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How to increase employee engagement? New science for practitioners

Recently I was asked to speak at the Human Resource conference for the State of Tennessee.  They wanted four sessions on “How to increase employee engagement.”

The content and videos are located here.

Here is the session description:

Studies continue to show that employee engagement in the workplace remains low- around the 30% range.  Low levels of employee engagement have a negative impact on achieving organizational goals, and create a workplace that does not encourage high performance.  During this session, we will answer the three key questions of employee engagement:  1) What do we know from evidence-based science?  2) How can I apply that science to increase my personal level of engagement?   3) How can I improve the engagement levels of others?  This course introduces a new model based on positive psychology practices, called the AD-FIT%TM model, that you can apply immediately.

This course provides leaders at all levels with an introduction into the science and practice of employee engagement.  Any manager or leader with a growth mindset can apply this course content to lead individual, group or organizational change in your business.  This content has been distributed to thousands of leaders in governments, private and nonprofit organizations, as well as individuals.

The content of this course is gleaned from thousands of our leadership consulting clients since 1997, and the presenter’s dissertation research on positive psychology.

The goal of this course is to introduce leaders like you to world-class techniques so that you gain competitive advantage.

Learning objectives:

  • Recognize key variables that influence employee engagement
  • Discover how to measure employee engagement
  • Identify how to increase individual employee engagement
  • Identify how to develop organizational employee engagement

Please contact us for the handout before viewing the video section of this course.

The content and videos are located here.

Action leads to learning.  What are you waiting for?

To contact Doug Gray, CEO, PCC, call 615.236.1892 or contact us here.  Today.

How can I sell more to existing customers?

I do not know the answer for you. Yet.  And it would be presumptuous or disingenuous if I offered a trite response.

 

Instead I will give you some facts. Then the process. Then what I do know.

 

Many studies confirm that your cost of good sold (COGS) is 7x higher for a new customer than for a returning customer.  So you should focus on providing new value to old customers.

 

There is a former client who comes to mind.  He happened to be a 30 year old financial advisor.  But the story is relevant for most of us in specialized fields.  He wanted to grow his business. After 3 years he had exhausted leads from his friends and family.  He had networked so often that people avoided him at chamber and business development groups and even at Rotary meetings.  I asked him, “What kinds of clients do you want to serve?”  and “Who is likely to retire in 10 years with a strong book of business that needs to sell the bottom portion to a younger professional like yourself?”  and “How can you guarantee that you provide excellent service to that older partner or lead source?”  As you can imagine, he had a new partner and provided tremendous value for that person’s clients for many years.  However, his answer is not your answer.

 

I do know the answer for hundreds of other business leaders who are former clients. Since 1997 I have consulted and coached business leaders in manufacturing, health care, education, HR, safety, technology, finance and accounting. I have guaranteed results for clients ranging from executive teams at F500 companies to small business owners struggling to make ends meet. I can provide best-of-class solutions or referrals to other consultants who can likely help you solve your problems.

 

I do know the process.  I do know what works.

 

Here you go:  you need to 1) define the problems, 2) provide solutions, 3) model accountability.  I call this the “3A Coaching process.

 

These “A letter” words are Assessments, Constructive Actions, and Accountability.  Too many  “coaches” stop after providing assessments, or constructive actions, because they do not know how to provide individual or team accountability.  That’s about as smart as running 2/3 of a marathon and stopping.  Make sure that you hire a coach who will get you past your finish line goals.

 

You are probably struggling with the following challenges:

people challenges
strategy challenges
execution challenges
cash and financial challenges

 

Typically, I define the problems using organizational and individual assessments. I determine where you are making money. And where you are losing money.

 

I may ask the three big questions: 1. can you define the problem? 2. do you need to solve that problem? 3. who can solve that problem? In today’s market, the buyer-seller dance has evolved into a transparent process of answering those 3 questions. Then adopting the best solution. Vendors are secondary.

 

Then I provide a host of best-in-class solutions for you to sell more to your existing customers. They already know you. They are inclined to purchase more products and services.

 

Then I model accountability so that you move beyond good intentions. I want you to sell more services.

 

Ready to talk? Call us soon at 704.995.6647 or contact us here.  Once we determine your needs, then we can define a more specific answer to this question.  Schedule your initial consultation here.

 

We all need to sell more to our existing clients.

 

What are you waiting for?

Download this list of services and investment levels now:

To ignore millenials is to commit marketing suicide

Open your eyes!  How much time do you spend with millenials?  Not only do millenials consume the most products, they also expect results.  They are 50% of the workforce in 2018.
To ignore millenials is to commit some form of suicide.

Here are 6 steps for you and your company:

1.  Mobile web-based experiences are a $10 billion dollar industry, with over 7 billion phones.  We now have nearly 4x more mobile browsers than the number of desk-based browsers.  Follow the numbers.  Follow the money.

2.  We can provide emotionally-provocative experiences that combine digital and physical activities.  Here are several examples.  When you go to the zoo you can now rent a GoPro or Segway to make your experience unique.  When you go to a park you can use your mobile device to geocache.  You can have a “Yelp Night” and move from restaurant to bar in any unfamiliar city.    When you go to a conference you can tweet about and score the presenters, in real time.  However, at most amusement parks and concerts we are not doing anything about the visitors who are standing in a line (bored) or tweeting or Face-booking their friends to “stay away” from your business or event.  As a more costly example, we are not doing anything about low compliance with incentive reward programs.  In fact, industrial organizational researchers tell us that some 35% of the US workforce is not engaged in their jobs.  We sorely lack emotionally-provocative experiences that combine digital and physical activities.

3.  In response to these market needs, I have developed a mobile web-based app that can guarantee engagement for any clients.  This app enables clients to have a pre-visit and post-visit experience that integrates their event with any content.  The event becomes a process.  For instance, if a client wants to assign pre-visit training or reading content, the app can assess their engagement.  Using a leader board and social media, they can increase accountability.  They can market and promote the company.  They can include video and photo uploads.  They can earn points by doing more activities.  They can return to the venue.  The app can be delivered in hours, under any name.  And it can be scaled for any sized organization.

4.  Large corporate clients expect global delivery capacity.  Every successful Free Agent has a network of alliance partners.  The myth of the solo-preneur as a lone wolf is dead.  For instance, the largest provider of leadership development coaches is www.coachsource.com, founded by Brian Underhill and Marshall Goldsmith.  Marshall is described as the #1 leadership consultant in the U.S., according to Harvard Business Review.  I am the southeast engagement manager, and represent 1,200 leadership coaches in 60 countries.  We can provide expert leadership coaching to any clients.  A bold claim, but a well validated claim.  We can deliver the value of global leadership coaching to your current clients.  And we can design programs that include a cycle of regular visits to any location with reinforcements from the very best leadership coaches.  Those individual and group agendas typically yield a 500% ROI.

Digital and Global solutions not only satisfy millenials.  They lead to results.  They are required solutions.

If you are a solo-preneur, develop strong alliance with the smartest partners that you can find.  Today.

If you are a business leader, call Doug at 615.236.9845 If I cannot help you I will find someone who can.  Today.

Comments?

 

 

 

2012 Energy Leadership Project results: Top challenges in the next 12 months

In February, 2012, we surveyed 24 energy industry leaders in the Charlotte, NC region.

Here are their responses to the question:  What are the most significant challenges facing your company in the next 12 months?

What do you think of this data?

 

1.  To see the complete survey results from the 2012 Energy Leadership Project, reply here.

2.  To be included in the 2013 Energy Leadership Project, click here.

3.  For comments or questions, call Doug at 704.895.6479.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Energy Leadership Project Results: top competencies in the Charlotte, NC

In February, 2012, 24 energy industry leaders responded to a short survey.

Here are their responses to item #3:  What are the top 3 competencies of the top leaders at your company?

What do you think of these responses?

1.  For the complete 21012 Energy Leadership Survey results, reply here

2.  To be included in the 2013 Energy Leadership Survey, click here.

 

 

 

My coaching guarantee

Since 1997, I have provided an unconditional guarantee on coaching services from Action Learning Associates.

There is no “fine print.”

If you are not happy, then I do not want your money.

With many clients, I offer a coaching for results guarantee.  If we agree to work together, and you do the work, then you can pay me at any time.  I guarantee high value.  To date, after hundreds of clients, 100% of them have paid for their coaching services.  Some agreed to pay a lesser amount than we had expected.  Some agreed to pay more.  Virtually 100% found the coaching to be valuable.

Here is why I provide that guarantee.  When I was in high school I had two paper routes.  And I worked at a warehouse after school.  And I cleaned windows and did lawns in the neighborhood.  One neighbor wanted the windows cleaned.  I said, “Yes of course.”  It took about two days.  Imagine sweaty grimy paper towels and windex.  Three stories of filthy windows.  Midsummer heat.  I was tired… but I did my best to do the job.  When the neighbor asked how much to pay me, I countered with, “Let me ask you two questions and then we will likely agree on a number.”

The first question was, “Were you delighted with the service I provided and would you hire me or refer me if the need arose again?”  She said yes.

The second question was,  “What was the value of this service for you?”  She said a number that was higher than what I expected.  I said thank you.

That was in 1981 or so… and I have used that process ever since.

Recently I learned that Marshall Goldsmith, a premier executive coach, uses a similar model when coaching for results.  Here is that model:

 

 

Our coaching tracks the proven eight-step process:

  1. Select the appropriate coach
  2. Measure baseline performance
  3. Identify areas for skills development
  4. Formulate a custom training regimen
  5. Secure stakeholder buy-in
  6. Implement the training regimen
  7. Follow up with stakeholders
  8. Measure results
I like this model and this list.  There are no “fine details.”  All about coaching for results.
So, are you ready to work together?  Give me a call now.