18 Questions to Help You Improve Business Processes

Lean is a philosophy to continuously identify and eliminate waste within an organisation, where waste is defined as any activity that does not, from the customer’s perspective, add value. Fundamentally the Lean Philosophy is about continuous process improvement to create a business that optimally responds to customer demand.

While all business managers will recognise that the above statement is somewhat obvious, the real question is how does one actually go about improving processes?

Firstly, what are business processes? Business processes are ‘how we do things’, including, for example processing sales orders, drafting customer quotes or proposals, credit checking, generating a production schedule, placing purchase orders, generating invoices, creating reports, machining a component and assembling a product. Within any such process, there will always be an element of waste, where

“Waste is all Non-Value Added Effort, i.e. any activity that the Customer is not prepared to pay for…….but often has to!”

In order to improve any operational process and provide greater customer value, the process first needs to be understood, and the easiest way to understand a process is by drawing or mapping it. Mapping aims to create an end-to-end “picture” of the process…..A picture is worth a thousand words. Creating a visual picture of the process allows one to determine where customer value is being added, and then, by using the 18 Questions, identify the non-value added activities that may be reduced or eliminated to improve the process.

While there are many types of maps and charts, the simplest to use is Process Flow Chart that depicts the flow and interaction between tasks or operations, e.g. the customer order process at a local distribution company is shown below.

Once the process has been mapped and understood, areas of waste can usually be identified by asking one or more of the following 18 Questions, i.e.

18 Questions for Process Improvement

1. Why is this task necessary and why is it being done by this person/department?
2. Can we re-arrange the physical layout of the department/office/shop etc, to reduce the amount of movement and facilitate the flow of goods/information?
3. Can we eliminate, simplify or combine this task with another?
4. Is this task actually adding customer value or is it something “we have always done”?
5. Why does this task take so long?
6. What rules govern the process and completion status, and why?
7. Can we group these people/departments/tasks together?
8. Are we giving the customer what he really wants or only what is available, or perhaps even worse, what we have always provided?
9. Is this report necessary, understood, and what is it used for?
10. What metrics will allow us to improve the process or customer value?
11. Why do these tasks result in process errors?
12. How can we reduce or eliminate variation or processing errors?
13. Are we manually entering the same data in different systems and can we eliminate duplicated information by improved IT systems?
14. Can we use new technology to improve the process or provide greater stakeholder value?
15. How can we improve the stakeholder's experience by reducing the time from beginning to delivery?
16. When pressed for time, what steps in the process are skipped or worked around?
17. Are we using accounting systems that require excessive time to produce management reports which may then result in poor decision making using ‘out-of-date’ information?
18. Are costs being allocated in a manner that adds value to the decision making process?

The classic Deming PDCA improvement cycle is often used as powerful tool in conjunction with the 20 Questions to ensure all improvements are carried out in accordance with a well organized and defined methodology.

Also check out our related posts:

The 5 "WHYS": Getting to the Root of A Problem Quickly

The Cause and Effect Analysis Using the Fishbone Diagram

Brainstorming

Kaizen: Gaining the Full Benefits of Continuous Improvement

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

7 Ways to Achieve A Work/Life Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

Productivity too often can become more than a means to an end. If left unchecked, being more productive can simply make you feel compelled to fill additional time with more work. That’s a fine outcome if you need to (or want to) get more done. But balance—time away from work—is equally important to being more productive during work hours as well.

Successful productivity makes you more efficient and effective with the time you choose to give to work, so that you can choose to spend more time with your family, on hobbies, just “vegging” out, or simply recharging to be more effective the next day. Below are seven specific things you can start doing right away to take back more time and increase your work/life balance.

1. Take Tuesday And Thursday Evenings Off 
Leave the office as close to 5 p.m. as possible, and turn everything off until the next morning. No checking your device, no working. I guarantee those days will be your most productive of the week. Why? You have a dead- line. You can’t leave things to work on or “finish up” later in the evening. You’ll be more focused on cleaning your plate and preparing for the next day before you stop working for the day at 5 p.m.

2. Take A Lunch And Get To Work (But Not On Work)
At least 2–3 times a week, break for lunch. Get away from your desk, leave the building if possible, and separate yourself from the day’s immediate priorities. Walk in the sunshine, eat in a park, but do one of two things: one option is to have lunch by yourself, but with purpose.

Bring a specific topic you want to think about and focus on—without interruptions, and outside of your normal environment. Bring a paper and pen to record your ideas as you eat. 

The other option is to be more intentional about catching up with those outside of your office, your company or even your industry. Find people you can lunch with and learn from. Gain from their perspective well beyond your own, to bring renewed energy and creativity to your own areas of expertise and focus.

3. Schedule Time Off And Stick To It
You can’t work all the time. Even if you love it, even if parts of your business feel like fun, you have to step away. This includes scheduling real vacation time. Block time well in advance, book tickets and hotels, and get away.

Better yet, do the same thing for a 24-hour period over the weekend (say Saturday after- noon to Sunday afternoon). Get your spouse or significant other to help you stay accountable to this if you need the help. But this will force you to be a bit more efficient during your work time leading up to those breaks, and it will make you more energized when you pick things back up.

4. Exercise And Eat Better
Make time for this, too. Sign up for a 5K walk a few months from now and shame yourself into sticking to a training plan. Bring your lunch to work more often instead of grabbing an expensive and greasy sandwich. Be really careful about what you eat and drink when traveling (and consider getting up just 30 minutes earlier to hit the hotel gym briefly). You will feel better, have more energy and endurance if you do these things.

5. Find A Hobby (Ideally One That Doesn’t Include A Screen)
I’m a truly awful woodworker. I’m the kind of guy who will measure five times, cut once, and still screw it up most of the time. But after sitting on my butt in front of a computer and in meetings most of the day it’s really relaxing to do something with my hands. Plus, the required focus of doing something precise like woodworking (not to mention trying not to cut off a finger) forces me to stop thinking about work. Even if I just have an hour or less, it’s time well spent.

Find what you’re excited about—gardening, scrapbooking, bowling, tiddlywinks with manhole covers, whatever—and make a point of engaging in it on a regular basis. Join a group, get friends to participate, and otherwise make commitments so you stick with it.

6. Prepare For Tomorrow Before You Leave The Office Today
Dedicate 15 minutes at the end of your day to prepare for tomorrow. Assess what was completed today, what remains, what new priorities may have been added to your plate, and write a quick list of the top three to five things that need to happen tomorrow. 

Additionally designate the one most important thing you need to accomplish, which will be what you do first when you get in. This frees your mind to focus on whatever you need to that evening, without worrying about how to make your next day (or at least the next morning) more efficient.

7. Leave Work For Tomorrow
You can’t get everything done today, nor should you. Take time to go home, be with your family, watch a ballgame, get some exercise and enough sleep. This means being comfortable with leaving some work for another day, as well as leaving other projects on the table indefinitely.

You can’t do everything, and you need balance— not just for yourself and your family, but to make tomorrow a more productive day as well.

To a greater work/life balance,

 

 

  Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant  SMART DEVELOPMENT

                            Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, energy storage and facilities management, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

 

7 Tips To Make Yourself More Efficient Right Now

You’re busy and don’t have time to read a lengthy intro (especially in a piece about productivity). So let’s get right to it. Plenty of productivity gurus recommend an entire, complicated system to get yourself organized and working optimally. First, however, give yourself an immediate boost in productivity by adopting one or several of the tactics below. Starting tomorrow, they can help you get more time back and get more done every day.

1. Get Up 30 Minutes Earlier
Would it really be that hard to get up 30 minutes earlier? This may not be your most productive awake time, but an extra 30 minutes (when the rest of the house is still sleeping) could be used for reading, exercise, whatever you want. This alone gives you an extra 3.5 hours a week, and that’s a lot of time. Plus, I bet that extra 30 minutes makes you feel more ahead of the day and in charge of what’s ahead.

2. Do Your Most Important 1–2 Tasks/Projects
FIRST Every Day (Before Email And Voicemail) At the beginning of each day, you already know what one or two things are most important to accomplish. But most of us, before tackling those projects, check email and voicemail and quickly get distracted by the day’s interruptions and fire drills. Nine times out of ten, those distractions can wait until your most important tasks are finished. 

Get them done first, and I guarantee you’ll feel (and be) far more productive every day.

This is more than just a prioritized list of projects or tasks. Be explicit about the top one or two tasks, as they’re likely far more important than what’s farther down the list. Crossing tasks off makes you feel good, but ignoring the top priority isn’t going to move you forward fast enough.

3. Set A Morning “Daily Do” Reminder
 There’s likely a core set of tasks you could execute in 30 minutes or less, every day and probably earlier in the morning, that would accomplish a number of things quickly and help you feel far more on top of things. They’d keep your networking active, ensure proper follow-up on things that happened yesterday, plus ensure you’re completely prepared for the day ahead.

Set a daily meeting with yourself every work day, Monday through Friday, for 30 minutes. Do it early morning (before you get to the office) with a cup of coffee, or begin a habit of starting your daily office routine on your own, free of distraction, and knock these tasks out.

The specific task list will be unique to you, but here’s a sampling of what’s on my “daily do” list every day:

• Check LinkedIn and Gist for other important update across my network, and comment back as necessary
• Scan yesterday’s schedule, and send thank you notes (email or hand written) as necessary
• Ensure all to-dos captured yesterday have been filed and prioritized (either today or for later)
• Confirm my priorities and to-do list for today, and ensure I have every resource necessary to get them done
• Confirm today’s meetings (including sending a confirmation email if necessary)
• Prepare for today’s meetings (including any documents I’ll need there, any homework I needed to complete, etc.)

4. Keep Your Email Offline, At Times
If you use Outlook in particular, right click on the icon in the lower right-hand corner of your screen and select “Work Offline”. This will “freeze” the email in your inbox currently, and queue up anything in your Outbox to sync when you want to. This helps you focus on what’s at hand, without getting distracted in real time by new incoming messages. Click the send/receive button when you want to, but otherwise stay more focused and more productive without the constant distractions.

5. Sort Emails Into Three Folders To Focus On What’s Most Important, Right Now
I aggressively use Outlook’s email rules to manage my inbox. This automates much of the filing and sorting I’d otherwise have to do manually, especially when Outlook can recognize patterns and help me save certain types of emails for quick scanning or processing later.

For example, I subscribe to several email newsletters, but every one is automatically filed in a “reading” folder (more on that below). I get “watched item” alerts from eBay, which also get filed in a separate folder. There are certain reports I’m copied on, some of which I rarely read but want filed away for future reference. I have an Outlook rule that does all of this filing for me automatically. This tool alone saves me countless clicks and minutes every day.

For short-term processing, I typically sort the rest of my email into three folders: Action, Waiting For, and Reading.

Action: Anything that takes longer than two minutes goes into the Action folder. Very, very few of these requests need immediate response.

Putting them together in an “action” folder allows me to tackle them later, and all at once.

Waiting For: I often send an email to a colleague or vendor, and wait for a response. I typically blind copy myself on these emails, and have an

Outlook rule set up so that these emails automatically get sorted into a “Waiting For” folder. This gives me a complete inventory of the outstanding emails I’ve sent for which I haven’t received a response. I’ll quickly scan this folder a few times a week, deleting emails that have been responded to, and occasionally following up with people that haven’t yet taken action.

Reading: I get to this once a day, usually in the morning or evening. None of it is urgent, and I have no problem deleting an unread newsletter if the folder is getting too large, or if more recent emails (especially in the case of news summaries) are piling up.

I file these folders in my Outlook folders with an “@” symbol in front of them, so that they all stack up at the top of my Outlook folders list. This way they’re always in front of me for easy clicking and viewing when I’m ready.

6. Use The Two-Minute Rule
Each time a new email arrives in your inbox, ask yourself: “Can I respond to this in two minutes or less?” If so, then respond right away! Don’t click or open another message just to read it. Be diligent and respond to the message you have open quickly before moving on.

To your greater efficiency,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

A Unique Approach for Boosting Employee Buy-In

As leaders, how many of your conversations are around trying to get the proverbial buy-in?

How do we get buy-in?

Do we have buy-in?

I think we lack buy-in?

What will it take to get buy-in?

Telling leaders that it’s their responsibility to get buy-in is another piece of failed conventional wisdom. Not only does it give leaders an impossible burden, bit is assigns a passive role to the person with whom buy-in belongs. Leaders who solicit buy-in allow change-resistant people to hold the organization hostage. These leaders spin their wheels and tap dance frantically, trying to get something that should be nonnegotiable.

When leaders are assigned to get buy-in, what follows is like an episode of Mission Impossible. They can’t manufacture, purchase, assign, or demand buy-in, though lord knows they try. They produce a pitch for the perfect plan, try to impress people with an impeccable idea, or create ways to convince others that the change is compelling. Instead of leading, they become naggers in chief, spending fruitless time arguing or cajoling. It’s another form of coddling.

In business, buy-in is not an option that can be ordered up like leather seats on a car or a playroom in a house. It’s a condition of employment, a core responsibility. It is the way people are supposed to show up. Instead of making it clear that buy-in is a requirement, leaders falsely believe they must work to deserve it, and they exhaust themselves trying to create impossibly perfect circumstances to earn it.

No amount of money allows leaders to purchase buy-in, and they stop trying to do so. Every time they try, they are indulging the ego, building entitlement, and reinforcing victim mind-sets.

I recommend that leaders work with the willing. Buy-in means “I’m willing.” Like accountability and engagement, it’s a choice. It’s a declaration of commitment and the first step toward action. The leader’s role is to discover those who have chosen to buy in and then to work with the willing to create great results.

The role of leaders is to help people get clear on the fact that if they want to play on the team, buy-in is a prerequisite.

Coaching that inspires self-reflection is a great way to be up front and clear about what is being asked of employees.

Instead of trying to manufacture artificial buy-in, leaders can be direct why it’s a condition of employment by having a conversation that inspires self-reflection. Ask: “On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your level of buy-in to this new project/process/strategy/change?”

If the employee mentions reservations, expresses resistance, or indicates a low level of buy-in, follow up with questions like “What is your plan to get bought in?” or “How could you use your expertise to mitigate the concerns you have to ensure buy-in and deliver results?”

If buy-in seems out of reach or too daunting for the employee, turn the questions for self-reflection in a different direction: “It sounds like buy-in isn’t something you’re willing to offer right now. What plans do you have to transition off this assignment or team?”

The question probably will shock an employee who, in all likelihood, wasn’t planning on going anywhere. But if you’re going to get great results there can’t be an option that allows people to stay and sabotage. Why would any organization tolerate an option that allows people to be disengaged? If an employee intends to stick around, the question goes back to “Then what is your plan for buy-in?”

No third option.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how leadership training and coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Coaching Employees to "Go the Extra Mile"

What about the employee who does just enough work and does it well enough and nothing else? How do you motivate that person to go the extra mile?

The manager wonders of this person, “Why not try just a little bit harder? Why not do just a little bit more? Instead, the manager should explain this “extra mile” expectation to the employee in question, in concrete terms, as regular part of their ongoing one-on-one dialogues. 

Often managers balk at that advice: “That misses the whole point! I shouldn’t have to tell them. But should your employees be reading your mind?

Managers often say. “I want this employee to fully meet the formal expectations and even exceed them. And then—on his own initiative—to see what else he can do to help, and then—on his own initiative—to do it!” A better approach would be to explain to them, frequently and enthusiastically, that ‘going the extra mile’ is the expectation.

Start talking about going the extra mile in your regular one-on-one dialogues. 

1. Make an “extra mile” list for yourself. What would it look like for you to go the extra mile in your role? After you do your job very well, very fast, all day long. In those extra moments. What are some extra ways you can add value? This will give you a bit of perspective.

2. Ask every one of your direct reports to make an “extra mile” list for themselves. 

3. Review each employee’s “extra mile” list. Perhaps talking through it together you will learn a few things. Sometimes managers are surprised to find that items on the employee’s “extra mile” list would have been on the manager’s list of basic performance expectations. Together, create a working “extra mile” list for that employee. Remember, this is always a work in progress.

4. Encourage employees to keep score for themselves on how often they complete items on the “extra mile” list.  Take note of those who do and those who don’t score a lot of “extra mile” points. For those who do, provide recognition and reinforcement whenever you can. For those who don’t, ask once is a while, “Why not?”

By making the opportunity to go the extra mile concrete, you give a lot more people the chance to excel in ways they might not have ever come up with on their own. They might not ever have realized it was something they could do or that you actually expected them do to do. Now, you are telling them, “These are concrete opportunities to excel. Go get ‘em!”


Remember, "Sooner or later you get what you expect."

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how leadership training and coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Becoming a Confident, Compelling Speaker

Whether we're talking in a team meeting or presenting in front of an audience, we all have to speak in public from time to time.

We can do this well or we can do this badly, and the outcome strongly affects the way that people think about us. This is why public speaking causes so much anxiety and concern.

The good news is that, with thorough preparation and practice, you can overcome your nervousness and perform exceptionally well. This article and video explain how.

The Importance of Public Speaking
Even if you don't need to make regular presentations   in front of a group, there are plenty of situations where good public speaking skills can help you advance your career and create opportunities.

For example, you might have to talk about your organization at a conference, make a speech after accepting an award, or teach a class to new recruits. Speaking to an audience also includes online presentations or talks; for instance, when training a virtual team, or when speaking to a group of customers in an online meeting.

Good public speaking skills are important in other areas of your life, as well. You might be asked to make a speech at a friend's wedding, give a eulogy for a loved one, or inspire a group of volunteers at a charity event.

In short, being a good public speaker can enhance your reputation, boost your self-confidence  , and open up countless opportunities.

However, while good skills can open doors, poor ones can close them. For example, your boss might decide against promoting you after sitting through a badly-delivered presentation. You might lose a valuable new contract by failing to connect with a prospect during a sales pitch. Or you could make a poor impression with your new team, because you trip over your words and don't look people in the eye.

Make sure that you learn how to speak well!

Strategies for Becoming a Better Speaker
The good news is that speaking in public is a learnable skill. As such, you can use the following strategies to become a better speaker and presenter.

Plan Appropriately
First, make sure that you plan   your communication appropriately. Use tools like the 7Cs of Communication to think about how you'll structure what you're going to say.

When you do this, think about how important a book's first paragraph is; if it doesn't grab you, you're likely going to put it down. The same principle goes for your speech: from the beginning, you need to intrigue your audience.

For example, you could start with an interesting statistic, headline, or fact that pertains to what you're talking about and resonates with your audience. You can also use story telling   as a powerful opener; our Expert Interviews with Annette Simmons and Paul Smith offer some useful tips on doing this.

Planning also helps you to think on your feet  . This is especially important for unpredictable question and answer sessions or last-minute communications.

Tip:
Remember that not all occasions when you need to speak in public will be scheduled. You can make good impromptu speeches   by having ideas and mini-speeches pre-prepared. It also helps to have a good, thorough understanding of what's going on in your organization and industry.

Practice
There's a good reason that we say, "Practice makes perfect!" You simply cannot be a confident, compelling speaker without practice.

To get practice, seek opportunities to speak in front of others. For example, Toastmasters is a club geared specifically towards aspiring speakers, and you can get plenty of practice at Toastmasters sessions. You could also put yourself in situations that require public speaking, such as by cross-training a group from another department, or by volunteering to speak at team meetings.

Find Out More 
If you're going to be delivering a presentation or prepared speech, create it as early as possible. The earlier you put it together, the more time you'll have to practice.

Practice it plenty of times alone, using the resources you'll rely on at the event, and, as you practice, tweak your words until they flow smoothly and easily.

Then, if appropriate, do a dummy run in front of a small audience: this will help you calm your jitters and make you feel more comfortable with the material. Your audience can also give you useful feedback  , both on your material and on your performance.

Engage With Your Audience
When you speak, try to engage your audience. This makes you feel less isolated as a speaker and keeps everyone involved with your message. If appropriate, ask leading questions   targeted to individuals or groups, and encourage people to participate and ask questions.

Keep in mind that some words reduce your power as a speaker. For instance, think about how these sentences sound: "I just want to add that I think we can meet these goals" or "I just think this plan is a good one." The words "just" and "I think" limit your authority and conviction. Don't use them.

A similar word is "actually," as in, "Actually, I'd like to add that we were under budget last quarter." When you use "actually," it conveys a sense of submissiveness or even surprise. Instead, say what things are. "We were under budget last quarter" is clear and direct.

Also, pay attention to how you're speaking. If you're nervous, you might talk quickly. This increases the chances that you'll trip over your words, or say something you don't mean. Force yourself to slow down by breathing deeply. Don't be afraid to gather your thoughts; pauses are an important part of conversation, and they make you sound confident, natural, and authentic.

Finally, avoid reading word-for-word from your notes. Instead, make a list of important points on cue cards, or, as you get better at public speaking, try to memorize what you're going to say – you can still refer back to your cue cards when you need them.

Pay Attention to Body Language
If you're unaware of it, your body language   will give your audience constant, subtle clues about your inner state. If you're nervous, or if you don't believe in what you're saying, the audience can soon know.

Pay attention to your body language: stand up straight, take deep breaths, look people in the eye, and smile. Don't lean on one leg or use gestures that feel unnatural.

Many people prefer to speak behind a podium when giving presentations. While podiums can be useful for holding notes, they put a barrier between you and the audience. They can also become a "crutch," giving you a hiding place from the dozens or hundreds of eyes that are on you.

Instead of standing behind a podium, walk around and use gestures to engage the audience. This movement and energy will also come through in your voice, making it more active and passionate.

Think Positively
Positive thinking   can make a huge difference to the success of your communication, because it helps you feel more confident.

Fear makes it all too easy to slip into a cycle of negative self-talk, especially right before you speak, while self-sabotaging   thoughts such as "I'll never be good at this!" or "I'm going to fall flat on my face!" lower your confidence and increase the chances that you won't achieve what you're truly capable of.

Use affirmations   and visualization   to raise your confidence. This is especially important right before your speech or presentation. Visualize giving a successful presentation, and imagine how you'll feel once it's over and when you've made a positive difference for others. Use positive affirmations such as "I'm grateful I have the opportunity to help my audience" or "I'm going to do well!"

Cope With Nerves
How often have you listened to or watched a speaker who really messed up? Chances are, the answer is "not very often."

When we have to speak in front of others, we can envision terrible things happening. We imagine forgetting every point we want to make, passing out from our nervousness, or doing so horribly that we'll lose our job. But those things almost never come to pass! We build them up in our minds and end up more nervous than we need to be.

Many people cite speaking to an audience as their biggest fear, and a fear of failure   is often at the root of this. Public speaking can lead your "fight or flight" response to kick in: adrenaline courses through your bloodstream, your heart rate increases, you sweat, and your breath becomes fast and shallow.

Although these symptoms can be annoying or even debilitating, the Inverted-U Model   shows that a certain amount of pressure enhances performance. By changing your mindset, you can use nervous energy to your advantage.

First, make an effort to stop thinking about yourself, your nervousness, and your fear. Instead, focus on your audience: what you're saying is "about them." Remember that you're trying to help or educate them in some way, and your message is more important than your fear. Concentrate on the audience's wants and needs, instead of your own.

If time allows, use deep breathing exercises   to slow your heart rate and give your body the oxygen it needs to perform. This is especially important right before you speak. Take deep breaths from your belly, hold each one for several seconds, and let it out slowly.

Crowds are more intimidating than individuals, so think of your speech as a conversation that you're having with one person. Although your audience may be 100 people, focus on one friendly face at a time, and talk to that person as if he or she is the only one in the room.

Key Points
Chances are that you'll sometimes have to speak in public as part of your role. While this can seem intimidating, the benefits of being able to speak well outweigh any perceived fears. To become a better speaker, use the following strategies:

• Plan appropriately.
• Practice.
• Engage with your audience.
• Pay attention to body language.
• Think positively.
• Cope with your nerves.

If you speak well in public, it can help you get a job or promotion, raise awareness for your team or organization, and educate others. The more you push yourself to speak in front of others, the better you'll become, and the more confidence you'll have.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

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Interested in learning how leadership training and coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Anthony Bourdain and Sales

Dear Sales Leaders:

What we do is not complicated.

There are many experts who would have you believe that sales in the B2B world, first and foremost, is a process that is freighted with complexity.

While process is unavoidable, to a degree, in selling, it does not define sales. People do.

Technology will continue to exert enormous influence over the manners in which buyers and sellers interact. However, the bottom line is that sales is driven, and will remain driven, by people. And the relationships between them.

This past week was a tough week in many respects. Not the least of it was the untimely passing of Anthony Bourdain. I liked his writing and TV shows. He was a man whose sublime talent was finding the story in everyone he met.

Reading about Bourdain’s death recalled to my mind a quote from him that I'd read 12 years ago in an article in the New York Times.

I've kept the quote in my files because it so clearly captured the essence of how to build productive relationships in sales. And in life.

Bourdain said: “What I do is not complicated. Any stranger who shows an honest curiosity about what the locals think is the best food is going to be welcomed. When you eat their food, and you seem happy, people sitting around a table open up and interesting things happen.”

Think about this quote in the context of what we do as sellers.

If you meet a new prospect and show an honest curiosity in her/him, and the things that are important to them, then you will be welcomed.

If you meet a new prospect and default to the rote interrogation of them with your list of scripted questions, then that door will be closed to you.

And, when the prospect responds to your curiosity, opens up and talks about the things that are important to her/him, then interesting, unexpected things happen.

What we do is not complicated.

We find the story in every one of our customers.

And prepare for the unexpected.

Good selling,

Peter C. Mclees, Sales Coach and Trainer
Smart Development
petercmclees@gmail.com
Mobile: 323-854-1713

We help sales reps and sales organizations accelerate their development and as a result their sales.

How to Hire People Who Repeatedly Succeed

Good job candidates have skill, experience, and knowledge. Great candidates have coachability.

Do you want to hire people who repeatedly succeed?   (Is the sky blue?)

Of course you do. But here’s the rub — past success isn’t necessarily the best indicator of future success.

“But Peter,” you might say. “If not past success, what should I be looking for?”

“Coachability,” I’d tell you. Easy question; easy answer.

“Okay. So how do you spot it?”

How to Hire Coachable Employees

First, you can’t necessarily rely on skill, experience, or knowledge.

Candidates who have hit certain levels in these areas might win once or even a couple of times in their efforts to contribute by bringing what they already have to the team. But they won’t keep winning—achieving new and bigger career goals and producing the right results for your company—unless they keep improving.

The one behavior that defines serial achievers, the people who are most likely continue to contribute in a constantly changing business environment, is coachability.
 
So what do you look for in an interview? Here are three ways to spot coachability in your candidates.

1. Improvement
They acknowledge that they’ve been coached in the past.

People are usually afraid to admit that they haven’t always been the perfect package sitting before an interviewer. Talking about coaching they may have received implies that they needed it, which means that they weren’t great at something or maybe—the horror!—they’ve actually made mistakes.

To be coachable, you have to be humble and willing to admit that you need to improve. Look for people willing to admit it. They should do so in a positive, growth-oriented way by mentioning changes or challenges that required them to take on new responsibilities or adjust how they worked.

A truly coachable person might say something like: “When I was at company X, I worked for a great woman who helped me realize I needed to develop my Y skills. I had recently been promoted to Z position and it presented new challenges. What kind of support do you offer people when they’re promoted or given new responsibilities?”

2. Eagerness
They responded to coaching with eagerness and appreciation.

One of the first traits to look for in new hires is not only their willingness to be coached, but their eagerness and appreciation for it. It tells you that they’ll work with you, that every point of potential improvement won’t be an arm wrestling match, and that you won’t be wasting your experience, knowledge, or systems on somebody who won’t use it to make progress.
 
If a candidate hints that he thought the coaching he received was unnecessary, lacked value or reflected a flawed assessment of his skills, he may be uncoachable. Instead, look for a candidate who describes the value of the coaching he has received and how he engaged with his mentor or coach to keep growing.

A truly coachable person might say something like: “I received a lot of helpful advice from a colleague and mentor at B company. I would meet with him occasionally to talk about areas where I felt like I was struggling. I’d keep him updated on how I was incorporating his suggestions. By the way, do you have a coaching program here?”

3. Initiative
They describe their “next steps” after coaching.

Being coached isn’t a passive activity. You have to actually do something with what you’ve been given. Highly coachable people are given a few ideas or insights and they’re off to the races. They do their own research, find their own development opportunities, and find others who can help with specific challenges.

Listen for signs that a candidate took the coaching she received further, on her own. It shows that she’s not only coachable, but also willing to go the extra mile to contribute.

A truly coachable person might say something like: “After getting feedback from our team leader that I should focus on improving M, I signed up for a course with ABC professional organization that really helped. I’m exponentially better at M because he helped me see how it would improve my performance and career path. Do you offer employees a professional development program?”

Know What to Look For
Not every coachable candidate will deliver a pat answer on queue (nor would you want them to), but you get the general idea. Candidates should be willing and able to talk about the fact that they’ve been coached, their eagerness to continue to be coached, and how they found opportunities to learn and grow on their own.

A cautionary note: If you want to hire coachable employees, you have to be willing to coach them. People who sustain and elevate their success seek out coaching. When they can’t find it, they’ll often move on to an environment with more growth opportunities.
Increase your odds of hiring a successful candidate by looking for these qualities of coachability and watch your turnover rate drop and your ROI in new hires soar.

Questions to Ask to Determine Coachability 

These interview questions measure a candidate’s ability to learn and their receptiveness to coaching. As an interviewer, here are questions you might consider when evaluating candidates for their coachability: Does the candidate learn from past mistakes? Does the candidate actively seek help or mentorship? How does the candidate receive and apply feedback? Is the candidate open to learning new things? 

• Tell me about the hardest lesson you've had to learn in your career. What was the situation? What made it hard? How did that lesson impact you? What did you learn from that situation? How do you apply what you learned from that lesson?

• Tell me about a time when you needed to ask for advice or coaching. What was the situation? What made you decide to reach out for advice/mentorship? What did you learn from the situation? How do you apply what you’ve learned from that lesson?

• Tell me about a time you received feedback from a manager. What was the situation? What was your initial reaction to the feedback? What did you do after receiving the feedback? Did you apply the feedback? If, so what was the result? How do you apply what you’ve learned from that feedback?

• Tell me about a time when you received tough feedback from a customer. What was the situation? What did you do with the feedback? How did you use the feedback to improve? How do you apply what you’ve learned?

• Tell me about a time when you needed to learn a new skill. What was the situation? How did you identify what you needed to learn? How did learn this new skill? Did you ask anyone for help or support? How have you applied what you learned?

Increase your odds of hiring a successful candidate by looking for these qualities and asking these type of questions to assess the person’s coachability. If you do watch your turnover rate drop and your ROI in new hires soar.

To your greater success and fulfillment

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  
Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, branches, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.