Are you experiencing tension at work with an individual or colleague?

This can be a very uncomfortable time for all concerned. Some possibilities are;

• You Know the cause and feel unsure how to address it
• You feel uncomfortable but don’t know what the issue is
• You see a colleague being mistreated and don’t know what to do

When you know the cause, and if you have created the problem, own up and ask how you can make amends. Read the rest of this entry »

I am not talking about red carpet Hollywood celebrity stuff here. I am discussing the importance of how our appearance sends a message to people about us.

Your clothes and grooming are a significant part of your tool kit. A trades person wears protective clothing and may not be allowed on site without it. Their clothing identifies them as people who ought to be there.

Our defence forces wear identifiable uniforms as do our police force and our operating theatre staff.

So, is there a uniform where you work?  It might not be as formal as the people described above, but you can be sure there is one. People in funky cutting edge design studios tend not to wear Armani suits. People who sell prestige cars tend not to wear sneakers, T shirts and jeans, and in between there’s a whole lot of options. If you want to belong to the club, wear the uniform: if you don’t, join another club!

Whatever it is should be a good fit for your environment and the work that is performed there and your job role. Remeber that if you want to be promoted, dress to that level if you can and still perform your job.

What is not negotiable is personal hygiene, a touchy subject and best considered to avoid embarrassment ie;

• Body odour. Nobody likes a stinker. Take responsibility, shower before work, use a good deodorant or antiperspirant, especially after that 10k lunch time run.

• Wear fresh well pressed clothing

• Make sure you have fresh breath

• Hair clean and groomed

How do you tell someone they have body odour or bad breath?

Here are some principles:

• People will feel embarrassed, but normally grateful to be told
• Be respectful of the person’s dignity – speak in a private place
• Say something like; ” I wanted to talk to you in private because I’m really aware of your body odour and wouldn’t like it to affect your relationships at work. I realise That’s all Bob.”
• Maybe get someone with whom they have a good relationship or their manager to tell them, especially if there is a gender, or other sensitivity

When joining a new organisation it can be helpful to ask HR for some simple guidelines on policy to keep you on track while you settle into your new environment.

Do not underestimate the symbolism and the power of the message you send about your personal standards and your understanding of what is expected of you by your new employer.

Choose a role model for yourself and be guided while you continue to develop your own signature look.

There are parallels between sport and work and there are many things we can learn, as to a large extent work defines who we are. Some questions:

• How can we learn from sport at work?
• What are the barriers to your success?
• Who should be your mentor?
• Who should be your coach?
• Are you willing to attend training?

Imagine yourself as an upcoming athlete, striving for recognition. What would you do to realise your potential? You would probably:

• Find an organisation that specialises in your sport of interest.
• Select a coach to increase your skills and discipline.
• Find a mentor to guide you, through shared wisdom and experience.
• Spend time with people who share your passion.
• Commit the time necessary to achieve your goals.
• Help others along the way

So what does any of this have to do with work?

In order to be successful in your career of choice the same principles apply. You should:

• Find an organisation aligned to your interest
• Select a coach to develop your skills
• Find a mentor with the experience and wisdom to guide you
• Spend time with like minded people who will support you
• Get the discipline to respectfully learn and grow with the team
• And importantly take the opportunity to help others.

A little note on barriers to success;

No one enjoys the complaints department. When things are difficult and you are frustrated, don’t be a complainer. Talk to someone you trust and carefully consider their advice. Be prepared always to understand your contribution to whatever is happening before being tempted to immediately lay blame.

You will be respected for your careful consideration and the maturity you have shown.

We all accept that great athletes train vigorously and with great discipline for their upcoming events, continuing and future success. I urge you to adopt the same formula for success in your chosen career. You will be rewarded for your efforts and recognised as a great asset in your organisation.

The different approach to sales training in these economic conditions is interesting, to say the least.

One company I have just finished a workshop with believes that now is the perfect time to gain sales and a market advantage over their competition, by making sure their sales force is trained to the max. Another says they are hunkering down until after Easter and will consider their options then. Which is right?

Let’s look at a military analogy. The enemy is coming in force, what do you do?

Planning strategy

• do nothing and hope they will go away
• stengthen your defences
• take aggressive action to ambush them and slow them down so you can defeat them in detail.

The role of the military in peace is to train for war: similarly the role of sales organisations in good economic times is to use resources to ensure the sales staff is fully skilled, but often is doesn’t happen. Sales in good times are easy, why train? Because the bad times are always around the corner, and you need to be prepared (who said that?).

So if you find yourself with a poorly skilled sales force in these times, what should you do? Hope they will cope? Reduce your sales force and fire your admin staff to reduce overheads?

I don’t think so. It would be like reducing your defensive capabilities. The best method of defence is attack!

The vital ground to protect is your revenue stream and you can’t do that without a skilled sales force and proper administrative backup. So as the sales leader, take decisive action now.

Here is a pdf article for you to download Dont Let the Economy be an Excuse for Poor Performance from Miller-Heiman.