Hiring your next CEO from within or outside?

“It is the responsibility of the Board to make sure it has the most talent available when it needs to make the decision” according to a recent article in The Boardroom Report, Volume 9, Issue 16, published on 24 August 2011 by the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  But there are complications with family businesses. And small businesses do not always have the scope to develop suitable candidates from within.  Should you look for a successor who is similar or different to the current CEO? Read more of this post

How to collaborate in 18 minutes

18 minute TED video with excellent insights about planning methods, incentives and facilitation skills.

Like to leave your own comment?

10 biggest sales training mistakes and how to avoid 1 of 10

1. Comapanies Treat Sales Training as Simply an Item to be “Checked Off” Their List.

When it comes to sales training, there are basically two types of companies – companies who are simply “getting some sales training” for their people (almost any training will do), and those companies who are making a concerted effort to understand what their shortcomings are and finding the training that will truly change the outcomes their sellers are producing.

For companies looking to simply “check-off” training from their to-do list, it’s easy to do – there are literally thousands of sales training programs available, covering every possible sales strategy, concept, technique and style. And they come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges.

However, this “check-off” mentality can be deadly to salespeople, sales management and eventually the entire sales organization. It’s like visiting a doctor and simply buying the cheapest, easiest, least disruptive solution she’s got around the office – “I guess I’ll take that blue pill…it looks easy to take, and cheap too!” Is that what the patient NEEDS? Who knows?

The potential problem of course is the patient may have a dangerous disease raging beneath the surface…and because there was no exam, no evaluation of their condition, and no solid recommendation…the solution the patient is buying may eventually kill him!

We find that many organisations simply don’t understand enough about their own needs, their own fatal shortcomings, their own weaknesses within their salespeople and sales systems, to even know WHAT training to seek out. Thus they end up buying based on the cost of the programme vs the solving of their needs (they’re not sure what their needs are!).

The answer is to look carefully and honestly at what your sales organization NEEDS, vs what you (or salespeople) may WANT. The solution may be harder to swallow and not as tasty as a sugar pill…but it just might save your organisation in the long-run.

If/when you are ready for some sales training that is designed to succeed, call me on 0412 921 292.

Comments?

Are you still flying South?

5 birds are sitting on a telephone wire.  2 decide to fly South.  How many are left?

If your answer is 3, you may want to take another look, because in all likelihood there are still 5 sitting on that wire.

You see, deciding to fly simply isn’t the same as doing it.

If a bird (that would be you) really wants to go somewhere, it’s got to point itself in the right direction, jump off the wire, flap its wings and keep flapping until it gets there. So it is with most things. Good intentions aren’t enough.  It’s not what we want, say, or think that makes things happen; it’s what we do.

Thanks to Jurek Leon of www.TerrificTrading.com for pointing this out in one of his eNewsletters.  Like me, you already knew this; but a reminder may be timely.

And the more important question remains …what can be done to convert decisions into action, for ourselves and for those we lead?

So if you’re still sitting on that wire, or you’re ‘in a flap’ but not getting anywhere; and would like some assistance to get yourself and/or your business to a better place; I suggest you register for the next information session I’m hosting for business owners, CEOs, MDs and GMs.

Are people really your greatest asset?

The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement (Or Avoid) To Maximize Shareholder Value (2009) by Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay, includes details of Watson Wyatt’s Human Capital Index (HCI) which identifies practices that drive a 47% increase in shareholder returns and prove that there is a cause and affect relationship between human capital management and financial outcomes.

The following explains the research and the critical findings, including a quantification of performance drivers. Read more of this post

Applying the 7 habits of highly effective people

Many have been profoundly assisted by the pages of Stephen Covey’s best seller ‘The 7 habits of highly effective people’.  But not all of the ‘habits’ are easily formed or perfected in us individually or in groups.  Crucial Conversations may provide a valuable addition to unlocking the benefits described in Stephen’s book.

Thanks to John Cluer for sharing this with me.

Be ready for new OHS laws

According to an article in The Boardroom Report, AICD, Volume 9, Issue 15 published on 10 Aug 2011, “employers with contingent workforces could be caught out by new health and safety laws unless they start preparing now“.

WorkPro director, Charles Cameron, says ”moves to harmonise occupational health and safety (OH&S) laws across Australia, effective from 1 January 2012, will bring significant changes for businesses engaging contractors or labour hire workers, known as ‘contingent’ staff.”

The new law removes any discrimination between permanent direct-hire employees and contingent staff. The definition of the employer/employee relationship has been expanded to include ‘anyone conducting a business or undertaking’, and ‘anyone involved in the undertaking of work’.”

“These definition changes are important and increase the onus on businesses engaging workers to communicate, consult with, and respond to the safety concerns of ‘all workers’ on their sites, whether permanent, on-hired or outsourced.”

Cameron says this will present new challenges. “The way Australians are working today is different to any other time in history. Modern workplaces include a mix of ‘traditional’ permanent employees, as well as contractors, consultants and on-hired workers and businesses need to start thinking about their ‘total workforce’ rather than simply their own employees. With changes commencing in the new year, the challenge for businesses over the next six months is to start reviewing their current systems and procedures to ensure they meet the new requirements, and this will require more attention and consideration than most people anticipate.”

Cameron advises directors to consider the following ahead of the changes: Read more of this post

Calling all business owners CEOs MDs and GMs

Are you committed to continuing professional and personal development?  If yes; then I suggest you consider what The Executive Connection has to offer.

As the saying goes … ‘If you surround yourself with successful people, their success will rub off on you.’

So I invite you to meet with my network of successful business owners and CEOs to taste what it would be like to do so regularly.

To be specific … I’ve been invited by The Executive Connection (www.tec.com.au) to form and facilitate a select group of CEOs and business owners in Perth who are committed to assisting each other over a period of years, to become better leaders, make better decisions, and achieve better results.

The Executive Connection (TEC) is a world-wide high performance network of experienced current CEOs (including owners of SMEs) who meet monthly in groups of 16 to challenge each other with their combined experience and wisdom … the sort of input you can’t find in books or manuals.

TEC has hundreds of these groups operating worldwide (since 1957) including over a dozen in Perth (since 2003) but it isn’t widely known because membership is by invitation only.  And selection is rigorous to ensure continuing value for all members.

Each group has a diverse membership in terms of industry sectors, size of businesses, gender, age, etc.  But all members are the final decision makers within their respective enterprises.

TEC groups should not be confused with ‘networking groups’.  TEC groups are primarily for the ongoing professional development of CEOs, the people whose role is often the most critical (and lonely) of all.

TEC seeks out a rare breed of business leader who understands the value of continuous learning … the sort of learning that can only come from others who’ve walked the same or similar paths.

Anyone can go on a course … but not anyone can be a member of TEC.

The worldwide average period of membership is over 8 years.  Quite simply, the proven model and support resources of TEC have been enhancing the lives and performance of CEOs for decades, and I consider it a privilege to have been asked by TEC to form a new group. (After many months of development and an arduous selection process I might add!)

I will be chairing/facilitating a new TEC group starting in October, so now I’m recruiting for the right people, that is people I would like to spend years with, who would be contributors as well as a willing to receive, who are strategic, open to development, able to give and receive honest and penetrative feedback, and of unquestionable personal integrity.  Are you such a person?

To explore and taste the ‘TEC experience’ for yourself, along with other CEOs, MDs, GMs and Owners; including time to hear from and meet with some current members of TEC in Perth; please register online to attend our information breakfast 7.00am-9.00am on Friday 16 September to be held at Kailis Bros in Leederville. Or if you prefer, call our local TEC EA Cheryle McLaughlin on 08 9285 0165 to register over the phone. Or simply reply to this email with your current contact details and I’ll attend to the registration myself.

This event is purely informational and experiential.  There will be no selling or pressure whatsoever.  Attendance is without cost or obligation, and may result in you joining a group other than the one I am forming.  So even if you don’t see yourself spending years meeting with me, I still encourage you to come along and find out what TEC as an international organisation has to offer you.

If you’d like to discuss anything prior to registering, please contact me by reply email or phone 0412921292.

The surprising truth about what motivates us

When will our practices in business eventually catch up with what behavioural science already knows about motivating ourselves, our colleagues and our staff?  Watch the 10 minute animated video below to get the full picture, and don’t forget to leave your own comment.

One marshmallow or two?

Maybe you are already familiar with this now famous experiment explaining the different time orientations of people and the significant benefits that flow to those who can exercise ‘deferred gratification’.  In any case, this 2 minute video animation is worth sharing with your colleagues and staff for the inevitable conversation points that will ensue.

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