1. Go Back to “Why” – Focusing on a dull task doesn’t make it any more attractive. Zooming out and asking yourself why you are bothering in the first place will make it more appealing. If you can’t figure out why, then there’s a good chance you shouldn’t bother with it in the first place.
2. Go for Five – Start working for five minutes. Often that little push will be enough to get you going.
3. Move Around – Get your body moving as you would if you were extremely motivated to do something. This ‘faking it’ approach to motivation may seem silly or crude, but it works.
4. Find the Next Step – It’s impossible to work on a project. All you can do is focus on the next immediate step. Fighting an amorphous blob of work will only cause procrastination. Chunk it up so that it becomes manageable.
5. Find Your Itch – What is keeping you from working. Don’t let the itch continue without isolating it and removing the problem. Are you unmotivated because your tired, afraid, bored, restless or angry. Maybe it is because you aren’t sure you have time or delegated tasks haven’t been finished yet.
6. Deconstruct Your Fears – I’m sure you don’t have a phobia about getting stuff done. But at the same time, hidden fears or anxieties can keep you from getting real work completed. Isolate the unknowns and make yourself confident you can handle the worst case scenario.
7. Get a Partner – Find someone who will motivate you when you’re feeling lazy. I have a friend I go to the gym with. Besides spotting weight, having a friend can help motivate you to work hard when you’d normally quit.
8. Kickstart Your Day – Plan out tomorrow. Get up early and place all the important things early in the morning. Building momentum early in the day can usually carry you forward far later.
9. Read Books – Not just self-help or motivational books, but any book that has new ideas. New ideas get your mental gears turning and can build motivation. Learning new ideas puts your brain in motion, so it requires less time to speed up to your tasks.
10. Get the Right Tools – Your environment can have a profound effect on your enthusiasm. Computers that are too slow, inefficient applications or a vehicle that breaks down constantly can kill your motivation. Building motivation is almost as important as avoiding the traps that can stop it.

Written by Fran Berry

While conducting communication training for a client recently, one of the participants, right at the very beginning of my course, spoke up with great courageous honesty and said:

“It’s all fine and well to be teaching us to communicate better, but I’m really angry that the company is spending all this money on you (no offence or anything), when we have this system that we have to use that crashes every time I make a sale and results in the customer not getting the item they wanted to purchase. Three weeks or so later, the customer will call back and, not only have I lost the sale, I have to deal with a very angry person. What’s the point in getting better at communication and selling, when I can’t complete the sales? Now I’ll just have MORE angry customers to deal with. I simply don’t think they have their priorities right!”
I thanked her for her honesty and asked her to be just as honest with me at the end of the course and let me know if she still felt the same way.

There is a heavy focus on technology and internal systems these days.

Organisations are spending billions of dollars to have state of the art technology and CRM systems. They even spend heavily on training their people how to use them. Then the executives sit back and wait for the sales to roll in, or the customers to express their loyalty by bringing in their friends. The discouraging stories I hear about not getting the expected return on investment are in great multitude.

I always ask the same question: “If you are bringing in a new system, product, procedure or service, are you also teaching your front line staff how to effectively communicate about it to your customers?” I am generally met with blank stares. Sometimes I get the reply:
“Yes, we have trained our people – about 4 years ago we brought in a customer service course and it was great at the time – but it didn’t seem to stick. I don’t hear anyone talking about it anymore.”

When the processes of getting customers, keeping customers and / or increasing sales is considered at its most basic level, the exposed kernel of truth always remains the same. Unless your business is entirely automated and relies only on advertising text and a computer generated system to complete every transaction, then the critical moments that make or break your organisation ALWAYS occur at the same point in time – when your representative interacts with your customer.

If any portion of your organisation has people dealing with customers (be they in a service, sales, help-desk, face-to-face, road crew or contact centre environment) then the fine art of communication is now, and will always remain, the one most influential factor of success or failure.

Every time a representative has contact with one of your customers:

• An experience is created in the mind of the customer and the representative resulting in a memory.
• Habits are formed by the customer – will I come back here again, or try something different?
• Habits are formed by the representative – I didn’t get yelled at by anybody, so I must be doing okay – or vice versa.
• An internal culture is perpetuated for the representative – this job would be great if it weren’t for the stupid customers – or – I really enjoy working with my customers.
• Relationships are strengthened, weakened or broken – there is no such thing as not affected. Every human encounter has an affect.

A weak communicator, paired with a poor attitude, results in an individual who often feels vulnerable and a victim of the organisation, the systems, and the customers. This individual tends to operate re-actively. No matter the amount of systems, product & knowledge training – a great customer interaction is a matter of luck.

Conversely, a strong communicator, paired with a CAN-DO and success-oriented attitude, results in an individual who is able to do a great job, and handles customers with grace and confidence, no matter what is happening in the environment. This individual tends to operate pro-actively. Great customer interactions are a matter of habit.

At the end of the course, I asked my previously heated participant what she thought about being trained in effective communication. Her response, like many others, is what keeps me doing the work I do. She replied: “I’ve spent a lot of time blaming the management and the systems. While I still wish they (the systems) would work properly, I now understand that my relationship with my customers exists outside of any system or procedure. It will take me a while to change my habits, but the focus and work it will take to get there will make a huge difference for me at work – and in my personal life. In my opinion, the company has just made the best possible choice on how to spend their money.”

So, what comes first in your organisation. . .technology, or teaching your people how to communicate effectively no matter what systems you have?

The first piece of advice that they have to offer is this; create a Shared Vision.

“There is no point in following a tradition of serving a 3 course hot lunch with all the trimmings if your family are going to be in and out of the pool all day and it’s 45 degrees “suggests Jaymelee.  Sit down and have a conversation with your family members and provide ample opportunity for everyone to have their say in what the day will look like. Come to a consensus and create a plan of attack so that the vision can be realised.  The key element to doing this is cellular listening. We show others how much we truly value them when we give all of ourselves to the act of listening. This means that we don’t keep one ear out for the cricket score!

The second suggestion is this: Communicate Expectations.

This needs to be done prior to the event – perhaps at the same time that you are planning the day, so that everyone has a clear understanding of what is required and by when.  Alive & Kicking Solutions recommend that the best way to do this is gently and when you are firmly in control of your emotions. Refrain from using phrases such as “You will do….” “I’m telling you now” and “This is the way it will be or…” as they are likely to ruffle the recipient’s feathers rather than inspire them to meet the expectations required. Ensuring that you have communicated your expectations about how people will behave prior to and on the day effectively increases the chances of the shared vision coming to fruition.

Thirdly: Manage you own stress levels.

Jaymelee White from Alive & Kicking Solutions elaborates: “Christmas time has the propensity to affect your work life as the stress bubbles over impacts on your productivity. Having techniques to manage your stress levels at home can alleviate this impact”.   The first two tips actually assist in building the foundation for this to happen as everyone is feeling valued and knows their part.  Here are some more suggestions; take time out for you, plan plan plan,, continue your exercise and healthy eating regime,  let a desire for everything to be perfect go and remember what this time of year is truly about – connecting with your family and friends.

Have you ever felt like there are not enough hours in a day, days in a week or months in a year?

That no matter how many to-do lists you write or plans you put in place, no matter how intent you are on following through on your intentions -  ‘I will finish all of my work today, I will do the food shopping, I will get to the day care on time’ etc. -at the end of the day you still feel like your inbox (both on your desk and in your email) are overflowing, that you’ve never got any time for you, that your children will be wondering where you are and your fridge is empty?

Are you feeling:

• · Overwhelmed?
• · Out of Control?
• · That there is never enough time?
• · That procrastination is a big hurdle?
• · Those important goals always seem out of reach?
• · That productivity at work is not being maximized?
• · Out of balance in work and personal life?

If the answer to any of the above is ‘yes’, then please know that you are not alone! These feeling resonate with millions of people all over the world.

Where’s the time gone?

Time is one of the few things in world that we cannot buy any more of. Once it’s gone it’s gone. As such we are wise to want to constantly improve how we utilize the time that we have available.

There are a multitude of Time Management books, e-books, seminars, webinars, blogs and websites available to assist you in managing you time more effectively. A quick browse through them reveals tips such;

• · Set goals
• · Write things down
• · Set up a filing system that works for you
• · Learn to say ‘no’
• · Prioritize important tasks / urgent tasks appropriately
• · Don’t procrastinate
• · Create ‘to-‘do’ lists
• · Beware of ‘filler’ tasks
• · Be productive rather than efficient
• · Don’t be a perfectionist
• · Keep a goal journal
• · Use your energy cycles
• · Balance your time
• · Give items a home
• · Make checklists for repeat tasks
• · Make time for Important projects

All of these tips certainly have merit though I could anticipate that you are feeling slightly overwhelmed again – which one do I start with? Or – Do I change everything all at once? Or – I can’t stop being a perfectionist – that’s just how I am!

To help with any confusion I would like to simplify time management techniques  into two basic principles for you:

1. Create habits that serve you well

2. Consciously create them one at a time.

We can make even simpler:

1. Habits

2. Baby steps.

Let’s explore how a simple habit can help you control your time more effectively. Habit number 1: Lay out your clothes for work the night before.

You may be thinking – how is that going to help me get my work done? Hear me out.

A few years ago when I was working as a restaurant and functions manager I used to be one of those hit snooze on my alarm 6 times, rush around in the morning, never eat breakfast, and put my makeup on the car, speed to work kind of people. I always felt like I was working in circles, chasing my tail, like I never actually had time to breathe or eat, that I was being pulled in 10 different directions and that nothing was done on time. I felt that I was making excuses or whining about how much work I had to do but never really knew what I could do to change.

A stay in hospital diagnosed as exhaustion was the wakeup call that I needed on my stressful life. My physician recommended that I make some small changes beginning with the some routines. I started with ‘Laying out my work clothes the night before’ It helped me as it was a habit that had a flow on effect. To be able to lay out my clothes I had to have clean ones, which meant I needed to do the washing and put it away. My clothes were ready. Make-up was put on in the bathroom, breakfast was consumed at home and the drive to work was spent contemplating what I needed to do when I got to work. I began work with a clear head, a clear plan and a calm demeanor.

What impact do you think that this had on my productivity at work?

Yes you’re right! When you start work with a clear mind and a plan the likelihood of a productive work day skyrockets!

Not only did this have a positive impact on me and my workload, it also transferred to my colleagues and my direct reports! Wow! What a difference a small change made!

The implementation and mastery of this one habit led on to a range of habits that continue to serve me well.

These include:

At work:

• · Planning my week on a Sunday evening
• · Reviewing my day and reflecting on the things that I have done well and what I could improve upon and then altering the next day accordingly
• · Ensuring that when I leave my desk for the day it is clean and that all programs on my computer have been closed and shut down
• · Setting aside 3 x 20 minute blocks per day to answer and read emails.

Personally:

• · Menu planning before I go shopping
• · Doing some form of laundry every morning
• · Going to bed at a decent hour with the dishes done and put away

The feelings of being overwhelmed, unproductive and out of balance have waned and for the most part I live a healthy and balanced life.

I invite you to think deeply about what one habit you could consciously create in your life to serve you well and then implement it. Notice the change in you and celebrate it!

“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” – Benjamin Franklin

If you would like more information about how to create habits that can serve you and the staff in your work place well then please contact us at Alive and Kicking on info@aliveandkicking.com.au

Thanks for reading! Jaymelee

The most wonderful things happen when you are in the company of experts.

The expert I am talking about in this blog is an air conditioning sales person. His name is Jon.

After searching in different stores across Perth one Sunday afternoon, my husband and I came across Jon.

I bought an airconditioner because of my health!

I know a lot about communication, which includes rapport building, questioning skills and conversations to discover customers needs. So I am thoroughly pleased when I get to see these skills in action from experts like our new friend Jon.

Now the place I was in has a solid business model to position themselves the technical expert, this means superior advice and the customer pays for this.

Not being an expert in air conditioning I was to say the least out of my comfort zone.

Now, being picky, there were lots of things Jon could have done differently to secure more purchasing from us (give me a break, I am in the performance improvement business)!

Let’s concentrate on the one thing he did superbly that stood out and amazed me the most.

I didn’t even know I cared!

Me: “I am looking for an air-conditioner for our bedroom.”

Jon: “OK – what’s the size of the bedroom?”

Me: “5.5m x 3.5m (we measured it!)”

Jon: “OK – let me show you the top 3 brands. A, B and C”

(with a wave of his hand we could see they were on the wall in front of us).

Me: “Which one would you recommend?”

Jon: “All of them have different qualities, interestingly enough ‘A’ has been proven by research to minimise health issues.”

Me: “Really? How?”

Jon: “Studies show (and he quoted some figures I can’t remember) that the use of air conditioning can cause dryness and infections to spread, because you are using this in your bedroom – it will minimise nasty bugs and stop that dry throat and mouth feeling when you wake up.”

Me: “Ooh, that’s a good thing, I hate the dry mouth in the morning!”

Me: “So, how does it do this?”

Jon: “Well, have a look at this guard, you can see that the filter is much more sophisticated than product B and C, and is going to be able to prevent a lot of the issues research has seen with health and air conditioners over the years.

The test they did saw hundreds of people test the moisure levels in their rooms, in many conditions, and this product was the one that showed to be most effective in keeping those moisture levels appropriate and less harmful to health.”

There were lots of other explanations about what the research showed, as this is about communication and not air conditioning I’ll stop here!

Hang on a minute…

When I walked into the shop I wanted an air conditioner. I walked out with an air conditioner and also peace of mind about health, which was something I wasn’t even aware of 30 minutes beforehand.

Now some of you are going to be thinking – yes Suzanne – this is a typical case of feature and benefit differentiation in a sales conversation. To which I will absolutely agree with you!

What amazes me is the power and success of picking a strategy with a vision that is to:

i) sell as many of product A because it is top of the line

ii) make more sales and improve the bottom line by selling at the top of the line

iii) equip the sales person with facts, reasons, benefits, knowledge to be confident in the product

iv) make sure the product IS right for the customer at all costs, even if it’s isn’t product A.

Jon simply picked up on a feature and benefit that ‘seemed’ (and this is where he could have done things differently to be better – I’ll get to that) to strike a nerve when mentioned and kept that a trend in our conversation.

He also educated confidently and expertly when comparing to the other products, which were less expensive, but didn’t have this ‘health’ feature.

Let me tell you – this knowledge and expertise was NOT evident in comparable stores. This is why he got the sale. I trusted him with something I know nothing about.

What was missing?

As we are on the subject I have to mention some things that could have been added to our conversation to make it that much more effective:

• Jon should have uncovered our needs more thoroughly first, he asked a great question up front and based all of his material on that alone, which can be assumptive.  Ask many questions to fully understand the customers thoughts so the experience is full and fruitful for all involved. No guessing please!
• Jon could have capitalised on other products. I was casually purusing little portable air cons for my office too, if he had have uncovered a little more at the beginning I may have mentioned this! They were too expensive, though you never know, he could have pointed me into another direction and  benefit for portable air con that would cook my dinner too – the point is I don’t know what I don’t know, but HE DOES!

I could go on for a while, I imagine you’re getting the point in my experience. Let’s recap in simple terms:

1. Know your product/service and it’s benefits compared to competition (even in your own range!)
2. Uncover the customers needs to ensure you are talking their language.
3. Understand and be prepared to go factual to prove a point, educate them.
4. Make a point of difference that matters to those wanting your product/service and TELL THEM about it!

As always I hope there is value in what you read. Thanks to Jon for the inspiration – there is always a learning oppurtunity everywhere you look. Keep watching and learning!

See you soon,

Suzanne

Part 3

written by Beth Nurnberger

In my previous two blogs I wrote about what is meant by the term Training Transfer – when training their staff, organisations must consider the return they will get from the investment they are making financially and from an allocation of resources point of view. I explored the difference between a positive, negative and a nil result from sending people to training, and how to ensure your organisation’s ROI is always positive.

In this blog, I discuss how organisations can achieve a better than positive return on investment (ROI) – a maximum ROI.  To achieve this, we need to explore the question – who really is responsible for putting the newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice once trainees return to the workplace?  Consider the answer to this question before you read on.

Now what?

So, you’ve sent your people off to training, and here they are, with their workbooks and newly acquired knowledge, their heads full of great ideas ready to go…….. now what?

Most Team Leaders and Managers will say, ‘Get to it!!’  infused with the belief it is now up to the person trained to be able to apply all they have learned to improve their performance in one or several areas.  After all, the business paid for or supplied their training, and now it is their job to put it into practice.’  Right?

Not so fast…… let’s say that you have done what was recommended in the previous blog, and you ensured that the training needs identified for each trainee were fulfilled by training (that is, they has identified skills &/or knowledge gaps and the training was so terrific it closed those gaps).  AND let’s say that you also ensured that the training provider aligned the training material to your work environment, incorporating your policies & procedures, as well as your workplace practices.

Great job!  You have successfully applied the principles of how to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI) from the training your staff attends.

But, wait! There’s MORE!!

Ask yourself these questions:

• · ‘How do your people know they are applying their newly acquired skills and knowledge the way they are supposed to? The way you want them to?’
• · ‘Each and every one of them – will they all do it the same way?’

The answer will be ‘YES!’ only if there is an established coaching method in place in your organisation or business.

If not, then you cannot be guaranteed they will know how to ‘unpack’ their skills & knowledge as expected, and YOU can expect a mixed bag of results:  some will ‘get it’ and some will be so far off the mark you will be left wondering what is wrong with them.

The answer is not them, but you, and anyone else who holds a management-level position.

Identify who is responsible for implementing the S-K-A

Consider who is truly responsible for implementing the skills and knowledge acquired in training in the correct way. Who is responsible for making sure the skills and knowledge are applied the way the business or organisation expects? Is it the responsibility of the people who have been trained……?  The answer may surprise you:

The answer is you, and anyone else who holds a management-level position.

Without clear guidance, your people will apply what they know in the way they best think is suitable.  They will do the best they can with the skills they have – skills that pertain to the training they have just completed, plus skills that relate to applying those skills effectively, including effective communication skills, analysing and thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and a whole range of other skills.

Their idea of what is best may or may NOT align with your organisation’s vision, your business unit’s goals, or the current initiatives in place in the workplace.  Please don’t get me wrong here – your people will do the best they can with what they have.  They come to work with the best intentions of doing the best they can.  The trouble with this is we are all individuals.

We all come to the workplace with our own values and beliefs.

Not everyone will do it the way they are “supposed to” or the way you “expect” them to, not without a process that gives them the feedback they need to get it right, consistently and competently.

What is in place in YOUR workplace to ensure this occurs?

If you’re left scratching your head, tune in to my next blog, which focuses on Coaching….. and how it is different from training.

Beth Nurnberger

An imbalance between these competing forces can lead to:

• Not enough skills + Change = Stress
• Not enough skills + No Change = Apathy
• Right skills + No change = Boredom

However, when we get the balance right the result can be an unlimited oppurtunity to learn and grow. This is the kind of change we should be aiming for all the time.

Right skills + Change = Growth

Skills that make the difference

Although change is natural, most of us do not possess a natural ability to deal with it. However, mastering change is a skill that can be learnt. There are a number of qualities that successful people have developed to help them adapt to change.

They include:

Self aware

The self aware person is someone who knows their strengths and weaknesses and uses this information to work on improving themselves. They are aware of their own resistances to change and have identified ways to work on overcoming them.

Flexible

The ability to remain flexible and open to new ideas is essential when change is all around you. Successful people have looked at nature and seen how trees adapt to difficult circumstances. They have learnt to bend with the change rather than fight against it.

High self esteem

People who have a high level of self esteem that is not dependant on external factors are the ones who deal best with  change. They know that even if things go wrong they have confidence in their own abilities and they don’t take things personally.

Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude is half the battle when it comes to change. If you believe that things will work out for the best in the end, then they often will. Positive people know that if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.

Tolerant of uncertainty

Being good at dealing with change involves being comfortable with that feeling of uncertainty that comes with any change. Successful people welcome the transition phase and are willing to feel unsure for a while.

Learns from the past

They say experience is the name you give to your mistakes. The change ready person has learnt that there is no such thing as a mistake, only an oppurtunity to learn.

Lateral thinker

Being a lateral thinker is all about seeing things differently to the next person. It means letting go of old ideas and searching for new ways of doing things.

So next time you look announcing another change in your workplace, take a look at this list.

• Do your people already have the right skills for making change successful? If they don’t, what can you start doing today to get them ready for change?
• Encourage people to keep a list of their acheivements, big and small. As well as increaing their self esteem it will provide valuable information for their next performance review.
• Debrief everything you do: marketing campaigns, client functions, proposals, training programs. Ask what worked, what didn’t and what lessons you have learnt for next time. Increase self awareness and get staff thinking about their strengths and weaknesses via one of the many personality models available.
• Develop lateral thinking skills by holding regular brainstorming sessions at team meetings to solve problems you encounter regularly.
• Encourage positive thinking by starting each meeting with a positive point from each person. It could be work or personal, as long as it’s positive.

Happy Change Management!

First, I have abilities I am supposed to have…”

Being in the communication and leadership field, I am constantly looking at ways to engage and capture people’s hearts and minds to allow them to learn to communicate more effectively.

A major part of A&KS training ethos, is to teach people how to communicate efectively with flexibility, uniqueness and confidence.

The paragraph this blog starts with is the opening statement of a cover letter I came across recently.

Now, if this paragraph didn’t capture your attention I’m not quite sure what would!

What I love about this letter (although you only see a snippet of it) is that the applicant:

• Started the first sentence with the word ‘you’. We all love thinking or talking about ourselves. Come on admit it… Starting this way is a great way to incorporate WIIFM (what’s in it for me!) This guy got my attention straight away; as he starts with my favourite subject.

• At the very start the applicant realises that the task at hand is important and how difficult it is for people in the HR position to choose employees.

• He then goes a step further to provide a solution to this consuming task at hand. Employing him! He is also releiving the pain point, no more going through resumes – hooray!

• The rest of the letter (which is a 1 A4 page and simple) tells me why he’s the right person for the job.

Now this blog isn’t about writing your cover letter for that wonderful new job you’re applying for (although if you happen to get some hints, it’s my pleasure).

This blog is about purposeful, calculated and effective communication techniques using humour and confidence.

I’m not convinced the person actually knew consciously how he communicated and why. I suspect it’s an instinct he has about how to attract attention. Imagine though if we all had the skill to consciously choose our language with flexibility, purpose and use creative ways to get our point across.

Communication needs to be chosen carefully. Too many people are stuck in ruts with a limited vocabulary that prevents them from getting a message across. Whether this is in a work situation, to a customer, to an employee, to a manager or at home with family or friends.

The thing I love most about this letter is that I WANT to know who this person is – do you think the people who advertised for the position want to meet him too? YES! They want to see this person ASAP.

Worry Worts.

Quite often people worry about stepping outside of the norm and potentially rocking the boat. It makes them feel uncomfortable and unsure about their environment. Or they stick to the way they’ve always communicated because it works ok – but does it? Could the results from communication be better?

I am sure you have a few favourite coffee shops or places you favour to buy things. There are many coffee shops in my area and I have tried them all! There is one particular place close to me that does something that impresses me. Whilst it isn’t rocket science or a new concept by any stretch, it works and works well.

Whilst sitting back and watching the coming and going of customers, I realised that the women behind the counter knew 90% of people’s names. They ordered coffee, waited for it to be poured and she called them by name (she’s made a effort to know who they were before this day).

Not only did she know people’s names, she asked them questions about the last coffee, cake or food item was when they took it home last time they ordered!

I go there because I feel like I belong. This woman created that feeling simply by choosing how to communicate and help people feel valued.

Communication techniques should not be under-rated.

So whatever you are communicating today, or when you read this post – take some time to think about:

• Why are you communicating this particular message – what are you wanting to acheive?
• Who are you communicating to and how do THEY best receive communication, which suits their style?
• What is the structure of your verbal or written communication, how can you spice it up to be unique?
• Take your time to think about using different positive language that helps the other person ‘feel’ your message that than just ‘hear’ it.

Just a little homework today, I’ll be interested in hearing the results!

See you soon

Suzanne

Really? It’s ‘just’ the economy?

It’s said that retail numbers are down because of the economy, which may be so. I am ready to bet that it’s also declining due to the lack of rapport building, identifying buying signals – positive language and true understanding on how to effectively communicate with others.

The list goes on about what the reasons are! I’m going to concentrate on questions in this blog.

The story starts

My story starts with “I have money to spend on clothes!” A very excited Suzanne walks into a shop and starts to peruse the rack.

Shopkeeper: “Hi, is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

Great start!

Me: “Well, I’m not sure…” I lean on the counter ready to discuss my options.

Shopkeeper: “Well, let me show you all the things that have been selling really well.”

Take note here – store this question in your mind for a moment, we’ll come back to it.

Shopkeeper: “There is this lovely dress which is pink and floaty, and is…”

Me: “Sorry to interrupt, I need to tell you what I do know. I am looking for corporate looking outfits, not summery dresses.”

Shopkeeper: “Oh. Well there’s not much of that here.” Looking at what I was wearing (casual summery dress).

Me: “OK, let’s have a look around and see if there is something that suits.”

Let’s dissect this conversation so far

The shopkeeper wasn’t in anyway rude, though wanted to ‘educate’ me when she knew absolutely nothing about what I had been wanting to buy.

She’d looked at my outfit that day (a weekend) and ‘assumed’ I was looking for the same style. She started to show me things I wasn’t looking for.

When we are consulting here at Alive & Kicking it is something that is blindingly common in sales and service roles!

Effective questioning can be the difference in:
• Ensuring a quality first impression (getting it right to start with)
• Efficiencies because there isn’t any need to re-work guesses
• Providing real value to the customer, a sense of expertise
• Return business because of trust!

Rewind – let’s start again

The shopkeeper started off really well. Asking me what I was looking for.

She used an open question (looking for a lengthy response).

As a customer we want sales people to use more of these to uncover what’s happening in our thought process. The less they guess the better chance they have of servicing our need and getting it RIGHT!

Tips for sales people ~ start building your interpersonal skills:

1. If an open question is appropriate, use it as quickly in the conversation as possible. This will help you to gain an overall understanding of the conversation and avoid frustrating the customer. Sometimes an open question near the end of the conversation will cause annoyance – as the customer “wanted” to tell you all of this from the start.

2. Make your questions as succinct as possible. Take out all unnecessary words (fillers, weakeners, jargon).

3. Ask your question once! Avoid asking a question, and then restating it again in slightly different terms. Ask – Listen – Ask.

4. Once a customer begins to speak, let him/her continue without interruption. Be certain you are not interrupting the customer ~ even if he/she interrupts you.

5. Always ask as many questions as you need to. Remember, the key is to ask the RIGHT QUESTION, at the RIGHT TIME, in the RIGHT WAY. Keep in mind that, just because you ask a closed or open question, you may not get exactly the type of response you were after.

6. Take 100% of the responsibility for having a clear and appropriate communication with the customer. Always assume that they know NOTHING about your organisation or your products. Treat them with respect as you question them, and even more respect as you hear their answers.

We’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg on why questions are important today. Do something different in your next interaction, at work, at home or even at the shops!

Roll the question DICE, there are many wonderful meaningful questions to ask.

Practice asking someone an OPEN question – see if you find out more than you expected. It may just surprise you, and even them!

See you soon,
Suzanne

Return on Investment – part 2

In my last blog I wrote about what organisations can expect by way of return on their investment in terms of Training Transfer; it can be positive, negative or nil (neutral= zero). In this blog I want to provide you with a highly effective approach to ensure a positive return on that investment – before the decision to send people to a training session is made.

Organisations want to see a healthy bottom line as a result of the hard work put in by all their staff, so training should be decided as a course of action only if training is the answer to whatever challenge you are facing. And you need to ensure that training is done right.

Determine the need for training

Make sure the opportunity you are pursuing or the problem you are solving is a training issue. Training Transfer will be zero or negative if it is not a training issue and you will have wasted valuable resources pursuing a solution to an existing situation. The problem may lay in a number of areas completely separate to training, so you need to determine where to focus your time and attention and money.

What is required may relate to a process issue, or a systems issue, or perhaps be a matter for a performance management approach. Ineffective communication may be all that is giving you grief. The reason it appears your staff need training could relate to a support issue. Do a thorough needs and skills analysis to determine the real need for employee training and development.

Identify the requirements of the training

Once you are sure that there is a training need, then ask the following questions:
• What do training participants need to be able to do? Be specific here.
• Why do they need to do this? The answer should relate to their KPIs and required levels of productivity, or to ensure staff retention.
• How will this be communicate prior to training, and to whom? By whom?
• What is the support from management after training? The following areas must be addressed: workplace coaching, reinforcement of the newly acquired skills, knowledge &/or attitude, and an appropriate correction process. (More on this in part 3 of this blog series…..)

Identify the attributes of the training participants

In terms of their skill and knowledge levels, determine where they are now. The only need for training is because their skill, knowledge &/or attitude is below the required/desired level for the job role they fulfil. If there is no gap, there is no training need. An approach other than training is the answer.

Training Program Design and Delivery

If there has been an identified training need, the gap will be closed by structuring the training sessions to achieve specific outcomes.

The Training Provider is responsible for closing the gap, and the best way to do this is for them to have a thorough understanding of the requirements of the business, the context of the training, and the point of view of the learner.

Very specific and measureable outcomes must be identified and agreed to before the commitment is made to proceed with training.

Finally, the training environment must be conducive for learning for the learners – make sure your training provider approaches their training using adult learning principles, accelerated learning techniques, incorporating a range of learning styles to cater to the needs of your staff.

If your business is unique, it requires a tailored approach

Your people are unique and individual, so training needs to cater to their needs to ensure that positive training transfer occurs. Every activity in the training session must engage each and every learner. If your training provider has the same approach to all their clients, you have invested in an off-the-shelf approach, a one-size-fits-all solution that does not recognise or honour the unique qualities of your business or your people.

Positive ROI

When all of the above items are addressed from your organisation’s perspective, then you can be assured of a positive return on your training investment – you will create a workplace that your staff will rave about and their productivity will increase dramatically!

In my next blog, I will look at the role management plays in relation to training. This final instalment of The Importance of Training Transfer examines the people in your business who are responsible for all of this.

Kind regards,

Beth!