Modern Strategies
One of the smartest ways to retool the economy is by selling more products and services to domestic and international markets. Therefore, the art of selling becomes a critical competitive advantage to organizations that want to sustain profitability over the long-term. Selling is a common denominator for every business. No matter what business you are in, you must sell your product or services to customers. Yet, the concept of selling is related to creating value for customers. When a bakery gives an extra donut in a dozen, the company is adding value and fosters better relationships with customers. Given these realities, selling is a people-oriented business that addresses the customer value proposition.

Relationship skills can make or break important connections. Many such skills are discussed in the book, Selling by Objectives, written by Tony Alessandra, Jim Cathcart, and Phillip Wexler. The authors propose that successful salespersons will possess the virtues necessary to be at the top of one’s profession: communication skills, the sensitivity and flexibility that enables one to create chemistry with people, and the ability to efficiently manage one’s professional and personal life. Dr. Dave Hinkes, author of Selling by Objectives: The Handbook for More Profitability in the 21st Century, often advises his Fortune 500 clients to stay connected with their customers.

This management expert further prescribes a relationship selling model based on several key elements which include branding, quality, flexibility, reliability, creativity, simplicity, efficiency, and price. Dr. Hinkes adds: “If you can practice or role play your responses to these objectives originating from any source, then you will find that you will be closing more deals, building more wealth, and saving time and effort in the process.”

Conclusion
For businesses, it is important to understand human behavior in order to building lasting relationships. Therefore, relationship selling and sales management are interconnected. Mark Johnston and Greg Marshall, authors of Relationship Selling, note the importance of these connections: “The managers in the sales organization have taken time to think through the most efficient and effective way to manage the customer side of the business”.

With competitors on each global corner, today’s businesses cannot afford to lose customers or markets. Staying connected with customers is critical for sustainability. Relationship selling is a good method for organizations to use. Like any relationship, there is a degree of tension involved in selling due to the need for solutions. The tension may be positive or negative depending on how much exists or how it is handled. Businesses that can balance these conflicting interests will have an advantage over their competitors and an opportunity for greater profitability.

© 2012 by Daryl D. Green

Resiliency Trait
Individuals must have resiliency to overcome today’s mental hurdles. Under the current economic crisis, most people have given up common sense in lieu of gimmicks and scams. If the promises appear too hard to imagine, it’s a good case that it’s not true. Yet, fools shun wise counsel. In my book, Don’t Be An Old Fool: Common Sense & Gratitude, I mock popular culture that provides solutions that don’t make common sense. When an individual who knows what is right chooses to select the wrong path, he is operating like a fool. Instead of selecting wise counsel, this person seeks advice from individuals who lack wisdom. In this vein, people opt for absurd promises.

Sadly, many people don’t want listen to the fact that it takes resiliency to obtain a good job.
For example, parents tell their unemployed college children to “beat the streets” until they find a job. Instead they opt to fill out a few job applications online and send out online resumes to employers. Their hardworking parents find them playing video games every day, asking for their weekly allowance as if they were still in high school. Instead of asking them to do volunteer work or some other rigorous strategy, most parents accept the situation, thereby destroying their child’s mental toughness in the long run.

Resiliency speaks to the mental toughness needed during this downturn. Resiliency can be defined as “an occurrence of rebounding or springing back.” This characteristic is a close cousin to mental toughness, which can be defined as “the character attribute that allows an individual to stay in control while confronting adversity and navigating obstacles in life.” Anchored in these two character builders, individuals have the mental strength to press on through adversity. This mentality can be seen scripturally in Corinthian 4:8, 9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Yet, an economic downturn can tank anyone’s confidence, especially the laid-off and unemployed. Regardless of the situation, things could get much worse. The ultimate defeat is simply giving up. Therefore, it’s important to do something constructive each day. It’s critical to surround yourself with a positive network that encourages an environment of resiliency. In the absence of any outside positive support system, that individual must feed upon his or her own internal compass and positive self-talk to propel himself into a positive future.

Conclusion
As the economy continues to spiral downward, many individuals must rely on their own internal compass. However, any strategy that does not incorporate resiliency is a big mistake. Today’s parents and other supportive adults must allow their children to build resiliency into their character building. It is bad to be “a young fool” but it is much worse to be “an old fool.” Therefore, individuals who can take on today’s financial challenges with resiliency have a decisive advantage over others.

© 2012 by Daryl D. Green

Thus being, we can affirm that the part most important of the ability its in our position. When the companies elaborate its pictures of abilities essences, those that represent its mission, principles and values, there see a series of earnings of the organization in relation its collaborators: enterprising capacity, focus in results, taking of decision, negotiation, leadership, creativity and as much others.

But, an important question fits: it will be that these abilities are really essential? If to consider the attitude as basic principle of the ability, the waited behaviors would not have more to be valued? Evident that we need professionals with focus in results, skillful negotiators, creative, enterprising, that they know to work under pressure, but we urgently need leaders with behaviors that impactem more significantly in the businesses or, at least, to give to the abilities accented connotations more.

We would have to try, in our companies, people capable to be:

* Humble

Humble not just to learn, unprovided of arrogance that the learning, humble only blocks to hear and to understand, humble to focus main and accessory, humble it not to share the knowledge, humble to understand that the weight biggest of the existence not to be in HAVING and yes in the BEING. And is good that if it does not forget that humbleness is a virtue.

* Intelligent

Intelligence that goes beyond the capacity diagnosising, to foresee scenes future, to analyze situations for different angles, that go even though beyond the ability interacting with the most diverse people, controlling impulses, to express feelings. She is necessary to sharpen intelligence spiritual, not in the direction of religiosity, but the intelligence that searchs the illumination, that searchs the wisdom, a directed intelligence to be better. As Mahatma Gandhi it wrote: “When an only man arrives at the fullness of the love, it neutralizes the hatred of many millions”

* Responsible

Not it responsibility demanded for the companies, who we are not more of the one than obligation, but responsibility for each said word, for each revealed gesture, each taken action, commentaries made for the coasts, would say more, responsibility even for our thoughts. We learn in the science that no energy if loses, all are changedded. Then, why not to place in our daily relations something that is not taught in books and nor in the schools, a little of pleasantness in the behavior, all the moments, all the levels, daily and for the entire life?

* Human being

We are human beings, we possess intelligence that in them makes superiors to other beings livings creature. The proper word human being always is associated with the goodness, to the benevolence. Then, a great leader must HUMAN BEING.

Somebody that either capable to love fully without being servile, somebody that the pardon understands and practises, that either capable to fully hear the other in a delivery attitude, that can act for internal certainty, to be sensible without to be piegas, capable to act with ethics and respect, capable to celebrate the victories and conquests unconditionally and for an obligatory one not to have, capable to review its values, capable to change its thoughts, capable to carry through a intramudança, capable to give to the light itself exactly. It is important to know that the attitude, crucial point of the ability, depends exclusively on the individual.

Phobia is defined as a persistent or intense fear of a certain object, activity or situation.

Fear of public speaking is one type of social phobia which is often associated or developed through a person’s adolescence.

How would you react if your boss suddenly tells you that you have to do a presentation in front of your colleagues?

If the mere thought of having to stand and speak in front of a crowd is enough to give you panic attacks, then you have this type of phobia.

As with all types of fears, you can learn to cope with your public speaking anxiety by recognizing the symptoms first.

Who knows? Once you are up there, you might eventually realize that you are good at giving speeches or addressing the public, and even make a living out of it.

People are always hungry for information and there is no to better way of keeping them informed than by conducting presentations and giving out speeches about certain topics which you have already “mastered”.

First, take a look at the physical and mental manifestations of a person who experiences fear of public speaking.

>Nervousness

Being nervous before the day of your speech has several physical symptoms, which are as follows:

1. You have butterflies in your stomach.

2. Your palms are sweating.

3. Your hands are shaking.

4. Your knees are also shaking and you feel as if your legs are about to collapse.

5. Your heart beats much faster than normal.

6. You experience a slight dizziness or you have a “fainting” feeling.

7. You have a stomach disorder.

6. Your face is flushed and your mouth is dry.

7. You have “cold sweat” all over.

8. ‘Panicky’ thoughts.

Any of the above symptoms are quite normal, in certain situations. However, if you experience them in excess, you might have to seek professional help.

Public speaking anxiety would also lead to a lot of ‘panicky thoughts’.

You might be afraid that someone in the audience knows more about the topic than you do.

You are afraid that there is a question to come up that you are unable to answer.

You are afraid of committing a blunder for everyone to witness.

You can actually channel these negative thoughts into a more positive output, resulting in a spontaneous, very informative and even humorous speech.

By recognizing the symptoms and learning how to deal with your fear, you will eventually learn how to address the public and make it enjoyable and informative, both to yourself and your audience.

What’s a senior executive to do?

This is not simply a personal problem. Your company’s future depends on what you do next. As you drive your organization beyond its current plateau, you must change the way you relate to your work. There are three stages to making the transition from chief-cook-and-bottle-washer (CC&BW) to CEO (source of the management and direction of the business). They are:

* Understanding your highest value contribution to your company and focusing on that role.
* Recognizing your position as a leader and owning the job.
* Delegating everything else, and holding others accountable.

Previous articles, Time Well Spent, deals with transition one; Visions of Leadership addresses transition two. This article examines the problem of delegation – giving the work away.

The Issue

You have doubtlessly concluded your next level of company performance requires a managerial change. And hopefully, you have realized the changes necessary are with you. As CEO (or, on a divisional or departmental level – senior executive) your jobs include holding the vision; inspiring your senior management and your staff; fostering key relationships with customers, vendors, investors and the public, etc.

You now need to let go of some cherished things like product design, hiring, perhaps day-to-day sales – many things you handled in the past, often out of necessity – and focus yourself on your role as CEO. What about all these things you used to do? Delegate them. Assign the job to someone else. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, why write a whole article on it?

Do you delegate? Of course you do. But do you delegate the important things? The things you “know” you could do better? The things you are “best” at? Probably not. The question is, should you?

Your highest value contribution

Think about your highest value contribution to your company. Which of your activities generate the most revenue, profit, market share, etc.? Where do you get the most bang for the buck? Like most chief executives, your greatest leverage is in mobilizing the forces around you – your senior staff and your employees, plus key customers, prospects and vendors. Everything else becomes secondary to that in terms of impact.

So the answer is yes. You should give away even the things you are “best” at. And then make sure they are done right. Make sure they are up to spec and delivered on time.

The cost of holding on

Now, the thorny part. Many executives refrain from delegating responsibilities they’ve labeled “critical”. They fear the job won’t be done correctly. Or no one else can do it as quickly, and it won’t get done on time. Or the right attention won’t be paid. Or something. Or something else.

Give it up! The growth of your organization will be stifled to the extent that you hold on to critical functions. Your company will suffer in the exact areas where you think you are the expert!

Product design? You hold up the development of a key component, because you are the expert, yet you are away at a customer meeting. Staffing? Two engineers can’t be hired because you haven’t signed off and are out of town at a meeting with investment bankers. Sales? Negotiations on an important deal are held up because you are in Asia meeting with a vendor.

You become the choke point on each of these vital functions. And you feel – of course – “I have to be involved.” No you don’t. To the exact degree you have not developed your staff to assume these functions, the growth of your company will be retarded.

Aside from fear the job won’t be done as well, there is another, more insidious reason senior executives (particularly entrepreneurs) do not delegate. If you aren’t doing the “important” stuff, you become redundant. Dead weight. Overhead. If you have a great VP of Sales, or a Chief Technologist, what will you do?

You feel this way because you haven’t completed transitions one and two: you haven’t taken the trouble of understanding how you personally create value in your company, and you haven’t fully assumed the role of leader. Once you make these transitions, you won’t have time for the rest. Delegation, not abdication.

Many executives delegate like this. They say, “John, would you take on this project? It has to be done by next Thursday. Thanks.” That’s it. Then, when the job comes back incomplete, they are infuriated. What happened? They left out accountability. They neglected the structure for making sure things happened according to plan.

There are five components to successful delegation.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done.

This doesn’t mean that person has all the skills for execution, but that they are able to martial the right resources. Sometimes the first step in the project will be education. Maybe your delegate has to attend a seminar or take a course to get up to speed.

2. Communicate precise conditions of satisfaction.

Timeframe, outcomes, budget constraints, etc.; all must be spelled out. Anything less creates conditions for failure. It’s like the old story about basketball – without nets the players don’t know where to shoot the ball.

3. Work out a plan.

Depending on the project’s complexity, the first step may be creation of a plan. The plan should include resources, approach or methodology, timeline, measures and milestones. Even simple projects require a plan.

4. Set up a structure for accountability.

If the project is to take place over the next six weeks, schedule an interim meeting two weeks from now. Or establish a weekly conference call, or an e-mailed status report. Provide some mechanism where you can jointly evaluate progress and make mid-course corrections. This helps keep the project, and the people, on track.

5. Get buy in.

Often timeframes are dictated by external circumstances. Still, your delegate must sign on for the task at hand. If you say, “This must be done by next Tuesday,” they have to agree that it is possible. Ask instead. “Can you have this by Tuesday?” To you this may seem a bit remedial, but the step is often overlooked. Whenever possible, have your delegate set the timeline and create the plan. You need only provide guidance and sign off. As General Patton said, “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

If you skip any one of the above steps, you dramatically reduce the likelihood things will turn out the way you want them to. On the other hand, if you rigorously follow the steps, you greatly increase the odds in your favor. Isn’t this more work than doing it myself, you ask. No – it isn’t.

The time it takes to

1) establish the goals,
2) review the plan, and
3) monitor the progress,

is not equal to the time it takes to execute. That is how you gain leverage. This is how you multiply your efforts.

(Occasionally it does take longer to communicate something than to do it yourself. Delegate it anyway. The next time will be easier.)

Above, I’ve referred to projects. This is not to say delegation is reserved for discrete tasks and problems. You also delegate ongoing functions. The process is the same in each case.

As an exercise, ask yourself, what am I unwilling to delegate? Make a list of the reasons why not. Identify the best person in your organization – not you – to take on this project or function. Then call a meeting. Begin the meeting with step one, above.

If there is no one to whom you can give away key functions, you have to look carefully at your staff situation. It may be time to hire the right people. If you don’t have the revenues to support the staff additions, consider what is restraining your growth.

Review your relationship with your assistant or secretary. Have you let them take on there fair share of the workload? Are you giving them sufficiently sophisticated work to do? Are they ready to upgrade?

Some situations call for you to dive back in. Perhaps you are the only one in your company with some particular technical knowledge, or your insight will accelerate the design process, or you have the long-standing relationship with a vendor or customer. Go ahead, dive. Do your thing – briefly, complete the project and resume your leadership position.

Oh, one more thing.

The only point to delegating something is if it frees you for things which create greater value for your company. Don’t give away the hiring function if you are spending your time fiddling with the corporate web site. Don’t hire a Sales VP, if you are spending your time on purchasing. The greatest leverage you have is in leading your company. Lavish your time on that.

When’s the last time you asked yourself that?

Part of the reason marketers everywhere have such a tough time getting people to listen to them is because their audiences (i.e., us) don’t believe them entirely.

So how can they become an opinion leader?

Problema…

We all know the marketers are “selling” whatever (they’re professionals aren’t they?) and that they’ll say whatever nice words and make whatever promises they have to, to make the sale.

So we, as marketers, are suspect. Yes, including network marketers. Because a normal consumer doesn’t know if we say the nice things to sell it and make a few shekels, or because we really love it ourselves.

Here’s the good news…

We ALL like to buy stuff, don’t we? So ask yourself: What kind of person do YOU most like to buy FROM?

Here’s what I do. For anything that matters, I seek out a member of the club, so to speak.

As an avid tennis lover, if I’m thinking about a new tennis racquet, I’d not go to Wal-Mart to buy one. Instead, I have usually gone to a good tennis coach, took a lesson or two, and asked them for a recommendation. I go to the best tennis places and people I can find. Because I love tennis.

And yes, of course I know the person or shop is making something on the sale, I don’t care. What matters is that they know and love their tennis.

Say you, as a consumer, know that nutrition matters. You know you need to supplement. And you want whole food based products, no synthetics.

Or you’re someone concerned about how your skin looks, and you believe that the ingredients in the skin care products you use make a difference. E.g. no chemicals or no animal products.

So who would YOU rather buy from?

A. The sales rep who sells various nutritionals or skin care products as part of their ‘line’,

or

B. Someone who cares about nutrition like you do, or about skin care and chemical-free products like you do, and who sells a specific line because THEY love it and use it themselves, too?

This is where network marketers have a very big edge over regular marketers. If you sell it because YOU love it – because of how it helped you – you are like the tennis coach recommending a racquet so an aspiring player. You are an instant ‘opinion leader’ to tennis players and tennis player wannabes.

The regular marketers are all abuzz about what it takes for a corporate spokesperson to be perceived as an opinion leader, so they’ll be listened to when they deliver their product pronouncements.

In a survey by a prestigious PR firm, they asked, “Who is a respected opinion leader?”

Findings:

“68 percent of respondents said: ‘A person like yourself or your peer’ is the most credible spokesperson about your company.”

Isn’t that what we just said? A member of the club (or even more passionate than you), or your peer or better? Someone like you or even more so?

Regular marketers have a much bigger hill to climb than network marketers. Many don’t use what they market, and they don’t market it because the products have changed their lives. They are usually NOT a member of the community of those who care about X.

They just try to sell stuff to people who care about X.

People who care about X, being consumers, don’t like buying from people who really don’t care about X in their own hearts and lives.

We want to buy X from X lovers.

X lovers are X opinion leaders.

A good executive coaching program should do more than just set you up with a speaker reading over a PowerPoint presentation. Team up your senior leaders with a good corporate coaching program, and you could be discussing fostering relationships, building strategy, and improving revenue and communications all while hitting the slopes, climbing a mountain or rafting some white water. It’s easy to connect in an environment where you can be creative, and think outside the box.

A good leadership system can make all the difference in your organization. It effects; communication, human performance, accountability, delivery and measurement. A one-on-one approach, and a program that is tailored to suit your organization’s specific needs, is the best choice in executive coaching.

There are a few important things to consider if you want to engage in an executive coaching program. Look for a company that will provide you with someone who is more than just a speaker. You want to be paired up with someone who will be a trusted advisor to you as your organization grows and changes. Also, a good coaching program will include industry consultants to provide expert advice in some technical areas. Talk to your consultant about the specific goals you want your leadership program to meet. Every business or organization needs direction in a different area or department. This is what makes a one-on-one coaching program so unique; you work on meeting goals where your company needs it the most.

Leadership programs will be the management-training affairs you are attractive for. Aswell as acceptable able training, they will advice you accretion aplomb and self-respect, things that are actual accessible in your clandestine life. These programs are assuredly a actual able way to accretion the assurances that you will charge to be accessible for a affluent career and life.

I apperceive from acquaintance that a leadership programs can calmly advance and absolute a being because I accept been teaching administration courses for years. If you go to a leadership programs with the appropriate attitude, assured that you admiration success, you will become a altogether afflicted person. Naturally, there are bodies who claiming the call of the administration programs. The success of the administration programs depends usually on the way they are taught. As bodies who advise administration programs are different, as altered are the profits you can booty from administration programs. From adolescent bodies to older, all of them accomplish the best use of any blazon of administration programs. You can accept amid about altered administration programs, although about all of them accept some axiological elements in common.

One of the key apparatus of all leadership programs is that they are aiming to body up abilities to assignment in a team. Some leadership programs alike access this architecture of team-working abilities as the centermost of the accomplished administration program. As an example, I will acquaint you that I accept heard about administration programs which centermost on the accomplishing of concrete tasks as appropriation every affiliate of the accumulation over a wall.

Of course, the point of this is not to accretion beef accumulation but to apprentice how to assignment as a team. This allotment of the administration programs will advise you how to seek anniversary member’s strengths and weaknesses. Administration programs will advise you how to leave abaft the airs you accept and to put all your strengths into the accumulation work. This is apparently the best important assignment that the approaching baton will apprentice from the administration program.

The additional axiological basic of administration programs is that administration programs usually tend to accent on aplomb and self-esteem. A baton should be aboriginal of all self-confident. A administration affairs has to advise you how to be assertive that aggregate you say is important. The leaders accept not become leaders because they are added capable, or added able than added bodies are. Surprisingly, it may about-face out absolutely the adverse thing. The leaders accept become leaders because they added aplomb than the added bodies to argue that what they say is important.

When giving out the handouts to your listeners, remember to choose the right time. It is not recommended to give them out right away at the beginning of your speech. This will only make the listeners tend to lose focus. It is important in public speaking to catch the attention of your audience at the start of the speech.

Also inform them that you will be giving out handouts so that the listeners will need not to take down notes while you are talking. Making handouts available will make your audience focus and absorb everything that you say. That is because writing while listening to your speech will only divide their attention.

You may want to use colorful papers if your audience is also kids. Adding drawings can also make it interesting but do not use too much or else they will only concentrate on the drawings that they see.

On the handouts, you can include the objectives of your speech and the things that you expect from your listeners. Do not put the entire speech on the handout. If you put everything that you have to say on the handouts, the listeners will no longer listen to you.

You may also place in it the outline of your speech, a brief introduction and the things that you will discuss. You may also want to include the start time and the end time of your speech and allocate the time when they would like to ask questions. This will allow you to follow your outline and they may reserve their questions for the time you listed on the handouts.

You can also incorporate some activities at the end of the handout. Put a space where they can write and jot down the answers on the activity that you will put at the end of the handout. Adding a space where they can write is also effective so that they may be able to jot down some important points that you have mentioned and are not listed on the handouts.

At the end of the handout, you may also include some information about yourself. You may put your name, nickname or even hobbies to add some spice. This is one way that your listeners will be able remember you by.

Handouts are very beneficial to making you an effective public speaker. Make them ready all the time and make sure that they will last. Handouts are ways that your listeners can remember you; that is why it is important that you make them unique and valuable.

As the new head of his own command Michael only became more resolved.  “In my induction ceremony, my predecessor left to cheers.  The crew was actually clapping as he and his family departed.  I knew then that command and control leadership was dead.”

“A lot of people do whatever it takes to secure the next promotion.  All I ever wanted to do in the navy was to command a ship.  I did not care if I ever got promoted again.  And that attitude enabled me to do the right things for my people instead of doing the right things for my career.  Along the way, it was my people that created the results that ensured my next promotion.”

The solution was to establish a system of beliefs that Michael calls GrassRoots Leadership – a process of replacing command and control with commitment and cohesion by engaging the hearts, minds, and loyalties of workers.

In his book, It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from The Best Damn Ship in the Navy, Michael states that, “The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew.”

To Michael, this meant interviewing every single person on his ship, from the most senior officer to the newest recruit — an experience that began to generate the most invaluable ideas, often from the most unexpected sources.  For example, through one of these meetings Michael was able to address one of the most demoralizing roles of the crew: relentless chipping and painting had always been a standard task for a ship’s youngest sailors, the individuals that Michael most wanted to connect with.  One of these sailors simply suggested replacing the rusting hardware with stainless-steel nuts and bolts.

“I took our credit card and bought the stainless steel hardware that day,” Michael commented.  “Those guys didn’t pick up a paintbrush the rest of the time I was on board.” Today, the entire navy uses that process – a solution that began from GrassRoots efforts.

GrassRoots Leadership is a philosophy that empowers every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence.  GrassRoots Leadership has as its core tenets:

• Lead by Example – GrassRoots Leaders know they must first change their own attitudes and behaviors before expecting their crew to change.

• Listen Aggressively – GrassRoots Leaders don’t simply listen, they hear what their people are telling them.  They know that those on the front lines are the most familiar with how operations can be more effective.

• Communicate Purpose and Meaning – GrassRoots Leaders help their crew understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.

• Create a Climate of Trust – GrassRoots Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their crew.  Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.

• Look for Results, Not Salutes – GrassRoots Leaders maximize performance by making their people grow.  They succeed only where their people succeed.

• Take Calculated Risks – GrassRoots Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks is instrumental in maximizing performance.

• Go Beyond Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – GrassRoots Leaders look at standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP doesn’t change as rapidly as the environment and competition.  Therefore, they foster a climate that encourages people to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish their mission.

• Strengthen Others/Build Up Your People – GrassRoots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.

• Generate Unity – GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes.  By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.

• Cultivate Quality of Life – GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience.  They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

By every measure, these principles were able to achieve breakthrough results.  Personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%.  The rate of military promotions tripled, and operating expenses were slashed by 25%.  USS Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.

His first book, It’s Your Ship, has sold over hundreds of thousands of copies and is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller.  While receiving accolades from such business-minded entities as Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and others, perhaps the greatest testament to Michael’s leadership style is represented by one of his crew, who published the following review of It’s Your Ship on Amazon.com:

Reviewer: EW3 Holly (Davis) Simpson from Louisville, KY  December 11, 2003

I am a plankowner* of the Benfold and admired Capt. Abrashoff’s leadership.  His superior leadership brought the morale of our ship from just ordinary shipboard life to a ship that many in the fleet wanted to become a part of.  Our ship was a show-piece and we were proud to carry out his orders.

What could have been a horribly desolate six months on deployment, including the holidays spent in the Gulf in 97-98, turned into a memorable experience for all, thanks to Capt.  Abrashoff who even made UnRep a grand event! We learned from him that although we had a VERY important job to conduct, we were rewarded with pride in our accomplishments.  Capt.  Abrashoff was a very approachable Commanding Officer, an experience I had never encountered in the military and has been rare while employed with state government.  He made an effort to see that his crew not only did their jobs exceptionally well, but that we enjoyed the festivities he provided for the ship while in port.

I have read his fantastic book, reliving all the memories of my Benfold life and have used his leadership knowledge to become a successful professional in the “civilian” world.  To the readers who feel Capt.  Abrashoff is “arrogant” in his leadership style–I think if you had as awesome a ship as the Benfold to be a part of, you would be extremely proud of it and the leadership that made it such a fine place to spend a few years of your life.

*a plankowner is a member of the crew of a ship when it’s first commissioned

Michael Abrashoff is originally from Altoona, Pennsylvania and is a 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis.  He currently resides in Arlington, Virginia and has recently published his second book, Get Your Ship Together.

Terence R. Traut is the president of Entelechy, Inc., a company that helps organizations unlock the potential of their people through customized training programs in the areas of sales, management, customer service, and training.  Terence can be reached at 603-424-1237 or ttraut@unlockit.com.  Check out Entelechy’s website at www.unlockit.com.

Maybe the assistant noticed you entering and offered you a smile and said hello. They are telling you that you are welcome in their space both physically and mentally. Compare this with a shop where you were completely ignored until you went to pay for something. What message are you getting there?

What is rapport?

Rapport is the art of being ‘in tune’ with the people around you. Good rapport will enable you to let others know that you are interested in them, that you care about what they have to say and are keen to understand them. It sends them a message that there is common ground and creates a sense of consideration, respect and trust.

Good rapport lies at the heart of your effective communication. It enables you to get people’s attention and for them to take onboard what you have to say. Good rapport comes from body language and how you say things through the tonality and rhythm of your voice. Together, body language and how you say your words make up 93% of your communication. What you say is only 7%!

Of course, when interacting with others our communication can be non-verbal using just our body language. How are you communicating right now?

I’m sure that you have experienced a situation where within a group of people one person makes a suggestion and you just know that others don’t agree – even if they remain silent. What tells you that they don’t agree and feel comfortable with the suggestion? Those of you who are in agreement will probably be sharing the same body language; they may be more animated in the discussion, and as such will be actively buying in to the idea.

Those that disagree can do so without having to say or do a thing. All they need to do is withdraw their rapport in some way; maybe though pulling back in their seat, crossing their arms, closing their book or leaving the room. Maybe, through all those things if they really wanted to make a point!

So, assuming that we have some words to say, how can we maximise our tonality and body language to ensue that we have good rapport when saying them?

How to get into rapport with people.

Matching and mirroring are the two main ways to establish rapport. People that are in rapport have a certain rhythm to their voice and body movements.

Voice Tonality and Rhythm. This is 38% of your communication. The tone of your voice and the pace that you talk affects the message that you are trying to portray. People use different tones and speeds when talking. Do your best to adjust your voice to come closer to their way of talking.

Try it yourself – say something cheerful in a sad voice and see how it comes across, then switch it around and say something sad in an upbeat voice. What message are you receiving in each case?

What about when someone is talking to you and you are distracted by something else, maybe something you see? Does your voice respond in an interested manner, and does your body language bear this out?

Body language. How you hold and use your body makes up 55% of your communication. Use your body to match people’s body movements. There will be a certain pattern and rhythm to their movements that you can copy.

It’s wise to pay attention to this even if you have good intentions for doing otherwise. You could easily be misinterpreted.

How about if that shop assistant smiles and says hello but without looking at you – does that feel the same? Maybe she was preparing next week’s stock.

What if two assistants are chatting while you are in their shop even whilst politely serving you? Does the rapport exist between them or between you and them?

What if in a work environment you ask somebody to do something for you and they agree quite nicely but you can see them tense up or see their body sink slightly lower in their chair? Are they really happy to do this for you or are speech and body telling different stories?

All together now!

The next time you communicate think about rapport a little. Is it good or not? What makes it good? How could you use your body language and voice to improve rapport?

And stick with it. It can seem odd at times whilst you practice but when it becomes second nature you’ll become a more natural communicator.

As commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command from 2000 through 2003, Franks faced and overcame some of America’s greatest challenges, from the attack on the USS Cole, to the devastation of September 11th, to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  A highly decorated four-star general, Tommy Franks led a coalition of more than 60 nations — and 250,000 troops — to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq, winning respect and admiration at home and abroad.

Franks has always been a student of leadership recognizing that the military environment presents some of the greatest challenges for leaders.  Acknowledging that, “no one hates war like a soldier hates war,” Franks – the “soldier’s soldier” – recognizes the challenges facing military leaders in motivating and encouraging their troops during these disturbing times.  Franks illustrates how the challenges facing his military leaders are similar in many ways to the challenges we face in motivating our own “troops” in our companies and organizations.

Likewise, leadership – in whatever arena – requires flexibility and confidence.  As Franks likes to quote, “No plan ever survived first contact with the enemy.”  As leaders, it’s not enough that we plan.  Franks suggests that we must plan for “first contact” when our flexibility, creativity, and ability to regroup and redirect our troops is most important.  In today’s chaotic marketplace, effective leaders demonstrate this flexibility along with conviction and confidence.

Importantly, leadership isn’t about grandstanding or hype.  Tommy Franks –unlike his predecessor, “Stormin’” Norman Schwartzkopf – has been called “reclusive” and “a quiet warrior”.  However, Franks ISN’T shy; he simply doesn’t believe that showboating and flamboyant leadership is effective nor does it have a place at the top.  Effective leadership comes from seeing it like it is – from the front lines – and telling it like it is – from the heart.

Tommy Franks recently authored American Soldier, (HarperCollins, Aug 2004) in which Franks retraces his journey from small-town boyhood to his role as one of history’s most effective commanders.  Drawing on his own memories and newly declassified records, Franks offers the first true insider’s account of the war on terrorism.  He speaks frankly of intelligence shortcomings and of the WMD threats that shaped each battle plan.  And, while he writes candidly of the war’s aftermath, Franks shows that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq remain heroic victories – wars of liberation won by troops “unequalled,” he writes, “by anything in the annals of war.”

The book – and the man – is more than simply a recounting of military history; it/he is a study of leadership at its best.  Some Franks-isms include:

• You don’t manage a group of soldiers up a hill under fire; you lead them.  (Tommy Franks on the difference between management and leadership.)

• During my months in combat, I’d come to understand that a soldier owes loyalty to his unit and to his boss.  A leader must be able to count on the complete support of his subordinates.  …however, loyalty not only flows up the chain of command: it [must] flow down as well.

• …being in charge doesn’t automatically mean you know what’s going on.

• (Speaking to his officers)  If a trooper comes to you with a problem, remember this: It’s your problem, and it’s my problem.  We’re not going to lose good soldiers because we don’t give a rat’s ass about them as people.

• In war, it is necessary that commanders be able to delay their emotions until they can afford them.

• (Speaking to the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Look, you guys have a three-star who commands a service component for me, and represents the service expertise we need to put together a joint plan.  It’s best to let those guys know your ideas.  And then trust them to work for all of us to build a cohesive approach, rather than a patchwork of service interests.

• I defer to no man in my love of troopers; I still consider myself a soldier.  But it’s often been necessary in our nation’s history to fight for our freedoms, and it’s never been more necessary than today.  It seems to me that fighting terrorism has more to do with our kids and grandkids than with us.

• Haul ass and bypass.  (Strategy attributed to General George Patton recognizing that the ultimate objective of any campaign is the enemy’s center of gravity.  This same strategy served as Franks’ basis for the invasion of Iraq.)

• If we had to do it all over again – armed with what we know today – I’m sure some of the decisions would be different.  I am not at all sure, however, that all the different decisions would be better.  (Tommy Franks reflecting on postwar Iraq.)

• Ain’t this a great country.  (Tommy Franks reflecting on the opportunity afforded everyone in the U.S.)

• Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligence quotient.  (Eugene S. Wilson – featured on the Tommy Franks website: www.tommyfranks.com)

Terence R. Traut is the president of Entelechy, Inc., a company that helps organizations unlock the potential of their people through customized training programs in the areas of sales, management, customer service, and training.  Terence can be reached at 603-424-1237 or ttraut@unlockit.com.  Check out Entelechy’s website at www.unlockit.com.