Be careful what you measure
Be careful what you measure – you may not get the results you’re expecting. A few years ago, part of the UK health system wanted to reduce the number of cardiac deaths. [...]
10 minute productivity?
Do you find it difficult to estimate how long a job will take? Put a finger in the air? Then find it expands to the available time you’ve estimated? This happens to [...]
10 Minute Productivity
Do you find it difficult to estimate how long a job will take? Put a finger in the air? Then find it expands to the available time you’ve estimated? This happens to [...]
This evoked a lifetime of curiosity
I was a teenager when I first read Dale Carnegie’s “How to win friends and influence people”. It evoked a lifelong curiosity about what makes people tick and how to deal with [...]
Theory or implementation?
There’s a huge difference between theory and implementation. Especially when it comes to dealing with people. Moving into sales roles, I read tons of books. Went to courses. Studied persuasion techniques and [...]
What you tolerating?
What the standard you walk past? As a leader what will and will you not tolerate? These questions have a profound impact on your business. Chief of Army Lieutenant General [...]
The pressure conundrum
Do you have employees who aren’t stepping up? Performing to the best of their ability? Making mistakes which end up costing you both time and money? As a leader, what’s your take? [...]
Matilda fever – lessons on leadership
Like the nation, Barbara and I have been gripped with Matildas fever. Never thought we’d be sitting both at a live site and glued to the TV watching soccer matches. Watching a [...]
The hidden culprit behind Business failure
The main reason for business failure – isn’t what you might think. According to one of NZ’s most experienced business liquidators, the number one reason most small business owners went to the [...]
When leadership sucks
"I’m REALLY frustrated! Everything seems to sit on my shoulders. My staff don’t take responsibility, stuff doesn’t get done on time, mistakes happen. I’m working very long hours. I’m tearing my hair [...]
When leadership sucks!
"I’m REALLY frustrated! Everything seems to sit on my shoulders. My staff don’t take responsibility, stuff doesn’t get done on time, mistakes happen. I’m working very long hours. I’m tearing my hair [...]
Is this toxic triangle damaging your business?
The Persecutor, Victim and Rescuer. Elements of Stephen Karpman’s drama triangle which have real world consequences in leadership. I’ve witnessed the triangle play out in lots of family businesses and partnerships. And [...]
Could you be Albert?
Business posture means you have a firm unshakable belief that you provide real value and deserve to be respected by your clients. Positioning involves being seen as a credible authority in your [...]
Deadlines – how do you react?
We’re moving house. There’s a defined date – stuff has to be packed and ready to move. Which brings up an interesting topic – deadlines. I’ve been mulling over why we take [...]
Could your leadership be toxic?
Over 40 years I’ve come across a wide variety of leaders. Some great, others positively toxic. I vividly remember one particularly toxic individual back in the 1980’s. Completely autocratic, he [...]
Could swimming improve your sales performance?
I’ve just started swimming again. Or should I say, attempting to . The last time I was in a pool was decades ago. I’ve always had trouble breathing so getting [...]
Challenged?
What happens when you get challenged? As a leader not everyone will agree with you. How you respond is critical. Do you get defensive? Feel resistance? Push back? Or do you encourage [...]
Reframing failure…
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket exploded. Maybe not quite the result they’d want. What’s enlightening is their reframe. The SpaceX engineers class the mission a success. They test early and often. They’re [...]
Decisions…
Decisions, decisions, decisions. How comfortable are you making them? Especially the hard ones. Ones where you may not know the outcome. I’ve been reflecting on my own decision-making process. Under what circumstances [...]
Decisions…
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” “I don’t much care where –” “Then [...]
Sports leadership lessons
I’ll be the first to admit – I’m not that interested in watching sport. Having said that, I am very interested in leadership and the lessons you can learn from top coaches [...]
Turning a blind eye?
When working with business leaders, we emphasise that everything starts at the top with your leadership. Leadership ultimately is creating a space where people want to belong. And you as [...]
Leadership & self awareness
Let’s talk about leadership. At its core, we’re all leaders on some level. No matter what you do people are watching and evaluating you. Some choose to follow you. This is especially [...]
False expectations?
Let’s talk about leadership. Over the years I’ve seen a common theme with expanding businesses when it comes to employing staff. As business owners the buck stops with us. Ultimately, we’re responsible [...]
What are your clients really buying?
What are your clients really buying? It’s tempting to say your product or service. But is that really true? Sure, your product or service has to fulfil a need. Provide an outcome [...]
What’s your exit strategy?
When speaking with business owners I ask what they really want from their blood, sweat and tears. The often long hours, financial risk and stress that comes from running a business. Many [...]
Using a wedge strategy
As buyers when dealing with an unknown vendor, most of us most of us have a natural level of suspiciousness. Unless we know the brand’s positive reputation or we’ve received a recommendation [...]
The true art of leadership…
The art of true leadership is developing a framework that has people genuinely wanting to come with you on your journey. It's not about coercion, which only breeds resistance and resentment. Let's [...]
Why one size doesn’t fit all in sales…
In sales one size definitely doesn’t fit all! Every organisation is different. So who you initially target is critical. There are two schools of thought. The first is to target the highest [...]
Leadership: Handling difficult conversations
As a business leader your job is to set the vision and direction for your organisation. Create and support a team which produces results for your clients. Your job as a leader [...]
Overdone Passion
One of the fundamentals in any sales conversation is your own conviction, and your own passion for what you do. Because passion and conviction and enthusiasm are infectious. And while [...]
Shooting the messenger?
If Covid has shown us anything, it’s that every business needs to constantly look to the future and innovate. But you cannot innovate without challenging the status quo. Which starts with your [...]
Inferential thinking…
Thought this quote from James Clear is very apt in today’s world. "When you need to learn quickly, learn from others. When you need to learn deeply, learn from experience." To this [...]
The dark side of empathy
We’re all taught to play to our strengths. However, a strength overdone often becomes a weakness. Take empathy. In sales, empathy is extolled as a strength. “Get into your clients’ shoes” “Understand [...]
Can you let go?
A client recently asked me how long it would take to get “beyond” their business. By which they meant when the business could run without their involvement and provide options. To either [...]
Liked or Respected?
Given a binary choice – be liked or respected, which would you choose? Could choosing one over the other enhance or hinder your professional results – both from a leadership or sales [...]
Will you put your ego aside?
Recently attending a Mahler concert highlighted an important leadership lesson about courage and confidence. Let me set the scene. We were at the newly refurbished concert hall at the Sydney Opera House. [...]
The value of something isn’t…
Recently watched the movie “The current war” about the competition between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse around the viability of DC and AC current. Westinghouse made a profound observation. “The value of [...]
Simplicity Rules
One of the things that saddens me is seeing great technological innovations fail, mainly due to a lack of marketing and sales. I've seen that happen in many guises from inventors tightly [...]
How to become an “order taker”
Which would you prefer? Having to constantly prospect for new business, have lots of meetings and hopefully win some business. OR Have your ideal clients come to you asking how you can [...]