I Can’t Hear You, It’s Dark in Here

Working with companies, owners and executives who are in distress forces me to be creative in the ways to get them to take action.  Sometimes it’s easy – layout the plan, create the steps for the turnaround and execute.  Sometimes it’s not so easy – as this true story goes:

My client, a solo entrepreneur, is in the business of helping companies save money thru his relationships with key suppliers.  He makes money only when they save money (shared savings model).

Business has been slow because his sales funnel is at or near empty.  He gets his leads thru referrals, networking and cold calling.  Referrals are slow to come, his networking has not been fruitful (he’s in the wrong groups) and he HATES to cold call.  He thinks cold calling is akin to the door to door salesman (the traveling medicine show of the west) and he would rather not make the call than be known as a salesman (Hmmmmm… think hurdle!)

I call to follow up on our last coaching session to find out how he’s doing.  He says fine but he has “hired” someone to make the calls, has not made a call in the last 10 days and has near nothing in the sales funnel.  As nice as I could I told him this (as close to verbatim as possible)”get your head out of you’re a**, do you think your s*** doesn’t stink? Stop assuming the prospect on the other side thinks you’re a salesman, get an appointment!”

After a brief pause he says, “I have the visual, I got it.”  I let it go, told him to make 20 cold calls and report back to me via email.  He reported the next day, 20 cold calls, 2 appointments.  I wrote back, “How does that make you feel?  Pretty good?  Congrats.” 

He wrote back, “I can’t hear you, it’s dark in here.  Thanks.”

He finally got it!  Getting your head out to see the light can begin to show results.   We’ll see if he now follows through.

Do you have your head somewhere where you can’t see the obivious?

I Hate My BlackBerry (Droid, I Phone...) or Am I an Instrument of Efficiency

I’ve just finished watching a commercial for a new Droid phone (you can put another name in its place).  Am I to believe I can be more efficient and more effective by answering emails IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING? 

I have so many issues with the commercial and what it attempts to sell I want to SCREAM! Let’s start with:

1.       Simple respect – to take a call or answer an email during a meeting or presentation is just rude.  Have we forgotten manners?

2.       Listening – by taking your attention from the meeting and the issue being discussed you CANNOT be listening.  If you are not listening, how can you be engaged?

3.       Distraction – if you think answering a call or answering an email is not distracting to others, you are kidding yourself.  If you are their distraction, how can they be listening?

4.        Focusing – what is your definition?  Clearly, it is different than mine.

What I believe is we are not more efficient or effective with all this technology around us.  How many times a day while working on a project do you read and answer new “urgent” emails as they arrive?  How many times a day do you answer your mobile phone when it rings to take an “urgent” call from a friend or significant other?  How often do you stop what you are doing to sneak a peek at your Facebook account or personal email? 

HOW MUCH IS YOUR INATTENTION AND DISTACTED TIME WORTH IN DOLLARS AND CENTS?

Let me be clear, technology has helped make me be better but most of us have let it take control of us because we BELIEVE we are being more efficient and effective. 

IT’S TIME TO TAKE CONTROL BACK, IT’S TIME TO REMEMBER “LESS IS MORE”

1.       Leave the devices behind.  Respect the people in the meeting.  Their time is valuable too.

2.       Pay attention and listen.  If it’s that important someone will interrupt the meeting and believe me, IT’S NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

3.       Set an example.  If you pay attention and listen you cannot be the distraction.  Others will follow your example.

4.       My definition of focus is simple, being able to understand, ask pertinent questions, challenge where appropriate and come to a conclusion or decision. Finishing the task at hand.

It’s about doing one thing at a time and doing it to the best of your ability.  Put away the ________ (you fill in the blank) where appropriate.  Listen, focus on what is right in front of you and become THE Instrument of Efficiency.