Welcome to our Forward Thinking Page!
I often hear in discussions on leadership a question asked of another “So what kind of Leader are you?” Populist leadership appears to having its moment in politics with “I’m just like you and it’s us against them”. But (certainly since the demise of workers unions) there is less of that in organisations. More than … Continue reading Leadership
Motivational Ground Rules Managers often complain about lack of motivation of their people. This is the first fallacy of motivation. The only people who are not motivated are no longer with us. The rest of us still with a heartbeat , we all have a motive for what we do. It’s sometimes useful to remind … Continue reading Motivational Ground Rules
Active Listening is one of the key skills of Encoding and combines with feedback to maintain that all-important Communication loop. Active Listening method operates as a group and is: Mirroring : Reflecting back feelings. Saying what you think the other person feels. For example, one of your team comes up to you looking angry. You … Continue reading Active Listening!
Selling Success! Remember who’s in charge of the sale. It’s not you. Sorry about that, but selling is no longer about getting customers to do what you want, to follow your lead––or to buy what you want to sell. The customer is in charge today and this requires listening and patience. Make the phone ring. … Continue reading Selling Success
Problems happen. It’s a sign that we are alive! Friction in any team may be viewed as inevitable. The good news is that there is only friction where there is movement. And in this fast moving competitive market we operate in, movement is vital. Most entrepreneurs, after all, are essentially problem solvers. More importantly, dealing … Continue reading Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution
Customer Management in 60 Seconds! A quick guide …. Know who ALL your customers are – those outside the company who buy your products and services and colleagues who help to produce or deliver them. You can’t manage the one without the co-operation of the other. Successful managers are emotionally intelligent – knowing their … Continue reading Customer Management in 60 Seconds
Ten Top Tips to put you in pole position on the podium in order to present persuasively. You talking to me? Know your audience – their turn off’s and turn on’s. Pander to these and make your message meaningful and memorable for them. Know your stuff? Research thoroughly, think creatively and construct your … Continue reading How to Present Persuasively
Avoid Email Tyranny! Ten Top Tips for getting the best out of your Inbox and Outbox. Ping! Turn your email client off. Pick the moment at which you’ll be interrupted. What a fool! Never criticise anyone in email, and avoid technical debates. Use face-to-face meetings or ‘phone calls instead. c.c. Hell! Be judicious … Continue reading Avoid Email Tyranny!
Looking for a job can sometimes feel like a daunting and stressful process. If you are looking for a job, here are some tips which may make the search a little easier. Who are you and what have you got going for you? We know your CV will be an effective document if it summarises … Continue reading How to Get That Job!
10 Tips on Performance Turnaround There are lots of costs and risks of failing to deal with under-performance or conduct issues. Here are some tips on performance turnaround which may help minimize these risks. Don’t Procrastinate Act Now. If you are unhappy with performance, act while it can still be turned around. No surprises. Letting … Continue reading 10 Tips on Performance Turnaround
Customer service is now a big issue with businesses around the world and right next-door. Why? Well, there is barely a product or service which nowadays cannot be copied or replicated in double quick time – given patent laws (and how much lawyer you get for your pound). ‘Me-Too’ productisation is now perfectly acceptable as … Continue reading How can we deliver exceptional Customer Service?
Want to brush up your skills and be a great meeting participant? Here are some top tips: We will be mainly..? If you haven’t been sent an Agenda – ask for one! On the same page? Circulate any information that people need from you beforehand. Why me? We all like to be invited but sometimes … Continue reading How to be a Great Meeting Participant
Line managers have a crucial role to play in people development and are vital in helping a member of their team transition the learning from the classroom to the workplace. Some are less than clear on the role they can play when a team member is being trained. Others, are less than happy about losing … Continue reading The Role of Line Managers
How do firms carry on developing people when times are hard and sales and profits are hard to come by? It is only natural that firms look closely at how they can make savings. All too often this will include cutting training budgets, but in my view this is a short-sighted move, which can put … Continue reading Developing People in Tough Times
Why is talent management so important? Talent management is very important for a number of reasons. Talent Management is about people – without people your organisation would not exist. It’s also the biggest investment in an asset an organisation makes year in, year out (check out your annual salary bill). You have to understand where … Continue reading Do I Need to Manage Talent?
