You have been developing an offer for months. Now as you are preparing to launch, one person on your team continues to disrupt meetings with negative comments about the product. What do you do? Well, eventually you fire him of course. And in so doing you rid the team of the annoyance. You also rid [...]
Build relationship in negotiation: a parable You meet with your boss to discuss an increase in pay. You have decided to stick to the facts; to avoid all emotion in negotiation. As you present your case you remember those who rely on you to do the work but earn more than you. Your voice takes [...]
Learning to say NO might seem a selfish thing to do. BUT! By learning to say NO without feeling guilty, you will find time you never dreamed you had. You will quite literally claim back your life. This post is based on material from my friend Arthur Gobey. Because NO is such powerful word, it [...]
In 1924 Wernher von Braun strapped six rockets to a small wagon and watched in delight as the wagon roared around his street and then exploded. The local constabulary were less impressed however, and took the twelve year old boy into custody. And so began an incredible story leading up to July 16, 1969. On [...]
In ‘The Mentalist’ Patrick Jane is a petty criminal turned consulting detective. Incredibly perceptive, with a deep understanding of human behaviour, he picks up all sorts of clues from people, alive or dead, that his likeable but flat-footed professional colleagues always miss. He then uses clever psychological ploys and strategies to get the perpetrator, whom [...]
“Against criticism a man can neither protest nor defend himself; he must act in spite of it, and then it will gradually yield to him.” Johann Wolfgang Goethe. The human condition includes blind spots. Therefore we need feedback. This means criticism. Criticism is a core process in delivering quality. In healthy environments people who create [...]
Here is a model for managing a confrontation, based on the work of Susan Scott. I created this note as a model for myself for handling a confrontation between two people in a team. And I found that, with a caring conversation they were able to resolve their differences and move on. It is a [...]
Here is an application of Solutions Focussed Coaching for teams, developed by Daniel Meier. The approach has been elaborated and adapted by various authors to create a range and interesting and effective team workshop exercises. I have used this in various forms with teams and have found it to be really powerful. The big idea [...]
This is how Barnes and Noble elevated their offer beyond the fare of the 'corner bookstore'. In ‘Blue Ocean strategy’, authors Kim and Mauborgne describe a six step process to define and execute Blue Ocean strategy: Redefine your market boundaries The core thinking and conversation tool is the Strategy Canvas for charting the criteria on [...]
One day I will wear a pair of shoes like this: The footwear market is crowded with brands, all clamouring for attention. This is a red ocean. Birkenstocks have responded with shoes that are comfortable but known for their ugly appearance. It is what Youngme Moon has classified as a ‘Hostile’ brand. In her book, [...]
