November 2012 PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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About Smart Company Magazine: Web Site: www.smartcompany.co.nz Publisher Maxiom Group Pty Ltd 600 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Vic 3000 www.maxiom.com.au Editor Mark Matthews Digital Magazine Created By Maxiom www.maxiom.com.au Advertising Enquiries 1300 855 696 (within Australia) + 613 8199 3486 (International) advertising@maxiom.com.au Editorial, Media Releases & Article Submission magazine@maxiom.com.au
Welcome to the November Edition of Smart Company New Zealand’s Business Lifestyle Magazine Written by some of the most exciting business and marketing minds from New Zealand, Australia and around the world, Smart Company focuses on cutting edge business strategies that business owners can implement in their organisation today! Smart Company is a great resource as it provides guidance for business owners and managers to develop ideas and concepts from their peers, leading edge entrepreneurs and organisations. Boasting exceptionally high quality information, tips and advice, every issue is packed with fantastic value added content including videos and webinars. Best of all, it’s completely free and open to everyone!
A Quick W or d with Mike P r ice Thank you and welcome to the November edition of Smart Company, New Zealand’s business lifestyle magazine. We have put together another packed edition of Smart Company with contributions from some of New Zealand’s and Australia’s well known and respected business minds - plus selected international contributors. Smart Company contains special features, information, tips and advice on how to supercharge your business and your life. This month we look into why your values often determine your success, and focus on key areas of business such as outsourcing, staff selection and marketing that enable business to grow and thrive. Smart businesses are thriving simply because they have focused on effective business systems, strategies and implementation, which is what Smart Company is all about. Systems, and strategies that make you and your business smarter. If you would like to learn more about Smart Company please visit our website at: www.smartcompany.co.nz
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What’s in this month’s Magazine? Regular Features Page 18:
Getting To Know You
Page 36:
Ask an Expert
Page 56:
Smart Business
Profiles Page 18:
Getting To Know You - the 8020 Center
Page 38:
Ask an Expert - Mark Fernandez from BDA
Page 66:
Smart Business - Catalyst Pacific
Special Features Page 6:
Now is Your Time to be Bold
Page 10:
How to Gently and Naturally Attract Prospects and Turn Them Into Clients
Page 14:
Show Me the Money
Page 16:
How to Run Your Own Publicity Campaign in 5 Easy Lessons Lesson Four
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NOVEMBER 2012
How to improve Your Performance in Life
Special Features Page 20:
Staff Selection - Break all the Rules and Succeed
Page 24:
Gangnam Style Your Communications
Page 26:
What’s Values Got to Do With it?
Page 28:
Linkedin - The Greatest Personal Branding, Publicity and Sales Tool for B2B Markets
Page 32:
Outsourcing For Best Results
Page 34:
Checklist for Fast Company Growth
Page 38:
How to Improve Your Performance in Life
Page 40:
Only 8 Years Away
Page 48:
Managing Diversity is Good For Business
Page 50:
Best Job Interview Questions You Should Ask
Page 52:
The Four Disciplines of Execution
Page 54:
The Key Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Building Virtual Teams for Their Business
Page 60:
Fitness in the Workplace
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Smart | BUSINESS
NOW IS YOUR TIME TO BE BOLD By Hamish Conway
If you want different results in your business, it’s time to get uncomfortable. In my experience a business will grow in direct correlation to the business owner’s willingness to learn, grow and get uncomfortable doing new things in their business. Getting out of your comfort zone in business is the key to exploring what is really possible for the business. Now more than ever since the GFC, business owners have had to change their approach to survive in business, and to really thrive they’ve had to transform their whole business model in some cases.
River and the Southern Alps. The abseil had a big overhang in it and because of the perspective it looked like the drop was 1500 feet. See picture above. In the time we had the business there were some 12,000 people who abseiled off the cliff, from 10 years olds to grandparents. (All safely I might add).
In business nothing stays the same. New competition will Before we took people up to the arrive, new technology, new abseil platform, we would have a products or services to compete conversation about two things; with you or support you in taking your business to where you want 1. The Technical Aspectsto go. We’d explain the What Do Abseiling Off a 200 equipment and how it worked and why it was so foot Cliff and Running a strong and safe. We‘d go Business Have in Common? through the technique on a mini platform, so people I my first business we had a 200 got use to the ‘feeling’ foot abseil in the Canterbury they could expect. So High Country. It was spectacular logically they understood looking over the upper Rakaia what they were about to
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do. That was the easy part. 2. The Psychological Aspects Here we would have to talk about getting out of their comfort zone, being bold, turning the volume down on the voice inside their head that was telling them they were CRAZY to hang from a cliff. This part was the MOST important because even though logically people got it, we knew as soon as they were on top of the cliff, there natural instincts to not fall kick in. It takes being bold to overcome this.
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So what does this have to do with business? Business Owners get the technical aspects of what they ‘should’ be doing, but if they are not taking action, then it is usually because they have a FEAR about what might happen if they do. The voice of Fear kicks in saying; “if I put my prices up, then all my customers will go, if I ask my supplier for a better deal, they’ll cut the supply”. Nine times out of ten, the fear of what business owners think might go wrong, never will. Here’s what to do to overcome that voice of FEAR (False Expectations Appearing Real). 1. Get educated. Often fear comes about because of
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a lack of knowledge in how to do something. Read up, go to a seminar, talk to those who have done it before and get some new perspective.
know, if you took action on it would increase your confidence in yourself. E.g. Learn something new, develop a new skill, meet someone new.
2. Be BOLD- Step up. Get uncomfortable, turn down that voice of fear and take action. Once you make the leap, often the answers appear.
2. Your Customers - Write down one thing if you took on with dealing with your customers that would make you uncomfortable, but would be great for business. E.g. Fire a customer, put your prices up, have a conversation about how you can help them more.
Many of the most fearful people at the top of the abseil, were also the most excited people at the bottom. Taking action in the face of fear is what courage is about. Four Areas for You To Be Bold in Your Business 1. With Yourself - Write down one thing that you
3. Your Team - Write down one thing you’ve been putting off in dealing with your team. Setting clear objectives and holding them accountable, firing someone. Take on that challenge.
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Smart | BUSINESS
4. Your Suppliers - Write down one thing that would be good for your business and your bottom line you’ve been putting off with your suppliers. E.g. ask for a discount, ask for marketing support, have a tough conversation about changing, ask for better service.
Take on these 4 actions in the next week and notice your confidence soar and I’ll so bet your bank balance.
You know that doing them will You have one shot at life and make a huge difference for your there’s no time for being timid in business. business. Now is your time.
Hamish Conway Hamish Conway is a former EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner and Business Performance Consultant at WHK Business Performance. WHK Business Performance is a division of WHK (the fifth largest accounting and advisory firm in Australasia) where they help Ambitious Business Owners and
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Step up and BE BOLD by taking on those actions that you’ve been putting off.
Entrepreneurs Get Clarity, New Skills, Experts Guidance and Results! For more information, visit: www.businessperformance.co.nz or contact Hamish Conway on 04 384-4161 email: hamish.conway@whk.co.nz
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Smart Company Magazine | 9
Smart | INVESTING
HOW TO GENTLY AND NATURALLY ATTRACT PROSPECTS AND TURN THEM INTO CLIENTS By Tom Poland The Bait Trail
like someone just died whereas older German men walk around Many people travelling to Europe looking like someone is just from this part of the world are a about to die. I concede that this little taken aback by severe faces difference can be subtle but it’s worn by middle aged and elderly definitely there. Dutch and German men. (For some reason this does not apply And furthermore, some of the older German men have a to the women - and no, I am happy knack of looking like the not just saying that to cover my impending death is their own behind in the unlikely event that personal responsibility. Talk my German wife reads this!). about grim. Whereas it’s easy to spot an This is, I have concluded, how American in Europe (baseball the brothers Grimm came cap, camera and a smile), up with their name. From a a Frenchman (beret, garlic marketing perspective the name and ignores you), a Brit (plaid is stroke of pure genius in that sports jacket, shorts, sandals it must have created instant and socks) or even a Russian empathy with tens of millions (always looking like they are plotting something), spotting the of Germans. “Grimm? Wow, amazing … that’s how I feel all difference between the Dutch the time, I better listen up!” and Germans was a mystery Anyhow, get on to the point of to me until my most recent the article Tom. European visit last month. How do you tell the difference Okay, here’s the Grimm brother’s between the Dutch and the story which illustrates the key German men? marketing strategy that I’m writing about: Hansel and Gretel With apologies to all my male German friends, it’s simple: older got to the wicked witches house Dutch men walk around looking
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via a “Bait Trail”. They picked up a sweet and then saw another one and picked that up and so on until they were led to the rather unlikely house made of lollies and owned by a witch with a big cauldron. The latter had presumably played host to many such young kids previously. (The very fact that the brothers Grimm reckoned this was a suitable tale to tell children must have given Freud and others years of material to work with). So how does that apply to copy writing and marketing, I hear you Ask? By way of explanation: at the 80-20 Center we teach the need for business owners to create four levels of “value delivery” a.k.a. product/service. And at a big picture level those four levels illustrate the broad principle of the Bait Trail very well. Level One contains all the Free Added Value (FAV) products/ services: special reports, ezines,
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samples, initial meeting, quizzes, the form of client requests. They talks, webinars, trial periods, test are often high priced and more drives, check ups etc. customized versions of Level Three but can also end up as Level Two consists of Easy additional Level Three products/ Entry Products (EEP): these are Services. designed to make it easy for a prospect to become a client i.e. So many people don’t have the they must now pay some money, first two levels and those two levels are the start of the critically honey. Not a lot of money compared to our main products/ important Bait Trail. services but enough so they now It’s a game of patience and have some “skin in the game”. seduction. Level One products should be thrown around your Getting someone to part with their hard earned, regardless of marketing universe like confetti at a wedding: you aim at your target how little is the only valid test of whether your value proposition is marketing (bride and groom) but other than that you chuck them working. Until you’ve got some out indiscriminately and in as money, you’ve got nothing. large amounts as humanly Level Three has all of your Core possible. Offering Products (COP) and it’s So have a think about your where you want your clients to products/services. Do you have a end up. Bait Trail or are you simply sitting in your lolly house, buried deep Level Four are “Spin Off Products” (SOP) and at the start in an enchanted forest forlornly hoping that clients will stumble of a business you probably will not know what they are going to upon your genius products/ look like and there’s no need to services? plan for them because they will Worth thinking about. make themselves apparent in
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Other uses of the Bait Trail Principle We vastly overestimate the ability of our clients to process data. The conscious mind can hold one thought at a time. That means that anything more than one thought at a time requires us to actually think. That’s when the frowns start. That’s when we think “I’ll get to that later”. For example: I’ve discovered that the all-time (currently) best way to get visitors to a website to give their contact details is to offer them a quiz. But rather than say up front: “hey, give us your contact details, take our quiz and we’ll also sign you up for our great ezine” it works better if we “Bait Trail” it. So the visitor clicks on the nice shiny “take the quiz” button (without having to enter their contact details at this stage), then they get taken to the quiz page and answer the questions.
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Smart | INVESTING
Then a screen pops up and says “Hey congratulations for taking the challenge … we’ll email your results to you right away … simply pop your details in the nice box below and as a bonus you’ll also get our great monthly ezine full of great tips on how to [xyz]]!”
A handful will request that call and when we conduct it I’ll find out if I can help them achieve their business goals and most will become a client on my 4 month program and one or two will graduate from that program and become clients for years. The latter is what I really want.
Note that the visitor was not confronted up front with having to give contact details in exchange for the quiz and the offer of the ezine.
But notice how many steps there were in the Bait Trail? Email invite, attend webinar, have Discovery Call, complete short term course, become long term client.
It was laid out in a step by step sequence that was carefully constructed to maximise the likelihood of getting their contact details. Another example This week I sent out an invite to a free online seminar. Based on past experience over 100 people will register and 50 will actually show up (a prerequisite for success). At the event I’ll provide a lot of valuable information and offer attendees a “Discovery Call” if they are interested in the offer that I will make at the end.
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So have a think about breaking down each of your goals and each marketing process into small Bait Trail steps. It take patience and a little persistence but my oh my, it pays off handsomely.
Tom Poland Tom Poland is the founder of the Business Owners’ Marketing Brief (the B.O.M.B.), the must read marketing publication for all business owners and entrepreneurs. Tom is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and director of 80-20 Center and shows business owners and business coaches how to “get more clients, make more money and have more fun”. www.8020Center.com Email. Tom@8020center.com
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Smart Company Magazine | 9
Smart | MARKETI NG
SHOW ME THE MONEY By Richard Petrie
Here’s the most important lesson known by the super rich …but seldom used by anyone else. Imagine you are driving to an important meeting and you are 5 minutes early. Then all of a sudden out of the blue the car starts to splutter and choke. You coast to the side of the road as the car loses all power.
You drive off again extra slowly to You decide to sell this stupid car fill the tank and the car starts to with no indicators to avoid splutter again! similar disasters. But the first question the As call the AA guy again you prospective buyers asks is ‘how know petrol cannot be the many kilometers does the car problem. have on the clock?’
Confused you call the AA to come and fix your car.
Another 15 minutes later AA man Because you have no indicators tells you the car is overheating you cannot tell him and he walks because you don’t have enough away. ‘Good news sir’, he says. You are oil or water in the engine. just out of petrol – I can give you Vital Feedback enough to get to a petrol pump. ‘Didn’t the indicators tell you the car was getting hot?’ He asks. Now let’s imagine you were able Now 10 minutes late for your big to install a dashboard that meeting you detour your journey Your Problem Has been showed you speed, revs, petrol at speed towards a petrol station Identified levels, engine temperature and when a police car pulls you over. mileage. You car does NOT have any ‘Do you know how fast you were indicators. No speedometer, no Instantly you have a valuable going? The officer asks. temperature gauge, no fuel useful car with the feedback tools gauge. No feedback from the to avoid danger and ensure ‘No idea’ you respond. key performance indicators of performance. your car. ‘Well you were going 75 in a Your marketing is like a car. To 50kph zone, that will be a $200 No indicators means no warning drive safely and with optimal fine and 100 demerit points on signals as you run out of petrol, performance you MUST have over heat or drive too fast. You feedback from the key your license, and I see you have now missed your big performance indicators. already have 200 demerit points meeting and a potentially huge so that will probably cost you sale but that is just the tip of the No feedback means no control. your license too’. ice-berg. The lack of indicators Now you are 30 minutes late for is starting to cost you time money and ultimately freedom. the big meeting with a lighter wallet and heading to court.
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Where The Rubber Meets The Road
Hardly any business owner knows these numbers, although many think they do. Just as a car with no indicators is trouble I personally hate anything to do This is a truly critical number that waiting to happen, so too is a with mathematics other than tells you the cost of acquiring business. counting money. each new customer. If you are buying ad media or But in 8 years of working with 1. What us the lifetime investing in marketing without clients I know that the ones who customer value (LCV) from tracking the numbers on a make the most money and wealth the ad? dashboard then you aren’t know their numbers inside out. managing your business. This allows you to measure the I often get asked questions of me total value of each new client. that cannot be answered You are guessing your business. intelligently without the numbers. This number also helps you get For example: “My yellow pages real about the cost of losing each client and helps you determine ad works pretty good. The Yellow what you are will to invest to pages rep is urging me to acquire and keep them. increase from quarter page to half page. Should I?” 2. How do these values My questions have to do with what ‘pretty good’ really is. 1. What is the cost per lead (CPL) from the ad? (Total cost divided by the number of lead your ad generated) This is the money spent to get the prospect to raise their hand. So if you spend $1,000 a month and get 10 people call you or go to your website then your CPL is $100 from that media 2. What is the cost per sale (CPS) from the ad? (Total cost divided by the
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number of clients your marketing exercise generated)
compare with other CPL, CPS and LCV from the other means you use to get customers?
That’s just he beginning, but if you can’t at least tell me those, I cannot tell you whether to increase, decrease of eliminate Richard Petrie your yellow pages ad all together. Richard is author of the book the Once you know these numbers you then have a MA-CPS, a maximum allowable CPS and you work at getting as many new ways of bringing in customers as possible to perform at or below that number.
Persuasion Equation, writes on his web site www.speedmarketing.co.nz and develops research backed sales processes to increase conversion. If you have a question, comment or want to reach Richard he is available at Richard@speedmarketing.co.nz
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Smart | MARKETI NG
HOW TO RUN YOUR OWN PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN - IN FIVE EASY LESSONS
By Jules Brooke
Before you actually send it to the first media person, send it to yourself and a friend. Make sure Pitching Your Story it comes through looking good but isn’t a huge file. The images Here is a great example: on your release should be low resolution. Keep hi-res versions Hi Todd, Check out these of the images on hand in case awesome new video camera they are asked for. Once you are goggles now available in New happy with how it looks and Zealand and Australia. Skiers & appears in your own inbox you snowboarders are seriously can start sending to everyone on going to love them. Please let your list. me know if you’d like to feature/review them and require A few things to remember. If you are forwarding the email pitch hi-res images, or would like to remember to delete the “Fwd:” use them somehow. from your subject line when sending to the next person. You can see them in here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v Also remember to change the =WqLGS9CeBt0 name of the person you are sending to. If you are sending to Then you embed your media release into the email. If it’s not a general news desk just write Good morning, or Good too large a file you might also afternoon. You may find you get like to attach it. Copying and pasting it into your email means a few of the media come back to you immediately with requests there is one less hoop for the for images or samples or journo or producer to jump interviews. through. It’s important to make sure your contact details are on Others will take a few days to get the release. We like to put a photo of the item up the top to of to it so don’t despair if you don’t the release so it is the next thing hear anything straight away. they see.
LESSON 4:
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Finally it is very important to keep track of what you have sent out. If you’ve bought one of our .CSV files we recommend saving it as an Excel file and adding a ‘comments’ column. Whenever you send someone an email or get a response keep a record of it in the relevant cell. So what are you waiting for? Go and pitch your story today!
Handle Your Own PR DIY PR for New Zealand Business www.handleyourownpr.com.au (Au/NZ) www.handleyourownpr.com (USA) www.handleyourownpr.co.uk (UK)
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Smart Company Magazine | 17
Smart | C OMPANY FEATURE
GETTING TO KNOW YOU: 8020 CENTER Not everything in business is marketing, but marketing is everything! Tom Poland from the 8020 Center lets us in on why marketing is the most important factor to business success. 1. What inspired you to start the 8020 Centre? What are your goals and values? Well firstly I really like to make money! I know that may not be a trendy thing to say but it’s true. And it’s also true that I love to see the impact on a client’s business life and the significant improvement in the quality of their family and personal lifestyle when their marketing goes well. One of my core values is to publish marketing training, templates and systems that actually work and that are outstanding value for money. I also like to keep things simple. Another core philosophy is that I don’t want people to feel that they have to trust me when handing over money to me for a product or service. I prefer for them to gain outstanding value before they pay me a cent. That way we both sleep well at night. Once someone has received great value from me and I’ve had that chance to prove that what I
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offer actually works, then I’m happy to talk money. But not before.
to some of the fuzzier touchy feely business disciplines.
3. What experience do you 2. What was the driving force have helping small business behind your decision to clients? specialise in the small business marketing sector? More than I care to remember. How does 32 years, over 2,ooo clients, 197 different industry In regard to my chosen target types spread over four market: I dislike corporate bureaucracy with a passion and continents sound? by contract I like fast decision 4. Do you service other makers and pragmatists. So almost by default that means I sectors as well? want to work with business owners but not necessarily just I’ve been approached and the small ones. Anyone who has completed marketing strategy the autonomy to make decisions consultancy work for national and the courage to back and international organizations themself rather than blame including NFT, corporate and someone else, that person is my educational institutes. But I don’t ideal client. go looking for that work. If the enquiry looks interesting and Secondly in regard to why I they are prepared to pay and chose to specialize in marketing they are serious about cutting services: I like to go where the through red tape and getting demand is and in survey after effective marketing in place then survey, business owners cite I’m happy to talk. getting more clients as their number one need. 5. What are the main reasons that someone would choose Marketing is also a very honest the 8020 Centre to assist with profession in that you either get developing their business? new clients or you don’t. I like the measurability and accountability First, people can try before they that goes with that as opposed buy. We have various
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opportunities for a prospect to get great value from us without investing one cent.
7. What challenges did you face in setting up your business?
Second, our stuff works.
I guess the hardest thing was coming up with a business Third, what we teach is simple model that gave me both the and can be implemented by any lifestyle and free time I wanted business owner who had a together with making marketing modicum of determination and and value delivery as easy as persistence. possible. 6. What process, services and I had a big advantage though support do your clients because my objective is setting receive? up a business like that is pretty much what I teach my clients so it A free marketing plan course was really just a matter of (21 modules over 30 days swallowing my own medicine! delivered online) 8. Tell us about some of the Free daily marketing ideas from expectations that you had. world renowned experts called Have they been met? the “Business Owners Marketing Brief” (BOMB) That’s a hard one to answer There are also various products in our online store and other programs but it’s best for anyone interested to sign up for the free marketing plan course and the BOMB. 7. What challenges did you face in setting up your business? I guess the hardest thing was coming up with a business 24 | Modern Franchise Magazine maxiom
because I keep moving the goal posts! It’s like I get to the top of one mountain and then see the peak of a higher one and go for that. So in short, I’d have to say “no” to the question. I don’t think that I will ever be satisfied with my business. I simply don’t like the idea of not continually improving what I offer.
9. Who is the target market for your business? Any English speaking business owner who want to get more clients, make more money and have more fun. 10. Do you have any plans for overseas expansion? I already service clients Internationally - we are happy to work with any English speaking business owner in any country in the world. I have clients in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and of course Australian and New Zealand. 11. What would you say to someone looking to grow and develop their business? Get your product or service so that it works very well. Then focus your time and energy on becoming an expert marketer or your product or service. That’s where the money is and once mastered, many find that marketing is extraordinarily fulfilling because the better you are at it the more people you are able to help.
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Smart | HR & REC RUI TMENT
STAFF SELECTION: BREAK ALL THE RULES AND SUCCEED By Leon Noone
Business has been following the same rules for staff selection for about 100 years. The job description, advert, resume, interview, reference check model has outlived its usefulness. It's about time to break all the rules. Some Background
and in the 1950s and 60s there were more jobs than people When this model was introduced in seeking them. the early 20th Century: The Flaws In The Old Model ● Telephones were still uncommon 1. The Resume ● Computers weren't even a boffin's dream Would you believe that experts estimate that today more than 70% ● Email, the mobile or of all resumes and written cellphone, the PC, social media and all the technology applications are prepared by professional writers? And that we take for granted today applies for all jobs. simply didn't exist ● Letters, with a postage stamp on each envelope, were delivered twice daily by a postman ● Business was conducted with great formality ● Few people could use a keyboard... and typing was painfully slow
I'm not suggesting that those resumes and written applications are deliberately misleading. I am saying that they are designed with the best interests of the applicant, not you as employer, in mind. And remember, it's likely that all applicants are complete strangers. 2. Shortlisting
● Few employees had college The shortlist is usually prepared on degrees the basis of the written resume. ● Handwritten job applications That's the same resume that's were usually demanded prepared to serve the candidates' goals not yours. ● Business owners and managers wielded great power:
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3. The Interview You conduct interviews of shortlisted candidates, still based on the written resume. The process creates a Self Fulfilling Prophecy. Their resume looks good. The interview goes well. Such a candidate becomes highly favoured: whether or not they can actually do the vacant job. 4. Reference Checking You check out past performance with previous employers. The names are usually provided by the candidate. You probably don't know the nominated referees. You don't know whether the referee is the candidate's best friend or worst enemy. This process is all about the past. And it's so patently unreliable that I'll go no further. 5. Ignorance Except in rare circumstances the employer has no absolute proof that the employee can actually do what they, and perhaps their referees, say they can do.
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6. The Offer Everything works out. The candidate submits a very persuasive resume and goes to the top of your shortlist. He or she "interviews well" and is lauded by referees. They seem to you to fit your requirements. You offer an appointment based on: ● A resume or written
application presented by a complete stranger ● An interpretation of an interview performance created by a self fulfilling prophecy
impressive interview behaviour is given much greater weight than proven on job performance. Is that wise? Other Impediments The purpose of staff selection is to get a job done, not to choose a person. The person is a resource. ● In selecting new staff you try to predict which of the shortlisted resources will be successful for you in the future. Yet this prediction is based almost entirely on what they've done for others in the past.
In some cases no job description is ● Comments of referees who prepared. "The one we used last time" is regarded as acceptable. are also likely to be Jobs change, demands change, complete strangers. people change. Does This Make Sense? You simply cannot tell what someone can do merely by talking with them. Yet conventional staff selection places enormous emphasis on so called "interview performance". That's OK if you're appointing someone to "perform well at interviewing". It's not OK for any other reason. Positive and
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a wish list of perceived desirable skills and behaviours. Measuring successful job performance rarely gets a mention.
● Even where a job description of some sort is used it lacks specific, measurable job results that the new staff member must achieve to be regarded as successful and effective. It may contain wordy waffle about "Key Performance Indicators" or something similar. But that's all. Most job descriptions are simply
● Employers design the job ad to try to attract as many applicants as possible. This practice too is undesirable. You waste time reading small mountains of resumes from candidates, all of whom are trying to impress you. And most of them are quite unsuitable anyway. The purpose of the job ad is to attract the "perfect" candidate and deter everyone else. Yet few job ads say "only apply if" or "do not apply unless" ● Managers believe they must "sell" the company to the most attractive candidates. This too is foolhardy. Selection is a retail transaction. You are the buyer. Candidates are the sellers. Behave like a buyer.
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Smart | HR & REC RUI TMENT
YOUR TOP SECRET MARKETING WEAPON THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE FROM THE BUSINESS OWNERS MARKETING BRIEF Some Ground Rules
SMART B.O.M.B.
a) Never ask for resumes and written applications b) Create your shortlist based in an in depth telephone screening interview c) Offer a face to face interview only to candidates who prove to your satisfaction that they can do the job d) Test, test, test: if an applicant claims he or she can do something, get them to actually do it e) Remember, you cannot tell what a person can do merely by talking with them f) Every time a vacancy occurs prepare a new job analysis based on on-job results and how they'll be measured g) Always use a probation period before confirming an appointment. Conclusion
Leon Noone Leon Noone helps managers in small-medium business to improve on-job staff performance without training courses. His ideas are quite unconventional.
Look around your workplace. What are you still doing the way you did it a century ago?
Read his free Special Report “49 Practical Tips for Removing Employee Apathy, Aggravation And Resistance In Your Business”.
Don't make staff selection the exception.
Simply visit: http://staffperformancesecrets.c om/
It simply makes no sense.
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Smart | LEAD ERSHI P
GANGNAM STYLE YOUR COMMUNICATION! By Gabrielle Dolan
Have your seen Gangnam Style on youtube? Gangnam style, a pop video by a South Korean rapper Psy has taken the world by a storm and entered the Guinness book of world records as the most liked YouTube video! Gangnam style has been parodied and has also featured heavily in mainstream media. Opinions vary widely with The Sydney Morning Herald writing ”It makes you wonder if you have accidentally taken someone else’s medication”, while Robert Myers of The Village Voice called it “an inspired piece of silliness”. The Gangnam style video is cheesy, has humorous dance moves, a catchy beat and is a larger than life successful piece of global communication. Now, not for a moment am I suggesting your next communication should feature a YouTube video with your CEO presenting the strategy Gangnam style, unless your CEO is an ex rapper.
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But there are lessons to learn from the success of Gangnam style, success that every communicator would kill for. The music video for the Gangnam Style song has gone viral and is a meme, which is a concept, an idea, behaviour or style that spreads rapidly, virally from person to person. Our culture is replete with memes, from catchy advertising jingles, nursery rhymes, popular proverbs like ‘A stitch in time saves nine’. You possible use memes everyday without even being aware that you are.
that people repeat from TV or a film. Imagine your next piece of communication whether it’s a pitch, an idea, newsletter, an email, a presentation becoming a meme! WHOA. So how can you ‘Gangnam Style’ your communication? You don’t need the Internet to do that, but you do need the power of good idea or at least the right turn of words (Tony Blair describing Princess Diana as the ‘People’s Princess’) to create an instant meme.
The example that immediately comes to mind is President John One of my husband’s favourite F Kennedy, who famously said lines is ‘You just can’t handle the ‘We want to put a man on the truth’ from the film A Few Good moon and bring him safely back Men and is an example of a to earth, by the end of this meme, a popular catch phrase decade’.
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An instant meme, the idea spread through America and the world and inspired a generation of diverse Americans from NASA engineers to cleaners to strive to make it happen.
Other examples have created memes like ‘Brussel Sprouts’ ‘Copper head snakes’ within their organisations using stories.
To Gangnam style your next communication, steer clear of A more recent example, corporate jargon and cliches and ‘wardrobe malfunction’, a meme start by asking yourself ‘What is created to explain Janet a fresh way of thinking and Jackson’s Super Bowl talking about this?”. controversy. Hint ‘Optimising synergies’ will In 2008 John Stewart the then not become a meme. CEO of NAB described NAB as an offshore racing yacht that had Cast your net wide, take risks spent four years getting ready for and don’t afraid to be cheesy, the winds to change. funny, lateral… use a story, and be rewarded with Gangnam style results. This yachting meme spread internally within the bank like wild fire and was embraced by the media as a sound bite. Stories are classic memes as they are easy to understand, remember and repeat.
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Gabrielle Dolan Gabrielle Dolan is a global thought leader on organisational storytelling and an expert in making good presenters Inspiring. For more information and workshop details, go to: Web Site: www.onethousandandone.com. au
Twitter: http://twitter.com/onethousan dand1
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Smart | MARKETI NG
WHAT’S VALUES GOT TO DO WITH IT By Michel Hogan
● Your Brand is a result of the promises the organisation makes and keeps. ● Brand is shaped by your values ● Brand and values are also both delivered by the employees of the company (or not).
In the early 1960s Thomas Watson, former CEO of IBM, made the following observation: "I firmly believe that any organisation, in order to survive and achieve success , must have a sound set of beliefs on which it premises all its policies and actions. Next, I believe that the most important single factor in corporate success is faithful adherence to those beliefs... beliefs must always come before policies, practices, and goals. The latter must always be altered if they are seen to violate fundamental beliefs." The role of core values in building a business is well recognised today although when you look at the actions of many companies you can probably assemble a very different list of values to the ones they say they hold. What isn’t as well understood or discussed is the role of values in building a Brand 26 | Smart Company Magazine
(something Thomas Watson also authentically held - if they aren't, knew a thing or two about). the cost is loss of credibility both inside the organisation and out in I’m not talking about that gremlin the marketplace. hybrid touted by ad agencies called “Brand values”. I’m talking Brand and values are also both about the role your genuine delivered by the employees of organisation values play. the company (or not). Because when it comes down to it, you don’t have a set of “Brand values” and a different set of “core values” you just have your values!
Got a perception issue? Take a look at what you are promising versus what is being provided, there will almost certainly be a gap.
When you look at the kind of values Thomas Watson talks about and building a Brand the relationship between them is really quite straightforward.
One of the most common errors I see organisations make is framing their values around the usual suspects.
Your Brand is a result of the promises the organisation makes and keeps. Those promises are shaped and directed by the values, so your Brand is shaped by your values. And like values, Brand can't be created. They must both be
You know them well - integrity; trust; teamwork; innovation; honesty; quality; and on and on. And hot on the heels of the usual suspects is the allure of the aspirational value - something you’d like to try to become and sounds great, but don’t currently hold, can be hard to resist.
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Both approaches are almost guaranteed to generate a set of values that have little relationship to what the organisation actually cares about and does. So next time values come up for discussion try this question which of them would be nonnegotiable? Which are the things that you wouldn’t trade on no matter what, that you would continue to hold even if they were a competitive disadvantage? Anything that doesn’t make the cut just isn’t a value. A principle of the business maybe.
And without that, there is no way And yes, your values and your for a strong brand to follow. brand have everything to do with each other. Here are some value sets that avoid the usual suspects and structure: 1. Atlassian - What we value 2. Zappos - Code of Conduct 3. Patagonia - Our Reason for Being 4. Gore (makers of Gore Tex) - Our Culture 5. Google - The things we know to be true
Something useful for the stage and environment of the business So when you think about your as it stands, probably. But not a Brand add your values to the mix value. but keep in mind that your values are your values. Their truth shows Unless they are non-negotiable up in your actions and decisions the business won’t care enough and the promises you keep more about them to align around them clearly than in any written and deliver them consistently. statement.
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Michel Hogan Michel Hogan is an Independent Brand Advocate dedicated to helping organisations make promises they can keep and keep the promises they make - with a strong, resilient organisation as the result. She also publishes a blog at michelhogan. com. You can follow Michel on Twitter @michelhogan.
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Smart | MARKETI NG
LINKEDIN - THE GREATEST PERSONAL BRANDING, PUBLICITY AND SALES TOOL FOR B2B MARKETS By Gene Stark
There are 3 types of people in business: ● Entrepreneurs ● Intrapreneurs ● Un-enterprising and all of them can benefit from LinkedIn, even the unenterprising! It’s the often overlooked social media channel of LinkedIn! Whilst it is Facebook and Twitter that get all the media attention, it is LinkedIn that leads with results. Hubspot research shows LinkedIn being the equal leading Customer Acquisition Channel together with Company Blogs and the definitive leader in the B2B segment.
undoubtedly missing valuable opportunities to connect and grow your business.” - Rebecca Corliss is marketing manager and leader of the social media marketing team at Hubspot.
“There is no other social networking site in which you have a greater chance of being able to interact with an influential decision maker due to the business- focused nature of the community. LinkedIn remains “LinkedIn is the largest one of the best social networking professional social network sites to market your business-toonline today with an astounding business (B2B) products and 135 million users and a services because of this special targeted audience of business demographic. Even for businessprofessionals. If you are a business professional and you do to-consumer (B2C) companies, not have a powerful presence on LinkedIn is important: not only because consumers are LinkedIn, you are
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members of LinkedIn, but also because the network offers a great platform for finding distributors, agents, and strategic alliances.” - Neal Schaffer, author of Windmill Networking I used to refer to LinkedIn as “Facebook for Business”, but how wrong I was! The first 2 points provide a major difference between LinkedIn and Facebook and hence give business people an amazing opportunity not available in any other media channel: 1. LinkedIn provides a meeting place where people expect to “do business”
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2. LinkedIn leverages relationships by making connections visible. 3. LinkedIn helps maintain personal relationships and build new ones. 4. LinkedIn provides a platform for the most effective form of Marketing - Word of Mouth
better prepared for interviews ● Generate Leads and Accelerate Sales ● Ask for Advice from your own network as well as “Crowdsource” ● Find Experts and Partners ● Improve your Personal Productivity with all of the different LinkedIn tools, Widgets, and Apps.
5. It can link all your Online Marketing Assets and essential Social Media Tools, e.g: Website, Blog, Slideshare (now incorporating Video), Twitter and Research trends and industries, gather opinions by running polls Facebook. as well as track company news. With all of the new Finally and most importantly, developments in LinkedIn, LinkedIn can provide you with the today it can assist you with: perfect and simple platform for a ● Promoting your personal Referral System! Referrals are brand critical to success in business. ● Proactive Networking
FACT ● Checking References and - 98% of Businesses rely on referrals to gain new business* Backgrounds ● Look for a Job, Seek and FACT Hire Candidates and be - 3% of businesses have a strategy for referrals*
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REFERENCE: *BNI – Business Network International Benefits of a Referral System: ● Lower Marketing Costs ● Higher Revenues ● Prospects convert to Customers ● Better customer ‘behaviour’ ● You can concentrate on your business Please note that there is a large and important difference between Word of Mouth Advertising and a Referral System. Word of Mouth or ‘going viral’, usually happens by chance. We as marketers try as we might do not have control over a video or a game going viral, and more fail than succeed! A Referral System, on the other hand is: ● Predictable
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Smart | MARKETI NG
● Consistent and ● Repeatable! LinkedIn can assist you in most of the critical steps of a typical Referral Process:
those that place their trust in you and refer to you! LinkedIn or any other technology or media channel for that matter will not help you Stand Out and Be Noticed!
1. Identifying Referrers / Influencers in your Network You need to give people a reason by listening and studying where opinions are being to talk about your products and services, and make it easier shared for that conversation to take 2. Providing them with a place. You’ll need to be creative WOW experience and wow prospects and not just (LinkedIn won’t help you with your message. Remember there - you need to be the old adage - “great advertising great at what you do or kills bad products faster” deliver exceptional value through your As with all social media or products and services!) marketing activities in general, 3. Stay Top of Mind
the more you put into them the more you will get back in return.
4. Help them Help You - you need to educate your The more you care and share the network how to refer to you more likely you are to benefit. 5. You need to ask for Referrals and Introductions Get LinkedIn or be Locked Out! 6. And you need to Recognise and Reward
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Gene Stark - is the co-founder of The Marketing Network, an SME Branding & Marketing Agency that brings together every marketing discipline, providing convenient and affordable solutions for their clients - professional services and B2B firms that need to find, attract and retain customers. email: gene.stark @themarketingnetwork.com.au LinkedIn: http://au.linkedin.com/ In/genestark Twitter: @starkreality4u Website: www.themarketing network.com.au
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Smart | OUTSOURC I NG
OUTSOURCING FOR BEST RESULTS
By Mark Matthews
Entrepreneurs and Business Managers are outsourcing more services than ever. Yet many business outsource without any defined purpose nor are they measuring the effectiveness of their contracts. In fact, many businesses experience inconsistent results from companies they engage to outsource a wide spectrum of services. Ideally a successful outsource relationship enables you to outsource administrative or operational activities that are not part of your normal day-to-day business, or for which you require additional resources. This provides you with the peace of mind that comes with being certain that the required services will be professionally executed in a timely manner, without additional in-house hiring. Know what to outsource and the results you want to achieve. Being clear on what services you do not wish to undertake in house and the scope of services you want to outsource along with the results expected from your outsourced contractor is critical to the success of the relationship.
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Organizations that outsource should be seeking to realize benefits or address the following issues: 1. Cost savings - The lowering of the overall cost of the service to the business. This will involve reducing the scope, defining quality levels, repricing, re-negotiation, and cost re-structuring. It may include contracting production or services offshore, to lower cost economies. 2. Focus on Core Business Resources (for example investment, people, infrastructure) are focused on developing the core business. For example often organizations outsource their IT support to specialised IT services companies. 3. Cost restructuring Operating leverage is a measure that compares fixed costs to variable costs. Outsourcing changes the balance of this ratio by offering a move from fixed to
variable cost and also by making variable costs more predictable. 4. Improve quality - Achieve a steep change in quality through contracting out the service with a new service level agreement. 5. Knowledge - Access to intellectual property and wider experience and knowledge. 6. Contract - Services will be provided to a legally binding contract with financial penalties and legal redress. This is not the case with internal services. 7. Operational expertise Access to operational best practice that would be too difficult or time consuming to develop inhouse. 8. Access to talent - Access to a larger talent pool and a sustainable source of skills, in particular professional services, consulting, science and engineering.
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9. Capacity management An improved method of capacity management of services and technology where the risk in providing the excess capacity is borne by the supplier. 10. Catalyst for change - An organization can use an outsourcing agreement as a catalyst for major step change that can not be achieved alone. The outsourcer becomes a Change Agent in the process. 11. Enhance capacity for innovation - Companies increasingly use external knowledge service providers to supplement limited in-house capacity for product innovation. 12. Reduce time to market The acceleration of the development or production of a product through the additional capability brought by the supplier. 13. Commodification - The trend of standardizing business processes, IT Services, and application services which enable you to buy at the right price, allows businesses access
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to services which were only available to large corporations.
terms with larger organisations if it is used effectively.
With the plethora of outsourcing 14. Risk management - An options available to most approach to risk businesses cutting through the management for some sales hype and delivery promises types of risks is to partner can sometimes be a difficult with an outsourcer who is proposition in itself. better able to provide the mitigation. Knowing where to start, what to outsource, why and to whom can 15. Venture Capital - Some be daunting for many SME’s but countries match it doesn’t have to be. government funds venture capital with private venture Some businesses outsource just capital for start-ups that because it seems easier, but if start businesses in their the contracted service scope isn’t country. clear and the delivery expectations not documented 16. Tax Benefit - Countries then the end result may not be offer tax incentives to what the business owners had in move manufacturing mind. operations to counter high corporate taxes within It makes sense to partner with an another country. outsourcing specialist who can assist you develop an 17. Scalability - The outsourcing strategy that will outsourced company will enable you to achieve your usually be prepared to business aims. manage a temporary or permanent increase or No matter what you are looking to decrease in production. outsource the first thing you should check is if the person or 18. Creating leisure time company you are considering is Individuals may wish to capable of managing a key area outsource their work in of your business better than you order to optimise their can do yourself, so you don’t work-life balance. have to worry about it. If you don’t think they can or are Outsourcing can assist SME’s unsure…then move on to one compete on more favourable who can.
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Smart | LEAD ERSHI P
CHECKLIST FOR FAST COMPANY GROWTH By Siimon Reynolds ● A manual for running the business. (How you and your staff do things day to day). ● 90 day goals, with exact figures to aim for.
CHECKLIST FOR FAST COMPANY GROWTH. I do a lot of consulting for entrepreneurs building their companies. No matter what the industry, I find the same things lacking in companies struggling to grow. So this week, I thought it would be helpful if I put these common challenges into an easy to review checklist. So take a few minutes to look at each of these areas, and ask yourself whether you can score yourself at least a 7 out of 10 in each vital department: ● Clear vision for company over the next 3 years. ● Clear company values. (No more than 5, ideally just 3).
● A marketing plan that uses at least 3 different media. (Most failing companies are not experimenting enough with different types of media).
● A system for staying in contact with customers and potential customers. (A company’s biggest potential asset is it’s email list). There are more areas entrepreneurs should keep an eye on of course, but get these ten right and you can be pretty sure that you’re company will have strong growth over the next 3 years.
● Outsourcing or delegating Get them wrong however, and non vital tasks. (If you don’t your entire company’s future is at have an assistant you are risk one). ● A coach, mentor or board to bounce ideas off. (No matter how smart you are it pays to have wise and objective counsel). ● A sales presentation with at least a 1 out of 3 success rate. (If you’re scoring lower than that you have either structured the presentation incorrectly, or you’re selling to the wrong people). ● A clear understanding of who your customer is. (What they fear, what they desire).
Siimon started the Photon Group and grew that company to be worth over $500 million while employing over 5000 people. He has a passion for helping entrepreneurs build and grow their business. http://thefortuneinstitute.com
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Smart Company Magazine | 35
Ask an Expert - Franchising Business Development Alliance
Strategise Systemise Commercialise Franchising is a highly competitive sector with a unique set of challenges. But we discovered that successful franchises have one common characteristic, and that is extraordinary “passion”. This is a key asset for any business owner, particularly in franchising - along with getting great advice - as Mark Fernandez from Business Development Alliance explains. 1. What inspired you to start BDA? What are your goals and values?
passion and determination. With our never ending search for excellence coupled with our experience we believe that we have a lot to offer anyone either BDA has been servicing the Franchise and Business sectors entering or already immersed in since 2002 and we have grown the sector. into one of Australia’s Premier Management Consultancy. Our 3. What experience do you values enable us to express have helping franchise sector what we do and what we believe clients? in, which, in turn enables us to put into practice what we are We have been involved in the committed to, which is – Franchising sector for over 40 excellence in everything we do. years and have experience across all facets of franchising. Our goals revolve around With this vast experience we providing the best advice, believe our clients can only service and education to benefit from what we have Franchise Networks whilst learned along the way and that assisting and educating brings expertise to the table prospective franchises to when making those critical become more profitable. business decisions.
4. Do you service other sectors as well? Yes, we have worked in many sectors assisting business grow including; manufacturing, retail, hospitality, shipping and wholesale. We have the capabilities and experiences to assist any small business find its growth path. 5. What are the main reasons that someone would choose BDA to assist with developing their business?
Businesses choose BDA as we assist in finding the right growth path. We will determine wether Licensing, Agency Agreements, Dealerships, Co-Operatives or Franchising is the best way forward. Most business understand the need for control 2. What was the driving force Our Director is a Committee when expanding however, may Member of the Franchise behind your decision to Council of Australia WA Chapter not be aware of the boundaries specialise in the franchise in which that control can be and is intimately involved in a sector? exercised. number of well recognised brands within the sector. Its all about passion!!! This sector demands a high level of
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We have had many clients over the years that just need good, sound business advice and that’s where we come in. A’ sounding board’ for senior management and for those franchises that need assistance along the journey. 6. What process, services and support do your clients receive?
completing the Viability Study, Financial Modelling, Scripting Operation Manuals to Training and Recruitment. The real work starts after the launch of a franchise, we then take a ‘coaching ‘ role in the organisation just to keep things on track and to enable the practical application of the system is actually in play.
8. Do you provide services nationally? Yes we do, we have worked in all states and territories in and across our beautiful country. 9. Do you have any plans for overseas expansion?
We are looking to form international affiliates with 7. Who is the target market for companies that have the same We provide a ‘one stop shop’ for your business? values and principals as us. franchising your business. We undertake all activities in setting Typically we find that business 12. What would you say to up a franchise; everything from looking to grow and have heard someone looking to franchise about franchising but not really their business? sure what It’s all about. Yes they know of the major brands but are The key here is to get good looking for a guiding hand to quality advice. If you want to be take their business to a new successful in an industry that level. employees around 650,000 Australians and contributes Business that have been more that $140b to the operating successfully for at Australian Economy, then you least 12 months and are need to have a relentless search profitable are now looking to for excellence. expand. With this in mind, setting the structures and putting the Surround yourself with the best infrastructure in place for growth advisors that you can afford and can be a costly exercise and get out and chat to people in the without sound advice can leave industry – these are my top tips you exposed and put your for business that are looking to business at risk, hence we are grow through franchising. finding more and more Mark Fernandez - brings over 20 Mark Fernandez entrepreneurs seeking years of senior management mark@bda-online.com.au experience in business development professional advice. and franchising to your business. www.bda-online.com.au 24 | Modern Franchise Magazine maxiom
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Smart | ENTREPRENEUR
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE IN LIFE By Brian Sher
● Success isn’t just an accident. People who consistently reach high levels of achievement do things differently from the rest. ● Today I’d like to talk about a 3 step process that will immediately improve your performance in any area. This method is simple and quick, They don’t pre-write their but almost nobody does it. questions. Or work out their most I call it the EAS. The Effective important points. Action System. Or check their presentation equipment is working. STEP ONE – PREPARE BEFORE EVERY SIGNIFICANT They don’t take the time to EVENT prepare any more deeply than just handling the basics. Most people do not spend enough time preparing before However elite performers behave they begin something. differently. They take the time to get fully immersed in the upcoming opportunity, making They don’t research the backgrounds of the people they sure they are clear and knowledgeable about the people are seeing. or company they are about to They don’t look into the history of interact with. the company they are visiting. Result? Vastly higher levels of success.
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STEP TWO – HAVE BACK UP PLANS Success doesn’t happen in a straight line. We always have setbacks, obstacles and serious failures along the way. (For more on this buy my recent book, Why People Fail). With this in mind, it makes perfect sense to come up with alternative plans and options in case things don’t work out. As often they won’t. Successful people have fall back positions and alternative strategies ready, so when
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misfortune strikes they can move This is such a waste, as inside immediately to a new game plan every event is the chance to for success. search for ways we can improve. Failures have only one plan – and if it doesn’t work often they’re in trouble. Don’t make this mistake. Take the time to develop plans B, C and D. You’ll not only be much more effective, your confidence will dramatically rise as well.
If you can just get into the habit of always debriefing every time you finish a task, you’ll find you quickly become better at it. As Ray Dalio, one of the world’s wealthiest fund managers emphasises, “The main difference between the successful and unsuccessful is that successful people find and fix weaknesses.”
Because you’ll know deep inside that you are ready for any But if you don’t take a few scenario. minutes to debrief after every performance, you will rarely STEP THREE – DEBRIEF identify those weaknesses, let EVERY PERFORMANCE alone work out a way to fix them.So that’s the Effective This is one of the most important Action System, one of the most concepts to use if you want a powerful methods to increase lifetime of ultra achievement. your chances of success in existence. When most people finish a meeting, work session or Try it for a week and watch your important human interaction, that performance levels soar spend almost no time evaluating how they performed. Typically, they give it a moment’s thought then get moving on the next task or appointment.
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Brian Sher, over 25 years, has established himself as a respected pioneer and business growth specialist. He has helped countless businesses grow over a 20 year period including start ups as well as businesses doing tens of millions of dollars per annum. He has an outstanding reputation in the business world and is a successful best selling author on the topic of business and marketing. He has been involved in helping many businesses grow and expand through his various companies and is The Fortune Institute's CEO. http://thefortuneinstitute.com
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Smart | FUTURE
ONLY EIGHT YEARS AWAY….. By Morris Miselowski The Year 2020 is only eight years away and for many it holds the romantic promise of how different technology, life and business will be, but will the reality live up to the expectation? 2020 Foresight In 2020 we will hold the 32nd Olympic Games and it will be a leap year. New Zealand’s population will be around 5.5 million and Australia’s will be around 25.5 million. Baby boomers will be 58 years old plus and one in five of us will be over 60 years of age. The median New Zealand & Australian age will be 40 with a life expectancy of 81 for a male and 86 for a female. In our 2020 workplaces, one in three employees will be working on a casual, part time or project basis. 40% of today’s senior leaders will have reached retirement age. Gen Y will account for 42% of the workforce.
ourselves virtually immortal leaving digital footprints that will echo throughout all time.
offer us our unique point of difference and profitable competitive edge.
Tomorrows’ workplaces and thinking
Where once we may have jealously guarded our intellectual property and unique know-how, The eternal core of an business we will instead choose to seek out ways to leverage and make leader is underpinned by a childlike curiosity; a “why not” and best use of these innovation possibilities by forming alliances “what if” attitude to every with other business and possibility they encounter in a providers who service similar daily fresh new world; a strong intuitive belief in how the world is and complimentary markets, knowing that in this collaborative evolving, all balanced by a offering there is strength, growth strategic old-world whole of and profitability for all involved. business pragmatism.
2020’s workplaces will need to be adept at uniting a physically present tribe of employees with a tribe of offsite and often transient staff’s, specifically chosen for their ability to add value to the As technology increasingly takes task or project regardless of over the burden of our linear and where they are on the globe. The average job tenure will be routinised work activities and These tribe members may have 2.4 years and one in four workers provides us with synthetic will be working remotely or thinking and analysis, successful history and longevity in working virtually. business leaders will evolve into together, but just as likely may only come together to perform the realisation that human one task or project and then Between now and 2020 we will knowledge coupled to also move forward 100 technological advancements, a disband, repeating this process technological years as we willingness and agility to readily over and over again responding continue to irrevocably enmesh and appropriately recognise and ongoing to global marketplace needs for projects, skill, wisdom our physical world with our online respond to the unusual and and insights. digital world and render unpredictable will combine to
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This will remain fundamental, but what is different is the speed of change and the breadth of opportunities and technologies that we will have access to.
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The old management paradigm of control will also slowly give way to the new paradigm of influence, as we learn that our workplaces are extremely fluid, malleable and adaptive and that to flourish in this new work context is to allow our people the freedom to explore new possibilities and methodologies whilst remaining true and fixed on the compass pointing steadfastly to the required outcomes.
Tomorrow’s technologies 65% of the tasks, job titles and professions today’s teenagers will undertake in the six (6) careers and 14 jobs they will have in their 120 years of life and 80 years of work, have not yet been dreamed of.
The first two decades of this century will be seen by future generations as one of huge disruptive technologies, the equivalent of an industrial revolution, one that irrevocably As the boundary between our changed the way we work, live physical and digital worlds and play and forever disappears forever and we repositioned our sense of sell become more immersed and worth and entitlement and also dependant on an Omni world where we are constantly-on and brought with it an entirely new slew of technologies with which information rich in situ to engage. technologies, the ability to compartmentalise our lives into The desire to see the world the historical dictum of eight hours work, eight hours play and through our own unique lens is leading us towards a eight hours rest will no longer hyperpersonalised world; a have meaning, or purpose. world in which bespoke is the The willingness and ability to norm and just in time is the goal, effectively manage the personal not only in commercial needs of the individual with the manufacturing, but in everyday commercial needs of an business and consumer organisation will be a skillset products. muscle we will all need to exercise and strengthen.
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One of the technologies that will feed this appetite is 3D printing which takes a full three dimensional scan of an existing object and then like a combined facsimile and printer of old, sends the image complete with its specifications to a 3D printer anywhere else on the planet to print out a usable workable clone of the original. This technology will be common in our factories, offices and homes allowing us to print on demand spare parts for our cars and machinery; an obscure oneoff fully working prototype for a client; send work tools to remote sites or print a complete set of crockery and cutlery for tonight’s dinner party. Additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping and 3D printing are also finding their way into our medicine with bio printing of human arteries, vital organs and bones, each being an exact replica of the person’s faulty body part or tissue, reengineered to remove the fault and ensure working compliance and compatibility. (Watch the video on the opposite page)
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Smart | FUTURE
available around us into a meaningful digital dialogue that purposefully guides our choices and informs us about the world we want to know. These same technologies will support hot desking allowing employees to do away with designated physical office workspaces and instead work anywhere on the planet in a myriad of places determined by convenience and need. Your MC will connect you into this neutral space, engage with all its Expect to see an evolution of By 2020 these devices will have surfaces laying out your digital new industries come to the fore become ubiquitous and will files and work exactly as you like and others disappear as we contain our wallets, keys and it, complete with your family redefine manufacturing away communication tools. photos, preferred lighting and from production and distribution working music allowing you to towards design, customised The standalone mobile phone of work like a local, in a communal product builds and today will by 2020 turn into our and foreign space. enhancements delivered just in MC (Mobile Computer) and time, to a device near you. disappear forever into the fibres Once you’ve finished your work, In the past four years we have of our clothing, jewellery and all of your files and preferences shifted our lives onto portable whatever else we may wear, will be securely locked away in digital devices receiving emails, carry and own. the cloud, ready for your next social networking interactions, destination and the space you’ve arranging appointments, storing This MC technology will be our been using will once again be and playing music, taking photos personal virtual assistant, wiped clean of your digital and generally finding their way offering to assemble and make presence, rendered neutral and around their physical and digital sense of the mass of disparate made ready for the next person world with the flick of a wrist and information we have with the to inhabit and work in. a swipe of a finger. overwhelming information
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Our mobile computers will also allow us to see beyond the physical world into the digital world as augmented (where we see the real world as well as overlayed digital images) and virtual reality (where we replace the physical world with a digital world) become part of our normal vision.
digitally speak to us coming alive to offer how-to instructions, safety messages, share files, make payments and catalogue usage.
In 2020 the employee will provide their own MC technology subsidised by the corporation BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) - leaving the company’s primary As you walk down the street your obligation to ensuring digital device will find the nearest train security and universal real time station for you, guide you to it, let employee access. you know when the train is leaving, which platform to get on We will use the core of these and where to get off, as well as collaborative technologies to pay for your ticket and let those connect up our disparate workforce through that you are travelling to know teleconferencing and extend our where you are and when to work options with telematic expect you. engineering (using online technology to affect and control These same technologies will remote objects) to provide allow us to blend our physical homes contents and happenings remote robotic medicine, remote site access and into our everyday decision maintenance, remote use of making, digitally bringing the onsite machinery and to meet contents of our wardrobes, kitchens and homes to our MC and confer in virtual online meetings and events. screens so that we can seamlessly blend what we have In our workplaces we will blend already with what we want to traditional face to face induction, buy. training, sales and customer engagement programs with It will also allow objects and Gamification (using game products in our stores, principles to aid learning or warehouses and offices to
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teach behaviour) to digitally train staff, offering them a virtual world in which to practice and extend their real world skills and for our customers to immerse themselves further in our brand and product. Single and dual robots will be more prevalent in our workplaces and factories, offering assistance with care of the elderly and dementia patients; being first line intuitive responders to our phone and digital customers; autonomously sifting through vast amounts of real time disparate data and outputting relevant synthetic knowledge, but the days of the science fiction humanoid robot being readily available and deployed are still not part of 2020. By 2020 we will however see nano robots and nano technology in use. These new technologies will continue to allow us to change the molecular structure of materials to allow us to innovate additional functionality and features.
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Smart | FUTURE
ourselves, before it ever enters our physical body Much of these discoveries and know-how will come from the digital collaboration of the medical and non-medical fraternity spread across the planet, not necessarily known to each other before embarking on these projects, but once connected and informed eager to collaboratively problem solve, invent and innovate
We will see clothing that does more than just cover our body, but rather is purposeful at monitoring our vital signs and core body temperature and adjusting our garments accordingly, or informing medical staff of our condition. We will have self-cleaning surfaces and windows.
that stay clean and fresh for months on end.
Crowdsourcing (the ability to digitally tap into and harness the collective wisdom and skills of 7.7 brilliant minds on the planet) will be a well-entrenched business paradigm in 2020.
We will look for collaborative alliances; people to take on project and task work on our behalf and seek some of our funding online for our innovations and projects, as well as ways to extend our thinking and opportunities beyond our Medicine will also move towards physical and geographical Rooms where the paint hyperpersonalistion with boundaries. automatically deodorises foreign compounded prescription drugs smells, neutralises harmful making a return and treatments The world of 2020 is a world of contaminants and adjusts the being constructed specifically for co-creation where to innovate, thermostat to maintain steady each patient and trialled on survive and thrive we may need temperature and wear clothes virtual digital replicas of to rely on the kindness of
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We will ingest nano robots into our body that will take internal xrays and photos and then set out to internally fight off disease in a targeted orchestrated cell specific campaign.
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strangers as together we build projects, take on new markets, collectively employ or manage a tribe and seek local, national and international opportunities in a united physical and digital world.
traditional strategic wisdom and a huge does of humanity.
To be able to readily answer the question of which technology is important and purposeful to our business we must always be clear about what our business is Underpinning all of this capable of; what we want to capability and connectivity is achieve and always be willing to technology, which will not only hungrily reach out and grab what continue to change the tools with lies ahead. which we work, but the very nature and definition of what Morris Miselowski work is, what we offer, how we Business Futurist | Keynote offer it and to whom. Presenter | Strategic Advisor Where to from here? As we journey towards the year 2020, the companies that thrive and grow will be those that find opportunity in the changing technology. Technology will ongoing be the catalyst for much of our innovation, thinking and direction. It will continue to evolve at a boundless pace and constantly seek to challenge us, but regardless of the advancements the selection and use of technology must always be tempered with lashings of
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The highly-regarded principal and founder of Success through Focus since 1981, each day, he consults with business leaders around the globe, helping to shape their businesses so they can be first to take profitable advantage of tomorrow’s business opportunities. Morris foresees an unlimited future for those companies which take the time to prepare and strategize for the future NOW. Blog: BusinessFuturist.me Website: BusinessFuturist.com
FaceBook.com/BusinessFuturi st
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Smart | FRANC HI SI NG
BUSINESS PLANNING FOR SUCCESS By Mark Fernandez
What a Business Plan can do for you and how to use it… Running a business without a business plan is like rock climbing blindfolded. Your chances of making it successfully to the top are slim. And the process will surely be a death-defying one. Contrary to popular practice, a business plan is not a means to securing financing. Instead it is a step-by-step guide to running your business and creating the product or service that will make it in the marketplace. And like any other map, your plan will have to be adjusted according to your vision for the business, conditions and opportunities in the marketplace and your business’s current condition. Whether it’s formal or informal, every business has a plan. The local hair salon may not have formally written down the plan, but before setting up shop, a smart owner would have assessed the need for a shop in that area of city, the ability to attract clients there, the appropriate amount of chairs, whether to hire someone to do the shampooing and sweeping, the cost of utilities and even the parking availability for clients. The owner who waits to figure these things out using trial and mostly error will be lucky to be left with his /hers wits, much less any customers.
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A business plan helps to minimise those pitfalls. Failing to plan is planning to fail… For many people, the concept of writing a business plan for their own business is a daunting one. Perhaps it would appear less daunting to view the process as simply writing the answer to three questions, namely:
● Your pricing policy ● Your promotional activity ●
Your overall operation
● Your employees ● Your finances
Answering the question ‘Where are you now?’ is often a major stumbling block because most people don’t know where to start. However, the answer is surprisingly simple if you divide ● Where are you now? your business planning into four ● Where do you want to be key areas: Operational, at a future date? Marketing, Employees and Finance. Such a division allows ● How will you get there? you to analyse your business to create a solid planning base. THE FIRST QUESTION: ‘Where are you now?’ – must be your starting point. This question seeks to provide a planning base. It looks at your business to establish such things as: ● ● ● ●
THE SECOND QUESTION:
‘Where do you want to be at a future date?’ is simply asking you to visualize your business operation at a set date in the Your business idea future. This visualization process Your current level of sales is almost identical to the exercise of setting up personal Your customer groups objectives. The difference, however is that the focus here is Your products and on business objectives. services
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THE THIRD QUESTION: “How will you get there?” asks about the steps you need to take in order to achieve the business objectives you have set. These steps, or strategies, can be identified, written down and planned for. Additional things a business plan should consider:
when creating the plan in your head. Writing your business plan down: 1. Helps you determine and coordinate all aspects of business operations
This is often the crucial difference between those who achieve their goals and those that don’t.
2. Gives you a means to analyse and determine what might be the best change to boost your business out of a stagnant situation.
1. What is the need for what you are offering and what profit 3. Assists you in determining the margins can you expect? risks and benefits associated with any changes. 2. What is a reasonable expectation of profitability and 4. Decreases your chances to when? making a mistake or not considering important factors in 3. How will the business pay you your business and most and any team members? importantly, 4. What are estimated 5. Dramatically increases your expenses? chances of success. 5. What considerations to Business plans are not only for marketing your products those just setting out their /services are to be made? journey in the marketplace. They are useful when acquiring a new While much of this may have business, forecasting growth, occurred to you informally, it is very important to write it down. If introducing a new product or service, entering a new market, you ever need to approach a bank or investors, you will need responding to changes in the market or changing a significant it. Writing it down will reinforce your vision, give you a reference aspect of your business. point for checking your business Whilst many would acknowledge and will most likely bring up the importance of doing one, not factors you did not consider
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many actually do it, and instead fumble along doing what they do, i.e. they “Fail To Implement”.
Mark Fernandez - brings over 20 years of senior management experience in business development and franchising to your business. If you would like to discuss your competitive position further or would like help with implementing any of the ideas in this article, please Contact: Mark Fernandez - Director Business Development Alliance www.bda-online.com.au mark@bda-online.com.au
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Smart | LEAD ERSHI P
MANAGING DIVERSITY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS By Holona & Trish Lui
New Zealand is an increasingly multicultural society. This is becoming more evident with highly visible demographic changes in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and other centres around the country, an increasingly mobile international workforce and Statistics New Zealand’s projected population growth figures for 2026. New Zealand is an increasingly multicultural society. This is becoming more evident with highly visible demographic changes in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and other centres around the country, an increasingly mobile international workforce and Statistics New Zealand’s projected population growth figures for 2026.
industries having staff in project teams from overseas markets where they are doing business is an obvious benefit cultural diversity offers New Zealand companies.
These include industries in the agriculture, tourism and international student education sectors to mention only three. Increasingly New Zealand’s The shape and make up of New export focus is on developing Zealand’s labour force is new export markets in Asia, changing. Statistics New Africa and Latin America. Zealand’s projections indicate that by 2026 Maori, Asian and Having staff with an ability to Pacific people will comprise operate in New Zealand and the some 42 per cent of New business context of other Zealand’s population. countries, particularly if they speak the ‘host’ country’s Added to this will be migrants language or have strong ‘infrom many different parts of the country’ connections, will help world attracted to New Zealand make it easier for New Zealand to help address the shortage of companies to do business in highly qualified and skilled overseas markets. It is a people in a variety of sectors pragmatic and smart business such as the research, IT and decision. other high tech industries. Our already diverse multicultural But what are the benefits that workforce will become even workplace diversity offers more diverse. businesses closer to home? How do New Zealand For a number of New Zealand businesses prepare, draw-out,
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develop and leverage the talent of their staff particularly with a multicultural team? Is it a smart and pragmatic business decision for them? These challenges are now taking on a sharper focus given our population projections, increasing diversity and global competition for skilled labour. There is a growing body of research which shows that diversity in the workplace, particularly when it is well managed benefits businesses and organisations. These benefits include reduced absenteeism, improved staff recruitment and retention, improved creativity, innovation and problem solving, and improved marketing, communications and business outcomes. It can also enhance a company’s reputation as a ‘good employer.’
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How best to leverage staff talent – feeling valued and understood As with any organisation, business or team aiming to maximise its potential, a key part of being able to leverage the talent in a diverse multicultural team, is proactive, forward looking leadership and management commitment. In simple terms, leading by example, and ensuring that the appropriate support and staff development processes are in place. Leadership sets the strategy, the direction and demonstrates the level of commitment.
Other key contributing factors include leadership commitment, workplace culture, diversity training and communication, and measurement and accountability. Having reasonably high proportions of diversity i.e. representation and visibility at all levels of an organisation also contributes to having successful diverse multicultural teams. Diversity training at all levels of a business helps to give people greater cultural awareness, to learn cross-communications skills to help them to interact and better understand their workmates and clients. It can help increase productivity by focussing on recognising and valuing difference, and seeking complementarity of skills and aptitude within a culturally diverse team.
In our experience with teams and organisations, most people want to feel valued and understood by their colleagues, customers and A good case study example of management, irrespective of this approach involved an where they come from. insurance company which drew One of the keys for any business on the diversity of its workforce to better meet the needs of its to help make this happen is to diverse customer base. They did put in place mechanisms that this by being aware of, foster a positive working environment and to develop the celebrating and leveraging the particular experiences and skills and knowledge of their strengths of individuals, people. improving team dynamics, challenging people to think This is in turn contributes to creatively, share information and positive outcomes for the building a sense of community business. among their diverse workforce.
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Learning to manage and leverage the talent diversity offers businesses is pragmatic, smart and good for business.
Holona and Trish Lui Holona has considerable experience and expertise in his specialist areas of team development especially high performance teams, project management for learning and development programmes and communications, particularly for Pacific communities. He regularly provides advice on communicating with Pacific Peoples and co-conducted Pacific Analysis Framework policy training for a wide range of public sector and non-government organisations. T: +64 4 938 8183 M: +64 274 439 345 E: holona.lui@catalystpacific.co.nz W: www.catalystpacific.co.nz
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Smart | HR & REC RUI TMENT
THE BEST JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK By Kristin McNicol
Interviewing prospective job candidates can be frustrating and time consuming and often leave you no closer to finding out anything useful about the people you’ve met. There are, however, questions that you can ask that should give you a clearer picture as to the type of person you are interviewing, their strengths, weaknesses and attitude.
a lousy work ethic will talk about personal, non-work activities they would do, such as eating, going out or other entertainment, or playing with their kids, family or pet.”
Question 1:
Question 2:
When you finish your work, what do you like to do?
What’s the nicest thing you’ve done for someone?
This question is artfully vague, in that the applicant is not told if the answer should focus on work or personal activities.
Nice is a personality trait that’s important to company culture. Generally, the best leaders, influencers and highest performers are considered to be “nice”.
Work oriented applicants who possess fantastic work ethic will It is an important trait that give an answer that is workemployees who will fit into a fun, focused. high performing workplace will possess. For example, they may talk about how they ask their boss The question usually for more work, ask co-workers if they need help or find another catches the person off guard, project to start. Applicants who and you usually get a pretty are not work-oriented and have honest answer.
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Question 3: Tell me about yourself. The “tell me about yourself” question is still one of the best ways for an interviewer to evaluate a candidate. Since it is a question that is often asked, it is also one that the interviewer would expect a candidate to have prepared and rehearsed. If the candidate is surprised or unprepared, it tells the interviewer that the candidate didn’t do their homework. The way the candidate presents and organises the information is also important. Well-prepared candidates will have researched the company, analysed the job description, and organised their presentation in a way that reflects a good fit between the candidate and the position or company.
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Although candidates usually say they hate this question, they should embrace it. The employer is giving them the time and space to really talk about themselves in a meaningful and convincing way. Question 4: I’m interested in learning about a time when you were at your best. What was the situation, the actions that you took, and the end result? The candidate’s response should highlight what they consider their best attributes. If these attributes aren’t a match for what’s needed in the job, then this isn’t the right person. Also note that some interview candidates are great employees, but not interviewees. These are separate skills. For example, someone who is impressive on a first date may not necessarily make a good spouse. If the candidate struggles with providing a complete response to this question or others, the interviewer shouldn’t be afraid to follow up with questions, like “Were there any other actions
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that you took?” or “What skills did you use?” or “What were you thinking at that moment?” Question 5: What type of reference do you think your former boss will give you when I call? This forces the applicant to answer questions from their former boss’s perspective. Kristin McNicol They want to get their two cents in before they think you are going to talk to their boss. You get them to reveal information you would never get as candidly if you called their boss. Question 6: Ask the job candidate to come up with an imaginary co-worker and describe that co-worker to you. Odds are it will reveal what the person is really like.
Kristin is a consultant to enterprise on HR & recruitment best practices, having worked for over 20 years in North America and Europe. Kristin has worked with some of the biggest household names, franchises and government organisations helping senior management improve communication with all stakeholders in order to achieve better business outcomes Her latest book; “Nice Leadership” is available from November For more information please visit: http://www.smartcompany.co.nz/ kristinmcnicol
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Smart | ENTREPRENEUR
THE FOUR DISCIPLINES OF EXECUTION By Kip Marlow
The 4 Disciplines of Execution "Innovation is rewarded, but execution is worshipped." We don't know who said this, but it's true. Here's the problem. Most small business owners and entrepreneurs spend most of their time developing strategy, but little time executing it.
Although the book was meant for 2. Act on Lead Measures. larger corporations, it still has merit for our small businesses. Determine the steps you have to take to reach your wildly Most entrepreneurs have great important goal. ideas, but the real game Even business schools and changer is in our execution. Then focus your whole company MBA programs don't have on these steps. courses on execution. Ruthless execution is needed to bring products to the market, For example: If you want to So how do we get things done? and get more customers. increase revenues, your lead Most of the time we don't. measure may be to place 10 Another words, the jockey in this phone calls per day to clients, Here's another problem. In the case is more important than the customers, or prospects. "whirlwind" of today's business, horse. execution gets lost to challenges A coaching friend of ours did just of employee management, Execution is the key to success, that. understanding financial no matter what the strategy. statements, paying the rent, He doesn't always reach the dealing with problem customers, Here are Chris' 4 disciplines: prospects he's trying to call, but and much more. after he developed this lead 1. Set your wildly important measure, his small business We just don't take the time to goals. coaching calendar is 95% full. focus on our goals, because we can't. If you want to lose those 10 lbs. One goal may be taking your your lead measure may be company from $250,000 in Enter Chris McChesney, Sean limiting your calories to fewer revenue per year to $400,000. Covey, and Jim Huling of than 2,500 and walking 5,000 FranklinCovey. Or it could be personal and you steps every day. want to lose 10 lbs. within the They co-authored the book "The next 90 days. Here's the kicker. Your 4 Disciplines of Execution" and "whirlwind" is around you it's a GAME CHANGER! whether in business or in your personal life.
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THE “MUST READ” MAGAZINE FOR ALL BUSINESS LEADERS & ENTREPRENEURS
MODERN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE It takes quite a degree of focus to act on those lead measures
However, the focus on your goals must be intense or the 4 D's won't work.
3. Keep a score card. Sports teams play differently, whether ahead or behind. The same rules apply to us.
Innovation is rewarded, but execution is worshipped. We live in a fog of business called the whirlwind. It's hard to implement actions that get us to a goal.
Keeping score of your "dials" to get more revenue, or the amount The 4 Disciplines of Execution of calories taken in, or steps by Chris McChesney may be the walked daily are essential to roadmap to success. your success. 4. Create a cadence of accountability. Have that accountability partner for your "dials" or your weight loss program. A mentor or good friend can keep you on track if you meet with her frequently. The 4 Disciplines of Execution can change your life, make you much more productive, and help you succeed in both your personal and business life.
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CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX EVERY MONTH
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Smart | OUTSOURC I NG
THE KEY MISTAKES THAT ENTREPRENEURS MAKE WHEN BUILDING A VIRTUAL TEAM FOR THEIR BUSINESS As business owners, it is difficult to make the decision to hire help. But every business, in order to reach that next level is going to have to build a support system. By Joel R Russell Hiring a virtual team takes a great deal of care to get it right, but it can make all the difference in the world.
3. Communication It is important to find talented team members and let them do what they do best. However, it is incredibly important to Here are a few key components of communicate with your team so putting together that winning virtual that you know what is going on at Team! all times. Are deadlines being met? 1. Job Description Just like you were employing a new staff member you will need to have a job description prepared so that both you and your new recruit know exactly what they will be doing when they come on board. Take the time to write down what tasks your new team member will be taking on and what your expectations are for this new team member and share this with them when they start working with you so they know what is expected of them. 2. Delegating There is no point in finding great people and working hard to build a team for your business if you're not going to delegate tasks to them. If you have taken the time to build a supportive, successful team then let them do what you hired them to do.
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5. Quick To Hire, Slow To Fire Just like employing staff, take your time when you are looking for a new member for your virtual team.
Business owners tend to put off the decision to build a virtual team or to outsource then rush out and hire the first person with the skill Are customer service standards set they find. Hiring the wrong being upheld? Are they meeting person is costly, time consuming your expectations and their KPI’s? and incredibly frustrating. Take the Managing the projects that you time to hire the right person and if outsource to your team can you don't have the time, you can sometimes be challenging. always outsource that to a Specialist. Adopting software solutions like Wrike can make this task much 6. Have Systems In Place easier so that you always know the progress of each task or project This is one of the biggest mistakes you outsource. that business owners make when they are growing their team, not 4. Hiring Based on Skill Set having systems in place will cost Only you time and money. You should have templates for FAQ's, how you This is one of the biggest mistakes answer emails, anything repetitive that business owners make. Just should have a "how to" template or like hiring staff, attitude and work checklist attached to it. ethic are even more important than experience or expertise. When Paying attention to these few items outsourcing to a virtual team you can make all the difference also need to know if the team between success and failure when member will be available when you hiring and working with a virtual want them (are they working for team. others who are a higher priority to them?) and how well do they So take your time, do it right, communicate with you? and reap the benefits!
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Amaze Creative Keeping it clear and simple.
Amaze Creative Strategies Creating, distributing and analysing engaging, recurring digital content experiences across multiple channels. MWA Design can help you get your marketing message to your target clients in the most effective way to boost your sales and your profit. We are not just interested in great design and the latest technologies we’re interested in your business, your customers and your commercial success too.
Inspire Your Customers & Franchisees Inspire them to buy Inspire them to share Inspire their loyalty Increase brand recognition Increase interaction with your brand Create a consistent brand experience
Brand Design | Print & Digital | Web Design | Web Development
www.amazecreativestrategies.com
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Smart | C OMPANY FEATURE
SMART BUSINESS: CATALYST PACIFIC Helping people be effective in cross-cultural environments 1. What inspired you to start Catalyst Pacific? What are your goals and values? We have always been passionate about learning and supporting people’s efforts to achieve to the best of their ability. This combined with a desire to set up our own business led my wife, Trish and I to establish Catalyst Pacific Ltd. We saw that there were a significant number of people whose talents and potential were largely untapped and that an often unspoken part of leveraging their potential was a strong underlying need to raise cross-cultural awareness. While much of our work has been in coaching and facilitation, and Pacific communications and engagement, we are aiming to increase our business in the area of building cross-cultural effectiveness. It is a key aspect of all business. The qualities we value in ourselves and our clients are; Trust, Commitment, Strong relationships, Generosity, Integrity, Openness, Honesty, and providing practical evidence-based solutions. 56 | Smart Company Magazine
2. What was the driving force behind your decision to specialise in the cross cultural awareness aspect of Business?
3. What types of customers do you help? What experience do you have helping small business customers?
It’s who we are as people. We are a cross-cultural couple, family and business.
We help organisations and teams in the private, public and Not- For-Profit sectors from large and small organisations. For us, it was a logical extension We work across all levels in into the business arena, our key organisations but our point of difference and an area opportunities have tended to be of potential growth. Equally with influential groups particularly important for us is that it is middle and senior leadership work with a ‘good’ societal teams. We are aiming to do Purpose. more with small businesses. Cultural diversity is a feature of New Zealand and Australian society and an integral part of all work Teams. Relating effectively with people is a key aspect of any Business. We could see that with an increasingly multi-cultural workforce, for businesses to get best from their people and benefit from a deeper level of staff engagement, they needed to consciously develop effective cross-cultural communications as an essential leadership and team building skill. We have the experience and expertise to help them.
4. Do you service other sectors as well? Yes. Effective cross-cultural communications is an essential skill across all sectors. We have clients in the Health, Essential services, Energy, Education, I.T. and manufacturing sectors. 5. What are the main reasons that someone would choose the Catalyst Pacific to help improve cross cultural awareness and their employment brand? We are client focused and easy to work with. We model what we do and have specific expertise
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Lominger Architect suite of tools, ExcelL and CultureActive (two inter-cultural skills tools) and Culture-Connect which is a unique approach we have developed through our work in this area. 7. What challenges did you face in setting up your Business?
5. What are the main reasons that someone would choose the Catalyst Pacific to help improve cross cultural awareness and their employment brand?
6. What process, services and support do your clients Receive?
We use professional research based tools and are continually refining our offering and researching international trends and best practise in this Area.
There is an increasing demand for our One-on-One coaching services. We draw from a wide range of proven, research based tools to up-skill and strengthen leadership, improve staff engagement, enhance productivity and strengthen cross-cultural effectiveness.
Our business has three main streams of work - coaching and facilitation for high We are client focused and easy performance, building crossto work with. We model what we cultural effectiveness, effective do and have specific expertise communications and in the area. engagement.
We work alongside our clients to design, develop and deliver practical outcomes to address their specific needs.
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Being new to the market, establishing ourselves and deciding the best business model for us were challenges. For the past six years we have used an associate business model. However our biggest challenge has been in getting companies to recognise that in a growing global economy more than ever before, effective crosscultural communications skills are an essential leadership and staff competency. Interestingly this challenge is in itself a reflection of New Zealand and Australia’s egalitarian values i.e. that we all have the same opportunities and should treat all people the same.
Often our services have been engaged for other work, where These tools include Appreciative we can see that there are deeper cultural influences also Inquiry, work-style profiling,
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Smart | C OMPANY FEATURE
play. Part of our challenge is getting our clients and potential clients to recognise and acknowledge those cultural Influences.
It is hard work but good work and As part of positioning Catalyst it has always been enjoyable. Pacific Ltd in the cross-cultural space, we wanted to 9. What types of services do be part of a global network with other inter-cultural experts. We you offer? have done this, meeting our 8. Tell us about some of the now global inter-cultural expert We offer a range of diversity expectations that you had. training, cultural awareness and colleagues based in Finland, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Have they been met? cross-cultural communications Australia. We are able to skills workshops. These also combine forces and share their include pre-posting and preThis is very much a work in expertise for specific travel briefings, Inter-cultural progress. We wanted to work international projects. with ‘Perfect Clients’ i.e. clients mentoring and In-Country transition training. We have where we shared a strong We have worked in the Pacific alignment of values, had a mutual particular expertise in strategic facilitation, executive coaching, and advised clients on working respect and were willing team development to build high as mentors in the Pacific. We to explore building a long-term performance teams and Pacific want to do more of this at home relationship. This way we are and further afield through our communications. We are in the really able to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of process of developing an online international networks and other Connections. where we can add greater value stream to our business. in addressing their needs. This is 12. What would you say to 10. Do you provide services far more satisfying than a more someone looking to educate transactional relationship. throughout New Zealand? their workforce in crosscultural We are committed to making Yes. We work in all the main a positive difference and to awareness and what cities and provincial centres as helping our client’s achieve their best suits our client’s needs. advice would you give them? business objectives particularly in the areas we work. For us 11. Do you have any plans for It is great that they are being one of the best ways to do this overseas expansion? proactive and forward-looking. is by working with influential New Zealand and Australia leadership groups. have an increasingly culturally Yes definitely, particularly for diverse workforce, clientele and Australia and the Asia-Pacific By and large we have managed region. We have both travelled business partners. It is important to do that. Much of our work has extensively and want to combine that the provider they contract come through and continues to uses proven research-based this with our business well into be on a referral basis. cross-cultural communications, the future. learning and development tools.
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Smart Company Magazine | 59
Smart | HEALTH & FI TNESS
FITNESS IN THE WORKPLACE
By Mish McCormack
Sitting at a desk or behind a computer for eight hours a day affects our physical and emotional health. Sedentary workers burn around 560 kilojoules (135 calories) an hour while at work. Compare this with a massive 1700 kilojoules (400 calories) an hour for a manual labourer hard at work. That’s why the sedentary are constantly fighting (and sometimes losing) the battle of the bulge. Instead of putting exercise off during the week because there is no time for it, try introducing short bursts of exercise into a typical working day. Despite what you may believe, even exercising in short five minute bursts several times a day will go a significant way towards reducing the negative impact of a sedentary job. To introduce activity into your working day; ● Set an alarm on your watch or cell phone to go off every hour to remind you to stand up, walk around and stretch for a few minutes.
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● When possible, deliver If you travel regularly for documents to co-workers business; in person. ● Walk around the airport ● Use the toilets on the floor (taking the stairs) while waiting for your flight, above you, and take the instead of blobbing out in stairs the cafe or bar. ● Use the stairs instead of ● Stay at hotels with gyms the lift at every opportunity or pools and start the day ● Try organising walking with a half hour workout. meetings instead of ● Take a skipping rope or sitting in an office or resistance bands in your conference room suitcase (and use them). ● Whenever you’re on the telephone (and it’s For more information about convenient), stand up and Mishfitness visit their web site: move around www.mishfitness.com
● Spend half of each lunch hour going out for a brisk walk (before eating). ● Get ruthless with your diary and schedule exercise as a regular part of your daily routine. ● Consider every reason to move an opportunity to become healthier, not an inconvenience!
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