Archive for the ‘Motivation’ Category

I’m writing this as 2011 draws to a close.  What a year it has been!  The economic news is not good but I firmly believe there’s nothing like a challenge or two to bring out our best! If I look back over our last 21 years as a business I can honestly say that our greatest triumphs have resulted from rising to meet a challenge. Does that sound familiar to you too when you reflect back?  

But looking forwards,  how do we make the changes that will bring us success?  It’s not the making of New Year Resolutions that’s going to help. The secret is in the implementation of what, where and how we want to change.  To quote the old adage “if we always do what we’ve always done we’ll always get what we’ve always got”.

So that’s the difficult bit.  Resolutions are simple, but reality is a different ball game entirely. Changing personal or work habits requires sustained effort – some research tells us we need to embed a new behaviour 21 times before we  go on autopilot.  I call it the kitchen bin syndrome.  Imagine for example changing the location of your kitchen bin.  It will take you 21 visits to the bin in the new place before you really feel at ease with it and use it without thinking!

The New Year is also renowned for being the time to ‘Throw out the old and bring in the new”.  Getting a fresh perspective and  seeing new dimensions can help us decide what we want to change and how we are going to change it.

So to maximise your chances of success with your New Year’s Resolutions here are the three stages to follow:

1. Make sure you look at what you want to change from some new perspectives/dimensions

2. Once you are sure you need to make some changes, write these down using action-centred words, with deadlines attached

3.  Devote time and energy to a plan to implement these changes.  Note ideas on how you will sustain the new actions.  Identify indicators and rewards en-route.  Have a clear vision of the new and sustained change and what it will mean to your personal and/or work life.

And just in case you need more support then…

Here are some more suggestions for making resolutions that work:

Don’t pick too many. It is easy to develop a long list but to stand a chance of achieving your resolutions it is best to be selective. Try to think about relative priorities in terms of urgency and importance.

Choose resolutions that you have had on your mind for some time. If you have been mulling them over you are more likely to stick to them.

If you are thinking about changing a behaviour pick ways of making things better rather than ways of stopping doing something.

As with any project do start with the end in mind. Imagine what it will be like when you have achieved your goal. That will help it be real and keep you focussed on progress.

Ideas for resolutions to help you at work

If you are thinking about ideas to apply in the office, here are some of my suggestions:

Consider checking that your performance management system is working. With the need to keep staff performing through challenging economic times a real attention to effective performance management will help.

How about developing those employees who you are relying on with an investment in increasing their personal effectiveness?

I know that recruitment generally is reduced due to these challenging times.  It is very important to make sure that when you do recruit you get the right results.  So have you reviewed your recruitment process recently? What about your recruiters: are your managers on top of their game when it comes to sifting, interviewing and selecting the right candidates? Stop waste on poor recruitment decisions by getting in some effective advice and training.

Do your management team work cohesively together towards a common goal? Have they all the skills they need to support and drive the organisation forwards? Is now the time to be thinking about Management and Leadership Development programmes ?

Has your customer service slipped in recent times? What about the employees delivering customer service are they up to speed with their customer care training? Have their training needs been reviewed? Is now a good time to be thinking of undertaking this?

The consumer is now even more value conscious because of the economic conditions so you may be getting more complaints. How is your complaints handling? Do your people feel comfortable handling complaints? Are they looking forward to turning that complaint into a compliment? If not you might want to look at developing the complaints handling skills of your team.

Whatever you decide, good luck with seeing the resolutions through.

Happy New Year from us all at Training To Achieve UK.

Alison Miles-Jenkins

Managing Director

Some of you who have been clients of mine for years will know me very well. So you’ve probably found out that one of the less corporate aspects of my working life is that not only do I have five Jack Russells but that I also take them to work!  They sit on their own chairs here at Training To Achieve’s HQ.  They are a constant reminder to me of why I work so hard: My goal is eventually to open a sanctuary for unwanted and mistreated dogs.  But it’s also about giving permission for and celebrating an element of non-conformity, individual expression, harnessing of passion and one’s motivations for coming to work and giving it our best shot. After all, corporate mission statements, targets, KPI’s and PRP only go so far to float employees’ boats.  In these economically battered times, as managers and business owners we need all the help we can get. This may mean challenging the status quo, breaking the mould, thinking creatively and laterally and tapping into employee  motivations.

Get a fresh perspective

So what are you doing to get a fresh perspective?  I’m not of course suggesting a  ‘Take your dog to work day’ but a healthy dose now and again of  maverick thinking could work a treat!  If you need any further inspiration read Ricardo Semler’s book ‘Maverick!’. He also takes his dog to work and his business is a lot bigger than mine. His book describes ’The Success Story Behind the World’s Most Unusual Workplace’.

I’m the meantime here’s a pic of Pickle, Branston, Lilly, Alfie, and Teddy Edward queuing for lunch!  Enjoy!

Alison

Alison Miles-Jenkins

News about complaint handling

The news just announced is that complaints to the Banking Ombudsman Service have risen alarmingly.  A recent new BBC announcement said that they are up 15% on 2010. Over half of these complaints were upheld by the Financial Ombudsman.  One commentator in the article urges Banks to invest more resources into better complaints handling.

Are customers complaining more easily?

One issue in today’s economy is that customers are tightening their belts and so are less tolerant when things go wrong.  This happens at a moment when organisations are stretched and often there is pressure on staff to deal with matters more quickly.

How is the cost of complaints handling rising?

In this environment, complaints, when handled poorly, result in a significant increase in cost as customers seek to escalate their approach through more frequent contact, often seeking a higher authority to assist.  Hence the Ombudsman is in demand in Banking.  The costs of these complaints are rather like an iceberg.  On the surface the numbers of complaints are bad enough but the huge size of the problem lies underneath. Each complaint is a protracted wrangle involving telephone calls, letters and sometimes even threats of litigation.  Therefore each complaint is costing money to deal with.

It need not be like this, an effective complaints policy and attention to the basics can pay dividends.  For more information take a look at our tips for handling complaints.

Alison Miles-Jenkins
Managing Director
Training To Achieve (UK) Ltd

2nd January 2011 seems a great time to ask yourself if you are likely to be earning what you are worth this year.  But how do you start answering this?  You could start with checking your frame of mind.  If you firmly believe ‘opportunity is now here’ that will give you a fantastic advantage.  It will put you in the starting blocks way ahead of the pessimists who persist in seeing ‘opportunity is nowhere’, allowing themselves to be dragged down into the waves of negativity that washed the shores of 2010.

More than just positive thinking?

But of course a positive mindset and an array of mantras will only get you so far.  Top of the agenda for many of the business owners and professionals that I work with and coach is ultimately that of profitability. We can dress it up under other guises as much as we want, but at the end of the day, that’s what most of my clients are striving to increase.  And that takes more than just positive thinking.

Are you working in the business or on it?

One of the challenges for the professional turned business owner – dentist, veterinarian, doctor, architect, surveyor  for example – is to be able to balance working ‘in’ the business with working ‘on’ the business.  And those are two different things entirely.  What is very clear is that going into 2011 business owners need to do everything in their power to get the right balance.

How does the problem start?

The problem starts something like this:  Many professionals have been expert in their field.  They have great technical skills and their success at ‘operating’ has often got them to a position where they can take that ‘entrepreneurial leap of faith’.  Getting the business up and running is stressful enough, but it’s exciting.  Sustaining the business, expanding horizons, taking on and managing staff, attracting and keeping more satisfied customers, and increasing profit – now that’s another matter again.   Exciting?…possibly. Challenging?… yes.  Stressful ?…yes.  Risky?….. – definitely.

Are you self-sabotaging?

What compounds the problem is that many of these business owners go on to ‘self-sabotage’.  Compared to other entrepreneurs, these ‘professional cum business owners’ may have a more negative belief towards commercialism, marketing and self promotion.  They may be more motivated by some great and higher values and ideals and they don’t have money as the number 1 goal on the list.  Unfortunately it can lead them into business activities that don’t add up financially and lead them away from success.  They become ‘under-earners’ and the business and staff may suffer too.

So start changing the dynamic

There’s so much help, advice, training and tools out there to help any business flourish.  But for the ‘professional turned business owner’ in particular, if this article resonates with you, here’s some thoughts on starting to change the dynamic:

1. Be open minded about revenue streams that increase financial stability
2. Avoid gravitating into your ‘operating’ comfort zone.  It could become your ‘danger zone’.
3. Stop doing everything yourself  - delegate, outsource, automate
4. Learn to say ‘No’, but with respect and care
5. Reconsider work or clients that don’t pay enough
6. Listen to your internal ‘chatterbox’. Are you telling yourself negative beliefs about money or self-promotion?
7. Do you realise that you ARE in the sales business?
8. Do you see yourself as a manager?  Look in the mirror.  Have you got what it takes to manage a business and people?  What extra skills and support do you need?
9. Are you recognising the power that comes from the free marketing given by the happy, satisfied customer?
10. Look at your financial goals.  Double them.  With the right mindset, skills, and techniques, you won’t need to double your effort to reach them!

 Wishing you all the very best for a prosperous New Year

Alison Miles-Jenkins

Author of  “Help! I’m a Professional not a Manager “ and Managing Director of the award-winning consultancy  Training To Achieve UK

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