pragmatic executives know that downsizing to prop up profits, simply does not
pay off in the long term.
Even the Governor of the Reserve
Bank, Ian Macfarlane, said last
December, “It is a serious error to think
that companies in general can protect
their earnings this way.”
But taking this example further - what if
you have to retrench people who are
close social friends or team-mates? Or
there is no down-sizing but you have to
counsel them or ‘let them go’ for
poor performance?
These challenges apply equally to all
leaders whether the CEO, a supervisor,
manager or team leader.
So, how should you approach them?
Perspective, principles and priorities are
the key.
Perspective
First – get things into perspective. I feel like
a well-worn record when I say, ‘few people
on their deathbeds wish they had spent more
time at the office,’ but it’s true.
I have an approach that works for me
on a day-to-day basis that I share in my
leadership programs and I’m assured that
it works for others too. It is the 2 x 2 x 2
approach. You can use whatever measure
you like but ask yourself: will the
problem/deadline/challenge that I am
“Few people on their
deathbeds wish they
had spent more time
at the office !”
getting myself worked up about still be
significant in 2 days, 2 weeks or 2
months time? Or 2 weeks, 2 months, 2
years? If it will matter, then why? Who
will remember it? Who will it impact
upon? What will be the consequences?
There is of course, no substitute for
planning and time management. But
beyond that, realistic expectations of
yourself and using perspective often help.
You should also be clear about your
own response to unexpected change. Do
you know how you react to sudden
departures from an expected course of
action? This is about your emotional
intelligence – knowing what you are
feeling, how you are showing it and the
effect on others. This knowledge is very
powerful as a leader and the good news
is, you can increase your EQ.
Principles.
Do you know how your values fit in with
your organisation’s? Are you clear about
what you stand for – and what you will stand
up for?
I am amazed at how few people have
identified their values; the principles that
guide our behaviour consciously and
unconsciously, especially when we are
under pressure. A value analysis can
guide you in the way you react to
unpleasant tasks or the implementation of
strategic direction you don’t think you
agree with.
Priorities
Values also play a role in determining
priorities. Do you know your operational
(the way you live your life) and terminal
(your end goals in life) values? How do they
align with the formally stated values where
you work? More importantly, how do they
line up with the real culture, the unspoken or
implicit rules that guide everyday actions in
your workplace?
If your priorities are aligned with your
employer’s, then it will be easier
to determine how to best use your time –
it will be on whatever will get
the organisation faster to where it wants
to go.
In my experience, procrastination or
energy spent on procrastination or
peripheral or non main-stream activities,
is often the result of misaligned or simply
unclear personal values.
Think about it. Do your organisation’s
values – the real ones fit comfortably
with you? Would you stand up and fight
for them?
Anne Riches has over 25 years
international experience planning
strategy, leading transitions and
developing leadership capability. Anne
provides specialist facilitation skills and
advice that enable organisations to plan
and implement directional shifts as they
occur in organisations and teams. She is
also a speaker and trainer in
organisational change and leadership.
Tel: 0412 509 289
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anneriches.com.au
Corporate Trends 135
Rob Salisbury
It's not necessarily the best
products that get our attention...
it's the best promoted products...
ROB SALISBURY, B. SCI., APS *
The "Motivational Technician * "
Conference Speaker, Marketing and Sales Educator
2001/2002/2003 President - Sydney NSW NSAA
NSAA National Executive Board Member 2000, 2001, 2002
Graduating from highly ranked California State University, Chico in 1981 and after three years in
successful selling experiences with a U.S. Fortune 500 company, Rob embarked into a joint venture in
1984 operating a Tom Hopkins Training Center Franchise in Seattle,Washington and relocated to the
Western US office in Los Angeles in 1986.
Rob helped further develop sales teams and generate new business throughout the 13 Western States
region. He was appointed Vice President of Marketing by 1988 and following the successful Sydney
2000 Olympic Bid in 1993, Rob was asked to relocate to Sydney to help further develop international
operations in the Australasian market. He has been a resident of Australia since 1997 in addition to his
United States Citizenship.
His 700 % Client Guarantee
One of the reason's Rob has been hired and brought into over 250 different organizations in Australia
since he first arrived in 1994 is that he offers a 700 % guarantee on what he does for companies and
business owners. Something he says is “very unique and has never been used…. because we get the
results and that is what people pay for and want”.
To find out more about the "700 % or it is free" client guarantee, ask Rob when you speak with him
during your briefing enquiry in person or on the phone.
2001- 2003 NSW NSAA President
He has been re-elected to a second term as President of the NSW National Speakers Association of
Australia for 2001-2003 with over 260 active members and the largest Professional Speakers Chapter out
of 65 in the world today…results guaranteed.
For a listing of his most popular presentations and seminars or Rob Salisbury as a speaker/conference
presenter call your favorite speakers bureau or SRI direct in Sydney at (612) 9867 3677 or go to
www.strategicresources.com.au
• (Rob has been commonly referred to as the "Motivational Technician". The
phrase was coined by Craig Scutella, CEO of the largest bookstore in Australia
and the third largest selling bookstore in the world at a conference in 1998).
• *APS - Accredited Professional Speaker (Designation March 1999) –Only 18 %
of the 650 NSAA members have attained this professional accreditation.
ROB SALISBURY
Lessons from Jeff…
what we can learn…
It’s not necessarily the best products
that get our attention…it’s the best
promoted products…
R
ecently I caught a segment on
60 minutes, regarding
Victoria’s “shy and reserved”
Premier Jeff Kennett…not!
Just about anyone who has lived in
Australia for the last few years, would
be aware that this man has been on a
personal and professional “promotion”
mission extraordinairre. And, for the
most part, it’s been highly successful.
First the good news…
The show highlighted some of his
achievements as a high profile state
leader and being humble and thankful
was nowhere on the list. To his great
credit however, he has masterminded
the negotiations for bringing many high
profile events to Victoria. ie The Grand
Prix, Phillip Island Motorcycle World
Championships, The President Cup
Golf Tournament, the list goes on…
He has also helped build the
Melbourne Exhibition Centre (locally
known as Jeff’s Shed) into a first class
convention operation and is heavily
involved with the soon to be completed
down town 50,000 seat Colonial
Stadium.
Jeff Kennett knows the promotion
game inside out and because of his
expertise, Victorians are basking in the
international financial limelight.
And now the bad news…
The recent election results pointed out
sharply that even the best promoted
product (Jeff), can come unstuck. He
needs to be a bit more humble with the
people, if he wants to be “re-purchased”
or in his case, “re-elected.”
Conversely, hasn’t billionaire Gerry
Harvey done well with his low key, yet
highly upbeat method of getting the
public attention and support with the
Harvey Norman group?
Okay, so I know by now you are
probably thinking: “What has Jeff
Kennett got in common with me?”
The answer is — everything!
So, what are the lessons to be learned
from Jeff Kennett, regarding promotion
at a personal or corporate level?
Simply this — it’s no use having a
great product or service unless you
effectively promote it. If you take on
board some of the following ideas, you
are bound to have one of your best years
ever.
Here are a few pointers for successful
self/company promotion:
Decision time
This isn’t a movie! Look at every
decision you make as the basis for a
lifetime of win-win situations for all
involved. Your life and business are
usually a pretty significant investment
in both time and money. Do it right the
first time!
Get healthy
You won’t do well in the marketplace if
you don’t feel well. I suggest investing
just one per cent of your day to start
with (14 minutes) to do some sort of
aerobic activity. Walking is ideal.
You’ll feel and look better for it.
Business cards
They are your ‘silent salesperson’ and
must do the job, long after you’ve met
the person. It’s not a bad idea to have
your photograph on your card. This has
the effect of making you more
memorable to your customers.
Remember, people are buying YOU, as
well as what your product, service and
company can do for them.
Redo your CV/PMI
An updated CV/Personal Marketing
Information file, will help you focus on
the successes in your life, especially if
you’ve been in business for some time.
If you’ve been busy, you may not have
kept it up to date and there may be
courses you’ve done, even community
work that will all compliment you.
www.website
Get your own personal or company
website. Despite the results, the
www.jeff.com.au website proved to be
highly popular. Like having a fax
machine in the late 80s, a cellular phone
in the mid 90s, a lap top computer in the
late 90s, a website will be essential
within two years. But make sure it’s
professionally designed. In a recent
study on the top 300 web sites in the
world visited daily, not one Australian
company was listed!
Oh, and by the way. When you are
successful and you make it to the top,
make sure you remember to express a
little humility and thankfulness to your
constituents (customers)!
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
President for the NSW chapter of the
National Speakers Association of Australia.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
for his clients in the areas of sales,
marketing and product promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
Corporate Trends 137
ROB SALISBURY
“Wow…That was Sydney
Australia…Wow…Wow !”
Every person living in Australia
should have been proud of the
showcase Sydney made to the
world on New Years Eve.
o matter who you were
with or where you were,
Australia received fantastic
praise for its visual
performance from around the globe.
What an amazing evening as NZ and
Australia became the centres of world
attention, as the main events of the early
New Year celebrations.
While most of the globe was cringing
in anticipation of the ‘Millennium Bug’,
many of us in the South Pacific took
time out to watch the New Year come
into its own around the world, one city
at a time on New Years Day.
organisations
with
unparalleled
customer service and the pursuit of the
“Wow’, factor in their business plan.
Tom sited 210 observations over his
25 years of business experience, of
people and organisations stepping up to
literally knock the socks off their
customers. The observations highlighted the increase to the bottom line
profits of their companies, as well as the
employees having a better time in their
work environment and the customer
being blown away with their experience.
The common theme of the ‘Wow’
factor, was individuals at all levels
within a company (as well as
independent contractors) standing out
from the growing number of ‘wannabe’
successes and look-a-likes, to get it right
with their customers
The ‘Wow’ factor
The highlight statement about Australia
had to be from a reporter in the Atlanta,
Georgia headquarters office of CNN
World News. She literally said
“Wow…That was Sydney, Australia
…Wow…Wow!” With her face showing
the signs of being just knocked out of
her chair from the visual show.
That was a big comment for her to
make during an evening that presented
70 different cities and their celebrations
in their respective time zones.
By now you may know that Australia
took the top honours from around the
world for its Opera House—Sydney
Harbour—Eternity—fireworks display.
The comment, “Wow…Wow”, from
the reporter, reminds me of the
international author and speaker, Tom
Peters. Tom wrote the 1984 mega hit
“In Search of Excellence” and followed
it up with several other books through
the 80s and into the 90s.
His 1994 International release entitled,
‘The Pursuit of Wow’, was all about
Shining differences
As companies look for more ways to
increase sales, market share and profits,
it is often the very basics that are
missed. And these are the things that can
make the biggest difference in the
competition for consumer trust and long
term loyalty.
When was the last time you received
a ‘Thank You’, letter or note from a hotel
you stayed at, a restaurant that you
frequent regularly, your insurance agent
or a friend that you helped secure a new
job or business relationship?
Tom Hopkins, America’s leading
authority on sales, has taught for 30
years the importance of sending ‘Thank
You’, letters and notes to help build long
term relationships and retain customers.
If a multi millionaire can send them out
for 30 years, doesn’t it make sense to
consider it for our own businesses and
personal relationships?
For years, people have been telling
stories about the unprecedented
customer service of the giant retailer
Nordstroms. Companies like David
N
138 Corporate Trends
Jones have modelled and adopted the
same type of philosophies into their
cultures and the results have been
excellent for their shopping clientele.
With the speed of business increasing
daily and the patience of individuals
waiting for companies to get it right
dwindling, what are you doing to make
a positive impact in your long term
customer retention plan?
The world stage
Australia made an impression on the
world in less than 20 minutes, and in
doing so informed everyone that it is
serious about ‘stepping up’ on the world
stage. Australia has been noticed and
will continue to be noticed in the minds
of the overseas market, especially with
the upcoming Olympic Games.
Before 2000 gets too far along, why
not take a few moments out to think of
how you or your team can increase your
‘Wow’ factor with the people you serve
in your market. Imagine if everyone in
Australia this year adopted a customer
service mentality to really put the word
‘service’ back into their business and
personal plans this year.
You can bet on one thing…you will
say ‘Wow’, when your net profits go up,
the customers are bringing you new
business and your team is happier than
ever before.
So, as the saying goes down under —
“Why not give it a go?”
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
President for the NSW chapter of the
National Speakers Association of Australia.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
for his clients in the areas of sales,
marketing and product promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
ROB SALISBURY
Act Like a Lamb…
Sell Like a Lion!
At some point in your life, you may
have heard the song, “What’s it all
about Alfie?” and pondered the
words…
he composers, Hal David
and Burt Bacharach, back in
the early 1970s, were posing
a question to their listening
audience to look at the changes in the
times and ask themselves a major
question about their lives entering that
decade. Of course, the question was not
for one specific person named Alfie but
for everyone in general.
My question to you in this article is
along the same lines of thinking, as it
relates to your customer relations and
selling as a part of your business.
T
Long term vs short term
What is more important today in your
business plan? Maintaining good, solid
long term client relationships or adding
new business through effective, yet
“low key” non-manipulative selling
methods?
Notice, I said, “low key” selling
methods, not high pressure?
In the year 2000, the fast talking, slick
sales person has been replaced by sales
people who nurture, consult, network,
counsel… but sell something? Heaven
forbid — no way!
So, here is the $64,000 question —
what is the right balance between
maintaining great relationships in our
businesses and at the same time, adding
new business to the bottom line?
In researching some fairly up to date
material for this article, I came across a
number of books whose authors, I feel,
have come up with the proper balance
and blend between these two areas of
business needs.
The authors are all internationally
recognised speakers… two Americans
and two Australians. America’s
master sales trainer, Tom Hopkins
and Larry Wilson.
Tom Hopkins, the 30 year veteran of
selling skills training and the author of
at least seven best selling books, puts it
very simply: “People must like you and
trust you in order to do business with
you, long term. You can make a living
making one off sales but the key to
greatness in selling lies in long term
relationships. This, backed with
excellent service and being a great
communicator, to find out the true needs
of your customers or clients”.
One of Tom’s latest books is called,
‘Low Profile Selling… Act Like a Lamb
Master sales trainer, Tom Hopkins
…. Sell Like a Lion’. It’s a great title and
it has some very strong references to the
current trends amongst the very highest
paid sales people in the world.
In the book, Tom says ‘low profile
selling’ can be a difficult concept to
grasp because most people’s
impression of selling is being loud,
aggressive, pushy, obnoxious — the
lion approach!
That’s why so many people reject
sales training. They don’t want to learn
to be anything like the king of the sales
jungle, the lion.
Hence, the reason so many women
are so successful in sales today. They
can be soft, feminine (the lamb
approach) and very effective in
listening to the needs of the client to
gain greater trust and credibility. No
doubt, this is the main reason we have
seen the dominance of men in sales
forces around the world drop from over
80 per cent to around equal numbers of
men and women. in the last 20 years.
Why? Because women are great in
acting like lambs but watch out because
they can also sell like lions.
Stop selling, start partnering
Fellow American, Larry Wilson, author
of, ‘The One Minute Salesperson’, has
now written a book called, ‘Stop
Selling… Start Partnering’. In it, Larry
explores and confirms the new thinking
about finding and keeping good
customers and clients for the long term.
If you can get this book from your
favourite book store, it is an excellent
read on global trends on customer
loyalty and service.
If you can’t find that, get a copy of
Australian speaker and author, Keith
Abraham’s latest book, ‘Creating Loyal
Profitable Customers’. This will
awaken you to at least 47 new ways to
turn your customers into passionate
purchasers of your products and/or
services. Or another great Australian
book, ‘What’s Ethical About Selling?’,
by David Penglase. It explores the very
nature of how anyone can succeed in
sales and still maintain their integrity.
A Final Word
All of these authors talk about one great
truth — if you build long term
relationships based on integrity, value,
sincerity and loyalty and combine this
with good, effective human relations
and selling skills, you will be able to
answer Alfie’s question — because you
will know what it’s all about.
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
President for the NSW chapter of the
National Speakers Association of Australia.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
for his clients in the areas of sales,
marketing and product promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
Corporate Trends 139
ROB SALISBURY
Some Fat is Necessary to
Stay Lean & Profitable
In our quest to become business
‘champions’ we need to make sure
we have all the basics in place…
ou may have read that Olympic
athletes have body fat to muscle
ratios that are as low as four per
cent, by the time they are ready
to compete in their respective sport or
competition. However, most people are
unaware that some body fat is critical in the
athletes’ performance plan to be a lean,
mean competing machine in the world of
sporting glory.
As business people, we too can learn from
these games of competition. Some games
are trials and others are for the gold — only
you really know which you are in at any
given moment in your own business plan.
Like the sporting people, we can all use
some fat in our business plan to make sure
we have a chance of winning more of the
races we start. The proper balance between
muscle and fat in athletic bodies is just like
the balance between profits and expenses in
a business balance sheet.
I’ll use this as an acronym to illustrate my
point — I call it SOMFAT:
Y
The S stands for Sales
Obviously, if sales are not happening in
your business enough, your business will be
very lean in profits. Increasing sales can be
a minefield of challenges for most business
owners. Make sure you learn some basic
sales skills and include sales training
programs in your business plan.
The O stands for Operations
No matter how much you sell, your
business will only ever be as good as its
ability to deliver the goods or services it
sells. The sale isn't the end of the
transaction, it the beginning.
Operational excellence is what has built
the McDonalds name to a global presence
around the world. As most of us know, it
isn't the taste of the burgers that keeps
McDonalds in business. It’s a combination
of many ‘mini systems’ that operationally
work together, 18 hours a day, 7 days a
week, year in and year out.
140 Corporate Trends
The M is for Marketing
Marketing is one of the areas that many
business owners get confused and frustrated
with at some point in their business life
time. Like an Algebra problem in
mathematics, there are certain ‘models’ of
marketing that work better than others.
Knowing these models is critical to getting
the most out of your marketing budget (not
just your advertising budget).
The planning of any marketing campaign
should stress the uniqueness of the business,
the brands the business represents or the
actual identity of the business owner as the
face of the business.
Recently, Dick Smith, the founder of Dick
Smith Electronics and an Australian icon in
brand marketing, headed up a very different
product launch in a very competitive
market. He is taking on the wooden match
“It isn’t how much you
make in business that
counts, it’s how much
you get to keep.”
market and the well known brand ‘Red
Head’ matches, with his own brand name
matches called – Dick Head matches, in a
very clever and innovative use of his name.
This ‘tongue in cheek’ approach, captured
the hearts and minds of consumers and got
a lot of publicity — better still, it’s free! It is
also very difficult for the competition to
emulate, because he is using his own name
to personalise the brand.
Anyone else taking this approach to the
market would probably be hung out to dry
by the advertising establishment. In some
recent public surveys, they found that most
people surveyed found the Dick Head
Match campaign to be not only funny but
also a reverse of what they would expect
from Dick Smith in his approach to the
market. The bottom line is — who will
you think of when you are next in
the
wooden
match
section
of
your favourite supermarket?
The F is for Financials
The old adage, ‘It isn't what you make that
counts, its what you keep’ is the bottom line
of every business.
One of the most difficult things for any
business to do, is become financially viable
and stay that way, especially while growing
into new markets or additional products.
The classic line that Tom Cruise yelled out
in the 1997 movie, ‘Jerry McGuire’ – ‘Show
Me The Money’, is totally apt for the owner
of any business today.
The A is for Administration
Michael Gerber is one of the best known
authors of the 1990s for his international
best selling book, ‘The E-Myth’. In it, he
breaks down the three types of personalities
that are inherit in any small business owner:
The Entrepreneur, The Technician and The
Manager. There’s a little of these in each of
us. It is normal however, that one of these
personalities is most dominant. So, if you
are not a great manager, for instance, then
outsource everything you can to an outside
business that specialises in administration.
The T is for Technology
With services such as mobile phones,
portable computers, printers, the internet,
and e-commerce, it is relatively inexpensive
these days to employ the latest technology
in your business.
Make sure you are using it to its fullest to
leverage your time and opportunities.
So, remember to add SOMFAT to the diet of
your business plan this year and you may
avoid the lean times in the future.
This is a summary report for Corporate
Trends Magazine. For a complete FREE
copy of the entire report, contact Rob
Salisbury at the address below and one will
be sent to you.
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
President for the NSW chapter of the
National Speakers Association of Australia.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
for his clients in the areas of sales,
marketing and product promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
ROB SALISBURY
The Rise and Rise of Fatso…!
Who would have thought that a
cheeky, irreverent character like
Fatso, would so encapture the
Aussie spirit…
everal years ago, Paul Berry,
wrote a book encompassing the
life long accomplishments of an
Australian billionaire entitled,
“The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer”.
However, at the recent Sydney Olympic
games in September 2000, a television
viewing audience estimated at 4.6 billion
people, saw the rise of another Australian
creation of a very different sort – Fatso, the
fat-arsed wombat.
When it comes to sales promotion,
marketing and future revenue production,
Channel 7’s executive chairman, Kerry
Stokes and his “Dream Team”, hit an
audience bull’s eye through coverage
of the games via a late night TV
production called simply, The Dream.
S
A different perspective
As the unofficial Olympic events
evening recap show, The Dream was
the brain-child of 7’s program director
Tim Worner and was produced by
Todd Abbott. Featuring the talents of
resurrected 7 veterans, John Doyle and
Greg Pickhavier, (now worldly known
as Rampaging Roy Slaven and H.G.
Nelson), The Dream became one of the
biggest Australian home grown hits
ever during the Games.
The final night of the Olympic
coverage saw The Dream hit an
Australian audience of 2.54 million
viewers, according to A.C. Nielson ratings.
That’s 14 out of every 100 people in the
country watching the last two hours of this
bawdy Aussie humour and loving every
minute of it.
When I interviewed producer Todd
Abbott, for this Corporate Trends article, he
said that nearly everyone had been totally
amazed by the success of the show and most
of the Dream Team had slept overtime for
the entire week after the Olympics.
Obviously it was an outstanding
promotional success but like any good
marketing effort, with a price to pay.
Todd was quick to give credit to a number
of people regarding The Dream and to his
long-time friend Paul Newell (the designer
of Fatso), for coming up with the cheeky
competitor to the official Olympic mascots,
Millie, Ollie and Syd.
Fatso, caused a frenzied sensation during
the games, joining Gold Medalists like
Michael Klim, Susie O’Neil and Grant
Hackett on the winners’ dais for their
acceptance presentations.
The cuddly, cult wombat at one point
even attracted the ire of the Australian
Organising Committee, who suggested that
Fatso had threatened a $15 million AOC
marketing campaign geared towards the
famous America Cup branding mascot, the
boxing kangaroo, which was bought from
former Australian of the year, Alan Bond.
Paul, a former animator at Disney, said he
came up with 15 drawings before the final
draft was accepted. The reaction to the
stuffed wombat by competing athletes and
past Olympians was unanimous. It seems
everyone wanted to be associated to the
show and the larrikin mannerisms of Fatso.
National Education
Environmentalists, Green Peace and the
Queensland Government also benefited
from Fatso, by bringing the strife of the real
wombats to the attention of the public
through national advertising and education.
According to Minister Rod Welford, the
only known population of about 75 northern
hairy nosed wombats, is in the Epping
Forest National Park, near Clearmont in
Central Queensland. Programs are already
being developed to see more funding going
to protection and habitat improvements
from the roll over effect of the Olympic
wave. Fatso did a great job!
To further poke fun at the serious nature
of the Games, Fatso used it’s biggest asset
by pooping on the Olympic track on
national television. As if to say: “Not only
am I big but can you get away with this –
just watch me!” And we all did!
This is what has caused Australians to be
embraced so well by other nations over the
decades. Their very nature of not taking
situations (or life) too seriously but knowing
when to take tasks on. Committing to the
pride of a changing heritage and getting the
job done as proud Aussies — oi, oi, oi!
And a big finish…
As if it were not enough to finish the games
with a massive closing ceremony, H.G. and
Roy’s Dream Team concluded with Fatso
extinguishing the Olympic Flame
with his fat arse! If you saw it, you
would be hard pressed to not have had
a last minute private chuckle.
Fatso, the fat-arsed wombat,
brought in charity bids of $30,000,
$50,000 and $70,000 before being
auctioned off for a final bid of
$80,450. That money will go to the
Olympic Aid Charity for refugee
children and what an impact those
funds will make over the long term.
So, who are the real winners of the
rise and rise of Fatso?
I think it is the general public. They
benefited from the bright ideas of a
few individuals who dedicated
themselves to entertaining, educating
and empowering the viewers of
Channel 7 to take part in the Olympic
Spirit.
What great, original ideas and innovations
can you come up with to help promote your
business? If you don’t have any, why don’t
you give me a call and maybe I can help you
develop a few.
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001 President
for the NSW chapter of the National
Speakers Association of Australia. His
specialty skill is getting massive results for
his clients in the areas of sales, marketing
and
product
promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
Corporate Trends 141
ROB SALISBURY
Going for Line Honours
Billions are invested in sport but who are the true winners? What are the real
rewards of promotion and sponsorship…?
The sponsor of Nicorette billionaire
Ernesto Berterrelli, is known to
have several businesses that benefited
from the world exposure – Nicorette
itself being one of over 3,500
products he oversees.
Show me the money
he 56th Telstra Sydney to
Strait Bomb” that exploded with cyclonic
The difference between first place for
Hobart Yacht Race was on
strength winds of up to 90 knots. Six sailors
Nicorette and second place, for Wild Thing
Boxing Day, December 26,
died, 55 crew were rescued, 12 stricken
was 30 miles of ocean, five hours in time,
2000. It is considered by many
yachts, 7 abandoned and 5 sank .
over one million dollars US in sponsorship
to be the “Super Bowl” of yatching and a
Imagine the movie Perfect Storm on the
funds and a more seasoned sailing crew.
promotional masterpiece in Australian sport.
Tasman Sea and you have got the picture.
Peter Bolton, a 28 year veteran sailor and
Over 26 million hits were recorded on the
The changes in safety requirement and
first
time crew on Wild Thing said, “You can
official Telstra race web site. Up from 8
regulations since 1998 have been applauded
have
22 people who are champions on a boat
million in 1999 and 283,000 in its first year
by CEO, Glenn Bourke of the race
but
to
finish in Hobart in the top five, you
on the net in 1995. More hits than the
organising body, the Cruising Yacht Club
have
to
have a championship team (plus the
Sydney Olympics (on a daily average)
right
equipment on your yacht).
according to Suzie Powell,
Grant
was quick to comment that,
Sponsorship Manager of Telstra On
“Sponsors
get the benefit of the boat
Air, based in Melbourne.
being
marketed
as more than just a
Victoria’s favoured son, 36 year
place
for
their
name
on the main
old Grant Wharington, owner and
spinnaker…
it
is
an
adventure
to be
skipper of the 83 ft., carbon fibre
able
to
have
sponsors
use
my
boat
hulled maxi Wild Thing has been in
for
their
corporate
events
throughout
this race thirteen times. His boat
the year and those three to four hour
had twice as many hits on its web
‘mini adventures’ are something that
site than his nearest Australian
99.9 per cent of the population never
competitor. People love following
get a chance to enjoy.”
this race, be it on Sydney harbour,
Sponsors like Toll Express for
television, radio or the internet –
$20,000,
Sydney City Volvo for
and the numbers are growing.
$20,000
and
I-7 Paid Television for
The race is a gruelling 630
$50,000,
must
think it was worth it.
nautical mile voyage and the year
Wild
Thing
(about
a $3 million dollar
2000 race was a cautious display of
boat)
finished
for
the first time in
planning and preparation, mixed
silver
medallion
place
after four
with the elements of the rich and
thirds
and
Grant
will
be
back next
famous (Lachlan Murdoch on
Wild
Thing
under
sail
–
photograph
copyright
©
Richard
Bennett
year.
“This
race
is
about
a
crew and
News Corp) together with the
boat
participating
and
being
youngest (18) and the oldest (76),
(CYC) of Australia. Certainly raising the
challenged
to
do
their
very
best”.
rookies and veterans. All want to win one of
safety standards has helped minimise the
Being challenged to do your best… isn't
the most contested and desired prizes in
risks to the competitors and is securing more
that
what it's all about in the corporate world,
sailing – line honours in a Sydney to Hobart.
money from corporate sponsors to be
too?
Now there's a great idea for promoting
invested into crews and boats of the future.
your
corporate position.
The ultimate honour
Footnote: This is a summary article for
The honour of first boat and crew in to
Sponsorship pays off
Corporate Trends magazine. For a complete
Constitution Dock, Hobart, is reserved for a
Telstra, the official corporate sponsor of the
FREE copy of the entire article, contact Rob
combination of the very best, the luckiest
race gets a good return in both naming
Salisbury at the address below.
and recently, the most heavily corporately
rights and product sales for what is said to
sponsored international team in the world.
have been about $700,000 in both cash and
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
No Australian team has won in the last three
service support to the CYC. Likewise the
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
years. Close but not quite there.
dozens of other sponsors should get value
President for the NSW chapter of the
This year’s race featured a fleet of 83
from their support of their favourite yachts
National Speakers Association of Australia.
competing yachts. Down in numbers from
and crew.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
the largest fleet of 115 starters in 1998.
Swedish maxi, 80 ft. Nicorette the overall
for his clients in the areas of sales,
line honours winner, boasted a corporate
A perfect storm
marketing and product promotions.
sponsorship of $1.2 million US and had an
The race of 1998 was the worst maritime
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
international team of professional sailors
tragedy of recent memory. Along the eastern
E-mail: [email protected]
including Sydney based Olympian, Finn,
coastline of NSW and Victoria, 71 boats
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
Anthony Nossiter.
retired to shelter and avoid a 36 hour “Bass
T
142 Corporate Trends
ROB SALISBURY
THE POWER OF
PERSONAL MARKETING
hat is it that business
leaders and people like Dr.
Madeline Allbright, Sir
Richard Branson, Janet
Holmes a Court, Gary Toomey, Pauline
Hanson, Tim Shaw, Poppy King, Dick
Smith and the cast of Big Brother have that
you don’t?
These people leverage their personal
power and unique marketing skills to get
their points across. Single-handedly, they
have shaped our world, their countries and
their economies like few before.
Dr. Madeline Allbright, was appointed US
Ambassador to the United Nations in 1992
and in 1996, the 64th Secretary of State for
the USA. Her personal style and relentless
diplomatic successes over the decades, have
combined to make her one of the most
influential people in the world today. The
words, “we are not negotiating”, were her
final words on diplomatic immunity for
Slobodan Milosevic.
Her personal campaigning to cut off
foreign aid to Belgrade if it did not
cooperate with The Hague or the UN,
eventually brought down the Butcher
of Belgrade.
Sir Richard Branson, has for 40
years put himself and (through his
personal marketing efforts) his
company Virgin, into the international
spotlight. He is widely known as a
fierce competitor with a sharp mind
and yet fun approach to the marketplace.
Janet Holmes a Court, University
educated in Perth, married with four
children in the early 60s, widowed in the
early 90s, has been given full credit for
saving and flourishing her husband’s
business empire after his death.
She is now the wealthiest woman in
Australia. By putting herself in the spotlight,
she has personally led the company from
strength to strength and championed over
1,000 employees to believe in teamwork
and purpose each and every day.
Gary Toomey, Air New Zealand’s CEO,
has ABSOLUTELY put himself on the line
this year, to personally market you and I
back on to Air New Zealand’s new fleet of
planes. His own brand of personal
marketing has enabled the struggling airline
W
to regain market share and direction.
Pauline Hanson, (whether you agree with
her political message or not) has almost
single-handedly put her One Nation party
on the Australian political scene through
personal marketing.
Tim Shaw, the only spokesperson in the
world for McDonalds, other than NBA
legend Michael Jordan, has personally
marketed over $100 million of products in
the last 10 years… but wait there’s more!
Poppy King is and has been on both sides
of success and failure in business. She
continues to market and promote herself and
her company with the same enthusiasm she
had when she was just eighteen.
Millionaire Dick Smith, is no stranger to
personal marketing. By making himself into
an Australian icon, he is now able to use his
personal image as a virtual brand to
successfully market a whole range of locally
made products and services.
Big Brother was here
Whether you loved it or loathed it, Channel
10’s Big Brother series, has become an
Australian social phenomenon. Who would
have imagined that after three months, 12
people living in a house together, with one
getting evicted week by week, would attract
such a national audience?
To put this remarkable series’ success into
perspective, on the final night of eviction,
the show had around 2.8 million people
glued to their sets awaiting the final
outcome. Big Brother’s marketing was
particularly effective with Australia’s young
population. Channel 10 reporting it attracted
more than 50 per cent of the 16 to 39 age
group – the X-generation and pre-Xgeneration viewers.
Unlike ‘Survivor’, which was about
physical prowess and team contribution,
Big Brother contestants survived by proving
their worth as individuals and the public
was the final decision maker. This show has
turned Personal Marketing into something
of an art form!
Sara-Marie, the bum-dancing, breast
baring, bunny-eared girl from Bunbury,
nearly won the grand prize of $250,000 and
avoided eviction by the public six times.
The public fell in love with her because she
understood the power of being outrageous
and uncompromising in her personal
behaviour… like Zsa Zsa Gabor, SaraMarie will be famous for being famous.
Big picture marketing
Brian Tracy, a U.S. based author, speaker
and authority on sales and marketing,
recently said: “The success or failure of a
marketing strategy, determines the success
or failure of any company or individual. If a
company or individual is succeeding,
it is because their marketing strategy is
really good and is positioned correctly
at the clients and the competition.”
You can absorb mistakes in every
area of a company but if you make
mistakes in marketing you can be out
of business or in a downturn very
quickly.
It’s vitally important that you make
the clear distinction between selling
and marketing.
Marketing is the process of determining
customers needs and then tailoring products
or services to satisfy and fulfil those needs.
Selling is reinforcing the marketing
proposition and delivering on the promise.
It’s also about gaining the trust and
confidence of the buyer and building a close
ongoing relationship with the client and
managing that relationship.
You as the Product
Think of yourself as the prime product you
are marketing. Begin with your own talents,
knowledge, abilities, experience, interests,
achievements. Where do you get your best
results from? What you are doing when you
are at your happiest? Your background, your
past efforts, working/professional life, all
play an important role in marketing you.
Corporate Trends 143
ROB SALISBURY
you find yourself in, didn’t happen by
accident. Most of us drift along in life and
have never taken the time to get clarity,
direction and focus on our five, ten or even
twenty year career goals.
The people who seem to do very well in
business and in life, have the ability to focus
on one thing for long periods of time. They
are also very passionate and enthusiastic
about what they do. They literally
“champion” their cause, mission and their
organisation and the products and services
they sell.
“Take the coins out of
your purse and invest
them in your mind and
your mind will fill your
purse with coins.”
Personally marketing you
Nearly everyone wants to be paid more and
earn more but few are willing to invest
enough in helping to build themselves up as
an ‘asset’ to be marketed.
Now, more then ever before, a strategic
representation or competitive advantage, is
a vital part of personal and career success.
Taking massive action on re-calibrating, reeducating and re-building you, is one of the
most important strategies and investments
you can make in your future.
One of the biggest challenges facing most
business people today, is determining their
self worth and value in their chosen career.
Finding direction
Someone once said, “A ship that never
leaves the harbour is fundamentally safe but
that’s not what ships are for!” You are the
captain of your ship. The waters of your life
focus, determination, effort and a whole
host of personal characteristics to attain a
successful career over the long term. Over
the last several decades we have seen
tremendous fortunes made and lost based
upon an individual’s personal marketing of
their talents and skills.
Benjamin Franklin – 1882
Inventor, author, statesman and
America’s first self-made millionaire
Secrets of success
The secret of successful personal marketing
lies in understand one’s particular expertise
and then developing those skills to local,
regional and then world class standards.
This will make you a valued professional.
There is no better investment you can
make, than the investment you make in
yourself. Put the energy into training,
educating, grooming and encouraging your
most valuable asset – you!
The most successful employees and
business people are usually tremendously
skilled in self-promotion or career
marketing. They know that a rock solid
foundation must be built at some time, to
create the platform to building a successful
long term career.
And, success does not normally come
easily. It takes thorough planning, advice,
Rob Salisbury is an accredited professional
speaker, certified trainer and 2001
President for the NSW chapter of the
National Speakers Association of Australia.
His specialty skill is getting massive results
for his clients in the areas of sales,
marketing and product promotions.
Website: www.strategicresources.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (02) 9867 3677
The
Technician
Sales and Attitude a bit off?
At your next sales conference, learning seminar, team meeting, AGM or off-shore convention, why not bring in
Rob Salisbury to educate, inform, entertain and inspire your team and impact your sales (and your team's attitude) in a
very positive manner–over 250 Australasian companies have since 1994 and the results speak for themselves.
“I called you a ‘Motivational Technician’ - a person who specializes in the practical
science of getting individuals to believe in themselves and achieve incredible things.”
Craig Scutella CEO, Dymocks #1 Book Store in Australia
• MARKETING IDEAS
“You are a one-man dynamo that had the whole group of 210 people active,
participating, learning and laughing!”
Kim McGuiness MD, Centrum Events
• IMPACT & HUMOUR
“As you know our results for April were excellent, 159% of target. The good news is
that May was even better with my team achieving 192% of target”.
Katherine Smith, Group Manager-Optus Care
Rob Salisbury–Contributing Author to the 1997
Best Selling book ‘There is More To Life than Sex
and Money’ and since 1999, a regular featured
writer on sales and marketing issues for
Corporate Trends Magazine
“Well, you did it again at our first Awards function for our top 130 sales and
management team.”
Bill Robertson, National Training Manager, Century 21 Australasia
Strategic Resources International Pty Ltd
www.strategicresources.com.au
• SALES STRATEGIES
• REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES
Ph 02 9867 3677
Fax 02 9567 0726
Mike Schoettler
Developing your team's ability to grow
profitable business relationships
is your best investment for success.
Michael Schoettler
From Salesman, to Sales Manager, to General Sales Manager, to
State Sales Manager, to National Sales Manager, to Speaker and
Educator on Negotiation, Leadership, and Sales Skills.
Michael is an entertaining pragmatist who blends humour and
pathos with his own personal illustrations. Combining a
background of sales and management success, Michael's
credibility extends to both sales and non-sales staff alike.
Educated in the United States of America, Michael's perspective makes him a unique speaker/trainer with
the impact to move an audience to action. Michael has a B.A. in Political Science (California State
University at Los Angeles) and a Master of International Management (American Graduate School of
International Management).
Michael has demonstrated his "Sales Sense" approaches to producing results working in major corporations
in both the USA and Australia. After five years as National Sales Manager for Hunter Douglas, he launched
"Sales Sense" and started speaking professionally in 1991. He now helps Associations, Corporations, and
Franchise groups of all sizes to lift their results by focusing on their biggest asset, the customer. A past
President of the National Speakers Association of Australia in NSW, in 1999 Michael was named a
Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia.
Keynote Presentations:
The Power of Ethical Negotiation
Making Ice Burn – How to Set a Cold Team on Fire
Building Profitable Relationships in the Digital Age
Sales Sense – Five Steps to Sales Success
Communications – Your Service Advantage
Incentives Don't Always Mean Money
Clients
AMP, Linde Gas, BHP, Vergola, Parke-Davis, Food-way, Jetset, Yellow Pages Australia, Forstaff, Aussie
Home Loans, American Express, Meetings Industry Assoc. of Australia, Van Leer, Orchy, United Airlines,
Zuellig, OOCL, United Travel Agents Group, Caltex, Public Trustee, Ademco, Marcus Evans, GE,
ENSPIRE, SEDA, Eli Lilly, Vergola, Danzas, First National Real Estate, IMS, Accent Blinds, Cookie Man,
Choice Personnel, Gateway, Cathay Pacific, Vodac, Prudential, Goodyear, Raine & Horne, Esanda, BOC
Professional Involvements
Governor, American Chamber of Commerce in Australia
Past President, NSW Chapter, National Speakers Assoc. of Aust.
Associate Fellow, Australian Institute of Management
http://www.salessense.com.au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Good Service is
Simply Not Enough…
Most people think if they simply provide good service, the world
will beat a path to their door…
ecently, I called our local
real estate office to
complain
about
an
incorrect charge on a unit
they manage for us. Kerry was very
nice and promised to make the
correction. She was so nice that after
faxing the copies, I forgot about it.
Until the next statement arrived this
month and nothing had been done!
So, I called the office again. The
receptionist was nice but a bit unsure
about the situation. Kerry was away
on holiday but another person in
property management Toni, would
return in a few minutes. I left my
name and number.
R
Two and a half hours later
After two and a half hours, I realised
another call was required. Toni said
she had received my message but
seeing both names on the message,
she had put it on Kerry's spike. I
asked if she was on holiday. Toni
admitted that she was. She guessed
she
could
have
returned
my call. Then, she simply asked why
I had called.
On hearing my complaint, it turned
out this file had been sitting on her
desk since my first call but.,”You
know, it just keeps getting put back”.
Toni said she would fix it. As at this
morning, it has been another eleven
days so, l called again. Toni said she
has been away but would take care of
it today. By 6pm I expect I will have
to call again. Is this the level of
service that makes ours look good ?
Are these the companies we should
think about when we talk
to our people about the level of
service we provide?
146 Corporate Trends
What is ‘good’ service?
When I asked a group of travel agents
what they did for a living, they said, “we
sell tickets”. And when I asked them
why people should deal with them,
rather than someone closer, they replied,
“because we give good service”.
“What is good service,” I asked?
“Fast and efficient,” they said.
Now, when I moved to Australia, I left a
job that required me to fly a bit. I used to
drive to the Long Beach airport so I
could park within 100 meters of the
plane. As I walked into the terminal,
As from today, your
biggest competitors
may not even be in
your town or state.
there was a machine just inside the door.
I would insert my credit card in a slot
and then there was a bunch of buttons,
one for' each destination: San
Francisco, Seattle, Sacramento,
Phoenix, etc. And, at the bottom I had to
make one' more choice. One way or
return? Then, the ticket would come out
and my card would be returned. That
was in 1979.
Fast and Efficient
If the quality of your service is just
based on fast and efficient, why wouldn't
your clients choose to deal with a
machine? We can no longer feel good
about our service just because we have a
few competitors who still can’t get the
fast and efficient right. As from today,
your biggest competitors may not even
be in your town or state. They may not
pay the same taxes or hire staff under the
same rules as you. They may not have
any staff. They may offer a machine!
The Internet brings the world to
people and the range of products and
services they offer is growing every day.
All with machine-like efficiency.
One of the travel agents that day said
he doesn't sell tickets, he sells dreams.
Sounds like a totally different business
and one a machine can't do.
He is involved with his clients. Who
do you think is giving more value to his
clients? Who do you think is earning
more from his business?
People or Machines?
The difference is in the relationship. On
the one hand it is just a mechanical
relationship. A client wants something
and we give it to them, with a minimum
of bother.
But to sell dreams, your people have
to get involved with the how's and why's
of people's decisions. And accept that
the when's are always now. Now is a
minimum level of service.
My local council is making a big fuss
about keeping bank branches open.
They don't want to see people lose their
jobs. It’s easy to agree but those jobs
were lost when the machines were first
installed and Australians flocked to deal
with an efficient machine over a
disinterested person.
I like people and I have made friends
at my bank. But I have also stood in an
air-conditioned branch where the line
for the machine outside was longer than
the line inside. How will you prepare
your people to give a level of service
that is more than just efficient? A service
that justifies a premium over the cost of
dealing with a machine.
How does your team measure up?
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Change or be Changed
The customer is going to win. But
is the customer going to win with
you or somebody else?
ow long has it been since
you heard someone say,
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix
it”? I’ll bet not that long.
But business has moved past just fixing
problems. Today, we need to find every
opportunity for improvement.
Over the Christmas holiday, we
managed to enjoy a few days in
Mexico. Puerto Vallarta is a resort area
on the West coast and our hotel was
right on the beach. And between meals,
our spot was on the beach. Out with the
sun, the sea, and the salespeople.
There were a lot of vendors offering a
wide range of local products.
Everything from carvings to carpets.
They would walk along the edge of the
hotel properties and offer their wares to
everyone. But if you said no, or just
shook your head, they would thank you
and move on. And, because they were
so polite, there was little hesitation to
stop them when you did see something
you liked. We bought several items
because they made it so relaxed. It was
a pleasure to deal with them.
H
Hard work
But one vendor was working a lot
harder than the rest. He was pushing a
wheelbarrow through the soft sand on
the beach. It was loaded with a large
round tank with a rectangular box
balanced on the front. It had all been
painted white and the side of the box
was hand lettered “Ice Cream”. Below
that was his e-mail address and under
that was printed his website.
Why would an ice cream vendor get
on the net? I doubt that electronic
commerce accounts for much of his
bottom line, but it did attract a lot of
attention. And, if getting noticed is the
first step in retail success, he was well
on his way.
As you can imagine, the picture of
this vendor has been very popular at my
presentations. I still meet people who
ask me if they need to be on the net.
Now my answer is a question, “How
would you compare your business to an
ice cream vender in Mexico?”
But the comparison is not who sells
more or uses new technology. I am
asking, “Are you as keen to build your
business as the Mexican ice cream
vendor?” Are you reluctant to make
changes or is your day based on finding
things you can do differently to create a
better result?
When on top
The American magazine, Business
Week just published “The Business
Week Fifty.” They survey the
companies listed in Standard & Poor’s
500 Stock Index, to produce their list of
the best performers. But they don’t just
pick the biggest. They look at growth in
sales, profits and total returns over one
and three years and then add net
margins and return on equity over one
year. A total of eight measurements. The
top 20 per cent in each category gets an
A.
They sifted through the 500 to come
up with a list of 50 companies that are
aggressively working at getting better.
“Sweating the details” regardless of
how well everyone says they are doing
already.
John Welch, CEO of General Electric
Company, has been considered a leader
among top companies for some time.
But he is not sitting back on their
achievements. In 1998, he approved
108 acquisitions worth a total of 23
billion (US$). “There’s no way in hell
they are all going to work out,” says
Welch. “But 75 per cent of them - I hope
they will and believe they will, and in
fact I know they will.”
Michael Dell, founder of Dell
Computer and number two on the list,
might have summed it up best when he
said, “Product transitions are great for
us, because we switch to the new
product faster than anybody else”. His
business success is built on their ability
to change.
So, how did last year’s list do this
year? Their market value rose 32 per
cent while the rest of the S&P increased
21 per cent and the Dow Jones
Industrials managed only15 per cent.
Not a bad result. But you don’t have to
be a major corporation to benefit from
change.
Who is hungry?
A few weeks ago I presented at the
annual franchise conference for a large
retail group. As a part of my preparation
I met with two operators and talked on
the phone o several others. Most open
just half the day on Saturdays and close
on Sundays. When I asked about staying
open longer, one said, “If we did that,
only the customer would win”. Maybe.
But better to ask, “Is the customer going
to win with us, or someone else?” And if
they win with someone else first, how
will we get them back?
And yes, that franchisor has a good
looking web site promoting their brand
and selling their products. And no, the
individual stores are not linked to the
site to collect this business.
How keen would you be to make
some changes if you were pushing a
wheelbarrow through soft sand?
Michael Schoettler is a professional
speaker on leadership and sales issues.
With a Masters degree in International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
Corporate Trends 147
MIKE SCHOETTLER
It’s Not the Product —
It’s You!
According to Albert Gray, winners have simply formed the habit
of doing the things losers don’t like to do.
few weeks ago I called
about a dozen sales leaders
and asked them, “What is
the biggest challenge
facing your team today”. All but two
said competition. Too many people in
the market and they are all offering
low prices. The other two both said it
was time management. Which approach
is more likely to improve their
business result?
Many of the sales people I work with
say they wish for lower prices and better
products or services. If only the
technical people would get going and
give them that “new and improved”
product with a real advantage. Or
maybe it is time to move their
production offshore so they can reduce
costs and offer their clients a cheaper
price. Do your sales people sometimes
wish for these things? Do you?
A
Magic bullets
We sometimes wish for the simple
answers. The magic bullets that will turn
our results around overnight. Who
among us hasn’t wished for the big lotto
win that will make our problems go
away. But when we are asked, most of
us understand that these big wins don’t
always lead to happiness. Or in the long
run, any change for the better at all.
So is a superior product or lower price
the guarantee to success in today’s
market? I don’t think so.
We can all list the superior products
that failed to secure their place in the
market. Which video system was
technically superior, VHS or Beta?
Know anyone with a Betamax VCR?
Which computer was simple to learn,
easier to use and more reliable, the IBM
PC or the Apple Mac? Now it takes a
very loyal user to buy Apple, knowing
148 Corporate Trends
that you won’t be compatible with most
of your clients.
A better mousetrap
“Build a better mousetrap and the
world will beat a path to your door.”
Remember that one?
Back in the 80’s, I even saw that
better mousetrap. I was in the packaging
business and a bright fellow worked out
a way to use a piece of cardboard and a
rubber band to make a neat, clean,
disposable, and cheap mousetrap. He
was going to buy millions of them. But
we never saw the second order.
Every year thousands of new products
are introduced. All with supposed
“Sacred cows make
the best hamburger”
Mark Twain
advantages that will make them sure
successes.
And most fail. While thousands of
companies making me-too products,
with no apparent advantages over their
competitors, still make a good living.
Day dreamers
So, when I hear someone else wishing
for these magic bullets again, I
remember an old quotation that reminds
me what to do:
“Drawing on my fine command of
language, I said nothing”.
I just let them day dream for a while
about how wonderful it would be if this,
or that. We all enjoy dreaming
sometimes. And it’s still educational to
listen. If you are feeling brave and have
the time, it is useful to ask about their
problems. Specifically, what is holding
you back?
“Sometimes I lie awake at night and I
ask, “Where have I gone wrong?” Then
a voice says to me, “This is going to take
more than one night.”
Charlie Brown
What to Do
But after listening to their tough
problems in the marketplace I ask,
“What are you going to do?” If there is
a shortage of ideas, this question can be
rephrased as “What would the best
salesperson in the world do in this
situation?”
Most of us have some tasks that we do
really well. We enjoy doing them. And
we will gladly make time to do them.
But when there are other important jobs
that we don’t enjoy, sometimes we
complain we don’t have the time.
When was the last time you said, “I
just don’t have the time?”
Was it about time or just an excuse to
avoid doing something you don’t enjoy?
If you spend enough time thinking about
something you don’t like, you can create
a real problem for yourself.
If you have to eat a frog, you shouldn’t
look at it too long. And, if you have to
eat several, eat the biggest one first!
It is not an accident that many
salespeople do their prospecting first
thing in the morning. Done regularly it
just becomes part of the routine. And
when you convert something you don’t
enjoy into a routine, you avoid the worst
part — thinking about it!
So, which would produce the better
result? Improving the product or
organising your efforts?
Michael Schoettler is a professional
speaker on leadership and sales issues.
With a Masters degree in International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Winners are Grinners!
Everybody loves a winner, its true but there is more to creating
winners than just handing out awards. . .
fter winning the monthly
sales contest yet again,
Peter, an experienced old
hand, was asked, “How do
you win this contest every month?”
Peter looked at the young Tom and
replied, “I use all my selling time to sell.
I never do anything during the week that
I should do on my own time”.
I know that, said Tom, “But what do
you really do?”
After thinking another moment, Peter
replied, “I take the time to really listen to
my clients. And, then I ask the questions
that help them to understand all their
needs and see them in perspective”.
“I know that too”, said Tom. “But
come on, what's your trick to winning
this thing?”
Peter paused again and said, “I always
ask every prospect for the names of
other people they believe could benefit
from my services. And then, I help them
remember some more names”.
Tom looked disappointed and said,
“Everyone knows that! Are you going to
tell me how you do it or not?”
Peter smiled patiently and then said,
“Ok, I will let you in on the secret. I do
what you know”.
A
Awards dinners
As a speaker, I often get to attend or MC
Awards dinners. They are the highlight
of my week. When an Awards night
goes well, the winners are normally sky
high with excitement and the whole
room is filled with energy. The efforts of
the entire team are recognised and
everyone who had a good year (read:
better than the last) is entitled to
celebrate.
If you can get the opportunity to talk
to a winner, don’t miss it. They are
almost always happy to talk about the
turning points in the year and the people
who made their result possible. Often
they will remind you that they are not
the best educated, best looking or even
the smartest people in the room. But
they won because they worked hard and
focused their energies on the activities
that produce results. They won because
they wanted it.
The real winners
But the biggest winners of the night
may not be known until the following
year. They are the people who make a
commitment during the night that they
are going to be ‘up there’ next year.
“Some have difficulty
in the best of times
and others success in
the toughest times.
The difference is not
the times we face but
how we face them”.
Sometimes they are the new kids on the
block but often they are the winners
who resolve to do it again. Many are
easy to pick because they make their
decision publicly. They lock their
commitment in by telling anyone who
will listen that they are going to win
next year and bets are often made. Just
as smokers use bets to help reinforce
their decision to quit, a bet is made to
help them keep their focus.
And, for some, a wager can move the
focus from being the best in the room to
a more achievable goal of simply
beating the other person. In either case,
everyone who can find a reason to lift
their game (in other words, produce a
better result) benefits from the exercise.
The Atmosphere
The key is to keep the group focused on
the winners, and that’s everyone who
lifted their game. You can expect some
negativity. Some will try to excuse their
results by minimising others or
emphasising their problems.
In 1992, I attended my first National
Speakers Conference in Orlando,
Florida. I found myself in line behind a
lady who was loudly complaining about
how long her flight was from San
Francisco. She moaned and groaned
about every aspect of the flight but kept
repeating that four hours is just too long
to fly. Most of the people around her had
only flown an hour or two.
When she finally got around to asking
me, I did enjoy saying I was from
Sydney, Australia and the first leg,
Sydney to Los Angeles, was almost 14
hours non-stop. Then, I said it was not a
bad flight. Just three meals, two movies
and you are there. She went quiet and
the others around us laughed. Now, that
flight is even shorter, with just two
meals and three movies.
Get a perspective
Every audience will bring some
problems with them. The MC or
chairperson must keep the focus
positive by acknowledging the
difficulties of the year and reminding
everyone that the night is to recognise
those who did well anyway.
Some have difficulty in the best of
times and others success in the toughest
times. The difference is not the times we
face but how we face them.
The winners best tools are still their
perseverance, focus and desire. And, in
the right atmosphere, that desire can
easily become contagious. An epidemic
of desire is the best reward any group
can receive.
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
Corporate Trends 149
MIKE SCHOETTLER
The Secret of Prospecting
“Who’s calling?” A bit abrupt but it is still an easy one to answer.
(Although with my name I have to be careful not to go too fast).
“And may I tell him what it is about?”
Wait a minute. Why do I have to have a reason? You are probably just
going to put me on to his voice mail anyway. Do I still need a reason just
to get put on to voice mail?
an you imagine how easily
these thoughts surface when
you are supposed to be
making
a
positive
impression on potential clients? What
impressions do you think are made?
I read some research last week that
said only 15 per cent of salespeople
have regularly scheduled times to
prospect. Most salespeople try to fit
their prospecting in whenever they have
a bit of time. So naturally they try to
make as many calls as possible. It’s easy
to become short with the people
handling our calls when you are in a
hurry. And, under this self-imposed
stress, we can even have unrealistic
expectations about our prospects.
This is all very understandable. The
problem is, it just doesn’t work.
C
The total picture
Lets step back for a moment and look at
the total picture:
Why are we making these calls?
Because every business needs to
create new clients. It’s the cornerstone
of the sales role. If customer service is
about taking care of clients, then sales is
all about creating them. And, even well
established businesses can’t prosper
forever from the prospecting work we
have already done. Prosperity and
prospecting go together. We need to
meet new people.
Using the common prospecting
analogy of a funnel, we have to keep
adding new prospects into the top of our
sale process to regularly produce a few
new clients at the end. Not everyone
will qualify so, if we need to produce
clients on a regular basis, we need to
prospect consistently.
Preparation
Once we have a block of time allocated,
we can approach the task professionally.
150 Corporate Trends
That means doing our homework. We
need to prepare our script, our desk, and
our minds. The script doesn’t mean we
are going to read it to our contacts but it
does mean we have put some thought
into why a qualified prospect will want
to see us. A script lets us listen to what
people are saying without putting all of
our focus on thinking about what we are
going to say next. When you have a
good script, your responses will be
about them, not about you.
Our surroundings are critical to this
focus, too. Clear off your desk. Every
time you notice something in front of
you that just has to be done today, you
have just been interrupted. We don’t
“Yes, we try to maintain a positive
outlook here but we have to face reality.
You’ve hung that chart upside-down.”
want anything or anyone competing for
our attention.
Our mind must be ready as well. We
know that some people will take our
calls and some won’t. Just as our
product or service may be right for some
and not of others. We are bound to catch
some at the right time and others at the
worst time. Even with a good block of
time, we don’t want to waste any on
people who are not right for our
business. It’s much smarter to avoid
wasting any time talking to the wrong
person, or even the right person at the
wrong time.
Gatekeepers
If your prospect has the support of a
good assistant, they are expected to
qualify your call. The initial reason is to
separate the tasks the assistant can
handle from the issues that really
require the prospects attention.
Secondly, they are to redirect any calls
that belong somewhere else in the
organisation. And finally, if your have
found the right person, they are
expected to fit your item into today’s
agenda.
When all this is working effectively,
your prospect will still stay focused on
the priorities they have set for the day,
without missing any opportunities that
may arise.
So, the key is to understand and
respect the assistants role. Don’t get
defensive when asked why you are
calling. Be grateful they are there.
because (and here is the secret) it is
their role to get the right issue, in front
of the right person, at the right time.
And that is exactly what you want.
All you have to do is succinctly tell
them what this call represents, to them.
A plant hire service might be offering to
brighten your surrounds and reduce
absenteeism. A freight company could
reduce losses with special handling for
special cargo. Or a promotions
company could offer increased sales
with a new partner on their retail
packaging. It is the same concept you
would use to spark their interest in
person.
And then, they will decide if they
want to know more. Which is exactly
the challenge of voice mail.
Michael Schoettler is a professional
speaker on leadership and sales issues.
With a Masters degree in International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Management vs Leadership
— What’s the Difference?
The King, President, or Prime Minister is the leader of the nation.
Have you ever heard them referred to as the manager of the nation?
anagement and leadership are
often perceived as being one
and the same thing (strangely
enough — especially by
managers!) On the surface, they may seem
to be similar but in practice, they are
poles apart.
Admiral Grace Hooper, once said: “You
don't manage people; you manage things.
You lead people”.
And, herein lies the difference.
Leadership is about leading people.
Management is about managing things.
Let’s take a look at the seven key
attributes that separate a leader from a
manager. I’ve also added some appropriate
quotes from great leaders of our times to
reinforce these points:
M
Vision
Vision is not just the power that creates a
leader, it is the source of the power that he
will use to lift the team.
A leader needs both the ability and
willingness to continuously communicate
the vision, to provide the group with both its
direction and purpose. It is the powerful,
compelling and consistent communication
of the vision, that provides the organisation
with its values, purpose and a clear future.
The leader’s consistent message creates a
unity of purpose and sells the mission
throughout the organisation.
“You are never given a dream, without also
being given the power to make it true”.
Richard Bach
Discipline
Most of us begin life resenting outside
control and testing any limits placed on us.
But with adulthood, comes the understanding that self-discipline is the only
alternative to being disciplined by others.
Leaders have great self-control. Between
the peaks of our success, it is our discipline
that provides the strength to fight on when
we are low.
Michael Jordan, said you have to expect
things of yourself before you can do them.
Leaders need to know things can be done
before they can expect others to do them. It
is the power of their expectations that drive
the group. Leaders set the standards.
“Be more concerned with your character
than your reputation, because your character
is what you really are, while your reputation
is merely what others think you are”.
John Wooden
Honesty
A leader without honesty is powerless.
Without creditability or consistency, there
can be no effective communication.
Everything said or done will be analysed for
all the possible motivations, hidden
meanings and underlying agendas.
Decisions will be revisited and repeatedly
analysed in the search for explanations.
The opportunity to take a short cut, to
cheat, to take the easy way out, is just
around the corner. But there is always a
witness. And when the leader confides to
their team that they have lied to others in the
group, they are telling everyone that they
can no longer believe anything without
closer examination.
“I have found that being honest is the best
technique I can use. Right up front, tell
people what you're trying to accomplish and
what you're willing to sacrifice to
accomplish it”.
Lee Iacocca
Courage
Courage is not the lack of fear, but feeling it
and acting anyway. Don’t pretend you don’t
feel it, because your courage, that is your
behaviour, will be the example to your team.
Business gains come only with risk and
their willingness to take these risks depend
on their faith that you will not desert them.
“He who is not courageous enough to take
risks, will accomplish nothing in life”.
Muhammad Ali
Perseverance
It is a question of commitment. When we
have a goal and a plan there will be
difficulties. Were these goals selected
because they were judged to be easy and
will we change our goals if there is any
resistance?
Your words are important but it is your
behaviour that will be watched. This is an
area that generates the folk stories that serve
to imprint new arrivals with the culture and
expectations of the organisation.
Will you press on to achieve your goal?
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to
my goal. My strength lies solely in my
tenacity”.
Louis Pasteur
Inspirational
Few managers can do what all leaders must
be able to do — inspire their people. The
example of their commitment to the vision,
mission, strategy and goals, creates the
empowering environment to lift the
performance of the entire organisation.
When their actions are not for personal gain
but the group goals, the leader’s enthusiasm
becomes contagious.
“What this power is I cannot say; all I know
is that it exists and it becomes available only
when a man is in that state of mind in which
he knows exactly what he wants and is fully
determined not to quit until he finds it”.
Alexander Graham Bell
Develop Leaders
The leader is not expected to have all the
answers or make all the decisions. They are
responsible for the public praise and private
corrections that help their team to realise
their potential. Inevitably the leader will
demonstrate their faith in some individuals
while they still struggle with self-doubts.
“Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as
he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will
become what he should be”.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
Corporate Trends 151
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Can You Afford to be so Busy?
Unfortunately, some sales people go
through life collecting excuses
instead of results…
any seemingly qualified
people never make it in sales.
They look good and they
sound right when you watch
them practice in the office. But for some
reason, they don’t generate the new business
so vital to an organisation’s growth and
ultimate success.
M
Stories and problems
Some sales managers give them a few
existing accounts and then keep
prodding them to open up new ones.
But it never seems to happen. They get
on well with their assigned clients and
they are always very busy. But instead
of new clients, all they have are stories
and problems. You know — excuses.
This seeming inability to collect new
clients eliminates many otherwise
qualified people from a rewarding sales
career. But it gets worse. Not all of
them leave the business. And by
staying in the business, their inability to
chase new business locks potentially
great representatives and their
companies into sales mediocrity.
have any trouble spending more that they
earn. So, to save a reasonable ‘nest egg’, we
have to set some money aside at the start of
each month and then live within what’s left.
It’s the same with prospecting. We have
to allocate time for prospecting and then do
the rest of our job within the hours that are
left. I suggest you set aside the start of the
day for prospecting. That way you can look
for new business before you get caught up
in the day’s crisis.
How much time?
Well, how many prospects do you need?
Please don’t say, “As many as I can get!”
If you generate more than you can handle,
quote them. Now is also a great time to ask
them who else they know who would
benefit from your service.
Resell Yourself
In short, resell yourself on your own
product. Focus the enthusiasm of your
happy clients and equip yourself to share it
with others. Their letters and pictures are
great sales tools!
But we must work from the client’s
perspective. It is their business that is
important, not our product or service. What
we are selling is the benefit to their business.
So first we must learn about their business
and then we can talk about how we can
help.
“That is how it has worked for our
clients but every business is different
so...” Now all you need is a few minutes
of their time to establish if you can help
them. Like you have with so many
others. “Is Tuesday afternoon good for
you or would Wednesday be better?”
Results vs excuses
It’s a shame that so many qualified
people miss out on a great career like
sales. But it’s an even greater shame that
so many so-called “sales people”, go
through life collecting excuses instead
of results and only earn a fraction of
what they are truly capable of
“That was a great sales pitch Miss Atkinson, now wait until generating.
And it’s their boss’s fault
Why?
I never knew how dumb a boss could you hear my great objections pitch…”
It could be because they don’t know
be until I started working for myself.
how important it is to share the good news
you are wasting your time and building a
I wanted to give great service and that
about our businesses with qualified
reputation for being unreliable.
takes time. How much? Well, how much
prospects.
So, how many is enough? Maybe just a
time have you got? Remember the
Or maybe they work for themselves and
few more than is comfortable. You can
expression, “Work expands to fill the space
their boss doesn’t understand!
adjust the time allocated if your first
available.” I worked long hours but never
estimate is wrong. But to begin, why not
had any time left to look for new clients.
stretch yourself?
And I let myself get away with it because
I was working hard but not very smart.
The Thank You File
It’s a good idea to start by reminding
We Need New Business
yourself of all the good things you do.
Even in good times we all lose clients. Some
Review your “Thank You” file. If you don’t
will move away and others go broke. It
have one, start one. Ask your clients what
doesn’t matter how good you are because
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
they like best about your service or product.
change is a constant. And it seems to me that
on leadership and sales issues. With a
And how their businesses has benefited
change keeps speeding up. So we have to
Masters
degree
in
International
from doing business with you.
keep adding new business just to stay where
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
When they remind themselves how happy
we are. It’s a fact of life — accept it.
has the power to move audiences to action.
they are, get them to put it on their letterhead
Now if you have a few dollars set aside, I
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
so you can share it with others. Or if you feel
bet you didn’t just save what was left over at
Email: [email protected] au
that’s too much to ask, ask them if you can
the end of each month. Most people don’t
Website: www.salessense.com au
152 Corporate Trends
MIKE SCHOETTLER
A Genius Taught Me…
“How many joys are crushed under foot because people
look up at the sky and disregard what is at their feet?”
Catharina Goethe
e just returned from two
weeks in the USA and
discovered a friend had been
in the hospital for a week.
The good news is he just got out and expects
a complete recovery.
The bad news is that he got one phone call
from his boss while he was in the hospital.
The boss just wanted to make sure his
reports were still going to arrive on time. He
did not ask how he was or even when he was
going to be released.
Does this sound like someone you used to
work for? Would the people around you say
it sounds like you? No wonder recruiters say
people join companies and leave bosses.
W
My lesson
Some years ago I brought flowers home to
my wife. No reason, I just felt like it.
Pretty brave you say? Maybe.
Veronica had the same three choices any
woman had in that situation: She could have
given me an accusing look and said, “What
have you done?” Or she could have given
me a curious look and said, “What do you
think you are going to do?”
But she didn’t. What she did do was give
me was a big smile, a great kiss and then she
said, “I love you.”
When I asked her later if she had thought
that I might have been up to something, she
said “Of course”. But she said she would
have found out soon enough. So, “Why
Spoil the Moment?”
I reckon she’s a genius.
Well, you tell me. Of the three choices,
which one do you think gets more flowers?
Criticism, doubt or loving support.
Veronica still gets flowers and she still
reinforces the good behaviour. So do we
expect to see this as the norm in the
workplace? Shouldn’t everyone by now
understand and use the common sense
approach that says you can catch more flies
with honey than vinegar?
My experience says not
More businesses seem to be based on the,
‘everything is OK unless you hear
otherwise’, approach. Which leaves staff
working on the ‘keep your head down’
principle. For them, feedback is to be
avoided. Of course, what choice do they
have, when all news is bad news and no
news is the only good news?
If this style ever worked, it must have
been in a business that could count on doing
things the same way, day in day out for years.
What about Change?
Today our biggest competitive advantage in
business is the ability of our people to learn,
adapt, and change. Where we focus on the
benefits to our customers and not ourselves.
So where can someone get the confidence
“What do people
want more than
sex and money?
Praise and
recognition!”
Mary Kay Ash the founder
of Mary Kay Cosmetics
to grow, change, and try something new if
they are never told they are doing well. The
basis of a ‘comfort zone’, is simply doing
what we know and avoiding the discomfort
inherent in change. Change depends on
people giving up the security of feeling
competent in what they have been doing for
the insecurity of doing it differently.
Literally giving up the confidence of
knowing exactly how to do something in
exchange for trying to get a better result.
Praise and recognise
A Mary Kay Ash quote asks us, “What do
people want more than sex and money?” I
half joke, what’s left? But the punch line
reminds us all of what we really do know.
‘Praise and Recognition’.
The Mary Kay cosmetics business would
not be recognisable without its praise and
recognition. But the sad fact is that many
people still go through their lives without
the praise and recognition they are due.
Sadder still when you realise how simple it
would be to recognise their achievements. It
doesn’t have to cost anything to recognise
someone’s achievements. But it costs us all
dearly when it doesn’t happen. We lose
what our people could have done. What we
could have become.
Setting standards
The price of using praise includes setting
standards for people at every stage of their
career. You don’t have to be the best on the
team to be doing well. Anyone who is
getting better deserves recognition and
encouragement.
We can become like our athletes, and
stretch each day for our individual ‘Personal
Bests’. You need the courage to measure
everyone and praise the improvers. The
expression, ‘Catch then doing something
right’, doesn’t mean it has to be perfect —
just better.
Can We Afford it?
Mary Kay is known in the United States for
passing out automobiles, pink Cadillacs.
Only she doesn’t really give them away.
You get one when you have earned it. And
every time someone earns one, there is
someone else who can now see themselves
getting one too.
Even better, they expect to have to work
for it. So at a time when so many people are
in the habit of doing just enough to get by,
you have the opportunity of using praise
and recognition to build a team who expects
to get better.
How did you feel the last time you were
praised? You can’t buy that feeling but you
can use it. Can you afford not to?
Og Mandino summed it up best when he
said: “I will smile at friend and foe alike and
make every effort to find, in him or her, a
quality to praise — now that I realise the
deepest yearning of human nature is the
craving to be appreciated.”
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
Corporate Trends 153
MIKE SCHOETTLER
It’s About Building Relationships…
The fundamentals of wake up, show up, and follow up,
will serve to keep you focused on the values you deliver…
hen James Turner rented a
car and drove to Virginia, he
was fined twice for
speeding. But the police
didn't catch him, the car rental company did.
Many rental firms use global positioning
satellites to locate missing cars or give
directions. But his detected him speeding on
the New Jersey Turnpike and again in
Virginia. So, they automatically withdrew a
total of $US450.00 from his ATM card.
I think they have forgotten what their
business is all about.
W
Networking for results
Recently, I was asked how the selling
process applies to people we meet at
functions. You know, networking for results.
I see it much like other forms of
prospecting. A three-step process that is very
simple as long as you remember what your
business is all about – relationships based
on customer value.
First, you need to “wake up” and identify
the value clients receive from their
relationship with you. Next, you “show up”
at these opportunities and execute your plan.
And finally, you “follow up” these contacts
after these events.
Wake up
What do you say when people ask, “What
do you do for a living?” Many would
respond with their job title or even a position
description. They forget what people really
want to know is, what can you do for me?
The best answer explains why your
clients are so happy they deal with you. The
focus is not on what you do or your
customer service. It's on what they receive –
customer satisfaction. And then, understanding your target market. The clients who
get the greatest value from you, will reward
you with more clients. The answer also
needs to be memorable. After all, if you are
not going to be remembered, why even
bother to show up?
Another important consideration relates to
your data base plans. How will you handle
the names and contact details of the people
you will meet? While some may seem to be
better prospects, it is critical to ensure they
are all followed up and then kept in a simple
154 Corporate Trends
system for future contacts. You can never
predict where people will lead you.
So with our, “what do we do” answer
ready, our plan in place, a good sized name
tag (one you don’t need to squint to read it)
and a stack of business cards, we can now
focus on the people we meet, their needs
and who they serve.
Show up
The biggest challenge for many people is
allocating time to attend the events that
Don't be Afraid to Fail
You've failed many times, although
you may not remember.
You fell down the first time you tried
to walk.
You almost drowned the first time you
tried to swim, didn't you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you
swung a bat?
Don't worry about failure.
Worry about the chances you miss
when you don't even try.
United Technologies
attract potential clients. It should not be
about what you enjoy or which event is
convenient to attend. The important
question is understanding which events will
attract the people you want to meet and then
making sure you are there.
For a good start, be there early. Nothing says
‘desperate’ louder than showing up late and
trying to rush around and identify your top
prospects. When you arrive early, you have
time on your side and can project an
organised approach while meeting even
more prospects.
More prospects are the key at this stage,
because with plenty of time and an open
mind, you don't need to prejudge people.
Just collect their details and learn a bit about
them as people, beyond simply what they do
for a living. This is your opportunity to play
the host, rather than a guest, and focus on
their needs.
The first meeting is not a time for the hard
sell. A focus on your prospects will give you
all the tools necessary, when combined with
permission marketing. All that is required is
an agreement that you will do something
after the event that is of interest to them.
Find a way that you can help them.
Follow up
First, do what you said you were going to
do! A very quick response is much more
effective than a perfect presentation
package that arrives a week or more later. If
you are not able to immediately deliver on
your
commitment,
an
e-mail
acknowledging your meeting and advising
them when you will deliver, can still make a
very positive impression. Just don't let the
contact go cold, they will quickly forget the
meeting and you.
If you were not able to establish an
immediate need, a quick personal note
referencing your meeting can help to fix you
in their memory. Simply adding them to
your newsletter or promotional distribution
can keep you memorable long enough for a
future need to arise.
If a contact gave you a referral, a prompt
thank you can reassure them that they have
done the right thing. And if you keep them
up to date with regular reports on your
progress, they are much more likely to
support your efforts with this potential client
and reward you again with additional names
in the future.
The fundamentals of Wake Up, Show Up,
and Follow Up, should serve to keep you
focused on the values you deliver. And this
focus on value should keep you from traps
like ‘speeding fines’ that are designed to
generate additional revenue but will quickly
destroy client relationships and your ability
to earn an income.
The only risk is that while a few contacts
will deliver you future business, many will
seem to produce nothing. And a focus on the
many without a result, can discourage you.
But these contacts are not failures unless
they keep you from trying.
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Listening – Your
Shortcut to Success
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. once said, “It is the province of knowledge
to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.”
Listening is a dying art but take time to learn this valuable skill, if
you want to be successful…
ave you ever watched great
influencers at work? They use
questions to identify and then
clarify the key issues from the
other
person’s
perspective. They
instinctively seem to know the right hot
buttons to use to get action. And they often
pose their best closing arguments as
questions. So how do they always know
what to say?
Great influencers understand that if you
just take the time to listen, most people
will tell you what you need to know to
change their thinking.
But, how can you change what you
don’t understand?
Have you ever noticed during a
conversation that when people assume
they know what you are going to say, they
often miss some of your key points?
Many of us still make this same mistake
and then claim we were too busy to just
wait and listen.
Do you believe you are an
excellent listener? Do you believe you are
good listener? Do you need me to repeat
the question?
H
Most of us don’t listen
It is no surprise that most people admit
they are not great listeners. Very few of us
have ever attended a course on listening
and the time pressures of the information
age tempt us to short cut the listening
process and jump to conclusions.
The following five simple steps will
greatly improve your listening skills and
dramatically lift your ability to influence
people:
1. Decide to Improve
Listening is like any other skill. If we want
to improve, we have to make the
commitment to work at getting better. Some
early results can be dramatic but long-term
improvement will result when we commit
ourselves at the start of each conversation to
make that extra effort to listen.
2. Concentrate
Listening is not a passive activity – you
have to work at it.
Our minds can go a lot faster than
anyone will speak, so we need to resist
the temptation to race ahead. And there
are always distractions that tempt us to
divide our focus. Noise – passing people
– telephones and even papers on a desk
can interrupt our thoughts if we don’t
concentrate on the speaker.
“When you talk,
you repeat what you
already know; when
you listen, you often
learn something.”
Jared Sparks
And it is not just what they say or the
words they use. We want to identify all
the key points and their supporting
assumptions. Sometimes what they don’t
say is our best clue.
The good news is – practice will improve
your powers of concentration and it will
become easier to tune out the distractions.
3. Recognise our Prejudices
A speaker’s voice can trigger a negative
response if we have set feelings about
people who sound like that.
If something as simple as a voice can turn
us off, how long will we maintain our
attention when their clothing, grooming, or
choice of language, does not reflect our
preferences? People may have difficulty
changing long established feelings
but they certainly can’t change
their behaviour as long as they
react unconsciously.
Think about it. What turns your
listening off? How can you step above
your attitudes to tune in and understand
their complete message?
4. Suspend Judgment
Our first task is to make sure we
understand the message. When we get
judgmental, it interferes with our ability,
even willingness, to listen. Judgments
lead us to formulating our responses.
Once we are thinking about what we are
going to say next, it is unlikely that we
will listen to the complete message.
Even if our initial understanding
correctly reflects their choice of words,
we need to confirm our interpretation of
the message. What they said may not
truly reflect what they meant. Of course,
if attacked, the person speaking may
become defensive and be even more
determined to defend their words.
To avoid being judgmental, we can
actively support the speaker’s task. When
you smile, repeat key words, nod, and
maintain eye contact, you demonstrate
your support. But don’t interrupt. Just
wait until they have finished speaking. A
short pause prior to your response can
elicit even more information.
These simple rapport-building steps
will collect additional information, a
better understanding of their reasoning
and even prepare them to accept new
information or perspective.
5. Ask Questions
If the worst thing you can do is to assume
you know what they are going to say, then
the best is to clarify what you think you
heard. It is not enough to just confirm the
words. People use words differently so
we need to confirm the principles behind
them. Your use of questions will
demonstrate your interest in the speaker’s
message. And intelligent questions are
the strongest tools to build rapport. The
least they will do is keep you from talking
too much.
Michael Schoettler is a professional speaker
on leadership and sales issues. With a
Masters
degree
in
International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
Corporate Trends 155
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Are You a Relationship Builder?
Technology is getting a bad rap. It is being blamed for stale voice mail
that sounds like a filter and incomplete email that is so abrupt it
offends people. This stuff does damage relationships but it
is not the equipment’s fault.
nless you have a unique product
that does not have an equivalent
available anywhere else, there
are only three areas to establish
a competitive advantage. We can compete
with great service, low prices, or
excellent relationships.
U
Is it great service?
In the past I have heard countless people
claim to give great service. But when I
asked what they do, that their competitors
don’t do, I often get a blank stare. Because
for many, the offer of great service is an
empty promise. In a practical sense they are
promising not to be rude to the customers.
And when they are very busy or have a
demanding client, too many have trouble
even managing that. Today’s competition is
so intense that the opportunity to deliver
exceptional service has become as elusive as
a product advantage. When someone does
develop an exclusive in their service it
gets copied just as quickly as their
product innovations.
New service innovations, just like product
innovations are now best thought of as
temporary advantages. You need to
maximise their use as quickly as possible
because you know your competitors won’t
take long to duplicate, or even improve on
your idea.
Then you are back to competing with the
same level of service that your clients have
come to expect from your competitors.
Every improvement in service becomes the
new minimum acceptable standard. And,
any variation is not only an opportunity
to gain business with special service, but
a way to lose it, if your clients decide you
are unreliable.
Is price your main advantage?
I doubt it. If you employ a sales team it is
very difficult to make a profit and still be
the cheapest. Price competitors need to
slash all their costs and the sales team is
often the first to go.
There certainly are price customers who
156 Corporate Trends
believe that cheaper is always better. And
most people would agree that some standard
commodities have very little difference
except price. But that still leaves many
people faced with alternative products that
doesn’t satisfy their needs.
So is it relationships?
When we entered the new millennium, Wall
Street was betting unbelievable sums of
money on Internet companies. Not because
of their current revenues or profits, many
were not making any money. They are
betting on their future ability to take great
swags of business from traditional suppliers.
“If you want to win a
man to your cause,
first convince him
that you are his
sincere friend.”
Abraham Lincoln
And even in spite of the much publicised
.com crash, there are still plenty of people
prepared to invest in what they see as an
unlimited potential for the future.
In some industries, I have no doubt they
still have an excellent opportunity to do just
that. What would it take for you to give up
the emotionally rewarding experience of
pushing a trolley down the grocery aisle?
Nor does it seem that building good
customer relations is a part of a bank teller’s
job description.
But some on the internet understand the
opportunity is not limited to the banks and
grocery stores that have upset us for years.
For most of us, success in business has
revolved around the people we know and
the people that know us. These are the
relationships that have kept us in business.
I am not saying that friendships will provide
a permanent defense against competition.
Not even blood relations will keep dealing
with you when it is not in their interest. But
a strong relationship means that you are
working as an effective partner. That you
understand what your client values and
ensure that he or she understands and
benefits from the values you provide.
Using technology at its best
As technology improves, we can incorporate the best of it to keep our standards of
service competitive and provide the best
possible solutions to our clients’ problems.
Are you using today’s technology to
provide the best service possible and build
even better relationships? Some of our top
sales people (relationship builders) have
been reluctant to use the latest technology.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Unless you
try to do something beyond what you have
already mastered, you will never grow.”
And while it is generally thought that
email and voice mail are too impersonal, it
doesn’t have to be the case. It is just that
many of the early users didn’t appreciate the
importance of making sure our
communications are personal.
The Internet is a wonderful tool used in
the right way and can be a great help in
building loyalty and finding new prospects.
But remember, as Peter Clemente of Cyber
Dialogue said, “It's not about selling
product, it's about building relationships.”
Use it wisely.
We just have to remember that the
technology is not there just to make our
lives easier but also to provide better service
for our clients. In less than a minute, you
can personalise your voice mail so clients
will know exactly when you will be
available. So, now that you are always in
touch, don’t forget the personal touch. I
guarantee your clients will notice, either way.
Michael Schoettler is a professional
speaker on leadership and sales issues.
With a Masters degree in International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
MIKE SCHOETTLER
Where Have All The People Gone?
In 2001, there is a worldwide shortage of skilled staff. Finding the
right people is going to be one of your biggest challenges…
he Y2K bug, GST and the
Olympics “business boom”, may
have turned out to be fizzers for
your organisation but the next
big challenge your business has to face has
been around for years. Only now it is getting
much worse.
In August 2000, the USA unemployment
rate hit a 30 year low of 3.9 per cent. A
survey there of HR professionals reported
80 per cent see staff shortages as their single
greatest challenge. And just to prove the
point, 20 per cent said their companies have
actually had to knock back business due to
staff shortages!
T
Unemployment in Australia
Australian unemployment is now reported
to be around 6.6 per cent. But the national
figure doesn’t mean much to you if there is
a shortage of people (or jobs) in your area.
If we just look at the Sydney area for
example (figure 1), we see a large variation
in the rates reported in individual districts.
A rate of two per cent or even less, doesn’t
offer much hope for companies that have
complained for years that they can’t find
enough “good” people. And it is not just
that people won’t travel to work, although
that is a factor, especially in the Gosford
area. It is also a question of available skills.
As an example, the worst area, Fairfield Liverpool, contains lower educational levels
and a higher migrant population with
resulting poor language skills. The old rule
of thumb was that recruitment and training
costs to replace a skilled employee, was at
least one third of the person’s annual wage.
However, in the USA, Resource Development Group now says you will spend four
times their salary. That seems awfully high
to me but Morgan & Banks Director, Peter
George, says, “Staff turnover costs Australian
businesses more than $3 billion a year”.
I recently worked with a recruitment firm
that specialises in the IT industry and they
taught me something about these costs.
They frequently ask their clients if they
prefer candidates from the UK or the USA,
because they know the skills required are
just not available in Australia. And this is
not a recent development, it has been going
on for years. It is just getting worse now.
But don’t believe that this is only a
problem for the high-tech industries. The
hospitality industry has been chasing staff
for years. I remember one weekend a local
financial controller was helping out in the
laundry, because you just can’t run a hotel
without linen!
70% unhappy in their jobs
But this increasing shortage of talent is only
half of the problem. A recent survey of
6,000 Australian employees reports that
55% of men and 52% of women believe
they are in the wrong jobs. And 70% of
those unhappy intend to change jobs.
And offering a bigger pay packet is no
cure. Almost half of those earning over
$100,000 dollars are still unhappy.
So, how can you build a business when
your staff expects a lot more and the search
UNEMPLOYMENT IN
THE SYDNEY AREA
Fairfield - Liverpool 10.5%
Gosford 7.4%
Eastern Suburbs 2.3%
Lower North Shore 2.0%
Northern Beaches 0.8%
(figure. 1)
for talent cannot even turn up any warm
bodies? In the USA they have tried a
number of non-traditional options.
When Christine Kissick, opened her third
Great Clips Salon, she tried a pool of talent
that most would never consider. She went
back to her “lapsed” employees. Stylists
who had quit or even been fired from her
other shops. She recognised that people
could learn from their experiences. In three
years she has re-hired 11 people and
achieved good retention.
A cosmetics manufacturer in Ohio,
Bonnie Bell, has turned their entire
packaging area over to senior citizens. They
employ 87 staff aged over 65. 30 per cent of
them are over 70 and the oldest is 89. The
advantage of having them all in one section
is that they enjoy working together 20 hours
a week and they prefer being supervised by
people in their own age bracket. Not
surprisingly, this program has the full
support of Jess Bell, the company’s 75 year
old owner!
A cleaning company, Molly Maid,
employs over 4,000 unskilled people. Forty
percent are Hispanic and half of these have
little English language skills. Linda
Burzynski, the COO, remembered the
problems faced by her Polish immigrant
grandmother who spoke no English. Since
offering English language classes in the
morning, they have both attracted and
retained staff is this traditionally high turn
over industry. But it is useful to note that
evening classes don’t work because their
people were just too tired at the end of the
day. They have now expanded the program
into secondary education courses.
Four golden rules
Each of these approaches might offer some
relief to your business. But there are four
rules that will assist you build and retain a
quality team.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Recruit with retention in mind
Lead for retention
Clarify all goals and expectations
Personalise compensation.
Let’s take a closer look at these rules:
1. A program for retaining your staff
starts with looking at the people who have
stayed and those who have left. What is the
company culture and who is a good fit.
Define the model employee and understand
why they choose to stay. Where can you
find more of these employees and what can
you offer that they value highly?
If you do decide to hire someone who is
not a good fit, maybe they should be put on
a contract rather than employed. Some of
the popular Colorado snow resorts use an
end of season bonus to encourage the
completion of their contract. This approach
is a lot more effective than just hoping they
will stay.
2. People join companies and leave
managers. When you think everything is
right but people are still leaving, it’s time to
look at the manager. Quality products, loyal
clients, and the right pay are still not enough
to tolerate bad management. When people
leave because they are unhappy, don’t feel
satisfied or appreciated, say the job did not
achieve the promises or promises were not
Corporate Trends 157
MIKE SCHOETTLER
kept, you have a management problem.
Respect is everything and people have a
right to be treated as responsible adults.
3. People are entitled to know exactly
what level of performance the company
expects of them. Explain what tools will be
available and ensure that any training
required will be available.
What do employees want?
It is just as important to understand exactly
what the employee expects of you. One of
the most common causes of dissatisfaction
is letting someone start with unrealistic
expectations. Even small promises made
and not kept, will poison their relations with
the company. On their way out they will
share their experiences with others. Any
perceived failure of trust, can also sour
relations with other staff.
It is not simply a question of more money
or benefits either. The market will set the
fair rate of pay. Your opportunity is to
package it in exactly the right way for each
employee. Many people are now earning
enough in salary to be able to afford the
luxury of choosing time over money.
Most packages start with base pay and
include a variable component for extra time.
There is also a recognition component
which should be based on results, as well as
a benefits package.
Salary package problems arise when we
forget to specify the following three most
important components:
Individual Growth
How will this opportunity change them?
Compelling Future
Why should they want to work here?
Positive Workplace
Will they enjoy working here?
Many companies include individual growth
at the hiring stage but neglect to stay
current. Staff can feel they have no future
with you.
The best example of using a compelling
future as an inducement, must be Steve
Jobs, at Apple when he secured the services
of a Coca Cola executive with the question:
“Don’t you want to make a difference; or
are you just going to sell sugar water all
your life?”
Most people want to feel they are part of
something important. The positive workplace is more than just respect, that is a
prerequisite. It is an environment where,
win or lose, you can keep your pride and a
sense of accomplishment. It may be hard
work but it must be worthwhile and
rewarding. And it should even include a
“fun” component.
Harvey Mackay, author of Swim with the
Sharks, employs 550 people at his envelope
factory. Some have stayed with him for 20,
30 and even 40 years. He believes that
people can’t improve unless they are
enjoying themselves and acknowledges 30
per cent of American workers hate their job.
That’s why Harvey has things like his,
“Thank God It’s Monday!” policies. They
set out to have fun and he believes 80 per
cent of his staff can’t wait to get to work.
Doesn’t that sound like the place where
you want to work in 2001?
Michael Schoettler is a professional
speaker on leadership and sales issues.
With a Masters degree in International
Management and over 20 years in sales, he
has the power to move audiences to action.
Tel: (02) 9529 7051
Email: [email protected] au
Website: www.salessense.com au
INVITE MICHAEL SCHOETTLER TO YOUR NEXT CONFERENCE
Michael Schoettler is an entertaining pragmatist who blends humor and pathos with his
own personal illustrations. Combining a background of sales and management success,
Michael's creditability extends to both sales and non-sales staff alike. Michael started
his career with a Masters Degree in International Management but says he never learned
faster than when a smart Sales Manager put him on straight commission. This taught him
the power of Focus.
Michael has demonstrated his "Sales Sense" approach to producing results working in
major corporations in both the USA and Australia. After five years as National
Sales Manager for Hunter Douglas, he founded "Sales Sense" and started speaking
professionally in 1991. He now helps Associations, Corporations, and Franchise
groups of all sizes to lift their results by focusing on their biggest asset, the customer. Every
sales presentation and negotiation session can be an opportunity to build profitable
business relationships.
A past President of the National Speakers Association of Australia in NSW, in 1999Michael was named a Governor of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Australia.
Invite Michael to your conference and watch how people respond to the change in their team. Contact:
Sales Sense
website: www.salessense.com au
E-mail: [email protected] au
Phone: (02) 9529 7051
Jill Sweatman
Change takes time.
Successful change takes a little longer.
Change Management, Corporate Culture Design, Customer Service
& Team Building
Jill Sweatman’s firm, Corporate Change, partners with clients to invest in their success. Exceptional
achievements have been attributed to Corporate Change’s speciality skills in analysis, review and design of
strategies. Actions to transform organisational behaviour and results within limited time have created the
preferred outcomes, the first time.
Established in 1993, the company has grown into a team of dedicated consultants providing a wide range
of international and industry experience enhancing the firm’s customised programs. Corporate Change’s
projects cross all industry groups from pharmaceutical and airline to hospitality and engineering to banking
and information technology.
Jill Sweatman, Managing Director, is an international speaker, consultant and business educator in the
fields of organisational change, culture creation and exceptional service delivery.
Jill has the unique ability to create a balance between in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in
interpersonal communication and organisational change. Results with integrity are achieved by her keen
ability to deal at all levels of an organisation and tackle the hard issues.
Highlights of Jill’s varied experience fuels her keynote presentations ensuring an insightful, thought
provoking and entertaining experience.
Her distinguished reputation and business growth have been created through sustained business-to-business
recommendations due to the profound results achieved.
A partial list of her clients include: ASIC, AT&T, American Airlines, Blake Dawson Waldron, BMW,
Cochlear, Commonwealth Bank, MLC, NCR, NRMA, Peppers Hotel Group, Pharmacia Australia, Proctor
& Gamble, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Villeroy & Boch and Westpac.
JILL SWEATMAN
Propaganda…
It Simply Won’t Work
Telling people you are a wonderful company isn’t enough,
you have to add congruence and action…
oday’s companies are
experiencing unparalleled
levels of cynicism and fear in
the workplace. And, frontline
employees are the most cynical group
of all.
In times when changes in management
styles and restructuring are as frequent as
changes in the weather. employees are
learning to put on poker faces and hide
their ever increasing levels of concern
about job security and competence.
Underneath it all they are imploring
management to show congruence
between their words and their actions.
Employees infer your values from
your behaviour, not from your words.
A plaque extolling the mission
statement and values of the
organisation, may be an attractive
addition to your plush foyer or the
partitions of your open space offices but
action will speak far louder than any
written platitudes.
T
Target Frontline Supervisors
One of your most important considerations is to enlist the support of your
Supervisors. They know how to
communicate with their people, and
one-on-one interaction is important.
When people rally in larger groups, a
different mindset prevails. Not everyone
feels free to be open.
One way to offset this, is to hold a
meeting each month called, “What
Have You Heard?” These meetings
should invite staff to express any
concerns they may have about recent
changes or any other issue. This enables
them to say what they think (perhaps
under the guise of what they may have
heard), and it is very important for
employees to air their concerns.
160 Corporate Trends
The right environment
Creating environments where views can
be heard, is a major step in the right
direction. The companies that offer
exceptional service are those companies
whose management takes the time to
talk to their people. They truly
understand what is happening and what
the real issues are, at the frontline.
Empowerment
Empowerment is an attitude - not a skill.
It is 'focussed freedom'. Giving power to
allow people to make informed
decisions is one of the most crucial
behaviours to becoming a service leader.
Let me give you an example:
The future lies with
those service leaders
who set standards
high and do what
the others don’t dare.
Avis Australia is one organisation that
doesn’t just talk about empowerment,
they live it. Managing Director, Luke
Medley, leads an organisation totally
committed to delegating responsibility,
decision-making and risk taking to its
people. You immediately see it when
you step into their office headquarters.
This is a living, learning organisation
where empowered attitudes are nurtured
and displayed by every employee. They
are excited about offering not only the
very best in customer service but high
technology and keen innovation.too.
How do they engender this attitude in
their people?
Firstly, they recruit for attitude, not just
aptitude. Secondly, they treat their
people well. Very well, in fact.
Every new employee, regardless of
their position, spends a weekend at a
five-star resort. There, they undergo an
Orientation Program and are hosted to a
dinner at one of Sydney's finest
restaurants.
Profit share schemes are also
generous and are enjoyed by every
employee. And, the Managing Director
personally knows every team member
Australia-wide and speaks to them at
least twice a year, to seek their opinions
on operational and service issues.
Employee participation
Avis also holds Employee Participation
Groups on the first Thursday of every
month worldwide. At these meetings
representatives
from
various
departments down tools and gather to
discuss any aspect of the company
where improvements could be made.
Avis employees like to be talked
about. In fact, it is no secret that senior
management want Avis to be a topic of
conversation over dinner parties around
the country, as the premier service
provider in all respects.
How many other businesses have set
this level of commitment and loyalty to
customers and employees as their goal?
Has yours?
The future lies with those service
leaders who set their standards high.
They do what the others don't dare to
do and they treat their people with full
respect. They acknowledge effort, as
well as achievement and make their
words and actions one.
Not just an exercise in propaganda!
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
JILL SWEATMAN
Cultural Changes Can
Make Your Team Fly…
… but careful planning and good
communication are the keys to
successfully carrying them out.
hen we have to ask our
teams to change, we
must first have a solid
platform upon which to
stage the choreography of our cultural
change endeavour. Without this, any
change effort regardless of intent or
design, will meet with practiced
cynicism and learned distrust.
According to the Centre for
Corporate Change at the University of
NSW, over 70 per cent of long term
effective change efforts in Australia fail.
They fail because organisations are
either too frightened or unwilling to
address the many and varied issues that
require simultaneous attention. A sense
of urgency and momentum needs to be
established from the outset. A totality of
effort is paramount.
W
Changing in flight
We can no longer afford the luxury in
our rapid paced environment to wait for
each duck to take its place and fly in
formation before adding a change. We
must set our course, refine the flight
plan, share the leadership position and
make strategic adjustments in flight—
according to economic, political and
other internal and external factors. In
other words, the genetic structure of our
teams must facilitate this.
The genetic structure is the platform
that we create with our communication
processes. How we speak to each other,
how we negotiate one another’s
prejudices, jockey for position within
the team and ultimately play the game.
When an organisation sets out to
either change a culture or create a new
one, they only have one chance to ‘get it
right’. Far too many organisations
overlook this salient point.
When teams have to change, they
often have to change more things and
usually change to a greater degree than
they ever expected. There are always
cries of: “But it’s different here… Our
situation is unique… You don’t
understand us… We can’t do that here”.
But in reality, these issues will be
replicated time and time again the world
over. This is the business climate we
face at the cusp of the next century.
The most critical element
Communication, is the most critical
element in change.
plays loudly in the psyche of all those
who see any change as a threat.
Every manager, and indeed every
team member, wants to make the right
decisions every time. Few individuals
wake up with the thought that their
mission for that day is to make a wrong
decision at every turn.
In
times
of
uncertainty,
communication must increase. People
can only make a decision with the data
they have available. Information on a
“needs-to-know” basis is not only
archaic in approach, it’s positively
dangerous in today’s business
environment. People must know where
to get the information they need, quickly
and be able to respond even more
rapidly, especially when dealing with
customers.
The right decisions can only be made
when there is an abundance of the right
information, not a scarcity.
Short term successes
Plan for short term successes and take
the time to celebrate them. Let the ducks
enjoy picking low hanging fruit early in
the journey.
When American Airlines integrated
Canadian Airlines into their operation,
the Regional Manager hosted what they
called, “Let’s Talk About It” breakfast
meetings for all their people. These
were designed to encourage each team
member to express any concern which
was immediately dealt with in an open
manner. This also addresses the
emotional intelligence factor that will
play heavily within each team member.
We must remember that individuals
will invest in themselves and their
workplace situation sooner, if they
perceive that their voice has been heard
and that their contribution was
instrumental in a change.
“If it’s not my idea, I won’t like it,” still
Leadership development
Encourage all team members to take the
lead when the flock traverses a
particular territory. This engenders
courage, risk-taking and enables the
whole flock to recognise the strengths of
each other for future reference and
succession.
The journey of change always takes
longer than expected. It needs the
efficiency of flight to maintain the
momentum through strategic patterning,
and the realisation that atmospheric
conditions are seldom stable.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
Corporate Trends 161
JILL SWEATMAN
Reward Failures…
Are You Kidding?
No! Not if you are serious about
asking your people to perform with
initiative and adopt
empowerment…
s it possible to measure your
success by your failures? I believe
it is. Here are two fine examples:
Johnson & Johnson, world wide,
state that they expect their Research and
Development department to have at
least 1200 failures each year.
John Brown, of Brown Bros wines in
Albury, states that the manager of his
Nursery winery is to produce at least
one ‘really awful’ wine per year to
prove that they are truly experimenting.
Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Our
business in this world is not to succeed
but to fail, in good spirits.”
I
Reward effort not just results
If we recognise effort, the return in
commitment and attitude from our
people will yield us a greater return than
merely an immediate bottom line result
in business.
We willingly praise our children for
their attempts to improve. Yet, not
everyone can be first in class — but all
of us can have a first class attitude.
When it becomes natural within the
culture of a company to attempt new
things (given appropriate parameters of
course), imagine what we could all
achieve. So often we have heard this as
a collective lament of employees.
A winning team does not have to be
measured by results. A commendation
of effort will last longer and be
perceived as more genuine in its intent.
Scrap Employee of the Month
Awards. Abolish quarterly and yearly
awards. Particularly if it’s the only thing
your organisation does all year.
We call this the Valentine’s Rose
Syndrome — once a year! Nice when
162 Corporate Trends
you receive it but horribly predictable!
And, therefore, not as meaningful as it
could be.
Such rewards are anticipated and
usually commend only a handful of
people. Surely you want more than a
handful of people to be committed to
the game of business every day.
Too many organisations, when asked
how their people are rewarded, tell
proudly about the CEO’s Yearly Award
or the Employee of the Month with the
obligatory name on the plaque and the
accompanying inexpensive certificate.
Random and Frequent
Random and Frequent wins the day. If
you are serious about how your people
receive and value recognition, with a
“And if you keep failing like this Smithson,
you could be in line for a big promotion”.
little research, you will find that
random, frequent and verbal
recognition will be appreciated far
more highly than a generic certificate.
This certificate is often signed by the
manager and a copy put in one’s file
for the HR person to stumble across
when you make your exit interview.
A good old fashioned, ‘pat on the
back’ at the appropriate time by the
appropriate person, will make a
substantial investment in the
‘Goodwill Emotional Bank Account’
of any team member.
When goodwill is high, when the
pressure is on in the workplace,
colleagues are more likely to support
their team mates and absenteeism will
be reduced dramatically.
What we want to achieve in every
organisation is a feeling that people
notice the good stuff their colleagues do
on a daily basis and recognise that
immediately.
Adopt a ‘recognition’ culture
Do you want to dispel phrases like, "I
don’t bother anymore, no one notices
anyway", "It always seems to be the
sales team who get the rewards.” And,
indeed the most damaging words in
business today, "We tried that once
before and it didn’t work.” Adopt a
culture where people are encouraged to
recognise each other on a regular basis.
American Airlines have recently
coined their recognition program
“Compliment a Colleague.” This takes
the form of a card which nominates the
name of the person, the reason for the
award and a space to sign by the person
giving the recognition. This is to be
given whenever anyone in the Sydney
office sees or experiences great service,
kindness or support by one staff
member to another. What is important is
that this is intrinsically and nonmonetary based.
Rewarding folks who support you in
business is a small price to pay for what
we call ‘discretionary effort’. That is, the
effort you choose to give over and above
the minimum effort required to function
in a position. That must be earned, just
like respect.
Reward your people and reap the
returns. Measure the cost through the
lens of long term glasses and watch the
landscape come alive with workers who
speak well of the organisation. And with
voices and hearts that want to make
a contribution.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
JILL SWEATMAN
Know When to Say, No!
Knowing when and how to say,
“no” is a skill worth learning in
our ever busier workplace…
t is often said that the word ‘no’ is
a little word with a big meaning
but what is the real meaning of
‘No’? Does the ‘N’ mean ‘Never
in a million years’, ‘Not in a pink fit’,
‘Never in a blue moon’, ‘Not on your
Nelly’ or ‘I thought you didn’t mean it’,
or ‘Have you lost your mind!’ Or does it
simply mean ‘Not at this time or in this
particular circumstance’.
For innumerable reasons we must
learn to say, ‘No’.
But how can we do so with
appropriate discernment and charm?
We must use our intellect more
intelligently.
Part of the appropriate ‘No’ is being
highly mindful of the wider
implications of our decision. For
instance, in the service chain we must
be mindful of who down the line will
suffer from our decision.
We must accept the consequences of
our actions. And those actions can be
substantial. Remember, ‘No’ is
powerful. It must be used with the
wisdom it deserves.
One occasion when you may need to
say ‘No’ is when work encroaches on an
unreasonable amount of private time, or
when the work atmosphere is
unnecessarily pressured.
We already know and feel the impact
that more is expected almost week by
week. Hard work and long hours are
accepted in most positions. Will it stop,
or even slow down? Unlikely.
So, how can we begin to design our
lives to cope with such increasing
demands? Demands that make you
resort to working lunches. At times, no
break. Missing the last train and feeling
like you work for the benefit of the local
take-aways and child care.
Where does work stop and self begin? A
delineation now too blurred to
distinguish. Many of us feel we have
I
lost so much of what we thought was
inherently our own being.
We are not espousing that we should
leave it to the beavers back at the office
or the others on the team. What we are
suggesting is that there can come a time
when enough is enough and “No”, is
the word that is necessary.
How often do we hear someone
apologise for doing something for
themselves and preface the admission
with , “I know I’m being selfish”.
We all want a better quality of life.
“I’m going to be late again tonight,
dear. Have the kids grown up much?”
So, it’s essential to come to an
agreement with ourselves. There does
come a time to acknowledge the being
that ultimately, when it is all boiled
down, has to take responsibility for us.
Ourselves, no one else.
We must take up the vigil of our own
leadership. But beware: this is a 24 x 7
relentless project, inside and outside of
our bodies. We must be at a superior
level of awareness in order to make
decisions of this magnitude.
There may be times when you need to
say ‘No’, in stages.
For instance, you may say, “Yes, I’ll
ensure the report is ready by the
morning even though it is 5 pm and the
data is only now available. However, on
the next occasion, I may not be in a
position to do so”.
When may ‘NO’ be appropriate:
• When your values are being
compromised
• When you are in danger
• When you are aware that the action
you have been asked to take will
physically hurt another
• When ‘group think’ is present
• When you are unsure of the
ramifications if you said ‘Yes’
• When you know that you must be
true to thine self
You, must understand the options and
acknowledge when the task is beyond
your abilities. At the same time, it is not
an excuse.
Know yourself and be true to that.
The following criteria will help you
assess your ability to discern when
‘No’ is appropriate. If you answer
‘Yes’ to any of the following
questions, then you are more likely
to be a charming and appropriate
‘No’ sayer.
1. Have you made learning a life
long endeavour?
2. Do you accept the
consequences of all of your own
actions?
3. Do you seek first to understand
then to be understood?
4. Are you an empathic listener?
5. Are you constantly taking
courses of action to be the very best
you can be in your chosen career
6. Do you support others
7. Do you avoid sabotaging the
efforts of others
8. Do you rejoice in the successes
of others.
If you answered ‘No’ or even a
‘Maybe’ to any of the above, you
may like to work on those.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
Corporate Trends 163
JILL SWEATMAN
Team Player or Team Slayer?
Beware. Some of the people on your
team may be holding you back.
Ask the tough question — you
may be surprised…
rganisational change can be
executed elegantly and
diligently,
yet
the
momentum may never
seem to get off the ground. Often, this is
due to the action or deliberate inaction,
of one or more select individuals.
Still too many organisations tolerate
and continue to support, an employee
who overtly or covertly undermines
management. This action is fraught with
long standing and severe dangers.
O
Recognising a team slayer
A typical team slayer may exhibit any of
these attributes.
• They will take every opportunity to
speak ill of management both inside and
outside the organisation
• The employee will operate at a
tangent to the agreed and desired
direction of the organisation
• They may take no action, when
clearly it is appropriate to do so. At best,
a telephone on a neighbouring desk is
allowed to ring
• At worst, they may be instrumental
in allowing embargoed information to
be leaked to inappropriate sources who
can use this to compete with or discredit
the organisation or its employees.
They can be found at the hub of every
rumour mill. They may create doubt by
inference about the reputation and
trustworthiness of an organisation or
senior management without just cause.
They may use throw away lines like,
“Well, if you knew the real story” or “I
happen to know better and management
are holding up a front”.
They may lack personal responsibility
by always deferring concerns to
management with no suggestion or
willingness to rectify a situation.
Beware of the ‘carcinogenic employee’.
A carcinogenic employee is someone
164 Corporate Trends
who has mutated to a point where they
are no longer truthful with their
colleagues, managers and in an
advanced form, even themselves. This
is a person who gathers others into their
group by inciting mutations within
them. They must be stopped.
The cure is not always palatable or
timely for management to accept. A
hard line is necessary.
This individual ultimately needs to be
excised from the organisation. To do
this, we need to create an environment
in which the individual can ask the right
questions of themselves and with
guidance, make the decision to leave of
their own volition. This will maintain
the respect and dignity of both parties.
Beware the ‘carcinogenic employee’
who goes into remission. While this
Retaining a team
slayer can have an
immeasurable and
devastating effect on
your bottomline.
style of employee can be counselled
and therefore appear to go into
remission, often so much ill will has
been instigated it can be an anxious
time for the organisation and the
individual. Has their attitude changed or
will they slip back into old habits or
mindsets?
Take no prisoners
Retaining a team slayer can have an
immeasurable and devastating effect on
your bottomline. You must take action.
Make a move and take no prisoners.
An organisation can no longer afford
the luxury of retaining an individual
who is not at one with the purpose and
values of the organisation. You have no
time to lose. Damage has already been
done. Ignore the temptation to retain
this person because of any intelligence
they may hold. Ask yourself a most
important question: How much is it
really costing me to keep this person?
Retain or Release?
First of all, a solicitor familiar with the
laws of unfair dismissal needs to be
consulted to advise on procedures that
will protect the firm.
Apart from any legal advice, I suggest
that the employee be counselled and
given the opportunity to retain their
dignity and respect — while also
appreciating that the organisation must
likewise be given the same courtesy.
The behaviour in question needs to be
identified. The expectations of the
organisation and of the employee must
be clearly stated.
Discuss the strategies around the
expected performance and attitude
before forming agreements to move
forward. If we agree that trust is the core
of
any
worthwhile
personal
relationship, then once trust has gone,
almost all is lost. Often, trust can’t be
regained.
It’s just the same in a business
relationship. Once mistrust enters the
equation, people become conditioned to
look for inconsistencies in a world
layered with anxiety and discomfort.
Team Player or Team Slayer?
Take the question seriously, very
seriously. Your responsibility is to
instigate the action necessary for the
longevity of the organisation and the
ultimate well-being of every individual,
be they team player or team slayer.
Allow the changes to occur with the
impetus that it deserves and support
those who are willing to see the
organisation move into the next chapter
of its life. Have the courage to recognise
those that must go and support them
into arenas that best suit their talents.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
JILL SWEATMAN
Customer or Culture —
What Comes First?
Question:
How many of your employees are
volunteers?
Answer:
ALL of them!
hey volunteer the discretionary
effort in every decision they
make. That means the choice to
perform at a level that will
differentiate one organisation from another.
Therefore, the environment in which an
individual chooses to immerse themselves
needs to engender that understanding.
Products are seldom unique. Or at best,
unique for long. But people are unique.
They can achieve unique results in a culture
that rewards and allows its members to use
their unique talents. We must engage
employees as meaningful contributors, not
just doers, in the main challenges facing the
organisation.
Never underestimate the results and
commitment of an employee who has been
given the chance to demonstrate their
abilities. Fear those who have been stifled
or ridiculed for trying to make a difference
or challenge the way ‘it’s has always been’.
T
Are you ready?
It happens all too often. A company wants
to introduce a customer service program
with high expectations of improving
performance. But is it ready for such a
program? Is it really ready to make the
necessary changes so that the program has
some chance of being implemented?
The organisation may superficially
perceive that their people need to improve
their attitude towards customers. What may
really be required to support the training
endeavour is a culture change aimed at
developing a sustained climate of internal
service.
So why do so many endeavours to instill
a culture of customer focus fail?
They fail because the organisation is
either too frightened or unwilling to address
the wide range of issues requiring
simultaneous attention. They want to
change as little as they can, not as much as
they should.
A service culture does not descend upon
an organisation like a universal cloud. Nor
does it permeate every nook and cranny of
the physical and mental processes of every
employee with a one-off training program
or motivational speech by the Managing
Director at the annual conference, however
well intentioned they may be. Without due
planning and expert advice, any new effort
risks being chewed up or dissipated by the
existing culture.
Practiced cynicism
“Yes, his door is always open — but
he’s never here.”
This results in only one outcome. Practiced
cynicism and learned distrust. The well
voiced undercurrent of, “We tried that
before and it didn’t work”, may be ringing
so loudly in the ears of each person that any
attempt to introduce another training
endeavour or similar project will land on
deafened ears. Sound familiar?
Many executives still want to catch their
breath between projects and try to get all the
ducks flying in order perfectly before
adding another to the formation.
This mentality alone may position a
company to effectively stagnate, regress and
ultimately fail. The world is no longer
ordered, sequential, predictable.
Global pace demands we must layer our
projects while simultaneously monitoring
the ever changing demands of our internal
as well as external customers. By
concurrently focusing on multiple levels,
functions and persons, a total solution to
cultural change stands in stark contrast to a
short term ‘silver bullet’ approach.
A cultural change requires a careful (as
well as caring) examination of the external
climate and the existing internal culture of
the organisation.
Communication Strategies
Communication is vital. Take the time to
establish an internal communication
strategy with as much care as the external
public relations strategy would dictate.
If managers still believe that offering
information on a ‘needs to know’, basis is
appropriate, then let’s think again. If people
are only fed rations of information then
those managers and indeed whole
organisations face the almost imminent peril
of stark failure if service is what they want
to deliver.
We cannot realistically expect our people
to give the very best of themselves, and
therefore service, if they are operating in a
culture of brevity and scarcity of resources
or spirit. If the vacuum syndrome pervades,
people will quickly fill the void with their
own thoughts and voices.
The big picture
Taking the time to give the ‘big picture’ is
one of the most crucial ingredients for
service delivery. Employees must be given
sufficient tools to do their job. Information,
and lots of it, is as important to any
employee as their immediate physical tools
required to do their work.
For true, genuine and natural service to
emanate from each employee, they must be
given the opportunity to understand, and
participate, in the company’s direction. That
way they can begin to develop an
environment where they will choose to be
ambassadors for the company beyond the
physical parameters of the organisation.
Culture has to be the initial consideration
for
superior,
sustained
customer
service delivery.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
Corporate Trends 165
JILL SWEATMAN
Cultural Due Diligence
— the Secret to Success
For a truly successful merger to take place, each company must first
devolve in order to evolve…
The problem:
Four out of every five mergers and
acquisitions fail to achieve their financial or
strategic objectives.
The Solution :
Commit to ‘get it right’, the first time.
And that means the people, not just the
numbers.
The Facts:
• Australia was the world’s 11th biggest
market for merger and acquisition
(M&As) transactions in 1999. That was a
total of A$56.6 billion deals.
• Cross-border transactions in Australia
were amongst the highest in the world.
(The Financial Review Friday 14th April
2000)
• While 80 per cent of M&As fail to
deliver their objectives, M&A activity
continues to increase.
The question:
Can we afford to keep failing and risk not
just the exceptional dollar value cost but
playing with the lives of our employees, the
folks that will make it all work?
Smart companies acknowledge the critical
need to engage a Cultural Due Diligence
expert. They see it as an imperative.
The people are paramount
Managing change during M&As involves
the same principles that apply during any
change activity. It is the people that are
paramount to any change process. The
social capital as well as the financial capital
will determine true success.
To be truly successful, each company
must devolve in order to evolve. This is not
as unpalatable as it may first seem.
If we recognise that we can take some of
the best elements of each party, modify
those and develop them to a mastery level,
we potentially have the very best solution.
If we clutch to what we know, cling to
how we have always done it, and then
possibly consider the notion of a culture
change six months down the track when
every thing is settled – forget success. In
fact, erase the word from the vocabulary of
the organisation.
It must be designed, acknowledged and
implemented in the very early stages to
minimise anxiety, conflict, inefficiencies
and loss of public perception.
Remember, that a personal commitment
to support change is a voluntary act that
management can and must inspire, not
command.
Change takes time.
Successful change takes a little longer.
WHY DO SO MANY MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS FAIL?
Here are some of the major reasons so many change efforts in M&As fail:
• Boards, top management and investors focus solely on financial gain
• Organisations change as little as they must, not as much as they should
• Miss-starts are allowed
• Change is offered as an option within each of the parties
• No change exists in the reward system
• Rewards are not attainable for everyone
• Chairman, CEO or MD are not managerially or academically equipped to
spearhead the change movement
• There is too much similarity in the marketplace without adopting a ‘winning edge’
philosophy.
166 Corporate Trends
Effecting successful change
Let’s get serious about the ‘How’ for a
moment. Here are some ground rules:
1. The ‘Party Room’ must be completely in
order. Strong and confident, ready to lead
the change challenge. The senior
management team must be well briefed and
armed with practical strategies, insight and a
deep understanding of what to expect and
how to deal with the pain and the ecstasy.
Because there will be both.
2. An Internal Communication Strategy
must be choreographed with the same level
of detail as the public relations campaign to
investors and the media. Your people must
be fed and have access to information at all
times. We must establish and maintain open
dialogue with the Board and all Directors so
that decisions can be made with full
knowledge of what is occurring at the finger
tip levels of the business.
3. A Risk Minimisation Strategy will
identify the challenges and tough decisions
that must be addressed in order for the
venture to move with the necessary pace.
Companies that embark upon a restructure,
must seek the creation of a strong, enduring
and far reaching organisational culture.
This culture should:
• Manifest in substantial bottom line
outcomes for all stakeholders.
• Be unified and integrated in purpose and
direction.
• Emanate quality, professionalism and
service excellence commensurate with the
various market positions.
• Be upheld (and indeed modelled), by
every individual in all facets of the
organisation in each decision they make.
• Have a set of values that is lived by, not
merely lived with, by every person within
the organisation.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
JILL SWEATMAN
Cultural Due Diligence
– a window into the “how”
Organisations that are truly
successful in enlisting the lasting
support of their people, are those
that genuinely listen to their staff.
O
ne of the most cost effective
yet powerful means of
engaging every individual in
the cultural change process is
to conduct Service-wide Discussions.
Otherwise known as Focus Groups. While
the concept is not new, what is vital is the
way the session is conducted and the action
management commit to take after the data
has been gathered.
Through these Service-wide Discussions,
we are creating a forum in which the
employee’s voice can be heard. Loud and
clear, with the view to making a difference.
In turn this will create a level of expectation.
That expectation must be honoured through
the commitment of the senior management
team to sponsor appropriate projects or
actions.
If you are not prepared to abide by this
undertaking, read no further. It’s just not
worth the risk.
The action of inaction and disrespect for
your employees time and honesty will yield
an unpleasant cynicism that is as difficult to
remove as mould from blue cheese.
Here’s how to orchestrate a Service-wide
Discussion so that the time invested is
valuable for both the employees and the
organisation.
Rule1:
Employ an external facilitator
The great Cardinal Sin lies in ignoring Rule #1.
“Why go to the trouble,” you might well
say? “Isn’t this just another meeting?”
Absolutely not!
Carefully planned and skilfully executed,
such Service-wide Discussions can add
significantly to the overall staff morale,
customer service and the bottom line.
“But why an external person? Why not
save money and use our own people? They
lead meetings all the time.”
An understandable sentiment. Note that this
is no ordinary meeting and unfortunately, an
internal person will not be optimal, for two
major reasons:
• Politics
Politics impacts on openness and trust.
If your organisation is serious about
bringing cultures together, then a person who
is completely separate from the politics of
the organisation must be engaged. Participants will not be as open or honest if the
facilitator is from management or indeed,
any level of the company. Even if that person
is well liked, they will inherently carry their
own agenda and bring that to the table.
“Researchers have found
that the effect of leaving it to
the supervisors is so strong,
people will go along with the
boss’s opinion, even if it
could lead to loss of life”.
• The Manager-follower effect
When a manager speaks, employees often
stop thinking. Usually, they go along with
the manager’s agenda, even though that
agenda may be harmful.
Researchers have found that the effect of
leaving it to the supervisors is so strong that
people will go along with the “boss’s”
opinion, even if it can lead to loss of life.
Cialdini, a well known researcher,
reported an aviation led experiment in
simulated flying conditions. He noted that in
a majority of cases, the co pilot and navigator
failed to intervene when the pilot
(deliberately) made mistakes that would
have lead to a crash. Therefore, it follows a
company official may unwittingly or
knowingly restrict options by leading the
participants in discussion.
Instead, give the role to a professional
facilitator who is trained in the correct
process, who demonstrates exceptionally
high communication skills and who knows
how to engender the respect of a group,
quickly and with ease.
Such professionals are gifted and not all that
common. Research well the integrity and
credentials of any professional thoroughly
before engaging them. Your investment will
be rewarded immeasurably.
Rule #2: Invite every employee
And I mean every employee. Each person
must be given the opportunity to be engaged
in this process, regardless of rank or role –
driver or dishwasher.
And by invite we mean just that. Send a
letter or memo addressed to the individual
personally. We want them to know that this
is important and set the scene for their
individual commitment to the process.
Managers should be in a group on their
own. Be judicious about the mix of people to
allow the flow of information.
Rule #3: Ask a bold question
(even if it seems dumb). Ask, “If you were in
charge of this organisation, what is the one
thing you would change?” Ask, “Why is it
important and detail how would you change
it”. Stress and insist on the ‘how’ since
responsibility and accountability is critical.
Give time for them to respond in writing.
Often, employees are dissatisfied with
their job because of the little niggling things
that prevent them from doing their very best
each day. Remember, it’s often the small
stuff that really counts.
Rule #4: Act on the Outcomes
The Service-wide Discussions are an
intervention. And interventions have
repercussions. Act on the results and the
event holds credibility. Ignore the results and
practised cynicism will become the culture,
quicker than a teenager can devour a pizza.
Use the commitment of senior
management to undertake a project that will
yield a short term visible result. That way,
the troops feel like their time was
worthwhile.
In the creation of a new culture, trust and
loyalty are paramount. Loyalty is the result
of a series of past positive experiences that
build trust in an individual. If that chain of
experiences contains some broken links, the
employee won’t wear it or the new culture.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
Corporate Trends 167
JILL SWEATMAN
Lessons for a Successful Merger or Acquisition
…and some good stuff for all businesses…
There are some important lessons that companies who wish to improve
their profits or simply stay in business, cannot afford to ignore. Especially if
they are involved in a merger or acquisition. These lessons were brought
sharply into focus recently while I was preparing a company for its float…
he organisation had plans to
expand rapidly, by buying
related Australian and foreign
owned
companies.
Ten
companies in total, combined to create cross
selling and other strategic benefits.
To be able to fund the preparations for the
float, they needed to raise venture capital.
People who supply such funds are fondly
called ‘business angels’. They fly in not
only with money but loads of experience
and sometimes can mentor the company in
which they invest. We were therefore
delighted to see that these company doctors
loved the concept and were impressed with
the other plans. We were however, puzzled
that the dollars stayed in the pockets of these
angels, covered securely by their tightly
folded wings.
A little research revealed the reason – the
investors were scared that the ten companies
would all pull in opposite directions. In
other words, that the cultures would clash.
Would they, in reality, be willing and able
to work together and use the powerful
internal synergies, as well as cross-sell
within the group? Our celestial friends were
unwilling to part with any capital until they
were satisfied that cooperation would be the
name of the game.
To support this objective, I was contracted
as their corporate culture engineer. Here are
some of my recommendations, which I
believe are useful to all companies to get
people to pull together.
T
1. Plan an internal
communications strategy
Many different forms of communication are
needed to promote the new order within the
group. For example, newsletters, videos,
breakfast discussions, seminars. To rely on
only one or two forms, risks not having all
people on board or them not getting the
message in a way that is meaningful to
them. And, when you think you’ve communicated enough, communicate some more.
168 Corporate Trends
2. Protect your change agents
There are always a few people in any
organisation who are leaders and who work
to make the changes. Their position is often
a seemingly thankless one: people are quick
to be critical and resistance to the message
can be strong. Some may even think that
these change agents betray what made the
company great in the past. It is not always
that the critics want to be difficult, its just
that the mind and the heart engage at
different rates.
“This item here is accountability. Ralph,
that’s where you come in.”
Sure, we can rationalise the change, but the
change means doing different things and
therefore we have to actively think
differently.
The change agents must be given full
support by senior management, who
themselves may be struggling with the
memories of the past. It takes time to create
a compelling vision and have it digested by
a critical mass.
3. Encourage conflict!
As bold as it sounds, please read on… Being
cooperative and participative do not in
themselves guarantee a productive
workplace. There is a saying, “If two people
agree in a meeting, one of them is
redundant.” Think about that. Maybe
‘conflict’ is a strong word for what I suggest
– it is in fact the opposite of ‘group-think’
and ‘yes’ men and women. What I suggest
is the open critical evaluation of a project by
each individual concerned and the
discussion of those varying views.
The high cost of failure
Failure to understand and escalate ‘conflict’
in appropriate ways, recently cost one
organisation seven lives and hundreds of
millions of dollars.
The organisation? NASA. They got it
wrong – very wrong, when on the morning
of 8th January 1986, the spaceshuttle
‘Challenger’ exploded 72 seconds into its
flight. Under inflated expectations from the
public and the NASA teams themselves, the
focus was on the social identity of NASA,
rather than the energy being placed on
making the critical evaluations necessary
for high quality decisions.
Allow stimulation conflict
Organisations must be aware of the
pressures that come into force when
significant decisions need to be made.
Allow your people the license and the
latitude to experience a degree of
stimulating conflict. The kind of conflict
that promotes a sense of urgency, the
necessity to look for alternative ways of
behaving and thinking. Healthy conflict in
other words. This will help people move
away from only thinking about product and
move towards different ways of working.
Regardless of how long a company has
been in business, it should look to think
constantly about questioning itself in order
to be the very best it can be. Hugh McKay,
said recently, “The answer closes the
question. Stay with the question.”
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
JILL SWEATMAN
Start by Changing Your Thinking…
Somebody once said, “You can’t
make a good omelette without first
breaking a few eggs.” How true…
C
onstructive damage to the status
quo is essential if we want our
merger, acquisition, restructure,
or even our innovation or
customer service drive to take hold.
We can’t afford to play at the margins.
Your business becomes the change
program. Change is not a part-time activity,
in the hope of achieving critical mass.
If the troops argue, “I can’t do the change
program and my day job,” reply with, “OK,
then do the change program.”
People are more motivated to change
habits and ways of thinking, when in a
murky state of flux, rather than in a pool of
calm.
Here’s how to capitalise on creating
the right team by using the right new
recruits.
Keep the People Mix
Moving
Companies in stasis, tend to have static
employee populations. That is to say,
people move up in predictable lines,
team composition remains the same or
at best, people of a similar background
or training join the team. Recruitment
is marked by either conscious or
unconscious clones of the current
managers or employees. It is
understandable that we choose teams
with potential for minimal conflict.
Yet this alone can herald our
downfall.
For transformation to occur, we
need to change the composition of the
senior management team. This is essential.
And even more important if the top team
has been working together for a long period,
because they will likely think and act in
similar ways over time. These people, while
well intentioned, can be the unhealthy
keepers of old orthodoxies. Innovation and
movement will always be limited, while
ever this situation exists.
A range of solutions
Perhaps you have heard the axiom, “If two
people in a meeting agree, one of them is
redundant.” Think about that. The
companies that are offering strong thinking
in terms of results are those that encourage a
range of solutions for their external or
internal customer, not just one.
Welcome the Outsiders!
Wave the flags and welcome the ‘outsiders’.
If you are serious about change, bring in
new executives from outside the industry to
quicken the transformation process.
Market analysts will express concern
about the industry knowledge of the
incoming chief executives. What the astute
ones realise, from research and experience,
is that often it can be a distinct disadvantage
for the new CEO to hale from the same
industry.
Customers vs. technology
Lou Gerstner was himself an outsider when
he took over the ailing IBM. Paul Taffinder
(1998) cites Gerstner’s interview with
“Pardon the mess, we’re restructuring…”
Fortune magazine, as saying, “I start every
day with customers but this is an industry
that starts every day with technology. It is
driven by its technical accomplishments,
which are enormous. But what happens in
the marketplace is driven by customers. The
Internet has been around for over 25 years.
What made it suddenly emerge?
“Well, the real issue is that customers are
changing the way they’re thinking about
information technology.”
Encouragement of new blood coursing
through the veins of the boardroom, fleshy
ideas attaching themselves to the current
skeleton of the organisation will yield
healthy outcomes. Have the strength of
corporate character to stretch beyond the
known. This faith should be founded on the
ability of the new bloods to utilise
knowledge and processes rather than rely
merely on product and industry knowledge.
Picking the right outsiders
New people who are good, look for ways to
be successful by utilising the clever
application of their broad knowledge –
rather than applying a potentially narrow
range solutions because they have been
indoctrinated by experience in a sole
industry. Employ people who can
triangulate their thinking and work with
tangental concepts – not people who just
make linear progressions based on limited
models.
You want a leader who queries cliched
industry wisdom with the cynicism of
a cautious parent, yet the openness of
a young child. A leader who does not
allow things to go unqualified or
unquestioned.
The Sydney Morning Herald (Sat
7th July 2001) in Elizabeth Sexton’s
story, ‘Society of Friends’ in referring
to James Packer’s involvement with
One.Tel, spoke of the dismissal of the
previous CEO and his replacement,
who is more like minded to Packer
himself. A fund manager asked, “So
do you now get the same level of due
process and rigour and independent
thinking when new opportunities
come up?”
The market is conscious of healthy
debate and challenge within the
hallowed halls of big business. True
commercial leverage can be gained by
valuing the professionals who focus on
ways of working and thinking, not just on
product.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au8
Corporate Trends 169
JILL SWEATMAN
Cultural Due Diligence:
People Are The Key To Success…
Before the ink dries on the agreement is the best time to start planning
your cultural integration for a successful merger or acquisition.
ccording
to
Thomson
Financial Services, M&A
activity in Australia for the
first half of the calendar year
2001 totalled $48.5 billion. However,
global research shows that four out of five
M&As fail to meet their objectives and in
the US, two out of three are likely to be sold
within five years (as reported by Kate
Marshall in her article “Most M&As End
Up losing the Plot”, Australian Financial
Review 22 August 2001). These statistics
are even more pertinent in Australia since
globalisation has made our companies most
attractive for foreign takeovers.
So why do such costly activities
keep occurring?
Cultural integration is the major factor.
Lack of understanding and effort to involve
all parties is the primary cause of failure
in most M&As. Therefore, cultural due
diligence is even more important than the
legal and accounting due diligence
processes which are normally so
rigidly undertaken.
Why? Because the most critical element
for success is overlooked, the design of the
new culture. There has to be one, if any
degree of success is to be contemplated.
And that means change for both parties.
There is no other way.
People support that which they help to
create. Therefore, every person within the
two companies involved must be engaged
in the culture design.
A
What is cultural due diligence?
It is the prior assessment of the strengths
and limitations of the cultures of the two
merging entities so that the integration plan
can represent their combined essence. The
plan needs to incorporate and maximise
those strengths to meld with the new
culture. This is a process that must be
skillfully managed. It is not a document
designed in the boardroom.
We need to remind ourselves that what is
a strength, can also be a limitation, in either
environment. How we integrate those
within the new landscape, with the
170 Corporate Trends
involvement of as many people within both
organisations as possible, will ultimately be
the mark of our success.
Capital or Reputation?
Which is our most important asset in
changing or difficult circumstances? In
times of crisis, reputation is our most
important asset.
This process of cultural due diligence
also begins the establishment of reputation
and trust within the new order of the
“A year’s absolute
growth in 1800, is
the same as a day’s
growth in 2000”
Oliver Sparrow
The Chatham House report.
combined organisations. Begin the
establishment of your company reputation
with the people who matter most – your
employees. On Day One of the merge, every
person should be regarded as a ‘Reputation
Manager’ for the business. Ensure that they
have the right communication and
information to be just that.
The right advice.
True success can be designed into the
processes of the planning phase. The
traditional method of employing a
consultant in an ailing situation is not
profitable and will not yield the best result.
History has proven that prevention is still
better than cure. Seek the right corporate
cultural advice prior to the ink drying on
any M&A contract. Select a consultant with
a well proven record of success in this
arena. It is not for the ruthless or faint
hearted and requires extraordinary
sensitivity and diplomacy.
There is only one chance to get it right. If
it fails, any change effort in the future will
be met with practised cynicism.
The process can be likened to a heart
transplant. The planning has to be
meticulous with experts ready to perform
when the donor organ arrives. Time is of the
essence. The surgeons need to operate
quickly with delft hands and a skilled team
to join one critical part with the other – the
new heart with the new body. The surgical
team must stem the bleeding and control all
aspects of the whole body to counter any
rejection. All parts need to begin working
together immediately if the transplant is to
be successful. The initial period is crucial. A
rejection, either now or in time, is fatal. No
half measures can be part of the equation.
It’s the same with M&As.
The ability to forget
One of the greatest barriers to success is not
always the ability to create but the ability to
forget. Forget what once worked in the
previous landscape. Forget the dynamics
that once existed with colleagues who are no
longer present. We need to graciously
encourage the removal of rear vision mirrors
that impede the view forward.
A successful M&A inherently holds the
ability to do different stuff and to rework
and enhance what is already going well. A
linear progression or extrapolation from
past trends may now not be appropriate.
Speed is also of the essence. A year’s
absolute growth in 1800, is the same as a
day’s growth in 2000, according to
research by Oliver Sparrow in the Chatham
House report.
We can’t pretend to be responsive and
adapt to sudden changes with old paradigms
and mental constraints. In the world of the
fast-paced, success and failure can turn on
marginal differences in competence. How
our people choose to use their intelligence
and discretionary effort to meet the speed of
competitor action and reaction will
determine our versatility and flexibility.
JILL SWEATMAN
Executive teams that understand the
market and industry fracture lines driving
change, have a distinct advantage over
those companies that only follow the rules
made by others. These pioneering
companies are not shackled by the way
things have always been or must be done.
Companies that are willing to do the
unexpected and even the unpredictable, will
be in a better position to succeed. The
transformation of an organisation depends
on this psychological shift. Imagination can
create the future.
So, how do we get faster and more
creative at the same time?
Apply the ‘1% Factor’
Don’t try to do one or several things 100
per cent better each time. Apply the
principle that you will do a whole bunch of
things just one per cent better. Do that
consistently, every day and watch the
cumulative effect impact on the bottom
line. Adopt and promote that as a way of
life for your work practice.
Prepare for Emotional First Aid. Know
and anticipate the heightened emotions that
will inevitably sweat from the pores of your
people. The stages closely follow the grief
process first studied by Elizabeth Kubler
Ross. People initially feel shock, then
denial, anger and blame.
Address employee’s fears
People want to know why you think they
can make it through the change and
secondly, how management is going to help
them. It is imperative that this is clearly
articulated in the early stages.
Appoint Change Leaders – dim the lights
and raise the curtain. Then go behind the
scenes and let your people take the stage.
A good leader in change is prepared
to work with the evolving process and
accept that the ultimate outcome of the
transformation could indeed be far better
than what was originally designed in the
script – given the chance.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, compares this
style of leadership to improvisational
theatre: you make the best judgement you
can in the moment and remain prepared to
adjust to whatever new condition arises.
Leadership does not solely need to be led
from the top. On the contrary, sustained
change and many successes stem from small
change efforts originated at the middle or
bottom of a company.
Henry Mintzberg, professor at McGill
University of Montreal (2001) contests the
notion of change as only effective from the
top. He declares it a fallacy, driven by ego
and the cult of heroic management. He
advocates, “The brilliance of knowing
when to lay off.” Keep a firm focus on the
horizon, know what is not to be
compromised and allow the sensitively
gloved hand to manage loosely.
Just like the riverboat captain who steers
his boat from one bend to another, one
must rely on point to point navigation. Our
climate today is to closely monitor pulses
at every moment and to make those
constant refinements. Encourage your
people to challenge conventional wisdom
and ask impressive questions. Keep them
informed and enlist their support.
This process will reward you well with a
realistic expectation of success.
Jill Sweatman is an author, professional speaker
and consultant in the field of corporate culture
design and communication strategies that impact
on bottom line profits. For availability to address
business conferences, contact:
Tel: (02) 9713 8599
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.corporatechange.com.au
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Corporate Trends 171
Peter Thorpe
Consults to businesses both large and
small on their marketing, Internet
marketing and strategic planning.
MARKETING, BUSINESS STRATEGY & THE INTERNET
Peter Thorpe started his career in sales at the age of eighteen. By the time he was thirty, he had become the
General Manager of Sharp Corporation of Australia. He left Sharp in 1975 to start his own business and
since then, he has been an importer, a retailer and has operated his own service company.
In 1988, with no previous experience in publishing, he decided to start his own magazine. Called Australian
Small Business Review it was based largely on his own personal experience of starting and running
businesses. It was an outstanding success and he was eventually bought out by a large publishing house.
His book Small Business Street Smarts, has now sold over 18,000 copies and his audio and video tape
programs on marketing and business skills have been translated into four languages and are widely used by
educational institutions throughout Australia.
Today, he is a professional speaker and business adviser and he lists some of Australia's top organisations
as his clients. They include: BHP, Coca Cola, Jetset, News Ltd, Commonwealth Bank, Carlton United
Breweries, CSR, Yellow Pages Australia, John Fairfax, National Mutual, Optus, Cookie Man,
CNH (New Holland), Institute of Strata Title Management and many more.
PETER THORPE
Beware of the Fifth ‘P’
You can’t enter the next millennium
using the same marketing strategies
you are using now…
he first thing they teach you
in marketing courses is the
importance of the four ‘Ps’.
They are the:
Product (or service, you sell)
Price (what you sell it for)
Place (where you sell it from)
Promotion (how you promote it)
T
•
•
•
•
The four Ps have been around for a long
time and they are just as important today
as ever. However, there have been some
dramatic changes to the way they
impact on business. Let’s take a look:
The product ‘P’
Most people over emphasise the
importance of product quality.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying
you don’t have to have good products.
I’m simply saying that in today’s
competitive
environment,
good
products and good service are merely
the entry price into the marketplace. If
you don’t have them, you won’t be in
business for too long. Simple as that!
And, while it definitely helps to have
great products, be warned—the
marketing history books are full of
companies that had superior products
but failed to gain market dominance.
Take the Sony Betamax VCR, for
instance (RIP) or in more recent times,
there’s the Macintosh computer.
The Macintosh did virtually everything that Windows 95 did back in 1987.
They had the product eight years ahead
of Bill Gates, yet they now have less
than five per cent of the world market.
Why?
Because Bill Gates is a better
marketer. And good marketing is all
about selling the sizzle not the sausage!
The price ‘P’
It used to be that you traded off price
against convenience and service. But
with people’s ability to buy direct and
eliminate the middle man, it is
becoming increasingly difficult to
compete on price alone.
‘Disintermediation’ is the new buzz
word for the year 2000.
What does it mean?
Simply this—if you market goods or
services that you don’t create yourself,
you are an intermediary between the
end user and the supplier. If the supplier
can eliminate your services and sell
direct (for instance via the internet) they
don’t need you anymore.
Welcome to disintermediation!
‘Disintermediation’
is the new
buzz word for
the year 2000.
Sound a bit futuristic?
Well, it’s already happening all
around you. In businesses such as
travel, computers, insurance and even
motor cars. Is your business next?
The place ‘P’
This ‘P’ is changing more dramatically
than any of the others. With the
introduction of the internet, mobile
phones, laptop computers, satellites,
etc., the place where you do business is
becoming increasingly irrelevant.
The other day I rang what I thought
was a local telephone number to get
some technical support on a computer
program. I got chatting to the person on
the other end of the phone and it turned
out she was sitting at home in Chicago
and her local time was 3AM! The
company has found it is cheaper to pay
the ISD phone charges than it is to
recruit, train and house people
in offshore countries. Only a few
years ago this would have been
totally impractical.
How long since you did a review on
your place of business?
The promotion ‘P’
Promotion has always been the hardest
‘P’ of all to get right.
Lord Leverhulme, the head of Lever
and Kitchen the soap powder company,
best summed it up when he said, “Half
of all the money I spend on advertising
is wasted but I don’t know which half!”
Today, he would be considered an
optimist. Most companies would be
delighted if half of their advertising
worked or even a quarter of it!
It has been estimated that as much as
95 per cent of all the money spent on
advertising is wasted. And, little
wonder.
The average person is now subjected
to over 2,000 advertising messages a
day. It comes in the form of radio ads,
TV, newspapers, bill boards, bus sides
and even the backs of toilet doors!
Add to this the Internet and other
distractions that are pulling people away
from the mainstream media in droves
and you can see the dilemma marketers
face in the new millennium.
How do you get your message across?
The fifth P
This is where the fifth ‘P’ comes in:
your Point of Difference.
What is it that sets your business apart
from the rest? What do you do that is
unique or different to your competitors?
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to
find one. And, as soon as you do, your
competitors will be saying, “Me too!”
We are facing a product
differentiation crisis. And with
globalisation, the Internet and increased
competition, we need to find our unique
Point of Difference now, more than ever
before.
What’s yours?
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 173
PETER THORPE
What Price Loyalty?
Most companies spend a fortune trying to win new clients and
virtually ignore their greatest profit centre…
ccording to one of the
world’s leading strategic
consulting firms, Bain &
Co., most corporation now
lose half their customer base in less than
five years. They also found that
companies that could halve that attrition
rate, in most cases, actually doubled
their bottom line profits!
The much used adage that it costs five
times more to get a new customer than
is does to retain an existing one, is truer
today than it has ever been.
A
What’s natural attrition?
Most companies today, seem to accept
as normal, a so called ‘natural attrition
rate’ of around ten per cent, per annum.
This means ten per cent of their
customers go away every year and do
business with somebody else.
But why? And, what’s natural about it?
It is a proven fact, most people prefer
to build long term relationships and do
business with someone they know and
trust. So, there is nothing ‘natural’
about attrition. It’s really quite
unnatural!
Of course, hardly any company can
expect to have a zero customer attrition
rate and most will always need to find
new clients. So, what is a reasonable,
acceptable rate of customer attrition?
The answer is still nil.
You will probably never achieve it but
you should always be working towards
never losing a single customer.
Certainly, not through any fault of your
own or any action that could be avoided.
If you ask most companies why their
customers leave, they will tell you it’s
because they got a better offer
elsewhere. Often they attribute it to
price cutting in a competitive market.
In my experience, working as a business
adviser to hundreds of companies over
many years, this rarely stands up to
174 Corporate Trends
scrutiny. Research usually reveals their
clients left for one of two reasons:
• They had a problem and it wasn’t
resolved satisfactorily
• Perceived indifference on the part
of the supplier
In other words, they felt that the
supplier didn’t care about them or their
welfare and was only concerned with
their own. (By the way, in the majority
of cases they are absolutely right!)
Building relationships
Of course, price cutting is a problem in
most industries today and it’s not
always an easy one to overcome.
However, price becomes less of a
problem if you have established a
strong relationship of trust and
confidence with a client. Most buyers
won’t change from a reliable supplier
they like and trust, unless the price
difference is quite substatntial.
And, if customers do have a problem
and that problem is resolved quickly
and to their satisfaction, they are twice
as likely to remain loyal to that supplier
as customers who never have a problem
in the first place!
In fact, there is one well documented
case of a company in the US who
actually deliberately created bogus
problems for their customers so they
could resolve them and strengthen
customer loyalty! I think this is a bit
drastic however, it does serve to
illustrate an important point.
So, what should we do to build
customer loyalty and form long term
relationships with our customers?
The best way is to add value and give
your customers benefits and service
beyond their expectations. It is also vital
to maintain regular, systematic contact
with your clients.
Start by practising four-site
I believe your customers need to sight
your name at least four times a year—
whether they have a need for your
products or services or not. Otherwise,
they simply forget about you.
You can do this in a number of ways.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Create a regular newsletter. Not just
a brochure for your company but a
worthwhile document filled with
news, information and ideas. (If you
don’t have the expertise in-house to do
this well, call me and I’ll help you).
• Instigate a system of regular
telephone calls from your staff. Offer
specials or announce new products or
services
• Hold regular product nights, plant
tours or breakfast seminars with
interesting guest speakers
• Send your clients birthday cards (for
good clients, why not send a cake?)
• Make special premium offers to
your VIP customers
• Consider creating a formal loyalty
program for frequent buyers
• Start an e-zine (email newsletter)
• Write letters to your good customers
thanking them for their business
All of the above involves some cost and
a fair amount of effort. However, I’ll bet
it’s nowhere near as much cost or effort
as you put into trying to develop new
business.
So, let me ask you again—what price
does your company put on loyalty?
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
PETER THORPE
Sex and the Internet…
Using the word “sex” in my headline was a grubby way to get your
attention, wasn’t it? But it is relevant to what I have to say…
ccording to my mate, Ian
Kennedy (the Godfather of
direct marketing here), the
Internet in Australia is a bit
like teenage sex: Everybody’s talking
about it but very few people are actually
doing it. And, those who are doing it, are
not doing it very well!
It’s a great analogy and it gives us an
excellent insight into where we are at in
Australia with this revolutionary new
weapon for business. (And, yes, used
correctly, it can be a weapon not just an
expensive toy). The problem is, most
people here don’t know how to use it
properly to get the best results.
Unlike the USA, the Net in Australia
is still very much in its infancy. This
becomes very apparent if we look at the
number of domain names registered.
The latest statistics reveal there are
around three million domain names
registered worldwide, broken up
roughly as follows:
True, Australia is catching up very
rapidly and we do tend to be early
adaptors of new technology. Perhaps we
really are the clever country?
But, like it or not, sex has again played
a major role here. Talk to any ISP
A
USA 2,300,000
The UK 75,000
Germany 75,000
Australia 20,000
Canada
France
Sweden
the rest
200,000
65,000
35,000
230,000
(Internet Service Provider) and, if they
are totally honest with you, they will
admit the availability of adult material
on the Internet has played a major role
in the quick uptake of home usage here.
Which is why so many of them were up
in arms when the Government wanted
to regulate content on the Internet.
Maybe we’re not so much the clever
country as the sexy country!
Anyway, leaving sex out of it for a
moment — Internet usage in Australia is
finally taking off in a big way both
domestically and in business. And, it’s
not likely to go away.
Which begs the question: Can your
business use the Net to increase sales,
lower costs and improve your service?
The answer is a resounding — YES,
providing you follow some basic
ground rules. I’ll come to those in a
moment but first, let’s have a look at
HOW your business might go about
using the Internet to its best advantage.
As an electronic brochure
This is often down played however, it is
still one of the Net’s most practical uses
— done correctly. When customers visit
your website to get information, they
get it in full colour and in as much detail
as you care to provide. Not only that, it
can include a fully inter-active
presentation of your products or
services, a virtual plant tour, full sound
and video, photographs with detailed
technical specifications, testimonials,
comparisons to competitive products,
articles, links to other resources, etc.
What’s more, it’s available instantly,
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(Highly important in our increasingly
global economy). And, it will cost only
a fraction of the price of printed
literature plus you can update it
whenever you like, so it’s always
current and topical.
Not bad for starters…but wait, there’s
more…! (Thanks, Tim).
Your customers can check prices,
quantities, availabilities, get answers to
frequently asked questions and even
place orders — all while you are asleep.
Making it work
That’s great but how do you get people
to come to your site in the first place?
This is the part where most companies
fall down. They spend hundreds of
thousands of dollars on design to make
their site look really swish. Then, they
wait for the people. It’s a classic case of
the, “Build it and they will come”,
approach adopted by the early churches.
Well, it may have worked for them but
it definitely doesn’t work for websites.
The reality is, most corporate websites
are over-engineered (eg: require special
plug-ins or browsers to view them), are
painfully slow to download and navigate
and worst of all — down right boring!
The result is, many large Australian
corporations have spent mega-bucks on
developing their websites and are now
left wondering why? They get very few
visitors and do very little serious
business online. Their R.O.I (return on
investment) is down the toilet.
So, how can you do it better?
For your website to be effective, it has
to be: quick to download, easy to
navigate, user friendly, interesting,
informative and dynamic (the content
needs to change regularly). It also has to
have a good reason for visitors to stay
around (stickiness) and return often. It
would also be great if it attracted
attention and got people talking about it.
You also have to know how to promote
it the right way, both on and off line.
I guess it’s a lot like sex, really!
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 175
PETER THORPE
The ‘Price’ of Success
For some people, dropping prices is
the only way they know to combat
competition. But there is a better
way—add value!
ast year, I was booked to give
the keynote address at the
annual conference of the
Cinema Owners Association
of Australia’s (the COAA), a group of
smaller, independent cinema owners.
My topic was ‘marketing’ and in the
preliminary briefing, I was told that their
main problem (collectively), was price
competition. To quote the words of
Gomer Pile, surprise, surprise!
It’s a funny thing but these days,
wherever I go, whether I’m speaking or
consulting, the main marketing problem
always seems to be price competition.
“You have to understand, Peter”, they
tell me, “It’s different in the: tyre, travel,
electrical, computer, building products,
publishing, plumbing, engineering,
strata management, funeral service,
(etc.) business. You see, in our business,
people mainly buy on price!”
More on that later but meanwhile,
back to the COAA assignment.
L
A little market research
My knowledge of the movie business is
largely limited to my infrequent visits to
my local cinema so, as usual, I decided
to undertake some market research. My
findings greatly surprised me.
Firstly, let me ask you a question:
How often do you think the average
Australian man, woman or child goes to
the movies each year?
The answer is about 3.9 times.
That may or may not surprise you but
let me ask you a further question:
How often do you think people went to
the movies in the 1930s, when movies
were the main form of entertainment?
Before you answer, bear in mind that
back then, there was no television, no
videos, cable TV, computer games,
Internet and no registered clubs. So, the
answer will probably surprise you, as
176 Corporate Trends
much as it surprised me:
Answer: About the same!
Yes, believe it or not, people in
Australia today, go to the movies about
the same number of times a year, as
they did back in the 1930s. In fact, the
attendance figures have varied only
slightly over the last 60 years. Amazing!
In spite of all the fantastic electronic
gadgetry and gizmos man has invented
during that time, the good old ‘flicks’
have well and truly held their own.
Of course, the way the product is
delivered has changed somewhat.
These days, the local cinema has all but
disappeared in many suburban and
country town locations. It has been
replaced by the ‘entertainment
complex’, — multiple screen theatres
combined with video games, etc.
So, what has happened to the local
cinema operator and what does the
future hold for them? Well, surprise,
surprise once again. While many of
them have gone out of business, some
of them are doing extremely well.
Take for instance, Harry Waghorn,
who is the owner of the Gala cinema in
Wollongong, NSW (he’s also the
President of the COAA). Harry had
been happily operating his theatre for
over 17 years when suddenly, his worst
nightmare came true. He learned that
Hoyts had made an application to open
a six screen cinema complex right
opposite the Gala. Looked like Harry’s
business was deader than the legendary
screen idol, Rudolph Valentino!
But guess what?
Not only did Harry’s business survive,
it thrived! In the 10 years since the
Hoyts complex opened, the Gala has
increased both turnover and profits
every single year. (Harry doesn’t want
me to tell you by how much but it’s
substantial!)
How can that be?
Well, for starters, Hoyts spent a lot of
money Harry couldn’t normally afford,
promoting movies. This has resulted in
people in the area generally going to the
movies more often.
But that’s not the only reason. Harry is
also a smart marketer and he has been
continually able to beat the big boys at
their own game by adding value.
Space here doesn’t permit me to tell
you all of the ways he has done this but
let me give you one major example:
At a time when most small business
owners would have been reaching for
the rusty razor blades, Harry went out
and bravely spent $100,000 on a
complete refurbishment and a new
Dolby sound system for his theatre.
Now, with its huge screen and
‘surround sound’, going to the Gala is
no longer just a trip to the movies, it’s a
total ‘entertainment experience’.
Titanic battle
When the movie ‘Titanic’ was released,
it wasn’t available to Harry until 18
weeks after the Hoyts complex had
shown it (another challenge he faces!).
But Harry says many of the locals were
happy to wait the 18 weeks and
‘experience’ it at the Gala, rather than
just ‘see’ it at Hoyts.
He also does partnership marketing
deals by offering packages with local
restaurants, shopper docket specials and
much more. Harry Waghorn’s Gala
Cinema is a living testament to the fact
that you can overcome the toughest
competition by adding value, not just by
simply cutting prices.
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
PETER THORPE
Have you seen our
Company’s Website?
It’s not enough to simply have a
‘presence’ on the Internet, you need
a valid reason for being there…
T
he next time someone asks
you to look at their website,
ask them a poignant
question:
“Why?” Chances are they’ll be
stumped for an answer.
You’ve probably been involved in a
conversation lately where someone has
blurted out excitedly, “Have you seen
our company’s website? You must have
a look, it’s www.blahblah.com.au…”
Sound familiar?
The Internet is a hot topic and
everybody is ‘doing it’. Seems you have
to be on the Net or you’ll get left behind.
But surprisingly few companies put
much thought into why they should be
there and more importantly, why
anybody would want to visit their
website after it has been created.
Build it and they will come
This doctrine may have worked well for
the early Christian churches but with
over 80 million websites out there, why
should anyone visit yours?
It’s a fair question and it’s not always
easy to come up with a valid answer. It
requires a good deal of planning and
some meaningful research.
A good way to start this process is by
asking your customers what they want.
What sort of information could you
make available to them on the internet,
that you wouldn’t give them normally?
What value-added benefits could they
gain from visiting your website?
It’s a question I asked myself recently,
while working with a client who is in
strata management. Like most
businesses today, they thought they
needed to be on the Internet and they
asked me to build them a website. It
would have been a fairly simple process
for me to create a typical online
brochure; saying what wonderful people
they were and how they were the best
strata managing agents in the business.
We could have gone on to wax
hysterically about how they were
cheaper, better and provided a service
that was second to none, etc., etc.
Then, we could have all sat around
Meet Strataman — you can visit his
website at: www.strataman.com.au
waiting for the people to come. You can
probably guess what the outcome of that
exercise would have been.
A reason for being
I believe a website has to have a reason
for being. It needs to be justified in
terms of cost and return on investment.
It also needs to be integrated with the
company’s overall marketing strategy,
and goals and objectives. Ideally, it
should also generate more business
and/or save the company money.
In other words, it should be a
powerful tool for the business and an
asset, not a status symbol or a liability.
With these objectives in mind, I set
about trying to create an effective
website for my strata client.
Our research revealed that most
people involved in strata, don’t have a
very high level of understanding of
strata matters. (Not surprising, given the
vast amount of laws and by laws they
have churned out in the last few years).
Providing the information wasn’t a
problem (my client is an expert in their
field) but it had to be done in a language
laypeople could understand.
Furthermore, as laws and by laws can
be a pretty dry topic (and frankly, downright boring), we decided we also
needed to introduce an element of fun,
to generally lighten it up a bit.
Ultimately, I elected to build them two
websites: One that offered information
on every aspect of strata for free and one
for the client’s services. The idea being
to generate lots of visitors to the free
information site and then gently guide
them to the client’s site by offering
further assistance where needed.
Introducing Strataman
For the information site, we came up
with a cartoon hero called Strataman
(www.strataman.com.au). He zooms
around the site offering information on
every aspect of strata and visitor’s can
even email him questions or subscribe
to his regular electronic newsletter.
We are now offering a valuable free
service which provides people with a
good reason to visit the website.
There’s a lot more to the total
campaign than space here permits but
I’m sure you get the general idea.
Will it achieve its long term goals and
objectives for the client?
It’s too early to tell. However, I’m sure
it will be much more effective than
going around saying, “Have you seen
our company’s website?”
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 177
PETER THORPE
The Importance of the Three ‘R’s…
What employees want from their
job is in stark contrast to what
their managers think they want…
A
round ten years ago, when I
first started speaking and
training, I was asked to
address a group of managers
in the travel industry about staff relations.
According to the brief, staff turnover was
exceedingly high, especially in the area of
experienced travel consultants. Good
operators were as scarce as hen’s teeth and
poaching (stealing someone else’s trained
consultants) was rife. The emphasis, they
said, had to be on retaining existing staff
members. (Nothing has changed, Retaining
has always been cheaper than retraining).
I called my address: ‘The Importance of
the Three Rs’. No, not Reading, ’Riting and
’Rithmatic but the three most important
factors affecting staff loyalty:
• Recognition
• Respect and;
• Reward
And yes, definitely — in that order!
Recognition
Recognition is without doubt, the most
important of the three Rs. More than
anything else, when people perform a job
well, they like to be told about it. Nothing
deflates a staff member more than putting
their heart and soul into a job and not being
given full credit for it.
Respect
The next most important requirement for
staff loyalty and retention is respect. People
like to be treated with common courtesy and
dignity, not talked down to. They also need
to feel they are part of the team and that their
contribution is important and valued. They
need to feel they are involved, not just
another number on the payroll.
Only after these basic needs are fulfiled,
do staff members turn to the issue of reward
— how much you are paying them.
Most managers agreed these were the
main areas that needed to be addressed
however, very few agreed with the order of
importance. In spite of the fact that I had
strong evidence to back up my claims,
(in the form of the latest research at the
time), my assertions were generally greeted
178 Corporate Trends
with strong disbelief and a heated debate
followed. (Which is probably why I
remember it so vividly).
The majority of the managers insisted that
their staff members were motivated
primarily by monetary factors and while
some thought had to be given to the other
matters, these were relatively minor.
In the end, I couldn’t convince them
otherwise so we agreed to disagree.
The latest research
So, I was not too surprised when I picked up
my newspaper the other day and read the
most recent research on the topic from
leading recruitment firm, Morgan & Banks.
Their survey covered approximately 2,000
people from a broad cross section of
Australian industries and guess what?
When employees were asked to place in
order of importance, what they wanted most
from their job – full appreciation for work
done, came in at number one, closely
followed by – feeling in on things (#2).
Good wages came in at number 5, behind
– sympathetic understanding of personal
problems (#3) and – job security (#4).
Interestingly, when asked what they
thought employees wanted from their job,
most managers rated salaries as the number
one concern. In fact, research has shown that
in surveys around the world over the past 50
years, little has changed in this regard. In
short, it seems managers just don’t get it.
A current international report from the Sloan
Business School’s Management Review,
has shown that when questioned as to what
gave them the most meaning and purpose in
their jobs, interviewees rated, ‘opportunity
to express their full potential’ and ‘being
associated with an ethical organisation’ as
the main factors.
Communication breakdown
So, why do managers continue to get it
wrong? According to John Banks, Director
of Morgan & Banks, these findings indicate
a growing communication breakdown
between management and employees.
Managers need to pay more attention to
the emotional and psychological needs of
their staff, rather than assuming they can be
fulfiled or overridden simply by monetary
factors and promotional opportunities.
Does this mean to say you don’t need to
pay good staff well?
No, not at all. Generally speaking, if you
pay peanuts, you still get monkeys! It
simply means that in the eyes of employees,
there is more to life than just money.
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
What employees want from their jobs…
compared to what managers think they want
What employees want
from their job
Rating
No 1
No 2
No 3
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Full appreciation for work done
Feeling in on things
Sympathetic understanding
of personal problems
Job security
Good wages
Interesting work
Promotion and growth
Management loyalty to employees
Good working conditions
Tactful disciplining
What managers
think they want
Rating
No 8
No 10
No 9
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
2
1
5
3
6
4
7
PETER THORPE
Back to the Big Picture!
have to look beyond the quarterly balance
sheet and crisis management solutions and
start thinking more about the big picture.
trading along quite well. Profits were up and
shareholders dividends had increased
regularly every year for the last few years.
So, on the surface, all appeared to be going
along nicely. Strangely enough, this actually
presented another potential stumbling block:
“If it ain’t broke – why fix it?”
In other words, the company could simply
keep on doing what it was doing and hope
that the impending problems either went
away or sorted themselves out.
However, despite the temptation to
maintain the status quo, the CEO was astute
enough to realise that if they did nothing,
they would eventually come unstuck. And
probably sooner rather than later. His attitude
was more along the lines of:
“If it ain’t broke – let’s break it!”
Back in vogue
Definition of strategic planning
So, what is strategic planning and how
should a company go about it? Simply:
Strategic planning determines where an
organisation is going over a specific period
of time and how it’s going to get there.
In a nutshell, that’s it. As simple as that.
Furthermore, there is no right or wrong way
to go about it. The methodology will vary
depending upon the needs however, here are
six simple steps you will find useful to make
sure you cover off all the areas:
It’s a well worn adage but it’s as
true today as it ever was —
companies that fail to plan,
plan to fail…
he Chinese character for the
word ‘crisis’ is actually made up
of two symbols: the first one
means ‘danger’ and the other
one means ‘opportunity’. This concept very
often applies in business, too. For every
danger that presents itself, there is usually an
equal amount of opportunity. The key to
good management lies in being able
recognise the dangers and capitalise on the
opportunities.
I was reminded of this analogy recently
when I was asked to facilitate at a strategic
planning session for a large corporation.
Their industry has been undergoing massive
change and has been particularly affected by
rapid advances in technology and the
spectacular growth of the internet and
e-commerce. This has led to a shake-out of
some smaller players and a number of takeovers and mergers. Consequently, the
organisation was approaching something of
a crisis. The company was under threat on a
number of fronts however, this destabilising
chaos had also presented them with an array
of interesting opportunities.
Some critical decisions had to be made.
They elected to call a strategy planning
meeting to decide on the best course of
action to fend off the impending threats,
explore the opportunities and create a plan to
take the company forward into the future.
T
The job at hand
The meeting was attended by the board of
directors and a small group of carefully
selected, key staff members.
My job as meeting facilitator was to guide
them through the various options and ensure
they stayed on track, reaching a definite
conclusion. I was also charged with making
sure that the dominant personalities didn’t
dominate too much and everybody got their
say, in a free and open exchange of ideas.
(This is one of the major advantages of
hiring an outsider to facilitate such
meetings. A good impartial facilitator
ensures the agenda doesn’t get hijacked by
the usual vocal minority).
An interesting point was, the company was
The six basic steps:
1. Identify your purpose
What is your core business? (You may find
it useful to define a Statement of Purpose).
2. Start with your SWOT analysis
What are your major Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats?
3. Define your goals and objectives
What does the organisation want to achieve?
(Your Mission and/or Vision Statement).
Chinese characters for the word ‘crisis’.
Interestingly, strategic planning is making
something of a comeback. Since the stock
market crash of the 1980s, companies have
been down-sizing and re-engineering
themselves to the point that there’s nothing
left to downsize. Strategic planning is
becoming popular again as corporations try
to regain their competitive advantage and
come to grips with the frightening pace of
technology. Companies simply can’t afford
to make wrong decisions in this area today
and then find themselves in deep trouble
three or four years down the track.
Organisations are also realising that they
Probably the greatest example of a
company getting their strategy wrong
was the decision by John Scully, the
CEO of Apple Computer in the mid
1980s not to license the Macintosh
operating system. This single decision
saw Apple drop from the position of a
market leader, to now having less than
three per cent of the world market.
This left the market wide open for
Bill Gates, who went on to become the
world’s richest man. It has been
estimated this decision cost Apple from
$20 to $40 billion US dollars.
4. Develop the strategies
What strategies do you need to implement to
reach your mission (the Strategy Plan).
5. Identify the specific actions needed…
to implement each strategy (the Action Plan).
6. Monitor and update the plan
Put a system in place to frequently measure
and monitor your success (or lack of it!).
How far ahead should you plan?
Five year plans used to be all the go but in
today’s volatile marketplace, I wouldn’t
recommend anymore than three years.
And remember: set your goals in concrete
and your plans in sand. In other words, be
prepared to redefine, lower or raise the
performance objectives as you go along and
make adjustments where necessary.
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 179
PETER THORPE
What’s in a Name?
According to William Shakespeare,
a rose by any other name would
still smell as sweet…
T
his might be true in the
horticultural world but when it
comes to cyberspace, a bad
domain name can really stink!
This explains why names like
wallstreet.com sold for $US1 million and
the name business.com sold for around
$US7.5 m. Recently it was reported in the
German press that the domain name
sex.com was for sale for $US85 million
(source domainnamenews.com). It was later
revealed this was thought to be a publicity
stunt to attract attention to the site. However,
it’s indicative of the enormous value people
place on a catchy domain name.
So, why would companies pay such
unbelievably high prices just for a domain
name, which cost under $200 originally?
The answer is simple: There is absolutley
no point in being on the Internet unless
people can find you. Why spend thousands
or even hundreds of thousands of dollars
building a website if nobody comes?
Other major reasons
Having a simple, easy to remember domain
name is paramount. A short, snappy name
that says, who you are and what you do,
makes good marketing sense. But there’s a
whole lot more to it than that. Having the
right domain name can save you millions of
dollars in advertising and promotion.
How?
Chances are most of the visitors to your
website will have found your details in what
is known as a search engine. Depending
upon the industry you’re in and how well
you promote your website off-line, typically,
as much as 80 to 95 per cent of your website
traffic will come to you from the results of a
search engine.
This is where positioning becomes so
critical. If your website doesn’t come up in
the first 30 to 40 results on any given search,
chances are you won’t get much traffic to
your site at all. But with over a billion web
pages out there and millions more being
added every month, getting a good position
in the search engines is getting harder and
harder by the minute.
180 Corporate Trends
Here’s where your domain name becomes
so important. Many of the search engines
use the relevance of the words in your
domain name as one of the important
criteria. Therefore, it makes good sense to
have a domain name that uses the key words
somebody might type into a search engine
to find your product or service.
For instance, if you go to the search
engine Alta Vista and type the word, ‘travel’
you will get a list of over 16 million pages.
That’s right, I said 16 million! Imagine your
chances of being discovered if your name
comes up number 15,999,999! Not good.
If you look closely, you will notice that at
the top of the list many of the website
addresses contain the word, ‘travel’ in their
name. It’s no guarantee of success but it
certainly helps.
Search engine optimisation
So, what does it take to get a prominent
position with the search engines? (Lots of
money if you want to pay a specialist to do
it for you). Firstly, you need to understand
how search engines work.
Most search engines use a complicated set
of criteria to decide where to place you on
the list. This varies from engine to engine
but it generally includes things like, looking
at what is known as your ‘meta tag
keywords and site description.’ These are
key words and phrases that are not seen by
the normal visitor, they should be put there
by your web designer.
They also look at the relevance of words
and phrases contained in the text of your
pages and even things like links to your site.
Yes, many major search engines now use the
number of websites linked to your website
as a criteria for positioning you. The theory
being, the more links people have to
your site, the more popular and relevant
your site is.
A double edged sword
Of course, bear in mind, links are always a
double edged sword. ie It will bring more
people to your site but it will also encourage
more people to leave your site and go to
somebody else’s. Nevertheless, if you don't
have any or many links to your site, you
might want to start working on that by
seeking reciprocal links (you link to their
site and they link to yours).
How do you do that?
Usually by just asking. Seek out websites
that have a common interest or synergy with
your own site and contact them to see if they
are interested in having a reciprocal link.
Chances are people already have links to
your site that you are not even aware of.
How do you find out who has a link on
their site to your site? Easy.
Go to www.altavista.com and type:
link:yourdomainname.com.au
They will do a quick search and turn up
the names of all the people who have links
to your site (those that are listed with Alta
Vista, anyway). Give it a try. You may get
some surprises (pleasant or unpleasant).
By the way, Pizza Hut have a great
system for using links to their advantage.
They give a FREE pizza to anyone who
links to their site! If you want to see how
well this works, go to Alta Vista and type
“PIZZA” as your search. Guess who comes
up number one every time!
So, back to your domain name.
Apart from the search engine aspect,
think about it. If I was looking for a travel
site, www.travel.com.au (or .com)
immediately springs into my mind. How
about you? This type of instant recognition
and recall is worth big dollars in today’s
competitive Internet marketplace.
So, what’s in a name?
Well, if you want to come up
smelling like roses on the internet –
absolutely everything!
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
PETER THORPE
Relationship Marketing – Back to the Future
In real estate they talk about the three Ps – Position, Position, Position. In
our marketing efforts today, more than ever before, we need to think about
the three Rs – Relationships, Relationships, Relationships. If you’re not
working on better ways to build meaningful relationships with your clients,
then you are probably about to join the dinosaurs…
I
t seems like Relationship Marketing is
the catch phrase of the new
millennium. Everybody is talking
about it. However, very few people are
doing it – and even fewer are doing it well.
This is surprising because today’s
technology makes it easier than ever before
to practice good relationship building
techniques.
They also miss the point that it’s much more
cost effective to market to clients and
advocates than it is to market to suspects
and prospects. The latter are always the
most expensive and difficult to reach.
The ladder of loyalty
One of the most important principles I have
learned in marketing, is the power of the
Ladder of Loyalty. I was first introduced to it
many years ago by the godfather of direct
marketing in Australia, Ian Kennedy. I
believe Ian got it from an American
marketing guru called, Murray Raphael and
it dates back to the 1930s. Hardly a new
concept. However, it’s just as meaningful
and potent today as it ever was. This simple
but profound graphic representation,
illustrates quite simply how relationship
marketing really works.
It starts on the bottom rung of the ladder
with suspects. Anybody and everybody is a
suspect. Once you have established they
have a need for your product or service, they
become a prospect. And when they buy from
you, they become a customer.
Unfortunately, that’s where it ends for
most businesses. Once they have made a
sale, they assume the battle has been won
and off they go, talking to other suspects and
prospects, looking for more new customers.
They miss the most important steps in the
ladder – turning those customers into clients
(people who buy from you over and over
again). And finally, promoting as many of
those as possible to the very top rung of the
ladder to become advocates. These are the
people who believe in our products and
services so much, they actively endorse
them to other people. They in effect become
unpaid salespeople for our business. This is
what relationship marketing is all about.
They fail to realise that the sale is the
beginning of the relationship, not the end.
clients
advocates
customers
prospects
suspects
The ladder of loyalty
Putting it to work
Recently, I have been working with a large
franchise chain, helping them with their
local area marketing. I spent quite a bit of
time with the individual franchisees,
discussing ways they could improve
relationships with their clients. Naturally,
this required a good deal of time and effort
on their part, particularly in the initial stages.
As is usually the case, some of them
embraced these ideas and will put them into
practice and reap the rewards of their efforts.
Others simply said they wouldn’t have the
time to do it. My reply to them was simple:
“If you don’t make time to do it, then you
won’t have to worry about it because you
won’t be in business.”
Sounds a bit dramatic and even a touch
brutal. However, I happen to believe it is
true. There’s an old adage that says, “If you
don’t look after your customers, somebody
else will!” How true.
Today’s technology, used correctly, makes it
a lot easier to build relationships. And with
the advent of the internet and email, we can
now communicate with individuals, one on
one, with amazing speed and economy.
The new technology
Without doubt, the two most important
changes in technology over the past 20 years
have been: user-friendliness and price.
It’s not all that long ago computers were
the size of a small house and you needed a
team of skilled engineers to operate them.
Gradually, computers and software have
become more and more user-friendly. These
days, even the most technophobic amongst
us can become reasonably proficient on a
computer in a short space of time.
The other big advance has been in the area
of price. Computers used to cost a lot of
money. Now, for less than $2,000, you can
buy a computer that will enable you to keep
accurate records on tens of thousands of
customers. We could (providing we input
the data and keep it up to date) maintain a
detailed record of every transaction with
every customer, along with a complete
dossier on their likes and dislikes, their
aspirations and lifestyle, their mindsets and
ultimate desires.
So, why does one of the country’s biggest
banks still insist on addressing me in all their
correspondence as, Dear Valued Customer?
They value my custom so much they can’t
even take the trouble to teach their computer
to print my name! It’s just another case of
poor use (or misuse) of technology.
While the technology has changed
dramatically, there’s nothing new about
database marketing. I recently found this
quote on the internet: “Merchants kept notes
on rice paper about their clients birthdays,
their children’s names and the days of the
week they liked to shop.” It was an excerpt
from a 17th century Japanese manuscript.
It seems the more things change, the more
they stay the same…
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 181
PETER THORPE
CRM = Customers Really Matter!
Why do so many companies spend
a fortune upgrading their systems
and forget to upgrade their people?
ecently, I decided the time had
come to upgrade my car. As
always, I shopped around,
looking for the best deal and that
ever elusive enigma of modern times – a car
salesman you can trust! (And yes, I used the
politically incorrect term ‘salesman’ because
my entire search failed to find even one car
saleswoman for some strange reason).
Anyway, back to my quest:
Finally, I settled on a smart looking
dealership on Sydney’s upmarket North
Shore. The salesman was courteous and
efficient and offered me what looked like a
pretty good deal. I was starting to think my
judgement was well placed, when a few days
after I bought it, a well written letter arrived in
the mail. It congratulated me on the wisdom
of my purchase from said dealer and
contained a Customer Satisfaction Survey,
asking me pertinent questions about the levels
of service I had received and my overall
experience of the transaction. Questions like:
“Have you been contacted by the
salesperson who sold you the vehicle since
taking delivery?” (The answer to this question
was, “no” but it was early days yet and I felt
there was still time for the young man who
sold it to me, to get in touch).
It went on to ask questions like – How
satisfied were you with the following:
• The salesperson’s product knowledge
• The overall purchase experience
• Were the vehicle’s features and operations
demonstrated correctly?
• Was the documentation and paperwork
explained correctly?
R
A new acronym – SNACS
Let me tell you, by this stage, I was pretty
impressed. I was about to add a new acronym
to my vocabulary: SNACS – Sensitive New
Age Car Salespeople! These people really
know what they are doing, I thought. The last
question was the cruncher:
• Based on your overall experience, would
you recommend our dealership to your
relatives and friends?
Aha, good marketing, I thought. These people
understand the value of building relationships.
I was beginning to feel that people’s general
182 Corporate Trends
perceptions of car sales people were perhaps a
little harsh and unjust. There really are people
out there who know how to do it right. The
others just didn’t know where to look!
But wait - there’s more…
Then, a strange thing occurred that changed
my mind. I happened to notice that the dealer
hadn’t signed and stamped the warranty
papers. No big deal, I thought. I”ll ring the
salesman (Lee, was his name) and ask him to
correct this for me.
“Lee is tied up with a customer at the
moment,” the receptionist politely informed
me. “Can I get him to call you back?”
“Certainly,” I replied and left my number.
Later that day, he still hadn’t returned my call,
so I called again. Perhaps he hadn’t got the
message, I thought or maybe he had forgotten.
“And this new strategy will reduce our
customers by 50 per cent – but we’ll save
a fortune on customer service!”
“Lee has gone out and won’t be back until
late,” I was told. I enquired whether he had
received my earlier message, she confirmed
he had and I left a reminder. You can probably
guess what’s coming next…
After my fourth unreturned phone call, I
was starting to get pretty hot under the collar.
By this time, any good will they had built up
was starting to dissipate faster than an Icy Pole
in the Simpson Desert. When I enquired as to
why he had not returned my calls, the
receptionist said, “Lee has been very busy
lately. He’s been training a new salesman.”
No doubt training him in the same mould as
himself, I thought!
I finally got to speak to Lee, by obtaining
his mobile phone number and ringing it until
he personally answered. My first question to
him was: “Would have ignored my calls like
that, if I was a prospective buyer?”
Of course he wouldn’t! He didn’t have any
problems returning my calls when I was
buying the car. What happened to me after I
became a customer? Did I suddenly contact
some rare, communicable disease that was
able to be spread over the telephone? And
how did he know that I wasn’t ringing to give
him the name of a friend or relative who
wanted to buy a car?
He had probably assumed that the only
reason I would be calling him was because I
had a problem. And you can’t make money
out of problems (in his opinion), you can only
make money out of sales. Lee had broken the
golden rule of relationship marketing - after
sales care. For the sake of a 20 cent, five
minute phone call, he had blown away any
chance of ever selling me another car, let
alone the dozens of recommendations and
referrals I might have made to my wide
network of business associates and friends.
The real meaning of CRM
This is a classic example of where so many
sales people and companies get it wrong.
They simply forget to perform the basics.
They spend fortunes on installing high tech
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
programs and forget to simply provide some
good old-fashioned after sales service. They
don’t realise that the best way to create lifelong customers and advocates (unpaid
salespeople who go around recommending
your business to other people) is to simply pay
attention to the customer’s needs after the sale
has taken place.
This is why most CRM programs fail
dismally. Companies go to great lengths to
update their systems and software with the
latest and greatest technology but they fail to
update the most important part of any
successful CRM program - their people!
They also fail to realise that happy
customers are the vital ingredient of any
successful business. Which brings me to a
new meaning I’ve come up with for CRM –
Customers Really Matter!
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
PETER THORPE
Website Design
Traps and Rip-offs
If you are thinking of getting a website for your company or you are
wanting to update your existing website – take care – you could pay
a hell of a lot more than you need to…
R
ecently, a client came to me
with a website proposal, which
he had originally taken to
a large company. They had
quoted him over $100,000 to create
a website. I was able to do it for him
for under $10,000. Yes, that's ten per cent
of the price for virtually the same thing!
What’s more, he recovered the total cost of
his investment in the first three months
from the resulting sales!
What was the major difference?
Simply the way we approached the
project. Often people think they need a lot
more bells and whistles than they really do
to get the job done. And many web
designers are guilty of fostering this belief in
order to justify charging outrageous prices.
Insist on a firm quote
Whether you are thinking about getting a
website for the first time or simply wanting
to redesign your existing one, get several
quotes and insist on getting a firm,
irrevocable quote in writing.
Many website designers avoid the issue of
quoting a firm price and often their costs
blow out way past their original price idea.
By this stage, the client is often committed
to the point of no return, having already paid
a substantial deposit and maybe even some
progress payments along the way. Any good
web designer worth his or her salt should be
able to take a detailed brief from you and
then provide you with a firm quote.
Beware of over-engineering
Warning: Be on the look out for ‘propeller
heads’ and ‘techno-boffins’! These are the
people who just love to talk in jargon and
computer speak and can’t wait to impress
you with their knowledge.
And impress you they will! There are
people out there who can do some pretty
clever stuff on the net. They can make your
website talk, play music, sing and dance and
almost sit up and beg! But here is the big
question: Is it really necessary?
Is it going to get you more business, save
you money or do the job better? Or are you
simply going to be paying somebody big
dollars to show off their newly learned skills
at your expense? Many designers over use
animations and other gimmicks that require
special plug-ins to be viewed and take an
eternity to download, when there is no real
need to. More often than not, it’s technology
for technology’s sake.
When people are searching for information
Beware of ‘propellor heads’ who simply
want to impress you with their knowledge.
on the web, that’s exactly what they want –
information! Nothing more and nothing less
and they want it in the shortest possible
time. It's far too easy to get carried away
with the bells and whistles and get caught
up in the hype. The most important question
you should ask yourself right from the start
is: “What does our organisation want to
achieve on the web?”
Do you want to be clever and entertaining
or do you want to get more sales? Do you
want to have people admire your website or
do you simply want to generate leads for
your sales team? ie: What’s the bottom line?
A time and place
Like most things in life, there is a time and
a place for everything. If you are selling hitech products or games and your market is
largely under 21 years old, it may be
necessary to use some bleeding edge
technology, just to prove that you can.
However, chances are your prospective
target audience are not in this group and
they just want information and they want it
delivered in as simple and fast a manner as
possible. It’s important to remember that
there are over a billion pages on the internet
and that figure is growing rapidly every day.
Think for a moment. When you browse
the internet yourself looking for
information, how long are you prepared to
wait for a page to download? If you typed a
query into a search engine and got 100,000
results, are you going to wait 60 or even 30
seconds for a page to download before you
move on to the next one? No way!
Worse still, if you receive a message that
says, “To view this page you need to
download the latest plug-in from XYZ
software, are you going to drop what you
are doing and start downloading a plug-in?
Of course you’re not.
The KISS principle still rules
So, what is all this leading to? Simply this:
on the internet, more than anywhere else,
the KISS rule (Keep It Simple Sweetheart)
is supreme. Go for a simple, functional, fast
(but of course professional and elegant
looking) website and leave the party tricks
to someone else.
After all, why pay big dollars of your hard
earned cash to stroke some IT boffin’s ego?
And remember, the beauty of the internet is
you don't need to deal with someone next
door to get results. You can deal with
companies all over Australia and even the
world, so it makes sense to shop around for
the best deal.
The internet is a fantastic and exciting
new medium for imparting information. So
use it – don’t abuse it!
Peter Thorpe is an internet marketing
expert. He speaks to companies about
getting results online. His company also
creates websites and online strategies that
really work. To find out more contact:
Website: www.thenet.com.au
Tel: (02) 9314 6879
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Trends 183
Candy Tymson CSP
With more than twenty five years managerial experience in
public relations and marketing Candy is a sought-after speaker
and business educator with a natural and entertaining style.
She has coached managing directors from leading companies,
addressed numerous conferences and seminars and worked
with non-profit organisations and community groups.
While Lady Mayoress of Sydney (her husband is Jeremy
Bingham) she gave the keynote address at a fundraising event
which raised $1 million dollars in pledges in one night.
In her role as a public relations practitioner, Candy co-ordinated many high profile events including the
official opening of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Clients included Apple Computer, Telstra, CSR and the
CSIRO's Riverside Corporate Park project.
Candy is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest international accreditation designated by
the International Federation of Professional Speakers— achieved by only 7% of speakers worldwide.
What clients are saying about Candy Tymson
Candy involved every member of the group and used a variety of activities to ensure skills and knowledge
gained would be transferred back to the workplace. Several months later, the team is still talking about
what they learned.
Human Resources Executive, Commonwealth Bank
Your interactive and enthusiastic style of presentation was inspirational, motivating participants to work
collectively as an industry. The workshop gave us the clear steps and commitment we needed to ensure
our vision could become a reality
Executive Director, Private Hospitals Association
We are already using some of your techniques and getting great sales results!
Sales Director, Real Estate Agency
You challenged my team, gave them skills they could easily apply and inspired them to look at things
differently. The results are already starting to flow…
National General Manager, Telstra
•Keynote Speaker •Business Educator •Communication Skill
•PR & Marketing Techniques •Gender Differences
A Fellow of both the Public Relations and Marketing Institutes of Australia, Candy is also the co-author
of The Australian & New Zealand Public Relations Manual, the recognised textbook in colleges and
universities throughout both countries, and author of The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Publicity, Special
Events and Fundraising.
Her latest book, Gender Games: Doing Business with the Opposite Sex, was named one of the Top 10
Business Books of the Year by the Australian Institute of Management Bookshops
She is Accredited in DiSC (analysis of personality behaviours); a Certified NLP Trainer; an Accredited
Facilitator with the National Training Board; and President of the National Speakers Association of Australia.
Locked Bag 8, Chatswood, 2057 Sydney, Australia
Ph: +612 9413 2900 Fax: +612 9413 3055
Email: [email protected] Web: www.tymson.com.au
CANDY TYMSON
How are you Managing?
The traditional roles of men and
women in the workforce are
slowly changing…
ome weeks ago I had a
telephone call from the
managing director of a small
computer
software
company. He sounded very emotional
and said, “Something has just happened
and I don't know what to make of it”.
“Recently I found that one of my
account managers, a woman who has
worked for me for two years and whom
I considered a friend, had been cheating
on her expenses. My response was
automatic. I demanded she come into
my office, I yelled at her and sacked her
on the spot. I thought it was over and
finished. But it wasn't.
“For days I just couldn't stop thinking
about it. I felt terrible and I couldn't
understand why I was feeling so
emotional about what was really a
business matter.
S
The need to talk
“Finally I sought the advice of a
personnel consultant who said I needed
to talk to the woman concerned about
how I was feeling. That just made me
feel madder - talk about my feelings –
she couldn't be serious! But I had to do
something.
“A couple of days later, I rang my
former employee and arranged a
meeting. At first it was really awkward,
I kept thinking, ‘What am I doing
here?’ But then I started to talk to her
about how I felt betrayed by her
behaviour and how upset I was about it
all. Then, the most amazing thing
happened. After talking it through with
her, the load lifted and I felt at peace”.
The ‘F’ word
Talking about feelings is still very
difficult for most men in the workplace
as they typically operate from the head,
not the heart. And yet, this style of
management is starting to filter through
our companies.
In 1967, Douglas McGregor, a wellknown
organisational
theorist,
described the model of a successful
manager in our culture as:
“A masculine one. The good manager
is aggressive, competitive, firm and just.
He is not feminine; he is not soft and
yielding or dependent or intuitive in the
womanly sense. The very expression of
emotion is widely viewed as a feminine
weakness that would interfere with
effective business practice."
Karpin report findings
In contrast, the findings of 91 Australian management experts who
assessed Australian managers (Karpin
Task Force Research: Barraclough &
Co 1995) identified the characteristics
of the ideal manager as:
“Skilled with people; a strategic
thinker; visionary; flexible and
adaptable to change; self managed;
team player; ability to solve complex
problems and make decisions;
ethical/high personal standards”.
How things have changed in just
thirty years!
The changing style of management is
certainly confirmed by my own
research, where a questionnaire
establishing 'male' and 'female' values
was completed by over 300 senior
executives. Developed by Australian
Psychologist, Helena Cornelius, the
scoring of the questionnaire divides
values into the feminine styles of
equality, agreement, feeling and interdependence alongside the masculine
styles of status, competition, actions and
objectives and autonomy.*
Masculine feminine values
Generally, I found that both male and
female senior managers, who I would
call 'successful', rated fairly evenly on
the masculine and feminine values.
This usually delighted the women and
concerned the men!
However, if you think about it, it
makes a lot of sense. The women have
learned to adapt their style to be
successful in what is predominantly a
masculine-dominated environment.
And, with 40 per cent of the workforce
now female, the men have learned to
adapt their style to be more
collaborative and less forceful in the
way they direct people.
These findings are confirmed by a
study undertaken by Human
Synergistics of 2,366 Australian
Managers. This study plotted what was
perceived as characteristics of the most
effective 25% male and female
managers.
The results depicted that successful
managers had a stronger balance
between a task and people focus. They
offer some interesting insights into
where management styles may be
headed in the next millennium.
As men and women work together,
and learn from each other, acceptable
styles of business practice are really
starting to change.
How
are
you
and
your
team performing?
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
Corporate Trends 185
CANDY TYMSON
IQ vs EQ…How’s Yours?
For years, companies have used IQ
as an indication of suitability but
now they are looking at people’s
EQ as well…
ou are on an interview
panel working with a short
list of three people for a
senior role.
Every
candidate has top educational and
technical abilities—how do you decide
which one would be the best for the job?
Your company is down-sizing and 20
per cent of your team has to go. The
decree is to keep ‘the best people’. On
what criteria would you decide who is
‘the best’?
On a flight to Perth on my way to
speak at a conference recently, I picked
up a book by Daniel Goleman on
‘Working with Emotional Intelligence’
and just couldn’t put it down.
According to Goleman: “Our
emotional intelligence determines our
potential for learning the practical skills
that are based on its five elements: selfawareness, motivation, self-regulation,
empathy and adeptness in relationships.
Our emotional competence shows how
much of that potential we have
translated into on-the-job capabilities”.
Y
Impact of emotional maturity
Think back to the top performers at your
school, university or college. What are
they doing today?
I know a number of people who are
good examples of outstanding IQ and
low EQ. One topped the state in the
equivalent of the Higher School
Certificate. Forty years later he lives
alone and works as a postman.
Another acquaintance came in the top
twenty of the HSC twenty years ago.
He now works as a clerk in the taxation
department. And, I know others who
had mediocre academic performances
and yet have been outstanding achievers
in the business world. So do you.
A study of Harvard graduates in the
fields of law, medicine, teaching, and
business found that scores on entrance
186 Corporate Trends
exams—a surrogate for IQ—had zero
or negative correlation with their
eventual career success.
So, think back to the two scenarios:
deciding whom you are going to hire or
fire. What is it that would make you
select one person over another of equal
technical skills?
Star performers are aware
of their limits
Research has confirmed time and time
again that it is a person’s
communication skills that gets them to
the top - and keeps them there.
Ask any executive recruitment
specialist and they will tell you that the
emotional competence of the candidate
is proving to be as important today as
their intellectual competence.
It’s not that star performers have no
limits on their abilities but rather they
are aware of their limits. In short, outof-control emotions can make smart
people ineffective.
What we are talking about is an ability
to control and direct your emotions and
feelings, but not being so controlled that
you stifle all feeling and spontaneity—
and therefore any spontaneous
behaviour from those around you.
If you have emotional competence, you
have a choice as to how you express
your feelings and how you act.
And, how are you when people give
you feedback? (Or indeed, are you even
open to accepting feedback?)
What are EQ Strengths?
How do you score according to
Goleman’s
list
of
what
characteristics determine how
successfully you handle impulse
and deal with upsets?
Do you have:
• Self Control:
Able to manage disruptive
emotions and impulses effectively
• Trustworthiness:
Display honesty and integrity
•Conscientiousness:
Dependable and responsible in
fulfiling obligations
• Adaptability:
Flexible in handling change and
challenges
• Innovation:
Open to novel ideas, approaches
and new information.
What we are effectively talking about
is emotional maturity. An openness,
willingness and self-confidence to
develop and grow, to be mature in how
we handle ourselves and others.
In business for example it is the
ability to step aside from your
emotional reaction in an upsetting
circumstance and look logically at what
actually happened. And, sometimes
being that honest can be very
confronting! However, it enables you to
see where the other person is coming
from and what you need to do to
fix things.
So, how’s your EQ?
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
CANDY TYMSON
Handling Difficult People
Every organisation has some. There is often one in your team
and more than likely you have a number as clients…
t seems they are everywhere.
Difficult people. People who are
simply hard to get on with. People
who really wear you down.
Anyone come to mind?
My guess would be the people who
are causing you the most frustration
would probably behave in one of the
following ways: aggressive, destructive,
know it all or procrastinator.
So, what is the answer to working
successfully with difficult people? The
first thing you must accept is that they
probably won't change… (sorry, but it's
important to face realities!) Therefore,
it's up to you to find a strategy that
works when dealing with them.
Here are some good strategies to try.
I
interrupt me, I feel frustrated because
you aren't letting me express my full
opinion I would prefer if you let me
finish what I was saying before you
expressed your point of view”.
I've used this technique on some very
aggressive people with great success.
They generally respond with surprise
because they don't realise their behaviour
is not appropriate. This approach also
gains their attention and respect.
The Saboteur
This type of behaviour is currently
reaching epidemic proportions in
The Aggressor
Generally the aggressor can't stand
wimps! The more you kowtow to them,
the more aggressive their behaviour will
be. The best way to win them over is to
stand up for yourself. (Never, ever be
aggressive back - it just doesn't work!)
Try this:
1. Don't allow them to interrupt you.
If they do, calmly say, “Excuse me
(their name) you interrupted me”
…and go on saying what you were
saying.
2. Be direct. Don't beat around the
bush. Give them the facts.
3. Use ‘being assertive technique’.
(see below)
The ‘being assertive technique’ is
simply using the phrases when
you…(refer to their behaviour); I
feel…(say how it makes you feel such
as angry, frustrated);…because (the
reason);…I would prefer…(state what
you want).
For example, let's say Bill is always
interrupting you. You would use this
technique by saying, “Bill, when you
The Know It All
You know the ones, they think they are
always right and therefore won't listen
to anyone else's point of view. Here's
how you handle them:
1. Do your homework - have your
facts straight.
2. Use ‘agreement phrases’ such as:
“I appreciate what you're saying
and…” or “I understand what
you're saying and…” to align and
then make your point.
3. Seek their advice to flatter them
and build rapport.
The Procrastinator
These are the people who can't make up
their minds and can be extremely
frustrating when you are dependent on
them for something. They tend to stall
major decisions in the hope that they
will go away.
People who avoid making decisions
usually use this stalling strategy as a
compromise between being honest and
not hurting anyone. Here's how to deal
with them:
1. Find out their real concerns
2. Help them solve their problems
with the decision.
3. If possible, keep the action steps in
your hands!
business, as more and more people
become insecure about their future
prospects. They will deliberately
sabotage your position by not telling
you about important meetings or policy
decisions; or maybe gossiping behind
your back or blaming you for something
you didn't do.
They can cause big trouble if they are
allowed to continue unchallenged. You
should:
1. Confront them.
2. Create and maintain allies
3. Keep good records
Often, it can boil down to your word
against theirs. It's therefore very
important to be sure of your facts and
have the evidence to prove them.
By understanding what is motivating a
person's behaviour you can more
effectively deal with that behaviour ..
but that's the subject for another article!
The secret to all effective
communication is to be confident and to
focus on the other person - what do they
want to know rather that what do I want
to tell them.
Try it, it works.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
Corporate Trends 187
CANDY TYMSON
Don’t Just Stand There…
Stand Out!
Got an important presentation
coming up? Here are a few simple
tips to make it more memorable!
ecently, I was at a
professional association
conference and was
appalled by the number
of speakers who were simply, well—
how can I say this delicately, boring!
Speaker after speaker read their
notes, most in a monotonous tone,
and the majority of the audience
simply were not listening. (Carefully
tearing the Mintie wrapper to create
one long, thin line of paper appeared
to be the most popular activity).
The importance of involving the
audience really came home to me
some years ago, when I was speaking
at a public relations conference in
Melbourne. After lunch, I noticed
that every speaker referred back to
things I had said that morning.
Although I was flattered by the
mentions, I noticed I was being given
credit for several very profound
statements that I actually hadn't
made! It was then, that I realised that
because my presentation was
entertaining—I was memorable.
And, the best way to become
memorable in your presentation, is to
involve the audience:
R
Tell a story
Even if you are not a very confident
public speaker there are a number of
simple techniques you can use which
will involve the audience and have
them hanging on your every word!
Have you noticed that often you
can't remember the specific things
someone said but you nearly always
remember the stories they told?
Telling stories is one of the most
impactful ways I know to involve
an audience.
188 Corporate Trends
A simple technique they teach at the
National Speakers Association is:
make a point—tell a story. For
example, when I run presentation
skills programs, I tell the story about
the time I was speaking at a
conference very early in my career
when I needed 40 slides for an
important one hour presentation. As
I started to head up to the stage I
heard a loud crash—the technician
had tripped and all my slides were on
the floor. It shouldn't have been a
major drama—except I hadn't
numbered the slides in order! Rather
than saying, “be sure to number your
slides when you do a presentation”,
the impact of the story says it all!
“They’re not captivated by his speech;
they’re trying to read his Powerpoint slides”.
Use variety
Are you using a variety of visual aids
in your presentations? Don't fall into
the false security of relying on a
computerised presentation, such as
PowerPoint, to carry you through.
Lots of words, in small print, are still
boring and hard to read, whether on
an overhead, projected from a
computer or on a slide.
Can you pass something around for
the audience to touch, smell or feel?
What about actually demonstrating
how something works, rather than
just telling us?
The power of questions
So often presenters leave it until
question time to give people the
opportunity to participate in their
presentation by asking a question.
However, a very effective technique
is to ask the audience a question
during your presentation. What
happens when someone asks you a
question? (Did you notice that your
brain is automatically thinking about
the question I just asked you?) When
you
ask
questions,
people
automatically think about it—and
that’s involving them.
If you don't want them to actually
answer you, simply ask it as a
rhetorical question like—“have you
ever wondered what it would be like
to be someone else?” However, if
you do want them to respond, a good
technique is to raise your hand—so
they know you want them to raise
their hand. You can then select
someone to answer the question.
Make it personal
And a final idea which is very
effective, yet oh so subtle. Use the
word “you”. Even if there are 400
people in the audience saying “as you
know” or “I'm sure you have seen”,
makes the statement very personal.
In contrast avoid terms like
“everyone knows”, “people”, “folks”,
and the worst of them all—“you all”,
which are not personal and therefore
don't have as much impact as simply
the word “you”.
If it’s sometime since you have
done a presentation skills course, it
may be time to update your style.
What was considered a good
presenter in the 1980s could be seen
as boring and old fashioned today.
Contact me if you’d like help!
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
CANDY TYMSON
How to Handle Those
Difficult Conversations
The first step to handling difficult
conversations lies in understanding
what’s really going on…
ow many times have you
found yourself in the
situation where you really
should talk to someone
about something that is really annoying
you but your concern about how they
may react, stopped you?
I think most of us have agonised,
sometimes for days, weighing-up
whether it will be more difficult to say
something or not to say something.
Deep down, you know that if you try to
avoid the issue, there’s a good chance
you’ll feel frustrated and your feelings
of resentment will start to fester. On the
other hand — what if you do confront
them? How will they react? Will it turn
into a major argument? Will my
intentions be misunderstood?
It’s a common problem and a difficult
one to handle. That’s why I was so
delighted to pick up a copy of a new
book by the Harvard Negotiation
Project team called, ‘Difficult
Conversations — How to discuss what
matters most’.
According to the authors, Stone,
Patton and Heen, delivering a difficult
message is like throwing a hand
grenade. Coated with sugar, thrown
hard or soft, a hand grenade is still going
to do damage. But choosing not to
deliver a difficult message is like
hanging on to a hand grenade once
you’ve pulled the pin!
H
More than meets the ear
The secret to being successful in
handling difficult conversations is
understanding that there is a lot more to
the conversation than what is actually
being said. In other words, we need to
consider what the other person is
thinking and feeling — but not actually
saying — to get to the real root of the
problem.
You see, difficult conversations are
usually about conflicting perceptions,
interpretations and values, not what is
being said. They don’t just involve
feelings, they are at their very core of
our feelings.
So, rather than focusing on wanting to
“I’m sick and tired of working with
you, Griswald. That’s it, I quit!”
persuade and get your own way (and
surely we are all guilty of that), try to:
• understand what has happened from
the other person’s point of view
• explain your point of view
• share and understand feelings
• work together to come up with a
way to move the problem forward.
A learning conversation
This approach makes it more likely that
the other person will be open to being
persuaded and that you will learn
something that significantly changes the
way you understand the problem. The
Harvard team refer to this approach as a
‘learning conversation’.
What is typical during a difficult
conversation is that we assume the
collision is because of how the other
person is, while they assume it’s
because of how we are! But really, the
collision is a result of our ‘stories’
simply being different, with neither of
us realising it.
The first mistake we often make
during difficult conversations is we
assume the other persons intentions.
The only problem is, these assumptions
are often wrong!
This is a common communication
problem in relationships where you
know the person well. Often, there is a
tendency to listen to them in a way that
you already know what they are going
to say. In other words, you assume you
know where they are coming from,
based on previous encounters.
Regular non-conversations
In the early days of our marriage, my
husband and I used to have regular,
what I call, ‘non-conversations’ (and I
must confess, we still often do!).
For example — he would come home
and ask: “Did you get the mail?” I
would immediately go into defensive
mode. “No, I didn’t. I’ve been busy
getting dinner ready”. He would
respond with something like, “I’m busy
too you know”.
After a while we realised that each of
us was putting a completely different
meaning on what was actually being
said. He explained that he was simply
asking if I’d got the mail because, if not,
he would. I realised that what I heard
was, “why haven’t you got the mail”
and I therefore became defensive.
By focusing on understanding where
the other person is really coming from,
(before you assume you are right and
they are wrong), difficult conversations
will no longer be as difficult.
Need help? Contact me and I’ll send
you a step-by-step guide on how to
work through a difficult conversation.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
Corporate Trends 189
CANDY TYMSON
That’s Not What I Meant
(or how misunderstandings happen)
Agreeing on team values, goals and guidelines is one
of the secrets to creating successful team dynamics…
he managing director on the
other end of the telephone
sounded exasperated. He was
explaining a situation that has
become very common in today’s business
environments where teams have become
smaller, deadlines tighter, productivity
paramount and performance constantly
under review.
“You have to help me, I just don’t know
what to do anymore. Individually my team
members are hard working, well qualified,
capable people. But put them together – and
sparks fly. Why can’t they simply work
together?”
I told him of a company I worked with
some months earlier which had a similar
problem. When I spoke to the managing
director of that firm a few weeks later, she
said, “It’s amazing. I don’t know what has
changed but everyone is getting on now,
there doesn’t seem to be the same level of
tension anymore.”
T
So, what changed?
The people were still the same, they were
doing the same jobs – but for the first time
they had an understanding of the different
styles of each team member and what focus
was important to each of them.
Same words – different
meanings
Are you aware that the same everyday
words can have a completely different
meaning – depending upon the person who
hears it?
For example, let's take the word
“efficient”, (a word we hear a lot these
days!). If I asked you to do an ‘efficient job’
what would that mean to you? Well,
it depends.
If you’re the style of person who operates
at a fast pace, focuses on the big picture and
isn’t interested in all the detail, an efficient
job to you would be one done quickly,
covering the key points, right?
If, on the other hand, you’re the style of
person who operates at a slower pace and
focuses on the detail, getting it right, then an
190 Corporate Trends
‘efficient job’ to you would be one that was
accurate, correct?
Same word, different meaning,
depending upon the style of the person who
hears it.
Different styles
Let's look at an example of these two
different styles. Typically, the person of the
first style, (let’s call him Sam) will ask the
person of the second style (let’s call her
Linda) to do something for them – and both
will finish up feeling totally frustrated.
Sam will tell Linda what he wants but he
talks to her in his ‘style’. Linda will listen to
his request but hears the words in her style.
Then, she will go off and do the job in her
Try this quick test:
Using the following list, ask
different members of your team
what they think these words
mean to them:
• Results • Challenge
• Recognition • Safe
• Failure • Success
You may be surprised by the
number of different answers
you get. Could that explain why
so many times, even when you
use everyday words just like
these, you don’t get the result
you expected?
style, which is nothing like what Sam
thought he’d asked her for.
He needed an efficient job, to him that
means, “I wanted it yesterday”. She was
doing an efficient job, taking time to check
the details, ensuring the ‘i’s were dotted and
the ‘t’s were crossed.
Meanwhile Sam is getting more frustrated:
“Where is that job I asked Linda to do?”
Linda is also getting frustrated: “How
does he expect me to do an efficient job, if
he doesn’t give me enough time to check
things?”
In a study of major manufacturing
organisations undergoing large scale
changes, Kim Cameron of the University of
Michigan, asked two key questions:
1. What is your major problem in trying to
get organisational changes implemented?
2. What is the key factor that explains
your past success in effectively managing
organisational change?
To both questions, a large majority of
managers gave the same answer:
communication. All of them agreed that
more communication is better than less
communication.
I would argue that it needs to be the right
communication, presented in the style the
recipient operates in.
Dynamic teams
It’s important to remember that each
personality style has major strengths and
weaknesses. That’s why teams that are
deliberately set up to ensure that there is a
mixture of personalities are usually the most
effective – and sometimes the most
dysfunctional!
The secret to success?
Be sure that everyone in the team is aware
of the strengths that each representative
brings to the team and how that contributes
to the overall dynamics of the team.
Agreeing on team values, goals and
guidelines of operation also contributes
greatly to the overall success of a team’s
dynamics.
And finally, be aware how each different
personality style needs to be communicated
to and what motivates them. Then stand
back and watch it work!
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
CANDY TYMSON
How to Sell to Women…
It’s reported that Sigmund Freud studied “The Great Question…” for 30
years and still didn’t came up with a satisfactory answer.
The question? What do women want!
With the major growth of women as serious consumers, this question has
again become an important cause of study — and the statistics
are impressive…
orty per cent of the workforce is
now female; 54 per cent of
university graduates are now
women (and that figure was as
high as 60 per cent in 1999 in the areas of
law, medicine and accountancy). Women
buy 80 per cent of the consumer products
and it is estimated that 70 per cent of the $6
billion spent each year on advertising is
targeted at women.
And yet, 70 per cent of women ignore
campaigns targeted at them - Why?
A recent survey of 2,445 women car
buyers undertaken by the NRMA (Open
Road May/June 2000) confirmed that while
women buy 70 per cent of small cars and are
influential in 80 per cent of new car buying
decisions, more than half claimed they
found the experience of buying a car as
frustrating, humiliating and patronising.
(Although I’m tempted to add that I
suspect that many men also have
similar experiences)
F
‘Blokey’ atmospheres
Speaking at the 2000 National Conference
of the AADA (Australian Auto Dealers
Association), President of Ford Motor Co.
Australia, Geoff Polites said that Ford was
actively pursuing the policy of employing
women as half their new recruits. He made
the point that the most effective way to tonedown the traditional ‘blokey’ atmosphere of
car dealerships was to have women working
in the environment.
Although he was quick to add that women
were not necessarily being targeted as sales
people because, if treated right, women
generally prefer to buy a car from a man
because they perceive men would know
more about the car. My own research has
certainly confirmed this.
The female psyche
Understanding the female psyche has never
been easy (ask any husband!). When
Westpac undertook major research some
years ago to establish ‘what women want’,
they were told by most female respondents
that they wanted to be treated in the same
way as men. But what women say and what
they actually mean can be two quite
different things.
Westpac discovered that while the women
wanted the same products and opportunities
offered to their male colleagues, they had
quite different requirements in how they
wished to be treated and the type of
information they wanted.
Buying a car is an excellent example. More
and more women are now using the internet
to do their initial research. It is not unusual
for them to know, before they walk into the
showroom, what car they want and what
features it offers.
And yet many women believe they are
not been taken seriously when they walk
into the showroom.
Communication styles
Enough about the problem – let’s look at
some solutions!
One of the main
challengers for marketers is that men and
women generally have quite different
communication styles. For example, most
men are information focused. They are
interested in the facts, the figures, the data.
Women generally are more focused on the
relationship. Questions like, “who you are,
what you are like, do I like you as a person,
are you listening to me”, are more likely to
be running through their head when they
meet a salesperson.
If they don’t like you, they probably
won’t buy from you!
I recently put together a panel of
successful professional women, ranging in
ages and experience from a recent graduate
in law through to a senior woman who has
been running her own international
company for more than 30 years.
They all said that all they really wanted
(and often didn’t get) was to be treated with
respect, by male bank managers and sales
people. If they didn’t get it, they simply
took their business elsewhere.
Goal vs process
Another major difference is the way women
handle things. Most women prefer to multitask, to go through the process of looking at
different aspects and ideas. Most men
prefer a single focus. They focus on one
goal at a time, complete it, and then move
onto the next. A great example is watching
television.
How do most men watch TV?
That’s right – remote control firmly in
hand, totally focused on the TV set.
Meanwhile, their female partner is probably
doing several things; doing the ironing,
writing a shopping list, cooking, talking on
the phone AND watching TV. My husband
often says to me, “can’t you just sit still and
watch the TV?”
My response (and that of most women) is
“No”. We get bored just doing one thing at
a time. This is important to keep in mind
when selling to a woman. Get us involved
– don’t just talk at us – talk to us. Let us try
things out for ourselves, ask questions and
tell us the benefits.
I was buying a new iron the other day at a
major department store and asked the
salesman, “what is the benefit of a teflon
coated iron rather than a steel plated one?”.
I was amazed when he answered me by
telling me how steel was made! I didn’t care
– I just wanted to know how it would affect
my ironing. I had to ask the same question
three times before he actually answered
what I asked. He really wasn’t listening.
Gender neutral environment
Every woman has her story! I recently had
to buy a new set of tyres. The salesman,
without asking a single question or even
looking at my car, recommended the ‘top of
the range’. As someone who only does
Corporate Trends 191
CANDY TYMSON
about 10,000 kms a year I wasn’t convinced
I needed to spend $395 a tyre.
Having finally negotiated something more
suitable, I was then subjected to re-runs of
the Bathurst 1000 motor race for 45 minutes
while I sat in the waiting room flicking
through motor sport magazines!
It’s the simple things. Women drive 50 per
cent of the cars and yet the needs of 50 per
cent of the market was being completely
ignored at this tyre centre. And the crazy
thing is, it’s so easy to fix.
A friendly approach, the asking of a few
relevant questions, a selection of magazines
and perhaps the daily papers to read, tea and
coffee on offer and some easy listening
music in the background, would satisfy
both sexes… and keep customers coming
back, too.
KEYS TO SUCCESSFULLY SELLING TO A WOMAN
•
Take her seriously. Treat her as a genuine buyer.
•
Don't be patronising. Take the time to establish what her knowledge of the
product or service is.
•
Find out what is important to her by asking pertinent questions and focus
your comments appropriately.
•
Take time to build rapport. Listen to her and repeat back comments that you
think may be important.
•
Create an environment which is friendly and comfortable.
Source: Gender Games: Doing Business With The Opposite Sex by Candy Tymson
Attitudes are changing dramatically.
Women are now more confident, better
educated and moving into positions of
influence. They simply want to be treated
with respect and given the same
opportunities as their male counterparts.
Lucrative market
Those businesses which are getting the
research right, understand the needs and
desires of today’s women and are genuine
in their efforts, are winning over an
influential and financially independent
group… who just love to shop!
What are you doing to attract this
lucrative market?
If you’d like a checklist of what you can
do to increase your sales to women — just
contact me and let’s have a chat!
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
The Communications Package
An expert in business communication, Candy Tymson is a professional speaker
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192 Corporate Trends
20 SECRETS TO
SENSATIONAL SPEECHES
A two tape set
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GENDER GAMES BOOK
Tips and techniques
when selling and
relating to the
opposite sex
CANDY TYMSON
Male and Female Speak
– understanding the differences
Generally speaking, men and women communicate quite
differently and use language to achieve different outcomes.
I
n business, the lack of understanding of
these differences can be very costly. Not
just to the bottom line but also to the
success of the individual themselves.
Over the past 12 months I have
undertaken extensive research asking some
of Australia’s leading business men simply:
“What irritates you the most when working
with women?” The three points I heard over
and over again will probably not surprise
you. They were:
• They go into too much unnecessary detail
• They are too emotional
• They take things too personally
Be aware of what you say
Because women tend to be more focused on
relationship and rapport building they
usually use quite different language to men.
Therefore, those men who are generally
more focused on information and status
perceive these women as being indecisive
and sometimes weak, simply because of
their different language patterns.
A good example is the use of tag endings
such as, “don't you think?", “isn't it?” and “is
that OK?” at the end of a sentence. Such
phrases tend to make you sound unsure of
yourself – even if you're not!
On the other hand, such phrases are
excellent tools when you want to build
rapport or get agreement, aren't they?
So, what’s the answer?
I have noticed many successful business
people have learned the art of using the
more succinct, direct male style of speaking
when needed and in the next breath being
sympathetic, helpful or collaborative, when
that style was going to get the results.
A common male ritual
Have you noticed how men generally
interact? It is common for them to banter,
joke, tease and use playful put-downs of
each other. This type of behaviour is
reminiscent of the school playground where
boys hang out in groups and have an
obvious hierarchy.
Boys learn that status is important –
someone is always the perceived leader
while the others are jostling for that position.
American linguist, Deborah Tannen, says
that boys learn early on to state their
opinions in strong terms and find out if they
are wrong by seeing if others challenge
them. She refers to this as a 'ritual fight'.
Tannen's research clearly shows that boys
tend to jockey for centre stage, challenge
those who get it and deflect challengers.
Giving orders are ways of maintaining
higher status.
Understanding the ritual
These ‘ritual fights’ are also common
among men in business. They present their
ideas in the most certain and absolute form
they can and wait to see if they are
challenged. Men also use this approach to
play devil’s advocate. They believe
challenging an idea from someone else by
questioning its validity and finding fault, is
a way of helping their colleagues test and
explore their ideas. This style works
effectively with other men, because they
understand the ritual. However, if you are
unaccustomed to it (as most women are),
then this style can be very confronting and
upsetting.
Sound familiar? How much of this
behaviour do you observe in the workplace?
Time and time again I have noticed men
in meetings arguing, fighting and abusing
each other. But as soon as the meeting is
over, it’s as if nothing has happened. They
may go off and have a drink together, slap
each other on the back or share a joke.
Women usually find this type of male
behaviour hard to understand. After all,
weren’t they just abusing each other? A less
experienced woman, who has just been part
of the same business meeting, is likely to
leave feeling hurt and upset.
In contrast, a more female approach is
generally to support and encourage each
other. And because women tend to focus
more on ‘feelings’ than ‘tasks’ it is natural
that they are more inclined to take things
personally and therefore be perceived as
being more ‘emotional’.
However, it is the women who understand
that for the men this type of competitive
behaviour is really just a game, who are able
to hold their own in any business situation.
By separating the business at hand from
their personal feelings they are able to meet
the men on their own terms.
So as you think about the differences, you
should begin to understand why men find it
so difficult to understand why women take
things so personally. Men don’t and
genuinely cannot understand why women
do! It’s a classic example of one of the
major differences between men and women
– feelings versus logic.
Be direct and logical
Have you noticed that most men are direct in
their communication and like to get straight
to the point? In contrast, many women have
the style which goes into a lot of detail, like
telling a story. This usually drives men crazy
and it simply reinforces their belief that
women cannot focus on the task at hand.
A final point. All the senior men I
interviewed said, without exception, that it
is the women who maintain their femininity
while being professional and business-like,
who get ahead.
By not trying to be ‘one of the boys’ or
even worse, trying to prove they are better
than the men, these women get the support
of their male colleagues and find it a lot
easier to climb the corporate ladder.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
Corporate Trends 193
CANDY TYMSON
Resolving the Unresolved
Do you have someone in your life
that you dread running into?
Someone you avoid like the plague?
ot just the person who you find
boring or the one who ‘bends
your ear,’ every time you meet.
I’m referring to the one with
whom you have an unresolved issue.
It could be a current or former work
colleague, perhaps an ex-lover, maybe a
member of your family.
I recently completed a questionnaire
which listed 100 statements in areas
including money, relationships, physical
environment and well being and invited me
to confess how my life was structured.
Questions like: “I have nothing around the
house or in storage that I do not need”; “I am
in relationships with people who can assist
in my career/professional development” and
“I quickly correct mis-communications and
misunderstandings when they do occur.”
Then I read the one which really hit home:
“there is no-one whom I would dread or feel
uncomfortable ‘running across’ (in the
street, at an airport or at a party).”
How would you react to such a question?
We all have them, matters that have been
left unresolved because, quiet frankly, we
just didn’t know what to say – or didn’t want
to be the first to apologise.
When things go wrong, our natural
tendency is to blame someone – usually the
N
other person! The only problem is, blame
can be a major handicap when working
towards a resolution. Whether spoken or
not, the problem revolves around the
question of who is to blame. Who is wrong?
Who should apologise? By focusing on
blame, we inhibit our ability to learn what
really is causing the problem, and more
importantly, how to fix it.
Have you considered that by blaming
others, you are actually giving them the role
of the ‘accused’. And what do accused
people do? They defend themselves any
way they can.
What can we do about it?
The Harvard team, Stone, Patton & Heen, in
their book, “Difficult Conversations”, say
that at its heart, blame is about judging.
Rather than blaming others, they
recommend focusing on contribution,
which is about understanding.
Contribution is useful when our goal is to
understand what actually happened, so that
you can move forward to resolve things.
Because generally speaking, when things go
wrong in human relationships, everyone has
contributed in some important way.
It may be that offense was taken by
something that was said. Maybe someone
was too sensitive and perhaps they were
only focusing on things from their
perspective. In other words, they didn’t
consider the other person’s point of view.
Previous bad experiences
could have coloured the
outcome
of
this
experience… the list
goes on and on.
Some years ago I was
sharing an office with a
colleague and it just
wasn’t working out. I felt
that I was doing
everything and that he
was just swanning
around. I was looking
after
all
the
administration involved
in running an office while
he; well he wasn’t doing
anything to contribute.
Well, that’s how I saw it!
I just got more and
more annoyed. Every
“He jumped out of the window when I mentioned your name” time I did something
194 Corporate Trends
such as collect the mail, clean up the
kitchen, arrange for the photocopier to be
repaired – I just got more annoyed.
One day, it all got too much and I blasted
him. He was genuinely taken aback. He had
no idea that I felt I was doing everything.
And why would he? I’d never said anything!
People are not mind readers
Why do we expect people to be mind
readers? We mutter about things behind
their backs, we loudly complain to our
friends – but we never actually SAY
anything to the person concerned. And so
what starts out as a small annoying thing,
just grows and grows and before you know
it, you are resentful and full of blame. And
that’s when the trouble really starts, because
it is so easy to justify your position when
you feel like that, isn’t it? Try this instead:
Sounds easy doesn’t it? We all know there
HOW TO BANISH BLAME
• Take responsibility for your own
reaction
• Speak up immediately you have a
problem
• Tell the person how it is for you,
from your point of view
• Ask them how it is for them, from
their point of view
• Talk about how you can solve things
in a way that works for both of you.
will be times when you can’t get a solution
or are unable to agree.
From my experience though, the fact that
the issue is out in the open, that we are
willing to discuss it and are actively looking
for an answer, makes things so much better
and easier to deal with.
And those two simple words, “I’m sorry,”
can do so much to start to mend things.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
CANDY TYMSON
What You Say vs What You Mean
Words are such powerful things –
be sure to choose them carefully
and think before you write…
unning an in-house workshop
recently the team complained
about the ‘tone’ of the emails
their boss sent. “He’s so rude
and abrupt,” they said. “He doesn’t even use
our names or use the expected, ‘Hi’ – he just
goes straight into his demands.”
Speaking to the boss to find out how he
saw it, he told me proudly how fantastic
email was as it enabled him to communicate
quickly and effectively with his team and
saved him so much time. Oops!
One of the challenges management is
facing today is getting the balance right and
the balance in the use of communication is
no exception.
R
Has this happened to you yet?
A major misunderstanding, resulting in an
upset, caused by an email being
misinterpreted by the receiver? In face-toface communication, so much of our
understanding of the messages we receive is
in the way we interpret the ‘true meaning’ of
the message, through body language
signals. How fast they talk, how loudly, their
intonation and choice of words, as well as
what is actually said and when.
Much of this is missed in emails.
According to Peter Drucker: “The most
important thing in communication is to hear
what isn’t being said.”
Misreading Messages
If we think what we want to say and then
write the words down, all the clues from our
voice such as tone, volume, emphasis etc.,
are lost. The meaning of the words is clear,
but a reader often misunderstands the
attitude or emphasis intended.
Try this. Read this sentence, out loud,
each time placing a stronger emphasis on a
different word. (Go on, try it!): “I didn’t say
he couldn’t communicate”
What happened? The change of emphasis
changed the meaning didn’t it? So if you
read this message in an email what would it
mean to you?
Well, it depends on your relationship with
the person who sent it, and what meaning
you choose to put on their message.
Early in my marriage, my husband (a
lawyer) and I would have major
misunderstandings. I would say to him in
exasperation, “Don’t listen to what I say but
to how I say it”. He would respond: “How
can you call yourself a communications
expert when what you say and what you
mean, are two totally different things?” He
had a good point!
Nonetheless, I would gallantly argue that
he took my words too literately, whereas
everyone else I spoke to seemed to
understand the true essence of my
communication. (He wasn’t convinced!)
In normal conversation, we tend to listen
more to the intent than to the words
themselves. For example, there are many
ways of saying one thing and meaning
another. Irony, sarcasm, and figures of
speech, are such devices and they are
wonderful when they work.
Try this. Read this
sentence, out loud,
each time placing a
stronger emphasis
on a different word:
“I didn’t say he
couldn’t communicate”
Joking is a kind of irony that has both
rapport and defensive payoffs. The rapport
benefit lies in the pleasure of shared laughter
as well as the evidence of rapport in having
matching senses of humour. The defensive
benefit is in the ability to retreat by
saying: “I was only joking,” if a comment
seems to backfire!
Putting It In Writing
It wasn’t until I started to use email
extensively as a form of communication,
that I began to understand how easy it was
to put your own interpretation on the words,
when no other communication clue was
available. Did you know, for example, that
the 500 most common used words in the
English language have over 14,000
definitions? No wonder we can have so
much confusion and misunderstanding!
A colleague expressed it well. He reminded
in that in the ‘old days’, you had plenty of
time to reflect on what you wrote. By the
time you dictated your letter, it was typed up
and returned to you as a draft, you had had
time to clarify your thoughts so
that your redrafted response was
more appropriate.
So many times I quickly type back my
response to an email, hit the “reply all”
button, and then wish I hadn’t. Has that
happened to you? More and more I’m
putting replies into the “send later” box –
just in case!
Maybe we need to develop signs and
symbols to represent the actual meaning
behind the written words. In part, the use of
email faces has started to do this. So has the
use of bold, underline and exclamation
marks!! But are we getting lazy and using
email when we really should pick up the
phone or just walk around the corner to the
next office and speak to the person?
Too Many Options
Today, we have too many methods of
communication. How best should I contact
you? Do I ring you at the office and maybe
leave a message on an answering machine,
voice mail or with a paging service. How
about sending a fax? I could send you an
email (although I’d have to be careful how I
worded it…!)
Words. They are so powerful. Choose
them carefully. Remember to organise not
only your thoughts before you write them
but determine which words best
communicate the message you want to send
– before you hit the reply button.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
Corporate Trends 195
CANDY TYMSON
I See What
You Are Saying…
It’s not just what we say
that counts. There are
messages we can give,
without saying a word!
ho do you think are the most
successful job interviewees
and why?
Recently, I was asked to
be a member of an interview panel for three
senior roles and I was struck by the impact
the interviewees’ behaviour had on our final
decision. (I confess, while I’ve been an
expert in communication for many years, it
is always good to be reminded of the impact
of the basics!)
All of the candidates were impressive
on paper, so how they performed in the
interview was obviously very significant.
Let me set the scene: The candidate sat at
the head of the table with their potential boss
on one side and two other panelists on the
other. What struck me most was the level of
energy (or lack of it) in each candidate.
One person in particular gave the persona
of being exhausted. They regularly sighed
loudly, slouched in their chair and looked as
if it would take a bomb to get them to move.
They really were not sending positive vibes
for a position that was described as,
“someone who is dynamic with outstanding
communication skills.” (Obviously this
person wasn’t offered the position!)
W
Thinking vs saying
Non-verbal communication often screams
out what a person is thinking but may not be
saying. You need to listen for what is known
as non-verbal and paralinguistic cues.
For instance: what communication would
you pick up from the following behaviours?
• Someone speaking quickly, darting
their eyes around the room
• A person who continuously swings or
taps their foot
• Someone who appears so relaxed,
they even slouch in their chair
• A person continually referring to ‘we’
when asked to give examples of
their work
• Someone who sits very still, with
their hands firmly in their lap.
196 Corporate Trends
Although it could be argued that most of
these behaviours show that the person could
have been feeling nervous – it could also be
construed that they came across as insecure,
hyperactive, lacking in people skills or
disinterested.
The ‘attractiveness’ rating
In his book, Psychology for Effective
Managers, Robert Burns (referring to
Tannenbaum 1956), said he found that the
degree to which attitudes change positively,
is directly proportioned to the degree of
attractiveness of the communicator.
The ‘attractiveness’ of a person was
measured by rating them against the
following six evaluation scales: fair/unfair;
dirty/clean; tasty/distasteful; good/bad;
pleasant/unpleasant; worthless/valuable.
So, from this you should come to the
conclusion that to be persuasive you
should always try to be neat, clean and
personable – the sort of person you
would want to interact with. Power to
persuade is greatly increased if
credibility, trust and concern is linked
with charm, humour and pleasantness.
And in today’s working environment,
enthusiasm and flexibility should be
added to the list.
What your clothes say
Another powerful non-verbal communication is projected in what you wear.
Are clothes a reliable guide to what a
person is really like? Obviously not, but I
challenge you not to make a first impression
based on how a person is dressed! As they
often say, you don’t get a second chance to
make a first impression.
So, what do you think of the evergrowing trend for business casual code of
dress in offices and what impact is it really
having on business?
I know many professionals whose lives
have become more complicated because of
it. Whereas previously, you always wore
‘the suit’, now you have to check your
diary, see what meetings you have (if any)
and decide what would be appropriate attire
for those groups. In a drive to appear more
modern and with-it, senior executives are
adding to their stress levels. Have you been
caught out yet wearing casual garb
when you are required to attend a serious
business meeting?
It’s interesting to note that the trend in the
US seems to be going back to more formal
business dress and I reluctantly agree, it
seems to be more effective. There’s no
doubt about it, I am more business-like in
my suit than I am in my jeans! And if I was
interviewing for the position of a senior
executive, I would still expect the applicant
to arrive in a suit. With so many other nonverbal communication issues to deal with at
least getting the dress right helps to create a
good first impression.
Candy Tymson is an expert in business
communications with more than twenty-five
years experience in the fields of marketing
and public relations. Based in Sydney, she is
a business educator and professional
speaker and the author of “Gender Games:
Doing Business With The Opposite Sex”.
For information on her workshops,
presentations and products:
Website: www.tymson.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +61 2 9413 2900
To be a more persuasive communicator you should:
• Focus on what the other person wants to know, rather than what you think they
should know
• Keep the message simple and clear. Use examples to illustrate your point
• Anticipate any objections and cover them off, up front
• Monitor the other person’s response. (Watch out for signs of confusion, irritability
or impatience)
• Remember to involve them in the discussion. (Talk with them, not at them)
• Be flexible and open to suggestions and ideas that may be different to yours.