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entrepreneurs’ tales, tools & tips
experience growth | AUTUMN 2014 | Issue 5
it’s
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the leadership issue
The Steve Jobs way 7 leadership lessons for entrepreneurs
The Art of Awesome Leadership Discover how telling great stories embeds powerful lessons
Plugging into Purpose, Passion & Priorities What do you do when you’re running on empty?
Communicate with passion & authenticity
leading
Discover how to touch both the head and the heart.
Social Media Masterclass
Bono like
Find out how to engage your audience
GROWhow stuff. Personal Wellbeing. Social Causes. Business. Money. Training. Technology. GROWzone.
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The mind of a leader? | Our top 10 leadership books | 7 top tips to boost your energy
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how GROW experience
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9th May 2015
live in London The Kensington Close Hotel, London W8 5SP* VENUE TBA
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Colin Tomlin, Publisher, author & speaker
eg
Welcome to
S
ince we launched eg magazine over a year ago now, we have had amazing feedback on the quality, portability and user friendliness of the magazine. In total, we have had over 300,000 views which equates to an average issue exposure of 75,000 views and a readership of close to 7,000. For an online magazine, with the next thing just a click away, these are really encouraging numbers. We are encouraged because we are committed to providing you with entrepreneurs’ tales, tools and tips which will help you, your teams and entire
organizations to be awash with entrepreneurial thinking. But why is this important?, you may well ask... Because, entrepreneurial thinking will help you to , challenge, clarify and conquer the issues we face in life, be it personal or corporate. You see, entrepreneurial thinking is all about finding solutions. And that is exactly why we have adopted a theme of leadership for this issue.
individuals on the planet. We explore his phenomenal life & how he delivers his unique brand of leadership. In addition, to our cover story we introduce a number of new contributors with a wealth of experience and expertise. We are excited about this issue and we hope you will be too. Enjoy!
Colin
Our cover story is Bono, who is arguably one of the most passionately influential
In case you missed it
Browse the previous issue FREE now
Regular Contributors Matt Bird, Relationologist (www.relationology.co.uk)
Matt helps leaders and organisations build the relationships they need to achieve greater success. He is the creator of Relationology about the art and science of relationships and how they drive business success. You can receive his daily thoughts @Relationology and weekly articles from www.relationology.co.uk In this issue Matt writes ‘6 more Secrets to Grow Your Business.’
Lilach Bullock, Social Media Expert (www.socialable.co.uk)
Lilach is a business owner, social media consultant, internet mentor and founder of Socialable.co.uk. Listed in Forbes as one of the top 20 women social media power influencers she is one of the most dynamic personalities in the social media market. She is consulted by journalists and regularly quoted in newspapers on social media related matters. A keynote speaker at business and marketing seminars, Lilach teaches about online marketing. Her books have achieved No 1 on Amazon for Sales & Marketing and Small Business & Entrepreneurship, which helps to generate over 500K online page views per month. When Lilach isn’t working she enjoys spending time with her family and is an avid fan of Zumba. In this issue Lilach writes ‘5 Tips to create Facebook content that gets likes.’
Judy Tomlin, Behavioural Specialist & Social Entrepreneur (www.betsycatherinecreative.co.uk)
Judy is behavioural specialist and social entrepreneur with over 17 years experience in schools across the country. A Psychology graduate, she specializes in behaviour management and currently is the lead teacher at a specialist resource base in East Norfolk, UK. Passionate about the convergence of education and enterprise, Judy has set up a social enterprise that uses business as a tool to engage young people to learn life and entrepreneurial skills by running their own chocolate distribution ‘franchise’. She is married to Colin and they have 2 children and almost own a cat and a dog. In this issue Judy writes ‘The Mind of a Leader’
Nisha Zala, The Creative Lifestyle Consultant (www.facebook.com/nishazalalive)
Nisha is the 2014 Newcomer Coach of the Year from the Association Professional Coaches, Trainers and Consultants and has produced events for world influenced speakers including; Tony Robbins, Donald Trump, Sir Richard Brandson, Sir Alan Sugar, T-Harv Eker, Big Al and many more. She steps on stage delivering as a key inspirational speaker and dedicated to making a difference in society. Her coaching and therapy style is described to be the best in the industry and known as a Life Enhancement Consultant and Spiritual Awakener. She is the founder of “Freedom for Change” and is writing her first book within the area of her expertise in spiritual growth and personal development. She has been frequently featured in the Basildon and Southend Echo and has her own monthly radio show on Gateway Basildon 97.8.com. In this issue Nisha writes ‘Stepping into the shoes of an Authentic Leader.’
Guest Contributors Yemi Akinsiwaju, Leadership Consultant (www.dayspringconsult.com)
Yemi is a dynamic leadership expert and author of the highly acclaimed book, Scorecard: Achieving Success and Balance in a Turbulent World. He has helped a wide range of organisations ranging from small business enterprises to multimillion pound institutions in the public sector and the charitable sector to rapidly improve their results and accelerate their success. Yemi’s passion is to be a potent catalyst for the release of the leadership greatness that resides in everyone he meets. In this issue Yemi writes on ‘Values Driven Leadership’
Lee Ashford, Personal Fitness Trainer (www.leeashford.co.uk)
Lee is a “Premier” qualified personal trainer, nutrition advisor, Advanced Boxercise Instructor and freelance fitness writer. In addition to this, Lee provides Nutrition reports, fitness programmes and fitness testing are all part of the service and at no extra cost. You can exercise with confidence as he is CRB checked, REPS registered and fully insured trainer. Lee believes that each session should be fun, varied and tailor made to suit your requirements. Lee is based in Norfolk but travels the UK to operate Bootcamps. In this issue Lee writes on how to ‘7 Tips to Boost your Energy’
Sunil Bali, Executive Coach, Speaker, Writer (www.sunilbali.com)
Sunil has been responsible for hiring over 50,000 people and has worked with some great entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders, as a former Head of Talent for two of Europe’s largest companies, Vodafone Group and Santander, and having run a £50m business himself. He is on a mission to help create authentic, sustainable and rewarding business relationships. To this end, he help entrepreneurs and professionals to generate stronger relationships, results and revenues by showing them how to increase the level of trust that people have in them and their business. In this issue Sunil writes on ‘The art of Awesome Leadership’
Clare Elevique, Digital Content Strategist (www.linkedin.com/in/clareelevique)
Clare is an experienced strategist and team leader, a professional and proactive out-thinker. Since 2009, she has focused on B2B & B2C Digital Marketing & Communications, online brand reputation and content strategy management. With 20+ years experience in Digital Design and Web Project Management, proficient in a wide range of software platforms, and technology. Clare loves to see opportunities others ignore. In this issue Clare writes on ‘Content that Converts; 5 Effective Ways to Convert with Content’
Colin McLean, Presentation & Communication Specialist (www.presw.com)
Having left university (a modern linguist) and fallen into publishing for a short spell Colin was ensnared by the City (reinsurance) for 18 years before he was able to extract himself. Several years followed, as a director of new media businesses, riding the shallower end of the dot com wave, before he located himself in Cambridgeshire and set up Presentation Works in 2002. One way or another his business and social lives have put him up in front of audiences, both large and small, for well over 40 years. In this issue Colin writes on ‘How to Communicate with Passion & Authenticity’
Publishing & Editorial Director Colin Tomlin colin@egmagazineuk.com
Coaching & Education Director Judy Lynch-Tomlin judy@egmagazineuk.com
Design Creative Wells Design design@egmagazineuk.com
Advertising advertising@egmagazineuk.com 0785 34 33 700
Partnership Development partnerships@egmagazineuk.com 0785 34 33 700
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Contents Growhow stuff in partnership with
Social Causes Ask. Seek. Knock
Our top 7 leadership growth books
Read them and you will grow.
Sometimes making a difference is not as hard as we think. Find out how you can make CSR easy by doing these 3 practical things.
Our top 5 productivity apps
Business
Personal Wellbeing
Leading like Bono
7 top tips to Boost your Energy
The Steve Jobs Way
Get them and be more productive.
How do you ensure that each day you have all the energy necessary to be productive.
Find out how the front man of the world’s most famous band leverages his influence for global good. 7 powerful leadership lessons from the late, great iconic Apple leader, in his own words.
The Mind of a Leader
The Art of Awesome Leadership
Plugging into Purpose, Passion & Priorities
6 more Secrets to Grow your Business through the Power of Relationships
Do you have the mindset of an entrepreneurial leader? We explore a few thoughts on what it means so you can work out if you have what it takes.
What do you do when you’re running on empty? Maybe it’s time to plug back in.
eg Cover Story Leading like Bono
Discover how telling great stories embeds powerful lessons.
Extracts from Matt Bird’s brilliant new book about the power of relationships.
The Mind of a Leader Do you have it or not?
entrepreneurs’ tales, tools & tips
Stepping into the shoes of an Authentic Leader What does it take to be an authentic leader? Here are 5 things that an authentic leader does.
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Training How to communicate with passion and authenticity The art of Awesome Crowdfunding Leadership Whatinto are theshoes pros of & Stepping the Business Feature Telling great stories an authentic Leader cons Entrepreneur? of this approach? True
Discover how to touch both the head and the heart.
The importance of Values Driven Leadership
Learn how to establish values driven leadership in your life and organizations.
Technology Social Media Masterclass
Our Social Media Expert provides you with 5 tools to deliver Facebook content that gets likes and engagement.
The art of Awesome Social Media Masterclass Leadership Get likes & engagement Telling great stories
Web Content that Converts
Our Content Strategist provides you with 5 tips to develop web content that coverts.
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Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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#1 John
Maxwell
John C Maxwell is undoubtedly one of the top leadership gurus in the world with more than 40 years of leadership experience. In ‘21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’ he distils everything he’s learnt about leadership into a handful of life-changing principles. The result is a revealing study of leadership delivered as only John Maxwell can. As a consummate story teller he shares principles are easily understood and applied.
#2 John
Maxwell
“
In ‘Developing the Leader within You’, John shares 10 principles of leadership and team building. His key message is that leaders are not born but develop the skill of leadership through years of practice. This book is appropriate for anyone at any stage of leadership from the newly appointed team leader to the more experienced leaders of leaders and organizations.
You can't move people to action unless you first move them with emotion.... The heart comes before the head.
“ Stephen Covey
Stephen R. Covey is a true leadership authority and organizational consultant who’s life’s work has focused on Principle-Centred Living. His most popular book is undoubtedly ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ where he defines ‘habits’ as ‘the intersection of knowledge, skill and desire’. This book is a must read for anyone who craves powerful lessons in personal change.
#3
#4
L David Marquet
Fortune Magazine called it the "best howto manual anywhere for managers on delegating, training, and driving flawless execution." Which is unusual as Marquet is a retired Captain of the US Navy, known more for cultivating followers than leaders. One day, he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why the order wasn’t challenged, the answer was “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized he was leading in a culture of followers, and they were all in danger unless they fundamentally changed the way they did things. It was then he realized that “Leadership should mean giving control rather than taking control and creating leaders rather than forging followers.”
Sir Richard Branson
#5
What more can we say about Sir Richard? Here at experience growth, he is easily our most admired entrepreneur with a recent British poll suggesting that he is the boss most of us would like to work for. With over 40 years in business, Richard Branson is an inspiring pioneer of humanitarian projects and an iconic business leader. In The Virgin Way: How to Listen, Learn, Laugh and Lead, Richard shares and distils his secrets of leadership and success. Featuring anecdotes from his own business dealings, as well as his observations of many others who have inspired him - from politicians, business leaders, explorers, scientists and philanthropists - Richard reflects on the qualities he feels are essential for success in today's world. This is not a conventional book on leadership. experience growth magazine.
There are no rules - but rather the secrets of leadership that he has learned along the way from his days at Virgin Records, to his recent work with The Elders. Whether you're at the beginning of your career, or head of a Fortune 500 company - this is your guide to being your own CEO (Chief Enabling Officer) and becoming a true leader - not just a boss. Issue 5. Autumn 2014
eg
#6
Dale Carnegie
‘How to Win Friends and influence People’ is the first book that I became aware of growing up. My Dad had a copy of this book and used it as his communications bible. In fact, growing up I saw these principles being applied by my Dad without know. It was years later that I realised how much of a groundbreaking book this was, having been written in 1936. Carnegie was one of the pioneers of the personal development industry who developed famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.
Simon Sinek
“I imagine a world where people wake up every day inspired to go to work and return home at the end of the day feeling fulfilled by the work they do, feeling that they have contributed to something greater than themselves.”
His basic premise is that you can change other people’s
behaviour towards you by changing your behaviour towards them. This book is ageless with the principles introduced then still applicable almost 8o years on.
Simon Sinek is an optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
With a bold goal to help build a world where leaders inspire people to do the things that inspire them. In ‘Start with Why’, he asserts that “It doesn't matter what you do, it matters Why you do it.” It offers an unconventional perspective that explains Why some people and organizations are more innovative, more profitable, command greater loyalties from customers and employees alike and, most importantly, are able to repeat their success over and over.
#7
This is a great read from a relatively young mind.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
experience growth magazine
eg
5
our top Productivity apps #1
Note it! Take notes. On anything. Evernote is your online digital notebook. It lets you create text, photo and audio notes, clip web pages including text, links, and images. The best bit? You can synchronize and access your notes across your devices.
#2
Access it! Access your files. Anywhere. Dropbox is your online storage. It lets access all of your files on any device. The best bit? If you have your Dropbox account linked to your phone, your pictures are automatically uploaded and available on all your devices. experience growth magazine.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
eg
#3
Browse it! Collate. Anything. You want. Flipboard is your personal magazine. It allows you to discover, view, collate and share web content you like. The best bit? By combining the beauty and ease of print with the power of social media, it is so simple to use.
#4
Read it! Buy and read. Everywhere. Kindle is now the de factor digital reader from Amazon. You can buy a book and read it to your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. The best bit? If you are not ready to buy a book you can download a sample (10% of book) and check it out.
#5
Find it! Arrive on time. Anywhere Google Maps turns your phone and tablet into a map and a satellite navigation system simultaneously. Just put in the post code and you are ready to roll. The best bit? You will never be lost again. Hopefully.
experience growth magazine.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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Personal Wellbeing
7
top tips to boost your
by
Lee Ashford
Personal Fitness Trainer
H
ow many of us wake up to the same series of events every single
energy
morning? The alarm goes off; we slowly drag ourselves out of bed, draw the curtains open and briefly watch the sun rise before embarking on another hectic, stressful
experience growth magazine.
day at the office. A distinct lack of enthusiasm and get-upand-go usually compliments our daily routine. Waking with a hangover, skipping breakfast, and consuming several cups of coffee before a gruelling eight hour
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
eg
shift is pretty much the norm for many in today’s Western society. By 10am, the caffeine effects are starting to wear off and hunger cravings take over. A quick fix of chocolate and crisps washed down by another caffeinated beverage allow the body to hold out for another hour. For those who feel too tired to move from the sofa after a hard day’s slog, a takeaway is just a phone call away. This high in fat, low in fibre meal is, in some cases, accompanied by several units of alcohol. Late nights and early mornings are the icing on the cake. This is a typical lifestyle for a number of individuals who may all have something in common – a lack of energy. So, how do we break this vicious circle of sedentary living, bad eating habits and feelings of lethargy?
1. Get a good night’s sleep.
Inadequate sleep can have a powerful effect on your daily routine causing decreases in performance, concentration and reaction times. Most adults need approximately 8 hours of sleep a night.
2. Eat a banana.
Packed with potassium and fibre, bananas are a great alternative to the mid-morning junk food snack. They release energy, fill you up and are a great snack on the go.
3. Drink water.
Dehydration by as little as 5% can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness and loss of performance. Drink at least 1 litre of water per day for every 1000 calories consumed.
4. Hire a personal trainer.
However your best intentions to eat healthily and to exercise more often, motivation could be a barrier. Personal trainers who specialise in
home tuition ensure that you don’t even have to step outside your front door to enjoy the benefits of exercise.
5. Try Pilates.
Pilates is a form of yoga that works the entire body. It focuses on proper breathing and continuous motion to tone your muscles, improve your posture and regain vitality.
6. Eat breakfast.
Eating breakfast helps kick-start your metabolism. Choose a high fibre cereal with added fruit. This should help keep a regular energy balance and cut out the snack cravings.
7. Take part in Boot Camp Fitness. Get in shape in four weeks! Boot Camp Fitness is a great way of losing body fat and increasing fitness levels. Its fun, varied and effective. All fitness levels aged 18-65 can take part.
Sleep is important for our minds and bodies to function properly. It is something our bodies need to do; it is not an option.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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“I lost 8lbs in 3 weeks.... fantastic results!” Clare, Norfolk
Transform your Body in 4 weeks
· Indoor & Outdoor venues in the Norwich area · Stag & Hen parties · Corporate Team Building Days
Book now 07775 922463 | leeashford.co.uk/bootcamp
the
Mind
of an [entrepreneurial]
leader
by Judy Tomlin Behavioural Specialist & Social Entrepreneur
W
hen you read the title of this article, you would be forgiven for wanting to ask a few questions. Is there a difference between a leader and an entrepreneur? Are we saying that not all leaders are entrepreneurs, and not all entrepreneurs are leaders? Is there a mind-set particular to entrepreneurial leadership or are we created equal? If we look at a leader we are expecting to see a person or organisation that is out in front with the responsibility or position of directing others.
we are expecting to see a person or organisation that is out in front with the responsibility or position of directing others.
experience growth magazine.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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We want demonstrable ability, talent and skill and we would argue that ‘better’ leaders possess character and winning personality in addition. So no pressure then! We would then go on to attach desirable traits to the person spec…
· · · ·
Integrity Commitment Vision Communication.
It’s sometimes easier to check our definition and expectations when a person or company in a leading role falls short of what we believed about them. It’s even easier to be condemnatory and unforgiving of mistakes at a certain level. If we then think about people we see as entrepreneurs there are additional and particular expectations. Some people would say entrepreneur is synonymous with ‘business person’. A key ability of an entrepreneur is to take ideas and turn them into successful businesses. This definition answers the question that not all leaders are entrepreneurs. It is easier for an entrepreneur to have and develop leadership qualities in addition to problem solving business acumen, than for leaders in a variety of fields to turn their hand to enterprise, or indeed have the need to. So, what kind of thinking is
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
desirable for an entrepreneur?
Creative Thinking
Entrepreneurship is all about problem solving; new ideas and/ or new approaches. Resulting new products or processes are often what give a business a competitive advantage. Creative thinking activities are key to generating fresh ideas and overall entrepreneurship.
Intuition & initiative
Being aware and sensitive to needs, gaps and opportunities, as well as then being creative and able to take the lead on spotted potential is another highly desirable entrepreneurial trait. It goes hand in hand with the next thought.
Risk taking tenacity
It takes guts to lead on a new idea, particularly in todays’ climate of caution and austerity. It takes drive and determination to continually overcome obstacles that will undoubtedly present themselves. It takes a whole bucketful of resolve to correct mistakes, pick yourself up and move on from failures and keep pressing forward. Funnily enough, along with all the other qualities, skills and mind set expectations, entrepreneurs seem to benefit from the creative ‘maverick’ label, which seems to be more forgiving to mistakes and allowing of reshapes/restarts. So what have you got to lose? I agree with the thinking that would argue that the best ability for entrepreneurs to possess is stickabilty!
experience growth magazine.
eg
It’s Impossible! “
“
scoffed pride
It’s
“
“
screamed Risky!experience
It’s
“
It’s
“
Pointless! stated reason “
“
Worth a try! suggested my heart
You hear what you are eg
entrepreneur’s tales, tools & tips
Plugging into
Purpose
Passion &
Priorities
by
Colin Tomlin
Publisher, Author, Speaker
I
t’s happened to you hasn’t it?
You’re in the middle of that really important call or even worse you are about to break your own high score on Candy Crush and you hear that familiar tinny sound which causes you to look at the top left hand corner of the screen, where your eyes are drawn to the familiar red flashing icon at the top right corner of the screen.
‘I am sure I can finish before the battery dies’, you say to yourself. As you try to focus, the sound and the flashing gets more frequent. It’s almost mocking you! After, carefully considering whether you should stop or take heed of the warning, you decide to keep going and you dismiss the sounds and the flashing.
experience growth magazine.
After a little while, the sound and the flashing stops being so intimidating. You’ve gotten used to it. However, right on the cusp of your crowning moment on Candy Crush or the most important part of that phone call, your phone dies. Arggggghhhhhh!!!! It’s really annoying when
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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it happens to your phone but it is even worse when it happens in your life! You know the warning signs. The jumble of thoughts at the back of your mind. That unsettling deep inside your spirit. You know you are running close to empty but you just keep going. Then, one day, you hit the wall! Well, I was there quite recently! As I approached the summer, after going on for far too long close to empty, my battery died! As I took some time over the summer to go away with the family I realized I could no longer delay recharging my internal batteries. I needed to get some spiritual juice back into my life. I needed to AMP up my life! So, here’s what I did, my 3 ways that I AMPed up my life.
1
I Acknowledge My Purpose.
I took some time out to be alone and plug into what I believed my life is about. I reminded myself of what I believed I was placed here on earth to do. I connected to my Creator by praying, meditating and reading scripture. I spent copious amounts of time with Judy and others who I knew had my best interests at heart and who would tell me the truth and not massage my ego. At the end of that process I came
away with a renewed focus and a decision to frequently ‘turn off’ and recharge my batteries.
2
I Acted on My Passions.
I realized that one of the things that I wasn’t doing was acting on my passions. I was allowing myself to be distracted by some things that frankly weren’t important. ‘What am I really passionate about?’ ‘What is it that makes me tick?’ I asked myself. I realized that as positive an emotion as passion is, which fuels you and drives you forward, there were equally strong negative emotions which didn’t contribute to achieving my goals or didn’t make the best use of my talents, abilities, giftings and skills. I made a commitment to fuel myself with strong positive emotions.
3
I Axed Misplaced Priorities.
The last thing I decided to do was to let a sense of purpose and passion shape my priorities. Because of running on empty, I had allowed some good things to get in the way of great things. I had
spent too much time pursuing misplaced priorities. I decided to make sure that Judy and the kids were my number 1 priority. I decided to make sure that I spent time being and keeping spiritually and emotionally healthy. One of the first casualties was social media. In fact, I have taken a break from it during August & September. We decided as as a family to not allow the world which resides behind that little screen to take away from our real world. The one where we have real conversations and impact lives. As a result, I feel stronger and more connected to my purpose, passion and priorities than I have been in a long time! What about you? Do you think maybe it’s a good time to follow this process? To take some time to recharge, to remind yourself of what your life is about? To articulate to yourself and your nearest and dearest what your life is about? I guarantee you, it will be, quite possibly, the best thing you have done in a while. Go on. I dare you to turn off and plug in to purpose, passion and priorities.
I connected to my Creator by praying, meditating and reading scripture.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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Social Causes
Ask. Seek. by
Colin Tomlin
Publisher, Author, Speaker
O
ver the October half term break, Judy and the kids went away for a few days and I was left to fend for myself. Scary thought, I know! On the Friday night, after a hectic few days, I came home to an empty house and started to sift through the fridge and cupboards to find something to eat.
I didn’t really want to order a takeaway as it would take too long nor did I want to pop out to the shops. Normally, tonight would be chicken chow mien night, but I didn’t fancy going through all that trouble to cook a meal for one.
experience growth magazine.
However, after much rummaging and deliberating, I settled on a Ginsters Peppered Steak Slice and Moraccan style Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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Knock.
3 ways to make Corporate Social Responsibility practical giant cous cous. Not the best sounding combination, I know, but I was reliving my bachelor days, albeit for a few days. I put on the cous cous and got ready to put the steak slice in the microwave. As I opened the packaging I noticed a card holder that the pie rested on. ‘Let’s tackle loneliness...’, said the packaging. While the pie was being heated, I checked out the information from the Royal Voluntary Service, one of the largest volunteer organisations in the country. I read about the campaign to help get older men, living on their own, out the house to watch sport in association with a number of high profile rugby clubs. It was pure genius! Why? Because the demographic for these pies are men, just like me, who prepare and eat it in pretty much the same, using the time that the pie takes to heat up to read the information. The whole episode got me thinking. What if we all adopted this approach to Corporate
Social Responsibility and simply did something, anything? Here are three things we can all do, whether we are a sole trader or a large corporate entity.
Ask.
What can we do? For Ginsters it was a no brainer as the demographic that ate their pies were the same ones the Royal Voluntary Service were appealing to. Their contribution to the campaign was simply to insert a pie card holder into their steak slices with information about the charity which didn’t require a massive re-engineering of their manufacturing process. In fact, it is not just good corporate citizenship, but also good business. Now, when we go grocery shopping, guess which brand of steak slices will we our favourite!
awareness of their cause and adequately tackle it and you can play a significant role in spreading the word about a cause or donating time or money to them. One way of deciding is to look at causes that require help from your customer demographic or is of concern to them now or in the future.
Knock.
Where are they located? It doesn’t even have to be a national organization like the Royal Voluntary Service. It can be a local organization or a youth club. Any organization that shares your values and is attempting to make a difference is a candidate for your giving of time and money. It could even be an organization or group that you are already involved in.
Seek.
Leah, our 13 year old daughter, recently wrote a book and is donating the first £1000 proceeds to a local youth club that she will be a part of and benefit from when it opens.
Many charities lack the resources to raise
So, what will you do? Who will you help? Where will you find them?
Who can we help?
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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eg
She’s just become a teenager She’s always been crazy about cats. She’s written a book. She’s donating the first £1000 to a youth project. And wants a very expensive laptop. So she can write more stories on. Of course. And get three cats, a dog and a blue unicorn!
www.leahtomlin.com
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Business
story cover
the Leadership
special
most influential Probably the
social justice
campaigner
alive!
Sir
Paul David
Hewson Known by his stage name, Bono is the lead singer & frontman of U2, one of the most famous bands in the world. Music is only one of his passions, though. As a philanthropist & businessman, he knows only too well how to use the power of celebrity & commerce to combat causes.
by Colin Tomlin
T
he year was 1976 and a number of very talented British comedians, led by John Cleese and the rest of Monty Python crew, envisioned and staged a comedy show essentially to raise funds for Amnesty International the global human rights organization.
“I saw ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball’ and it sowed a seed…”
That show was to become known as The Secret Policeman’s Ball. It was an instant hit and left an indelible mark on a number of performers, particularly on how to leverage their celebrity to raise awareness and funds for causes.
harvest as he has gone on to become one of the globe’s most politically effective celebrities mixing easily with political, religious and business leaders, all while raising awareness to various causes most notably the eradication of poverty.
In the audience for that first show was a rock singer named Bono.
If you think that his music career took a back seat you would be mistaken.
He has credited that moment as the catalyst for his humanitarian and philanthropic work. “I saw ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball’ and it sowed a seed…” was how he described the impact of the show in a magazine interview some 10 years later.
While he has been holding the world’s leaders to account he has been racking up Grammy Awards, organizing benefit concerts, founding innovative sociocommercial companies, building up a sizeable stake in Facebook as a venture capitalist and picking up a knighhood from Queen Elizabeth II.
Since then that seed has gone on to reap a rich
Sir Bono, has indeed done good!
experience growth magazine.
In the Beginning
Bono was born in Dublin on the 10th May 1960 to Bob and Iris Hewson who were both very religious, Bob being Roman Catholic and Iris being brought up in the Church of Ireland. As the younger brother to Norman, 8 years his senior, Bono, was the second child to Norman and grew up in the village of Finglas, a suburb in the city of Dublin. He and his friends formed a street gang and they had a ritual of nickname giving. Young Paul had a number of nicknames but the one that stuck was inspired by the Bonavox hearing aids shop on a nearby street. In time, it would morph into Bono Vox meaning ‘good voice’. Eventually it became simply Bono. Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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A Band emerges At 14 years old, Bono’s mother fell ill at her father’s funeral and died a few days later. Two years later, no doubt loaded with a huge sense of loss and teen angst he responded to drummer, Larry Mullen Jnrs’ advert to form a rock band along with David Evans (The Edge), his brother, Dik Evans and Adam Clayton. ‘Feedback’ was born. A few months later this morphed into the ‘The Hype.’ However, when Dik Evans left the band the group was renamed U2. Bono, by his own admission, not a great guitarist, ended up writing and singing the bands songs. Initially, the songs were rich in social and political commentary, which was not surprising, considering what was happening in Northern Ireland at the time. Over time his lyrics matured and became more personal and introspective, perhaps, reflective the growth and maturity of the band. The recent release of their most recent studio album has certainly not been unlucky number thirteen. Despite a little backlash from some of Apple’s 500 million iTunes customers, to whom the album was released for free and without their consent, U2 continues to break records and set trends as a band with Bono in his role as Chairman & CEO.
Bono’s Legacy While the band continue to make and break records, Bono himself has been distinguishing himself as a true entrepreneur. Whether it be his piercing message laden lyrical style, his influence of global leaders of all persuasions or setting up innovative socio commercial enterprises, Bono has grown up to be an amazing global leader. He has managed to be one of the few who can shine a torch squarely at our global conscience. But if you think he is all talk, think again. On May 16th 2002, 6 days after his 42nd birthday, Bono co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa),
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along with Bobby Shriver, another activist, essentially to organize his activism and advocacy. Through DATA he has raised public awareness and lobbied world leaders on the issues facing Africa especially AIDS and extreme poverty. Both Bono and Shriver went on to develop a unique concept, (PRODUCT)RED. (PRODUCT)RED is a licensed
brand that engages private sector companies to raise awareness and funds to help eradicate HIV/AIDS in Africa. Companies like Nike, American Express, Apple, Starbucks, Gap, Armani and Beats by Dre. Each of these companies
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Bono, T h
e E dg e , Adam Clay C ol l e c t ively kn ton, Larry Mu llen Jn own as r U2
To date (PRODUCT)RED has generated some $150 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
donate up to 50% of their profits to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. To date (PRODUCT)RED has generated some $150 million for the Global Fund. In 2007, DATA became a founding member of ONE along with ten other advocacy organizations to fight extreme poverty and preventable diseases by pressuring political leaders to support programmes and policies for saving lives and improving futures. The thinking was that one united voice representing the political left and right, business leaders, faith leaders and activists can change the world. Along with his wife Ali
Hewson, started a global fashion brand called EDUN (nude spelt backwards), to promote trade in Africa by sourcing production throughout the continent. Although, it struggled initially, a partnership with LMVH, the far reaching French multinational luxury brands group. The aim of this partnership, in which LMVH owns 49% of EDUN, means losses can be stemmed as a result of more efficient production. Despite criticism, Bono is always on the lookout to make a difference wherever he finds himself because he has a heightened sense of global citizenship. And that makes him a seriously amazing leader and entrepreneur.
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1
Dr Martin Luther King Jnr
His admiration of MLK and his work as a civil rights campaigner and activist found it’s way into the song ‘Pride/In the name of Love’. It contains lines from Dr King’s famous ‘I have a Dream’ speech…
influencers 2
‘Let freedom reign, Let freedom reign.’ U2 performed this song at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration Concert in January 2009.
2
John Cleese
Dr Martin Luther King Jnr
John Cleese was the brains behind the Secret Policeman’s Ball, the highly successful fundraiser for Amnesty International. It left a lasting impact on Bono... ‘I saw the Secret Policeman’s Ball and a seed was sewn.’
3
Jesus Christ
In a recent interview with Irish broadcaster, RTE, he revealed that he gets his inner strength from Jesus. When probed about his faith in Jesus, he surmised... ‘... he ... was the Son of God or he was nuts... And I find it hard to accept that millions and millions of lives, half the Earth, for 2,000 years have been touched, have felt their lives touched and inspired by some nutter. I just, I don’t believe it.’
{
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Jesus Christ
Date
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1998/2006 2002 2004 2005 2007 2007 2007 2013 2013 2014
Album of the Year 100 Greatest Britons Doctor of Laws Person of the Year Knighthood Image Awards Liberty Medal 8th Most Influential Celebrity Order of Arts & Letters Hall of Fame Award
Grammy BBC Poll University of Pennsylvania Time Magazine The Queen NAACP City of Philadelphia Time Magazine
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‘ ’ the
Jobs way
Steve
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Be innovative
Go with your gut
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”
“How does somebody know what they want if they haven’t even seen it?”
Be focused & moving forward
Steve Jobs could never be accused of being a follower or maintaining the status quo.
A leading innovator in not one but five industries, his great skill was pushing the boat out and re inventing the standard across a whole range of industries.
From personal computing to mobile computing to mobile phones to music distribution to film animation, they all benefited from the genius of Steve Jobs.
Jobs did not believe in focus groups. He believed instead in his gut instinct resulting in products that he himself would want to use. For example, very few people saw the need for a tablet that occupied that space between a phone and a computer, but he envisioned it, designed it, manufactured it and named it the iPad.
He was not at all constrained by the status quo but was constantly looking at ways to innovate and improve the customer experience.
When it launched my own remarks were fairly scathing, however, I and 200 million people across the globe are now the proud owners of something we never really knew we wanted until we started to use it.
This he did, whatever the cost, financial, human and otherwise
Follow your gut instinct, even if it flies in the face of conventional wisdom.
experience growth magazine.
“I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the nonsuccessful ones is pure perseverance. It is so hard”
Combined with an uncanny ability to correctly guess what we wanted even before we knew what we wanted, he was fastidiously single minded in his approach to his work. In his best selling biography, Walter Isaacson informs us that... “He would pick four or five things that were really important for him to focus on and then just filter out — almost brutally — filter out the rest.”
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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7leadership lessons for entrepreneurs in his own words
Lesson 4
Lesson 6
Lesson 5
Own a problem & Focus on one great Do what you love package a solution thing & love what you do
“You’ve got to have a problem that you want to solve; a wrong that you want to right”
“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles”
Here at experience growth we have always been guided by the principle that entrepreneurship at it’s core is essentially about solving problems.
The words ‘mass market’ was not in Steve’s lexicon.
Any great entrepreneurial idea is founded on finding a human problem or need and providing a product that solves that problem. iTunes Music Store did that by providing downloadable products that solved the problem of music libraries (CD’s, Cassettes & LP’s) not being portable and at the same time dealing with illegal low quality downloads. You just have to watch the launch of iTunes to see how he presented the problem... and the product that solves the problem.
You just have to look at the iSuite of products to realize that he was not interested in quantity per se. In his mind most was the enemy of best. This is clearly why he immersed himself totally into creating products that epitomize quality. Ironically, though, he happened to hit not just one home run but quite a few. The iPod, the iPhone, iPad, iMac and iTunes are all recognized home runs.
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“The only way to do great work is to love what you do” His simple philosophy was that work fills up so much of your life that if you do not love the work you do, then it will be a really miserable experience. He clearly loved what he did. He immersed himself in all things technology. It’s what kept him going. When he got fired from Apple he bemoaned the fact that he had at least one great product left in him and that Apple had taken away the opportunity for him to build it. Little did he know that that love he had for technology and how it enhances our lives would bring us a whole suites of iProducts. We’re glad he loved what he does, cause we love it too.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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Lesson 7
Do it together
“Great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people” One of the great misnomers of business is the whole idea of the self made man or woman. It promotes an idea that it takes one person with one great idea to become an amazing success. However, as leadership guru John Maxwell puts it, even the lone ranger had Tonto. Every great endeavour in life, business or otherwise takes a team. Your job as an entrepreneur is to enthuse, inspire and motivate with a great vision of the future that people want to be a part of. Don’t just use people but extend an invitation to become engaged so that they have an opportunity to contribute at the highest level. We can argue and disagree but remain passionate about the big thing that we are pursuing. Job’s legacy at Apple is this kind of environment. If you work for Apple then you are passionate about what you do and it shows. experience growth magazine.
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the art of
Awesome
Leadership T
he one thing that great leaders have in common is that people talk about them behind their back – in glowing terms. They have a magnetic quality which attracts and softens the most hardened and cynical of souls. In my experience, great leaders make a mark because: ·
· ·
·
They are remarkable, definitely worthy of making a remark about. They don’t add to the noise, they are the signal. They’re not “chewing gum leaders” – their impact doesn’t disappear after a few minutes. They leave people better than when they found them.
Great leaders leave emotional fingerprints on people, which inspire them to deliver more than has been asked of them. Great leaders give rise to and tell great stories because as Cognitive Scientist Roger Schank says, “Humans are not ideally set up to understand logic; they are ideally set up to understand stories.” I don’t know anyone who has ever leapt out of bed in order to meet some distant mission statement or corporate objective, do you? There is the famous story of two people unable to reach a resolution on a project, coming to Percy Barnevik the former CEO and Chairman of the engineering giant ABB. Barnevik said that he was happy to help, but only
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once. The next time they bought him problems he would fire them. The message was unequivocal: take responsibility and deliver solutions not problems. The story spread quickly around the company and became part of ABB folklore. When I was Head of Talent for Cable & Wireless Europe, my CEO was Dick Brown, who would later go on to become CEO of multibillion dollar services giant Electronic Data Systems (EDS). When Dick was appointed CEO one of his primary goals was to increase accountability and performance. He felt that the company had a soft underbelly with too much buck passing. After one of the senior directors had been
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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“Humans are not ideally set up to understand logic; they are ideally set up to understand stories.” by
Sunil Bali
Executive Coach, Speaker & Writer
sent packing after the first minute of a meeting with Dick, word quickly spread. The reason the Director had been shown the door so quickly was that that Dick will only read one sheet of A4 paper prior to any meetings and that should include a series of performance indicators. Dick’s argument was that if you needed more than one sheet of paper to explain the performance of your business unit, then you didn’t know your business well enough and he would get someone else to run it. Just like the ABB story, word spread like wildfire and focus on performance increased exponentially. Then there’s the story of Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, travelling by public
transport to and from airports in order to save money. This very simple story embodies the values of IKEA. Here is a very rich man who has his feet on the ground and cares about value for money just like his customers. Since the days of the caveman we humans have told stories to communicate with each other. Just because we’re now wearing suits and holding briefcases, it doesn’t mean that anything has changed. There have been great societies that haven’t used the wheel, but there have been no great societies that didn’t tell stories. As Alan Kay, former Hewlett Packard executive and co-founder of Xerox PARC, explains, “Scratch the surface in a
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
typical boardroom and we’re all just cavemen with briefcases, hungry for a wise person to tell us stories.” At the end of the day, whatever story you tell, it’s whoever tells the best story that will win.
Sunil Bali is the ex Head of Talent for Vodafone Group and Santander, and writes a weekly blog with over 40,000 subscribers. www.sunilbali.com
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6
e r mo
secrets to grow your business
through the power of
relationships
by Matt Bird Relationologist
1
Choose to be an initiatior
There are two types of people in the world – imitators and initiators, and the former greatly outnumbers the latter. In fact, 95% of people imitate – following the crowd, resisting the temptation to strike out and do something bold and new – while only 5% will be proactive, deliberate initiators. If we choose today to become an intentional, courageous initiator, we differentiate ourselves from the vast majority of others. But it costs us, and initiators face a daily challenge to break away from the pack. Will you make the extra phone call while others give up? Will you initiate lunch with a prospect or stick to a sandwich on your own? Will you act when others procrastinate? That extra effort, grit and determination can make the difference between success and failure. When I was in my early twenties I was invited to a dinner for young leaders. At the event there were a small number of experienced and seasoned leaders for us to rub shoulders with. One of them invited me to keep in touch with him after the event – I took him at his word and deliberately sought out a relationship with him. Over the years, he’s become one of my most valued mentors and a long-standing friend, and I continue to see him on a regular basis. These days I’m often at events where I know I’m going to meet lots of people. So before I even get to the venue, I think about being intentional in whom I build a relationship with as a result of the evening, and I’ll be on the lookout for who that one person is. [Secret 39. Page 69]
2
Use the magic words
I was overseas, thankful for the hotel air conditioning that kept the humidity at bay. Still, not everything was perfect within the ground floor restaurant, as over the course of an hour I observed two other businessmen in action. They were making constant demands of the staff – fair enough, I suppose – but instead of asking courteously their demands were delivered in barks and half-shouts. There were no smiles, no eye contact and not a single please or thank you. They did not represent themselves at all well. My three children – Joseph, Matilda and Reuben – have spent their respective nine, six and four years on this planet being drilled in the importance of those “magic words”. It’s still happening today, with my wife and I reminding them just how vital it is to be polite and say our please and thank yous. Sometimes they remember, sometimes they forget, and when the lesson finally beds in and the drilling can stop, they will have taken a major step in the way they relate to people. My little Relationologists will be making ground. Whether we’re paying for groceries in the supermarket or enjoying a business event, we should practise the habit of being courteous to everyone we have contact with. It demonstrates that we’re aware of other people, that we value them for who they are and appreciate what they’ve done for us. So why don’t we use those key words more? Assuming that we’ve been drilled a little ourselves when we were children, usually as adults we let them drop because we’re too focussed on ourselves, too tired, upset or busy. [Secret 3. Page 5]
experience growth magazine.
3
People never really change
I’ve been married for over a decade, but it was not that long ago that my wife said – with a combination of complete resignation and utter relief – ‘I’ve given up, I’m not going to be able to change you!’ None of us can change other people, whether in a marriage, friendship or business relationship. Eventually, all people who set out to change others will reach a point of resignation. The first question that every team should ask themselves is: How do you get people to do what you want? There are a range of ways that people try to get people to do what they want to do: tell them, persuade them, Influence them, suggest to them, listen to them. The reality is that most people don’t like being told what to do, so the “tell them” approach rarely works. By contrast the “listen to them” approach can create incredible understanding and openness. However, it remains very difficult to get people to do what you want them to do. The best answer to our question is this; you can’t. You get the best out of people when you encourage them to do what they want to do. This is what I call playing to strength. Talent is defined as any recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behaviour that can be productively applied to become a strength. You can help identify your talent by asking:
· · · · ·
What can you not help but do? What can you do easily and virtually without trying? What do you desire to do? What do you learn fast? What satisfies you?
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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The best thing you can ask of your team is for people to be the best possible version of themselves. Similarly, the best thing that you can do for your team is to be the best possible version of yourself.
4
[Secret 93. Page 167]
Master compromise
Two friends are out for drinks and one likes red wine and the other likes white. What bottle of wine do they order? A family has a movie night and one child wants to watch a Pixar film and another child wants to watch a DreamWorks’ film, Which do they watch? The neighbourhood committee can’t agree on which of two dates for the annual street party, which do they choose? A business is launching a new product and is divided on two different routes to market – which is adopted? Life and relationships are full of differences of opinion, apparent contradictions and potential compromises.
I am not talking about a compromise of values of right and wrong. I am talking about a compromise of preference of living life my way. The second question that every team should ask themselves is: How often do you compromise? Never You are used to having your own way. Your selfishness and rigidity is probably causing frustration and annoyance to the people around you. Frequently You are self-aware and selfconfident. You know what makes relationships thrive and flourish, and that includes the ability to compromise. Always The people around you could be taking advantage of you. You may need to learn to speak up for yourself and be a little more assertive in expressing your preferences. Compromise is to relationships
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
what breathing is to life. Compromise is a requirement of every relationship whether in the life of a family, community or workplace. Room needs to be made for each family member, neighbour, colleague, supplier and client so that they feel included and at home. The capacity to be attentive and adaptable in this way is what I describe as relational intelligence. [Secret 94. Page 169]
5
Commit to a results orientation
There were twenty of us sat around the board table for a charity committee. We had been in the meeting for two hours and I can’t quite remember when I had slipped into the semicomatose state that I eventually found myself in. For a while a good friend and I had entertained
experience growth magazine.
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ourselves by texting each other across the table. Now I was counting the minutes, and there was still an hour to go. Why on earth were we meeting as a team? There are some useful things to do when you meet as a team and there are also some things that could be wasting everyone’s time and breath. The third question that every team should ask themselves is: Why does your team meet? Not so great reasons could be: · To give and receive reports · To watch powerpoint slides · To update one another · To do so because that’s what is in the diary Great reasons could be: · To solve problems · To innovate · To discuss strategy · To brainstorm ideas · To improve performance I once remember hearing a talk from a senior executive about the three great attributes of a leader. Of the three attributes the one that has stuck in my mind, when the others have been long forgotten is “results orientation”. This seems particularly pertinent to the leadership of team meetings.
· · ·
6
With and without you
Kim was appointed to lead the learning and development function of a blue chip professional services business. On joining, Kim undertook a review of the role and purpose of the team. It was clear in the mind of the team that their role and purpose was to provide training opportunities to people within the business. It was not clear how this drove business objectives. So the team began to review the entire business value chain in order to understand how they were responsible for driving the business forward. Then all became clear; the role and purpose of the team was “to help our people be confident with our clients”. It is surprisingly easy for a team to be very busy doing what it should be doing but not knowing why. Teams benefit from knowing why what they are doing is driving the business.
team should ask themselves is: What does your organisation look like with and without your team? If the answer is: No difference The team is under performing and a major review of how the team plays its part in driving business success is required. Small difference The team is performing but needs to recalibrate itself so it is unquestionably adding value to driving business success. Significant difference The team is peak performing and no immediate change is needed – whilst recognising that such a team will continue to push itself. Every team should be making a quantifiable and measurable contribution to the businesses value chain. If there is little or no value added then there needs to be swift and effective change.
The fifth question that every Matt Bird helps people build the relationships needed to achieve greater success. He is an international speaker, leadership consultant and author of 'Relationology - 101 Secrets to build your business through the power of your relationships.' www.relationology.co.uk
What is the point? Why are we meeting? What is the outcome?
If this question can’t be answered clearly, concisely and convincingly then perhaps you shouldn’t be meeting. Why does your team meet? [Secret 95. Page 171]
There are two types of people in the world – imitators and initiators, and the former greatly outnumbers the latter. experience growth magazine.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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‘My friend Matt Bird is a consummate networker and client relationship expert. This very practical book gives you the “tips of his trade”’ Jeremy Marshall, CEO of C. Hoare & Co Bank
Get the other 95 secrets now!
Stepping into the shoes of an authentic
leader Nisha Zala
by
Personal Branding Specialist
W
ithin each and everyone of us lives an authentic leader ready to evolve into our true greater self. Being an authentic leader stems from a deep root of our true authentic identity. Our identity is made up of the values and beliefs we uphold to bring the best out in ourselves and in others. These values and beliefs generate us to transform into who we were truly born to be. Seeking a purpose for our existence in delivering results from hardwork, dedication, enthusiasm and always on the lookout to self promote into the very best to continually achieve high impact and successful outcomes.
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An Authentic Leader...
Authentic leadership is building a network through honest relationships with followers which are valued and given freedom to put their input to create a foundation built upon ethics. Authentic leaders are positive role models trusted to promote openness around others, sees great potential in others, takes responsibility, always reliable, provides vision and clarity and is assertive if and when needed in a diplomatic approach.
...Creates a Powerful Vision
An authentic leader perseveres through the toughest of times making his or her vision so real and compelling. The vision becomes so strong that it’s unable to break, creating a ripple within it’s local communities, local businesses and it’s surrounding environment working together on building a greater vision by changing problems into solutions and seeking opportunities in the everyday life faced by opposing thoughts of doubts placed by others and their environment.
However, an authentic leader will be able to seize these challenges and pull through while holding up their dignity, loyalty and promise. They value the work that has already been established whilst finding new meaning to empower choices, freedom of self expression, expanding the energy into a flow of abundance with commitment, drive and responsibility by stepping into the unknown with a clear thought out mission to be determined and focused to succeed despite the odds.
...Has the Strength of a Warrior
They will see these challenges and will be strong enough to not lose sight of their original plans by not giving in and not quitting. They will have the strength to hurdle over them to create new exciting experiences for themselves and others. Being current on trend, listening to the world outside their own to make a better future for newer generations to come. They are committed to leave a legacy to live on after they have gone.
...Knows Focus is the Key
Focus equals power and anyone who is successful at anything, not just once in a while but on a consistent basis, they are not lucky, they are focused. They are crystal clear about what they want. The clearer you are about what it is you want, the easier it is to achieve it. The fuel behind getting there is having a compelling purpose and a reason that will move you forward. Your fuel is what will drive you while you navigate your life’s map, and your massive action plan on how to get from where you are to where you want to be. Living a life with purpose, meaning and abundance. Once you've found your passion and purpose for making the dream become a reality you’re ready to unleash the authentic leader within. It’s the passion and love for what you do that will make your idea or dream into a reality and you’re on your way of becoming an authentic leader.
...Resists the Odds
We live in a very hectic world where we are surrounded by negative images, messages and people thrown up by the media and other agencies which can overshadow us and hold back our confidence in moving forward with our vision and purpose.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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How to communicate
with
passion & authenticity
Training
by
Colin McLean Presentation & Communication Specialist
M
ost of us recognize that addressing an audience, of whatever size and on whatever occasion, is something of a challenge. Almost immediately the gauntlet has been thrown down we start assembling ‘content’, if only in our heads. We naturally focus on what we have to say on the given subject and, if discipline isn’t applied early, we quickly indulge in a ‘brain dump’ of the kind that reflects everything we feel
we know that might be relevant to the core topic. How many presentations have we all sat through that demonstrated the sort-itout-for-yourselves approach? Mark Twain pointed at a nugget here when he apologized for giving a lengthy speech on the grounds that he had not had time to prepare a shorter one. Once we have our material assembled our thoughts turn to making it appealing. We’ve learned that this
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involves speaking with passion, but what does that mean? Not every topic lends itself to an impassioned delivery.
What’s your passion? Speaking with passion involves us first in identifying our own underlying emotion. Why does ‘The Topic’ matter to me? If I can communicate that emotion, let it inform both my words and my delivery, I stand a good chance of making my audience care about it as well. So runs the thinking.
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Adopting what I refer to as the 180° principle, we should always place ourselves in the audience and ask, as deeply as is
required, what would I want to hear from me today? What call to action would move me to not just comprehend but to adopt my viewpoint?
Really prepare for and then listen to your audience. Audiences instinctively know when this sort of preparation has been undertaken and they find it both flattering and engaging. The speaker really has prepared the talk just for them, it’s clear.
Keys to Authenticity The key to authenticity lies in an area so often neglected during the preparation stage, namely that of nonverbal communication. We focus so much on the words we forget almost entirely about how we are going to deliver them. The reason this area is so essential is twofold.
Almost anything you know about your audience will help here. What dare you assume about their prior knowledge and how much context do you need to set for them?
Firstly any mismatch between what we say and how we appear to be saying it will result in the audience believing the non-verbal over the verbal every time. We’re hard wired; body language is impossible to ignore. Secondly, body language does not need to be rehearsed, indeed should not be. What needs refining is our intent as speakers. If we adopt the attitude and
We focus so much on the words we forget almost entirely about how we are going to deliver them.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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intent to be open, and to ost us ost of ofwe us convey the emotion recognize recognize have successfully that identified, ourthat body addressing language will naturally addressing an audience, of express that intent. There an audience, of whatever whatever size and on whatever willand be congruence size on whatever occasion, occasion, is is something something of of a a challenge. Almost challenge. Almost immediately immediately the the gauntlet gauntlet has been thrown has been thrown down down we we start assembling ‘content’, start assembling ‘content’, if if only in our heads. only in our heads.
without the need for any artifice, our communication skills will have the power to persuade.
between what we say and we know that we know thatitmight might bewill how we say and webe relevant to the core topic. relevant to the topic. come across ascore authentic. How How many many presentations presentations have we sat In other words, preparethat have we all all sat through through that thoroughly and get the demonstrated the demonstrated the sort-itsort-itthinking straight and, out-for-yourselves out-for-yourselves approach? approach?
Mark Mark Twain Twain pointed pointed at at a a nugget here when he nugget here when he apologized apologized for for giving giving a a lengthy speech on the lengthy speech on the grounds grounds that that he he had had not not had had time to prepare a shorter time to prepare a shorter one. one.
Speaking with on what We We naturally naturally focus focus on what passion involves usgiven first we we have have to to say say on on the the given in identifying our own subject subject and, and, if if discipline discipline isn’t early, Once underlying isn’t applied appliedemotion. early, we we Why does Once we we have have our our material material quickly indulge in a ‘brain assembled our ‘Thequickly Topic’ matter to me? assembled our thoughts indulge in a ‘brain thoughts dump’ dump’ of of the the kind kind that that reflects everything reflects everything we we feel feel
300,000+ views
turn turn to to making making it it appealing. appealing. We’ve learned that We’ve learned that this this
272
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1
4
only reason
your growth
issues
Welcome to
5
issue
experience growth magazine.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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let the butterflies go...
fearless
presenting
public
speaking body
language colin.mclean@presw.com | www.presw.com
presentation works 01362 853595 | 07894 738431 | NR20 3AL Norfolk, UK
Importance values the
of
by Yemi Akinsiwaju The Leadership Catalyst
I
n November 2012, the outgoing President of China and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, in his speech to the delegates of the party’s 18th National Congress and to over 1.2 billion citizens of China, stated emphatically that corruption and lack of integrity, “could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state.” If the president of the second most powerful nation on the planet believes that the right ethical values or lack thereof can destroy an entire nation, then it’s
something to which you and I need to pay close attention as leaders in our own arenas of endeavour. In this age of tremendous change, every leader benefits from having a central anchor that holds your life steady against all manner of storms. The most effective anchor that provides balance and stability is having a set of personally defined, properly evaluated, moral or ethical values that underpin every facet of your life activities. This is crucial not just for an individual, but for a family, business, community or nation. If you work in a job, you are
values are defined by the leaders in that organisation through their personal examples in word or deed.
experience growth magazine.
operating by a set of values by default. Those values are defined by the leaders in that organisation through their personal examples in word or deed. It does not really matter what the organisational staff handbook prescribes as the acceptable set of values… the attitudes and behaviour of the leaders provides the real model that others follow and determines the culture of the organisation. If you are the leader, it therefore means you are responsible for establishing not just your personal values, but the corporate values as well.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
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driven leadership As the leader, you then become responsible, by your personal attitudes and daily behaviour, for shaping the values by which your family, community or nation operates.
So, that brings us to the following questions… · · ·
What are your values? How did you arrive at them? Have you properly
as the leader goes, so goes the followers! What if you are a leader in your family, local community or nation? The same principle applies; as the leader goes, so goes the followers! As the leader, you then become responsible, by your personal attitudes and daily behaviour, for shaping the values by which your family, community or nation operates.
considered and documented them? · Are they in alignment with unbreakable divine or universal moral law? · What values do you need to refine or realign? · Are your daily actions congruent with your stated values? All these are questions that the most effective leaders
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
reflect on regularly. And the answers serve as their guides for continuous personal growth. For too long our different spheres of human activity (politics, business, media, entertainment, government etc.) have been inundated with poor quality leaders with plenty of charisma and poverty of character. We need to redress this imbalance, individually and collectively, by embracing values driven leadership that celebrates and models excellent moral and ethical values. As we do so, together we strengthen the fabric of our lives, families, communities and nations and position ourselves for unending success. Choose to be the leader worthy of emulation in this generation and beyond.
experience growth magazine.
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Dynamic Financial Coach & Author,
Barbara Anderson
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The Social Media
5
Masterclass
with
tips
social media consultant, internet mentor & founder of Socialable.co.uk.
to create
Technology
content that gets likes
A
re you struggling to think of new updates to post to your Facebook pages? When you have to post several times a day on your Pages, it can get quite difficult to think of new ways to communicate with your audience and get them to engage with you. Sometimes it’s important to forget about trying to get more traffic, and rather focus more on engagement. Here are a few techniques used by top brands and smaller businesses alike that help them post fresh updates every day:
1. Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the Blanks updates can be amazing commentdrivers. Use these types of posts every once in a while to stimulate your audiences’ imagination and get them to comment on your updates. It can be something that relates to your business, or it can be about something else entirely, like for example:
“The last day I remember not using the Internet at all was ________” “The best gift I’ve ever received was ________”
example, for Christmas Jumper Day you could post a photo of the jumper you’re wearing (or even better, the whole office!) and then ask
“I really like that” 2. Capitalize on inter/national events & holidays
Are there any events or holidays going on around the world? It doesn’t have to be a major event/holiday, such as Christmas or Easter, but really anything you can find, from sporting events (such as a local marathon, or a derby), to “sillier” holidays such as the national Christmas Jumper Day. There are various ways you can capitalize on these events and holidays; for
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
experience growth magazine.
eg
your fans to post their own pictures with their jumpers. For Pancake Day, you could ask your audience to post images of their pancakes, or ask them for pancake recipes and then rewarding the best one with a small prize. Most holidays and events can be used to create a connection with your audience in some way – and make sure you increase your engagement!
4. Polls & Quizzes
Both polls and quizzes are very easy to create and set up, and can generate lots of engagement. You can either choose to stay “close to home” and create polls and quizzes related to your business – such as asking your audience to pick their favorite product of yours, or quizzing them on one of your products – or you can choose any other topic you can think of, and create polls and quizzes on subjects that might interest your audience and get them to participate.
5. Use PostPlanner to help Let’s face it, every once in a while it can seem like there’s nothing you could possibly post on your Facebook Page. One of our favourite tools to help us find updates ideas is PostPlanner – this very useful tool allows you to browse through thousands of suggested status updates and use any of them. All updates are split into categories, making it easier to find the perfect update for you.
3. What’s trending?
Try staying involved with everything that’s trending online – it can be anything from breaking world or local news, new movies that are generating lots of talk, or a new song that’s gathered 10 million views in one day. Use these trending events to share your views on the issue and to encourage your fans to voice their own views. They might not have a lot to do with your business (or at all really!), but these types of updates can generate a lot of engagement, and they show your audience you are human and have the same interests as them, and not just selling as much as possible to them.
Try staying involved with everything that’s trending online – it can be anything from breaking world or local news, new movies that are generating lots of talk
Get more from Lilach...
Most holidays and events can be used to create a connection with your audience in some way
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
experience growth magazine.
eg
Clare Elevique
web content 5
Digital Content Specialist
effective ways to convert with content
Y
ou may well have a great web site and are sharing links on social media and driving traffic, but how can you go about converting people into loyal web visitors and happy customers? Here are 5 ways to create content that converts.
1. Headlines
Effective headlines that will convert your visitors immediately We are exposed to approximately 3000 marketing tactics every day, via mobile devices, TV, tablets and other computers, as we commute, drive and even during a walk in the park.
create a headline that captures attention? Ask yourself the following questions when you have come up with a headline. · · ·
Is there a sense of urgency in the headline? Is the headline very specific? Is the headline unique?
Once you have someone’s attention there must be a reason for him or her to remain interested.
2. Readability Format
Format your web content to increase it’s readability factor Now you have the reader’s attention, you need to assist the reading process and ensure the key points are
In the first 3 seconds of seeing a website or advert, we make a decision ‘continue reading or move on’. With this very limited window of opportunity, it is very important to capture the attention from the beginning.
Sample Headlines The Urgent Headline
“The most POWERFUL book, you will ever read is £9.99 today only. Be one of the limited few who get this unique offer.”
The Promise Headline
“This LIFE CHANGING BOOK will TRANSFORM the way you live. Invest in your future productivity today.”
absorbed. · · · · · · ·
So, how do you experience growth magazine.
If you skim through the page, do the key points pop out at you? Break your content with sub-headers Keep paragraphs to a maximum of 3-4 lines of text. Keep the font and colour scheme nice and simple and easy on the eye. Use simple language that will be easy to understand. Keep your content valuable to the reader. Make sure you review, condense and edit out any unnecessary duplication. Issue 5. Autumn 2014
eg
that converts 3. Clear Calls to Action
Ask the Reader to do something · · · · ·
Read more Subscribe here Count me in! Request more Info Add to basket...and so on
It may seem very obvious, but make it clear what you would like the reader to do or they won’t do anything. Make sure you: · Keep your ‘call to action’ clear, simple and relevant to the website page. · Keep ‘buy now’ on your product page. · Pushy ‘calls to action’ can be rather off putting to the potential customer.
4. Answer Questions to get noticed
Google understand the context of words within sentences You may be familiar with the voice search facility
on smart phones, which enables users to search the Internet by asking questions. Example “Where can I buy the best pizza in London now?” The above question triggers Google to search for the words by context: Where - a location search Buy - a desired action Best - The quality of the item based on customer opinion Pizza - the item you wish to buy London - the location you wish to buy the pizza Now - when you want to buy the pizza Which questions would lead potential customers to your website?
‘Visit ‘Pete’s Zaa’ to buy the best, home-made pizza in East London, our customers love them so much, they always come back for more’
5. The Relationship Treat Your Customers Like Loved Ones
When a customer makes a purchase from your web site, you have a new relationship to nurture and maintain. Make the effort to ensure after sales care is excellent. Email them a few days after their purchase, it's a perfect opportunity to ensure your new customer is happy and feeling valued. This also gives you the opportunity to respond to any questions they may have.
Do a little test, search using questions and take note of the websites that appear when you ask certain questions.
Great customer service will reduce the chances of an unhappy customer going on a ‘negative review’ rampage across social media and other public platforms.
If your business actually does sell the best, homemade pizza in East London, make sure your website content reflects this fact, loud and clear.
It will build your business reputation as a caring company that really values it's customers and will stop at nothing to ensure their satisfaction.
Issue 5. Autumn 2014
experience growth magazine.
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