Emotional Intelligence Training For Luis Suarez?

The latest episode in the ever so entertaining saga of football player Luis Suarez was performed yesterday in Liverpool's game with Chelsea.  Whether you notice it or not, the behaviour of Luis Suarez draws some significant parallels with organisational managers and team members.

A review of Suarez's history in the sporting arena reads like a comedy of self-serving and blatant cheating.  His behaviour goes way beyond the 'diving for a penalty' standard which has become more and more popular each and every season as professional players seek to gain from every opportunity, whether within the rules or not.  This 'professional' possesses undoubted skill and the ever elusive ability to be in the right place at the right time during high-pressure matches.  The down side is that he also possesses an unparalelled ability (and willingness) to breach the rules, strike out at opposition players and then, entertainingly, feign injury to move attention away from his behaviour and shift it to the opposing player he has attacked, whether it be a verbal or physical attack.

Suarez's decision to bite the right arm of Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic was just that.  A decision!  OK, he may have made his decision in less than one second, but, he CHOSE the behaviour he demonstrated.  Whatever his protestations, whoever he may choose to blame, Suarez owns his decisions and he owns his behaviour.  If you have watched the clip of the biting incident, you will have noticed that immediately following Ivanovic falling to the ground, and attracting the referee's attention, Suarez began to limp.  He began to limp, even though, Ivanovic hadn't impeded Suarez in any way.  Are you noticing anything in this pattern?  Isn't it the spoiled kid getting ready to blame the boy next door for making him lash out? Is it not a clear demonstration of the blame culture that the UK as a nation has promoted and endorsed during the past 20 years?  As the UK is finding now, the blame culture has quite literally returned to bite it on the ar...m!

How Is This Related To Managers? 

Have you ever worked for, or even appointed a manager who achieves the results, but leaves a trail of destroyed relationships in their wake?  Or how about working alongside a manager who again, achieves the results, is quick to accept the credit and receive the plaudits, but even quicker to absolve him or herself of responsibility when something doesn't go to plan.  It's the old finger pointing habit which only serves to destroy trust and collaboration, and when this happens, projects are delivered more slowly, more expensively and this impacts your organisation's bottom line, whether you operate within the private or public sector.

As Liverpool Football Club is finding with this latest outburst from Suarez, it is very easy for the boss to say 'No player is bigger than the club.'  But, such behaviour can be extremely difficult to address if the team member him or herself choose not to, and of course, when the player regularly demonstrates athletic brilliance in and amongst toxic behaviour which only serves to draw negative attention to your organisation.

Isn't it a challenge when you have a member of your management team who, because he or she possesses rare or amazing technical knowledge and/or skill, simply do not get managed proactively to promote a trustworthy, collaborative and healthy emotional climate within their team and within your organisation?  You may not realise the real cost to your organisation until it is too late.  Much like Liverpool Football Club!

What Can Jamie Oliver Learn About Customer Service?

I'm happy to admit...I'm A Fan!

Jamie Oliver has been extremely successful in not just building and growing a financially successful business empire which includes publishing, online products and a chain of restaurants (including one brand which does a commendable job of helping individuals who have faced, or continuing to face severe personal and emotional challenges, learn how to cook, and often, gain employment in either one of his outlets or elsewhere.

So what can Jamie Oliver learn about customer service?

The major lesson to be considered is 'Remember that it is wrong to demand tips from your customers.'

My wife, daughter and I enjoyed a fantastic lunch last week at Jamie's Italian in Leeds.  The food was easy on the eyes and light on the tummy.  I am definitely not a chef or proficient cook.  The only time I invest in the kitchen at home is either when I've been 'encouraged' to do the washing up, or boiling the kettle for a cuppa, so I have no idea how fresh the ingredients were that served to produce a wonderfully array of enjoyable meals for the three of us.  But, the one thing I am proficient at, being a typical Yorkshireman, is spotting and appreciating when 'good' or 'excellent' service has been provided by the waiting staff allocated to us.

OK Service...With An Unwelcome Twist!

If you have ever visited Harvey Nichols cafe in Leeds, you may (or may not) have noticed that when your bill arrives, it already INCLUDES a service charge of 10% of the total bill.  Rather cheeky, as this 'service charge' isn't reserved for the usual group of six or more diner.  Even if you visit on your own, you get smacked with the supposed 'service charge'.  Why does Harvey Nichols do it?  Well, there could be a number of reasons, and they may (or may not) include:

1. It's Harvey Nichols...and you don't expect it to be cheap or reasonable do you?  You pay to 'enjoy' Harvey Nichols' brand.
2. The cafe hopes that you, the trusting customer, will be too embarrassed to ask for the 'service charge' to be removed from the bill, so they take their chances...and a liberty too!
3. The cafe is being blatantly greedy, subversive and eager to scrape in every last penny it can...perhaps because of their hard working, completely professional and oh so responsive staff.

There may be other reasons of course, and the above are just my humle opinions rather than a statement of fact or truth.  But why is it that this brand (as you'll see, just like at least one member of staff at Jamie Oliver's Leeds outlet) feel that it is fair, reasonable or even right, to actively impose such charges on customers, who are ultimately paying their employee's wages, whether or not during a time of austerity?

Back To Jamie's Italian, Leeds

So, we've enjoyed a lovely meal, lots of laughs and the bill arrives.  The waitress who has been 'OK', nothing spectacular, presents me with the bill by placing it down in front of me, wrapped in a promotional leaflet for the restaurant.  Yes, the bill is correct and that is absolutely fine.  Now it comes to the discussion with our nine year old daughter about what, if any, tip to leave for the waitress.  And this is where the trouble begins!

Not content with waiting to be pleasantly surprised with a reasonable tip, for OK (aka 'Average') service, the waitress decided to rather visually draw to our attention the fact that 'Service Charge is not included' by underlining the sentence and asterisking the line too.  Why?  Of course, to draw our attention to the fact that she either, felt she was worth, or indeed expected, us to tip her.  Why?  Not because she is perhaps worthy of a tip. After all, the food was fantastic, but the service was nowhere near that standard.  She wanted to inform us of her desire to obtain additional income from us, simply because she wanted to!

The final line in this comedy of customer dis-service can be seen on the receipt below.  How overbearingly patronising is it to focus attention on a self-serving action, to then write 'Thank you' at the bottom of the receipt?

Mr Oliver.  Please understand, your customers are not always right.  But on this occasion, someone your organisation chose to employ, entrusted with your brand, and pays to be 'professional', got it very badly wrong.  Is this just one example of the darker side of the hospitality industry?  And more importantly, is this a behaviour that your leadership and management teams actively encourage and endorse?

Emotional Intelligence Training Benefits

Cut Training Costs & Boost Results

With training budgets for management training and team building training being slashed due to the uncertain economic climate, an alternative and worthwhile option is required when it comes to providing worthwhile and meaningful learning for managers.

The Management Training Channel is a completely portable management training and coaching portal that is available 24/7 via any internet-enabled device.  The BIG benefits of this solution are that:-

- Managers can learn 'on the go' rather than having to take a day out of the workplace.  This means that the user can access any number of the current 137 subject-specific audio and video casts within the portal - before that important meeting or challenging performance management chat.

- It costs just pennies per day for a single-user and discounted subscription options are available for corporate clients.  Look at it this way, a 180 day unrestricted access pass for one user is just £199.  Remember, this is just £199 for a full 6 months of expert support!

- Managing remote teams can be quite a different challenge to managing a team based in the same geographical location.  The Management Training Channel provides instant access to expert coaching, because which manager wants to be calling their boss regularly asking for guidance and help?  Not many I expect.

So, that's The Management Training Channel and it's available to you now.  Go take a look!

Employee Engagement - The Facts

Employee Engagement continues to be the buzz phrase in a tough economic climate.  With under pressure bosses needing to navivate choppy waters, face uncertainty on a daily basis and keep their customers and stakeholders happy - or at least not as 'unhappy' as they may be, keeping employees motivated, committed and focused is quite a challenge.

This infographic details some research data together with my recommendations on how you and your organisation, whatever industry, whatever size and whatever culture you operate within, can boost employee engagement.

Yes, I know, it's always easier said than done.  But it CAN BE DONE, and quickly too. Take a look and feel free to share your thoughts with me.

Enabling Learning In Your Colleagues

So so often I observe well-meaning coaches and managers 'showing' a colleague how to successfully undertake a task or procedure. Of course, sharing information, knowledge and skills is a vital contributing factor to every organisation.

BUT, the challenge manifests when the educator, manager, coach or well established colleague simply shows the learner what to do, in what order and at what 'reasonable' speed.  Especially frustrating for the learner, even though s/he is very likely to speak up and mention it, is when the educator appears to become frustrated with the slow pace at which the learner 'appears' to be learning.  The subsequent 'Give it here, I'll do it and then you can do it' comment really doesn't help, motivate or engage the learner who, is for all intents and purposes, proceeding slowly because s/he wants to get it right.   Or at the very least, doesn't want to get it wrong!

Impulse Control Gone Crazy

Busy managers and coaches need to develop an awareness of how to effectively set the scene for learning to take place.  As I mentioned to an audience of teachers recently, 'Just because you are teaching, it does not necessarily mean that your audience members (students) are learning.'  The very mention of this fact stimulated fantastic discussion amongst the teachers who, albeit unwittingly, had been on auto-pilot setting when teaching.

A key challenge for those entrusted with teaching colleagues new skills, processes and procedures is the absence of effective impulse control.  Their desire for immediate gratification 'I want this done now', is exactly the same principle that applies to you, me or anybody else who really wants that biscuit, glass of wine or feels the need to shout and ball at the driver who just pulled out in front of us at the junction. It's poor impulse control at it's very worst!

Here is a 5 minute audio that will help you to coach others to learn more effectively, confidently, and very likely, more quickly too.

Enjoy

http://summitpodcasts.s3.amazonaws.com/Enabling Learning.mp3

Emotional Intelligence Training For Trainers

Emotional Intelligence Training is often reserved for managers and leaders.  Why?  Well, largely because managers and leaders are responsible for, and expected to, enable and engage team members to perform at, or near, their best each and every day.  Quite a challenge!

But one audience overlooked all too easily is Emotional Intelligence Training for trainers.  The very people who are charged with educating and encouraging your employees to undertake their role effectively, and connect with your customers, internal and external, in a professional manner.

But why is Emotional Intelligence Training so important and valuable for your organisation's training team and HR partners?

Emotional Intelligence Training can help you and your colleagues to learn some proven, easy to use 'soft skills' that can deliver 'hard' results, and it doesn't matter whether you are a private, public or charitable organisation.  These Emotional Intelligence skills and competencies are as relevant and effective in virtually any environment.

Some of the specific benefits of Emotional Intelligence Training for Trainers include:

1. How to develop empathy to engage learners (including reluctant learners) in their self-development.
2. Developing emotional resilience and greater ability to bounce back from learning 'failures' more quickly and easily.
3. Boosting collaboration in the learning environment through improved facilitation competence rather than the 'Chalk and Talk' approach.  Remember, just because you are presenting does not mean that your audience members are learning!
4. Promoting more personal ownership of applying learning without appearing autocratic.

The benefits of Emotional Intelligence Training for Trainers are immense and these are just a few.  So, if you want to boost the effectiveness of your management training, team building, assertiveness skills, coaching skills or an abundance of other vital skills to help your organisation prosper, developing Emotionally Intelligent Managers and Trainers can definitely help you.

Assertiveness Skills - Giving Feedback Proactively

Many people in business worry about not just how to give feedback to a colleague or customer, but the consequences and implications for them personally having given it.  This is especially true when the recipient of the feedback is your line manager, or a long-standing and profitable customer.

But assertive communication isn't about being aggressive and/or forcing your opinion, view or position on to another human being.  Indeed it's anything but.  So how can you provide feedback to another person, without them feeling they are being attacked, but whilst maintaining rapport and a win-win outcome?

It's pretty straightforward and easy to do, with a little practice and an element of self-awareness too.  And, in the short video, Dirk Bansch, Director of Learning and Development at Summit Training shares with you two easy to use methods of giving feedback and inviting agreement on how you will communicate together in future.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

Scott

Management Coaching

Management Coaching is often overlooked as a vital performance improvement tool.  After all, the individual has been promoted because they have demonstrated a certain, and acceptable level of competence in their previous role, and hopefully, potential for being successful as a manager.

But it's not always that simple.  Many managers are promoted to the role because they were technically competent as a technician, where they were responsible for their own performance, rather than having clearly demonstrated the ability to encourage, enable, motivate and support others to commit to, and work towards, the achievement of specific organisational goals.

Do you think that m/any of the managers in your organisation would feel comfortable in asking you, their boss, for assistance in developing their skills in managing priorities, which are often conflicting priorities with somewhat challenging deadlines, or how to turn around poor performance and engage team members?  If they would, fantastic!  If they wouldn't, you may be losing out on a significant amount of potential added value, and indeed, better results.

Here is an example of just how effective and worthwhile a one day management coaching session can be.

If you would like to optimise the effectiveness of your managers, why not get in touch with my team at Summit Training by emailing Info@SummitTraining.co.uk or calling 0845 052 3701.

Emotional Intelligence In Education

With the need for an value of Emotional Intelligence becoming more accepted in schools and universities, we take a look at one Head Teacher of an OFSTED rated 'Outstanding' school and how developing emotionally intelligent teachers will benefit his school, staff, students and parents.

Emotional Intelligence training for teachers is something of a new development.  Why? Largely because head teachers are so focused on ensuring that their data, quality and outputs are sufficient to achieve the best possible OFSTED rating possible.  And, this is completely understandable.  Alongside the safeguarding of students, OFSTED is the number one priority for head teachers. 

Many schools are now exploring how emotional intelligence training can support their teaching and support staff to improve the quality of learning, help students manage disruptive emotional impulses and of course, unacceptable behaviour patterns too.  But one head teacher has gone one vital step further than many.  He has decided to apply emotional intelligence skills to how he and his staff communicate and collaborate with parents.

Take a look at how Mr Jim Inglis, Head Teacher of Altrincham C E Aided Primary School is focusing on improving the quality of teaching with emotional intelligence.

 http://www.EmotionalIntelligenceSpeaker.co.uk/

Management Training Course With A Difference

Management Training courses can all too often be too much theory, too many Powerpoint slides and nowhere near enough hands-on, brains-on learning by doing.

We supported DHL Express in Bahrain to develop 25 of their high potential managers, and they absolutely loved being actively involved in team building activities - and personal reflection time throughout their 6 day management training course.

When you are seeking to appoint a management training partner, remember to look beyond the glossy brochure and super-cool web site.  Look for testimonials you can verify and a commitment from your selected partner to transfer knowledge, skills and competence to your in-house team.  That's where you lasting ROI is generated.

http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/ and http://www.ScottWatson.co.uk/ are the sites you may wish to explore.

Team Building For Managers

Management Training expert Scott Watson presents his unique approach to developing high performing management teams.

Exploring how to improve collaboration, personal ownership of performance and develop high trust relationships, Scott's audience were repeatedly tested in a series of hands-on management team exercises that reflected the daily challenges (and headaches) they face in their workplace.

Find out more at http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/ and http://www.ScottWatson.co.uk/

Team Building Expert Scott Watson

Team Building expert Scott Watson presenting on why teams fail to deliver lasting value to their organisation - and how to ensure that they do!

Scott had a group of high potential entrepreneurs for one day and helped them to realise that success is not an accident - and neither is failure!

http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/ is Scott's main site with http://www.ScottWatson.co.uk/ being his leadership development and corporate speaker site.

For The Millionth Time - Stop Exaggerating!

Nothing ever words out for me.  

I'm sure you've heard it.  Perhaps even thought it occasionally.  But this belief is just so inaccurate.  Surely SOMETHING must have worked out for us at some point in our lives?  If it hadn't, it's very unlikely any of us would be here.

We humans have a habit of distorting reality and creating our own meaning about what a certain situation or event means to us personally.  Let me share an example with you from a coaching session with a senior manager at a multi-million pound company.

John was responsible for managing nearly 100 employees and successfully implementing a number of important projects, often three or four projects simultaneously.  During the first ten minutes of our first coaching session, he shared his issues, concerns and troubles with me.  How the performance of some members of his team was becoming a 'BIG' problem and he (the victim) was 'ALWAYS' being let down by some of his more senior, project team members when they didn't meet 'agreed' deadlines.

In his own words he 'Got it in the neck' from his boss who, on more than one occasion apparently, made John shout at his team in an effort to 'Get their heads out of their arses' and focused on their work.  He continued, 'I've warned them that if they keep stabbing me in the back, I'll have to get rid of them.'

Have you noticed anything about the vocabulary John is using here? Yes, they're all imaginary incidents that had never happened in (external) reality - but they were John's reality in the confines of his own mind. For John, it was all absolutely true and accurate.

As I began to politely question and challenge some of John's current beliefs about the terrible situation he found himself in, he stated that without exception, he was always 'let down' by his team.  That 'If it's happened once, it's happened a hundred times' (Note: Has John been counting?).

Unwilling to accept the real source of the teams poor performance, missed deadlines and subsequent reprimands from his own boss, could be more down to his leadership, John continued to hurriedly point his finger at others rather than accept any kind of personal responsibility.  He refused to move from his view of everyone else being to blame - (Note: 'Could John be digging his heels in?').  His tone was becoming quite aggressive towards me personally as well as the situation he was vehemently complaining about.  And this is a challenge that is often encountered when coaching a senior manager who can't see a solution anywhere they look.  It's not usually intentional aggressiveness, just an auto-pilot response with a purpose of preserving current beliefs - even though there's no evidence to support them.

Now, I'm all for helping people to remove barriers, resolve issues and produce better results for themselves and their teams, and I'm really rather patient too - but I can get really fed up, really quickly when someone lets their ego take over.  It adds no value and can do immense harm to relationships, trust and teams if not kept in check.


After a long, deep breath, slapping my hands together loudly as if delivering a single applause, I politely and assertively said 'OK then John, take off your shirt please...AND DO IT NOW'.  John, being quite a bit taller, and a lot wider than me with shaven head and grainy North-East accent wasn't the ideal candidate for this kind of provocative approach.  The look of absolute shock on his face was almost as funny as when Del Boy fell through the open bar in Only Fools And Horses. I expect you remember it well.

John's focus quickly changed from playing a very willing victim in to a state of absolute confusion and disbelief as I continued; 'Come on John, don't be shy, just take you shirt off.  I continued, 'I won't tell if you won't'.  After what seemed like minutes but was perhaps only a few seconds, John's brain was still trying to make sense of my somewhat unusual, and unexpected request.  He asked me in a rather uncertain voice 'Why do I need to take my shirt off?'  I replied calmly...and slowly, 'Because I want to see all of those scars on your back....from all of those knives - surely you will have lots of scars.  Won't you?'

Bursting in to a fit of nervous and relieved laughter, John stood up, leaned over the desk that separated us, and firmly shook my hand. Eager to avoid the possibility of a keen left hook, my leaning to my left was strategic positioning more than anything else.

A few minutes later, John had eased himself out of his previously limiting thinking and moved into a more proactive, responsible frame of mind.  The use of metaphor and polite challenging of John's language patterns has assisted him to learn just how unproductive they were to him improving matters with his team - and with his boss.  There were no scares, just images in his mind of what a certain situation has meant to him.  He hadn't got anything in the neck and neither was he always let down by his team.  It just felt like it sometimes.

What followed was a very productive, collaborative coaching dialogue. John began to make real sense of the reality of the situation and took full responsibility for his part in the problem.  And, from this new, more empowering position, it was easy for him to start being part of the solution.

This is both a simple and true example of how our experience of a situation or a person can be easily distorted by what goes on in our head.  Think about it - how often do you hear people say 'This ALWAYS happens to me' or 'This will NEVER work'?  Also, you could hear comments such as being 'Stabbed in the back' or 'Kicked in the teeth'.

As you begin to spot these patterns of communication at work, whether it is with a frustrated customer or in a sensitive meeting, become more aware of the individual perspectives and understand how they view the experience. Remember that if you do challenge the comment, do it politely and with the other person's best interests at heart.  Just as with John he was experiencing the feelings in his own mind, even though they had never happened in what we like to call 'reality'.

By increasing your awareness of these types of comments you can not only quickly diffuse tense situations, but also, if you are a manager, move your team performance towards better productivity, enhanced quality and eradicate careless errors.  And you can achieve this with just a little awareness and practice.

I recommend that you steer away from inviting people to remove items of clothing, or if you do, stay well out of striking distance!

http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/
http://www.ScottWatson.co.uk/
http://www.EmotionalIntelligenceTraining.co.uk/

5 Easy Ways To Manage Your Time More Effectively

'EVERYBODY seems to want my time', was the rather frustrated statement from David, a very professional, and very popular Human Resources Director at a fast-growing digital agency.

David's frustration was borne from the fact that whilst he was the Director responsible for ensuring that the organisation's employees performed well at work, and maintained some form of work/life balance outside of work, he wasn't able to.  The reason?  He was just so popular, trusted, helpful and decent - people just couldn't seem to stay away from him.

So serious had the issue of balancing work and home life that his wife, who he said was one of the most understanding people he had ever met - had stopped understanding and started asserting her right to having a husband (and new father) with them at home - in mind as well as in body.

His wife, Dianne, had apparently claimed in a 'spirited discussion' as David put it, 'Even when you're at home with us, YOU'RE NOT AT HOME WITH US....you're at WORK.'

Haven't you had those moments when, after a(nother) hectic day at work, you get home, walk through the front door and think 'That's it, family time', or perhaps a more accurate thought would be 'What a day, but that's it until tomorrow.'  All well and good in theory isn't it?  But what about in practice?  You know, you're relaxing on the sofa, feet up, perhaps a cuppa..or a cheeky glass of your favourite white - just to wind down of course.

But while your body is relaxed and comfortable, your brain most definitely is not.  It's still thinking.  It's still wondering how you're going to hit that crazy deadline that was imposed on you (but you couldn't say 'NO' to your boss could you?), how you can fit all of those meetings in to your already crammed schedule, how you need to get back to your lovely colleagues who today were so lovely as to ask you the most damaging question that exists in organisations today.  You know the one, it's the one that's nearly always asked in a polite, friendly and on some occasions 'smarmy' tone - and often accompanied by a submissive, puppy dog smile that snaps your parenting instinct right into action. It's the old chestnut... 'Have you got five minutes?'  Recognise it?  Dealing more effectively with this question alone can save you an hour a day.  That's sixty minutes, three thousand six hundred seconds!

Here are some of the practical, easy to apply tools and techniques David implemented to not just help him manage his time, focus and priorities more effectively, but to re-educate an abundance of very decent colleagues on how and when he could be available to assist them.


STOP SAYING 'YES' WHEN YOU REALLY MEAN 'NO'!

Sounds quite a challenge doesn't it?  Especially when the person asking (and expecting) you to say 'Yes' is your line manager.

But rather than jumping straight in to the submissive mode of 'Well, I just can't', think of it in another way.  A way that will help you, and your line manager to understand what's really important here.

When you operate on an auto-pilot 'Yes' with your line manager, it could be because you believe you are expected to comply with an authority figure.  After all, if the task/meeting/report wasn't important - s/he wouldn't be asking you to do it, would they?  And here's the really important point to bear in mind on these occasions.

You're not saying 'No' forever.  You're saying 'No' for now.  Until you've understood exactly what's involved, required and timescales.  Of course, there are occasions when you should be saying 'No' forever - for example if there's a more suitably qualified colleague to undertake the task involved.  But if you always perform well, always say 'Yes' without question, clarification or understanding, YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP BEING ASKED!  Why on earth should your line manager (or indeed colleagues) consider asking somebody else to help them when you keep saying 'Yes' to every request and/or demand they make of you and your time?

Here's an easy way to create a few seconds thinking time in the middle of an authority based request or demand.  Don't just read the words, connect with the authentic meaning.

Boss:  I've just been called to a meeting and it is really important I attend.  It'll take all afternoon so will you make a start on the employee training record spreadsheet?  I've not managed to start it yet...I've been snowed under with so many meetings and projects.'

You Normally:  'Yes, no problem, I'll just get this piece of work finished and then I have two coaching sessions with members of my team booked in for an hour each and then a meeting with a manager about a team issue...but when I've done those things I'll get started on the spreadsheet.'

Madness eh?  Especially if your boss then asks you to re-prioritise your schedule, postpone the coaching sessions and use those two hours to make headway on the spreadsheet.  Two things to consider.  One - what message does your willingness to shove your two colleagues out of an agreed commitment send to them?  Two - why did you jump straight in to auto-pilot compliance?  You may think that you're being helpful, but in this instance you're not.  You're being extremely unhelpful!




See Prof. Robert Cialdini's book 'Influence' to see how human beings are generally 'hard-wired' to comply with authority.

Get Engaged With Chester Elton & Britain Has Got HR Talent Group

Best selling author and employee engagement expert Chester Elton has agreed to join the 'Britain Has Got HR Talent' Linkedin group.

Chester is co-author of the book 'The Carrot Principle' and 'The Orange Revolution' amongst others.  He has presented his extensive research on reward & recognition, employee engagement and retention to audiences across the globe and I'm sure group members will enjoy learning from, and sharing with Chester.

Scott Watson

Join Britain Has Got HR Talent - http://linkd.in/yKaVnI
See Chester's web site www.ChesterElton.com

Stop Moaning And Start Solving

Oh, don't some people moan?  And perhaps that's a good thing on some occasions.  Don't we all need to let off steam every now and then when we feel frustrated, disappointed, angry and even downright disillusioned?

Having colleagues we can have the occasional moan to is a good thing.  Externalising what's going on in our head can serve as a release for pent up emotions and emotional pressure.  The real problem arises when moaning is accepted as the norm rather than the exception in teams and in organisations.  Let me share an example.

When I facilitate leadership development training programmes, there's a clear standard set from the outset with, and in partnership with participants.  That standard goes something like this...


'Shall we all agree that this leadership training event will focus on developing solutions and, in the event of you wanting to have a moan, you're welcome to it - on the condition that you also generate at least one solution to the problem or issue you're moaning about?'

In written form, this invitation or standard may look quite unfriendly, even unhelpful.  But in reality its exactly the opposite.  It's very friendly and extremely helpful in the right context and partnered with a little empathy.  And that context is helping participants, good, decent human beings to take personal responsibility for themselves, their communication and, the problem situations they find themselves in at that moment in time.

My colleague and I have an unwritten rule whereby if either of us are feeling a little (or a lot) negative about a situation or predicament, we give each other permission to have a moan for up to ten minutes each.  And, that's the absolute maximum allowed.  If there's no focus on coming up with a solution, there's no permission to moan.  However inhumane this may sound - it actually works really well!

Why Do People Moan?

On most occasions, moaning is due to at least one of our personal values being transgressed.  For example, if your key personal value is trust, if a colleague makes a commitment to you on an important project and then, chooses to not keep that commitment - and doesn't let you know otherwise, trust can be damaged, the relationship soured and, it's emotionally healthy to find an outlet and share your disappointment with a trusted colleague.  Not too many mind you, or that can develop in to a pity party when you prove just how big a victim you are. And that's not healthy for anybody. Plus, if it develops to this stage, people will start avoiding you anyway.

A five minute moan can help to release stress and anxiety too.  Have you ever noticed one of your colleagues bounding around your office gesticulating and openly showing their captive audience (colleagues who care + those who don't) just how angry they are?  It seems that actively demonstrating disappointment, frustration, anger - and other related emotions is viewed by the perpetrator as a sign that their audience care. But it's exactly the opposite.  They don't care - and your shouting about the office is becoming an unwelcome interruption for them.

Breathe Deeply....

Just because you've calmed down and returned to your normal emotional state after a moan, or negative emotional experience doesn't mean you don't care.  It means that you are now able and ready to return to a more healthy, balanced emotional and mental state.  It means that you are better able to address the issue at hand without resorting to emotional blackmail or guilt tripping.  Tough Talks are most effective when undertaken in an emotionally balanced manner. And, do you know that after an 'emotional hijack, it can take your body up to 48 hours to return to its most balanced emotional state? So there are some potentially dangerous health issues to consider here.

A Question To Ask A Persistent Moaner

If your ear is being repeatedly bent by a constant moaner - and it doesn't matter where they sit or stand in the organisational structure, an effective way of helping them step out of their emotional state and think more clearly (or at worst, sod off and bother some other poor person) is to ask a good question.  And, good questions are not 'So how does that make you feel?' or 'Will s/he ever change?' A really good, snappy, solution focused question is this...

'And how are you maintaining this problem?'

With some people, such a question will push them to fly back at you on auto-pilot, pity party mode with a response such as 'I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING to maintain the problem.  It's not my fault...dah di dah di dah....'  You know how it goes. They're only telling you and moaning to you because they think that you'll listen, and listen sympathetically because you care.  Here's a news flash.  When you persistently moan - PEOPLE STOP CARING! They're just too polite to tell you.

For some people, such a challenging question will get them to pause for thought, look a little puzzled and then respond with something along the lines of 'Oh, I didn't know I was maintaining the problem...but now you mention it, I suppose I am.'

And this is where solutions are found. When finger pointing and blaming stops, personal ownership and responsibility has a space to get involved and re-activated.  Think about it for a second.  Isn't it always easier to expect somebody else to change how they communicate, think, feel and behave?   Another News Flash - You could be waiting a very looooooooong time for that to happen! But waiting for somebody else to change, as well as becoming rather frustrating, can also absolve us of our role in the issue. And if we're involved in a 'Problem' don't we need to be involved in the 'Solution' too?


Getting Focused On Solutions

Another question that can prove helpful for people who are willing to explore solutions is this.

'What are three things you could do and would be happy to do to resolve this specific problem?'

Again, the moaners will quickly and smoothly absolve themselves of any responsibility, sticking with their well rehearsed story that someone else has to change before they themselves can feel better.  But the solution focused people will start to think of solutions.  And the beauty of this is - The Solutions Are Theirs - Not Yours! And this makes them far more likely and far more motivated to act upon their solutions.

Try this approach for 7 days and start to notice how things (and people's thinking) change - for the better!

http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/

http://www.ScottWatson.co.uk

What's So Different Between A Croissant And An Apple?

A strange question?  At first sight, maybe it's a little confusing, but when we explore the differences is more detail, it's quite easy to establish that an Apple a day is so much more nourishing, enjoyable and healthy than a croissant.  Here's the story...

This morning I visited Manchester to obtain guidance on how to run my Mac computer more effectively and easily. As I was travelling from Halifax which is 25 miles from Manchester and the rush-hour traffic can be rather unpredictable, I set off on my journey rather early.


Arriving at my destination an hour before my appointment with a 'Genius' (we'll come to that in a while) at the Apple Store, I decided to grab a coffee and croissant at a branch of a high-street chain of French cafes.  And here's where the challenge began.


My request for a chocolate croissant appeared to silently trouble the waitress who was taking my order.  A pursing of her lips and slight frown with her eyes gave me a hint that something wasn't quite right with my request.  I carried on reading my newspaper, the coffee arrived, but the croissant didn't.  A full ten minutes later I politely asked the waitress if my croissant would be arriving.  Her hesitance to any answer my straightforward question again gave a hint that something was awry.  She proceeded to nervously advise me that 'We're just warming it up for you now.'  My response of 'It's ok, I prefer my croissant cold please', was met with her reluctance to provide me (the customer...paying customer remember) with a cold croissant.

Long story short.  The croissant arrived, the tough pastry and hard chocolate on the inside clearly demonstrating that this was 'old stock' and not at all fresh.  As the waitress didn't return to my table to ask if everything was ok - because clearly it wasn't I left the croissant with only one bite out of it.  As the waitress passed I asked 'May I check with you, is this croissant actually fresh?'  She responded 'I'll take it off your bill sir'. I politely thanked her for her offer to remove the cost of the croissant from the bill and asked again, 'May I check, is this croissant fresh?' At which point the somewhat embarrassed waitress responded, 'Well...it was fresh YESTERDAY MORNING'. 

So what happened here?  The manager or person responsible for ordering 'Fresh' items over ordered? Perhaps the footfall wasn't as high as expected or predicted?  Maybe in an effort to cut costs in a tough marketplace, it's company policy to sell pastries that are more than 24 hours old?  Who knows?  Well, the manager should know.  But isn't it a poor reflection on the brand when they'll do everything they can (i.e. warm old stock up) to avoid detection?

This is a clear case of putting profits for the organisation way ahead of serving the trusting customer a decent product at a fair price. And, with the internet now being used as a feedback mechanism for such outlets - Tripadvisor.com being the most popular, what would drive a manager to mislead customers in such a way?  But that's why an Apple can save the day!

Having left the cafe a little disappointed, and a lot hungry, I entered the Apple Store in Manchester's Arndale Centre to meet a Genius.  'The Genius Bar' is the name given to the resident experts who supposedly, can resolve any issue a user may have with one of their products. However difficult or unusual your problem, they commit to resolving it for you, right there and then in most cases.

As I waited for my very own Genius to appear, an elderly gentleman who was booked in for a personal coaching session on his new Ipad struck up conversation with me.  He mentioned that at the tender age of 78 years young, he had decided to start learning again.  Retirement had become somewhat boring and he wanted to keep his brain busy.  But here's the stunning thing!

Just 10 days previous he had purchased his first ever Apple product, an Ipad 2.  He spoke about how excited he was to be presented with an eye catching white box that he'd expected the Apple store rep to open and show him all he wanted to know, but he was surprised that he was invited to open the box himself, take out the Ipad and switch it on.  He called this the 'Getting to know you' experience.

Realising that he was a little hesitant in getting to know his Ipad, apparently the Apple store rep asked him what he'd like to know about first.  How cool is this? Involving the customer and entering their world rather than simply doling out information and babble whilst expecting the customer to enter Apple's world. As he grew steadily confident with his new machine, he began asking more questions to the in store expert. But, the happy, excited gentleman's Apple world was about to take a dramatic turn.  He told me 'I was just learning over the table to get a pen to make some notes and then it happened...in a flash.'

CRASH.  The Ipad fell off the table, hit the floor and landed face down.  Yikes! This isn't sounding too promising.  When he picked up his Ipad off the floor, the facia was smashed. His question to the Apple store rep of whether the Ipad could be repaired was met with 'No, it can't be repaired as it's all one single unit...BUT, it was an accident so let me get you another one and we'll take this one off your hands'.

And that's the story.  How ridiculously good customer service is this?  The store/brand treated him fairly and what does he do? He becomes an ambassador for Apple. He tells me, I tell you and Apple become even more trusted as a fair, socially responsible organisation.  And of course, they will probably sell a few more products if this elderly gentleman has anything to do with it.

Isn't it a shame that whilst Apple replace a £439 item at no cost, and little inconvenience to their customer, a chain of cafes can't serve a fresh £2.50 croissant or at the very least, let the customer know that other, fresher choices are available?

Customer (Dis)Service is becoming more and more accepted in the UK.  But if you the customer says nothing, you're just teaching these organisations how to treat you. And it's definitely not win-win.


http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/

http://www.CustomerServiceTrainingCourses.co.uk/

Customer Service Or Customer Nightmare?

So many people in business view 'Customer Service' as a vital ingredient in their recipe for success.  And that's fair enough and completely understandable.

But, customer service is only a good starting point, and not a final destination.  Why so? Because what customer's really want, beyond 'service' is Customer Satisfaction.  Service is what your company believes it should, and in most cases, can provide to potential and existing customers.  It's your processes, standards, policies and even beliefs about 'what's right'.  As I said, it's a good start.  It's absolutely vital that you have some form of structured approach to serving your customers whatever your industry sector.  But customer satisfaction is what's going to get buyers to your web site, through your doors and telling their friends about you.  Here are a few real-life examples:


High Street Hairdressing Chain

I called my local salon to book an appointment for my hair to be cut.  I've been a customer (or 'client' as the organisation states) of this company for 5 years and have always been happy with the level of cut delivered.  Unfortunately, my hair is disappearing so perhaps I rather appreciate the stylist's ability to make my see through pat not so see through?

It's company policy for this chain to 'massage' your head as well as shampoo....and condition.  It's all rather trendy and somehow adds value to the 'client experience' - or so the manager told me!?

I spoke with the receptionist who advised me of a time slot which she could book me in for.  Due to the time slot not leaving me much time to return home and get ready for a business meeting I asked her 'May I just have a dry cut on this occasion as I have to be back home to get ready for a meeting?'  A straightforward request and one which I thought would not encounter resistance.

But that's not what happened.  Oh no, a dry cut?  No massage?  That couldn't be done. 'You can't have a dry cut, it's not possible and we don't do them' was the rather sharp response from the receptionist.  I responded, 'It's because I have a business meeting shortly after the appointment and I need to get back home, change and then drive to the client office....I'm not asking for any discount, I'm happy to pay the full fee. It would be really helpful if you could just book me in for a dry cut with Anna'. Can you do that please?'

Without a pause for breath, the receptionist advised me that 'Appointments HAVE TO last forty minutes, and as a dry cut will only take twenty minutes, we can't do it.'  Starting to notice where the nightmare is about to begin now?

I politely restated that it would be really helpful to me if she could book me in for the dry cut appointment, that I'd previously had 'the fully monty' and on many occasions, the appointment didn't last forty minutes, or anywhere near that duration for that matter.  'No, it's not our policy so you can't have it'. And that was most definitely her final answer.

Let's Review

Here is a long-standing customer (oops, client) doing his best to give a company cold hard cash and they simply won't accept it.  Why not? Because the customers request is deemed 'unreasonable' and doesn't fit nicely with their 'policy'.

Here's the real bonus.  It is the stylists job to keep the client in the seat for no less than forty minutes.  Why? Because it's company policy!  Even if it adds no value at all to the customer (oops, client), you need to keep him or her seated, right there in your salon.

After all, why let excellent customer service and customer satisfaction get in the way of a company policy?

Having advised the Head Office Customer Service Manager at the company of the situation she offered me a free haircut at the salon in question to resolve the issue.  Will I be going back?  Not a chance!

The Travel Agent Who Doesn't Deliver What He Offers

I listened to a regional news channel this morning and heard an interview with a Yorkshire based travel agent.  The interview was designed to help listeners understand that, despite the turbulent economy and a need to watch the pennies, it was still possible for family's to get away from it all and bathe themselves in sunshine in some faraway land.

The interviewer asked the travel agent what special offers were available during January and the agent responded with deals including 'Australia for just £199' along with many other unbelievable deals.  And that's just what they were, un-believable! I called the travel agent who advised me that his phone had been 'ringing off the hook' since the radio interview. And, upon further investigation, I wasn't surprised. He quoted me a £50 return journey from Manchester to Dubai, the only catch being, it was an indirect flight that would require a transfer of plane in Amsterdam.

But that really wasn't the only catch.  The 'special offers' this crafty businessman had quoted on air, and to me on the phone were all net of taxes.  Really, my wonderful £50 flight was over £450 when taxes were included. And shouldn't they be?  After all, isn't this travel agent intentionally misleading listeners into getting in touch with him?

The old saying of 'If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is', springs to mind here. But why mislead in the first place? Surely this approach erodes the very thing you want to develop with potential customers? Trust!


How Are You Doing?

So, these are a couple of quick examples where customer service, and indeed customer satisfaction have failed to materialise. How is your organisation doing in terms of delivering customer service that supports your organisation and its potential and actual customers? And, do you ever check to see if your customer satisfaction record is worthwhile and meaningful?

If you choose to ignore the very real problems that inept and/or inferior customer service can cause your organisation, you may have performed rather well during the economic boom, but, as many organisations are finding to their cost, this is the 'Bust' time and you need all hands on deck in attracting and retaining customers.

Scott Watson
http://www.CustomerServiceTrainingCourses.co.uk/
http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/

Would You Hire A Whistleblower?

We've had Enron, Worldcom, Parmalat and even the MP's expenses fiddle.  And, each of these scandals only came to light because someone chose to communicate the wrong-doings of their leaders to either the relevant authorities, or the general public at large.

The people who uncover a scandal or cover-up are commonly known as a 'whistleblower'. Someone who 'blows the whistle' or calls time on a certain behaviour, standard or communication.  And, whilst their decision to tell all may at first appear commendable, it can have consequences that are more severe, and perhaps unjust, for them than it can for the perpetrators of the crime.

Recently, the business news media has covered the story of Japanese manufacturer, Olympus.  A well-estblished, apparently well trusted organisation that fired its Chief Executive, Michael Woodford, apparently for blowing the whistle on alleged accounting fraud within the business.

Isn't this a turn up for the books?  When have we ever heard of a top leader willingly unveiling a history of corporate deception and fraud within their own business?  It's all about leading teams you can TRUST.  Reports in the UK media detail the accounting scandal to be in the region of £1.2 billion. Not a number to be scoffed at, but one that has been willingly overlooked, ignored or perhaps even covered up by the very leaders who are/were trusted to lead Olympus honestly.  What's more shocking is the fact that Olympus is a Japanese company.  A nation that prides itself on trust and integrity.

The fact that Michael Woodford has been removed from his post is perhaps a reflection of the standards and beliefs the institutional investors of Olympus have about transparency, honesty and integrity.  With, at present, many of the executives who oversaw the accounting issue still in place, where is there to go for its ousted CEO?

The reasons for his choosing to uncover the accounting fraud have yet to be reported.  Perhaps he saw it as the right thing to do.  Perhaps, he didn't want his name to be associated with such an outrageous policy, which appears to have been actively endorsed by members of its most senior leaders.  Whatever his reasons for outing Olympus, who will want to hire Michael Woodford next?

Will he become an independent consultant to government departments across  the globe to improve standards, transparency and accountability?  Or will a private equity company snap him up to oversee their public and investor relations team? After all, if there has to be somebody watching over your business/es, it may as well be someone who is happy and willing to uncover supposed dodgy dealings.

Good on Michael Woodford for bringing the fraudulent practices of his company to the world.  Don't we all need someone we can trust in our organisation?

http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/
http://wwwScottWatson.co.uk/

A Few Top Tips To Manage Remote Teams More Effectively

Managing Remote Teams can be a real challenge.  And a challenge that can easily turn into a real problem if not managed effectively.

Our clients tell us that the lack of person to person contact with their team members, whether it be their manager or subordinates is the most difficult issue when working in remote teams.  Remember, face to face contact over Skype or video conferencing is very different to person to person coaching or contact where you're in the same location.

Here are a few top tips on how to manage remote teams more effectively.  Try them for 10 days - consistently- and notice the positive difference that begins to develop.  Nope, just reading these tips won't add any value to you, your team or your organisation which is ultimately trusting, and paying you to do your best for them. And, neither will the 'I've tried that and it didn't work' attitude either.

You know as well as I do that a little practice and focus is all it takes to make improvements.  And a 10 day timescale is absolutely adequate (as long as you remind yourself to use these tips). So, here goes:




Understand Your Role In Delivering The Goods

It's all too easy to unwittingly abdicate responsibility for the level of results achieved when managing a remote team. Yes, when all is going wonderfully well, bring on the plaudits and raving fans, especially if they're your boss, or even your boss's boss! But what about when it all goes badly wrong?  Will you willingly acknowledge your role in failure?  Much like success, failure is rarely achieved alone and this is where your mettle as a manager is really tested.  Too many times I've heard examples of where a manager has stated something along the lines of 'I delegated the task to them and s/he said it was going well and on track. I guess I need to be less trusting and more careful next time.'

Too right you need to be more careful.  Where were you in providing ongoing coaching support, asking for updates on progress and challenges, checking quality and evaluating risks?  If you were too busy managing other team members and/or activities, it's still your responsibility to ensure that the outcomes you and your team commit to, are actually achieved. On time, on budget and spot on in terms of quality.



Your Role In Communicating Effectively

The ongoing developments in the world of technology were supposed to help managers and teams perform even more effectively.  Sometimes I'm not so sure that this goal has been achieved.  Super cool Iphones, tablets and Blackberry's have become more of a hindrance than a help to many.  Come on, you've experienced it. You're sat in a meeting with colleagues and your phone buzzes, vibrates or plays an alert sound to grab your attention.  And what happens?  You look at your phone, pick it up and read whatever email or text message has been received.  What message does this send to your team in that very meeting with you?  Yep, 'You're not as important as my phone'. Madness, complete Madness!


How do you plan when and how to communicate with your team members?

Do you have a process in place which allows your team members to happily accept delegated authority without them feeling they've been dumped on?  If you think you do, cool. But, I'd check what your team members think anyway.

Do you delegate in a manner that reflects trust, collaboration and shared ownership for the achievement of the required outcomes? Or do you 'delegate' by sending an email with an outline of expectations (with crazy deadlines even?) and then sit and wait to see what questions come back to you?

However well you think you communicate, you're probably nowhere near as effective as you believe.  And, one really easy way to work around this is to ASK YOUR TEAM MEMBERS WHAT THEY NEED FROM YOU.

So much information gets 'lost in translation' and your team members will really value the opportunity to have some structured communication support from you.  It will really help them perform even better for you.  Just sit down over a coffee and ask them 'In terms of how I communicate with you and manage you, please will you give me three points I can improve on?'

Your question may scare the daylights out of some team members, as such questions are rarely asked.  A high-trust relationship is required for this form of approach to be taken of course.

The long and short of managing remote teams is that YOU the manager need to take absolute responsibility for the delivery of the outcomes required, in the timescales agreed (not imposed) and ensure that your team members are adequately equipped to deliver what you're trusting them to deliver.  If you don't communicate effectively, there could be tears at bedtime!


http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/

CIPD Conference 2011 Manchester - Come And See Us

We'll be participating in the CIPD Conference in Manchester during 8 to 10 November - but not in the usual way.

If you'd like to find out more about how your organisation can benefit from our unique, results-focused management training courses and team building events, please email us at Info@SummitTraining.co.uk

10 Job Hunting Tips For Unemployed Adults

As soon as you hear you are being made redundant, start seeking job opportunities immediately. Don't take a break or wait for an appointment at the job centre. By waiting, you could miss vital opportunities.

Regard job hunting as a full-time occupation, albeit temporarily.
Commit to five days a week for seven hours each day, minimum! 
Keep your eyes off daytime TV and Facebook, and firmly on marketing yourself to
potential employers.

There will be days when you'll feel there's little or no hope of finding
a job.  It's days like this when you need to re-focus your mind, your
efforts and your resources to make progress.

Don't explain in your application letter why you are unemployed. There's
no shame in being unemployed and you're not the only one who is. Plus,
the recruiter isn't interested anyway. 

Do your homework.  When applying for a vacancy, explore the company's
web site and identify their plans.  Are they launching new products,
diversifying into new markets or exporting?  The more you know, the
better equipped you are for when the interviewer asks you, 'So, what do
you know about our company?'

A job application is not about your life story. It is simply a
description of your qualifications, experiences and personal qualities.
Communicate clearly why you are the best candidate to fill the vacancy.

Show recruiters that you are willing and able to keep learning. The
saying 'Old dogs can't learn new tricks' is just an old cliche.  Prove
to the recruiter in your application letter and CV that you are worthy
of an interview by demonstrating your commitment to lifelong learning.

You may have to move home, accept a lower salary and even start at a
lower level than you are used to.  However much this hurts your
self-esteem, isn't it still better to get back on your feet rather than
being unemployed?

If you are a member of the 'Silver Generation', remember that you're not
retired yet.  You are between jobs, and have many years of service to
offer a potential employer. Use your age and experience as a positive
marketing tool.

If you are a graduate without any work experience, it's important that
you communicate how your academic achievements and ability to learn can
add value to the potential employers' organisation.


For more information on how to support staff through redundancy, visit http://www.MyOnlineJobCoach.com/

For more information on interview skills training, please visit http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/

Scott on BBC Radio about helping people over 55 find a job with the help of the internet

Scott Watson being interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds on how people over 55 can use the web to enhance their chances of finding a new job.

Main points:

• The Web is an excellent source for business networking
• Online resources can be as effective as outplacement seminars
• Your job hunting skills might not be up-to-date anymore
• You can build credibility online
• Calderdale Council have a "Silver Entrepreneurs" programme to help people over 50 to set up in business

Resources mentioned:

LinkedIn 
My Online Job Coach (Corporate site) 
My Online Job Coach (Public site) 
Facebook page with 5 free videos

Online Resource Launched To Help The Region's Unemployed

A Halifax based human resources expert has developed an online training resource which aims to propel workers facing redundancy back into work. 

Scott Watson, MD of Summit Consulting and Training has launched a web-based training resource, which has been designed as a support tool for individuals in the region who are currently unemployed or facing redundancy.

MyOnlineJobCoach.com offers expert guidance to jobseekers facing stiff competition for jobs in a tough economic climate. 

The service includes more than 50 video tutorials which teach users a wide range of skills such as:

- How to develop credibility with a recruiter

- How to write a CV a recruiter actually wants to read

- How to answer tough interview questions well

- How to deal more effectively with the inevitable setbacks unemployment can bring

The service is already proving a big hit with private individuals, as well as the region's employers, who are intending to include MyOnlineJobCoach as a redundancy support tool for their staff.  

The launch of the service comes at a time when our region is facing an unprecedented jobs crisis, as public and private sector organisations are reducing the size of their workforce due to spending cuts.  

Scott Watson’s own research has identified that business leaders do want to support their redundant staff in securing their next role but either don’t know how to, or have found traditional outplacement support services too expensive and difficult to use.

'Uniquely, the Site enables individuals and families to share their learning and therefore maximise the possibility of their household securing further employment opportunities and financial stability.  As the product is web based, users can access the programme 24 hours a day and have access for a full 12-month period,' says Watson.

Ends

Intro to Prof. John Thompson's Students

Is Richard Reed Innocent? Absolutely!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Richard Reed, co-founder of the Innocent smoothie brand.  The invitation to participate in this event was extended by Prof. John Thompson, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Huddersfield.

It was a refreshing change to listen to an authentic talk which covered the bumps and bruises of developing and running a business rather than the 'Look at me, I've made it' approach so often employed by the self-appointed motivational speakers and gurus.  My view is that most of that crowd are more 'irritational' than motivational, but that's a discussion for another time.

Now, here's the fabulous news for human resources professionals.  Mr Reed is certainly not a HR expert and he wouldn't claim to be, but he has some very clear boundaries and beliefs about how engaging employees (all, not just some) can add significant value to an organisation.  I've detailed the key points from his thought-provoking presentation below.

95% of Innocent employees stated in an anonymous staff survey that they were 'proud' to work at Innocent.

Innocent's purpose is to 'Help people live healthy and die old' and everything they do is centred around this one commitment.


The recruitment policy at Innocent doesn't focus on getting bums on seats to fill vacancies, it focuses on 'spotting, attracting and retaining' individuals who can be passionate about the brand promise' which is to make things a little bit better and a little bit easier for everyone.

The success of Innocent is directly attributed to their commitment to getting the right people for their organisation.  The 'default heart setting' for an employee should be 'YES', I can help, 'YES' I will do all I can to make things a little bit better for everyone.

There will occasionally be someone in your team who doesn't play by the values of the organisation and having these people in your team is toxic.  Mr Reed stated 'Some will piss in the well rather than help draw the water from it' and these people need to be made aware they're not right for your organisation and your organisation is not right for them.

In a world where so many business leaders continue to claim that 'Our people are our most important asset' but fail to translate this old cliche in to an organisational reality (at least from the employees' point of view), it is quite simply inspiring to learn from from this gentleman that even without being a HR professional, clarity of purpose, straightforward recruitment based on authentic values and high levels of employee engagement can build a wonderfully successful brand and profitable organisation.

Wouldn't we all benefit if there were more business leaders who didn't just make the right noises about ethics, integrity and doing the right thing, but actually just made living such values a daily reality within their organisation?

By the way, a BIG THANK YOU to Richard Reed for his kind offer to contribute to the Job Hunting Bootcamp taking place in November.  Your contribution will certainly make things a little bit better for everyone involved in this community centred programme.

Influence And Persuasion - Don't Get Caught Out

The ability and willingness to influence and persuade other human beings is a wonderful skill to possess.  Each and every day, we are being influenced whether we realise it or not.

Here's a quick example of influencing and persuasion in action.  We'll take a hotel booking for this example.  Have a think about this so you don't get caught out.

So, you're booking a hotel for your next holiday.  You explore holiday sites online and notice that the rates are so competitive, unreservedly low and you're wondering to yourself 'WOW, this is fantastic, I think I'll be booking'.  But, sure enough, the initial elation turns in to despondency soon after.  And here's why...


The room rates initially offered are starting prices and not final prices.  Ah, you want a sea view room?  Oh, a balcony too eh?  My goodness, that's going to cost you.  And it does!  But you continue.

The rate was for a room only basis. But you'll want feeding, at least breakfast.  And for how many travellers?  Add these fees on to your 'low initial price'.

So, you arrive at the rather nice 4* hotel and are greeted by a welcoming receptionist.  Before you know it, a bellboy has grabbed your luggage, popped them on to a trolley and awaits your departure to your room so he can follow you.  Well, wouldn't it be rude of you to ask for your luggage to be taken off the trolley and returned to you after the so very helpful bellboy has 'been so helpful'.

Get this - He's not being helpful, he's generating income through your tips.  He's gone straight for you as his next customer while your attention is on checking in after your journey.

And, have you noticed that when the check-in receptionist hands you the key/swipe card for your room, you just accept it?  Why do you do this?  It's an automatic, culturally accepted response where you can immediately lose out.  BIG STYLE!  Why simply accept this behaviour, which is simply a 'Go Away' signal from even the best hotels.

If you reached your room and found that it didn't represent what the web site or brochures had indicated, isn't it far more difficult to return to reception to ask for another room?  You've been seen to 'accept' something you've never even seen simply by taking the key.  And you can't even ask your bellboy to sort the problem out as he's soon disappeared (after waiting for your tip).

Lesson?  ALWAYS ask the receptionist 'Which is a better room that is available for the duration of our visit?'  Hotels ALWAYS hold the best rooms back in the hope they can up-sell guests.

So, you're settled in to your room and you fancy a drink.  Oh, there's the mini bar.  You explore the fridge, remove a couple of bottles and return both of them, choosing to visit the poolside bar instead.  But, what you didn't realise was that as soon as an item is removed from the mini bar, it's electronically swiped (as if you had consumed it).  Even if you don't consume the items and return them to the fridge, it doesn't matter.  REFUNDS DON'T HAPPEN!

Now, how about calling home and letting the family know you arrived safely?  There's a phone right by the bed.  And it'll cost you up to 4 times more than a normal landline outside of the hotel to make a call.  Gotcha!

Why not lay back and watch one of the many films available through your television?  They're £7 to £10 per day.  Here's the thing, these prices make the film available for 24 hours - just in case you want to watch the films numerous times.

Room Service?  Make sure that you grab your tray at your door rather than letting the server in to your room.  When they're in your room, they're in your room.  This is where pressure for you to tip comes in to play.

I recently enjoyed a family break in Durham with my family.  As a member of the hotel's loyalty programme we were upgraded to an Executive room. Part of this deal was 'Free Drinks Between 5pm and 7pm.  Thankfully, the range of drinks available included my favourite beer Peroni.

Watch what happens next.  The beer is served in 330 cl bottles, just over half a pint.  It is served in a small glass.   Imagine the shock on the barman's face when I asked for a pint glass and 2 bottles of Peroni.  'Ah, we can't give you a pint glass for Peroni sir' was the claim.  When I enquired why not he replied 'It's not our policy'.

See, you can have something for 'FREE', but you're really not flavour of the week if you want to drink the FREE drink out of a glass larger than they want to offer.  Perhaps their thinking is that if the guest has a smaller glass, they're likely to drink more slowly?

So, have a think about how you're being influenced on a daily basis.  You could lose out if you're not careful.


http://www.SummitTraining.co.uk/