Extraordinary Business

Want to see how to destroy a great reputation that took years to build in just a few short weeks? You might want to talk with Toyota. In their quest to become the world's largest car company they made a mistake that GM was often considered guilty of. They let quality slip.

That alone probably wasn't bad enough to do the damage. But trying to cover it up was. Toyota knew there was a problem, but they weren't sure what it was or how to correct it. First it was the floor mats causing the accelerator to stick. When that didn't resolve the issue the public began questioning if they actually knew. Now it appears Toyota has the solution by fixing a faulty accelerator. Just when they thought it couldn't get worse, now there is a problem with the breaks on the new Prius. A recall has been issued in Japan, and the US is waiting to see what they will do here.

Recalls in the auto industry certainly aren't new. Actually they happen quite often. Check out http://www.automotive.com/new-cars/recalls/index.html and see for yourself. So what made Toyota's such a big deal?

I think the issue is trust. Toyota built its reputation around it. You could trust them, their vehicles were reliable, you could count on their resale value, etc. The recalls have people questioning that trust and it's going to take a lot to repair it.

People have become very skeptical in today's economy. Loss of jobs, the mortgage bubble, and questionable business practices have caused cynicism to increase. Rebuilding trust will be a challenge and it will take time. For others, it will create opportunities to grow. Trust is one of the most valuable things in your business. Make sure you don't squander it. Hire the right people, communicate and value them. Treat them well. Work with integrity and be a good community partner. Create a legacy that will have people wanting to do business with you and not driving them to your competitors.

Labels: "Auto Industry", "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", auto, Business, Business Coaching, Communication, Economy, growth, InVision, Recalls, Strategy, success, Toyota

Throughout my career, I have been on both sides of the hiring scene. I have dealt with the frustrations of finding a position that best matched my abilities and beliefs, and I also played various roles in hiring at every company I worked for. In either case, I would say the objective was the same: find the right fit.

Today I find myself taking that experience and helping companies do just that, find the right fit. The theme that has repeated itself this year is the desire to have people match the culture they work in. More than one company has asked for help in the hiring process because of bad experiences in the past. Too often the decision to hire is made on technical experience and the decision to fire is a cultural one. Talent matters little when values and beliefs don't match. It's a lot like a bad marriage and usually the honeymoon period is much shorter.

So how can companies make better decisions? Whether you are someone seeking a new career, or a business looking at hiring, you need to consider these thoughts. The hiring process in many companies is broken. It's more about flash and dazzle while answering a rather standardized bank of questions the right way. The internet has plenty of resources available at no cost to help you interview better. If that is not enough, you can pay to have a professional create a resume, or consult you on your interview skills.

Employers play a similar game. The hiring approach is focused on weeding candidates out because they do not exactly match the criteria described in the job ad. On top of that the focus is more about technical aptitude and less about attitude. And I speak from experience when I say it is easier to work with someone who is motivated to do a good job than it is to work with an expert who isn't motivated at all. Technical skills are easier to teach while it is much more difficult to change behavior.

Here are some things to consider when hiring:

• Before posting a position. Define what will make that new person successful. Do it not only from technical expertise, but from behavioral as well. "Begin with the end in mind," as Covey would say.
  
  
• Ask for more than a cover letter and resume. You want a feel for what this person is like. Ask specific questions related to specific behaviors identified in the first bullet. Get the candidate to share past experiences and outcomes. This will give you a better idea of what they are like.
  
  
• Weed out candidates on multiple factors. Understand what level of technical skill you are looking for and weigh that against the scenarios they have shared. Look for a balance between behavior and expertise. Have your list of "need to haves" and "nice to haves." Avoid compromise on that which you deem critical to the position, and be willing to develop the rest. This list should be down to 3-10 candidates.
  
  
• The "pre-interview." Many companies do this. Have a short interview over the phone. This is to cover experience and discuss the scenarios shared in the correspondence from the interviewee. It may involve a few in depth questions related to the information already provided. You may also choose to ask some warm-up questions to see if this candidate goes on to the next round. After this step, you should be down to no more than four candidates.
  
  
• Interviewing. There are no shortage of interview questions available. Most questions focus on hypothetical outcomes. For example, "What would you do if..." The types of questions should focus on past behavior. These are tougher to prepare for and require facts to back them up. The questions you ask again should be a balance of technical experience and behavior/attitude.
  
  
• Don't ask for references. Most people in their right mind will not give you a bad reference. I would recommend gathering contacts identified through the interview process. The can validate information and help you assess its accuracy. Listen for names in the interview process. Seek out those contacts first. They will either validate or clarify what actually happened.
  
  
• Assessments. Personality assessment tools can provide valuable information in the hiring process. Instead of using them as an elimination tool, I help leaders use them to define what they will need to develop in the person they bring on. All of us have strengths and weaknesses. How we communicate, react and process information also affect how we do our jobs. Assessments provide a way to help leaders understand the communication style of the individual.
  
  

While this list is not complete, nor is it necessarily right for every hiring situation, it can help you make better choices with the staff you will be adding. In the coming days I will dig into these topics a little deeper and would love to hear your experiences and successes with hiring.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Careers, Hiring, InVision, Jobs, Leadership, Strategy

If the feedback I have been getting from executives holds true, 2010 will be the "Year of Performance." There is a common theme that has been popping up in virtually every discussion I have had over the last few months. And that is quote:"We believe we are at a point where we have the right people to take this organization forward. There is a lot to accomplish and the economy hasn't bounced back yet, but we need to grow. This year we need our people to work smarter, be more efficient, and believe in our company."

One CEO put it, "Our typical evaluation process isn't working to create better employees and grow the company. We need to do a better job with communication and innovation. Our leaders must empower their people to do the right things and teach them how to make good decisions."

From hiring to development, the companies that are making the transition back to growth mode are all wanting to do better with what they got. I am fortunate to say that I will be working with some of these companies to do just that through better strategy, better leadership and better execution. Momentum is building and growth will resume again. It will take time but we are on our way.

In future posts I intend to discuss some of the work I am doing and give some insight to how you might get your people working better, smarter, and more efficient.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "International Business", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, efficiency, InVision, Leadership, Lean

It's amazing how our world has changed in a relatively short period of time. When I attended college (not all that long ago) things like email and the internet were either in their fledgling stages or unheard of. Heck, anyone having a computer in their dorm room was a big deal. Today we are interconnected in so many ways it's hard to believe. Now my phone is no longer anchored to the wall of my house, it's anchored to my hip... and sometimes my ear. Besides that it also connects me to the internet, email, and text messaging. With so many ways it should be easier to communicate, right? Not always so.

I am writing this post because today I got one of those many reminders that I am human and prone to make mistakes. The irony that it is centered around communication can make it even more painful since I work with many of my clients on just that. Like everything in life, I treat it as a learning opportunity and thought I would share while this one is still painful because it is too easy for many of us to make the same mistake.

Without getting into many of the details this is what happened: I have been working with a group of people on a collaborative effort. One of many I have going on simultaneously right now. With collaboration comes planning and the desire by all participants to get it right. This group is no exception. For those who may not know me should know I am very driven as well as action oriented. My personal drive combined with my need to have a process around it can sometimes be challenging. So I am constantly working against the clock in my head of when things should be complete vs when more planning needs to be done. In this particular case I desired the need to keep moving ahead when someone forwarded an email to the group of some follow up things that needed to be completed. These items definitely needed to be done and I thought it would still be possible for us to move ahead in other areas. I responded to everyone with my thoughts and didn't concern myself with it any further, that is until it surfaced later. My email came across the wrong way with other members of the group and I found myself making corrections and apologizing. I also kick myself for making this mistake. Email is a tool for communication.

Email has made our lives easier by allowing us to communicate information to others quickly. It has also become a crutch for many as the preferred method. I too have fallen into this trap. The problem with email is your inability to clearly share feelings and other thoughts. We make the communication short and sweet and abbreviate in areas we probably shouldn't. Interpretation is then left to the individual reading it to get the message out. I have a very direct style of communication when writing email messages and that can be interpreted differently than intended which was the problem in this example.

The thing to remember is email has its time and place, but it should not be treated as the only source of information. It is used too often in many cases because it is easy and quick. Yet sometimes it is better to just pick up the phone and make a call. At the very least, be mindful of your words for they are open to interpretation. Question yourself, "Should I send this as an email, or is this better delivered in person." We all make mistakes and I was fortunate enough to have people communicate back to me which may not always be the case. So be careful how you use technology so it doesn't come back to haunt you later.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, InVision, Leadership

In my September newsletter I discussed the concept of change. Largely I see the majority of us resistant to change (which I would doubt there would be many arguments against this) and as a society/business community expecting change to happen instantaneously. We are very much in a "now" society. Technology has spoiled us to the point where we demand immediate results. Yet there is something to be said for slowing the process down. And truthfully, by taking more time on the front end, we make things work much smoother on the back end.

Think of the place where you work. How often do things change? How often is that change met with resistance? How many of you are familiar with the "Flavor of the Month"? Often the running joke with each new initiative is "this too shall pass" and your employees play the waiting game to see when you will get tired of the new process, idea, or concept and go back to doing things as before. In fact, your employees can condition you to fail in the change process. In some examples I have seen the stand off last for years! Yes, years. And the only result to come out of it was going back to the old way of doing things so it's less painful. This all because of our need to make changes happen quickly and dramatically.

In my newsletter I spoke about incremental change. This process is most effective in companies that have been highly resistant to change in the past. It is a way of conditioning them to be more receptive to change in the future. In addition, the success rates are much higher that the change will be implemented and integrated into your business. To see some of the points, I will refer you to the article here: http://cdn.shoutlet.com/server/bar/51644/8555/0/s/0. To add to that discussion, I will continue on.

The idea of change is simple, yet the execution of it can seem complex. And in a way it is because to truly implement most changes, you need the full buy-in of your staff. The larger the organization, the more people you have to get on board. In most cases, change is driven top down. Somebody in leadership comes up with an idea and wants it implemented. There may, or may not, be a discussion among management on this change before it is passed down to the next layer. Middle management is given the concept and is then asked to drive it down to the front lines. Here it is crucial that middle managers understand all the how's and the why's in order communicate it effectively to the staff. Often this does not happen as effectively as it should. The change may be shared in meetings, emails, or newsletters, but full buy-in hasn't taken place. In the end this leads to resistance and not seeing the full benefit of the change process.

What if the change process was reversed? Instead of speeding the process up hoping to see immediate results, it was backed down to a more realistic time frame. Also, what if the seeds of change was planted in the minds of the employees so that instead of a top down approach, you drove the change from the bottom up. How might that change things?

Right now you might be saying to yourself, "We need to move quickly so we can react quickly." This is true, but more so when you are doing just that: reacting. Often business decisions, personal decisions, political decisions, etc. are a result of responding to an impending crisis. Sadly, we might have even been warned about the outcomes of this crisis earlier where we could have taken action, but the motivation wasn't there for whatever reason. Then when we are forced to deal with it we react. We need to become better at looking further ahead to prevent this from happening. We need to find ways to take the important but not urgent needs and prioritize.

You may also be thinking, "The employees won't come up with the right solution, and then when we don't use it they will be upset." That is because we have conditioned people to pass their problems to others. This is especially true of many managers. Managers often take on the burden of their staffs issues because they live in a false belief that it's quicker and easier to fix the problem themselves instead of coaching and teaching their people how to effectively deal with it. In essence, the ownership of the problem/idea is passed from the employee to the leader. So if it doesn't work, it's now the manager's problem. This is why it is so important to keep ownership where it belongs, on the individual.

If you are able to improve these two areas: being proactive instead of reactive and placing ownership and accountability on your people, over time you will be able to make change happen quickly and effectively. Take steps today to create a culture of change and the first step will start with you!

I encourage others to share their thoughts and ideas here. Open up a discussion and through that learn how to make change happen.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, Coaching, InVision, Leadership, process, Professional Development, Strategy

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "International Business", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, China, Culture, growth, International, InVision, Leadership, Strategy

Natasha Vora is a friend of mine who owns Indocara. Her company specializes in bringing textiles and furnishings from Southeast Asia to sell in the US. She has a small retail shop located in downtown Madison as well as an online presence at www.indocara.com.

Though Natasha and I come from very different backgrounds, we do share some similarities. We both had the opportunity to hone our skills at larger companies (in fact, we both spent time at Lands' End), and we both left to pursue businesses that we are passionate about.

Recently Natasha had the opportunity to participate in a local business radio talk show. She shared her experiences and also brought up a really good point, the importance of buying local.

Small business is the key to stimulating the economy. These companies make up the bulk of our workforce and often are the engine for economic growth. Often we forget about these businesses when we shop. The big box stores have created top of mind awareness for many of us and we often do not give it a second thought to go to the large stores when we need something.

I have also experienced the buy local dilemma. Some companies perceive that business expertise or strategy needs to come from a large company in a big city, and that is simply not the case. Yet I have lost opportunities because of the perception that the business knowledge of a company in another state must be better than what can be provided locally.

I think it is important for all of us to support our local economies as much as we can. In order for us to thrive, supporting those in our community is crucial. So before you head to that big box store, maybe check to see if it's available from a local business.

To hear the podcast for Natasha's interview, go to http://loyalearspodcasting.com/wtdy/audio/IB032409.mp3

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, customer loyalty, customer service, Economy, growth, Leadership, marketing, process, Sales, Strategy

What if you could reinvent your business or your product and grow by 20% this year, would you do it? My guess is probably so.

Today I read an article on Inc. Magazine's website (twitter inc5000 if you are interested.) about a small chemical company that did just that.

In Max Chafkin's article, he shared the experience of OMI, a company in Barrington, IL that specialized in industrial strength deodorants. For years, the company made a healthy profit margin of 80% by selling its non-toxic chemicals to engineers and plant managers. Yet Phil Coffey, who would later own the company saw more potential.

Phil had a plan to reinvent the product that had been so successful for industrial use and tap into the consumer products market. He saw a $4.7 billion dollar industry that he could tap in to.

After purchasing the company, Phil took a risk and launched a costly consumer strategy. His risk paid off and now their Fresh Wave product is taking off. In fact, they expect 20% growth in 2009 despite the economy.

The message here is this: opportunity exists everywhere. Unfortunately most of us fail to see it because we are too wrapped up in our own issues to notice. In other cases, even if we do see the opportunity, we may be too afraid to risk it. Phil's company already had profit margins of 80%. My guess is many would be happy with that and be unwilling to take on a risky venture.

Our country was founded on people taking risks; sticking their necks out. In order for us to grow and thrive, we need leadership that is willing to do the same. We need to make educated decisions and find the opportunities we can take advantage of. It is necessary to our survival.

Take ownership of your situation, find ways to re-invent yourself, make wise decisions, and have a plan.

Now is not the time to complain about the economy, your industry, your employees, management, government, or anything else. If you are willing to let someone else control your destiny, you may not like the results.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "Inc. Magazine", "InVision Business Development", "Phil Coffey", Business, Economy, growth, Leadership, marketing, Sales, Strategy

Growth is possible anytime, anywhere, in virtually any industry. All too often we miss these opportunities over concerns and fear from what we see occurring in the marketplace. Yet businesses who are poised to grow now will be miles ahead of their competition when the economy shifts.

Why would I say this? It's simple, because most businesses will cut back and wait right now. It may be because they are unable to take action (no resources) or it may be fear (concerns without a plan).

What if over 80% of your competitors chose to do nothing right now, or continued to do things the same way they have always done them? What opportunities does that leave you?

If you are able to take action, you should do so now! Just make sure you are wise in your move. Have a plan, define new opportunities, limit your risk, and move ahead.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, growth, InVision, Leadership, marketing, Sales, Strategy

I recently read an article by Barry Thomsen. He puts out the Small Business Idea-Letter. You can find is content at http://www.idealetter.com. The article was titled "It takes time for a business to put up a closed sign."

The article hit home on a key point that I tell many business owners who are struggling; "It's not what you did yesterday that got you here. It's what you have done over the past several months or years." Almost nothing happens overnight. Most problems start out benign. They are symptoms to a larger ailment and they may go unchecked because at the time they seem to be a nuisance instead of a larger problem. They are put off because people are too busy dealing with the daily issues to worry about them. Often when companies realize they need to fix these issues, it may be when they no longer have the time or the resources to do so.

Here's Barry's list. It's a pretty good one. I have abbreviated the original article to fit in this blog. If you would like the original article, please contact Barry at www.idealetter.com.

Customer Care: Treat your customers well or they will spend their money elsewhere.

Marketing: You must advertise and promote your business. Hanging out your sign is not enough.

Owner Attitude: Make sure your attitude is one that people want to do business (or work) with.

Training/Development: Customers want a knowledgeable, courteous staff. Continually develop your people.

Spending: Manage your money wisely. A growing business needs capital. Lavish trips and expensive equipment can cost you dearly.

Ownership: Stay connected to your business. Pay attention to the details so your business will grow.

Business Knowledge: Get to know the business basics, take courses, read and learn.

Salaries: Keep your pay and that of your employees at an affordable level. Reward for outstanding performance.

Keep up to date: Your products and services have to keep up with the times.

Ownership Change: If you bought into a business, you need to learn what the customers expect. Cutting corners could cut your sales.

Build Reserves: Keep cash on hand for the lean times

Product Mix: Learn what your customer is looking for.

Pricing: Make sure your pricing matches what you are offering. If prices fall too far out of line, you may lose your customers.

Big Accounts: While those accounts may pay well, they will cost you dearly should you lose them. Balance out your business so you don't have too many eggs in one basket.

Taxes: Keep up to date on your taxes. Falling behind here can be costly.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Leadership, Sales, Strategy

How versed are your people on the direction of the company? Here is a quick way to find out and it requires only two questions. First, take a random sampling of your staff. Include some leaders as well as front line and start a discussion with them.

Ask them these two questions:

1. What are the primary objectives for the company?
2. What is your role in accomplishing them?

Wait for the response on each question and compare notes. If your employees and leadership gives answers that closely match yours, then you are on the right track. However, if your staff looks at you with a blank stare, you are going to have some work to do.

What is most important now is that you have the right people doing the right things. If your people aren't working on the right goals, you will be wasting time and money. It could also be a sign that you need to review each persons' job expectations and streamline process. Make sure the right work is being done to provide the best performance and service for the company.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, InVision, Leadership, marketing, Strategy, Vision

One of the most costly challenges in business today are the staffers who punch in, but fail to show up for work. Almost every business has them. They show up and occupy their space, but they fail to perform to the expectations of the job.

While market changes have helped companies reduce staff, how can you be sure that you have the best employees working for you now?

• Better communication: establish clear communication with your people to make sure they understand the goals fo the company.
• Better accountability: Make people responsible. Give them specific goals that can be measured by the employee as well as the leader. Meet regularly to review and discuss.
• Better documentation: Plan out a clear record of performance for your people. If someone is under-performing, make sure you document it. If someone is performing above expectations, do the same.
• Better follow through: Stick to your word and hold all members of your staff to the same standards.
• Better distribution: Distribute work evenly among the entire workforce. Avoid punishing good workers by heaping more work (and greater expectations) on them
• Better measurements: Assess your people, develop strengths once you know what they are.
• Better culture: If you want to be world-class, you must think world-class. Become a culture that talent is attracted to and can perform well in.
  

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, growth, Leadership, Strategy

Tomorrow our 44th President will be sworn into office. While Barack Obama spoke of change throughout his campaign, it is up to all of us to make a difference. For future generations to prosper, we must make difficult decisions today. America has always been a land of opportunity and it is up to us as leaders in business and politics to create a strong economy.

Labels: "Barack Obama", "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Economy, growth, Leadership, Sales, Strategy

Now that 2009 is upon us, let's take the time to approach the year with new determination. While little has probably changed, let's all make it a point to change our attitude about our business and the economy. Look at 2009 through a new set of eyes and focus on how to grow your business. the only way we can all make a positive impact is by finding a way to win, not to survive. It is possible, I have seen it. Several businesses I know are experiencing double digit growth right now. Our jobs as leaders is to take advantage of opportunity. Find that opportunity now! Let's not squander it away with the hope that someone else will change our future for the better.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, Economy, growth, Management, marketing, Strategy

There is a lot of talk about our economic situation in the media these days. What is your business doing to change its future? Many businesses use economy as an excuse for growth. The theory is in a poor economy you should hold back and wait for the environment to improve.

I would challenge this philosophy as there is more wealth created in a down economy than in a booming one. People and businesses who are ready to grow take advantage of the market when others are retreating. Now is no different. In any market, there are highly profitable businesses. The excuse you have to sit back and wait doesn't fly. To me, it also doesn't make any sense.

If you are running a race and you are in the lead, you do not stop to catch your breath when the run gets difficult. If you are in the middle of the pack, you would never think of stopping because the people behind you would pass you up. If you are in last place and stop, you will never even compete.

What can you do to take ownership of your business and grow now. Waiting could give someone else the advantage and leave you well behind the pack.

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Dan Paulson, growth, InVision Business Development, Leadership, Money, Strategy

Football season is here and many companies are dealing with the impact of Fantasy Football. With many places online to track your teams, companies are dealing with staff working on their leagues during company time. The consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas stated that fantasy football could cost companies up to $10.5 billion over the entire season. This number relates to lost time spent by staffers managing their teams.

How do you deal with fantasy football in your company? Is it a tool used as a morale builder or do you place strict policies on using company time for personal reasons?

Labels: Business, Communication, costs, efficiency, fantasy football, Leadership

I recently read an article in the Wisconsin State Journal that shared a list of most valued qualities sought by employers. They are as follows:

• Communication Skills
• Honesty/Integrity
• Interpersonal Skills (Relates well with others)
  
• Motivation/Initiative
• Strong Work Ethic
• Teamwork Skills (Works well with others)
• Computer Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Flexibility/Adaptability
• Detail-Oriented
• Organizational Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Self-Confidence
• Friendly/Outgoing Personality
• Tactfulness
• Well-Mannered/Polite
• Creativity
• GPA (3.0 or better)
• Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk-Taker

(Source: Wisconsin State Journal/UW-Madison School of Engineering)

Almost 90% of the traits listed are not technical skills. Communication skills and other "soft" skills, as they are commonly called, have become so critical in our job functions. It is important to develop these skills early on in your career.

Business leaders: It is important that we recognize the traits we are seeking we are not born with. we need to take action to develop these skills with our staff. Many of these traits are not provided by traditional education. If you own a business, take the time to mentor and coach your staff. Empower them to become the employees you want and give them room to grow.

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, employees, Leadership, Organizational Development, Work

I recently read an article in Inc. magazine called Paradise Lost by Bo Burlingham. What caught my attention was the story was about Reell Precision Manufacturing. This company had been recognized for its culture and now was struggling for its life.

Reell was a successful company with a strong employee focus. In fact, all decisions were made in the best interests of the employees. For more than 30 years, the company had worked through good times and bad. When times got tough, the leaders took pay cuts to avoid reducing staff. The company was ran by three CEO's that made decisions based on consensus. The formula worked. The company experienced unflagging loyalty while having turnover well below the industry average. So what caused the dramatic turnaround in performance?

Reell's industry was changing. Responsible for making laptop hinges, they found their markets moving overseas. While they were able to make changes and compete for a while, they became burdened by keeping up with increasing sales. Those sales forced capital investments that forced the company to focus on generating more sales to pay for the equipment. Reell became forced to compete on price and reduced margins. In the short term, Reell's decision to globalize their laptop hinge product prevented layoffs. In the long term it nearly destroyed the company because of its failure to balance out the needs of the employees and the needs of the business.

The moral of this story is looking at all aspects of your business no matter how well you are doing. Too much emphasis in any one area can be disastrous.

Article:
Paradise Lost
By Bo Burlingham
Photographs by Mike McGregor
Magazine: Inc.
Issue: February 2008

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, Coaching, Leadership, Management, Planning, Sales, Strategy

We need a few good people. Or at least that is what I hear my clients say. Gone are the days of the company man. Now many people see jobs as merely stepping stones to get where they want to be. This is quite a turn around from our parent's culture that hailed the person working 20+ years at one job.

What has caused this change. The greatest factor might have been big business itself. Everyone has heard the story of the dedicated employee ousted from his position due to cutbacks and sending jobs overseas. Other factors may be benefits. As benefits change in relation to the needs of the employees, we see even less loyalty.

This takes us to our current generation. Most employees nowadays consider 2-4 years a long-term commitment to a job. Unlike their parents, they are also more concerned about balancing their personal life with their work. Many are no longer willing to work for just the almighty dollar.

So what is your company doing to find and retain good people? When businesses fail to keep good employees, they should first look at themselves before blaming the employee for leaving. What are you doing to develop your culture to attract people? How do you keep your staff engaged in their work? What are you learning about your employees needs that will let them know you value them and wish to keep them around?

If an employer treats their staff as an expense, they will often find it difficult to retain and hire good people. Given there are fewer people entering our workforce right now, you want to make sure you are a place people talk about working and not about leaving.

Labels: Business, Change Management, Leadership, Management, Organizational Development, Professional Development, Strategy

This thought is from an article by Dan and Chip Heath in the February 2008 issue of Fast Company. Their article "Make Goals Not Resolutions" highlights a good point that plagues most companies and people. We fail to clarify what we want to accomplish.

Things like increasing profits, better teamwork, improved communication are all great ideas. Unfortunately they cannot be measured and there is no time line to follow. The result is usually failure to realize that goal to its full potential.

The Heaths point out visualization as a key factor in achieving what you want. By visualizing where and when you will do something you have a much greater chance of actually achieving that goal.

So what were your resolutions for the new year? If you could visualize what you were doing, where you would be and when you complete it, would it help you reach your goal?

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Professional Development

Business coaching is continuing to gain credibility throughout the world as a legitimate resource to help professionals achieve results. A recent article in the Cincinnati Enquirer (Dec 18,2007) states that "9 out of 10 human resources professionals and clients see the value of coaching as 'very high' or 'somewhat high.'" :

Coaching was originally used to boost the performance of poor performers. My recent experience shows that successful executives are more likely to seek out a coach for themselves. People who strive to be the best and seek to get the most out of themselves while staying balanced.

What is your perception of coaching and if you were to seek a coach, what would you look for?

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Leadership, Professional Development, Strategy

Recently Yahoo Hotjobs! surveyed people on job satisfaction and found that 43% of workers were unhappy with their boss' performance and that 7 out of 10 workers are looking at landing a new job in 2008.

I believe their are two sides to every story and I believe there are a lot of good people that are in leadership roles. There are also people who don't understand their manager's responsibility. I think this represents how important communication is in an organization. It also shows what happens when companies fail to give their leaders the skills to be successful.

What are the costs to business when they experience high turnover?

Labels: Business, Culture, Leadership, Management, Professional Development

Ever wonder what your business is costing you? Many of you can look to your P & L's to find a number. While that might be accurate to represent the total dollars you are spending, I am more interested in what lies beneath those numbers.

A company with a good strategy, strong leadership, and effective staff can be far more profitable than a business with a good strategy, weak leadership, and a staff unclear of their direction. I have seen companies with comparable sales in similar industries that have differences of hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) in profitability. That difference could be the measure of what your business is costing you. But how can you be sure?

Here is a little test to start reading between the lines. Please keep in mind that if we are talking about averages it may not mean you do not have room for improvement. Remember, an average is little better than a C grade.

1. Advertising: How are your advertising expenses compared to the averages for your industry? What do the best companies spend? Some companies spend over four times the amount on advertising compared to the leaders in their industry. Unfortunately in most cases more advertising does not lead to greater results.
2. Turnover: How long do you retain people compared to your peers? Higher turnover can increase human resources costs exponentially through training, benefits, wages, unemployment, advertising (want ads), and recruiter bills.
3. Strategy: Great, you have a strategy. So who knows about it? How effectively is it executed? Over 90% of businesses fail to realize their strategy to its fullest potential and over 95% of employees in most organizations do not know what their company's strategy is. This can lead to even the right people doing the wrong things. In addition there can be multiple agendas, wasted time on projects not congruent with strategy, not to mention frustration, anxiety, loss of motivation, and ultimately lost sales.
4. Quality: So your quality is good, but can it be better? Each year, millions of dollars are lost to quality issues. These losses go beyond equipment failure into people related issues. Poor leadership can lead to poor morale and the "I don't care" attitude.
5. Sales: So your sales are down. It's the economy, the political climate, increased competition, the web, we lost our lucky rabbit's foot, etc. Remember, in the face of any bad economy, there are always companies that are growing and profitable. If you are not one of those companies that is growing and profitable, then you could be dying a slow death. Are sales fluctuations a blip on the screen or have steady decreases taken a bite in your profitability? There could be many reasons including the economy, but do you want your business to be influenced by the economy or do you want to be the best in your industry?

So what's your business costing you? What if you could increase your bottom line anywhere from 10-50% just by changing some of the things you already do without adding new technology? Many businesses seem to let these hidden costs go. My guess is because they cannot be seen. They remain hidden in the numbers. I would also guess that even if some companies knew the problems, they might feel powerless because they don't know what to do. What are your thoughts?

Labels: Business, Change Management, Leadership, Management, Planning, Sales, Strategy

An article in the January 6, 2008 edition of Parade states it is natural to start forgetting things as we get older. While we are no less competent, it does take us longer to retain information. So as you get older and find those "minor memory lapses", what do you do to retain information. I find that working your brain is a lot like working your muscles. If you fail to work out, your muscles atrophy. In some ways not giving your brain a workout can do the same. What do you do?

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Personal Development, Professional Development

It's hard to believe we are into our first full week in 2008 already. Often this is a time of year when we are excited about the targets we have set for ourselves in the coming months. What are some things that you are striving for? What's one thing you need to do on a daily basis so you will reach those goals? What is one thing you need to stop doing in order to accomplish your

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Professional Development, Strategy

I recently heard a radio personality comment on a football game he was watching. The comment was related to how the coach managed the clock and how difficult it must be to keep track of the time outs while managing the plays and accounting for the obvious obstacles created by the opposing team.

What's interesting is as a leader you experience similar change every day. The Leader's team is their people and strategy is their playbook. Instead of one team, leaders are often competing against many teams at the same time. The clock you manage is through your annual goals and your fiscal year. As with any team, you have your standout players, your team players and those who fail to deliver their best.

As you look at 2008, what are some of the biggest challenges you see with meeting your goals?

Labels: Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Professional Development, Sales, Strategy, Wealth

Carla Johnson of the Associated Press recently wrote about a recent study that found people "who see themselves as self-disciplined, organized achievers have a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's".

It appears this personality helps protect the brain. Some of the "dutiful people" were examined after death and found to have physical symptoms in their brains that would be consistent with the criteria for Alzheimer's, yet these people had shown no signs of the disease.

Robert Wilson of Chicago's Rush University of Medicine who co-authored the study said, "This adds to our knowledge that lifestyle, personality, how we think, feel, and behave are very importantly tied up with risk for this terrible illness."

In a way it might be said that hiring a coach could assist you with protecting yourself against Alzheimer's. While there is no study to back up how coaching can help, this study does suggest it could make a difference. A good coach should help you define your purpose and live a dutiful life by teaching self-discipline. So if you are considering hiring a coach to better yourself professionally, you may also reap greater benefits personally.

Labels: Alzheimer's, Business, Business Coaching, Change Management, Coaching, Culture, Health, Organizational Development, Personal Development, Professional Development

I recently read an article by Margarita Bauza from the Detroit Free Press on the benefits of Coaching. In the past, many people thought coaching was only for poor performers. The reality today is most people using coaches are high performers that want to become world-class achievers. As I look at my list of clients, I would agree with her findings. Most if not all of the people I work with are tops in their field. What they look for is how they can work smarter and excel in performance.

Are you seeking a coach? Here are some things to look for:

• Find the right fit. Make sure you are comfortable with the coach you choose.
• If you need help in a specific area, seek someone who specializes.
• Seek a coach who will help you develop your skills. Some coaches are more consultants. They tell you what you should do. Developmental coaching helps you find the right answer for your situation.
• Ask a lot of questions. Understand the coach's process or style and make sure it matches what you wish to accomplish.
• Make sure the coach is focused on you.
• Ask for references.

Coaching can be an excellent way to get you from where you are to where you want to be. The top performers in entertainment and sports have a coach. Why shouldn't you?

Labels: Business, Coaching, Leadership, Mentoring, Sales