I Need Some Magic

Although Tom Connellan’s book, “Inside the Magic Kingdom” isn’t new, it is very fresh for the time. The book describes the secret sauce is for the mega amusement company to continue to have loyal customers who come back over and over again and don’t mind paying for the experience. It’s not about adorable creatures, mystical heroes or the most thrilling rides in an amusement park. As a matter fact you can find all of that less than 5 miles away, but the loyal Disney followers pass by it to find the magic. The magic is a state of mind. Everyone’s state of mind – the customers, the employees, the vendors, the creators – everyone.

I would propose that the key’s to Disney’s success that Connellan reveals, apply to just about any business interested in building passionate customer loyalty. The book is chock full of mind shifting ideas. Here are the concepts and just some of the great quotes that might just get you and your teams thinking.

 1. Your competition may not be who you think. “If someone else satisfies customers better than, no matter what type of business, you suffer by comparison.”

2. Pay fantastic attention to detail. “Quality is not about limited possibilities. Quality is about unlimited possibilities.”

3. Everyone walks the talk “Everyone needs to focus on providing what customers want – even people who never come in direct contact with customers”

4. Everything walks the talk “The trick is to turn common sense into common practice”

5. Customers are best heard through many ears. “If you overlook information from employees, you overlook probably the most valuable source of customer information you have.”

6. Reward recognize and celebrate. “People treat customers the same way they get treated.”

7. Everyone makes a difference. “To achieve good teamwork and optimize customer loyalty, you have to break down silos.”

8. Continuous pursuit of excellence. “Just when everyone is saying how great you are is when you’re most vulnerable”

Thanks to Tom Connellan for writing this great instructions guide to bring out the best in others and in business – “Inside the Magic Kingdom.”

Lead on!

I Need to Make A Decision

Having a rising high school senior has provided a new opportunity for our family. College tours and decisions. So many great places with different attributes and qualities. We’ve visited two universities so far and have several others on the schedule over the next 30 days. Apples and Oranges. How can she decide?  Having a Six Sigma/Lean Engineering mom brings a new decision making opportunity to this process as well. We’ve taken the C&E Matrix (Cause and Effect Matrix) to a whole new application. I’m not referring to the Ishikawa Diagram (fishbone) even though some disciplines call the Ishikawa Diagram a C&E Matrix. I’m talking about the decision making tool.

The C&E matrix is typically used to help us narrow a long list of suspected X’s (inputs) down to a more manageable one. For example if a process has dozens of inputs, it would be too difficult to start investigating each one – so instead they get prioritized based on the issue at hand which are categorized by Critical to Quality indicators (CTQ’s).

In my opinion, the reason the C&E is so powerful is that it keeps the emotion/gut in check. So we have put together a C&E Matrix for our daughter’s college decision making. The CTQ’s are what we’re calling “Important Factors”.  These are the things that are important to our her for college journey.  The inputs are the colleges and they are being measured against the CTQ’s she has identified.  The goal is to come up with a “top 3-5” list when we’re done with the circuit.  And then, assuming a standout – start the early application process.

Other rogue ways I’ve used this tool and the benefits:

• Employee hiring – helped me hire a widely diverse workforce with stills targeted to the job’s success factors not just someone like the employee previously in the role. 
• Deciding what family vacation to take – balanced all factors, not just cost and helped us think of options that catered to everyone’s preferences.
• Business investment choices – deciding when to invest in equipment, systems, furniture, office space, etc. is really a matter of two things – positive impact to the customer and positive impact to the revenue plan (of course regulatory factors supersede both). The C&E helps get the ego out of the way.

If you have questions on how to use this tool for your business or personal decision making, please let me know. And if you have used it in a unique or innovative way – share that with the New Day Solutions blog readers too.

Lead on!

Lori

I Need To Know How To Hold ‘Em and When to Fold ‘Em

When you are selling your own services, one of the most difficult things to do is to set your own price.  When I work with entrepreneurial or emerging consultant clients, we typically go through an exercise to determine market value, cost of good/services, market share strategy and regional pricing tolerance (where applicable).  However, the after that data driven exercise, complaints start to creep up regarding reducing prices and “free/pro-bono” work eating up too much time without any return.  Here are five things to do to avoid losing your livelihood and your sanity. 

1. Find out early in the sales process what the client’s budget is.  You want to ask them a budget question before they ask you a price question. If their budget is in line, then proceed.  If it is not, then quickly let them know that their budget is below your standard pricing.
2. Help them afford you – if you are consulting to help a company save money, then you can structure your contract to be your full price but has two pay components.  A base price (their budget) plus the savings realized up to 5% over your standard fee with a guaranteed minimum (your fee).   If you are facilitating a workshop, you can structure the contract to be your full price which includes the base fee for the workshop plus X number of presold workbooks.  They can either gift the workbooks to their employees, or ask the employees to pay for workbooks to make up the budget gap.  The key is to keep each invoice at or above your market value. 
3. No free-bies unless there is WIFM value (What’s In-it For Me).  If you can garner exposure (verified in advance), marketing, a chance to sell other products, etc. then it is a good idea to do some “free-in exchange for” work.  But be cautious.  For some crazy reason, friends and family often assume you want to work for free.  What’s up with that?  You can politely but directly say “that is something do for clients, and my fees are X.  If that is not something you’re comfortable with, I completely understand and I’d be glad to point you in another direction.”   When was the last time you asked an attorney friend to review a contract for you for free or an architect friend to draw up some plans for your new beach house?  Hopefully never.
4. When you are asked (in case you don’t get that budget question in first) “what is your fee, say something.  Even if it is “what is your budget?’.  Anything is better than, “um” “well” or nothing.  That’s the first clue that you are flexible or will negotiate – i.e. talked down.  If you have a price and stick with it, you can at least say it confidently and work on the details of the project as the conversation progresses.
5. Hold your own.  Don’t change price based on pressure of the prospect.  If they indicate the price is too high, ask them why they feel that way.   Ask them what they were expecting and where they are getting their price base from.  You may learn that a competitor is charging less – and you may have to either explain how your services differ or be willing to match price.  At some point if there is a competitive pricing issue you have to decide if you want to “compete” on a price, quality, or product differentiation.  Or, you may decide that you don’t want to compete and fold ‘em and move on to the next opportunity.    

I Need to Thank Mom

As I was sitting at the pool, waiting for my daughter to finish swim practice this past weekend I was thinking about Mother’s Day.  I heard a mom say to her child, “First, put your sunscreen on so you don’t get burned.”  It reminded me of all the things that were said to me as a kid by my Mom and how much of a leader she was to me. 

Here are 10 motherly messages that can be applied to your leadership strategies –

1. “I’m not here to be your friend; I’m here to help you grow up.”   As a leader, the primary role is to help a team succeed – if you end up with a friend in the process end then it’s a bonus.  It is hard to hold friends accountable – but if you set early expectations then, there are no mixed messages.
2. “Because it’s good for you.”  Sometimes a leader must stretch and grow their team by taking them outside of their comfort zones.  A leader’s vision sees capabilities beyond one’s own perceived limitations – and that is a very good thing.
3. “No, you’re not fat, you’re healthy.”  Sometimes, competitive pressures can deflate someone’s confidence.  A good leader knows when to point out positive attributes in light of some critical peer feedback. 
4. “You’re coming with me.”  I came along very late in my parents’ live.  My only sibling was married by the time I was four.  As a result, I was often the only child in the midst of a sea of adults at my parents’ social events.  It was great exposure for me, even if I wasn’t “participating”.  I learned a lot by observing.  It helped me feel comfortable having conversations with people of all different ages and backgrounds.  A good leader brings along team members to expose them to new experiences. Consider letting someone shadow you for the day.
5. “What do you want?”  Even though Mom had in mind what I needed, at least I had a chance to voice my opinion and we’d talk about it.  Including me in the decision making process was a much better way of getting buy with me – particularly as a teenager.  What do you do more of – asking or telling?
6. “I won’t tell your Dad.”  When we mess up, it’s great knowing that your manager is the first to forgive and isn’t ready to spread the word about your mistakes (unless it is immoral or unethical and they are required to report it).  Having a safe place to learn and grow is essential for emerging leaders.
7. “Call me first.”  There will be times when things don’t always go as planned. Having the peace of mind of knowing that you have the support you need if trouble arises helps not only manage through the issue, but prevents unnecessary guesswork if it is unchartered territory.  Most seasoned leaders have already dealt with most issues – sharing your experience in those tough times will surely minimize the impact. Who do you want your team members calling first – their peers or you?
8. “I have a surprise for you.”  It is always nice to know that someone has thought about you when you’re not around.  Maybe that surprise could be a raise, new project to work on, a mentor they’ve been seeking – be creative and surprise someone. They will likely surprise you with their response.
9. “Because I said so.” Sometimes corporate decisions need to be made and supported across the board without discussion or reasoning.  There are times when there are issues outside the realm of public knowledge and they just need to be accepted.  Having a leader who consistently fosters trust will gain buy in much more easily than someone who doesn’t.  
10. “It hurts me too.”  No one likes to deliver bad news. Progressive discipline is a way to help someone either find their way or find the door.  Either way, it is as painful for the leader as it is for the teammate – protecting the individual’s dignity helps everyone get through the process swiftly.  When the outcome is positive and the correction effort is successful, they will recognize the “tough love” you gave as a gift.

Thanks, Mom – for setting your leadership example.

Lori

I Need to Know What to Do.

The number 1 reason people leave a job/company is lack of leadership. 

People make decisions to join a company based on four straightforward criteria.  The need that is their most pressing issue carries the most weight so as the list proceeds if the first requirement is met – the others carry less weight.  Conversely, if the first requirement is not met, each following requirement becomes more important in sequential order. Prior to the recent economic downturn the order for decision making went something like this –

1. Who I work for?  – if the leadership requirements are met the rest are less important.
2. What will I do?  Will I love, like, tolerate, or stomach it?  If no. 1 is met, I’ll move further down that list.  If no. 1 is not met I will need to really like/love what I do to “stomach” the boss.
3. Where will I live? – Do I have geographic constraints that I want/require?  I may forgive 1 and 2, if I can live/be where I need to.
4. How much will I make? – If the others are met, money may not be an issue.  Other rewards take over.  However, if 1, 2, and 3 are not met – it needs to be the “offer of a lifetime”.

I have seen that the economic climate has created new level of financial stress on the un/under employed.  Many decisions are being made with no. 4 in the first position, with a much lower threshold for acceptance.  Taking a job “just for to have one – or a paycheck” is a major cause for poor performance, stress related health issues, and resentment in the workplace.

My prediction is that when unemployment rate begins to drop, many people will have a burning desire to address the emptiness of job dissatisfaction and be interested in reordering the criteria back to leadership. 

Are the people joining or leaving your team, doing so because of  you or your signature on their paycheck .  . . or both?

I Need A Gift

Positive and constructive feedback is a gift that you can give and receive, but unfortunately, most people aren’t very good at it because it is not being viewed as a gift.  When someone tells you that something you are doing is disruptive, ineffective or problematic they are saying, “Hey, I care about your success. You can be better.”  The problem is that if we are in the wrong frame of mind we hear, “You don’t measure up; you’ll never make it; everyone else is passing you in the fast lane.”   It’s silly but it’s true. 

Growth leaders seek the gift for themselves and their teams.  They put their head in the right spot and seek the feedback.  They embrace the idea that they are not perfect and want to know what’s in their blind spots.  They also want to know what they do well so they do more of that.  Here’s the most important part.  When they get feedback they do something with it.  Even if they don’t agree with the feedback, someone elses perception is their reality and the receiver of the feedback now has the knowledge to do something different to change others’ perception.   Knowledge is power. 

Many companies conduct 360 degree feedback assessments to provide their leaders with input from many other individuals of all different levels within a company who interact with the employee.  I am a huge believer in 360 reviews but because they are administered every 12-24 months, the feedback is often not as timely as needed.

Another source of getting feedback is to administer feedback assessments on yourself every 3 to 6 months.  Send people you work for, with, and lead, a letter (email will work if you provide an option for anonyminity) and ask them to invest in your development by sending you back their thoughts on these three questions:

• What should I start doing that I’m not doing now?
• What should I stop doing that?
• What should I continue doing?

And lastly, if you make it a point to ask for continuous feedback it will be easy to receive and easy to give.  At first people might have a hard time giving you candid feedback, but if you consistently ask others to tell you how you’re doing, they will.  They’ll probably ask you for your opinion in return.  And then the gift keeps giving.

Guidelines for asking for feedback:

• Ask for something specific – “What do you think was the weakest part and strongest part of the presentation?”  Not –“So, what you think?”
• Give people permission to tell you the truth – “I really respect your insights.  I’d like to know what I can do better the next time.”
• Thank them for the gift.  “I really appreciate your opinion.  Thank you for being willing to help me improve.”
• Ask for feedforward.  “I’m gearing up for my next presentation.  What can I do to make it valuable to the attendees?”

Guidelines for giving feedback:

• Focus as much on the positive as the constructive feedback.  “I saw everyone taking notes when you unveiled your goals with such excitement.  The whole team is onboard with the new plan. Great job.” 
• Talk about your observations and feelings.  “I love the way you make everyone feel at ease at our staff meetings.  However, some of the small talk takes up a lot of time and I miss the chance to workout some of the business issues.  How about inviting everyone to dail in five minutes early for some social time?”
• Offer a solutions, not just criticism. “I feel disconnected because you are not very visible on the floor.  It would be great if you could walk around the department in the afternoons.”
• Use facts not “suspicions” It is not helpful to say “I get the sense that everyone is unhappy.” 
• If the feedback is unsolicited, prepare them for it.  “I have made some observations lately that I’d like to share with you.  Could I come by this afternoon to discuss my feedback with you?

Feedback creates a platform for growth.  And, although growth can be painful at times, is necessary to become the man or woman you are capable of being. 

Lead on!

If you are interested in help starting a feedback process in your company, team or life, contact me at New Day Solutions, Inc. lday@newdaysolutionsinc.com.  We’re dedicated to helping businesses and individuals achieve their goals.

I Need A Good Reputation

Nobody’s making money until someone sells something.  So, who is really responsible for sales?  I would argue that anyone in any position is selling whether they’re asking for the buy or not. People sell loyalty by providing excellent customer service, we sell trust by doing the right thing, we sell product by solving a need/problem – and most importantly we sell “word of mouth and word of mouse” advertizing, good and bad, whenever we interact with a customer or prospect.

We all prefer to buy when we know someone else has already had a good experience. Social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) has become a Mecca of resources for recommendations. Just post the question “has anyone ever bought XYZ from ABC?” and see what you get back! And, as human beings we are wired to want to help people succeed who are doing a good job, so we tell people freely when that is true. So there’s the good news – you get to choose.  Create a culture where you/your team consistently provide(s) positive customer experiences and you will get more business  . . .  or not. 

Here’s the scary news – there have been recent studies that found that 84% of consumers will tell someone else about a bad experience, which was up from 67% in 2006. And how easy is it to use email, FB, Twitter, or even the news media to proliferate a public warning? One mouse click away.

Forrester.com recently published a research study where it asked more than 4,500 consumers how often they talk about experiences with companies in twelve industries. It turns out that more consumers talk about good experiences than bad experiences with eight of the industries. Retailers and banks have the most consumers saying good things about them, and credit card providers, health insurance plans, Internet service providers, and TV service providers have the most consumers saying bad things. This negative bias is worst for airlines. As it turns out, Gen Xers and Older Boomers share news about a negative experience most frequently.

All industries and services take heed. More consumers share positive experiences and consumers tell more people about negative experiences.  Here’s the bottom line; people are talking. Whether the experience is good or bad, the consumer is going to tell someone about it. What do you want them saying about you, your product and your company?

I Need An Edge

Competition is fierce these days.  Who doesn’t want to make a good impression, win the sale, or get promoted?   How do you set yourself apart from your competitors? 

Here’s what I like to call the 10% edge.  5 small things that won’t cost you a fortune but will present you like a million bucks.    

• Make sure you have great shoes.  They should be professionally appropriate, clean, neat, scuff free, and without holes in the soles.  Yes, it’s visible when you cross your legs.  Try using a dryer sheet to give a polished shine to your shoes and eliminate the dust if you haven’t worn them for a while.
• Carry a nice pen.  It doesn’t have to be a Mont Blanc. Choose something classic, easy to hold, and doesn’t look disposable.
• When you are meeting with someone face to face, eye contact.  Looking up like you’re searching for the next word, or looking down and away gives the impression you don’t know your stuff.  Look ‘em in the eyes and show your confidence.
• Follow up in writing – pen and paper writing.  Send a note via snail mail instead of email.  One way to do it efficiently is to stamp and address the envelope before you go to your meeting.  As soon as your meeting is over, sit in your car, office, building lobby and write the note capturing relevant thoughts to show your insight.
• Groomed Nails – short and clean .  Men, your hands can take abuse throughout the day.  If you’re not into manicures, a moisturizing lotion will do wonders.  Keep a small bottle of  non-greasy unsented lotion in your briefcase or car.   A quick application before a meeting will remove the appearance of those rough spots.  Ladies, no long crazy nails.  Not professional.  If you don’t have time for frequent manicures, 5 minutes every 2 weeks will do the trick.  Use a single coat of Sally Hansen No Chip 10 Day Nail Color in Tough Buff.  It looks great, dries fast and lasts for at least 2 weeks.   

Bonus:  Smile!  We get so caught up in the seriousness of business that we forget to let our face know that we’re having fun.  Do you remember the last time you were in a meeting and the presenter didn’t smile?  Snoozer!  Your client, prospect, or future employer will see you as a positive person and want to do business with someone who can be professional and happy.

I’d like to know what you do to set yourself apart from other 90%!

I Need a Brain (Ode to Dorothy Part II)

Thought leadership and decision making combine right brain and left brain processing traits.  The brain contains two hemispheres for thinking and decisioning each leading with a different agenda.  The left brain is the analytical side and the right side has more intuitive/creative dominance.  In a recent book, Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell the premise of thinking without thinking is explained.  In other words, leverage your gut more!

At times leaders delay making a decision until they feel they have “enough” information to act.  Unfortunately that delay can be costly if the market has moved during the decision making process.  Right-brain dominant leaders are comfortable making a decision with 80% information and 20% intuition and then adjusting as needed and things unfold.   For many left-brained thinkers, that must be a learned behavior.    Gladwell reminds us that we’ve long heard “haste makes waste” but his is also quick to share that there are critical moments when our knee jerk reaction or “gut” decision can offer a much better result and that pure and simple – “decisions made quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously or deliberately.”

In Blink, Gladwell shares that a key element to making good decisions is knowing when to trust that internal voice and when to question it.  Our subconscious can be thrown off when distracted, in a highly emotional situation or when there is a high desire for a particular outcome. 

Here are three litmus tests for knowing how to decide how much trust you can put into your instincts and act without all of the data:

• Is my motive based on a high emotional bias?  If yes, validate with a trusted more objective source.
• Am I comfortable with my level of focus to be sure my sensors are all active?  If no, go back and review.
• What’s my experience level with this topic?  The more experience you gain, the better and more honed your subconscious is.  If this is new to you, seek an expert to validate your intuition.

Different fields require different levels of the right brain and left brain to be successful.  Just think – doctors, designers, teachers, engineers, actors, pilots  – if they all approached their decision making the same way we might have more malpractice or really predictable décor.  Yikes!

For MANAGER/LEADERS –  A well balanced diverse team can challenge and encourage, act and trust, analyze and create through a collaborative process.  The leader who is tuned in to her/his team members’ brain dominance can accelerate its effectiveness and lessen tension by managing the differences openly.

Gladwell encourages us to not try to blend the two brain hemispheres too much.  Analyze when you need to but trust your first instinct more often.

To learn more about your brain’s natural style and dominance take this quiz.  It’s free and the results are quite extensive.

http://www.wherecreativitygoestoschool.com/vancouver/left_right/rb_test.htm

Lead on!

Lori

I Need Some Courage (Ode to Dorothy Part 1)

Managerial courage – what is that?  I would propose that it can be summed up by saying “doing the right thing is always the right thing to do”.  Not the easiest thing to do.  Leaders who demonstrate courage develop: loyal followers, trust from their leaders, and three cheers from the shareholders.  Sounds great – so why is it a topic for development?  Demonstrating courage is not for the faint of heart – it can also topple empires, cause friction, cost money and/or your job and can be really hard to do. 

Wait – “but you just said….. which is it”? BOTH!   But choosing the courageous “right” route  always has a better outcome than if you didn’t.  Merom Klein (author of “The Courage to Act”) said this: “Courage is the turbo-charging required to succeed when it isn’t enough to choose what’s easy, self-indulgent or politically expedient. It’s a personal choice. We don’t show courage when we’re doing the right thing under duress or because higher-ups are monitoring our compliance, but when we choose to rise to a challenge out of our own free will and sense of honor.”

When finding your courage – you’ll find the wellness of the human spirit behind each decision – it may take peeling a few layers back, but it’s true.  Consider these three areas to consider when finding your courage –

Honesty – be frank but encouraging with performance feedback.  Telling someone that their performance is lacking is one of the most difficult things a leader does.  But think, if you weren’t honest – the employee wouldn’t grow, the business would suffer, and the trust between the leader and the employee would not be able to flourish.

Integrity – what you say (or withhold), write (or don’t document), or do (or don’t) should always be able to be printed on the front page of the WSJ and result in you keeping your friends, job, and staying you out of prison.

Humility – it takes courage to admit that you are wrong, don’t know the answer, or made a mistake because we are somehow wired to think that those admissions would cause us to lose favor with those whom are important.  Well, we have that backwards – when we admit those types of things, those who are really important will take favor with us because they will embrace our humanness and genuinely want to do their part to help us remedy our short comings.  

Here’s to being courageous!

Lead on!

Lori

http://www.newdaysolutionsinc.com