How effective is your Business Success Skill?

If you're a business leader, executive, entrepreneur or other high level management professional, you will come to realize that your success in business depends not on how good you are at doing what you do. You will succeed based on how good you are at marketing and selling what you do.

You may have come to realize that "He, who sells the most, wins." You may also have seen this all along or someone just brought this to your attention that your competitor is winning sales even though their services are not as good as yours.

Even if you are not a salesperson and selling is not part of your business but, as an accomplished business executive, your success rests upon how well you express yourself, your expertise and your services.

As the famous adage goes: it is not the same as selling autos or cooking utensils. So, you may not want to practice the same principles but, you should consider taking your sales process slightly different approach. If you have been a management professional for any number of years, you must have already familiar with some selling skills that come naturally and intuitively just for being in the business.

Then when it comes to selling your services, you will not break much ground if you do not put into practice the same processes that you learned in selling yourself.

There are very few accomplished business leaders that have demonstrated a flair for marketing and selling themselves and their services. It is such a key success factor in one's business yet, many business professionals are either still not comfortable or continue to wrestle with mastering a sales process that works wonders for them.

You don't have to emulate a professional salesperson who can effortlessly sell snow to an Eskimo or worry about not being an extrovert who can dazzle everyone around. Just be yourself and implement a sales process that you can be comfortable with. No matter what your personality is, or what business you are in you should be able to make use of your natural talents to communicate your purpose and values to connect with your peers and prospects.

And, you do need to have a plan and an effective process that sells your personality and your business services or products.

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya ats6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Who killed your business?

Most business managers go through the annual ritual of budgeting. We plan the next one or two years based on the actual results of the most recent year. We draw up a spreadsheet and plan line by line - sales revenues up 10% and costs held to a 5% increase means a modest improvement in profits.

We should have learned by now that this is a sterile process. The past is a poor guide to the future.  In 1972 the Club of Rome published “The Limits to Growth.” It was a model that predicted what would happen to energy, food, population, environment, etc. It concluded that essential resources like oil would run out in the 1990s and that economic growth was unsustainable. It extrapolated the future based on the past. And it got it wrong precisely because the future is not like the past.

Blocking out big ideas

The planning straitjacket means that we are restricted to small incremental increases in revenues and we are squeezed on expenses. There is no scope for the radical improvements that the business so desperately needs. By thinking in terms of last year plus 10% we are blocking out big ideas. The motor car was not the horse-drawn carriage plus 10%, Amazon was not Barnes and Noble plus 10%, and the Smart Car is not your average sedan with an extra 10%. Each was a leap, an innovation, a different approach.

Nokia started as a wood pulp mill in Finland in 1865. It made paper products, rubber products and became an energy company before moving into consumer electronics and becoming the world leader in mobile phones. Virgin was founded by Richard Branson as a record label. It now offers a range of products in travel, entertainment, finance and communications. These successful companies did not get where they are today by modest incremental steps, but by combining efficiency with bold ventures into new arenas.

Who killed your business?

I use an exercise in my creative leadership workshops to shake people out of incremental thinking and planning. The team imagines that they are sitting in the room six years from now asking the question, “Who killed our business?”  The premise is that some powerful force has put their company out of business. Individually and in teams they have to conceive of changes in technology, processes, fashion, competition or demographics that might completely replace their current business model. 

There are many examples of how the unexpected has devastated businesses. Typewriter manufacturer Smith Corona was wiped out by word processing software on PCs. Polaroid was sideswiped by digital camera technology. McDonald’s has fallen victim to the rise of anti-corporatism and the power of the book, “No Logo.” Downloading music on the Internet is hurting music companies. A loss of reputation demolished Arthur Anderson. Accounting scandals killed Enron and Parmalat. Laser eye surgery is a threat to makers of spectacles and contact lenses.

Starting with a blank piece of paper, people have to imagine a major new trend or approach which would eliminate them and at the same time meet the needs of their customers better. Once they have agreed on some possible scenarios they need to design ideal companies to exploit the new approaches. Instead of starting from today and planning forward, they start from the future and plan for the future.

You can aid the process by first discussing fashion trends, technology developments and demographic movements. The purpose is to startle people out of a complacent and comfortable view of the future and to consider instead a vortex of dangers and opportunities.

Spreadsheets are great tools for recording figures and for trying different assumptions in an existing model. But among all the many menu bars and commands in Excel there is no instruction for “use your imagination” or “conceive entirely new possibility.” Try getting your team together and brainstorm some radical ideas. Develop scenarios that are imaginative but possible. Build some prototypes to test new products or business methods. Test them in the marketplace. An experiment will teach you far more than any spreadsheet. It is by systematically testing boundaries and pushing into new areas that companies like Nokia and Virgin succeed.

Conclusion

Of course every business needs a budget as a yardstick to measure against. But the budget is not a strategy for success or even for survival. Leadership means taking the business from where it is today to somewhere new and different. It means using imagination and innovation to design a better tomorrow.

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya ats6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Avoid Job-search Mistakes by Being a Savvy Net-worker

Some of the most common job search techniques people use don't work very well. With record unemployment and a weak economy, the job market is tough to crack. But you can do it if you can avoid these common job-hunting mistakes and you'll have a better chance of success.

Here are some pointless job-search activities named by Yahoo! Finance:

Resume-blast services

There are vendors who will blast your resume out to zillions of employers for a fee. Only problem: employers are deluged with resumes already. Your unsolicited, uncustomized resume is the last thing they want to see. Skip these services and conduct your own research, using search engines and LinkedIn. Then write to hiring managers directly with targeted overtures.

Job fairs

When I was an HR person, job fairs were a fantastic way to hire highly qualified people. Today, job fairs have devolved into thankless, confidence-crushing cattle calls. Save the money you'd spend on dry cleaning and parking to attend a job fair; instead, contact employers one by one after researching their businesses.

"I'm job hunting" messages on discussion boards

I moderate a few online discussion groups, and I always feel bad for the folks who join a group to post a message that says, "I am seeking an accounting job" to the other members (that is, total strangers). The odds of getting a job lead that way are slim to none.

We need to know the people we refer for job opportunities. You're better off spending your online-community time making one-on-one connections, or following up via phone or in person.

Video resumes 

Imagine the hiring manager sitting at her desk swamped in resumes, cover letters, reference lists, portfolios, and unanswered emails from job applicants. What's her incentive to watch your video resume? There isn't one. Video resumes are a solution in search of a problem. Craft a killer resume and get it out, along with a pithy "pain letter" that explicitly shows how your background makes you the perfect person to relieve a business's pain, to hiring managers instead.

Spray and pray

Applying to every job in sight with the same, uncustomized resume is a job-search non-starter. Employers hire people they believe can solve their problems. That belief comes from the understanding of the problem that the job-seeker demonstrates in his or her pitch. Research is the key! 

So, how do people get jobs?

They do it through thoughtful, well-crafted letters, resumes, phone calls, and LinkedIn overtures - sent in response to posted job ads or sent to employers who don't currently have jobs posted but who may well have business needs anyway.

They do it through networking, and through careful follow-up with the people they know and the new people they meet during a job search. "Hey, I need a job" is not a compelling pitch - but if you say "I think I understand what you're up against, and would love to talk about solutions," will most definitely catch an employer’s eye.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. If you need any help (in effective networking or writing an effective resume or something else) please let me know and I may be able to put you in touch with some of the best in the industry today.

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya at s6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Is Listening a crucial component of your Leadership?

In my previous blog, I wrote about how important developing good listening skills are. Nearly every aspect of human life could be improved by better listening -- from family matters to corporate business affairs to international relations. Obviously there's a great deal more to being an effective leader than merely being "in charge."

Listening is a major element of a positive leadership strategy to maximize employee performance. If your leadership, either formal or informal, is important to you, ask yourself the following:

• Do I pay much attention to listening? Am I paying much closer attention to what I am hearing, so that I do not drift away from it?
• Do I ever "replay" conversations afterwards and think about whether or not I listened well? Am I internalizing the meaning of the words that are spoken?
• What do I have to do to sharpen my listening skills? Am I getting better at listening? Am I listening full-force both when others speak to me and when I speak to them?
• Do I make a deliberate effort (once a day...even once a week?) to practice empathic listening in order to get better at it? When was the last time I had an "AHA!" moment and finally got what was on somebody's mind?
• Have I sought 360-degree feedback from co-workers, employees, bosses, clients, and suppliers? Was it recent enough to make it relevant feedback for the current situations and people I'm working with? Have I gained their trust that they can freely express their opinions?
• Have I worked with a coach to help me listen to myself, listen to the people I work with, and figure out ways I can improve on my leadership skills under the present circumstances?

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya ats6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Really Good Listening Habits are Hard to Find

When is the last time you had a conversation with someone where you really felt like the person you were talking with was engaged in the conversation and was really interested in what you were communicating?

Their body language, eye contact, and tone of voice were focused and inviting and surrounding distractions seemed irrelevant. Every one of us can remember a meaningful conversation and what it felt like to “be heard.” Being heard is an important component to how we measure our self-worth and self-confidence.

Emails, voice mails, text messages, LinkedIn, Facebook, and the limit of 140 characters on Twitter are the very common forms of today’s communication. Technology has given us the ability to share ideas with anyone, at anytime and anywhere in the world. Our global environment requires this technology to be successful, and it will foster continued innovation at an awe-inspiring rate.

However, the true essence of business is built around people and the future innovations people can and will inspire. Every piece of technology existing today and every new innovation that will inspire our world tomorrow is a collaboration of people listening, communicating, and working together.

I am the first to admit the advances to communication portals and the speed at which we can communicate are necessary. I am only suggesting that we do not forget to really listen along the way. Take a step back and evaluate your listening ability and techniques. Do any of the following apply to you?

·        Check and answer email while talking on the phone (personally or professionally)

·        Respond to texts while in a meeting or at your child’s soccer game

·        Watch your children IM or text while doing homework or at the dinner table

·        Spend time updating your Facebook wall instead of reaching out to someone meaningful and having a real conversation

·        Engage in a conversation with an employee, while you shuffle papers and respond to a receptionist call that Mr. Smith is on line two

If we are honest with ourselves, we are all guilty of one if not many of these listening infractions. We get caught up in the crazy and scattered pace of life. Let’s take a step back and remind ourselves that good listening is essential to effective communication, and here are some simple habits that can improve our listening ability:

§  Take time to listen. Stop, take a deep breath to clear your mind, and really listen to an employee sharing ideas or to how your son’s day at school unfolded.

§  Be attentive. Put the world on hold and pay 100% attention to the person talking with you. They believe what they have to say is important and so should you.

§  Listen with an open mind. Don’t be judgmental. Listen to everything the person is communicating and before judging the value of the information, ask questions to better understand the scope and depth.

§  Listen for feelings. People repeat those things that are important to them. Listen to what is said but also to how it is said. Feelings often speak much louder than words.

§  Listen for retention. While listening, summarize the highlights of the conversation in your mind so you can play it back to the person with whom you are talking. It will help you implement the important details later, and it will send the important message that you were really listening.

Finally, listen to others like you want to be listened to … you will be astounded as to how much more you will get accomplished and learn if you stop and really listen. And, you will be amazed how much you miss if you don’t!

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya ats6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Lessons from a Patio Tomato Plant

I am growing a patio tomato plant, which is in a large pot on my backyard deck. It was just a few inches high when I bought it from a local nursery in early spring. I also had to get good soil and fertilizer.

I check it every day to make sure its soil is moist and get rid of any signs of weeds etc. I noticed last month some blossoms coming out and got excited, because the flower comes before the fruit. There are many blossoms, so I anticipate a good harvest, if all goes well.

Then several weeks ago, I noticed 2 pea-sized tomatoes, I got so excited again. I wondered how long it will take for them to be ready to pick.

It seemed like an eternity, but this week, after several weeks of growth, the first of my tomatoes is beginning to blush.

It is not ready to pick yet. It needs more time, more care. You can't rush the harvest.

And my tomato plant made me think of YOU.

Are you trying to rush your harvest?
Are you taking shortcuts like the grocers do, so that your harvest will ripen unnaturally fast?

Are you deciding that you can't afford personal development or healthy food?

It's interesting to note that when times are tough, Americans typically decide to set personal development aside, while people of most other cultures will say that time spent in self development is what helps them change their fortunes.

This is an important distinction. Americans have a tendency to feel "entitled" rather than to feel that all good things demand their sacrifice of time, energy and resources in advance.

Hence the fad diets, do nothing and lose pounds claims, and so forth.

There is no "magic pill" or "quick fix."

You can't grow a tomato without first planting a seed and then nurturing the plant as it grows. And you have to wait for the fruits. They don't spring from nothing into your hand.

Never skimp on yourself.

Never say you have to leave personal growth aside for "better times."

The time to grow YOU is now!

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya at s6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.

Effective Uses of Listening Skills

Here is a five-step process for learning better leadership skills. These steps focus primarily on listening skills, once again requiring both listening to oneself and to others (including through self-awareness, empathic listening, 360 feedbacks, and coaching).

Step one is identifying one's ideal self, which is to say, uncovering and listening to one's core values and beliefs to draw a picture of the person one aspires to be. What's important to me? What am I passionate about? What does my "gut" say to me?

Step two is identifying the real self, which is to say, discovering how one appears to others, regardless of how one sees one's self. (For the uninitiated: people who have tried this sometimes find the two views startlingly different.) This is done by listening to one's self (self awareness) and others (empathy) to gauge the effect one is having, as well as through coaching and 360 feedback from peers, subordinates, supervisors, customers, and others.

Comparing one's ideal self to one's real self is a powerful tool because it helps identify strengths (where one is as capable in areas as one expected to be) and gaps (where one isn't as effective as one desires to be). For example, a manager might think that he is strong in both listening and in follow-through, while the people the manager works with might find him strong in listening but desire improvement in his follow-through.

Step three is to make a plan to build on strengths and reduce gaps. One obviously needn't be strong in every area - realistically, no one is - but one may choose to improve in respects that one considers important.

Step four is to experiment deliberately with and practice new skills (thinking out-of-the-box i.e., attitude) to bring about change according to one's step three, plan.

Step five - should take place concurrently with steps one through four - is to develop trusting, encouraging relationships (behavior) that provide support during the learning process.

In summary, advanced listening techniques, both listening to oneself and to others are essential to learning to become, and being, an effective leader.

How do you use your listening skills? Have you been successful in those efforts? How can I be of help to you?

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Surya M Ganduri, PhD. PMP. is the founder and president of eMBC, Inc., an international firm specializing in strategic and executive leadership development processes that Help People Succeed in an Evolving World. His company is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals manage strategic change, innovation, cultural transition, and goal achievement. Surya has over 26 years of business experience in management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, process improvements, organizational development and youth leadership. Contact Surya at s6ganduri@eMBCinc.com. For more information, visit www.eMBCinc.com or contact eMBC, Inc., directly at (630) 445-1321.