Posts Tagged ‘Success’

How to build better Customer Relationships

I was asked to take part in a panel discussion recently where the key theme was “Being Better at Business”. My focus for the session was how to be better at Customer Relationships. It was a subject that caught the imagination of the participants at the time so I thought that it would be worth creating a blog post on the same subject.

So here goes; 5 Ways to be better at Customer Relationships;

» Read more: Five ways to be better at Customer Relationships

In today’s competitive markets, business executive are put under an increasing amount of pressure. With so many key responsibilities and areas to manage, it leaves them with very little time and energy to devote to developing themselves as leaders and creating best management practices.

Something that is becoming increasingly more popular as a way of allowing individuals to take the step towards bettering themselves and their companies is executive coaching. Here we will provide an explanation of executive coaching and what it can do for you as a leader.

» Read more: What Executive Coaching can do for you

This second of two blog entries about some leadership lessons that I drew from a trip across America via Route 66 earlier this year.

If you missed the first instalment you can catch-up with it here.

We we’re lucky enough to travel the whole Route from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. It had been an ambition for a while and we wanted to do it the proper way, on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. We made the trip as part of a group in an organised tour run by Eaglerider in the USA.

So how did I draw Leadership lessons out of this experience you may well ask? Well, being a management trainer and coach I try to look for learning in everything that I do and everywhere that I go. Our Route 66 experience was literally ‘littered’ with them, from the people that have helped the Route to survive and prosper, and the people who fought and in some cases continue to fight to have their town, city or attraction listed as a Route 66 Historic monument. However it is our guides and support teams on our journey that I want to focus on today for they were truly inspirational. So what did I learn?

» Read more: Leadership Lessons from Route 66 (Pt 2)

This blog entry is based around some leadership lessons that I drew from a trip across America via Route 66 earlier this year. We travelled the whole Route from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. It had been an ambition for a while and we wanted to do it the proper way, on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. We made the trip as part of a group in an organised tour run by Eaglerider in the USA.

This is a two part blog with 5 Leadership lessons in each one. The second one can be found here.

» Read more: Leadership Lessons from Route 66 (Pt. 1)

Stephen Covey wrote The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,  arguably one of the most influential business and self-help books in 1989. Since then the Seven Habit model of management and leadership has become a must read book for all who aspire to be better at what they do, be it managing a team or leading a business or simply running their life more effectively. Covey argues that any effective self-help programme must begin with an “inside-out” approach, rather than looking at our problems “being out there”. We must start by examining our own character, our own thinking, behaviour and motives.

» Read more: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

I saw the photo and story below shared by a friend on Facebook a couple of months ago and thought that it was such a brilliant way of getting the message across about the damage that we can cause our fellow human-beings when we bully someone. It is so simple and effective that I want to share it with you here.

» Read more: Bullying – A lesson for us all?

The ABCD of Trust

Trust is something that I hold in very high regard, indeed I would say it is crucial to me and the relationships that I have. I need to feel that I’m trusted and I need to feel that I can trust, be that an individual, a team or an organisation.
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I’m sure like me that you’ve walked away from many deals, purchases, sales because of a lack of trust in the person that you’re talking too. Sometimes you are quite clear as to your reasons why, at other times there is just ‘something’ that you can’t quite identify.

‘ » Read more: TRUST The foundation for effective relationships

In a previous blog entry (Performance Management – Managers need to be role models) I discussed the significance and importance of Performance Management in a team or organisation and, in particular, looking at the role of the leader or manager in doing so. But what are the consequences of not addressing performance issues that arise, how might this lack of action impact on the other team members or individuals around them? How might it begin to impact on the team, the company and your customers for example? Here are some ideas to consider;

   » Read more: Performance Management – The impact of not addressing issues

A simple checklist that will be useful for any leaders or managers who are currently managing transitions or changes within their team or organisation.

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» Read more: 7 Principles for Leaders in Managing Transitions

Here is a list of top tips to help you when managing change and transition either in your personal life or your professional life;

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» Read more: Top Tips for managing change and transition