3 Ways to Zig When They Zag

The business world today seems to be playing follow the leader. The "Got Milk?" ad campaign became successful and dozens of companies copied it. One company decides the best way to deal with a recession is to lay off employees and have a salary freeze and dozens once again follow suit, not stopping to even think if there is a better alternative.

Playing follow the leader requires no original thought, means you will always be playing catch up, and what works for one organization doesn't mean it will work for your organization. Effective leaders look for opportunities to zig what everyone is zagging. Consider these three ways to take a different road that puts your organization in front and well positioned for the near future.

1. They are laying off people so you need to be hiring -- top talent

The employment numbers in this country continue to demonstrate companies are trying to gain through subtraction. Two years ago the biggest concern I heard from HR directors and CEOs was the dearth of talent to pick from. The talent pool is full once again with tremendous talent looking for new opportunities. While everyone else is still trimming good talent trying to meet short term end of year goals, you need to be shopping to upgrade your workforce. Who are you keeping that sucks? Think you can find someone else out there that is a better fit? Now is the time.

2. They are cutting budgets so you hold steady and reapportion budgets

Companies are so short term focused they are cutting out dimes that could be making them dollars just to make a report look good. It's a bad way to manage. While everyone else is cutting back on budgets, take the contrary approach and keep your budget at the same and just redirect money to where it can do the greatest good for the organization as you move forward. I find that most companies do sweeping cuts like 10% across the board which is laziness and bad business. Dig into the details. What areas can handle a 10% cut? What areas should actually have an increased budget right now? Marketing rates are very low for example, is now the time to add budget dollars to maximize the opportunity for greater exposure? Be different and make smarter choices.

3. They are taking a protective posture so you need to go rogue

Last year budgets were being formed during election and economic questions, yet most budgets went forward as usual. This year everyone is over reacting and afraid of what next year could bring; therefore, budgets are getting slashed and fear reigns. What happened to courage? When did leaders become timid and fearful? Be the rogue and take a stand you believe in your organization's ability to thrive in slow economic times and give your people the tools and talent they need to succeed. In war times the best time to make critical advances is when the opponent is in retreat. Your competition right now is in retreat and playing a "wait and see" game. Take advantage of the situation, be bold and courageous as a leader should be and grab the opportunity with gusto and charge ahead. More organization make a name for themselves in tougher times than when the economy is good to everyone. Be the rouge and grab market share.

Russell's Rules #5 An Opposing View Isn't Always Wrong.

Take one of your strong opinions and reverse it. What are the merits of that point of view?

We get so defensive about our opinions that we forget there may be some merit to opposing points of view. By exploring other viewpoints, you will find weaknesses in your business that you never saw before. You may also see a better way to perform by abandoning the hard-line defensiveness on your position.

Study the competition, identifying all the things they do right, and may, in fact, do better than you. Fight the impulse to look for their negatives; it's their strengths that provide us with opportunities for growth.

Growth and improvement happen because someone was given the opportunity to shoot holes in the current position on a matter. Take a good look at your strongest-held organizational opinions and find the better way.

Just Do This...

1. List your top 5 corporate opinions (We will always..., We will never ...).

2. List the merits of ignoring them.

3. Review your core values, and develop a completely different list.

4. List the lessons you learned and identified for growth potential.

5. Take action on those lessons.

14 Questions That Will Grow Your Business on Thoughtful Thursday

1. Based on your results this year how goal-oriented are you really?

2. What is your marketing mix for the Blink Buying process people are now in?

3. How well do your employees know the features and benefits of the products you sell? Quiz them to find out.

4. How accurately did you determine your costs for this year? How are you adjusting your projections for better accuracy next year?

5. How do you plan to position yourself in social media in the coming year?

6. What are your profit improvement strategies for the coming year?

7. Instead of eliminating programs, where can you find the money to fund those programs?

8. What profit center is lagging that could be a strong contributor next year?

9. How do you plan to shift that attitude in toward that profit center?

10. How are you using online video to promote your business? How well is it working?

11. On a scale of 1 to 10, how well would you rate the Seven P's of your company: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Packaging, Positioning and People?

12. What does your perfect customer look like?

13. How are you building rapport with your customers so you become indispensable?

14. How many different ways can you sell your product? How many of them are you employing successfully?

3 Ways to Build Business Relationships

Because we are skeptical in today’s world, building trust with those we count on for business is critical. The good news is your competition may be part of the vast number of people who are letting poor behaviors that are becoming the norm for this society slip into their business practices. Our work relationships are critical to a long term business strategies. How you interact, communicate with and inform your customers sets the tone of a business relationship. If Costco can drop Coca-Cola products from their store offerings you know relationships are critical to all businesses of all sizes.

1. Negotiate fairly

Costco says they dropped the Coke products because of negotiation practices on pricing (http://bit.ly/4GbPMQ) and that has to be felt by a global player even the size of Coke. Neither side is making any further comments, but what happens in a negotiation? It depends on if both parties are looking for a common middle ground or looking for the overwhelming victory of taking advantage of the situation.

When you negotiate terms with your customer be sure you are being tactful. Be sure you are being open with your reasons for what you are asking for. Be sure you know the lay of the land before starting the discussions.

Negotiating in good faith is a lost art form, find it and restore the trust your client should have in you.

2. Keep commitments

People are so caught up in themselves they forget what keeping a commitment means. In the last two weeks I’ve seen people no-show a business lunch and cancel at the last minute with a clearly BS excuse costing them credibility.

Broken contracts to no-show lunches are an epidemic in the business landscape today. Be the opposite: fulfill the commitments you make to others. I find those people who break commitments with people also break commitments with themselves and that’s not going to help anyone grow or progress.

3. Develop a level of trust

Trust is in scare supply in business these days and the more we watch the news the more we become distrustful. Entire industries are being distrusted because of one organizations egregious misstep. James Arthur Ray’s sham seminar where three people died in a sweat lodge has created distrust throughout my industry. All of us have to recover from the perception all of us are snake oil salesmen.

Trust is earned daily and individually. Going for the close on first meeting is a sure way to have alarm bells ringing every time you walk into the room. Build relationships by making sure the basics are consistent. Negotiating fairly, keeping commitments and developing a level of trust are nothing new, but they seem to be in short supply.

5 Characteristics You Can Learn From a Vet

Veteran's Day is a day of recognition of those who serve our country and protect our freedoms. In honor of those honorable soldiers I want to talk about five characteristics that every good military person must possess and coincidently every good business leader as well.

1. Loyalty

In the military loyalty is required to be a successful unit. A soldier must be loyal to the cause he or she is fighting for, must be loyal to the commanding officer to follow duty assignments and must be loyal to fellow soldiers because literally their lives are in each other's hands.

Business loyalty is needed for the same reason. Without loyalty to the cause the team isn't working toward the same end in mind and goals are not accomplished. Loyalty to leadership means buying into the vision and the focus of the organization. Loyalty to fellow employees means the workplace is more harmonious and works well together as a unit. Without these loyalties in the workplace goals are missed, in-fighting occurs and distractions misdirect people from the primary purpose of the organization. On a scale of 1 to 10 with ten being the highest, where would you rate the loyalty in your organization? You success is probably at the same point on that scale.

2. Discipline

I doubt a soldier would ever tell his commanding officer, "I didn't sleep well last night, missed my morning coffee, and really don't feel like going in to battle today." Sounds almost comical doesn't it. How disciplined is your staff in coming to work ready to make a difference, ready to fight for what is important, eager to face the obstacles of the new day? Can you imagine one morning you walked in and your staff was at the ready in advance of the day, prepared with mental toughness and eager to face the day? This is how you become successful.

3. Courage

Courage is being assigned a forward position and preparing yourself for life and death situations. Courage is knowing your responsibility to protect the freedoms of people who are unable to fend for themselves. Courage is being able to make hard decisions for the good of your organization without side agendas and political games. Courage is taking responsibility for your actions even when things go sideways. Courage is not a fool's game as some want to tell you. Courage is what makes leaders.

4. Commitment

Think about your staff around you. Would you say they are committed to maximizing their effort in the workplace? A soldier knows that without full commitment, he or she could end up dead, or those counting on them could end up dead. Commitment is what wins battles, wins wars, and beats the competition. If you have staff working with half-effort and aren't committed to their role, you are getting far less results than you deserve. Whining is not commitment. Commitment is about "Shut your hole and know your role."

5. Dedication

One definition of dedication is the act of binding yourself to a course of action. Dedication is not about wavering, and it is not playing each side it's about a full onslaught of connection with a action to be taken. If you are going to try to take a hillside you have to be dedicated. If you are going to drop into a hot zone, you must be dedicated, if you are going to accept the responsibility of being an executive you have to be fully engaged and bound to the cause, the mission and the vision of your organization.

Our veterans demonstrate these five characteristics to survive, to make a difference to protect the freedoms we all too often take for granted. We need these people, we count on these people and without our armed forces we would not enjoy the success we have in this country. As an executive are you willing to accept the challenge to live to this standard? Get to it.