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What is Safety Leadership Coaching?

My definition:  Safety Leadership Coaching is an emerging field of professional development for yourself and others.

TIP:  Scan the words in bold.  Then apply them to your world.  Then call me to discuss.

The phrase “emerging field” recognizes the fact that the safety business is new, since OSHA gained influence in 1970.  Prior to that time, workers were measured by hands, feet or hours of productivity.  The early “safety professionals” were compliance-driven people tasked with issuing fines, citations, tickets, and quotas.  At some companies, “Safety Infraction Report” mandate was required by 4:00 each afternoon; and if you received 3 SIRs then it was time to find another job.  Many safety employees were former police or military.   The “Safety Cop” compliance requirements remain a powerful legacy today.

In the 1990s the safety industry, like most industries, was affected by global trends including humanism and diversity.  Individual choice was recognized more than ever. Leadership and organizational development programs emerged as professional schools of research.  In the workforce, safety leaders supported individual choice, good judgement, and reinforced desired behaviors.  “Safety coaching” emerged as the dominant methodology to observe and recommend desired behaviors.  The Certified Safety Professional Program, endorsed by BCSP, gained impact as a minimal standard for hiring and program implementation. Safety leadership coaching emerged as a field of professional development.

The phrase “professional development for yourself” recognizes the fact that all change starts at an individual level.  As a species, humans change in response to external influences that promote our survival.  If we need to learn a new skill, or relocate to the next job site, we do so.  In the U.S. most people now have 5 careers on average.  However, too many safety leaders only have one career.  Too many people resist change.  Safety leaders can embrace coaching and training; or they can ignore it.  They can embrace career changes; or they can ignore them.  Too many safety leaders ignore career development opportunities.  Safety leadership coaching encourages people to explore choices and develop their strengths.

The phrase “professional development for others” reinforces the job description that safety  leaders typically “observe and recommend” desired behaviors.  They typically have broad access to all aspects of a job site or company.  Consequently they have vast potential impact on all aspects such as quality, operations, sales, business development, etc.  However, safety leaders do not embrace their potential impact.  Too often they “stick to their own business” and “keep their heads down.”  That limits their impact as leaders.  Safety leadership coaching leverages the vast access and potential impact of safety leaders.  Safety leadership coaching helps leaders obtain desired results.

There is an old story about the student who seeks a teacher. He travels to many lands and reads a lot, stares at a mirror, and generates lists.  He is lonely, alone.  One day he realizes that he learns best when he is in relationship with others.

So it is with safety coaching.  Humans learn best when we are in relationship with others.

Here are some simple coaching questions:

1.  Who is the wisest leader you know?

2.  How can you develop better relationships with others?

3.  What are you afraid of in your career?

4.  Who needs you to coach them?

Send me your answers, or comment below.

BIO:  Doug Gray, PCC, has coached 50+ safety leaders and learned from their expertise.  He knows nothing about fall protection standards. www.action-learning.com or 704.895.7479

How to develop Strategic Partnerships that work

Most strategic partnerships fail.  The often publicly stated reason is that there was some “inequity in resources.”  That is rubbish.   The private reason is that the potential partners did not have clear role definitions.  

 

Great coaches should be able to help you develop successful strategic partnerships.  Sadly, too few coaches have enough expertise to explain the following.

 

I invite you to adapt and forward this post.  This formula works.

 

Let’s imagine that two consultants agree to partner on a consulting project.  They each have something mutually beneficial to contribute.  And the net result will exceed whatever they could provide individually.  In short, they need one another.  They need a formula to define clear role definitions.

 

Typically there are 3 phases in any consulting project:  sales, technology/unique solution, and delivery.  (Adapt this formula as you see fit for any project or partnership, but try to keep it simple.)  Assume that each phase is worth 1/3 of the total value to the consulting project.  If the project is worth $90,000 then the sale is worth 1/3 or $30,000, the technology is worth 1/3 or $30,000, and the delivery is worth 1/3 or $30,000.

 

Example #1:  Assume that Matt brings expertise in sales and delivery.  Assume that Doug brings expertise in technology and delivery.

 

So they agree to the following formula:

 

Matt provides 80% the sale of $30,000 for a total of  $24,000.  Matt does not provide any direct value for the technology.  Matt provides 50% of $30,000 or $15,000 for the delivery.  Matt’s total compensation for the consulting project will be $39,000.

 

Doug provides 20% of the sale of $30,000 for a total of $6,000.  Doug provides 100% of the technology for a total of $30,000.  Doug provides 50% of $30,000 or $15,000 for the delivery.  Doug’s total compensation for the consulting project will be $51,000.

 

This formula assumes that each consultant will mutually benefit one another and their client.  

 

Your partnership agreements should also assume that they are beneficial to all parties.

 

Last week I received a proposal to partner in a new venture.  I used this formula in the following manner:

 

Example #2:  Tom brings expertise in sales.  Sue brings expertise in delivery.  Doug brings expertise in technology.

 

After due diligence and some realistic fact finding, I proposed the following formula for $300,000 gross revenue in year 1.

 

Tom provides 80% of the sale of $100,000 for a total of  $80,000.  Tom provides 10% of the technology value of $100,000 for a total of $10,000.  Tom does not provide any direct value for the delivery.  Tom’s total compensation for year 1 of this project will be $90,000.

 

Doug provides 10% of the sale of $100,000 for a total of  $10,000.  Doug provides 90% of the technology value of $100,000 for a total of $90,000.  Doug provides 20% of $100,000 or $20,000 for the delivery.  Doug’s total compensation for year 1 of this project will be $120,000.

 

Sue provides 10% of the sale of $100,000 for a total of  $10,000.  Sue does not provide any direct value to the technology. Sue  provides 80% of $100,000 or $80,000 for the delivery.  Sue’s total compensation for year 1 of this project will be $90,000.

 

Call me if you have any questions about this formula.  Or read Alan Weiss’ The Million-Dollar Consulting.  He has developed this formula and deserves any credit for its success.

 

Yes, my clients have used this formula.  Yes, I have used this formula.

 

But most people leap into a business “partnership” without using such a formula.  Hence, most businesses fail.

 

Do not become another statistical failure.  Hire a great coach.  Today.

How to make money in consulting

Since 1997 I have been a consultant.   Rates are described here.

There are two types of consultants:  1. those who make money and 2.  those who do not make money.  To explain in detail, consider the story (perhaps familiar) of Rich Dad and Poor Dad.  Then add new titles such as Agile Consultant and Rigid Counselor.

Here is a quick story:  Imagine that you have two mentors.  One is Rich in material ways, and he regularly provides value to others.  He gives implementable solutions, real advice, and teaches others the process of success.  He is regarded as an expert in a community of his peers, and he charges a reasonable fee for providing solutions that endure.  He explores transformative change using questions.  He is agile.  His clients and friends regularly call him after hours to exchange ideas.  The other dad is Poor in material ways, and may not know why.  He charges by the hour and has a transactional view of others.  He tries to sell solutions or products.  He shifts from project to prospect to possibility with the winds.  He rarely trusts others, has few operating agreements or partnerships, and may have material debt.  He is rigid in his thinking.  He tells others what to do.  He may think he is the smartest person in the discussion.

Where are you?   Agile Consultant/Rich:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  Rigid Counselor/Poor:

Tips include:

  1. Provide process and implementable solutions
  2. Provide tremendous value and charge accordingly
  3. Share best-in-class solutions that are practical and actionable
  4. Be a great performer
  5. Learn from the best experts

I have had two coaches for the past 7 years.  One was born in another country and we have never met.  They both help me be an agile consultant.

What do you need to make money in consulting?

The Action + Learning + Service = Success Formula

I have recently developed this 3-part formula for success.  Let me know what you think.

Draw an equilateral triangle.  Label each corner “Action”, “Learning”, and “Service.”  Place a dot in the center.

1.  Actions define successful businesses.  Founders and anyone cited in a history book have one trait in common:  an obsessive focus on action.  Score yourself 1 (low) to 10 (high) on the question “How action oriented am I?”  If you are unsure, focus on actual results, rather than intentions.

2.  Learning leads to failure, and failures lead to success.  I track “Learnings” in digital folders and update them regularly.  I regularly attend conferences and take on projects so that I can fail, faster.  Yesterday I had lunch with a consultant who repeated the same points I heard him make 12 months ago.  He is not learning much.  I cut the lunch short and moved on.  Score yourself 1 (low) to 10 (high) on the question, “How much am I learning?”  Learning is a messy process.  If you are not tracking your learning, you are probably repeating ineffective old patterns.

3.  Service is a measure of your relationship with others.  Humans are social animals.  We yearn for relationships.  We exist to serve others- clients, loved ones, communities, goals…  The most impact-ful businesses track user engagement.  The best nonprofits, like Rotary, reward service above self.  Score yourself 1 (low) to 10 (high) on the question, “How well am I serving others?”  If you are unsure, ask your clients or loved ones.  Or solicit more clients.

Now place your scores on the triangle you created.  Use the dot to represent 1 (low) and let the corners represent 10 (high.)

What do you notice when you study your self-assessment triangle?

Where do you need to invest energy and resources?

Who can help you develop ?

You may know that action learning is a methodology, using cross functional teams of 4-8 people to solve a key problem. They are tasked with breakthrough, and with a short deadline such as 6 months. They require executive sponsorship and some resources. But the action learning process is a small investment with proven ROI.

In Europe and Australia, the Action Learning methodology is thriving. In the U.S. there is less adoption. One reason for that lagging adoption may be the fact that the business environment does not encourage accountability between cross functional teams. Yet.

We provide individual and team accountability.

How are you planning to share this Action + Learning + Service = Success Formula with others?

Please call me with your stories!

Here is a sample image to get you started:   ALServiceFormula

My articles published in Horsesmouth.com for financial advisors

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 increase your sales

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. All successful sales people have accountability metrics and teams.  Do you?

Call me at 704.895.6479 or contact us or subscribe today.