Posted: September 27, 2018 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

I work with organizations and teams that have a strong desire to operate at top performance.  While there are many attitudes, skills, and behaviors that need to be in place, one attribute that is often overlooked is being approachable.  In his classic book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, Dale Carnegie said, “The expression we wear on our face is more important than the clothes we wear on our back.”  What is the expression on your face at rest?  Is there a sparkle to it, or do you tend to have a more stern look.  Here is a story for you:

Many years ago, I was facilitating some leadership training, and the class consisted mostly of small business owners.  Cliff was one of the owners.  He ran an HVAC business, and years ago he was struggling to motivate his team.  A friend made a suggestion:  “Why don’t you change the expression of your face at rest?  You will find your people are more comfortable approaching you.  Right now, it seems like they are avoiding you”.  Cliff took the suggestion to heart.  It was hard to get into the habit of always having a pleasant expression.  He stuck with it, It was two years before he firmly formed the habit.  It paid off.  He said it was the most important decision he had even made since going into business.  As more people approached him, the communication opened up.  With more communication came more teamwork and problem solving.  Think about it.  When you go in to a store, and everyone is smiling, take note of the boss.  He or she is probably smiling.  Conversely, if you walk in and see glum looks on everyone, take a look at the person in the mezzanine.  Be prepared for Mt. Rushmore!

Posted: September 7, 2018 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Management, Team Building

If we want our product or service to be competitive and profitable, we need to deliver on time, within budget, and meet quality requirements.  To consistently achieve these objectives, there is one area I am finding increasing frustration:  Management of vendors and subs.  Since these folks are not on the payroll, we do not have the line authority and control that we do over our own employees.

In my 40 years of coaching and training, there is one business owner that stands out as the best vendor/sub manager I have ever known.  His name was John, and he was a contractor.  He built homes in the $1 million-plus range and was famous for always finishing the home on time and within budget.  He also had customers who were “wowed” and eager to refer him to their friends.  John’s recipe was simple:  He knew the four steps of project management:

1. Begin with the end picture in mind.

2.  List every single task and activity that needs to be done.  Prioritize the items and put them                                                  in sequence.

3.  Plan each task.  Negotiate and set deadlines with your subcontractors.

4.  Hold your team accountable

As simple as it sounds, it is not easy.  John’s strength was in step #4:  Holding people accountable.  If a sub committed to a time and date, John expected the sub to be there.  He was not a harsh man.  He simply went by the “Four F’s”:  Firm, Friendly, Frank and Fair.  I role-played with him in class to challenge him.  I played a sub that was trying to re-schedule a date I had committed to.  John said to me, “Steve, that isn’t going to work.  Here is why:  We are a team with a reputation of doing things right and on time.  If you don’t do your work here on Tuesday, that will set our job behind.  It would compromise our reputation.  You don’t want that.  Neither do I.  I want you to go back to your schedule and work it out, Steve.  I am counting on you to be there on Tuesday as we have agreed.”

That’s leadership!

Posted: July 30, 2018 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Presentation skills

You may have heard the story of how “Post-it” notes came about.  Many years ago, an employee for 3M was looking for ways to bookmark different areas of his bible so that he could make quick reference to his favorite parts.  He developed sticky paper that would come to be known as “Post-it” notes”.  And have you ever gotten a cockle burr stuck to your jeans?  That gave us the idea for Velcro.  Of course, all of these ideas had to be sold, and in order for that to happen, someone of influence had to listen.

Have you ever been excited about an idea that you just knew would improve your company?   Was there ever a situation where you tried to sell it and got totally shut down?  If so, you were probably frustrated or even demoralized.  Companies should not want this to happen.  To be innovative, we need idea fluency.  We need to present our idea in a way that gives us the greatest possibility of receptivity.  Here are some points to consider:

Establish credibility.  Be an “eager beaver”.  Do you work, do it fast, and do it well.  In addition, be the first to volunteer for other projects.  Do them fast and do them well. Results will follow, and you will be noticed and respected.  When you have an idea that you would like to sell, you will have a much more receptive audience.

Let the game come to you.  There are times when the best strategy is to let the momentum come from the other direction.  Your idea is probably designed to improve a situation or solve a problem.  In your team discussion, those subjects are likely to come up.  When they do, there is your opportunity…”Say…here’s a thought…”  The channel will be more open since your idea fits right into the discussion.

Be flexible.  One of my favorite ideas of all time turned out well because I listening to a critic who had a constructive suggestion regarding how to improve my idea.  I was glad I listened!

Ben Franklin once said, “If you don’t get what you want the first time you shop, you can always shop again”.   In business, I see too many ideas die before they launch.  Stay with it.  (My wife can give you lessons on this!)

Posted: June 11, 2018 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

For many years I have worked with a highly successful entrepreneur who knows how to lead.  His turnover is very low, and by all measures the productivity of his team is outstanding.  One of the most remarkable qualities this man (George) possesses is the ability to build consensus and bring his team in to total alignment.

Last week, George was tossing around a business decision that he knew would affect the routine and schedule of his staff.  In his monthly all-staff meeting this week, he introduced the idea to the 7 managers in the room.  Six were in favor and one was not.  George began asking questions to stir up the dialogue.  In an atmosphere of mutual respect, they began expressing their thoughts and defending their positions.  When one talked the others listened well.  Throughout the conversation I could sense the positive energy and synergy.  The one dissenting opinion was now enthusiastically in the positive column.  Rather than digging in on his position, he listened and weighed the other positions and ideas.  The team had all come together and displayed an eager attitude to move forward.  They were all bought in and committed.

George demonstrated that valued leadership quality of gaining enthusiastic cooperation.  Rather than simply give directives, he “let the game come to him.”  Whenever appropriate and possible, we should do the same.  It is an important step towards building a top-performing team.

Posted: May 9, 2018 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Sales

Six months ago one of my coaching clients found himself in a predicament:  Ty received a phone call from his biggest customer and it wasn’t a happy one.  His customer had not received their delivery and it was past due.  As a result, this missed delivery date caused the company to be late with a shipment to one of their customers.

Ty checked into it right away, and found out the error was due to some communication error between two departments.  They made a big mistake.  Ty could have called the company and made up some excuse.  Instead, he said, “We made a mistake.  We are sorry.  We are now making arrangements for you to receive it by air freight, and we will absorb the additional shipping charges”.

Fast forward to today.  Not only is this still their biggest customer, they have purchased far more than anticipated since the error.  I am quite certain this would not have happened if Ty and his company hadn’t owned up to their mistake and made it right quickly.  Ty knew that the most important asset his company has is their sterling reputation, and he fought to preserve it.

What Ty did seems like common sense.  It is common sense.  Yet how many times have you seen a situation where there was a mix-up in a process, and a shipment has to be sent out late?  Have you ever heard someone ask the question, “What should we tell them?”  How about the truth?  It worked for Ty

Our reputation is our brand, and it is a strong determining factor when a purchasing decision is made.  Think of it like that commercial for a Nationwide Freight Carrier:  “We are in the business of keeping promises”.