Archive for 'Business'

What motivates a buyer? Whether dealing with a consumer buying basic living needs or somebody purchasing a large piece of capital, what truly motivates buying decisions? Motivation can typically be categorized in terms of Extrinsic (External) or Intrinsic (Internal), and though we often think of this in the context of performance, there are also many parallels in terms of what it might mean for a potential buyer.

Extrinsic Motivation is primarily driven by a logical justification. In performance it is reward and for a buyer this translates to how Read more »

With the advent of technology and globalization the manner in which business is conducted has dramatically changed over the last 20 years. Dan Pink, in A Whole New Mind refers to the transition from Agricultural to Industrial to Information and now to what he describes as the Innovative or Creative Revolution. The advent of technology and globalization has very much driven this changing landscape, particularly here in the US, and this can be somewhat illustrated by considering the following shifts:

We live in very fluid times and consequently the manner in which we approach what motivates our employees requires a very different thought process. Think in terms of how doing business has changed over the last 50 years. The advent of technology and globalization has very much changed the landscape and this can be illustrated by considering some of the following shifts that have occurred.

Engagement is a direct result of the various motivators you experience. These motivators can be intrinsic and relate to your actual work experiences such as your job, you boss, your team and in general, the organization you belong to. However there are also extrinsic motivators that are typically regarded as much more universal.

In the past these extrinsic motivators were thought to revolve around the “carrot and stick”. Today the notion that rewards motivate people has been replaced with the realization Read more »

Employee engagement is the collective level of intellectual and emotional commitment employees have toward their work and organization. More and more organizations are embracing this as a means to understanding how they measure up from an engagement perspective. Consequently many different types of tools and surveys are now being accessed to help create some objectivity as to how people feel about their work.

Once these surveys are undertaken and organizations wish to elevate their engagement score, three areas where significant developmental opportunities exist are:

Emotionally Intelligent Leaders

Do qualities Read more »

For the majority of those reading this you are either part of an organization or are pursuing a solo-preneurial career. Whichever you might be on there is always the question as to whether it’s “greener” on the other side. To make a decision to move in either direction is huge and can never be taken lightly.

The following are some key categories and associated questions that one should consider in terms of what might be right for you.

1. Knowledge – Is Read more »

Have you read the book by Spencer Johnson, called The Present? Though short and a rather simple read, it contains a powerful and somewhat liberating message. He proposed that we should literally, “Learn from the Past, Live in the Present and Plan for the Future.” Though there are many ways of assessing how these might translate to our roles as entrepreneurs and business leaders, let’s briefly look at each lesson and see what we can garner.

We cannot drive looking through the Read more »

For most people starting out in business, there are so many facets to consider. Clichés like “It’s more important to work on the business rather than in the Business” or “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” are very often heard but not acted upon. Typically the reason for this is lack of time. However it might be more correctly suggested that it’s not time that is the issue but lack of priorities.

So what are a few key tips to consider when running your small business?Read more »

Chet Holmes, author of The Ultimate Selling Machine, speaks about some pretty astounding statistics when it comes to selling. He claims that in most cases 3% of people are in the market for your product and that maybe another 7% might be open. The other 90% is not in the market at this time.

This is pretty scary and you might rightfully wonder how are you going to even find that 10%, let alone the 3% who want your product? The answer Read more »

Many organizations are developing Internal Coaches as a means of making this resource available to their staff. The use of External (Executive) Coaches, though it can be very effective, is not always an affordable option and creating an internal resource is helping to address this.

In a recent paper by Ruth Donde and David Rock of Result Coaching Systems, they highlighted how one can measure the effectiveness of training internal coaches.