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

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

Imagine you are making a trip to another city. Unfortunately your car is broke down and you have to rely on someone else to get you exactly where you want to go. In an urban area you might call a taxi, take the bus, or ride on a train/subway. If you live out in the sticks like I do, you may have to call a friend or relative to get you where you need to go. Now what if you couldn't speak and you couldn't write anything legible for the person to understand where you were going. Also, what if the person giving you the ride couldn't speak or write anything down either? All of a sudden the communication that we take for granted on a daily basis would probably get very frustrating.

I recently spent several weeks overseas in China. My Mandarin is quite rough to say the least. I can get out some of the basics but I am a long way from holding a conversation. Fortunately most times I had a translator with me to make sure communication went smoothly.

There were times though where I was on my own and it was up to me to get the message across. For example, one day I chose to travel to Beijing which was a two hour drive by car. Fortunately high speed rail was available which was more comfortable and much faster. The challenge was getting from my hotel to the train station, then to Beijing and back.

I had already experienced the challenge of ordering food at the local restaurants. Fortunately most items were pictures and you could point to what you wanted. Yet there were times where the server needed more information that the picture couldn't provide. Now what? In some cases it was a guess. A few times I was pleasantly surprised with something I didn't think I ordered but I managed to get by. In any case, it was extremely frustrating on both sides when we couldn't understand what the other was saying.

Now imagine yourself traveling 80 miles away with little more than a street address. A normally simple process became amazingly complex. I had to plan ahead of time and make sure my translator understood exactly where I wanted to go. I then had to trust that she would write down the correct information. (She must have liked me because I made it back) On top of that, I couldn't read what she wrote so she needed to translate each phrase back to English so I would know what I was "saying".

The taxi rides were very interesting because all the taxi drivers loved to talk, or at least all the ones I rode with did. Imagine having a conversation with someone and all you can do is smile, nod and try to explain you don't understand a single word that person is saying. Again, frustrating.

So what's my point here besides learn the language? This is an extreme example of how difficult communication can be. Many people who have been in a leadership role can relate to this experience even when the people you are speaking to DO speak the same language. The key is mutual understanding.

The other day a client shared how easy their job would be if it wasn't for the people and the difficulty understanding them. Two people can interpret information very differently. We often make the assumption that because we understood what we meant, that others should get the same message. Not the case. Many problems can be avoided if we work toward understanding. This is true whether you speak to a taxi driver in China or an employee on the production floor. The better you get at understanding the easier it will be to get things done the right way.

Labels: Business Coaching, China, Coaching, Communication, customer loyalty, customer service, Leadership, process, Professional Development, 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