The 6th C - Competence

The 6C's of Success - Competence

© Seán Weafer 2008 all rights reserved

The 6^th (and final) C in the model is Competence.

In the blogs to-date we have reviewed Context or environment, Clarity (or focus), Control (the specific actions that need to be addressed to make change), Confidence (which comes from Clarity and a sense of Control) and Communication (how we reach out to others to accomplish our objectives). Put all of the above together and we come up with top-level Competence or performance.

In challenging times everything must contribute to performance. First thing we do as business owners is reduce our costs, our organisation, our people - the initial impulse when times like these hit tends to be to cut, cut and cut. Of course it is appropriate to be rigorous in our approach to cost and financial outlay, cash flow is everything - however, too much cutting can negatively impact on performance.

The firing of colleagues, the removal of incentives and bonuses, reducing expense allowances and so forth can have a detrimental effect on the morale of the remaining people in the firm. Focus is affected, concerns and anxieties start to drain energy from people and fear causes performance to fall.

Just as in the market, trust can become a tenuous thing in the firm - and can only be re-built on a one-to-one basis. As business owners, in order to re-build that trust and the willingness of staff to engage and up their performance we can use the 6 C model in reverse.

If someone is not performing or their performance has dropped significantly, the first thing we can address is how well they are communicating with us.

Have they been keeping us clearly informed of the work that they have been doing, what have they been doing well and what has been working, have they kept us up-to-date on challenges with clients and colleagues or on their own professional concerns? A lack of Communication between owner and staff (the 5^th C) can lead to misunderstandings, anxiety and concerns that negatively impact on performance.  By creating the opportunity for two-way communication we can quickly identify the challenges and what we need to do to address them at an individual level.

So if they have not been communicating why not? Do they not feel sufficiently Confident (the 4^th C) to do so, are they clear about what they want to say, can they feel that they can approach us and discuss their concerns?

How well are they communicating with the market, are they clear on the message that we as a firm want to give our clients? Have they stopped communicating with clients or have they come to believe that nobody is doing business and as a result, no longer communicate with clients and so clients are no longer doing business with us (a self-fulfilling prophecy and a factor on performance).

So if they are not communicating, is their confidence affected? How confident are they with the future direction of the market or the firm? Are they edgy or nervous and if so are they projecting that to clients? Poor communication directly impacts on their confidence and the quality of the message they project to customers. If customers find that they are dealing with less than confident and convincing people - then they make look elsewhere for their suppliers. Recently, the Chinese premier said that in today's market ‘confidence is more valuable than gold' - this is why.

So what builds confidence - this is the 3^rd C - Control. A loss of sense of control directly impacts on confidence and in a market that is in constant flux, a sense of control is the first thing to disappear. Control is the understanding that we have power over the steps or actions that make change. A sense of powerlessness automatically leads to a lack of confidence.

Where does this sense of control come from? Here we return to the 2^nd C - Clarity.

A clear set of goals and outcomes is critical in challenging times. Once we understand the What (what we need to focus on to make change) and the Why (what motivates us to commit to making that change) then all the other C's tend to flow.

We help people gain clarity by making time to allow them to reflect and consider the 1st C - the Context or the environment in which we are operating and defining the things that can make the most amount of change for us.

All of the 6C process comes from the willingness and ability of sales managers to create periods of active reflection for staff. A time to collaboratively reflect on the environment in which they work and together, to create goals and action steps for them to follow.

If you would like more information on how to apply this model to building a powerful sales organisation contact us at sean@seanweafer.com

Hibernate or Activate

God I love good weather and it is 'cracking the stones' here in old Dublin town...loving it. The sun is shining and the summer is coming. But we have a question to ask ourselves.

Traditionally the summer is a time of rest and relaxation, the kids are off school, the traffic is lighter in the cities and we like to feel that the pressure comes off a little - we start to hibernate. We rationalise that people are on holiday, nobody wants to make decisions, everybody is away and so its ok to take it easier.

Not this year. There is no time to hibernate this year. By all means set a holiday date and take it. R&R is critical for mental, physical and spiritual relaxation - and more productivity as a result. Enjoy the break but before and after we cannot afford to take our foot off the pedal.

Holidays are not what they once were. People stagger holidays, some take winter holidays and others take it off-peak. So there are people working - decision makers are in place and doing business and so should we be.

Activate. Get focused, engage in even more focused activity, set a specific personal and sales objective for the summer season and reach it. Stay in the game when others head for the sidelines. It'll make all the difference to making the numbers when it comes closer to the end of the year.

So don't hibernate - activate.

The Perfect Sales Storm

I know that this has a phrase that has been beaten to death recently with regard to reporting on the recession but I thought it summed up the situation we are facing in B2B selling right now.

I had lunch with a successful senior executive last week to discuss how he was getting on with a recent role move. His job is to re-invigorate a very large sales team within a very well established firm and a very well known name. To his horror he has discovered something of great interest to all of us charged with leading the way back from the brink.

It's not just that his sales people have neither sales process nor sales relationship skills - but his sales managers don't have it either and so can't support the front line sales people. Yes folks the truth has dawned - we are dealing not just with sales people who have been order-taking and not really selling (actively acquiring and building profitable relationships) but a whole generation of sales managers have been promoted who don't have the skills of relationship or process selling either.

Traditionally sales managers were good sales people who were promoted to keep them and their sales ability within the firm. They might have traditionally lacked leadership skills but at least they had the sales skills. Many of today's generation of sales managers have neither the sales or the leadership skills - and that is the perfect storm.

I work with firms to provide a three-tiered intervention that deals with just such a scenario. if your firm is facing just such a 'perfect storm' and you'd like some complimentary guidance on how best to resolve it drop us a line here and let's talk. We've got the skills to help you ride out the storm.

Microsoft Get it Half-Right

Listening to Paul Rellis MD of Microsoft Ireland speaking at the Ireland US Council lunch on Wednesday in Dublin it struck me that he (and through him Microsoft I assume) only get the message half-right when they talk about fuelling the economy.

Paul said that IQ is what's required to get things back on track economically and that we need is to be training engineers and scientists from pre-school. Fair enough, but technology and IQ alone is not going to get us out of the economic mess in which we currently wallow.

The economic woes which beset us at this time are fuelled by a lack of trust - in people and in the pillars of the market place. That is not fixed by IQ but by EQ - or more specifically what I term 'We-Q'. Rapport, trust, quality relationships, faith in others - these are the corner stones of improved confidence, joint ventures, collaborative business and sales models - this is what cuts to the heart of what can drive the economy again. Trust, rapport and good faith, clarity of thought, passionate focus.

I know a lot of engineers and technical types with great IQ and little EQ - they got the solutions but they couldn't communicate them to a duck - let alone get the duck to buy-into their ideas. How many companies have low morale, porr confidence, detached and fearful workers, cautious and confused clients, poorly trained consultants and sales personnel? Look at the mess that causes.

Knowledge is power and IQ serves - but Wisdom is the ability to apply that knowledge and for that we must be able to communicate and engender powerful professional relationships within and without our organisations - We-Q not just IQ is required. Microsoft - you only got it half-right guys.

By the way on my wireless track again - great hotel in London - the Doyle Marylebone - free access, nor room service tray charges, great staff, lovely surroundings and good food. Book here if you're travelling. I'm also staying with them in Bristol by chance next week as well - let's see if the standards maintain themselves.

Relationship Marketing

There's nothing nicer than someone showing appreciation. A handwritten card or note is usually the best but we usually don't do it do we? Write it out....put it in the envelope...search for stamp...go post it ....what's the point?

I came across a wonderful new on-line card marketing system for personal services businesses just recently that I've signed up for www.SendOutCards.com

Now you can do all your card writing on-line and the nice people at SendOutcards.com will print the card for you (you can have one that you make yourself - or choose from a huge range of special interest and business cards), sign it digitally with your personal signature, stick your logo or photo on it) pop it into the envelope and then post it for you. You can send out just the one ...or mount a mass campaign to thousands.

In fact, I liked it sooo much I signed up as a distributor. Just what I like - a value-added service, that I can use in my business, with no inventory, makes life easier and allows me to show my appreciation to my clients - all from the comfort of my laptop.

I'll even be sending my St Patrick's Day cards from it too..! www.SendOutCards.com

Seasons Greetings

So, the season is upon us again. The time of good will and giving with the promise (and the fears ) of a New Year around the corner.

May I wish you all a pleasant time with family and friends and remember that it is the journey that counts and those that you share it with along the way. Children grow too quickly and their innocence and childhood is snatched away too quickly from them - so cherish what weeks, months and years might be left of that childhood with them. Loved ones, family (even estranged) and friends all share a unique bond with us in this life that we lead. They are here for a purpose- to help us experience the joy and the pain of what it means to be truly human. Therefore live life to the full and fear nothing.

As for the New Year - ask yourself a question 'What one thing could I do, such that if I were to do it I would live my life on a level I've never reached before - on a r'evolutionary level? What would it take to live my dreams?'. The world around us and everything in it is created on the foundation of dreams of other people. Time to add ours to the mix.

Merry Christmas and a R'evolutionary New Year to you all.

Authority - or Power?

A classic example of the 'old' age of business is the need to get a 'senior role' - to be recognised as a 'senior' person.  To get a 'position of authority'. By getting a 'position of authority' it is assumed that one will also have power. Not so.

Power today is not about position but about connection. It's about your networks, how you manage them and how you provide services and connection to others - thereby building a 'reciprocity reserve'.

A 'reciprocity reserve' is the creation of 'positive' indebtedness in others. Where you have willingly done something for someone else without fear or favour and as a result they have become a person who would willingly and happily return that favour once asked.  This is power. In the new age of business this kind of power alows us to leverage and change things that just having a position does not.

By using position to apply power, you are likely to be faced with rebellion. By using connections to apply power through leverage you are more likely to get compliance.

Networks are becoming more important in business - especially in more challenging times. My father once said that there are no 'little people' in business. Everyone counts.

One Inch Wide

I received some good news yesterday - I have just been made a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association. Recognition is always welcome isn't it!

The PSA is a fantastic body with a host of people with tremendous expertise. It's amazing the learning that can be gleaned from rubbing shoulders with this diverse population. There is a further opportunity to do that for me next week when I open the second day of the conference on the main stage with my Rebel in a Business Suit - How to Succeed in the New World of Work.

One (seemingly small) lesson, which has taken time to digest and some amount of courage to committ to, is the lesson of 'one inch wide - one mile deep'. The PSA recommends that tightly nicheing what you do and then providing information in tremendous depth and quality for that niche is one of the best ways of building a business model. It was really only last night that the power of that lesson hit me as I mused on the current market changes in this r'evolutionary age.

A highly-focused approach to a market sector is a powerful way of developing a laser-sharp focus and more income. In this time of uncertainty, choosing to committ to one or two small niches might seem a little crazy but ultimately I believe in a couple of things about 'down times'. 1. In uncertain times customers will pay more (not less) for proven expertise - they want certainty not experimentation. 2. Never compromise on price - but deliver excellent value.

Feng Shui Your Client List

I'm working on a new article and CD/workbook programme called Rebel Secrets of Beating the Recession and thought I'd throw a few of the ideas out here in the blog.

The first one is:

Feng Shui your client list. Feng Shui is the Chinese art of moving and placing objects within a room or space, so that positive energies can flow and benefit the inhabitant of that space. It can be used to create a highly relaxing environment or to attract health or even good luck to a room or building.

To me, while I am sure that there are powerful and ancient principles at play, it often seems like it’s an exercise in de-cluttering and minimising.

De-cluttering is a good thing to do. It frees up space (either physically or mentally) and allows the opportunity for new things to come and occupy that space. Therefore we should consider de-cluttering our client databases.

Over the years we have collected clients that are neither productive nor profitable. These clients act as a drain on our time and resources. The demand, they complain and they want everything for nothing. Instead of holding onto these clients we should actively remove them from our databases or de-prioritise the communication or the degree of sales contact that we give them.

Such negative clients also create opportunities for sales executives to ‘hide behind’ and justify their poor performance. They serve as ‘black holes’ for productivity and profit.

Get rid of them – aggressively. Give them a business opportunity elsewhere. You want them out so that good clients can inhabit the space and benefit from the resources they are currently draining.

Sales Sabotage

Are your support staff sabotaging your sales?

At a time of 0% growth in the UK economy for the first time in 16 years, it would do sales leaders and entrepreneurs well to look at what part their administration and support staff play in either gaining or losing sales for the business.

I've just decided to move my business to a new garage. In fact, not only that but I'm prepared to significantly inconvenience myself and pay more in order to do so. Why? Because the receptionist in the previous garage was incapable of making me feel like I was a welcome customer.

After buying my new car I had several reasons (checks, some faults that needed attention, a service) to come back. Everytime that I came into the reception area I was left standing for some time in front of the receptionist while she finished a call or was speaking to a colleague. Not a 'just a moment' with good eye contact and a smile. Not an apology for being kept waiting. Not an indication that I was anything other than an inconvenience. Well, she's the inconvenience and so is the business. How much money have they lost because of this 'glitch'in the customer contact chain.

I rang another garage and was greeted by a receptionist with a pleasant voice, a clear series of questions about my car and my needs, a promise to provide a car or taxi to minimise my inconvenience - if they can manage a smile and 'hello' when I make it in - then they get my business for life.

Time to review and upskill your customer contact chain. In a time of scarcity, when the customer will again be king, we can't afford the sales saboteurs in our midst.

Service with a Smile

I've returned from a recent family holiday to Malaysia and Borneo - part of taking time to educate my young kids to the wider world. The one thing that struck me the most on my return to Europe was the contrast between how people whose work it is to help and serve you - in no matter what capacity - and how they smiled.

Smiling conveys the greatest of human needs - acceptance. It has become a rare commodity in the West. One which I now remark upon when I get one from an airport attendant, a bar person, a hotel person, a coach driver - anyone who works in the 'service industry'.

Whether its just a better quality of training or simply a matter of culture, a smile is ever on the lips of nearly all of those who serve in the East. From room cleaners who meet you in the hallway and bid you 'good day' with a genuine smile, or lift attendants, pool attendants, waiters or restauranteurs who at least appear genuinely happy to get your business.

Maybe it is a cultural thing. Perhaps we in the West see 'service' as demeaning and 'below us' in some way while those in the East do it because they take pride in whatever work it is that they have and do in the service of others. Maybe in the West we have a greater sense of personal entitlement and they don't.

Whatever the reason, when it comes to my choice of rewarding a person's service to me as a customer, I know which kind of person I'm happy to leave the bigger tips with.

Time Out

Just had the most amazing weather this bank holiday weekend here in Dublin and lots of time for family. Interesting how the sun has such an effect on our natures. The sunlight releases more seratonin for the brain and raises awareness levels - that's why it's such an important resource when conducting training sessions - the more sunlight the better. Seems my teachers had it right when they brought us out onto the football pitches to do lessons on good days.

Time for family - to catch up, to laugh, to heal. Sunlight for the soul.

It's no surprise then that people who take regular breaks are the most successful in business. They give their minds space and time to reflect and create, their bodies time to repair and their souls the chance to integrate.

Ready for the coming week!

Step 5: Sell Internally Not Just Externally

In selling we have two sets of customers - those that are external, that buy our products and services and those who are internal, who help us to serve the customer to our best ability. Selling is a team game and your internal customer - the people who support the efforts that you bring to the market place - are as deserving of your attention as the external customer.

Take time to nurture the internal relationships that can determine the speed and quality of response that you provide to your customers. Not everyone is commercially aware of the importance of meeting customer needs and its the relationship built on a 'thank you' or a lunch spent with some of your support people in marketing, telesales, customer service, distribution, finance and so forth that can often be the critical lever when you just have to meet a particular client's needs and deadline.

Also these team members can provide valuable information on the client that you may not always get when you are customer -facing all the time. How good are they at paying, what comments are passed when they are dealing with them - information that can be vital to customer management.

So remember to sell internally as well as externally and if you are a business owner, we also need to remember that selling internally also improves the likelihood of improving retention and morale of good quality workers in the new digital age. Welcome to the r'evolution.