Posts Tagged ‘assistance’
« Back to blog home
Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
Some-where – I knew then and firmly believe now – there is a simpler way to lead organisations, one that requires less effort, produces less stress than the current practices – Margaret Wheatley & Myron Kellner Rogers – “A Simpler Way”
Whenever human communities are forced to adjust to shifting conditions, pain is ever present – John P Kotter – “Leading Change”
It has long been my mantra that the old model of micro-management and motivation with a stick will not work effectively for very long. It may have worked in the past where many roles (prior to the widespread adoption of IT and the internet) were highly process driven.
In more recent times, we are wanting to engage the people with whom we work to provide their intelligence, not their brawn, in their work – both with us and with the customers whom we serve. The use of intellgence (especially emotional intelligence) is critical in more and more professions today than it may have been in the past.
Much of the information that customers now want they can access themselves – it is the interpretation and application of that information that is critical for them in the success or otherwise of their business ventures. Here is where the professional comes in. Our work in the “professions” now requires us to have proper interpersonal relationships with people rather than remote contact. As people become more connected to information, they generally become more disconnected from each other. Hence the need to connect properly as professionals.
In the “here and now” of the current age, people are craving real contact. This requires people to step out from behind the computer and get off email Facebook, Twitter etc and actually relate.
This is where leadership comes in. This is where we, as leaders of our businesses, need to enable our people to thrive and engage. We need to provide the environment that enables this to occur. We need to encourage them to take ownership of the customer relationship and to invest the time and effort to establish, develop and nurture relationships (internally as well).
Many of the frustrated business owners I speak to express concern over the fact that their people won’t engage with their customers. But the truth is often related to the fact that they implement management systems and processes that actively discourage such relationship building. The timesheet is one of the most perfect examples I can nominate. It is used to assess peoples’ performance based on inputs of time, not outputs of results, quality of relationships or support to co-workers. These are the qualitative things that matter to your people. They want to produce results for their customers, they want to learn, develop and thrive. In so doing, they become far more effective in their roles and become far better team members for your business.
The previous thinking that an employee was a “cog in the wheel”, a servant for you and/or your business or a follower of the “Dear Leader” needs to be replaced.
How about we replace that thinking with the view that your team members are resources for the business and each other, partners with you in the business and innovators who can help create new and better ways of doing things for your customers and your business?
So, when it comes to leadership, what thinking are you adopting and what tools are you using to lead your people? Are they going to get you to where you want to go or are they installed to maintain a system that is inherently flawed?
Tags: aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, business, care, clarity, communication, create, creativity, dynamic, engagement, generosity, getting, giving, goal, goals, help, motivation, opportunity, people, service, staff, strategic, success, support, thinking, Verasage
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
This post makes a very valid observation and goes on to pose a challenging question.
I believe we are waiting too long to develop leadership skills in our people and we’re leaving it a little bit too late (IMHO!) for it to be as efficacious as it could be. As they say – if you want a tree today, plant a seed 20 years’ ago.
Let’s start planting lots of seeds now – we need future leaders – and we want good ones.
Tags: aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, business, care, clarity, communication, create, creativity, dynamic, engagement, generosity, getting, giving, goal, goals, help, motivation, opportunity, people, plan, planning, service, staff, strategic, success, support, thinking
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Monday, December 17th, 2012
Interesting article in Entrepreneur Magazine (website) about when to send emails for the greatest chance of them being opened and read.
Worth remembering for when you want a response.
Tags: aspiration, aspirational, assistance, business, clarity, communication, create, creativity, dynamic, effective, effectiveness, email, engagement, getting, giving, goal, goals, motivation, opportunity, people, plan, planning, service, strategic, success, support, thinking
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Monday, September 3rd, 2012
Very interesting article from the BBC on the effects of exercise for people with depression. The consensus view is that exercise is very helpful in combatting the effects of depression – the article casts some doubt on the veracity of this view.
You can read the article here.
Tags: aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, care, clarity, create, creativity, depression, dynamic, engagement, getting, giving, goal, goals, help, motivation, needy, opportunity, people, service, staff, strategic, success, support, thinking
Posted in Business Thinking | 1 Comment »
Friday, June 29th, 2012
I have recently been taking one of our customers through the Trimetrix Analysis process – it has involved the owners and senior staff in their organisation and came about due to some internal issues they were having.
The owners and senior people in the organisation undertook the Trimetrix Report and we have the debriefed them (individually) on the results. We’ve also had a short session with the owners of the business to give them an initial “heads up” as to what it all means and some issues that they might want to address in the interim until such time as we undertake the full group debrief.
The feedback we have had so far is absolutely fantastic. One of the owners of the business said to me “this is the most valuable thing I have ever done or will ever do in my business”. One of his senior people sent me an email the other day which said (inter alia):
Hi Matthew,
Hope you are well.
Just letting you know that many good development things have started to happen after your consultation sessions. For example we’ll have a ‘field trip’ organised by XXX, we are encouraged to use brainstorming methods while designing new campaigns etc.
BIG THANKS MATTHEW!
I also had a quick chat with one of the owners when they called through the office the other day – he commented on how much better things were running and how such simple things as we suggested could how such a profound impact.
The feedback is terrific but the best thing is that the people in the business are performing at a level which is more comfortable and enjoyable for them. They’re more engaged with and in the business and are getting far more satisfaction from the things they are doing.
Tags: aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, business, care, clarity, create, creativity, dynamic, giving, goal, goals, motivation, opportunity, plan, planning, service, strategic, success, support, thinking, Trimetrix
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2012
One of the blokes I grew up with died last week – he suicided as a consequence of a major dose of depression that he was suffering. It was a tragic loss of a terrific bloke and he has left behind his wife and young kids which is so terribly sad. He has also left behind his extended family and a huge network of friends who value him highly.
Depression is an insidious illness that creeps up on people. It seems to me that there are a lot of people out there who may have it (in varying degress and at varying levels of severity) – but they may not know about it. I know that I have a number of friends who have it and they are doing what they can to address the illness and treat it. I am very proud of them in their efforts as it can be a long road – but it is worth it!
There needs to be a greater awareness in the community of the impact of depression and the flow on effects that it brings. Organisations such as Beyond Blue are doing a wonderful job in building the profile and awareness of the disease and they need to be supported.
We also need to be aware of the issues and to be able to have “frank and open” discussions with those we care about where we might feel that they are grappling with issues that may indicate depression or anxiety. As one of my great mates says “Logic will not kill a man but lack of emotional awareness will”. For far too long, we’ve been brought up to “tough it out” and “deal with it” without appearing “weak”.
There is nothing wrong with admitting that you’re dealing with stuff that is causing confusion or hurt. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
I know because I was there quite some time ago – having been on the journey, I understand the feelings and “hollowness” that is associated with the illness. I am also far more aware of the way it presents in others when I talk to them (this doesn’t make me an expert in any way shape or form).
I want my mate’s passing to be the catalyst for more people supporting each other. In today’s world where we’re always “on” and connected, there seems to be a significant lack of true discussion and interaction. This needs to be retrieved and to be a focus for everyone.
I don’t want to lose another mate to “the Black Dog”. There have been far too many people effected directly and indirectly already by depression. It’s up to us to help each other in assisting those we know and care about when they are suffering from this disease.
Tags: assistance, care, clarity, depression, generosity, getting, giving, help, motivation
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Friday, April 27th, 2012
There is a fair bit of “doom and gloom” out there in the economy at the moment – and I can understand why.
Every day you read the paper or listen to/watch the news and there are stories about businesses closing and the stress that family budgets are under. There is very little good news out there (that gets reported anyway!) for us to reset our focus onto when things look this grim.
I must admit, the ecconomy is not looking that great at the moment and the new imposts that will be introduced later this year will only serve to increase the financial burden on a lot of businesses and households. The carbon tax in particular is going to have a significant impact on a wide range of businesses and the level of this impact is yet to be fully understood.
However, I must admit that, being the eternal optimist, it is times like these that create massive opportunities for those businesses and people that look to take advantage of the situation. Many businesses will be looking at ways to cut costs and reduce their expenses – they won’t replace staff that leave, they’ll reduce their advertising, they’ll look to find cheaper suppliers for the things they do need and they will generally contract to try and protect themselves.
Whilst this may initially seem an attractive option, let’s think it through a bit further (not an exhaustive list):
- where everyone else is contracting, a business that maintains its service levels will actually improve in comparison to their competition;
- by being positive about the opportunities, you will attract other people and businesses that are like you and will help you achieve your goals/plans;
- supporting your existing suppliers through times like this will build incredible loyalty (especially when you let them know that you’re doing it – don’t assume they know) that will be of great value to both of you down the track; and
- the possibility for opening up new market opportunities created by the contraction/exit of other suppliers can be very profitable to leverage in to areas that were previously a bit difficult to get in to.
Having been through a few economic cycles now, it is really amazing to reflect on those businesses that took the opportunity created by adverse economic conditions to grow their operations. I’ve seen it so often and the approach (with proper planning and implementation) can yield substantially improved business performance along with increased wealth and satisfaction for the owners of the business.
It all depends on your viewpoint – is the glass half full or half empty? Is it a time of adversity or is it a time of great opportunity (in camouflage?)….
Tags: accountant, adversity, aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, business, clarity, cost, costs, creativity, dynamic, economics, economy, getting, GFC, giving, goal, goals, greed, money, motivation, opportunity, plan, planning, profit, profitability, service, strategic, success, support, thinking
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Richard Watson has just posted a really thought-provoking blog on the creativity that occurs when facing death (you’ll have to read the post to get the idea).
Having seen the situation where people are in their “comfort zones”, they have a fear of change and won’t alter approaches – this can effectively stifle the exploitation of opportunity that exists. In effect, their fear will create their reality. Business (and life!) needs to be dynamic and you need to embrace change rather than try and stare it down.
I strongly commend you to the post by Watson which you can find here.
Tags: accountant, assistance, business, create, creativity, dynamic, generosity, service, space, thinking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, October 10th, 2011
Had some interesting experiences in recent times associated with a range of people which have caused me to think about different approaches to life and what you receive as a consequence of the approach you take.
There are people who get great satisfaction from giving – be they people who work in charities, social support, education, healthcare and the like. There are people who give in other ways too – I know we help out a number of our customers who are going through hard times in many ways – we’ll do their work “pro-bono”, we’ll help them deal with their banks and customers and we’ll also work with the owners, managers and staff to develop strategies to assist them get through the rough times they find themselves in. I am aware of a number of our colleagues in the legal profession who do this.
The giving of time, service and care is a great gift that I know I gain a great deal of satisfaction from.
There are also those who take. These people have an approach whereby they are always seeking to get things for nothing or at big discounts. They’re always seeking out opportunities to “get a bit ahead” by getting something for nothing. I’ve seen examples of this type of behaviour often over my life (both persoanlly and professionally).
Having observed this over many years, there seems to be some rough sort of pattern in the behaviours that are exhibited. These people are always ready to be at the front of the queue, they’re notionally supportive when people do well, but they position themselves to take advantage of what has been achieved. I know that I’ve helped people like this numerous times over the past and it has always come back and “bitten me on the bum”. They rationalise their behaviour on the basis that they’re entitled to geet this help, support and the like because they are who they are.
That’s all fine and I am not preaching on how people should run their lives – far from it – each to their own. Having been bitten numerous times, I am not going to change the way I do things or the approach I take. I will however be far more circumspect in the future as to my behaviour in dealing with people like this. It is sad, but in this environment where a lot of people have an unjustified sense of “entitlement”, I think we all need to be prepared to consider what the motivators of people are. If they’re the “needy and greedy” – let them stuff someone else around – there are too many people out there who WILL appreciate what you do for them.
I will always give rather than get. I’ll just be a lot more careful whom I do it for from here on in.
UPDATE
Following from posting this, I received an email from Russell Wylie of Becoming Better (www.becomingbetter.com.au) who wrote:
I just read your latest blog posting, Matt. Well written!
The Moody Blues had an introduction to a song on one of their albums
that went something like this “… Face miles and miles of trials with
smiles, for it riles them to believe, that you perceive the web they
weave”
Generosity and contribution are incredible strengths to be able to
operate from.
You’ve got those things and may they continue to reward you … as I’m
sure they will.
The mean-spiritedness of others is its own karma.
People who operate from that point of view never really get to
understand or appreciate the truth and beauty in things.
And they are always, in some way or another, operating from a state of
tension, pain and disturbance. What an incredibly miserable way to have
to live a life?
The trick is to never let those “takers” have a diminishing, or
restrictive effect upon your life, or your style of going about doing
the things that you do. In a sense they begin to “win” when you react
that way. The chipping away at belief and faith will have begun – in a
very subtle manner.
Rather than becoming more circumspect in your approach to generosity and
goodwill, I would actually recommend you become more generous and even
more of a contributor.
Why?
Because I believe will serve you far far more richly than the initial
alternative, annoy the crap out of the takers (… and it will help to
make sense of the aforementioned Moody Blues line). Your style is about
expression and creating things, not repression and restriction.
Life is far too serious to be taken seriously … And the world is
definitely a better place with a “constantly adding-value Matthew Tol” -
no doubt in mind whatsoever!
Tags: assistance, business, charity, generosity, getting, giving, greed, help, motivation, needy, pro-bono, service, support, take
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Well? What DO you REALLYwant? A lot of people out here in the real world have some vague concept as to what they want, but they never get any real clarity about it. They pay lip service to goals and aspirations, but make no concrete plans to move themselves towards those goals.
In our meetings and discussions with businesses all around Australia, we find that a lot of businesses (and especially business owners) really have no idea as to what they’re wanting to do or achieve. They get caught up in the day-to-day processes of running their business, family and life. Their activities are all operational and none of them strategic and none of them actually propelling them to where they want to be.
This is a real tragedy as, with a few changes, they will be able to make a significant change to their lives by, firstly, getting clarity as to what they want. This is often seen as a difficult and confronting process – but having been through it, I can attest to the fact that it’s absolutely liberating!
To really succeed, you need to be able to describe what success looks like. Many people we talk to can’t even answer the simplest question “How much money do you want to earn?” If they can’t answer this, they’re not going to be able to design their activities, let alone their business, to deliver what they’re wanting.
The clarifying of goals and aspirations is vital as, once they are clear in your mind, you will be able to design your approaches to create what you’re wanting. In many respects it come down to whether you are at cause or at effect in your life.
Once you know what you really want, you’ll be at cause and you will start to behave and perform in ways that will deliver the results that you’re after.
The other side of this is that if you don’t do the planning etc, you will more than likely end up with what you DON’T want!
Tags: accountant, achieve, asiprations, asiration, aspirational, assistance, business, cash, cashflow, clarity, create, creativity, discount discounts, dynamic, family, finance, financial, getting, goal, goals, help, margin, mark up, money, motivation, operation, operational, opportunity, plan, planning, profit, profitability, service, strategic, success, support, thinking
Posted in Business Thinking | No Comments »
.png)
.png)
