Email Bomb

The email bomb is something that companies have to take into consideration and give appropriate training. I recently had a situation where I was communicating through email and trying to be as clear as possible. The problem like I mentioned in previous emails is people do not proof read what they are sending before they hit the send button. I was recently amused by an email that literally had 10 different messages in 4 sentences. I wanted to respond by stating can you please proof read and resend? Of course we all have a tendency to go through things very quickly, misspell words, and my favorite use the reply to all function. Here are a few tips when crafting an email that will help minimize the confusion that might take place.

• Only include the people on the email who need to be included this is not the right time to show your boss you can handle conflicts
• Subject / Title should reflect the actually information that is included in the email
• Address the audience like it is a formal letter, ex. Brad,
• Give specific action items in the email, ex. I need a response by Monday the 3rd at 5pm.
• Closing, ex. Thanks for your help,
• Name & Contact information
• Spell Check and reread before you hit send.

Sure this does not look like rocket science and it is very simple. If you do this every time you will find conversations are much easier to have and the communication struggle can be eliminated.

Connected

If you have been in corporate America for any period of time you have asked the question, how did he get so high in the organization? This is the realization that it is not always what you know but who you know. Have these questions ever come up in conversations in your organization?

• What has he/she done to improve earnings?
• When was the last time he hit his goals?
• What makes the head of sales the right fit for the head of operations?
• Why does his boss love him and his team hates him?

I unfortunately have personally witnessed these events take place. There is nothing more frustrating for an workforce whom wants to win and progress than to see mediocre performers at the top. After all if leadership is mediocre the company will be mediocre at best. So many times in business managers are afraid to hire talent because they are in fear of losing their job. once this trend begins to happen an organization will spin into a downward spiral. A great leader will promote, teach and push his/her people into new roles that will make them successful for years to come. Once you realize you are not asking the above questions you should take advantage of the opportunity. Working with great leaders is unfortunately not the norm regardless of the corporation.

Snap Decision

I have been recently working with a gentleman and helping him structure his business in a way that will be profitable for years to come. A couple of days ago I received a phone call from him saying he had found a great opportunity. I could tell how excited he was so I began to listen to him explain the business he was considering buying. For clarity the business he was looking at was a retail location - golf course to be exact. After he said the word unbelievable about 10 times I began to ask him a couple of questions the first of which was, "where is it located." He said it is in the middle of nowhere. My first reaction, challenge to attract customers. I then asked why do you think this is a good idea when everything that we have discussed is different. He began to explain his end goal is to buy a course and the opportunity is presenting itself now. I listened a little longer and then said before you make a decision we should review the financial documents and make sure it is worth it. Two days later we both agreed now is not the right time and he should remain narrow and strategic. Yesterday I get a phone call that says I am the proud owner of the course and now I need to figure out the rest.

Small business is great but there is a reason why 70% + fail. It is because snap decisions like this are made without critically thinking. You have to take out personal emotion and look at the facts. In this case it is a golf course in Ohio that means it will likely be closed for 3 months out of the year. It is in the middle of nowhere that means customers are less likely to travel to your location unless you offer speciality services that your competition does not offer. It has been for sale for 3 years that means the price is too high or it would have been sold a long time ago. Business is not easy you have to be willing to step back ask hard questions and walk away. I love the entrepreneurial spirit but hope he does not become part of the 70%.

Bouncing Ball Manager

Do you remember as a kid going to the grocery store with your parents? Before leaving I would always beg my mom for a quarter to buy something out of the vending machine. It never failed I would always go for the bouncing ball that was sitting in the case. The funny thing about the bouncing ball is when it is in the case it is not moving, causing problems or breaking anything. However, as soon as the ball gets loose it can cause broken windows, sprained ankles and fights amongst kids.

In business have you ever had a manager that you would consider the bouncing ball? This is the person who hops from idea to idea causing distractions and providing no vision. Of course we are all guilty at times of not thinking clearly and reacting rather than processing but not like the bouncing ball manager. The bouncing ball manager will say I want this completed in 12 months and a couple days later will say we really need it by the end of the week. The bouncing ball manager will say we should focus on X but two hours later will question why you are not looking at Y. So here are some ideas on how to deal with the bouncing ball:

· Keep the scope of the project narrow?
· Ask the question, what are we trying to solve?
· This project has a very large scope. What do you want to complete first and when?
· Provide him/her regular updates keeping scope in mind?
· Push back and provide feedback do not be a yes man you will both fail.

Of course the bouncing ball manager will continue to be all over the board and at times will be near impossible to deal with. This is an opportunity to become a leader and manage up. Just because they are the boss does not mean they cannot learn and develop.

Flip of the Switch

Have you ever been part of a difficult time in business and then all of a sudden there is a flip of the switch? Some might call this a time they never forget. It might be as simple as the time you closed your first big sale, your first promotion or a career change. For so many people the switch is different but when it happens you are sure it happened.

Recently the flip was switched in our company. We have been strategically thinking about our future in regards to a merger, acquisition, or private equity infusion. As you can imagine the time the flip switched and we knew the decision the morale instantly changed. People can now focus on the controllable rather than the uncontrollable. Our teams have confidence what they are doing is correct and there will be a tomorrow. Now is the time to think about strategy and future execution.

When you are in a moment that feels like you are flipping the switch take a step back and think about what you are going to do next. How will this event change the future and have we learned from our past mistake? How will we capitalize on our second chance and who do we need to thank for sticking with us through these tough times?

Interview questions

Have you ever been sitting in an interview and wondering what in the world does this have to do with the position? I was recently talking to someone and he mentioned the interviewer began to talk more about herself rather than uncovering the skills of the candidate. She began to ask questions that had some relevance but after hearing the candidates response she answered the questions showcasing her knowledge of the issue.

As if this was not bad enough the interviewer went on to ask who is the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and what is his role? WHAT? How does this relate to leadership, sales ability, or product management? Sure the candidate was interviewing for a role in the financial sector but knowing who Big Ben is does not make you qualified for the position. Unless the position is to review economic and monetary policy. In this case the position is to lead sales people and build an organization that can deliver the whole bank.

After hearing these events take place I began to think about my interviewing practices. I have always interviewed people using behavior based questions to understand how people would react in situations they will face. Of course there is no truly right or wrong answer but more of the logic and process they take that matters. The interview is never about me it is about the candidate. However, if the candidate is smart they will make it about me and less about them. If you are interviewing and the interviewer begins to explain how impressive his resume is you might want to think about if you want to take the job. After all your career is your choice it is not his. If he is telling you how great he is now imagine what it will be like once you join the team.

Confused Level of Arrogance

I recently had a conversation with a senior executive who mentioned, “If we are acquired by XX they will have to keep our talent? So I began to probe a little more and ask why?
She then went on to say, “Our people are better educated and have always been considered the cream of the crop. When we walk down the streets if you are not part of our team you are simply on the wrong team.” I began to push back and mentioned they might have a different view at this point and maybe we should consider reviewing ourselves in the mirror.

It is this mindset that caused companies like Enron, WorldCom, and Quest to have so much financial difficulty. If you are blind to the fact that the company that is buying you might actually be performing better than you there is a serious problem. After all if we did have the best people than what is our real problem? Is it our products, services, or locations? If the answer is no, the blame falls on the decision making process which goes right back to the PEOPLE.

In business there is room for confidence but little room for arrogance. People today want to be led and given clear direction by someone they trust. Arrogance leads to ignorance and making comments like they would be lucky to have us. The fact of the matter is it is attitudes like this that drive the for sale sign directly into the ground.