I have been asked quite a bit lately if I could provide a link to, or some additional information regarding body language as a result of our discussions with clients. Please find below a great starting point, from Allan Pease. I hope you enjoy the book, How to read others thoughs by their Gestures - Allan Pease.

Body Language - How To Read Others Thoughts By Their Gestures - Allan Pease

View more documents from Ayman Sarhan

3 Reasons why management need to focus on leadership and review organisational focuses and strategy.

3 Reasons why management need to focus on leadership and review organisational focuses and strategy.

1. Effective Organisations and Leaders Have Higher Retention

Infinity Performance Solutions consulting and training programs will help you and your organization by:

·         Developing the hidden talents of individuals and teams

·         Teaching your executive leaders the power of empathy

·         Creating an environment of respect, trust, and mutual support

·         Focusing leadership on change that can improve retention

·         Encouraging open communication

“A Gallup Organization study of two million employees at seven hundred companies found that how long an employee stays at a company and how productive she or he is there is determined by their relationship with their immediate boss.”

 Your competitors are not just trying to lure your customers, but your top employees and managers as well with promises of bigger salaries and better benefits. At the same time, your customers are demanding better and faster products and services. If your leaders and associates aren't happy, they are not likely to make your customers happy.

Your company’s years of investment in growth and industry leadership can be overcome without a concerted effort to improve leadership skills. This is the area where EI will help to improve the performance of your organization by increasing employee retention, customer retention, and ultimately shareholder value.

  2. Effective Organisations and Leaders Are More Productive

Leadership and Organisational development is about training prospective leaders to deal successfully with other people, to manage themselves, and to motivate others by understanding their own feelings and appropriately responding to the everyday environment. Ineffective strategies in the workplace are the most common cause of productivity decreases and Infinity Performance Solutions training is focused on eliminating these destructive behaviours.

Top performing sales clerks are 12 times more productive than those at the bottom and 85 percent more productive than an average performer. About one-third of this difference is due to technical skill and cognitive ability while two-thirds is due to emotional competence (Goleman, 1998).

An executive leadership development strategy should be a top priority of any company, and by incorporating effective leadership and organisational development into the training culture, the organization can enjoy higher productivity.

3. Effective Organisations and Leaders Exemplify Greater Customer Service:

Customers are impressed with energized employees and with companies that “walk the talk” in the area of leadership development. In fact they more often than not demand it. Excellent customer service turns new customers into repeat customers.  Organisational and leadership training enable corporations to enhance their image in the eyes of their customers and, as a result, increase repeat business.  

The reasons for losing customers and clients are 70% EQ-related (e.g., didn’t like that company’s customer service) (Forum Corporation on Manufacturing and Service Companies, 1989 – 1995).

Employees need support and leadership because customer service starts at the top.  Every management decision makes employees' lives easier or ties their hands.  If your management focus is on creating a company culture of service, you must motivate, train, and enable your leaders to deliver excellent customer service. Infinity Performance Solutions leadership development programs help your professional staff make this kind of positive contribution to the company image and value.

Visit Us at http://www.ipsgroup.com.au/

Upgrade to the NEW TAE40110 Cert IV in Training & Assessment

Now available through Infinity Performance Solutions

TAE40110: Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

In broad terms, the qualifications presented in TAE10 Training and Education Training Package reflect the view that training delivered in the VET environment is in fact a component of the wider educational delivery footprint.

A particular issue with TAE40110 Certificate IV Training and Assessment is the target market for this qualification. While there are many applications where Certificate IV qualifications can be identified as being fit-for-purpose for a wide client base, this qualification assumes that the learner is engaged in a training and education environment or has a vocational skill at a level that supports training and education in the subject area in which it is intended to teach.

This qualification reflects the roles of individuals delivering training and assessment services in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

Achievement of this qualification or an equivalent by trainers and assessors is a requirement of the Australian Quality Training Framework Essential Standards for Registration (Standard 1 as outlined in Appendix 2 of the Users' Guide to the Essential Standards for Registration).

This qualification, or the skill sets derived from units of competency within it, is also suitable preparation for those engaged in the delivery of training and assessment of competence in a workplace context, as a component of a structured VET program.

Job roles associated with this qualification relate to the delivery of training and assessment of competence within the VET sector. Possible job titles and roles relevant to this qualification include:

• enterprise trainer
• enterprise assessor
• registered training organisation (RTO) trainer
• RTO assessor
• training adviser or training needs analyst
• vocational education teacher.

Online Expression of Interest Application Form

See the detailed course outline here

The Art of Leadership through Golf.wmv

Open letter to a Management Client "Managing Change"

Dear Management Client,

You may recall that during a meeting earlier this year we discussed the constant change occurring in your business and I mentioned that managing change of an area of expertise. I committed at the time to writing to you and sharing with you the way change management theory may be of use. Let me start by saying I wish I could say that I am about to give you the solution to all issues you discussed with me, unfortunately as I know you are aware that is certainly not the reality of managing change. Here I hope to summarise the change management considerations I was exposed too. In doing so I have endeavoured to provide links to the references mentioned so that you may review further any of the theories that may assist you in your current organisation, you will also find at the end of this letter a list of references that may be of use.

I recall you mentioned a number of change factors both internal and external that were driving change in your organisation. External change influences including competitor activity such as price reductions and the introduction of new products to market; Customer behavioural change, preferences or perception of value changes; Economic influences including the recent ‘global financial crisis’ which impacted your sales with a 10% drop in a month; Legislative influences including changes to laws such as industrial relations. Internal influences included efficiency and productivity initiatives as well as suggested improvements coming from internal customers (or staff) based on your total quality management program. One could add to his list of change drivers to include, technology; social, culture and the exponential growth of access to information (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 40). You discussed the pain this constant change creates in terms of increased anxiety and the unanticipated consequences that result. I hope below to provide a summary of the key themes that may assist with the issues you articulated, or at least promote consideration for options available.

The key themes I would like to cover include the need to understand change, strategy and change, organisational change theories, change management tools, human resources influence on change, organisational culture, leadership, organisational politics and the measurement and evaluation of change.

As you well articulated there are a myriad of influences for change and so I will not take up your time restating these. Rather I would make the statement that change involves a complex set of interacting influence. One may propose then that the goal should not be to understand the change process per se but rather to enhance the understanding of change more broadly, of the necessity for it, and the inevitability of it.

The context of the change is one such consideration, it may be incremental, continuous, singular, transactional or transformational (Graetz et al. 2006). Understanding the type of change you face has ramifications for the approach to managing change. The organisational context for change must also be considered, Salman and Asch (2003) discuss changeas involving organisational structural change, a process change, a cultural change or a combination of these. One can see how the outcome or goal of your change initiative based on the context above can assist in the management of change by enhancing an awareness of both the desired outcome and the reason for the change. An enhanced understanding also results in consideration of appropriate methods for managing change, the time that may be required and the level of consultation that may be needed for success to result. Managing any change successfully will require a conscious awareness of these contexts; if this awareness does not exist one could see how anxiety, conflict and resistance would permeate the environment. To understand change one must be reminded that change is in fact a human process and as such one must consider human behaviour in the change process, particularly the, reason for and adjustment to change (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 334).

In fact here we begin to see the impact of leadership in this process. An interesting consideration is raised by Barker and Sarros (2002, pp. 3) in their review of ‘transformational leadership’ defined as a style of leadership that it is future orientated and change focused and that generates followership through personalised interactions, consistency and situational specific motivations. The authors describe well the behaviours required of such a leader in a constantly changing environment and include leadership behaviours that exhibit, role modelling, consistency, reinforcing their future visions, transparency, integrity, effective communication, taking time to know followers, encouraging others to think of new ways and then encouraging rather than disparaging unsuccessful attempts and breaking down barriers to change. These behaviours highlight the impact a leader may have on creating an environment conducive to change.

With such complexity, taking a strategic approach to change, meaning taking a systematic approach to capturing information, analysing and making decisions based on this analysis, is a key consideration. Change is non-linear, but dynamic and flexible (McMurray, Morgan & Deftereos 2009, p. 14) and as such to reduce ambiguity in the environment taking a strategic approach to managing change can reduce negative impacts such as unanticipated consequences for both people, the organisation and the resulting success of the initiative. Strategic approaches may include a personal change approach, such as the four-stage personal change model discussed by Carlopio, Andrewartha & Armstrong (2005), who suggest organisations don’t change it, is people that do. This four-stage approach includes Unlearning, Changing, Relearning and Institutionalising change, and is, based on Kurt Lewin’s three step model, generally including the Unfreezing, Moving and Refreezing. Each stage has a set of criteria that must be achieved in order to progress to the next. Lewin’s stages were based on force field analysis theory which describes the balance between driving and opposing change forces (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 114; Burnes 2004) and is a useful way of analysing and understanding change, preparedness, progress, rate and probability of success in an organisation.

An alternate to personal change theory is, organisational strategic planning such as Mintzberg’s, ‘Five Ps Strategy’ for organisational change defined as a plan, a ploy, a pattern, a position and a perspective (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 73). This approach focuses more on the organisation process and systems that must be employed to manage change. A limitation however here is that change is not an either / or process as these models might suggest. Change may also not be a process conducive to the prescriptive approaches described in these theories; it is perhaps the combining of these approaches that may yield most benefit. The combining elements of linear and adaptive strategic views are discussed by Weick (2001) and assist with the attempt to understand the chaos that is the organisation.

The concept then of ‘strategic thinking’ (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 79) then emerged with a focus concerning the constant shifting and evolutionary requirements of the modern organisation, as opposed to the traditional longer term strategies previously proposed. Strategic thinking is concerned with enabling ‘dynamic abilities’ (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 78) of those in the environment to plan for, deal with, manage or lead the inevitable and necessary change. Perhaps this is what John Kotter had in mind when developing, ‘The 8 step process’, which he describes as a holistic approach to managing change (Kotter 2010).

Another approach to organisational change theory was Dunphy and Stace’s situational model (Stace & Dunphy 2001) here an explanation is offered for how different management strategies relate to the differing circumstances an organisation may be faced with at the time. That is, that a different approach to managing the change may be required dependant on the scale of change (Stace & Dunphy 2001). However a concern with this approach may include the inconsistency of management practice and the effect this may have on stability for the relationships between leaders and followers in the organisational environment. A more balanced approach that includes consideration for the politics of change, the context of change and the substance of change may be found in Dawson’s processual framework (Dawson 2001). While Dawson considers situational factors as in Stace and Dunphy model there are key differences. Including managers becoming facilitators of the process rather than the doers; change is considered a continuous process best occurring in small to medium increments engaging multiple levels of the organisation where change focus is more politic-social than analytical-rational. Key activities include continuous information gathering (both external and internal), analysis, communication, discussion, engagement, and learning. This approach appears to have merit based on the rate, speed and constant change requirements that a modern organisation faces.
You discussed your organisations utilisation of change management tools and specifically discussed total quality management; a consideration to make here is the application of the tool. Widely regarded as the father of the continuous improvement movement Edward Deming’s TQM model must be considered for appropriateness in the following contexts. Firstly Deming was a man of his time, where it may be argued that change was not occurring at the exponential rate that we experience today. With this in mind whilst the principles may still be valid the timeframes with which we have to apply the principles should be considered. Further the cultural context where the principles are to be applied should be reviewed. Much of Deming’s quality movement was based on his work in the Japanese culture (Graetz et al. 2006, p. 125), a collective society with considerably differing cultural attribute to our individualistic society and workplace. These cultural differences should be considered when reviewing the stringent and systematic requirements of TQM particularly when combined with the requirements for precise and uniform application of outcomes of TQM by the workforce. Perhaps we should also be reminded of Deming’s other key contribution to continuous improvement, the, Plan, Do, Check and Act (PDCA) cycle, and in fact consider (the Check phase) if the TQM model in its traditional form is the most appropriate model for the organisation.

Another interesting theme is the need to continually review and align the human resource management of our organisations with the organisational strategy. As I am sure you have already picked up throughout this letter change management in the modern context is heavily concerned with the development of individuals in the environment to deal with, manage, contribute to or lead change. With this in mind the approach of human resource management must be to ensure alignment of HR strategies to the requirements of the organisational strategy. Perhaps HR’s role could best be redefined as facilitating the emergence of the learning organisation with the goal of an organisations ability to learn faster than its competitors being considered a source of competitive advantage (McMurray, Morgan & Deftereos 2009, p. 30).

The final topic I wish to include is leadership; in fact this really is three topics in one as leadership arguably depicts organisational culture, politics and the measurement and evaluation of change. One may suggest that leadership really sets the environment that enables these themes to contribute positively to organisational change or not. Some key questions to ask to this regard might include the following; are we managing an organisation which is highly focused on maintaining a status quo or are we in fact leading an organisation which as I referred to early as future and change orientated? Has the leadership defined an overarching consolidating goal that allows collaboration across the organisational functions? Has the leadership allowed for the inclusivity, empowerment, and collaborative efforts of all the human resources of the organisation to engage in the necessary and inevitable change of a modern organisation? To what extent has leadership within the organisation considered the impact of power and politics on the success or otherwise of change? A review of these aspects may reveal whether a shift from an old style of high command and control management that may not be conducive to change practice in the modern workplace to a more conducive collaborative approach has occurred.

I know I have not here provided the silver bullet that will reduce the pain you so clearly articulated that your organisation is feeling. Based on the numerous and complex interacting internal and external change drivers you articulate however, I hope I have been able to provide some themes for you to consider and a summary overview of a number of aspects that may move an organisation toward embracing change as an inevitable and in fact necessary way of organisational life.

I wish you all the best in your endeavours to manage change in your organisation and encourage you to review some of the references and visit some of the links provided in this letter.

Yours Sincerely,
Tony Pearson
www.ipsgroup.com.au



References
Barker, C. & Sarros, J. 2002, Inside the minds of Australian Executives (online), http://www.aim.com.au/research/AIM_abls_whatausleaderswant.pdf [Accessed 1 September 2010]
Burnes, B 2004, Managing change: a strategic approach to organisational dynamics, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, Harlow, pp. 288-316.
Burnes, B 2004, 'The planned approach to organisational change', in Managing Change : a strategic approach to organisational dynamics, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, Harlow, pp. 267-285.
Carlopio, J, Andrewartha, G & Armstrong, H 2005, 'Chapter 12, pt.4. Group skills', in Developing management skills: a comprehensive guide for leaders, 3rd ed, Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest, pp. 660-673.
Dawson, P 2001, 'Organisational change', in Wiesner, R & Millet, B (eds), Management and organisational behaviour, Wiley, Milton, pp. 211-223.
Graetz, F, Rimmer, M, Lawrence, A & Smith, A 2006, Managing Organisational Change, 2nd Australasian edn, Wiley, Milton QLD.
Kotter, J 2010, Kotter International, Because change is essential, The 8 step process, viewed 2 September 2010, http://www.kotterinternational.com/KotterPrinciples/ChangeSteps.aspx.
McMurray, D., Morgan, K. & Deftereos, C. 2009, MNG00166 Managing Change: Study Guide, 3rd edn, Southern Cross University, Lismore.
Salaman, G & Asch, D 2003, Strategy and capability: sustaining organisational change, Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 1-22.
Southern Cross University 2009, Book of Readings, MNG00166 Managing Change, 3rd edn, Lismore
Stace, D & Dunphy, D 2001, 'Translating business strategy into action: transitions, transformations, turnarounds', in Beyond the boundaries: leading and re-creating the successful enterprise, 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill, Sydney, pp. 103-149.
Weick, K 2001, 'Chapter 15. Substitutes for strategy', in Making sense of the organization, Blackwell, London, pp. 345-355.

The Art of Leadership through Golf

Check it out now at http://www.ipsgroup.com.au/

Infinity Performance Solutions Online Nationally Recognised Qualifications now available

Infinity Performance Solutions Online Nationally Recognised Qualification
Training Solutions now available.


Online: ELEARNING PROGRAMS

Infinity Performance Solutions is currently offering the following Nationally Recognised Training solutions via our online learning platform supported with monthly webinars for support:


BSB40807 Certificate IV in Frontline Management
BSB40507 Certificate IV in Business Administration
BSB40607 Certificate IV in Business Sales


These courses are supported with 8, 2 hour monthly webinars. Participants are able to complete training and assessment activities with the flexibility that online learning provides. A 2 hour webinar with an allocated trainer/assessor each month for 8 months provides participants support with training content and assessment activities that are integrated into the online elearning.


To simplify the process for you Infinity Performance Solutions will:

1. Assisting you to source funding through our preferred Apprenticeships centre

2. Organising your accredited training through our preferred RTOs

3. Support participants over the duration of the learning toward successful completion.


The employer benefits by:

1. Increased performance

2. Improved productivity

3. Higher profitability

4. More motivated staff

5. Improved staff retention

6. Becoming an employer of choice.


The accredited employee benefits by:

1. Nationally recognised qualification

2. Job satisfaction

3. Promotion prospects

4. Up-to-date skills.


Investment Options

IPS Certificate IV qualifications have a course fee of $3900. We have 2 payment options:

1. A single upfront payment which attracts a discount to a total of $3500, or,

2. An upfront enrolment fee of $500, then 8 x $425 payable prior to monthly attendance for each session, total investment $3900.

* All fees are non-refundable.


Note: For all eligible participants the Federal Government Funding of $4000 per eligible participant will cover in full the course cost over the duration of the training.


Next step:

Contact us to find out more, check out our website for more details (www.ipsgroup.com.au) or complete our Eligibility Assessment Form and return via fax or email.


ELIGIBILITY CONFIRMATION PROCESS

You will be contacted within 3 days by an Infinity Performance Solutions representative with advice on your Eligibility Form and Federal Government Funding opportunities

Thank you for your participation, please return this questionnaire as soon as possible to secure your position as numbers are limited.


*Australian Apprenticeship Incentive Program Guidelines are subject to change at any time without notice.


COURSE OFFERINGS

Full details of each course can be found at www.ipsgroup.com.au.


Nationally Recognised Qualifications Webinar Commence Dates:

Cert IV in Frontline Management
12th August 2010

Cert IV in Business Administration
13th August 2010

Cert IV in Business Sales
16th August 2010

WEBINAR AND ELEARNING DETAILS

Venue confirmation based on final numbers and will be sent through upon course application after eligibility assessment

Webinar Timing: 10:00 am – 12:00pm on a monthly schedule supplied upon enrolment. Invitations to webinar are sent monthly.

ELearning Platform: Infinity Performance Solutions will send an invitation to enrol you into course, upon successful application. At this point you will be able to access all learning and assessment activities for your qualification.


STANDOUT FROM THE CROWD AND GIVE US A CALL


Infinity Performance Solutions

Tony Pearson

Director / Corporate Consultant

Mobile: 0412 412 577

Tel: 02 9863 1536

Fax: 02 9896 0357

Web: http://www.ipsgroup.com.au

Email: tony@ipsgroup.com.au

$4000 Government Funding for Nationally Recognised Training

Are you missing out on your $4000 per employee government funding to train your people? Do you know how to access $4,000 of government funding for accredited training per eligible employee?

Nationally Recognised Training

Infinity Performance Solutions is not an RTO, instead we partner with a number of Australia's leading Registered Training Organisation's (RTO's) in order to ensure we match your needs with the right total solution for your business.

Are you missing out on your $4000 per employee government funding to train your people? Do you know how to access $4,000 of government funding for accredited training per eligible employee?

Only a small proportion of organisations realise they qualify for government funded training in the form of traineeship incentives.

The Federal Government has recognised the need for up skilling Workers in Australia and has allocated funding as an incentive for employers to participate in the Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships schemes.

For those of your staff who are eligible (usually those with no prior tertiary qualification) your organisation receives government funding for accredited training to gain a nationally recognised qualification relevant to their job role.

Put simply, if you have 5 eligible employees that equates to $20,000 in government funding . 20 eligible employees, then that's $80,000 in government funding .

Contact Us for a no obligation eligibility assessment.

Funding varies across industry sectors and eligibility is determined against guidelines issued by the regulatory bodies.

Full details of how your business can benefit are available from your Infinity Performance Solutions consultant.

Contact Us for a no obligation eligibility assessment.

Traineeships & Australian Apprenticeships are nationally recognised training programs where employees learn and work at the same time. The key to Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships is assessment against nationally endorsed competency standards.

They cover full or part-time paid work and training, and can be delivered entirely on the job.

Nationally Recognised Training provides real benefits for your business; your Employee's contributes to your bottom line with practical skills and knowledge acquired through his or her training.

Infinity Performance Solutions, Nationally Recognised Training Solutions have been designed to be flexible, providing quality training developed by industry for industry.

Infinity Performance Solutions currently offers the following Nationally Recognised Training solutions:

BSB51107 Diploma of Management
BSB40807 Certificate IV in Frontline Management
BSB40607 Certificate IV in Business Sales

To simplify the process for you Infinity Performance Solutions will:

1. Assisting you to source funding through our preferred Apprenticeships centre
2. Organising your accredited training through our preferred RTOs
3. Customise or contextualise training for your specific requirements including additional Infinity Performance Solutions workshops for a blended solution.

The employer benefits by:
1. Increased performance
2. Improved productivity
3. Higher profitability
4. More motivated staff
5. Improved staff retention
6. Becoming an employer of choice.

The accredited employees benefit by:
1. Nationally recognised qualification
2. Job satisfaction
3. Promotion prospects
4. Up-to-date skills.

Next step:
Contact us to find out more or download our Expression of Interest Application Form.



Tony Pearson
Director Infinity Performance Solutions
Tony can be contacted at Infinity Performance Solutions by phone, 0298631536 or by email,tony@ipsgroup.com.au.

'News from Infinity Performance Solutions'

'News from Infinity Performance Solutions'

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership

Emotional Intelligence can be described as an ability or skill to understand and manage yourself and your emotions and understand and manage others and their emotions leading to increased performance.

Emotional Intelligence has become a crucial part in how today’s leaders meet the challenges they face daily. Emotional Intelligence Leadership improves leaders’ ability to excel in increasingly difficult and complex leadership roles.

An important subfield of emotional intelligence explores how it can be applied to benefit leaders, to use their power and influence. The researchers who conduct work on emotional intelligence and leadership training have examined the effects of brain science and emotional intelligence in discovering what top performers do. These studies show that emotional intelligence has a greater impact on leadership coaching and leadership training than either IQ or technical expertise... We now know conclusively what are the habits and practices of high performers, so your organisation can better fill your leadership pipeline.

Infinity Performance Solutions offers imaginative & inspirational managerial and executive business coaching for a variety of organisations. From leadership coaching to executive coaching in a family business, Infinity Performance Solutions, provides leadership coaching and executive leadership training & development that works. Our individual business coaching services are tailored to each participant and their company and/or industry.

Tony Pearson
Director Infinity Performance Solutions
Tony can be contacted at Infinity Performance Solutions by phone, 0412 412 577 or by email, tony@infinityperformancesolutions.com.au

Tel: 02 9863 1536
Web: http://www.infinityperformancesolutions.com.au/

Goal Setting

A critical skill for now!

All successful people set goals of one sort or another in both their personal and business lives. In a rapidly changing environment, the ability to identify objectives, determine priorities and take actions to achieve specific outcomes is vital.
Without this ability, you cannot communicate to your team members where they are headed or what is expected of them and you will not be able to balance the competing needs of tasks, team and the individuals you supervise.

Why set goals?
Having clearly defined goals helps you to focus on what is important.It also gives you a long-term vision that helps you prioritise activities and concentrate on the key 20% that produce 80% of results.
Personal goal setting and planning ultimately help you to achieve what you want to achieve, by identifying where you want to go and what steps will help you get there.
Goals also give you structure (reasons for doing certain things or not doing them). They provide clear criteria for you to make decisions. Therefore, any time spent in goal setting and planning will bring significant benefits. If you are supervising others you need to be able to identify the tasks and priorities that are of importance to both you and your team members.

Goals, values and priorities
One way to begin goal setting is to firstly think about your own values and priorities. Then identify the different roles you have in your life, such as partner, parent, child, manager, employee, friend, community member and so on. For each role you have, you can set personal goals and action plans and allocate time to ensure these goals are achieved.

Successful goal setting requires thought and consideration.

However, by putting some time into thinking about what you want to achieve in your life, both professionally and personally, and writing these hopes and aspirations down, you are much more likely to achieve them.

Tony Pearson
Director Infinity Performance Solutions
Tony can be contacted at Infinity Performance Solutions by phone, 0412 412 577 or by email, tony@infinityperformancesolutions.com.au.

Selling in a slowdown

It has been some time since we last had to experience a significant downturn in the economy (1991/2) and those that do remember would well and truly now have considerable salt in the side burns. We can however look back and recall the lessons learned in those difficult times.

While sales certainly fell across the board deals were still being done, budgets strived for and achieved and cheques were being drawn and payed. Albeit at reduces RRP’s, with less margin and over a protracted sales cycle as risk aversion became a dominant buying consideration.

Four key areas standout that successful business did well in a slowdown:
1. Review your traditional sales channel
2. Reassess the capability of your team and individuals
3. Strengthen current customer relationships
4. Look across and beyond established customer bases, market and industry spaces for new opportunities.

Be aware that reviewing and reassessing are generally precursors to change, (and we know how much people enjoy change) however this is not always the case. In many situations it will mean simple realignment, in others, yes, total redesigns. So individuals and teams will need to be prepared and supported through this period.

When it comes to reassessing your teams and individuals, this does not mean put those to keep in one basket and those to let go in another. Slowdowns have a way of standing out performers and those that aren’t, the import question to ask is can we develop the skills, knowledge or attitude in the current non performer?

Strengthening current customer relationships is critical. Successful businesses did this well in slowdowns and in fact found that they sold in a more diverse range of product to their existing customers during the slowdown period.

Finally, so the saying goes, “adversity is the mother of invention”. During a slowdown successful business found sales channels by looking outside and across previously established customer bases, market and industry spaces. This is a time for innovation and supporting the wisdom within and across your organisation.

Infinity Performance Solutions is one training and development organisation that develops and delivers training programs which improve the quality of skills, knowledge and attitudes and services for individuals and organisations. Tony Pearson, Infinity Performance Solutions Director suggests now is the prime time to invest in strengthening capabilities is organisations.

“People and organisations will need support through skill development or strategic consultation to minimise the impact of the changing economic and therefore business conditions. Now is an ideal time to ensure your building strength into your organisation to maximise current and future opportunities. In fact this is one of those rare opportunities to get ahead of the curve.”

Tony can be contacted at Infinity Performance Solutions by phone, 0412 412 577 or by email, tony@infinityperformancesolutions.com.au.

Challenge's for 2009

In the last couple of months I have been asked repeatedly what I felt the greatest challenge would be for 2009. I believe it will be dealing with the following combination of changes in our new business climate:

1. We all are going to need to produce more with less. That is our businesses are not going to have the resources to allocate that we have had in recent years. We are all going to need to find some efficiency gains.

2. We have a leadership group in many of our businesses (at various levels including, frontline, medium and executive) that have never had to manage under adverse conditions. In fact few would recall the downturns in 1991/2, 1982, 1974.

These I believe are our two greatest challenges for 2009. It is our responsibility to ensure we assist our individuals and organisation not only cope, but thrive in this new climate.

Tony Pearson
Director
Infinity Performance Solutions

Tony can be contacted at Infinity Performance Solutions by phone, 0412 412 577 or by email, tony@infinityperformancesolutions.com.au.

Leading and Managing in Tough New Times

Times are getting tough, all we need to do is read a paper, watch the news or walk past the ASX for evidence.
In fact the economic turndown has resulted in the federal government spending the surplus via two economic stimulus packages to date. Retail revenue and profit forecasts continue to be revised down. Not to mension the relaease of the 'toughest budget' in a generation.

In business we are being asked to do more with less. Further we are challenged to maintain an upbeat, positive culture. A culture, that was formed and established in times and conditions that no longer exist.

The experts have told us for many years that one of our toughest future needs would be managing a multi-generational workforce with all the different needs, drives and challenges this would provide. They told us about the Y-Generation’s move into positions of leadership and how they have never experienced adversity. Well times have now changed. Adverse times are here and we must face this challenge now.

With pressure on costs and therefore head count in business we are now being asked to do more with less. We have already seen a lift in unemployment in the past months and forecast suggests this will continue through 2009. Productivity and efficiency in business will be critical to current and future success.

A real and current critical shift is required to support all employees with appropriate management & leadership. We must shift our strategic planning to include tactics and development plans for managing in tough times.

Stress today is the number one reason for lost days in business. The current economic conditions do nothing to reduce this burden on our people and businesses.

A significant investment should be made in organisations to educate and develop stress management capabilities at both an organisational and individual level.

With any change however there are opportunities produced.

Are you ready to maximise this opportunity?

In your business have you developed and executed your strategy to ensure you receive your slice of the new pie? Do your employees know your strategic direction and more importantly do they buy in to it?
Even if they do buy in, do they have the skills, knowledge or motivation currently to deliver on your strategy?

In your business have you made the decision to take the opportunity to attract a new client base or will your strategy involve retention and maximising existing clients?

Whether looking to maximise your slice of the billions of dollars of government economic injections or just looking to maximise your market share in the economic downturn the principles remain the same.

It is critical to ensure you have a strong plan, inspired strategy well known and supported by the masses with an employee base skilled and motivated to deliver on your vision.

Today we face the added challenge of needing to achieve the same or greater volumes of activity with fewer resources. It therefore makes sense to educate and support the workforce to handle this shift to more productive work methods.

One such strategy includes reviewing your current customer base. Are you stuck ‘strategically’ attempting to fight a highly competitive battle against your market competitors for the same finite market share?

OR, are you looking across customer bases and market spaces to create opportunities that make the competition irrelevant? A space where you can simultaneously pursue a differentiation and low cost strategy while increasing market share, revenue and profit?

Changing paradigms in our working and personal lives have the potential for great stress and adversity if we take a do nothing approach.

Steps should be taken now to reduce or counter the barriers to successfully adapting to the new conditions. This includes training and development to strengthen business capability through developing individual’s personal capabilities.
Infinity Performance Solutions is one such training and development organisation that develops and delivers training programs which improve the quality of skills, knowledge and attitudes and services for individuals and organisations.

Tony Pearson, Infinity Performance Solutions Director suggests now is the prime time to invest in strengthening capabilities is organisations. “People will need support through skill development to minimise the impact of the changing economic and therefore business conditions. Whilst times have changed there are solutions available to minimise organisational and individual stress. In fact this is an opportunity to take steps to firm up your business for future needs and get ahead of the curve.”

Infinity Performance Solutions
Tony Pearson
Director / Corporate Consultant
Mobile: 0412 412 577
Tel: 02 9863 1536
Web: http://www.infinityperformancesolutions.com.au/
Email: tony@infinityperformancesolutions.com.au