The January 2005 BlogJanuary 31st, 2005Into the FutureI had a couple of newsletter sign-ups today and as I'm just a little nosy, especially when I've no idea where the sign-ups come from, I sometimes take a look at websites that are part of the e-mail address. One of my sign-ups today was from www.sdg.com, who are Strategic Decisions Group and who are a very interesting company from the States, so I took a look around.On there I found some excellent information, mainly in the Strategic Thinking and Planning areas, which may be a bit top-level for me, but great background to current thinking. But the presentation was just brill! So take a look at Seven Deadly Sins of Strategy This excellent downloadable Adobe article, is about, well, what it says above, the "Seven Deadly Sins of Strategy". It is one of a number of excellent free briefings (with live and archived teleseminars) run by them. Very worthwhile to listen to and to read. Check it (and them) out! End of an interesting month - when you and others looked at over 8000 pages on the site, with just 80ish pages, that's over 100 views per page. I'm delighted you are finding it useful. Next month there's more to come and if you want a few articles to read, checkout what I have on the Articles page. Thank you for your support. January 30th, 2005LeadershipThe truth is out. I knew it and I feel sure that you knew it, especially those of you who've been following my 'path' with managing others in a supportive and generative way.'What's he on about now?' I hear you say? Well, in today's UK Financial Mail. by Katie Taylor, a little article on the next to back page summed it up for me. Entitled 'How to Interview the Boss', it tells of how 'only 6% of employees leave their job because of poor pay and benefits' and 'more than half quit because they cannot bear working with their boss'. As a boss did you know that you had that much influence on your people? The article goes onto say how, as a prospective employee, you can find out about your boss before you join. 'Ask key questions, such as how staff are developed and what the strengths and weakness of the business are'. A boss who 'sees it as their responsibility to make other people successful', will have no trouble answering, whereas one who is 'ambitious with poor interpersonal skills will get all defensive'. So now you know - but hey bosses, it's not all over for you. Here are a few (14!) timely tips to hang onto your people...
People like Rea (get those nails fixed!) and Claire and Amy and Sandeep (2-0 to Chelsea!) and Laura and Hayley and Ed and Gary - all of whom I've had the great pleasure of working with this weekend! Great kids working and doing their best in a big-time grown up business and well, you know, having fun and making my day! January 29th, 2005BalanceI met a friend for lunch yesterday. She was someone who worked with me in my management team, in fact the best management team I ever had. Sandy had always been a little restless and it came as no surprise that she decided to take a year out to travel.People say she is brave, but Sandy says that she has nothing to lose, because she has no ties and her finances are OK for a while - so why not? She isn't brave at all. What I applaud in Sandy is her integrity. I admire her will to do what she wants right now and think very purely - about herself and her needs. Sandy is living out her dream and wanderlust, that for so many years has been apparent. I wish her well and will follow her progress closely, if she sticks to the blog I've encouraged her to take up and start writing. I'm not completely sure that she will, but I hope she does, as a travelogue she will enjoy in the years to come - and maybe, just maybe to show her kids in the future - wherever she ends up. It is an impressive thing you are doing Sandy and you are a model to us all. January 28th, 2005CustomerIt's like one of those exam questions at school. But, is it true? OK then, let's just analyse a little and then I'll leave you to ponder. If you work in an industry when you come in contact with customers - and whether you see customers as people buying products or services, or internal customers in your organisation - take it from me, you have them, then how you choose to interact with them, makes the ultimate decisions of how they and you enjoy the experience. You see, giving the best service possible - going the extra mile even, is a win-win. Brilliant customer service feels good, to both parties. So for those giving it, it can be maneouvred to become a great experience in 99% of cases. You, the provider are in control. You set the pace for a smile, for chatty comments and to create a wonderful experience - now is that not something to cherish? January 27th, 2005DevelopmentOn my walk this morning, I saw a green plastic bottle in the grass, half filled with water and sightly overgrown with grass. I picked it up, ready to throw it away, (as you do!) and saw a group of insects beneath scuttle away - tiny screams of "Woah, it's not green any more" made their way up to my ears.And I came to think that those insects have only seen the world through green up to now, as well as being physically protected from whatever the elements have thrown at them. So when they see the world now, all the glorious colours are in their view (now don't get into technicalities about what colours insects can see - it's a point I'm making here!). I wonder, what in your life is screening out things that you would otherwise be aware of? What opportunities are being held back, delayed maybe...What can you do to push that green bottle away and see past it - perhaps even finding more than you thought possible? Main question therefore is... January 26th, 2005TeamBit of a treat here. Rarely do I find something that really works and that is in perfect harmony with my outlandish comments - but today I have. It came from the 42 articles I now have at EzineArticles.com, which have now been read by a staggering 3100 people!Anyway, Josh Greenberg in Boulder, Colorado contacted me, about putting a few of my articles on his site, with acknowledgement of course. Well, this is a great product! It's called AlphaMeasure, and it "provides organizations of all sizes with a powerful, web-based method for measuring employee satisfaction, determining employee engagement, and increasing employee retention". It's so simple, I really do recommend you to take a look! I'll be talking to Josh about working together to compliment my coaching business. Think about it - with his programme we help businesses assess their staff satisfaction, then I can help them work out why and coach key people around that - I like it! I help him support his system in the UK, he helps me develop my business and we help thousands of employees get a better work life and their organisations become more successful! That is the sort of win-win-win-win I love! Everyone truly is a winner. Ah yes - you may notice some Google things on some pages. I'm putting these to broaden the offer to my visitors and also, because I get a small fee every time you click through, it helps me feed my starving kids (just kidding!). I'll also use the space on some pages to highlight a new range of products that will be on their way over the next few months. January 25th, 2005DevelopmentIt's a magical world we live in. Yesterday I was running a class for CoachU, the big coach training provider in the States. It was the last class of a series of 4 and at the end we (as class leaders) have to close out the class and report who showed up for the three out of four in a series they have to.One didn't show up at the end, so even though I'd closed out the class, I was able to get her a credit as she'd had an emergency - which was good. Then I got an e-mail today for someone who apologised she'd missed the class. There had been a lot of snow and she'd got stuck getting her kids home from school (she lives in Pennsylvania). I reflected on how cool it is to be doing a job where I get on the phone once or twice a week with folks whom live half a world away. Some calls I've been to Hawaii, New Zealand, Moscow and Israel, all on the same call! If you want to try some out, there are often free classes at Teleclass.com. Take a look - it might be the start of something magical Here are a few classes that might tickle your fancy...
January 24th, 2005LeadershipIt's a weird thing. Footballers have such a lot of opportunity, yet some seem to flaunt any of the responsibility which is attached to it.We have Robbie Savage digging his heels in so that he can move closer to (which is actually further from) home. Then we have the issue of Craig Bellamy falling out with his boss, supposedly feigning injury during an important game. Graeme Souness, his manager, has come out into the open to say that he's let the club and it's supporters down. Now this is an interesting management dilemma. What do you do when one of your best people doesn't quite tick all the boxes, but just some? How long do you put up with those parts which seem for a time to be less critical, but become so? Just a little puzzle for you to consider. With footballers it might seem relatively easy, if they break the rules, but what about if it's one of your 'key players'? January 23rd, 2005TeamThis needs to be quick today as it's late, I'm tired and I wanna go to bed, but I feel that a growing hunch of you get together, hanging round street corners in a dim light around this time, wondering if I'm going to show up - and I do, mostly!Today I had a great example of all sorts of Coaching Businesses to Success skillsets. In my paper yesterday (The Independent - nothing else I've found to report as yet), there was a full page advert for this amazing guy, Mr Raja Daswani of Raja Fashions. This guy flies in and measures you for a suit ('..often your suit will be started before you have left the hotel..') and either by courier, gets your suit back to you within one week or returns 5 weeks later to fit you out. He says he, '..just loves men's suits and I wouldn't feel right sitting at home. It's not a business. It's a mission..' Now that's what I call a passion for your work. He is on a mission to 'save us from overpriced and ill-fitting suits'. On further inspection he has just recently made shirts for Tony Blair. Now above all the hype, I have to reflect on the 'team' Mr Daswani has around him. In fact from one end of the earth to the next, he must have such a motivated team when he is away that they maximise the business, responding to the e-mailed measurements and photos that Mr D is sending back by the minute. No, without judging the whole escapade - the teamwork does have to take quite some beating to be better. Wonder if it would work with such precision in the UK. January 22nd, 2005LeadingThere's a great little article ('Business Lifeforms') on the back pages of the UK's leading management magazine, Management Today each month. It's a spoof (at least I think it is!) about some fictitious key player in a fictitious organisation. For January, it's about Ken, who's a 'Facilities Manager'.Now Ken has seen it all and truly worked his way up from the bottom to the top. Until, that is, a couple of years ago when new MBA armed suits took over and decided to slash Ken's department (until now running very, very smoothly under Ken's watchful eye) and Ken himself. Of course it all goes pear-shaped and the top dog has to come grovelling back to Ken, offer him loads of money and a big car, basically to ensure that the toilets aren't 'backing up' any more! This is in direct contrast to Michael Gerber, in his fascinating book The E-Myth Revisited. There he talks about working 'on' the business and 'in' the business, making it clear that if you do too much of the grindstone not-my-expertise stuff yourself, you lose track of what you are really good at, and what you went into business for. In a past life, I too experienced challenging outsourcing. At one time I had a great little local cleaner who I trusted (he even opened the store up for me - hmmm, that was a long time ago!). He did a great job and was on hand for emergencies. Then a new senior director decided to consolidate and outsource, for 'economy and consistency'. It was cheap - but the service was awful. Each time I got a new 'centrally sourced' cleaning company, they came with great intentions for the first 3 months and then dribbled off (with our money!) until it became unsustainable and another 'excellent contractor' came along. The moment of truth for me was when the director for one of these contractors, came along for the first time in a brand new £60K Merc (and it's a few years ago now). Then I knew where my money would be going. I went through 6 contractors in 5 years, even though my hands were tied by 'Head Office' contracts! The answer? I knew you would ask! I think there needs to be strong leadership at the start. Very clear standards required from outside contractors and severe penalties (yes, stop paying them even!) for under achievement. Corporate central contracts agreed there, but implemented and managed locally, leave a lot of space for waste. And yes, in a small business, don't even think of doing the bookkeeping yourself as soon as you can afford not to - do what you do best, value it and get on with creating the business you love, not like struggling Sarah in the book. But, get someone who you trust and who will deliver. Chris Barrow, of Million Dollar Coaching Practice fame, suggests that the very first thing anyone going into a consulting business should do, is get a PA. And that modern day evolution, a VA (virtual assistant) has made this a real, low cost possibility for many. Next up - an updated blog, which I hope will start on February 1st with some interesting new features for you too! Fingers crossed! January 21st, 2005ResultsI had to have a piece of work done recently for my car. The guy at the garage (it is a local Kwik Fit) has been OK and reasonable in the past, so I usually take it there - even if it isn't tyre or brakes etc. related.I've noticed that when the final bill comes, he always says that they did a little extra, or it came in a little cheaper than expected. I don't know whether it is a corporate ploy (oh, you sceptic!) or what, but the underpromise/overdeliver result works for me. I like them, even when the bill was £162 - although I thought it was going to be £170 and in most other places it would have been + VAT, so nearer £200. He also did a bit of something technical too as a freebie extra, so he gets my vote every time! Oh yes, and I took my son there (on my recommendation) and he spent over £240 as well. Now if that's not a result, I don't know what is! There's a new article up today. Checkout the Articles page and checkout Stunning Customer Service! for our first entry there! Off to Cardiff tomorrow for the Burnley away game - I try to get to these matches when I can locally, so I'm looking forward to a win! January 20th, 2005TimeI walk a lot. Half an hour to an hour most days, whatever the weather - and I love what I see out there.Today it's the turn of the 'woodpecker story'! I often see one woodpecker, usually on the ground and then it's off, usually silently - but today there were three. It's probably a bit early for young, but there they were, scuttling off into the tress, about 30 feet up. But what caught my eye especially, was the efficiency of their flight. You see, woodpeckers (and I guess there are others too, but I only thought of this today :-)), have an undulating flight - a few beats and then stop, dip a bit and then a few more beats. Always good for analogies, that's me, so I'm thinking of how that can be applied to management. It's like those little Chinese guys we used to see on a stage with all those plates on the top of long sticks spinning. Once they had them up there, all they had to do was just watch the slowing ones and pay attention to them. It's quite clever how nature imitates management - or is it the other way round...? The Articles page is now reorganised, with everything starting to slot into the right KEY STEPS. There are just 9 there at the moment, but there are 27 more at Ezine Articles - for your pleasure! We'll get them back shortly. January 19th, 2005CustomerPhew! The review of the 37 detailed sections is now complete (apart from a few bits of content review and spell checks!)Now, as my customer, I can tell you that there are two more sections to be written "Staff Discipline" and "Building Self Confidence", which will happen by the end of February. Now, I need your help - what's missing? I want to get the total up to 40 and with those two I will have 39. Check out the sitemap button and let me know where the gaps in skills for managers/bosses/supervisors/executives is - and then I'll write it. Let me know via the contact form and I'll see which topic gets the most votes! Thank you in advance. Just got to say a small thank you to Steve Pauley at Intercept UK for letting me know that all month I've been running with 2004 in the dateline - now we are up to speed on the year, maybe we can make a bit of progress! January 18th, 2005CustomerThree things tonight. Firstly, and of course most importantly (this is a 'Balance' thing!), Burnley have just beaten Liverpool to go to the next stage of the FA Cup. I go a long way back with Burnley - to when I was eight and went to my very first game - now I am, well, as old as I am, I am still as passionate about them as ever. In fact I have manfully battled against this all my life - and for nights like tonight, it has been worth the wait - I think!Secondly, a big well done to Tesco for their amazing run of results - ongoing
success machine that beats all other retailers hands down. Their secret? they
focus on great customer service and getting the stuff on the shelves that their
customers want to buy, and when they want to buy it. Not like our local Sainsbury's
who can't provide a tin of Pinto beans on a Monday morning. In fact, Tesco have
little true competition, and that's why they are so successful. Let me repeat it.
Look after your customers well and have the things in stock when they come in that
they want to buy - now what's complex about that? January 17th, 2005DevelopmentWorking with your people - rather than against. Seems like a fairly simple approach really, hardly novel. But how often does it get missed?In an article published recently in the Gallup Management Journal, a seven year shift in employee engagement, from under 20% to 61%, paid huge dividends. Faced with big challenges in a highly affluent (and thus demanding) locality, The Medical Centre of Plano was in trouble. Staff turnover was, in 1998, over 25% and for first-year staff it was up to 70%. So, what to do? Well, initially they used the renowned Q12 assessment tool from Gallup, reviewing staff satisfaction levels. (A copy if these and an associated article can be found here). This gave the inital 'under 20%' engagement score. The hospital then started to tackle some of the easier problems, working with their people to resolve them. They also worked with the hospital management teams to find out their strengths, using tools similar to StrengthsfinderTM, as described in the great book "Now Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. Focusing on getting things right for their people made all the difference in the world, saving up to $1 million a year as first year turnover dropped from 70% to 30% and overall turnover rates dropped by 5%. It's not complicated. It's about getting used to realising that your people are very, very valuable. You can find a full copy of the article at the Gallup Management Journal. At Coaching Businesses to Success, some of our intercept colleagues have been having similar results - and now you can too! Checkout the updated website here and have a look at how working with your key people positively, can help your business too! January 16th, 2005FutureThis piece could have fit anywhere really, but 'Future' is all about cultures in business. You just cannot create the right future for your business if you don't work on getting the culture right.Ever been shopping right after Christmas in some of the stores? About now is the right time. Sundays, one of the busiest trading days in the week nowadays in the UK - yet, what do you see in some of them? They use this busiest of days of the week, to strip off all the Christmas layouts and fittings and spread it all in my way! You can hardly make it across some of the stores salesfloors at the moment without putting your life in danger. And this is led by the managers in the businesses - the local one's and the big shots. If they want to get sustainable development of their people and businesses, they have to start setting far better examples than this. There should be a law against cluttering up all the spaces where I want to shop, whilst the stores are open. OK - done now, rant over - just watch it, that's all - or I might take my business elsewhere There's a new article tomorrow, Monday. In a bit of reverse psychology, you might find "11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!" interesting if you are in business too! It's in proofreading right now, but should be available sometime Monday lunchtime - UK time. January 15th, 2005Customer (& Balance, I guess!)You know how I like the Independent (only on Saturdays though, I haven't time to enjoy it every other day!). Well, there is a '50 Best' section each week (on Saturdays - keep up!).This week, it was 'Fish & Chip Shops'. Now being a bit of an aficionado on this delicacy, I checked through whether my own local (Ruddy's in Hucclecote, Gloucester) was in the top fifty, but it wasn't. Indeed there were only three that I'd ever been to, much to my disappointment. The three were, 'Seniors' in Blackpool, a very traditional place, where they give you bread and butter and a mug of tea as well; 'Harry Ramsden's' in Guiseley, Yorkshire, where they do rectangular fish (don't ask!); and finally 'Sammy's' in Fort William (Scotland). Now let me tell you a couple of things about 'Sammy's'. It is world renowned is 'Sammy's' and I once went there the evening before climbing Ben Nevis, which for all you who don't know, is the biggest hill we have in the UK. This was the start of a three day marathon of climbing the three biggest hills in the mainland UK, 'Ben Nevis' (Scotland), 'Scafell Pike' (England) and 'Snowdon' (Wales), which is another story, but is one of my best experiences in my whole life. The other thing about 'Sammy's', is the proprietor's comments And one day, I will. How about that for a vision for your business? January 14th, 2005LeadingI'm back on about dogs again!Ever seen a wary dog approach? What do you do? Well, my tactic is as follows...
I have rarely met a dog that doesn't respond positively, despite their being wary at first. One or two maybe. Now, because I'm feeling a bit mischievous (and I've learnt that i pretty often does go be for e, except after c - apart from their...and one or two other words), here's the thing:- May be nothing till Monday, this weekend as there are few things going on for me - so have a good weekend. Oooh, one final thing - the new additions this week are the Site Map and the two-thirds completed Booklist (in Resources). Check them out and let me know what you think through the Contact button. Ta! January 13th, 2005CustomerI've been a bit lost this week without my laptop. It's kept me in the office and unable to work elsewhere, which I like to do from time to time (wireless has a lot to answer for!). It's made by Rock (nah, no link to them) and I bought it for the free three-year warranty that it came with - peace of mind and all that. It has been a relatively good buy, but at the very beginning, it had a nasty habit of crashing just when I didn't want it to - not time to save or anything - it was a nasty power loss which was catastrophic.So it went back and forth a few times until I got really angry - not something I do that much, but I did. After firing of a personalised letter (their details are on the website or at Companies House) to the Managing Director, I got it sorted (though I never had a conversation with him - disappointing. But this is a great tip - tolerate people at the bottom end only for a short time - give them a little room and then if it ain't fixed fast, go to the very top - it is a mega time-saver, usually). Still I got it back fixed, until a couple of weeks ago when it had an odd burning smell - after all, I've been writing this website till all hours :-) In the end last week the power unit gave up the ghost again. Rang them - and yep, we'll pick it up tomorrow and it we need it for 5 working days. Hey presto, I got a call today and it is coming home tomorrow - delightful Yet, I have a problem. maybe it's asking too much. They were efficient; they were quite nice about it - but there was no passion - no-one could be described as that interested. It would have been just right if someone had said a little 'sorry'; or even told me what they had found wrong with it. I think they are efficient. But maybe not enough to buy from them again. they haven't quite done it for me. But it's a tough old world, and we are demanding customers these days. Good enough isn't enough any more... January 12th, 2005LeadingIt was a seminar I went to earlier today, that struck me as interesting. The guy speaking was a Director of Public Health and one of the answers to one of his questions was 'Stress Management'. The questions asked about what were some of the contributors to 'Public Health'.In the workplace, apparently, the people at the top suffer a lot less stress, even though they perhaps have more demands placed on them, because they have autonomy. This means that because they have the opportunity to make at least some of the decisions, they are a lot better off than those at the sharp end, who make none of the decisions. This is a whole new framework for me...or rather it rephrases something I've thought of for a long time. The 'Kick the Cat' syndrome. Picture the scenario. Worker at the bottom end - where often they have to deal with most challenging experiences:- the often hostile customers and/or clients. They are frustrated with organisational irritations; a poor boss and over all the incessant demands of customers. Often customers they can't do their best for because of the poorly organised operation around them. So with their frustration, they go home and 'Kick the Cat' - or worse. The responsibility that managers have for their people and their people's people is significant. It knocks on a long way. Public health, as defined by workplace experiences, will only get better as the quality of our managers and leaders gets far, far better. January 11th, 2005BalanceTuesday night is now my night for a date!Tuesday night I play badminton with my 21-year old daughter. This is our second week and I've just put it in my Outlook calendar for the next 26 weeks (apart from vacations and when I have something else on - she says we could do Fridays then!) Why is this important? It's important because you have a life outside your business - let me tell you, your family grows up before you know it. Next Friday, I have a date with my 23-year old son. He lives away from home - but we like to get together to talk 'stuff' through from time to time - a guys day out. Take the time to make special dates with your kids - but, (big BUT) don't make promises you can't keep - that's actually worse. Stephen Covey has a story about that in 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective people'. About how he turns down a lucrative business meeting because he's promised his daughter a 'date' - and he keeps it. A great lesson that I've always kept by me from that book. And by getting this balance in your life, you will come to realise that it makes you better in your business too. Oh yes. One thing I've been asked for is a site map, well, see those little buttons to the left, you should see one marked 'Site Map' now - give it a go - let me know if it works for you... January 10th, 2005ResultsDonald Trump Why waste the time thinking small thoughts, when you can spend just as much energy thinking big possibilities? Trump had it right - make your mind up right now, to look at any decisions you've made for your business this year and ask yourself this:- Have fun with this challenge this week. January 9th, 2005BalanceHave you booked your vacation or holidays for this year yet?How about taking a leaf out of the Emirates advert, which really stuck in my mind when it was out last year. What about that for a thought for your holiday/vacation. And even if you can't fit that new adventure into your main holidays, how about fitting it into a weekend - something unexpected and special maybe - or even a gift to yourself... January 8th, 2005TeamYour team needs you - that's absolute. But what they need from you varies a lot. Let's call it the Dog Story.Whilst I have mentioned dogs before on this blog, I want to tell you about the motivation factor that your people need to get the very best individual and team performance. Fast rewind to one of my managers. Michelle was an excellent operator - she truly delivered performance from her people, through building great relationships, being demanding (yet supportive) and focused. She was a huge asset to me - HUGE. In fact she saved my career at one point, but that's a different story. When we worked together, I learnt to relax and let her get in with it, yet so often she came to me to check that she was making the right decision. So often. I regularly pushed her back and said, "I trust you, make the decision". We had a good working relationship, Michelle and I and after a few weeks of this, she said to me, "Humour me. Let me tell you what I'm doing - I need that from you". It was good that she felt able to give me that feedback. And I realised that Michelle, like the dog, need something from me to reinforce that she was OK. She needed it regularly and she needed it from me. So that's what Michelle got from me. Support, reinforcement, and encouragement. I had to move from the 'what I wanted from Michelle' to the 'what Michelle wanted from me', in our relationship. All the people in your team need different things, just as they bring different skills and talents to your business. Value it and respect it. As for the dog, something in his past meant he was anxious - so what he needed was reinforcement from his owner, which, I'm delighted to say, he got regularly, even as I was scuffling along way behind them. January 7th, 2005Making TimeOne of the fora that I subscribe to has had a bit of a challenge today. There has been a debate as to whether we can still use the term 'brainstorm' or not. Apparently there are some quarters who call an eplileptic fit a 'brainstorm' so for good PC'ness, it is now thought a bit incorrect.There have been a number of alternatives suggested (although the body that represents epileptics, apparently complained because no-one thought to check with them if they felt aggrieved by the use of the unfortunately maligned word - and they didn't!) 'Thought shower', 'freethink', 'shoot for the stars' (really!) and more. It is really startling that we have become a country where every bit of our culture is being eroded by the minute, by a bunch of pathetic politicians with nothing better to do (and a big budget to do it with). Though we as a voting public must take our responsibility in this. To get back on track though...using 'brainstorming' as an open house, where 'no idea is wrong' technique, within your business or organisation, not only generates some stonking ideas, but also builds a team brilliantly. Next time you are faced with series of challenges and you need a bunch of ideas, get your team together and create a rule - no debates, no criticism, not even a smidgeon of a giggle about someones ideas (though we'd want you to have a bit of fun too!) as you go through the generating phase. Make it a safe place to share with your great colleagues. As the head of that team, your facilitation of your people will be invaluable - so make the space safe and so that no-one feels intimidated. Everyone will value that and what's more, some of your reluctant buds may even bloom. That's when things really start to happen and for you, as boss, the solutions truly start to make the difference, your people become much more empowered and it frees up more time than you can shake a stick at. Win-win or what! I'm indebted to James Butler for making the sanest comment of the day, "Have a superb weekend one and all. Just recall that even with all this nonsense, we're all lucky to be here." January 6th, 2005CustomerI know I'm a little fickle - but as the book I got for Christmas indicates, perhaps I'm just become like one of the "Grumpy Old Men as written by Stuart Prebble. I went to the bank today - remember the issues I'd had with them and the other bank (HSBC) being so nice? Well, today I had such a nice lady at my local Nat West - we were even laughing! Since she had exactly the name of my son's girlfriend, I'm thinking that might be a 'sign' and maybe I'll hang on there.What a difference a nice, helpful bank assistant can make - almost convinced me to let them keep my business. Maybe one more trial run - see if I can catch them out - but then that really is the GOM about me...! I also wanted to share with you a great and very different site on leadership. Todd Gorham's site provides loads of tools specifically on leadership, and below I've pasted a couple of excellent links. Try them out - he's definitely worth a look at. And certainly watch out for his interview with me, which should be up on his site over the next couple of days. Leadership-Tools.com Providing free high-quality leadership tools and resources in five key categories including: Business Planning, Leadership Development, Sales Management, Customer Service and Team Building. Subscribe to the Leadership Tools Monthly News newsletter today and receive a SPECIAL FREE GIFT! January 5th, 2005TeamI just wanted to let you know about a great resource I've come across recently.TeachMeTeamwork.com is a website with stunning online team building resources. Tom Heck runs one of the most successful websites in the States. For more information, checkout the link above, where he has a great selection of distance learning tools. (Big tip? Sign up for his free newsletter and get hold of the 'shoelaces' exercise, for free). January 4th, 2005DevelopmentMaybe it's that time of year, but life seems full of Development things. I guess, therefore, it's no co-incidence that I've been reading "The Dark Side of the Light Chasers" by Debbie Ford.In the book she helps us realise that there are many parts to who we are. And we are all OK! One great exercise is how we can get on a (yellow!) bus and see all the passengers on it. They are all our alter-egos, brilliantly described. Ford encourages us, in only a slightly more complex way than I'm describing, how we can take these characters off the bus, one at a time and ask questions of them, make friends and see these 'pests', 'gremlins' or whatever we have come to call them, as supporters - however irritating they might seem to be; how against us. The book is a good read and step by step Ford helps us to become whole and perhaps a little gentler with ourselves Not a bad place to be at the start of our new year. And to add to that, I yesterday had to update my records with a large coaching company I sometimes work with. 2004 has been a transitionary year for me; a little chaotic perhaps. But when I wrote down, on just one sheet of paper the things I'd been up to last year, you know it was just fantastic! What with Debbie Ford encouraging me to talk to one of my fellow passengers on my walk this morning and a beautiful sheet of A4 with last year's progress stuck up right in front of me, today has been a great day! January 3rd, 2005DevelopmentWell, I'm really pleased to announce the new newsletter for Coaching Businesses to Success.After having a variety of newsletters, some of which seem to have worked and others which maybe have less so, it has been a challenge to decide what to write exactly for the new publication. Yet, there it is and I hope you find it interesting - it can be accessed here. Be delighted to know what you think... January 2nd, 2005LeadingThe January edition of Management Today has a great piece about Peter Beresford, who is the new CEO of McDonald's UK.Bravely, Beresford talks about how McDonald's have lost momentum in the UK and basically have stood on the ropes, just soaking up the blows that have rained down on them from all angles over the past year or two. He talks about how he is about bring all three partners in the success of McDonald's together. 'Staff, suppliers and owner operators' If ever there was to be a hint of a way forward in business in 2005, Beresford's model is to be much acclaimed. He turned around their Japanese business in a year - business owners and organisational managers will be advised that if they have a New Year's resolution at all, it will be thinking three-way partnerships as well. January 2005 sees the launch of the CBTS newsletter. In it, we think you'll have a lot of fun learning along with us the value of the Eight Key Steps. In Eight One-Liners, we will, each month, challenge you to ask questions of yourselves, to make not just steps forward, but leaps and bounds! If you dig deep and work with us, you will find answers that will not only change your business skills, but your way of being, both in the workplace and at home and (p)leisure too. Click here to join right up. We are over 150 strong already... Back to Top - The Blog © 2005 Coaching Businesses to Success. Permission is given for non-profit use of the information from this web page provided it is acknowledged as follows:- "Used by permission of www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com" Requests for other uses will be considered if you contact us via the website. Thank you.  |