Fear Factory

The topic of what makes a great leader has been debated since humans could say the word. When you think of the values a mentor has brought to you, it's often those intangible aspects which are more difficult to define.

In business, it's tough to be thrown into a new role when you may be good at the work but not as well versed at the people part. It’s easy to point to those who have handled leadership with grace but it's not a skill you learn in short order. And it can certainly be a balancing act when the company continually reminds you profit is the goal.

Fear can be why strong leadership is often as rare as great customer service.

I could be wrong. 

Enough is Enough

The annual strategic meetings are on. The big boss says profit margins need to widen. The new product line has to help increase market share. The southwest division has to pick it up on sales results. The list goes on.

The desire for infinite monetary growth permeates the room. No one is allowed to say this may be a flat year because of market shifts and customer demands. No one would suggest business comes with ebbs and flows as does life.

More of more!

In the developing world, it appears the need for prosperity and material possessions is a core belief and desire. Do we really need the four bedroom house on half an acre? Will granite counter tops bring us nirvana? Are 34 dress shirts enough? Can profits increase infinitely? Will we ever have enough?

We know buying stuff keeps the economy going and all of us employed. We need to ensure we can sustain our lives now and into retirement but the desire for something that we can’t even define is creating widespread unhappiness and uncertainty. Perhaps the bigger decision is to figure out who we want to spend our time with and what experiences we want.

More is rarely better.
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Now

Karen Lamb said a year from now you will wish you had started today while Jim Rohn said if you really want to do something, you'll find a way, if you don't, you'll find an excuse. We all have ideas we don’t act on. We may be waiting for the best time, more money, or permission. We may be out of excuses and left with one option.

The best time is probably right now.
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You Want the Best – Now What?

The foundation of your business is people. That’s not some fluffy nice to have statement, it has been scientifically proven. If you have good relationships in your business, your chances of success will exponentially improve. If you view that human stuff as a waste of time, or a job for someone else, your company will be built on sand.

If you asked any business leader if they would like to have the most talented people on their team, it’s fairly safe to say you would get a positive response from one hundred percent of them. Who doesn't want the best?

People are People

But if you were to subsequently ask them what specific daily steps are they personally making to ensure that happens, the answers could become a bit vaguer. I'm not referring to the employee handbook or some slick delegation process someone else oversees – steps they do themselves.

Now ask yourself those same two questions. You want the best, of course you do, but what are you doing today – not monthly or in your weekly wrap-up meetings or some all-staff email – but today, to help your team be the best?
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We Need More!

The annual strategic meetings are on. The big boss says profit margins need to widen. The new product line has to help increase market share. The southwest division has to pick it up on sales results. The list goes on.

The desire for infinite monetary growth permeates the room. No one is allowed to say this may be a flat year because of market shifts and customer demands. No one would suggest business comes with ebbs and flows as does life.

More of more!

In the developing world, it appears the need for prosperity and material possessions is a core belief and desire. Do we really need the four bedroom house on half an acre? Will granite counter tops bring us nirvana? Are 34 dress shirts enough? Can profits increase infinitely? Will we ever have enough?

We know buying stuff keeps the economy going and all of us employed. We need to ensure we can sustain our lives now and into retirement but the desire for something that we can’t even define is creating widespread unhappiness and uncertainty. Perhaps the bigger decision is to figure out who we want to spend our time with and what experiences we want.

Or we could continue deploying the hope and wish strategy.
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When is Right?

I was sifting through old notes and saw two quotes that were well timed. Karen Lamb said a year from now you will wish you had started today while Jim Rohn said if you really want to do something, you'll find a way, if you don't, you'll find an excuse.

We all have ideas we don’t act on. We may be waiting for the best time, more money, or permission. We may be out of excuses and left with one option.

The best time is right now.
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Leadership and the General Ledger

The foundation of your business is people. That’s not some fluffy nice to have statement; it has been scientifically proven. If you have good relationships in your business, your chances of success will exponentially improve. If you view the human stuff as a waste of time, or a job for someone else, your company will be built on sand. And this is not something to do only during quarterly or annual reviews.

If you asked any business leader if they would like to have the most talented people on their team, it's certain they would resoundingly say yes! Who doesn't want the best?

Open Mind Policy

But if you were to subsequently ask them what specific daily steps are they personally making to ensure that happens, the answers could become a bit vaguer. I'm not referring to the employee handbook or some slick delegation process someone else oversees – steps they do themselves.

Now ask yourself those same two questions. You want the best, but what are you doing today – not monthly or in your weekly wrap-up meetings or some all-staff email – but today, to help your team be the best?

Your answer is not about better services or products.
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Clearing our Lens

It’s right there every day. You may recognize it but do you heed it often enough? Do we pay close enough attention to the lessons that touch our lives?

One definition of perspective is a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view. You and I could look at the same situation with a different interpretation. Your experience may be a factor. My attitude may alter my standpoint. But the important question is, do we do anything about it.

Point of View

We know life can be fragile but perhaps we go through our day without thinking too deeply about its meaning. Of course, we can’t spend every moment over thinking it all and overwhelm ourselves. How do we strike a balance to ensure we aren’t flippant about the essential elements in our lives, work, and relationships?

One way is to take a few moments each week to make a physical list of things we’re thankful for and balance that against the stress and busy of our everyday lives. The daily duties, deadlines, and stress seem to take up more of our consciousness than the important elements that shape our experience.

We might spend too much time complaining and wishing things were better rather than embracing the aspects that really are going well. Perhaps some perspective when we focus too much on the unimportant while forgetting the essential.

I think it's worth a shot.
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Before They Are Customers

You want to take your significant other out for a nice dinner. Maybe you'll check out that new steak place? They claim they have best Kobe beef this side of Tokyo. Decision made. Reservation for 7:30.

What they didn’t tell you in the advertising was that there is a mandatory $10 parking fee. A bit annoying and scam-like. Still not fazed, you head inside. You are met at the threshold with a line-up. Not a bad thing, it means this new place is doing well and you’re not worried, you have a reservation.

Service On Hold

At 7:45, you inquire with the snappy dressed guy at the front if your table is ready. He doesn’t take his eyes of the calculus that is the restaurant floor plan and barks that the kitchen is busy, they are new, and all reservations are 30 minutes behind.

It’s a nice night out, why spoil it with complaints so you go back to the bench and wait quietly. Several minutes later a woman approaches you with two white cards. On one side is the restaurant’s logo and on the other is a questionnaire.

Survey Says

They want to know your demographic, how you found out about the place, how many times you go out for a meal each month, how much alcohol you consume in a year, and for your trouble your name is put in a draw for one free dessert on your next trip - if you go to their website and register.

It’s 8:43 and burgers sound good about now.

Before getting caught up in metrics, surveys, and coupons, be careful people don't walk out before you get a chance to help them as customers.

Let them try it before asking their opinion.
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Enough Already!

The annual strategic meetings are on. The big boss says profit margins need to widen. The new product line has to help increase market share. The southwest division has to pick it up on sales results. The list goes on.

The desire for infinite monetary growth permeates the room. No one is allowed to say this year will probably be a flat year because of market shifts and customer demands. No one would suggest business comes with ebbs and flows. And so does life.

We Need More Stuff!

In the developing world, it appears the need for prosperity and material possessions is a core belief and desire. But as we emerged from the worse economic downturn in eight decades there could be a slight shift in some perspective.

Do we really need the four bedroom house on half an acre? Can we wait another year before we buy that new car? Are 34 dress shirts enough? Does anyone need that many pairs of shoes?

When will we have enough? When will it be enough?

We know buying stuff keeps the economy going and all of us employed. We need to ensure we can sustain our lives now and into retirement but the desire for something that we can’t even define is creating widespread unhappiness and uncertainty.

Perhaps the bigger decision is to figure out who we want to spend our time with and what experiences we seek.

Or we could keep hoping we find enough.
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Counting Beans and Forgetting People

If you dig deep enough, you’ll find most people have some sort of grievance about their work and it’s often something they can’t quantify. Bars are filled with colleagues grumbling about their situation and those chats are often not about products.

Companies spend most of the time refining their offer and trying to increase revenue. Time is spent more on the business and what suffers is time in the business and more importantly on the people. All too often a 'less is more' mantra is adopted. Supplies are thrown from the boat in the hopes the survivors will make it home safely.

Downsize to Success?

Sometimes cuts need to be made but before you make them, have a close look at what’s going on in your organization. Without superior talented and well directed strong people, the amount of money you think you are saving from the bottom line by making knee jerk cuts will evaporate over time. While a competitor who values people and internal customer service over a quick fix may win the day.

The passion and ideas of people are all we have and without them we can chase profit every day and we will never find it. Instead, try five powerful words.

How can I help you?
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Doing the Right Things

We are all judged and measured by our performance. But before calculating revenue, memberships, or constituents, the key to any organizational growth begins with the relationships within the organization. Great culture brings results. Ensuring people enjoy coming to work every day so they can bring their best must be a top priority.

With that in mind, some words of wisdom.

It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.
Adlai E. Stevenson II

Power isn't control at all. Power is strength, and giving that strength to others.
Beth Revis

Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal;
Avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader.
Lao Tzu

You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.
Nancy D. Solomon

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Mother Teresa

If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out.
Steve Jobs

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
William Arthur Ward
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Building Blocks of Business

The foundation of your business is people. That’s not some fluffy nice to have statement; it has been scientifically proven. If you have good relationships in your business, your chances of success will exponentially improve. If you view that human stuff as a waste of time, or a job for someone else, your company will be built on sand.

If you asked any business leader if they would like to have the most talented people on their team, it’s fairly safe to say you would get a positive response from one hundred percent of them. Who doesn't want the best?

Open Mind Policy

But if you were to subsequently ask them what specific daily steps are they personally making to ensure that happens, the answers could become a bit vaguer. I'm not referring to the employee handbook or some slick delegation process someone else oversees – steps they do themselves.

Now ask yourself those same two questions. You want the best, of course you do, but what are you doing today – not monthly or in your weekly wrap-up meetings or is some all-staff email – but today, to help your team be the best?

A hint: It has nothing to do with your products or services.
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Your Real Bottom Line

Training is important for any business, but I believe action learning is the best way to create positive and lasting improvement in your company. We spend more than 12,000 days at work during our life, so why not find a way for us to enjoy them?

Your employees want to enjoy being at work. Your profits will grow if you make your people your priority. It's not a nice to have; it's essential to the growth of your business.

Every employee in your company wants to know they can bring their best work and have the chance to improve, grow, and learn. You may think selling more products is the fastest way to improve your bottom line, but it’s people who will get you there and strong internal culture is the critical ingredient.

Each year, Gallup does a survey of the global workplace and through over 60,000 one-on-one interviews in 90 countries last year, only 13% of respondents said they were emotionally invested in creating value to their companies and organizations. That’s a problem. Engaging your employees is the most important way to realize measurable results. Your bottom line depends on your people.

Leadership and Team Development

I provide workshops and webinars customized to your company and team’s needs. We begin where you are right now and we address your specific needs integrated with your current business challenges.

These can take on various iterations from half-day and full-day workshops to ongoing team, department, and individual sessions, to leadership development programs which include your employees working on their growth while solving a real business project.

Business and Executive Coaching

There is a myriad assessment tools and training methods available and I deploy many of them but like the leadership and team development, we begin where you are right now. From one-on-one to team to group sessions, we create solutions-based meetings and modules to address those things that are keeping you up at night.

Call me at 519-803-7130 or email knealemann at gmail dot com and we can chat about your needs. We will create a customized solution with identified goals and objectives to ensure measurable results.

It begins with a conversation. Let's chat!
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Adopting the Cluetrain Mindset

"We are not seats or eyeballs or end users or consumers. We are human beings and our reach exceeds your grasp. Deal with it."
Cluetrain Manifesto (1999)

I’ve never endorsed or sold anything on this site but I felt compelled to share a story with you about my phone. I’ve been a BlackBerry customer since they made pagers. The culture at the company hasn't been great for years but I like the phones. I’ve been a (reasonably) satisfied customer. So far.

I live half an hour from their world headquarters. I know people who work there. I also know many who no longer work there. I realize gadgets break down but this is about much more than technical issues I had with my Z10.

Time to Switch

In my case, calls would often go straight to voicemail, the ear bud connection was temperamental, others would often say they couldn't hear me properly. I would contact my service provider and they would blame BlackBerry.

It’s disheartening when you go onto the BlackBerry site and the only people trying to solve issues are other BlackBerry owners. The company was no help and lost another customer. That’s how arrogance loses market share.

We know better

This isn't about mobile devices; it's a contrast of one company understanding that customers want choice and a good experience while the other felt they built the superior device years ago and all others should fall behind them.

The moment you think your company owns the hill, listen carefully for the sound of marching feet on the way to push you into the abyss. Being a market leader is not only about profits, it’s about appreciating what customers want.

After the cash register

Building great stuff is a minimum requirement. Building superior stuff will create loyal customers. Ignoring how you got there will give customers the choice to open their wallets to a competitor. I'm enjoying my new iPhone 6. It's pretty cool.

Celebrate the fact your users, listeners, viewers, buyers, customers, or clients have the choice and ensure you are there to provide them what they need. This is not to suggest you bend until you break but their reach exceeds your grasp.

Deal with it.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Taking a Summer Attitude

We are in the middle of a heatwave in North America right now. I’m in Canada and temperatures are hovering around 30-35° celsius which is 86-95° fahrenheit. I live in a part of the world where it can dip down to minus 20-30 in the winter.

So people are out and about, enjoying the warmer climes and some well-deserved time away from work with their families and friends. Backyards are filled with the smell of barbecues and the streets are filled with people on their bikes taking in the vista.

Work Less Try Less?

I usually think about how to approach work in the summer from the perspective of taking advantage of your competition while they’re putting their feet up a bit but this year is different. I was thinking this week that perhaps I’ve had that backwards.

Maybe we need to take the summer approach throughout the year. Perhaps we are too focused on bottom lines and improved market shares when a more relaxed attitude will garner even better results. If we aren’t so grumpy all the time about profits and enjoy the work, the exact result we’ve been seeking will be realized.

Something to think about whilst you’re sipping that icy drink by the pool.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Focus

I met Mike when he was just finishing teachers' college with a bright outlook on a positive future. I spoke with him this week, days before his second wedding, and he is just as positive after teaching for almost three decades. Mike has a great family, strong friendship network, and outstanding outlook on life.

Mike isn't just a friend, he's one of my brothers.

I asked him how he has kept so calm and positive all these years and he said it's all about focus. He works hard to ensure his students are well prepared for their future, enjoys his home, hangs out with friends, plays a bit of hockey, has a few at his local pub, rides his motorcycle, and spends time with his loving partner Sue.

Less is Much More

Mike doesn't view his life as overly complicated yet he also noted that most of us make it far too messy and confusing. He knew what he wanted 30 years ago and kept his focus on a balance of fulfilling work and a good life. I've often used Mike as an example of someone who has it right. Perhaps we do make it too complicated chasing something we can't often define? There's ample evidence Mike has had it right all along.

So as I travel to his wedding this weekend, I will look forward to seeing my old friend who has been with me through every twist and turn of our lives; the friend you can call after not speaking for months and it feels like no time has passed. Mike's unspoken lesson for me, and perhaps for you, is that focus is not something that requires a lot of sweat and toil once you know what you want.

Let's stay focused and enjoy the ride.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Leadership is Not a Title

Being a leader is not exclusive to management, nor determined by a salary; it is everywhere. In your business, you must lead teams, teams must lead individuals, and individuals lead themselves.

Your most valuable resource is your people. When people are your priority, profits will increase. I help business build business to realize positive and profitable results through customized action learning programs and coaching.

Measurable Results
• Crystal clear vision of personal and professional goals
• Collaborative culture leading to stronger growth and improved bottom line
• Actionable plan for attainable and sustainable results
• Healthier and more productive teams, departments, and company
• Stronger leadership and management skills from all aspects of the business
• Organization prepared to meet future challenges
• Creation of a robust talent pipeline
• Improved bottom line and sustainable profits

Area of Focus
Leadership development goals, individual and team coaching, team dimensions and assessments, strategic planning, conflict resolution, presentation skills, human resource management, talent acquisition and retention, building powerful teams, creating effective meetings, open collaboration, and improved communication skills.

STEP Process
• Conduct a discovery brainstorming session to identify specific needs and goals
• Create a plan to include employees who you recognize need to be part of the process
• Design a results-based action learning curriculum
• Identify 2-3 key areas to focus on improvement and growth
• Provide comprehensive solution maps
• Once refinements are complete, produce a mutual contract of accountability
• Develop process of check-in calls, sessions, webinars, and workshops
• Build in monthly status sessions to measure ongoing results and identify refinements

I always enjoy meeting new leaders and learning more about them and their business. It begins where you are so let's book a call and discuss.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
knealemann@gmail.com | 613.983.5009

Infinite Growth

The annual strategic meetings are on. The big boss says profit margins need to widen. The new product line has to help increase market share. The southwest division has to pick it up on sales results. The list goes on.

The desire for infinite monetary growth permeates the room. No one is allowed to say this year will probably be a flat year because of market shifts and customer demands. No one would suggest business comes with ebbs and flows. And so does life.

We Need More Stuff!

In the developing world, it appears the need for prosperity and material possessions is a core belief and desire. But as we emerged from the worse economic downturn in eight decades there could be a slight shift in some perspective.

Do we really need the four bedroom house on half an acre? Can we wait another year before we buy that new car? Are 34 dress shirts enough? Does anyone need that many pairs of shoes?

When will we have enough? When will it be enough?

We know buying stuff keeps the economy going and all of us employed. We need to ensure we can sustain our lives now and into retirement but the desire for something that we can’t even define is creating widespread unhappiness and uncertainty.

Perhaps the bigger decision is to figure out who we want to spend our time with and what experiences we want.

Or we could keep hoping we find enough.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Passion and People

If you are in business, managing a department, or leading an organization, you are judged and measured by your financial performance. The bottom line is one of the essential pieces of the matrix. Some say if you focus on revenue, the rest will take care of itself. If it was true, every company would enjoy infinite growth year after year.

The key to any organizational growth begins with the relationships within your company. Great culture brings profit. Ensuring your people are well trained and enjoy coming to work every day must be your top priority.

With that in mind, some words of wisdom.

It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.
Adlai E. Stevenson II

Power isn't control at all. Power is strength, and giving that strength to others.
Beth Revis

Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal;
Avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader.
Lao Tzu

You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.
Nancy D. Solomon

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Mother Teresa

If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out.
Steve Jobs

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
William Arthur Ward
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit