Harvard Sees the Leadership “light”

Posted on August 28, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Gary Jaffer

Thank goodness Harvard professors are teaching and expounding mindfulness with special regard to leadership and business management.

I recently read this article and I commend it for your consideration. It talks about some of the recent corporate experience with the introduction of mindfulness practices into the workplace and especially into leadership.

http://www.mindfulnessinleadership.com/resources/Trisoglio_Mindful_Leadership_Mobius_130218.pdf

The summary of the Google, Genentech and US Marine Corps programs is fascinating reading and is a wonderful example of what can happen when mindfulness programs are supported in the work environment.

One of the areas that resounded with me was with regard to the “observer” view of things when in a leadership role. This is the ability to not get swept up in the flow of events, but to step back from the heat of the battle as it were and take an “observer” view, including yourself. The leader in this situation is enabled to step back into the fray with a broader view of the entire field of action and a consequent greater ability to act in a way that is of benefit to all those parties involved.

Contemporary leadership science talks a lot about authenticity, resilience and focus. These three can all be improved through mindfulness practises. Authentic leaders are seen as self aware and genuine, mission and results driven, leading with their heart and are in it all for the long term. Self awareness comes about when we examine what is happening in our lives and we need to be present to actually do that – mindfulness. Resilience is often described as “mental buoyancy” meaning that the mind is buoyed above the machinations of the chattering mind and has capacity to consider circumstances, as they are – mindfulness. Focus is obvious. The ability to lend our attention to whatever or whoever is before us is surely the practice of mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a practice I was first introduced to back in the late 80’s and frankly I’m not sure how I would have ended up without it over the years. So often I found that both formal and informal mindful practicing, during my work day, gave me the emotional strength to keep at the grind. Beyond this emotional strength, there has been a clear reduction in the tendency to judge and greater acceptance of the current circumstances that has enabled greater clarity in decision making.

One of our original goals when we established equilibrium9 was to bring mindfulness programs to the business community as well as the public arena, in fact it was this aim that helped us create our name. I’m pleased to say that work on these programs is well underway and we envisage launching them within the next couple of months – we’ll keep you posted!

Does Maslow’s ultimate motivation really exist?

Posted on August 22, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Gary Jaffer

Many of my readers, who know me well, are aware that I have been a student of philosophy for many years. The philosophy I study is one of unity of existence and the aim of this study is to discover the nature of that existence. Interestingly this involves the consideration of probably the most profound and common question to arise from any genuine philosophical discussion – Who am I?

It is said even back many hundreds of years BC that there was an inscription on the entrance to the Temple of the Delphic Oracle, it was; “Know Thyself!” So it would seem that the “who am I?” question is one that needs some careful consideration.

Recently, when I was asked to speak to a small group of business leaders about philosophy and business, I wondered how I might find a connection beyond the most common area of ethics. I have always been taken by Maslow’s theory on the hierarchy of needs that was first published in 1943. The theory and its accompanying diagram is probably one of the most recognised images in so many fields of study from business management through to medicine.

It occurred to me that many successful business people are well embedded at the esteem level – confidence, achievement, respect and esteem of others. But are business leaders looking to explore beyond this, to the level of “Being Needs”. The interesting part is that as business people we seem all too often so caught up in DOING that we fail to BE – we are not called human doings!! Then what does it mean, to BE! Hamlet’s soliloquy questioning life comes to mind.

Maslow describes self actualization as “…the desire for self-fulfillment, namely, to the tendency for him to become actualized in what he is potentially.”

So are we actualizing our potentiality – do we feel like we are playing the role we are meant to be playing? Maybe it feels like we are playing somebody else’s role or worse still, as I remember often feeling, are we just making it up as we go?

Pursuit of the truth of our existence is indeed the discovery of what we are potentially. This can lead to the experience of feeling more fulfilled, more settled in ourselves, with knowledge of who we are and even more importantly, being guided by that knowledge?

Selling’s bum rap

Posted on August 13, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Gary Jaffer

I love being sold – really!

I love being in a situation where a great sales person has hooked me. They usually have spent some time listening and asking a few pertinent questions, clarified a few points and then thrown me the bait. Even though I can see the process and I know exactly what is going on, I can’t help but be taken in and snap up the opportunity and happily part with my money. It happens in good restaurants, retailers and even in banks. Just last week I had a coffee with an ex-senior banking executive who was a perfect role model for any sales person – he was always on the alert, if the conversation drifted into any area regarding money he was always there, with his card, and a sincere and open invitation to give him a call if there was anything at all he could do to help. He didn’t have to, it wasn’t really his job and he always passed on any leads to appropriate people, always made sure the job was done and always followed up with a personal phone call. That’s what I call constantly, quietly selling!

I often hear business owners and senior execs lament, “why can’t my people think about selling the business the same way I do?” The fact is most owners and senior execs have been around for a while and are very tuned in to what their business has to offer and when a prospective customer is making the right noises. They are quick to step in and clarify the situation and don’t hesitate to offer a solution around their product or service. All too often I find myself in a situation where I leave a sales scenario underwhelmed by what was on offer and then head off looking for the same solution, product or service elsewhere. I have even had situations where I’ve been oversold, especially in one on one selling situations. “Yes, I love the idea, let’s go for it!” and still the sales person wants to finish their sales presentation. Aaaagh! If they go on for a minute longer I might just change my mind!!

What is even more unfortunate is those incidents where I find myself standing before a front line person in an organization who has no idea how to sell or the concept that nothing happens until something is sold. Often the attitude is uncaring and off hand. Not all their fault mind you! Somewhere, someone has failed to provide the appropriate training. Every front line person in an organization should have some form of sales training, and there is plenty of argument that ALL personnel, even those in accounts and far removed from the front line should be regularly exposed the principles of selling.

More often than not, it’s a simple lack of understanding of the fundamentals of the sales process. I am constantly stunned when I come across sales teams who haven’t had a refresher on selling principles for more than a couple of years. The problem is bad habits creep in, short cuts prevail and the simple fundamentals are lost in the morass. Good sales people eat, drink and sleep the sales process, they can pick it up at any point and run with it and they are always practicing and refining it.
Those that practice the constant quiet selling I mentioned earlier make the process part of their DNA which is exactly what the equilibrium9 Advocacy performance module is all about. This program was created for all the reasons outlined here. It is a great way to inject existing sales people with enthusiasm for the process as well as introduce front line and non sales staff to the concept of being alert for the possibility of a sale.

Check it out: http://equilibrium9.com.au/services/standard-professional-development-programs/ There is a module starting on September 24.

All equilibrium9 programs are over 3 months and involve 3 half day workshops combined with 3 personal consultations to ensure the connection between mind and heart, knowledge and action is established.

Cradle to Grave ~ Womb to Tomb

Posted on August 10, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Vivienne Jaffer
Companies, treat people as disposable in this throw away society. No longer are people patiently cultivated like pearls or grown like timber. Very young sports stars are bought at their peak for obscene amounts of money, with way too little care and nurture as to how they should deal with their new found wealth and popularity. How is this good for society and community? It isn’t. Sports stars aside, it’s important, no imperative, for each and every person to perform at her or his best always – for the good of the company sure, but much more potent is for the good of their souls. If we are good, deep down inside, the company, the business, the clients or customers or patients, and our own team members can co exist, collaborate and thrive. Look after yourself —-look after your people. If you have people who’s output lies within your responsibility, that is if you’re a team leader, it is up to you to be their greatest supporter and see that they receive the best training, support and nurture you are humanly able to offer.
That’s where equilibrium9 comes in. We can help. The last course for 2013 is all about ADVOCACY. Click this link, enable yourself and your people to be their best. http://equilibrium9.com.au/services/standard-professional-development-programs/

Commitment & Consistency

Posted on August 2, 2013 by equilibrium9

Constistent, committed, service

By Vivienne Jaffer
I was doing some research when I came across a post entitled 6 Ways to Activate Passive Customers http://geeklesstech.com/active-the-passive-customer/ and was taken by a particular reference to Commitment and Consistency…
“Interestingly enough, consumers tend to be more confident of their choices after they buy something. The act of making a final decision activates a psychological trigger that makes people believe they made the right choice. “

Yes…that may well be so, and lack of consistency is sales suicide. Take my recent experience:

I visited a Harvey Norman store this week, it was a second visit into the store within a week to deliver a computer for a maintenance check up. The salesman who sold me a very cool (and expensive) set of headphones last week was coincidentally called off the floor, to attend to booking my computer in. As he walked behind the counter to serve me, I greeted him happily and reminded him that he had served me last week and sold me a great pair of headphones. He didn’t make eye contact nor acknowledge what I had just said, just smiled to himself and grunted, took the computer from me and said that it would be fixed and someone would call me when it was ready.
I walked out of the store feeling like I had just been duped. I started to question whether the earphones were that great, had he just given me a whole lot of standard spiel that he could have attached to any particular set of products in this category? Why did I feel like that? This guy had been Mr Animated, Mr Knowledgeable, Mr Charming, Mr Trustworthy last week. This week he was Mr I don’t give a damn, Mr you’re an idiot.

I don’t understand why an organisation like this has such an inconsistency and lack of depth in their sales presentation, and it’s not a unique or uncommon experience, I am sure anyone reading this has had a similar experience. Surely it’s a matter of being consistent and regular with internal performance development.