3 things I noticed when visiting an Apple Store this morning…

Like a gazillion other people, I visited an Apple Store this morning (my excuse… I was walking past on my way to visit a client). With the launch of the new iPad 3, it was chaos to say the least. The line up before opening was said to be about 50m long!

When I rocked up the line had died down a bit. After making my way past all the security, here’s what I noticed:

1. The Energy

No matter what time you visit an Apple Store there is always a buzz in the air. Everyone is full of energy — staff and customers. If you ever visit a store at opening (even on a normal day), you will find a line up of people waiting for the doors to open. They’re greeted with a standing ovation. Clapping, cheering, the whole shebang!

2. The Attitude

No matter who serves you, there’s a consistency in attitude. It’s always about “WIIFM” (What’s in it for me). When I asked why I should own the new iPad 3 when I already have an iPad 2, the reply… “That depends, what do you use your iPad for?” Love it!

3. The Support

If you stop and listen, you will hear numerous conversations between the managers and the sales people. Even with a line up out the door and a packed floor, they take the time to coach! They have a “CANI” focus (Constant and Never Ending Improvement). Little pieces of observational feedback and skill building are happening in the game, all the time!

Whether you’re an Apple fan or not, the question is — What can we learn and apply when developing our teams?

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons we can learn from this incredibly influential brand, is something a friend of mine pointed out for me today:

“For Apple it starts from the very premise and core of their business — People don’t buy WHAT they do they buy WHY they do it!”

This is best explained by Simon Sinek in the following TED Speach. 

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By Jason Durham | The Workplace Motivator
Copyright © 2010 3 WIN Consulting. All rights reserved.

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Jason Durham, Founder of 3 WIN Consulting is a Workplace Motivator and Behavioural expert, specialising in helping medium to large organisations tackle the 3 biggest reasons why people leave and underperform while still there. To receive your FREE Special Report, Team Dynamics and Leadership Training Tools visit www.jasondurham.com.au.

What makes our ego our greatest asset (or most expensive liability)?

In one of his signature keynotes, Steven Smith (Co-Author Egonomics) sets out to answer this question and unpacks 5 levels of leadership. He describes humility as being a key leadership trait that separates great leaders from everyone else, and one of the ultimate competitive advantages in organisations today.

Steven also references Jim Collins’ landmark Good to Great research: for the 11 of 1,425 companies that made the leap from good performance to great, Collins discovered two unique traits of leaders throughout their cultures:

1. intense professional will and
2. extreme personal humility

Here are the 5 levels of Leadership explored in the Pure Confidence Workshop:

G1 First Gear

Leaders and teams (and we use the word “team” loosely) in first gear subversively undermine change, and don’t like each other, much less other teams or the organization for whom they work.

People take challenges personally and don’t listen. Mistakes aren’t discussed, even though people know they happen(ed).

G2 Second Gear

Leaders and teams in second gear don’t care much about the work they do and are change resistant.

G2 players are “job-holders;” people who just “do their jobs,” and nothing more.

There is minimal cooperation when necessary and passive collaboration on key decisions and projects.

People are flexible about changes everywhere else, but rigid about changes in their area of influence or responsibility.

G3 Third Gear

Leaders and teams in third gear are characterized by individual recognition and team member vs. team member competition.

Diversity may be present, but is usually undervalued and poorly utilized because individual, me-first focus pre-empts collaboration and diversity.

Discussions are competitive and occasionally combative. Working philosophy is my idea wins vs. the best idea wins. Agreeing to disagree is frequently the “easy out” to seeing things differently. Success is moderate, inconsistent and difficult to sustain.

G4 Fourth Gear

Leaders and teams get pre-occupied attempting to best outside competitors.

Work together effectively but get distracted by internal competition with other teams, i.e., Marketing vs. Sales, Products. vs. Services. As a result of their “enemy-centred” approach, they aren’t as collaborative with other teams as they could be, and as a result get value-added product replication or light modification rather than original innovation.

Short-term success often comes at the expense of long-term ability to produce results.

G5 Fifth Gear

Leaders and teams think company first, team second and me third.

Ambition is driven by “what can we do uniquely to have an impact in the market,” not “what can we do better than Company X?” or ““What is team Y up to?”

Debates about ideas are motivated by the best idea winning, not whose idea wins. Great performance is consistently delivered, even in difficult circumstances or tough market conditions.

You can access the “Pure Confidence Workshop Recording” and all G5 events, team assessment tools and on-demand recordings at 3 WIN Consulting or join the next live keynote by clicking the red button above.

—
By Jason Durham | The Workplace Motivator
Copyright © 2010 3 WIN Consulting. All rights reserved.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE?

You can as long as you include the following (links must be active):

Jason Durham, Founder of 3 WIN Consulting is a Workplace Motivator and Behavioural expert, specialising in helping medium to large organisations tackle the 3 biggest reasons why people leave and underperform while still there. To receive your FREE Special Report, Team Dynamics and Leadership Training Tools visit www.jasondurham.com.au.

“Believe that you will succeed, and you will” — Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the first best selling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie and first published in 1937, it has sold more than 15 million copies globally. The book has six major sections. The core principles of each section are quoted below.

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Six ways to make people like you

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Win people to your way of thinking

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

A leader’s job often includes changing your people’s attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

→ Why Dynamic Communication?

It has been said that “the person with the most behavioural flexibility — WINS!”

Effective communication stems from the right combination of tone, words, body language and pace of speech and actions. These areas are the components of a person’s behavioural style. We need to adapt our behaviour in order to communicate effectively with others. Using the techniques contained in this training, organisations can immediately open the doors of communication within the entire company.

→ What Is The Dynamic Communication Workshop?

Dynamic Communication is a behaviourally-based communication training. It teaches people how to communicate using the DISC language as a way of understanding themselves and others. The training incorporates a behavioural profile to give a more complete understanding of what DISC is and how to use it. Participants learn how to interact with others and to appreciate others behavioural styles within the organisation.

Warning: Increased communication effectiveness will be noticed immediately after the training.

In this workshop participants learn:

• The barriers to communication
• To understand their preferred communication style
• To identify others communication style
• To adapt their communication style for increased effectiveness

This interactive workshop has been designed to develop personal presentation skills. With improved communication people are more productive, happy and motivated in both personal and professional settings.

→ Who Should Attend?

The Dynamic Communication Workshop involves participants becoming attuned to their own communication style and the style of those around them. This workshop can be delivered in two formats: one full day or two half-day programs.

The principles of this workshop translate to all aspects of business and personal life, therefore the people that will benefit include:

• Business Owners
• Executives
• Managers
• Team Leaders
• Salespeople
• Customer Service Agents
• Front-Line Staff
• Call Centre Staff

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

→ Why Relationship Selling?

Rapport is the secret weapon for sales success…It has been said that “in the space of great rapport anything is possible”.

• No longer can we rely on the traditional sources of advantage (price, brand and product) alone to differentiate ourselves in the market
• Competition is fierce, the environment is more complex and consumers are more educated than ever before
• We will win not because we are better at manufacturing, designing or sourcing product, we will win because we are better at the customer interface

Which is why we have developed this program:

Imagine if you were able to quickly build rapport and communicate ideas to your prospect with ease. What would this mean for you? What edge would this give you over your competitors? How would this improve your sales success?

→ What Is Relationship Selling?

Research indicates that 90% of sales are lost in the first minute of a sales call.

This workshop involves you becoming attuned to your preferred communication style and the style of those around you, enabling you to adapt your sales presentation to suit and best position you for winning the business.

In this workshop you will learn the power of relationship selling:

• Understanding your own communication/sales style
• How to identify and understand buying behaviours of prospects
• How to quickly and easily guide your prospect to the right product and service
• How to adapt your communication/sales style to close more business
• And much more…

This interactive workshop has been designed so that you leave with new selling and communication skills that can be implemented immediately.

→ Who Should Attend?

The Relationship Selling Workshop has been designed so that it can assist those new to selling and the selling professional.

By teaching a simple yet powerful model of communication this workshop provides you with practical skills to improve your ability to relate to, persuade and interact with others.

The people that will benefit include:

• Business Owners
• Managers
• Team Leaders
• Salespeople
• Customer Service People

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

Keys to Extraordinary Sales Growth

Today we are living in a chaotic transition to a new era defined by global competition, rampant change, instant access to information, increasing business complexity and persuasive globalisation.

We know that change is inevitable, however the pace of change has become so rapid that many organisations are being left behind and unaware. The question is, what are we doing to stay ahead of the game? What do we need to do continue to differentiate ourselves in the market and compete on a sustainable level?

At the end of the day we will not win simply by being better at developing product, marketing, manufacturing or distribution we will win because we are better at the customer interface.

In this captivating session Jason unpacks the vital keys to sustainable growth and value creation. Exploring the success strategies of some of the most innovative players in the market and how we can model them in order to achieve greater results in our organisation.

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

→ Why More Than a Plan?

Because it is more than a plan. In fact, it is so much more than that…

We all know the importance and benefits of having a well articulated business plan. These include:

• Direction — Identifying and prioritising the activities that will deliver the most value to the business.
• Focus – keeping you focused on your priorities.
• Clarity – providing clarity for you, your team and others associated with the business.
• Allignment – gaining the commitment of your team and empowering them to act.
• Outcomes – best positioning you and your team to achieve great results.

“Even the best laid plans are worthless if they’re not put into action…”

As true as this is, it’s amazing to see how many business leaders don’t have an effective planning process in place. Why is that? Perhaps implementing a business plan is easier said than done? One thing is for certain…there’s a big difference between writing a business plan and implementing one that works.

→ What Is More Than a Plan?

This program focuses participants on the critical areas of the business, provides visibility of these key areas and ensures that there are effective measures in place for management.

Because at the end of the day… “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”

In this program participants learn the power of implementing a solid business planning model:

• a dynamic process that forms part of the overall business system — this is where the power is as it becomes part of what you do and not something in addition
• provides a “Plan on a Page” — consolidating all the most important information into a single summary page for easy review
• designed to coach participants through the process of conducting a SWOT Analysis of the business and identifying key areas of focus
• focuses on the 6 Key Result Areas of the business and prioritising strategic objectives and actions in each of these areas
• and much more…

This interactive program has been designed using an easy to follow, step-by-step approach to coach participants through the process of writing and implementing a business plan that works for them and not the other way around.

→ Who Is It For?

The More Than a Plan Program has been designed for the business owner or professional requiring a simple process to identify, capture and communicate their business planning objectives.

“The key to the success of any plan is to make sure that it becomes part of your business management system.”

The More Than a Plan Program can be tailored to suit the requirements of the organisation. It is ideal for network style of businesses with multiple branches or stores that are either company-owned or run by the franchisee. The program has been designed to be flexible so that it can be rolled out using any one or a combination of the following:

• one-on-one
• in a workshop or conference setting (small all large)
• via self-paced e-learning
• web conferencing of up to 1000 participants simultaneously

The people that will benefit include:

…anyone who is serious about improving the performance and profitability at all levels of the business.

• Business Owners
• Managers
• Team Leaders
• Franchisors
• Franchisees

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

Creating Value Through Strategic Innovation

The Game has changed…Knowledge, Change and Globalisation are the forces driving the new economy. No longer can businesses rely on the traditional sources of advantage (price, brand and product alone) to differentiate themselves in the market. Competition is fierce, the environment is more complex and the consumer is more educated than ever before.

In this dynamic and engaging seminar, participants learn how to develop a change management culture that is continuously moving in the direction of improvement and innovation:-

• Challenge traditional methods in order to meet newly emerging customer demands
• Building distinctive capabilities that set you apart
• Finding the right balance between internal organisational challenges and external market influences
• Become faster and easier to deal with

This workshop focuses on engaging participants and aligning individuals to the overall business strategy for growth and sustainability.

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

Unleashing Human Potential

Businesses don’t make decisions, people do. The process of unleashing human potential involves an understanding of how people think as well as an understanding of what motivates them to achieve sustained high performance.

Effective Leaders know that they can’t really make anyone do anything. The key to effective leadership is making people want to do what needs to be done rather than trying to force them to do it. So the question is how do we make them want to do it?

This is the question that set Jason Durham on a path of discovering the secret success strategies of today’s most effective leaders.

Few speakers today understand the realities and challenges of business at all levels of leadership. Jason ‘gets’ leadership and understands what it takes to rise to the top, conquering each of the stages of success. This becomes apparent as he shares his journey of how he went from Apprentice to leading one of Australia’s most successful network businesses to a group turnover of more than $100 million and 130 stores Nationwide.

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>

Secrets to Success In Life & Business

What is it about those people who continue to get ahead in life? What is it that separates the good from the great…the ordinary from the extraordinary?

The bottom line is…Communication is Everything!

Jason believes that the quality of our communication contributes everything toward how we experience our lives and the results we achieve. It is how we communicate with ourselves and others that’s the difference that makes all the difference.

Drawing on his practical hands on experience at all levels of business Jason combines his skills as an NLP Practitioner and Performance Coach unpacking advanced communication techniques and critical ways of thinking that create healthy relationships and outstanding personal results.

In this dynamic and inspirational session participants learn practical skills to improve their ability to relate to, persuade and interact with others providing a foundation for more productive relationships and improving personal results.

Contact Us to find out more about this program –>