Archive For: Leadership

It’s the Day For It

Forgive me but I am confused. There are just too many “Days” floating around.

This week it has been Pay It Forward Day, Earth Day, Easter Day(s), Anzac Day, and I am sure there have been other days, ribbons to wear, causes to contribute to, and ideas to believe in.

ARRRRRRGGGHHH!!!

Here is what I long for. A world without “Days”. A world where we care enough about each other, care enough about where we live, care about who we work with, care about those less fortunate and, well, basically just Care.

If we just cared a little more and showed that we care in our actions, if we considered the impact of what we did and who it would affect, I think this world would be a better place to live.

So how will you show you care? It’s the Day for it!

——-

So you didn’t know I could sing?

Come and see my choir sing and have a fabulous afternoon of entertainment. Sunday 25th May at the Comic’s Lounge, 26 Errol St, North Melbourne.

Doors open at 1:30pm Tickets $20 and kids are free.

Fantastic, family friendly entertainment. Find out more, hear some samples and get tickets here.

Making Your On-line Business Work Off-line

Wifey and I were after a newish car. Candy (the 65 Mustang) has gone to a new home in Adelaide so it was time to get a new run around.

Our biggest issue was that there was no car on the market that really inspired us. After plenty of discussions and web surfing we settled on a Golf Diesel.

We didn’t want a brand new car as that is a waste of money. An ex-corporate car or demo car was fine. Even one that was 12 months old.

We found two that met our criteria on CarSales.com.au and then sent emails off to the dealers. What happened next is indicative of how many businesses struggle to incorporate their Online presence with their Offline presence.

As you would expect, I am the kind of guy that has to let people know when I have a poor service experience so I emailed the dealer principal from the dealer with poor service to let them know.

Here is the email trail that explains what happened and how they dealt with it. I have removed all identifying information to protect the innocent!

Hi Dealer Principal

As a speaker and Sales trainer I thought you may want some feedback on my car purchasing experience.

I noticed 2 VW Golf’s on Car Sales. The one at your dealership and the other at Dealer 2 VW.
The only difference between the cars was that the Dealer 2 one had done 10,000km and yours 2,000 km and the Dealer 2 car was $3,500 cheaper.

But these differences were not what made an impact on my wife and I.

The most significant difference was that after sending my enquiry via car sales to both you and Dealer 2 at the same time (approx. 8am Friday), Dealer 2 called me by 8:30am to talk about the car and invite us in to see it and take a test drive.
Your automated email said someone would be in touch soon but I am still waiting for the call. (this is 5 days later)

Dealer Principal, I tell you this not to be picky or have a go at you but to let you know of a missed opportunity. Saturday morning we were at the airport so had to drive almost right past your dealership but as we had received no service, we chose not to.
We then went to Dealer 2 and purchased the car.

In this age of internet driven sales, customer service is the one thing to help close the deal. If I had received the call from your team, I guarantee I would have come to the dealership – no guarantees on the purchase though!!

I strongly recommend you have a conversation with your sales manager and ensure your systems are in place to capture and work with your internet leads.

I hope this email has been of value to you.

Warm regards

Warwick

To his credit, the dealer principal sent me this reply the next day.

Warwick,

I am currently overseas and are disappointed that my team have not performed. I take your email very seriously and greatly appreciate the time you have taken to write to me. I have forwarded on your email to both my sales managers and my business partner for review. I hope the vehicle purchased serves you well and no doubt Dealer 2 Volkswagen are full of best practice. Again thank you – the very best with your vehicle and on my return your visit will be used as an example when counselling my team,

Regards,

Dealer Principal

Later that day I also received a phone call from the Dealer Principal’s sales manager to apologise for not contacting me. Unfortunately he then started to go on and talk about their processes and make excuses but I appreciated the contact.

So … what about your business?

Do you have an on-line presence?
Do you have processes to convert on-line enquiries into offline sales?
Does it work?

Learn from this example and make sure your next online prospect actually makes it to your sales team!

Tough Leaders Create Tough Times

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001 Entrepreneurs In Action

One thing that successful entrepreneurs do is take action, and loads of it!

I have created, and am hosting, a new program that highlights some of these entrepreneurs and the kind of action that they are taking.

Over the coming months you will hear from a diverse range of entrepreneurs with a diverse range of experience. To help set the scene for this program, I recorded a short 5 minute intro.

Make sure you don’t miss an episode by subscribing to the podcast on iTunes at www.EntrepreneursInAction.com.au

Radio Interview on Exhibiting

I was fortunate enough to be one of the guests on Jacki Mitchell’s Taking Care of Business radio program. It is an award winning program that looks at many different aspects of business and what you need to do to stay ahead of the curve.

We were talking about Exhibiting and business in general. Naturally I think it is worth listening to!

You can hear the full show here

Let me know what you think.

Is That News?

I have given up watching news bulletins (except for the ABC) and I haven’t bought a paper for years. I know for a fact that I am not alone.

Have you seen what they call news? It’s like a compilation of reality TV, who’s famous for being famous and a horror movie, all wrapped up with a cute story at the end about a tap dancing dog and a funny weather person.

I’m sorry but the world is getting stupid. People now doubt scientifict fact and follow Self Help “Messiah’s” looking for answers.

There is a film released in 2006 called Idiocracy about an “average” guy who goes forward in time 500 years and ends up being the smartest person alive. It’s not the best film but it is becoming scarily prophetic.

The Danish diplomat Edmund Bourke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I believe the same can be said for stupidity.

If we hear a falsehood being quoted as fact, why wouldn’t you say something.
If governments are taking action in our name that we know are not based on facts (shark culling, reef dredging and so on) why wouldn’t we at the very least sign a petition to say, “Not in my name.”

I am not attacking any political party and I am not pushing any political agenda. What I am doing is saying, “ENOUGH! I want my brain stimulated and not sedated. I want a world where it is ok to be smart and think for myself.”

What about you?

PS Don’t get me start on the free to air TV “More for You” campaign. Really? More? More predigested rubbish that does nothing for the grey matter but clog it up so Gator Man can use it as bait!

The Keys to Organisational Change

This week I had the pleasure of speaking on Jacki Mitchell’s radio show, Taking Care of Business.

Following the show, one of the listeners contacted me to ask the following question:

“What would you say are the skills and attitudes of a person who successfully introduces or influences change in a business or organisation?”

This was my response:

The most important thing here (in my opinion) is the right attitudes and not necessarily the skills. Cultural change and Organisation change are hard. Not because of the process but because you are battling the status quo. The main attributes you will be exercising are: Persistence, Resilience, Focus and a great sense of humour.

Persistence because you will need to keep at the process against all the ingrained resistance, the verbal support but lack of action and the indifference of senior management. Once you stick at it enough to get the momentum of the organisation, the journey switches from an uphill battle to a downhill cruise.

Resilience because you need to be able to keep getting back up everytime you fall down. In fact, you have to be able to get up more often. Keep getting up until you stop falling down.

Focus because you need to maintain the end picture and benefits of the change in mind. Keeping the long term benefits in sight while you suffer through the short term pain can be a challenge.

A sense of humour because it will make you life easier, your meetings more enjoyable and maintain your healthy sense of perspective on what you are doing. Plus smiling and laughing makes you fun to be around.

What do you think?

Personal Politics

Well it’s over. The best news is that we don’t have to put up with rubbish TV adverts, biased reporting and loads of junk mail.

I know some people get fired up over politics but I’m not one of them. The reality is that Australia is in a brilliant position geographically, economically, ideologically and socially.
Don’t get me wrong, we have our problems and issues but they are “first world problems.”

The issue with politics is that they are like a person’s values. They identify who you are but they are not allocated by what you say but by what you do.

So Dear-Reader what are you doing to make your life, your workplace and your country a better place? What action are you taking?

Ghandi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I encourage you to take this to heart and act on it.

Warwick In Action

Warwick Merry – The Get More Guy, is your high energy, results focused, action oriented, no holds barred tour de force Master MC, keynote speaker and Exhibiting Specialist. He ensures your attendees Get More from your event. His MC work is like insurance for your event. It guarantees things will run smoothly and on time. As a speaker, he is like a dose of Berocca – a bubbling, burst of healthy, sustainable energy for your attendees. If you need a burst of inspiration, cogitation and celebration at your next event you MUST book The Get More Guy, Warwick Merry.

Link with me on Linked In

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I don’t know who to vote for.

I so want something positive to come out of this election so I thought I would email the candidates in my electorate. I wonder what they will come back with?
This is the email I sent.

______

Dear Candidates,

I am sending you this email as I am lost and I really want my vote to count as I want Australia to be a tolerant and respecting place to live.

So why should I vote for you?

Before you reach for your party rhetoric or start to sledge the other parties, there are some things you should know about me.

I am a small business person whose industry is relatively free of red tape. Naturally I am after a strong economy but I am happy to sacrifice some of the economy’s strength to support those in our community who need it.

I am married with no kids. So “more child care”, “Paid parental leave” mean nothing to me.
In fact, my wife and I seem to be in that position where we get none of the benefits but plenty of the taxes.

I abhor the current refugee plan. There are so few of them and we treat them worse than criminals

I support gay marriage. I have witnesses several of my gay friends commit to their partners and it is as beautiful as a “traditional” couple.

I am a fan of public transport and know that it is not cost effective, but it could be if we invested in it rather than let business get rich over more toll roads and tunnels

My wife is a nurse. I am scared of what the future of our health system will be.

Most importantly, I am tired. Tired of the manipulation and politicing that I see. Tired of the talk and lack of action. Tired of how I never hear from you but now it is election time there are billboards everywhere and weekly letters from many of you. Tired of the sad state that is our political system.

I am eager for leadership. I am eager for someone to stand up, accept that mistakes have been made but there is much we can do to make Australia better than it is. Eager for a plan of success. Eager to hear the truth no matter the cost. Eager to respect our political leaders rather than ridicule them.

Don’t get me wrong, we are in a brilliant position economically, politically and geographically, but there is room for more people, more business, more artisans, more science, and more intellectual stimulation in our conversations and our actions.

Are we a simple country of sport and raw materials for the rest of the world? If so, that is not enough.

I want for us to be leaders of our time. Leaders of how to treat people in need. Leaders of how treat people of all color, faith, sexuality and belief. I tire of politicians opposing their opposites without bringing something of value to the conversation.

The time has come for some long term vision not simply a plan to get re-elected.

So what is your thought out plan?

How will a vote for you make Australia better? How will it make my electorate better? How will it make my community better?

Why should I vote for you?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm regards

Warwick

Lessons from the Prime Minister

PM Letter

I must be important because the Prime Minister of Australia has sent me a personal email!

But here’s the thing. I don’t remember giving him my email address.

When I look closer at the email, it doesn’t actually say anything but position Kevin as the underdog and ask for money to help fight the good fight. In fact it gives me 3 opportunities to give him money.
Here are the key things I got from his email:

Spam is spam. No matter who it comes from. Be better than the PM and only put people on your list when you have permission
If you are asking for money, show the value. Either give me something (if can be no cost to you like a digital image) but I need something in return for my money (and not just empty promises)
Differentiate yourself. Sometimes I can’t tell the difference between Kevin and Abbott (as referred to in the letter). Can your clients tell the difference between you and your competitor?
Show some respect – to yourself and others. In signing off his letter as Kevin, he becomes common. YOU ARE THE PRIME MINISTER! Show some respect for the office as well as your competitor. Mr Abbott sounds so much nicer than Abbott. Do you show respect to others?
Create a vision for me to see. It may be me with your product or service, it maybe the life I never dreamt of, it maybe a feeling I get but give me something to hold on to. Kevin says he has a vision but I don’t know what it is. Would your clients know what vision you have for them?
Be original. This email feels like it is a left over from a successful Obama campaign. Imitation may be flattery but it does not always lead to success.

To be really up front with you, I still don’t know who to vote for. I will probably decide on election day but I must say, this email did Kevin no favours at all.

Link with me on Linked In

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Lessons from the Prime Minister

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Be More Dog

OMG!

I just saw this video.

It’s a tv advert for mobile phones in the UK – but ignore that.
It will make people fight over what is better a Cat or a Dog – ignore that.
It has clearly had some cool CGI done – ignore that.

Focus on the message. In an age of sedentary lifestyle with large helpings of self focus and self seeking, the message speaks volumes.

Do you have what it takes to be more dog?

Can You Negotiate Successfully?

Negotiation is such a core part of what we do, but I am not a guru on Negotiation. Luckily I have a very good friend that is. I asked her to give me the secrets to mastering negotiation and she was happy to oblige.
Tanya Edlington has negotiated everything from wages deals worth millions of dollars to car parking arrangements where she lives because she knows EVERYTHING is negotiable. She has learnt everything she knows by doing it and learning from her mistakes. Tanya believes the art of conversation is important to all kinds of relationships. She’s a mediator accredited through LEADR, and is a sought after facilitator. Tanya uses her skills as an actress to help everyone from doctors to corporate managers develop their face to face communication skills.
Tanya Here are Tanya’s Top Tips to Negotiate Anything!
If you follow these every time, regardless of what you’re negotiating or who you are representing, you are bound to have a successful outcome.

Know what you want. It seems obvious, but it’s also often the thing that people neglect. If you don’t know exactly what you want, you’re not ready to negotiate.
Know how what you want can be packaged. Sometimes it’s easy to miss a great opportunity to settle because it looks a bit different from what you were thinking. Be creative and open minded as you consider offers made by the other side. Think about how offers can help you get what you want, rather than focussing on the shortcomings.
Make sure the people with authority to settle or reach agreement are in the room. There’s nothing worse than putting in the hard work and reaching a great outcome, only to find that the people you’ve been talking to aren’t the decision-makers. I only negotiate with decision-makers. If the other side can’t do this, then they’re not committed to negotiation.
Spend some time agreeing on the rules of engagement before you start negotiating on substantive matters. Apart from being useful to set up rules of engagement, this helps everyone practise talking to each other. If I’m negotiating with several people, I look for clues about communication styles, power relationships, thinking preferences and the dynamics within the group. I include issues of confidentiality (where relevant) and also communication with stakeholders (who, what, when and how).
Don’t leave the room without a written agreement. Whatever I am negotiating, the last thing I do before anyone leaves the room is to write down what we’ve already agreed. I write this summary together. I’m not talking about a fully drafted document! I’m talking about an agreed written record that reduces the risk of people walking away with different interpretations or an intention to wriggle out of something. Electronic whiteboards are really handy for this. If there isn’t one I take a photo and email to everyone. Once everyone agrees on what is written down, I then distribute copies. I include the date, time and names of everyone in the room and who they represent. This process is also clarifiying and can often flush out anything that isn’t really agreed between the parties.

Putting it all together, approach your negotiations with your creative problem solving muscles flexed and view the other team as useful collaborators with expertise to contribute to the solving of the problem. I find that this approach means the relationships with the people remain intact – sometimes even grow – and people are more willing to keep going when it’s tough.
Lastly, I make sure that my thoughts, words and deeds are in alignment so that I am operating with integrity, regardless of who I’m working with and what we’re trying to achieve.

If you need help with your negotiations, please contact Tanya. She is sure to help you achieve the outcome you want.

blog: www.divacultura.blogspot.com
twitter: @divacultura
email: tanyaedlington@gmail.com
m: 0418 285 732

—————

Warwick Merry – The Get More Guy, is your high energy, results focused, action oriented, no holds barred tour de force MC, keynote speaker and Exhibiting Specialist. He ensures your attendees Get More from your event. His MC work is like insurance for your event. It guarantees things will run smoothly and on time. As a speaker, he is like a dose of Berocca – a bubbling, burst of healthy, sustainable energy for your attendees. If you need a burst of inspiration, cogitation and celebration at your next event you MUST book The Get More Guy, Warwick Merry.

Are You Ready?

Ready
I had a big weekend. 2 1/2 day as MC of the Super Conference in Melbourne (from Thursday to Saturday), a 1 year old party, MC another function on the Saturday night and then 6 hours reviewing the upcoming video product I am creating.

Phew!

The recurring theme seemed to be “Are You Ready”. At the Super Conference, one of the speakers arrived late, was foofing and fluffing around with AV, running back to his room, forgetting something else and had no introduction. We delayed the start but it got to the point that I had to fill in for about 10 minutes while he got ready. For some a 10 minute fill

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is not easy (lucky I like the sound of my own voice!) Other speakers arrived the day before to check the room, had their AV all tested and loaded on our machines two presentations prior. True professionals that were a delight to deal with.

On the Saturday night, there was a little more stuffing around trying to get the hotels projector working. Luckily the client was patient because it took the hotel awhile to find the person who knew what was going on (apparently the projector always goes to sleep automatically – that would have been nice to know up front!)

What about you? Are you ready?

Are you ready to start your meetings on time? Do your minutes get done promptly after the meeting? Do people have all of your requirements, introductions and contact details when you are on site? Have you practiced the difficult meeting with your staff member? Do you have the correct documentation when you get on the phone to talk to a service provider? When you are running an event, are you ready to stall for five minutes if you need to (because you know it will happen!)

When you know you have something significant happening, make sure you are ready. It makes a massive difference!