by Doug Gray | 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
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.
by Doug Gray | 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!
by Doug Gray | Jul 31, 2013 | Business, digital, Financial Professionals, Leadership, Managers, money, Sales, Success
Too many “sales experts” have fuzzy theory and fuzzy results.
Here is a template that I have developed over time. It works great. Steal this template. Call me for details if needed.
Notes:
- Accountability is a hard task. Most people hate it. Most salespeople really hate it. Most software, like Salesforce or Act or the latest app, is a pain to use. You can use this excel spreadsheet, or a pad of paper. Start now.
- Accountability determines success. The three top words in sales are “relationships, relationships, relationships.” Use the attached format to build relationships, be strategic, provide value. Or not.
- These 4 roles determine sales: champions, economic buyer, technical users, consumers. You need all 4. Complex sales evolve. They only succeed when you focus on all 4 roles.
- All successful sales people have accountability metrics and teams. Do you?
Call me at 704.895.6479 or contact us or subscribe today.
by Doug Gray | Jul 29, 2013 | action learning process, Business, change, Coaching, Leadership, Managers, Meetings, money, organizational leadership, Personal Development, Sales, talent
Action Learning is a behavioral change process model that works 1) for groups and 2) for individuals.
For groups, Action Learning occurs when stakeholders use real problems to acquire learning and implement system-wide solutions.
For individuals, Action Learning is a behavioral coaching methodology that applies the same 4 steps.
The Action Learning change process model includes four steps:
1) decide what breakthrough requires you to invest resources,
2) act with a talented, cross-functional team and executive endorsement,
3) reflect on steps achieved, and
4) connect or expand the results across business or functional lines, to new markets or clients.
We have facilitated organizational Action Learning change using both virtual and direct processes:
1. Technology processes: SharePoint, Action Item task lists, virtual teams, e-coaching and e-consulting, digital consulting and short implementation teams.
2: Direct meeting processes: assessments, facilitation in a series of workshops, coaching and consulting, project initiatives, leadership off-site retreats, strategic reorganization
For a summary of consulting fees and investment levels for organizations click here, and for individuals click here.
Our Services typically include:
Assessments (e.g. individual, group, organizational, strategic)
Qualitative or Quantitative 360 assessments
Organizational Culture Assessments
Leadership competency assessments
Leadership consulting and behavioral coaching (e.g. individual, team or group levels)
Strategic planning and organizational redesign
Videography
Shadow Coaching
Facilitation, training, retreats or workshops
The result is that the Action Learning process helps individuals and groups become true learning organizations.
What are you waiting for?
Download this list of services and investment levels now:
Please contact us or call immediately at 704.995.6647 or schedule your initial consultation here.
by Doug Gray | Jul 28, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, Leadership, Managers, Personal Development, Sales, strengths, Success, talent
This could be a long discussion. But I’d rather keep it short.
Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.
The word “influence” implies results. The influence may be slight or even negative. The influence could be momentous. The influence could be focused on relationships, such as the number of new people you meet each month, or the value you provide to others. The influence could be focused on results, such as the number of new sales per quarter, or gross revenue per year, or goal attainment percentage.
If you need an academic definition of leadership, here is a current favorite: Leadership is defined as the process of influencing others, and facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives (Yukl, 2013).
Too many people confuse the words “leader” and “manager.” So perhaps another definition is helpful. Here is a distinction based on Marcus Buckingham’s research of the Gallup Poll data, plus interviews with thousands of people.
Leaders: by definition, rally others behind a vision of a better future. The core skills of leaders are optimism and public. Think of your self, or your favorite leader, on a stage, leaning forward, describing a better future. They have influence. Or not. The capacity of leaders is infinite, based on research in positive psychology.
Managers: by definition, maximize the productivity of others. The core skills of managers are coaching and private. Think of your self when you need to make sure that others produce a result, such as increase a sale or host a remarkable executive retreat. Note that the skills you use are different than the skills you use as a leader. You will coach Shawn differently than you will coach Ellen. No one likes to be managed. And no one boasts about being a manager. But when I ask an audience “How many of you are managers?” over 60% will raise their hands. Virtually all managers are now “working managers” tasked with both maximizing productivity and getting the work done.
However, everyone wants to be a better leader.
A key coaching question is: What influence are you having on others?
Call Doug at 704.995.6647 today if you want to have a greater influence on your self or your team.
Or schedule your initial consultation here.
What are you waiting for?
Download this list of services and investment levels now:
by Doug Gray | Jul 27, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, Featured, Leadership, Managers, money, Personal Development, Sales, strengths, Success, talent, Uncategorized
Many people ask me this question. So you are not alone. In fact, self-leadership is an ancient subject turned into a multi-billion dollar industry. It is MUCH harder to lead my self than it is to lead others. And it requires daily deliberate practice for me to lead my self.
My purpose in life is to teach others how to be better leaders. I know what works. Hopefully the following two steps will be useful to you.
There are two ways to lead your self:
1. self awareness
2. self care
Self awareness requires core skills such as openness, self appraisal, clarity, self esteem. There is a massive amount of research in psychology and organizational development on the subject of self awareness. There are countless religions and faiths and daily practices on the subject of self awareness. Amid these conflicting and spurious theories there is a need for clarity. We use assessments to provide data. There are over 15,000 validated assessments. We can provide assessments for any individual behavior or competency imaginable. Evidence-based consulting is mandatory in any profession, from law to healthcare to psychology.
A key coaching question is “What assessments do I need to increase my self awareness?’
Self care requires core skills such as expression, sustainability, resourcefulness, action. Consider the fact that humans now have more digital information available than EVER in the history of mankind. We now KNOW what we should do. However, we do not always DO what we should do. Imagine a grandmotherly person. She towers over you with an apron and shakes a wooden spoon… as she tells you what you should do. That image of a wise, older person may help you.
A key coaching question is “How can I take care of myself today?”
One more point. There is a myth that leadership is a personal act. By definition, the word “leadership” means influence at two levels: on my self and others. The goal of self leadership is not to attain some mystical state in isolation on a mountain. Humans are defined by relationships. No one develops as a leader when living in isolation. And too many people spend hours alone, writing in journals, or focusing on their weaknesses. When Maslow described self actualization it was not thought to be a resting place. The goal is to improve the quality of relationships with others. Leadership is both a personal act and a team act. We adopt evidence-based research in positive psychology because it works. We want YOU to flourish.
The goal of self leadership is to have a greater relationships with my self and others.
We all need a coach at times. Call me at 704.995.6647 or subscribe now or schedule your initial consultation here.
What are you waiting for?
Download this list of services and investment levels now:
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