Phil's Blog
Results 31-40 of 71 articles.The Twin Pillars of Salesmanship
May 12 2009
Well let me just explain.
I have nothing against the programme per se, by the way, but I’ll illustrate the point with a recent meeting I had.
Along with the fact that they were well-versed in NLP and a large dose of influencing skills and sales courses (they couldn't wait to tell me this) part of their personal analysis on their "high level of sales success" was because of their enormously well-developed sense of… wait for it… ”Humility!” (you couldn’t make it up, could you?).
Looking round for the hidden cameras and briefly imagining the “Phil Olley in business prank” feature on an as-yet-to-be-announced new business reality show, I held back my mirth. Just.
No… here’s a couple of things that will help you become a top sales person:
· Turning up on time
· Doing what you say you will do
‘Twas ever thus.
It’s not the other way round, where if you turn up late and don’t do what you say you will, all will be overcome by exceptional salesmanship.
Thank goodness.
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Personal Dynamite
May 08 2009
Personal Dynamite!
At one-to-one sessions I often ask, “What is your Personal Dynamite?” by which I mean that thing that lights the blue-touch paper for you… a hobby, interest, fascination, underlying value. It’s that one thing which ignites you to go on and succeed.
The answers are always very revealing, and interesting, not because I am nosey, but because of the infinite variety. Yet, most people are also a little reticent and reluctant to uncover their dynamite.
April was a month of “adventure”… I was out of my normal routine (if I have one) and into a host of new events and experiences, and May is shaping up in much the same way. It is at times like these that it is easy to lose focus on goals and priorities as we set these in that highly comfortable moment sitting in an easy chair in the corner of the office (well, that’s where I do mine anyway) imagining we will be operating our “normal regime” throughout.
As a result, many people think that when they are out of normal routine it is a “nightmare” (and they use that term) because they can’t keep doing the things they need to do to move forward. Or that’s what their perception is. Which is why I like to think of being away from the norm as an “adventure”. It is an adventure in the sense that I challenge myself to continue to focus on the key goals. This requires adjustment when out of routine, on an “adventure”, especially when away from home or doing seminars, review days, group coaching.
Many people say their fitness schedule, for example, is disrupted by business travel.
For me, my writing schedule is certainly affected and has to be different when away. Like so many things, it’s about deciding to be committed. And that is easier when we focus on our priorities, inevitably including our Personal Dynamite. And, when you put your mind to it, it’s amazing how resourceful you can become in maintaining focus in such circumstances
So, Personal Dynamite: What’s yours?
Be honest with yourself here. If your Personal Dynamite is building the world’s largest collection of shoes (!) great, or if it’s following Formula 1 around the globe… great also. Whatever yours is, accept that you have that in you, and rather than fighting it, suppressing it, or ignoring it, allow it to be your performance detonator.
Once you know what it is that really has you focused and moving forward, you can play on it and use it to motivate yourself in the most amazing ways.
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BFT
May 05 2009
BFT
Prior to going to an area of active duty, members of the services used to be put through their paces via a Battle Fitness Test (BFT)… They may still do this.
It was a test which some people thrived on, others tolerated, some dreaded. Nothing too harrowing, but a few targeted physical exercises culminating in a timed run. The idea is simply to ensure everyone is basically fit for action.
Is there a business equivalent? No, not a test of your special skills, not to do with your specific role, not to do with your physical fitness.
But how about attitude, time effectiveness, energy, ability to focus on tasks, ability to set and achieve goals, ability to finish a task, ability to make decisions, to delegate, to present a case, and so on…
Yes, we may see these things being taken into account during the recruitment process, in a variety of ways, but that can be a false situation. How often are these things reviewed? We know it’s these things which make the difference… but how often are they tested through a Biz Fit Test (BFT!)?
Well, as we get more used to the new economic climate, and people start to go into the new Action Zone, a new arena with a whole new set of business parameters, real and imagined, you can bet they are going to be tested... and are going to continue to be tested in the months and years ahead.
So are you Biz-Fit? And how do you know?
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MotivAction
Apr 28 2009
MotivAction
People tell me that even though they are normally focused and effective, sometimes they just can’t find the motivation. They feel drained, down, and just lacking in zest. What should they do to get cracking again?
Such feelings can be overwhelming in tough times of course, when we are surrounded by doom-mongers and nay-sayers.
Motivation is all about finding Motives to Action.
Motives to Action = MotivAction… .
The Motive is in the Vision, the Goal, The Purpose. This creates the Desire to just do things. When you allow yourself to be compelled by the Vision, there is no overt motivation required. When the motives are strong enough, the action will follow easily. Desire is not about being materially covetous. It’s about wanting to follow a journey, a mission, a lifeplan, a goal.
In the case of short term goals and objectives, many people set goals and targets at the start of a year, only to find that by the end of the first three months they are woefully behind. Many people focus on what they haven’t achieved. Yet, it is always interesting to note at that stage all of the things you have achieved as well as how far behind you are in other areas. And in particular, in terms of understanding your own professional/ business performance, to look at the motivation you had to achieve those things, and ask “why was that missing with the unattained targets?”
You will see that all of those things you have achieved were driven by a strong Reason (a motive)… a Motive–to-Action… a Motivation. Whether that motive was to avoid something unpleasant (the bosses’ wrath, or bank manager’s wit and repartie!) or to gain something pleasant (profit, promotion and pay rise, or better still something more profound!) it still provided a Reason to achieve the goal. The message: when setting any goal, apply a reason. Ask yourself "why?" And, especially for the short term goals, make the reason tangible and specific. And as well as using this short term reward as a motive, always keep the long term Motive in view.
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Your Redemption
Apr 20 2009
Your Redemption
Many of you will be familiar with the film The Shawshank Redemption. Don’t want to spoil it for those who may not have seen it (by the way, I can highly recommend it).
Like all great films, it is riddled with lots of messages… the most obvious of which is the value of sheer persistence. And the incredible power of hope in a Vision.
For me, the first time I saw it, I was struck by the clear advantage of having a Stunning Plan
Not just any old Plan. Not even just a Good plan.
But a STUNNING PLAN.
… and a Stunning plan focusing on just a few key elements; the simple daily actions leading to the big goal, when the whole plan comes together.
The plan doesn’t need to be convoluted, or complex. It can be very simple. But stunning in that the carrying out of the plan makes you go “wow!”
On a Day-to-Day basis, just as in The Shawshank redemption, working your plan creates extra belief in your goal. No matter how small each step is, as long as it’s towards the goal, belief can build.
Sad thing is that when broken down into small steps, many people get bored of the actual actions needed to carry out their plan. So they stop.
Even though these actions in themselves are not very difficult, in fact they are probably rather simple, people just don’t accept that it can be that simple. Many even look for something more sophisticated and complex to reach the goal, or some sort of trick or quick fix, rather than sticking to the Stunningly Simple Plan.
Once you have your vision clear, your goals clear, and a Stunning Plan to take you there, work that plan.
That’s the same in business, or any part of life:
Plan the work, and work the plan.
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Burning Boats
Apr 03 2009
We often think of the stereotyped Viking raid as a kind of hit and run, rape and pillage affair… lots of burning huts, killing, looting, cattle stealing, and human trafficking in the traditions of The Dark Ages.
During a 1-1 session I recently recounted the story of how when they wanted to conquer and settle a new territory, the Vikings would burn their boats. Why? So there would be no going back, and in their minds they were settling for good. Having removed any thoughts of the possibility of ever going back, they would inevitably only have thoughts of moving forward, of creating a new life.
And so often I meet people who are holding on to an escape route or “something to fall back on” which stops them committing to moving forward. Many people spend all their time making sure they have plenty of options open. Yet there must come a point at which you decide on a course of action, and commit to it, as if it was the only course of action open to you. It is amazing the goals we set, the actions we take, and the success we enjoy when our only option appears to be to take that action.
What could you really achieve if you absolutely HAD to?
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Won't Get Fooled Again..?
Apr 01 2009
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On the Spot
Mar 30 2009
On the Spot
I don’t know whether you’ve ever been in a situation where you observe something quite unexpected, that has such an impact that it defines your thoughts for a week. Or even longer. I guess we all have, at some time or other haven’t we?
Happened to me last week.
It was at a meeting, and I was there, you know, to observe what was happening. And one person was really put on the spot, so to speak.
And you are waiting for fight or flight. Or freeze. You know, one of those moments where you end up seeing just how resourceful people can be.
And if you’ve ever been in that position yourself, it’s only afterwards that you see all the things that you should have said, or you could have said, and your unconscious knows what you should have done. And yet how many people just fail to do what they know is right at that moment.
I’m constantly amazed, though, at the resourcefulness some people do show when faced with this. Especially when they just relax, pause, take a breath, get in the right mindset, and allow excellence to flow.
In microcosm, that’s what I’ve been observing all round recently.
This past few months, people have been feeling “up against it”, on the spot, with the economic climate starting to bite, and the “nay-sayers and doom-mongers” closing in (and that’s not just the accountants at the end of the tax year, counting the dead and bayoneting the wounded!).
But NOW, the real climate is bright and cheerful. What’s happening? The sun’s shining. People can’t compute it. There’s all this bad news around, yet they feel sunny.
And they’ve got to the stage of being sick and tired of the bad news, of the junk we’re fed. And there’s a silent revolt starting to happen, on an individual basis. In fact it’s been happening for a while, but it’s now really noticeable.
People are saying, “Enough is enough”… sometimes aloud. It’s what happens when you get shaken from comfortable complacency, and put on the spot.
All around, there are people being resourceful, opportunity focussed, and indomitable. Their demeanour has changed. Their attitude is lifted, to a new altitude. There’s even a spring-like hope in the air, a sunny disposition.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and all that. And, well, I’m sure you get the point…
Now. Have you decided yet, when you are going to start your personal upturn?
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You must be MAD
Mar 27 2009
Time is there simply as a reference point so we can ask questions like; “how am I doing so far?” and “what’s next?”
So. Now…
What has been your “Champagne moment” of the year so far? You do have a Champagne moment, don’t you? Right.
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If the KAP fits
Mar 25 2009
“If the KAP fits…”
I have taken to asking people to imagine it’s 2012 and they are addressing an audience on how they became super-successful in their field. The response is very revealing...
As well as the obvious elements of setting goals, believing in yourself, and so on, most people talk about the key principles they will adopt to get to the top.
They seem to think the foundation for professional success is based around the three fundamentals; Knowledge, Skills, Activity.
Not so long ago, I would have agreed. Ok, maybe 20 years ago. But even 12 years ago, even as I began to have doubts on this, I still might have wanted to agree… to wish it were true.
And many people still do, because it seems fair that way. In fact, it makes things rather neat, and fits our world paradigm, so we accept such ideas, until…
But the world has changed (to coin another truism), and whereas these three ingredients were once a recipe for achievement (to which people searched to add an “x” factor), no longer is it enough to simply work hard, know more, and have all the techniques and skills at your fingertips.
Myth: “Knowledge is Power”. There are hundreds of people all around who rise to the top, with less knowledge than those who look up at them from below. It’s not knowledge, but Know-How, Know-Who, and Know-Why that is Power.
Yet, we all know and recognise it’s not “busy-ness” but Productivity that wins the day. It is about creating the space to focus and to do those things that are “business critical” which will produce the best results.
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