Employees – Earn more – be worth more, break the rules

MN Employees: Do you want more money and a bigger salary or paycheck?

Teach yourself and your boss why you should be paid more.

The epic tale of the salesperson and the website that would not sell

I recently spoke to a salesperson for a global company.  His company still has not entered the Internet age.  They have a website, but they really don’t see the value in having people come to it, because they have no search engine optimization and no keywords – in other words, when you search for their service on google, they are NOWHERE to be found.  This means all the potential new customers go somewhere else.

Now, I told this salesperson that he needs to own responsibility to fix this problem.  He wasn’t convinced, so I asked him, how much would it be worth in additional sales?  He conservatively answered in the high 6 figures.  Needless to say if he made all these sales himself, it would mean a significant income boost for him also.

So then, the next question is, how much for search engine optimization?  Conservative estimates are in the three to four figure range.

So, um, let’s see, for thousands of dollars, he can receive a million dollar benefit? Or possibly more?

I told him that what he needs to do is own the responsibility for the website marketing in exchange for the leads.

Out of that, he could offer to give the additional sales to the other people on his sales force. Remember, we’re talking about him personally investing his own money in the marketing and promotion of the website for a 6 figure payoff.  If he wanted to, he could sell those leads to other sales people or take a percentage as a fee for managing the website.

But again, why not? Look at the math.  It’s worth it to him to start doing this immediately.

Will there be some challenges to convince his managers to let him take responsibility of the website? Probably. However, he’s a salesperson for pete’s sake. He needs to sell the benefits, which include the company no longer has to pay for a website that they really don’t care about and haven’t gotten results from.  They only care about sales, which is what his job is.  That’s what he offers.  “You give me control of the website, I’ll give you more sales.” Period.

It’s called aligning to common interests in sales-speak.

Now forget about him, let’s talk about you.  What do you bring that is of immediate value to yourself and to your company?  What do you bring to your customers?  Can you start bringing in more clients?  Would your company appreciate it? Would they appreciate it enough to pay you more?

If not, then would your company’s competition appreciate it more? IE would they appreciate it enough to pay you?  Maybe you’re working for the wrong company.

Never forget there’s more companies to work at than there are people like you who bring real value.

Learn more about leadership and value at http://srkinc.com and learn about making a difference at http://quantumcommonwealth.com

Alan Hill

(612) 819-1803

Leaders can be made. What roadblocks are you creating as a leader?

How do leaders make ‘it’ happen?

Hard way: do it yourself (not a leader)

Easy way: Through others.

What to do? Show them what you are doing and why. Leaders have sincerely told me that ‘you can’t teach people to ‘get it’”. It is often defined as the capability of ownership or initiative. Often called the essence of leadership. Once we explore what ‘it’ is, invariably we find out there’s a process for helping people ‘get it’ and it’s quite simple. Tell them what they don’t ‘get’.

I call the leaders attention to the process of simply telling others what they see and inviting everyone else to see it makes the entire process easier.

Does this work for everyone all the time? Of course not. Underneath this all requires a willingness on the part of the leader and the followers. If someone is unwilling to ‘get it’ or if a leader is unwilling to share what they ‘get’ then there’s not much chance of success, if any.

How exactly do people get it? The process of asking ‘why?” ‘Why would they say that?” “Why would they do that?” “What did he mean by that?” “Why is that important to them?” This defines context, creating purpose and meaning to the actions. The benefit of this is the ability to create leaders out of employees, regardless of their role in the organization.

Sometimes leaders ask how something so simple could be so effective. I invite them to notice that this is the exact internal process they use to spot challenges and opportunities. This makes ‘leadership’ much less of a mystery and art. It becomes a skill that can be transferred and taught.

If you are willing to experiment, try inviting your team to ask ‘why’ for 30 days. Before you do this, assess their current level of initiative on a scale of 1 to 5. Look for evidence of increased initiative during the 30 day period and then re-assess. You will notice that this simple technique is an effective way to make leaders in your organization.

Alan Hill is a business and executive leadership coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one coaching company. If you would like to learn more about him or to contact him for a private consultation, check out his website at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill

Effective leaders create strong followers – MN Business Coach Shows You How

Are you a leader?  Are you a strong leader? Do you exhibit strong leadership?

That’s good.  My question is, ‘What’s better than a strong leader?”  If the opposite of strong leadership is weak leadership, my question is what do strong leaders create? 

 

Strong leaders often create weak followers.

 

Look at every strong leader through history.   From Alexander to Lee Iacocca, once the strong leader was out of the picture, who was equipped to take their place?  Who was capable?  Alexander lost the unity of his empire within a generation, which was about the same before Chrysler was bought by private investment firm.  Strong leadership – a trait too highly praised in America – promotes weak followers. 

 

Leaders, especially strong leaders, need followers.  More importantly, I have noticed that followers need leaders, the stronger the better.  I submit to you that as followers become weaker, they find fault with their current leader and begin to seek a different, even stronger leader.  Just like eyeglass prescriptions become stronger and stronger as our eyes grow weaker.  It’s not the fault of the glasses our eyesight has become weaker.  When the strong leader is gone, even temporarily, direction, vision and purpose cease to exist.  This is no way to create a business or organization that lives on beyond the leader.

 

Strong leaders are not bad, it’s just there’s something better.  Sustainable leadership.  Take a different approach and make the goal of an enterprise to create strong followers, not strong leaders.  Currently to find leaders one must ‘hunt’ them (headhunters, remember that term?).  You look for the mythical ‘right stuff’ and once you find it, entice them with golden handcuffs, not great metaphors or models for your business viability long term.   

 

Sustainable leaders create momentum by providing encouragement.

 

Imagine instead farming a field of strong followers, each growing up ready, willing able and equipped to lead/follow, able to do both simultaneously – at once, together.  Imagine leaders who do not need followers and followers who don’t need leaders.  This is not about empowerment, it’s about why empowerment didn’t work.  Weak followers do not WANT to be empowered.  First we must create the desire to be self-sustaining.

 

My purpose is to create sustainable leadership for a business, community, organization or country.  How?

 

By equipping followers to lead.  Not just giving them tools to make effective decisions but equipping them with the desire and inspiration to be strong, not looking externally for support.  Many leaders today lend their ‘strong leadership’ to an organization because that’s exactly what they were hired to do.  That promotes followers who are continually looking to someone else for their direction.  

 

Takeaway for you: Call it a lab exercise or experiment:  As a leader, REGARDLESS of your position in the organization, for 30 days, create momentum in your organization by simply providing one thing, encouragement and praise.  Use the words ‘That’s right!” or “you’re absolutely right” at least 10 times each day to different people.  Employees, managers, your boss, your customers, heck, even your competition.  Speak encouragement to their ideas, vision, desires, hopes and dreams.  What I want you to notice is how much momentum this creates for all the stuff that needs to get done and all the improvement that needs to happen.  You can doubt this will work, but you’ll never know it won’t work if you never take me up on this challenge. 

 

What I want is for you to respond with the changes that are made in your organization once you’ve tried this experiment. 

 

I invite you to notice how much stronger your organization’s followers will become.   

 

Alan Hill is a business and executive coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business coaching company.  If you would like to learn more about him or to contact him for a private consultation, check out his website at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill  

 

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MN Business Owners: Create leaders in your organization

How do you create leaders? 

 

Technicians are built on skills (Engineering, science, architecture, computer programming), Leadership is built on character (Integrity, Honesty, Virtue, Service) and the importance of relationships.

 

Are you born with character?  Can character be taught?  Can character be created?

Can character be measured?  Can leaders transfer character to technicians and employees?  Can leaders transfer character to other leaders?

 

Yes. By using the right systems to do it.

 

In our society, educational systems transfer skills (School, University, On-The-Job training) while families and religious institutions are for creating character, which they do through stories – about family experiences or religious stories. 

 

Leaders are always assessing people’s character.  They understand that relationships are built on character and business is built on relationships – therefore, it’s critical to be able to assess character in a potential new hire, vendor or customer.

 

Imagine using the systems for transferring skills to create and transfer character.  Go beyond simply discussing ethics in a classroom and create a “character creating” course, designed to transfer character like honesty, integrity and service. 

 

What would the course look like?  The same as for a skills based curriculum.  Lecture on concept and applications, do a lab exercise and then test.

 

For example: a class on “Service”. Teach the importance of service to others.  Explain the concept of creating more value than you are asking in return.  Explain how it applies to sales or customer service.  Do a lab exercise in the workplace where the student applies the concepts to their job.  Track and test the results.  Do customers buy more?  Does the customer satisfaction survey show higher customer retention? 

 

The first step is to determine what character you want in your business.  Make a list of all the values that are critical to the success of your business.  Then determine how it will be measured (increased sales, greater customer loyalty).  Now it’s just a simple matter of creating the class materials.

 

If you would like a jumpstart, contact me for a FREE list of character values at (612) 819-1803 or email alanhill@actioncoach.com.

 

Alan Hill is a business and executive coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business coaching company.  If you would like to learn more about him or to contact him for a private consultation, check out his website at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill  

Attention MN Business Owners…. Does Your Product or Service “Make or Break” Your Customers?

Creating compelling value.  Are you a transformational company?

 

Are you offering compelling value or just another ‘me too’ service?  Can you pick a client in an industry you serve and make them the dominant industry player because of your product or service? 

 

I know of a company http://www.internetbusinessseo.com that you might think of as a Search Engine Optimization company.  In reality, they decide who becomes the player in their industry because they determine who is ‘found’ on the Internet.  One of their customers is a roofing company.  If you look for roofing in a particular geography, you’ll find this client at the top of the search engines.

What does this mean for the client? Bottom line, more closed business.  

 

Internet Business SEO is a transformational company because their customers become industry leaders.  Who would you rather hire… a website developer who can give you a pretty website or someone who can deliver prospects to your business via the Internet?  Look over your suppliers and vendors.  Who among them have come to you with a compelling service to make your company the leading player in your industry? If you’re like most companies, the answer is ‘no one’. 

 

Can you pick a company and make them the dominant industry player by using your product or service?  If not, what changes or additions would you make to become the ‘king maker’?  When you’re the one that can ‘make or break’ your customers, you’re definitely not competing on price.  Even better, you get to choose who you want to work with, people who deserve to work with you.  Train your sales team to deliver this compelling message each time they meet with a prospect.  Sales becomes much, much easier.

 

Once you determine how you add compelling value to your customer – work on how your services make and create entire industries.  This allows you to achieve incredible and sustainable growth in your company regardless of the market trends because you’re irresistible.

 

Alan Hill is a business and executive coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business coaching company.  If you would like to learn more about him or to contact him for a private consultation, check out his website at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill  

 

Sales Training – Maple Grove Minnesota

Attention Sales people and Sales Companies in Maple Grove: If I show you a way to increase your sales volume this year by at least $100,000 minimum, would that be worth paying me $40,000? This won’t require you to put forth any additional effort or time and it will probably save you time in your sales process. What if I told you I only would charge $20,000? What if I promised you a one year, no risk 100% money back guarantee? No matter what, if you don’t increase your sales then I’ll give you ALL your money back. Oh, by the way, I can only commit to work with 10 people this year so if you’re really interested, contact me right now. (612) 819-1803

I was explaining to a sales team the other day about the importance of having high value conversations. They prompted me to write this article and share with you this ‘secret’.

When I sit down with a prospective business owner, I explain to them what I do – help them find extra profits in their business. I explain how – by analyzing their financial records to pinpoint a specific dollar amount. At that point they’re usually ‘not sure’ or ‘want to think about it’. They are interested in hearing more, but not convinced. Have you ever have a prospect at a point they were almost ready to buy? At that point I explain my fee by telling them that if I don’t show them I can produce at least three to four times my fee in bottom line profit then I won’t ask for their business… but I will ask for referrals (never forget to ask).

Look over the first paragraph. Did I demonstrate to you that you would get at least three to four times the value? If you spend $20,000 and get $100,000, is that an investment or an expense? When you meet with prospects are you clearly showing exactly how you are worth MORE than what you are charging? When you talk to prospects are you creating value or creating an expense? Notice I did not ask if you are worth it, I asked are you creating it? Does the prospect see the value of investing in you? Do you demonstrate what return are they going to get on their money and exactly how are they going to get it?

By the way, notice that I also took all the risk away from you. You no longer have to worry about anything. In fact even if you sit on your butt and do nothing I’ll still give your money back a year later. Are you offering that kind of compelling value to your prospects? Unless you make the deal a sure bet, can’t lose proposition, your prospect will continue to hesitate. Not because they don’t want it, but because you’ve not overcome their fear of loss.

When you do this, your prospects will move forward because they know exactly how much it’s worth to them and it’s completely safe. Consider what this will do to your conversion rate. How many ‘fence sitters’ will now move forward and become customers? You tell me, will you make more than $20,000 this year when you start having high value conversations? If not, and your competitor starts having high value conversations, how much harder are you going to have to work?

Alan Hill is a business and executive coach with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business coaching company, ActionCOACH.  If you would like to learn more about him, check out his website at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill.

Is Receiving Training From an Employer Essential or Over-rated?

Receiving training is essential but often over-rated, because training is too often mis-structured.

There are 2 components to the process, teaching and learning.  Have you ever heard the saying ‘if you want to really learn something, teach it?”  Learning is an interactive process – teachers are the students *because* they are actively engaged in the learning process.  Too often, students are assigned (and accept) a passive role in the process and are not engaged in learning.  Think of any one-way lecture you’ve attended, how much do you recall? How much have you applied?

So, what is a better way to structure the learning process? Engage the student in the process. For example, when I was in the US Army, I learned much about office politics and the nature of hierarchy – how to use the rules to my advantage even though I was not a high-ranking officer or sergeant.  While the US Army is clearly a training based organization, they do not teach classes on office politics or how to use the rules to your personal advantage.  The US Army is structured as a learning based organization but did not teach me corporate ‘survival skills’, I learned them on my own.

I also realized that everyone is eager to give you advice, so I developed a testing process.  I looked at the results they were achieving and looked for evidence they were applying their advice in their own situation.  If so, and if it was the results I desired, then I would consider accepting the advice.

I used this knowledge when I designed mentoring programs for corporate.  I had a saying “there is no teaching, only learning’.  This kept me focused on the importance of structuring the environment for learning, not teaching.

To anyone starting in any position, actively learn from everyone and every situation, including the training programs offered.  Just remember, the best lessons are the ones you learn, not the ones you are taught.

I am a business and executive coach. If you would like to learn more about me, check out my website at http://srkinc.com. or to get involved http://quantumcommonwealth.com

Managing Employees

Managing Employess or Leading Employees?

As an executive coach, I hear a lot about Employee Management and Employee Management Systems.  However, it’s commonly agreed that employees are looking for leadership, not management.  This leads me to ask what exactly do we think we’re managing? Results? Behavior? Attitude?

I know that employee management systems often manage HR topics - payroll, benefits, etc.   So then, where are our Employee Leadership Systems?  Have you noticed that companies don’t often have Employee Leadership departments?  Many people believe that you can’t systemize leadership, that it’s an art.  Except then when you ask ‘are leaders born or made?’, people often assert that leadership can be taught.

Employee Leadership Systems

What would it look like if companies had employee leadership systems that were as robust and well developed as our HR systems?  We can create specific leadership systems designed to ensure great leadership.  Not just training programs – that is one system – but proactive systems designed around ensuring our corporate leaders are able to deliver on their responsibilites, including managing the corporate vision and mission.  Have you been to a corporate office, seen the vision, mission and values hanging on the wall, yet no one could recite it to you nor tell you what it really means to them in their daily work?

Measurement systems are a start.  Many corporations have these already.  Employee surveys specifically designed to find out if employees really understand and implement the vision, mission and values in their daily work. These are an important start.  Where are the systems for increasing employee adherence?  How many employees at your company are regularly, meaningfully rewarded for living the corporate values?  Customers regularly are asked for feedback, but when that feedback shows the warehouse staff treated the customer with respect, do they get appropriate recognition for their positive attitude?  If they did, how much easier was it on the manager to instill the values in his team?

Managing the Corporate Vision

Please respond with systems you’ve seen that enable leaders to communicate and manage the corporate vision, mission and values successfully.  Let us know the system and what difference it made for the leaders and the employees.

Alan Hill is an executive and leadership coach with ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business coaching firm.  He can be reached at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill or alanhill@actioncoach.com