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Action Learning Associates

Introducing the AD-FIT model for positive psychology coaching, managers, leaders

by | Oct 2, 2017 | Business, change, Coaching, digital, Leadership, organizational leadership, Personal Development, positive psychology, strengths, Success, talent, talent assessment

Please share this short video with any coaches, managers, or leaders who care about business outcomes.  

Our research indicates that the AD-FIT model works.  Contact us today for details.

Then apply this model to your clients ASAP.

Nashville: A new address and 7 examples

by | May 5, 2014 | change, Coaching, digital, Employment, Leadership, Managers, money, Sales

After 7.15.14 our new address is:

3482 Stagecoach Dr, Franklin, TN  37067

704.995.6647 cell

Special Offer:  Please call for a free consultation in your Nashville area office to discuss your leaders or your business.

Why did we relocate?

1.  Personally: to support my wife’s career, and her recent promotion.

2.  Professionally:  to develop new relationships in a new geography, while continuing to provide value to clients in any geography.

Life requires adaptation to new environments.  A coaching question is:  How are you moving?

Moving to Nashville cardDownload

Here are 7 examples of new affiliations and movement in the last 13 months:  

  1.  The Brentwood, TN Rotary Club (a long time Paul Harris fellow) committed to “service above self.”
  2. Member of the Williamson, Inc Chamber of Commerce, in Franklin, TN
  3. The Association of Talent Development (ATD) board member in professional development (2015-15) and membership (2015-16);  created a Special Interest Group (SIG) for Consultants and hosted monthly meetings on countless topics since January, 2015
  4. Member of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
  5. Member of the Nashville Technology Center (NTC); accepted by Launch TN grant funding program to apply for federal grant to the NIH or USDA, using consultants Mark and Catherine Henry, with mentoring from Jim Stefansic PhD, to assess the impact of telemedicine programs in rural disparities
  6. Promoted the TN-HIMSS conference in October, 2015 for healthcare leaders, Chief Technology Officers, Chief Information Officers
  7. Created and hosted monthly meetings on “Talent Analytic Trends” at local businesses, including Rustici Software, the “best technology company in Nashville” and a global leader in SCORM and Watershed, their Learning Record System; those meetings featured leaders and new technologies that are redesigning how we measure talent, careers, and human achievement.

Quite a list for 13 months in a new town.

Back to that coaching question:  How are you moving?

Call any time to discuss what is next for you, your leaders, or your business.

How Tablets and Apps will define your business

by | Oct 31, 2013 | Business, change, digital

Let’s start with some facts.  Then trends.  Then implementable solutions.

Facts:

  1. Apple introduced the iPad in 2010 as a revolutionary device
  2. By 2016 an estimated 650 million tablets will have been sold globally.  Pretty revolutionary, huh?
  3. In a 2012 poll by CDW, tablet users averaged 2.1 hours per day and gained 1.1 hours of productivity
  4. In that poll, 84% of employees said that the tablet made them better multi-taskers
  5. There are over 1 million apps available for download
  6. There are more mobile devices in the world than there are toilets. (What does that fact say about our needs for hygiene and connection?)

Trends:

  1. Most digital natives (born after 1980) sleep with their phones
  2. There are more tablets and mobile devices than desktop devices, used globally
  3. Most information workers view 2-3 screens concurrently.  An example in marketing:  the television screen, the laptop screen, and the mobile third device. An example in finance:  two laptop screens and the mobile third device.
  4. App usage is growing faster than web portal use, as workers apply technology to customers and clients in new ways
  5. Employers tolerate a BYOD approach (bring your own device) despite concerns about security, branding, and productivity

Solutions for your business include:

  1. Blended use of technology/virtual learning and direct/synchronous training.  Virtual training is less expensive, but not adopted.  Blended use of technology and direct training can increase engagement, productivity, and retention.  See one example here.  I use blended learning solutions for most action learning programs.  Imagine a team of 4-7 people in different locations who need to collaborate.  They typically do not even know one another.  Action Learning programs require that they assess the problem/case study/ client need, then share resources, then ask questions to develop solutions, then apply those solutions to save money or make money.  Recently, I have developed mobile apps that supplement business development workshops between siloed divisions.  Monthly workshops, combined with direct and virtual meetings, and action learning apps force people to work together.   
  3. Smart adoption of technology will increase mobility and security.  Examples include Dropbox, a cloud storage service that syncs data can be accessed from any devices.  You no longer need a secure VPN (virtual private network) access or dial in to a server.  Your security is guaranteed.  Consequently, when I travel to a client’s location I use Dropbox to access all of my digital content and provide tremendous value to any client, in their office, in the moment.  Client delight is a reality, not a goal.
  5. Collaboration tools will enable multiple workers and stakeholders to develop solutions.  One example is GoToMeeting, a web meeting tool with audio and video conferencing.  You can access from any device, using a code.  Then you can see who is talking, share screens for collaborative work, record meetings for future reference.  I use this tool when reviewing documents or developing presentation materials with clients in multiple locations.  And I use GoToMeeting for team coaching and action learning programs.

Most importantly, how are you using tablets and apps to increase your business?

If you need ideas, contact us now.  If you have a great example, contact us now.  If you want to work together, contact us now.

How to use mobile app contests to promote business development and cross selling

by | Oct 26, 2013 | digital, Leadership, Meetings, money, Sales, talent

Did you know that over 90% of apps are downloaded once, then not used again?  That fact bothers me.

We have technology that enables us to BUILD relationships.  Look at the use of Linked In and internal social sites for business development.   Look at our ability to schedule tasks, and calendar priorities, and key performance indicators…  However, lazy people complain about the accountability of Salesforce or any Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.  Or they may complain that investing in technology is like investing in a money black hole, where the value is indistinct and endless.  That fear bothers me.

We use technology to build relationships.

 

Image of apps on any device with a browser

Image of apps on any device with a browser

 

Last week I met with2 attorneys tasked with generating $1.5MM annually for their  firm.  They stated, “The #1 priority for us is business development.  We talk about cross-selling.  But we rarely do it.”  Like any firm with specialized skills, they track billable time (BT) and working time (WT).

I asked, “How valuable would it be for you to develop new business with your existing clients in other practice groups throughout the firm?”

They said, “Invaluable.  If you can help us develop new business you will solve a massive problem.”

During lunch, I shared an app that I had created for them.  They downloaded it immediately.  Their comments were like popcorn:  “This is a no brainer.  We can start with our practice group.  Imagine monthly business development workshops at the larger offices.  Teams of 3-4 pay $100 to play for the day in a business development contest.  Each team member must be in a different practice group.   Corporate finance will be forced to talk with real estate, or environmental, or product liability.  Those teams will upload content throughout the day.  And answer questions based on a client case study.  And populate or CRM system on Sharepoint.  And then at 4:00 we will score the teams on a question like “Which of these teams is most likely to generate new business for our firm?”  Recurring monthly business development workshops.  Facilitators in the conference room for scheduled BD sessions.  Technology designed to build relationships.”

What is the value to you and your company?  $500,000 in new services?  $1MM?  More?

We provide business development consulting expertise, and customized technology that forces your team to use technology to build relationships.

Why wait?  Call us today at 704.895.6479.

My articles published in Horsesmouth.com for financial advisors

by | Sep 25, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, digital, Financial Professionals, Leadership, Managers, money, Personal Development, Sales, strengths, Success, talent

FYI in 2007 I submitted the following articles to Horsesmouth.com, a digital library designed to accelerate business development for financial advisors.

You can apply any of these articles to your business or service.

1.  10 Tips for Distinctive Client Service   Distinctive client service separates you from everyone else who talks about professionalism but doesn’t deliver on it. Take action with these 10 tips from a recognized, distinctive financial professional.

2.  4 Principles of Selling in the Trust Business  Selling defines success. Nothing else is more important in your business. So what is this notion of the trust business?

3.  How to Act With Courage   Excellence springs from courage, but not everyone chooses to be brave. These advisors share how and why they acted with courage, and how it benefited their business. Consider their insights into the nature of courage, and start using it to build your business, too.

4.  5 Keys to Solid Cold-Calling Performance   If your prospecting strategy requires you to consistently make outbound calls, you must pay attention to these five vital elements of a strong cold-calling practice.

5.  Customer Delight: 8 Tips for Creating It   This top producer creates more than customer satisfaction. He creates customer delight. You can too, with these eight tips.

 

Call me at 704.895.6479 to discuss HOW you can apply these great ides to your business!

How to use Slideshare to promote your business

by | Aug 13, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, digital

www.SlideShare.net is a library of free presentations from “expert contributors.” Once you contribute, you are then an expert. De facto.

Spend some time poking around the search function. Note the variety of topics. Find your topic. Then imagine how you can add your expertise to the submissions already there. The following details may change at any time, so here you go.

I will use the example of “Emotional Intelligence” for two reasons, 1) I have given dozens of trainings to hundreds of business leaders using this content, and 2) I now have over 1,000 followers on slideshare. Check out http://www.slideshare.net/dwg1/emotional-intelligence-101

1. Create something of value. Use Powerpoint or Keynote. Make sure that it is original.

2. For images, do a search such as “image my subject area” or “image emotional intelligence.” Select an image that you like. Click on “view in original image.” Copy and edit as you see fit.

3. Edit the content. Your goal is to present yourself as a polished expert. Typos are inexcusable. Share your content with an audience or critical people. Incorporate their edits.

4. Create a channel at www.slideshare.net. Give it a clever name. For instance, my channel is “Gray Matters” because my last name is Gray, and I wanted to be clever, as if the size of our brains actually matters. (Neural activity is what matters…) Consider how you want to promote your business… Then add a description to your company and a link to your homepage.

5. Upload your valuable content. Click the “Upload” button on the top of your page. Pretty simple. There are probably instructional tutorials on YouTube if needed.

6. Then SHARE your content with your clients. And post onto your blog. And share on ALL social media. Invite people to download and share. Create a contest and reward the person who shares your content with the most people…

7. Then ADD another valuable presentation. For instance, in 2010 I was asked to speak on “How to Move from Passion to Action” recently after publishing my book, Passionate Action; 5 Steps to Creating Extraordinary Success in Life and Work (2007). That SlideShare content is at http://www.slideshare.net/dwg1/serving-with-passion-11210

8. Then add another valuable presentation as your expertise expands. For instance, in 2013 I was recently asked to speak on business changes in the Affordable Care Act. That presentation led to a closed session event. And videos. The content is now at http://www.slideshare.net/JITCoach/healthy-living-business-62713

Periodically, add value to your customers by linking to your SlideShare content so that they know your areas of expertise.