2009 February

Are you asking the right questions?

I had a small epiphany with one of our Prophiteers during a Servant Leadership meeting last Thursday. The lesson for today’s Wisdom is this: As well as you may think you may know someone, you probably don’t (At least not everything that individual may need to be successful).

 

We have a process that allows you to unveil the motivations of a person. We call it the About Me Program. Through this process, Lauren, our Account Coordinator and Copywriter revealed that she learns through the written word. She needs to write things down in order to properly listen and process the information. I am an auditory learner. I need to listen for comprehension.

 

So what is the great breakthrough here? Because I didn’t understand her process, I interpreted “writing things down” with not listening. Lauren would have her pad in hand and write, write, write as I spoke. Last week I told her to forget her note pad, “I just want you to listen to me,” I said. Lauren appeased me, but in the meantime could not fully appreciate and understand what I was saying because she couldn’t write it down.

 

I’m sure I stressed her out by not allowing her to process her way. I forced her, in that interaction, to process information my way. Leaders need to ask solid questions to their associates so they understand how they need to process information. According to some studies, only about 20 percent of learners are visual. Most people are auditory learners, so Lauren may have been my first run-in with a visual learner (I’m sure I’ve had more but I forgot to ask).

 

By asking better questions of the individual team members we can create a more efficient, less stressed team! Now, doesn’t that make sense? And it all starts with a question.

 

Joe Kiedinger

 

ACTION PLAN: To find out about The About Me Program… e-mail me!

Recession? Not This Weekend!

Danica and I, just before Thanksgiving, decided last-minute to buy a new puppy for our family. I know this is usually a decision that requires thought and a plan, but we tend to be spontaneous once in a while. So what does this past November have to do with this past weekend’s experience? I’ll get to that.

 

When we bought Maggie, that’s the puppy’s name, we forgot that we needed a few supplies, food and a kennel to name just a few. We kept the pet store open 30 minutes later than it was scheduled to close, but they accommodated for our lack of planning.  While dreaming of the perfect puppy experience, my wife and I didn’t realize that chewing is a big part of the package (now we’re getting close to the events of this weekend!).

 

One day last week I lost my glasses. I wear them 95% of my waking hours and they simply vanished. A week later my wife found them chewed and mangled. So much for seeing clearly! Without hesitation I headed to the mall to have them replaced. Wow! What a crowd! The place was packed. There was a line at least 10 deep at every restaurant in the food court. People were everywhere carrying merchandise.

 

I couldn’t believe we were in the worst recession in history less the Great Depression. I am not oblivious to the news; I too have friends who have lost jobs and are being affected, however, there is still a lot of good business happening. So are you going to participate in this recession? Will you be making excuses or going after customers?

 

I understand that now is the time to be conservative, but never stop going after new business. Tighten your marketing but don’t abandon it all together. Simply be smarter about where you spend your marketing dollar. There is still plenty of business to be had–you just need to go out and get it!

 

Joe Kiedinger

 

ACTION PLAN: Strategize your marketing efforts. What areas are critical and what can be put on hold? Now is the time. Be conservatively aggressive at all times!

Tell…No, Teach…No, INVOLVE

Tell me and I’ll forget, teach me and I’ll listen, involve me and I’ll learn. How many times have you asked yourself, ‘why doesn’t he listen to me? I’ve told him this a thousand times!’ Sometimes we mistake teaching with involving. Unless people actually throw themselves into a job, they won’t be able to figure out an efficient system at getting the job done quickly and well.

 

I see so many people who place the blame of misunderstanding on the receiver instead of the messenger. Learning comes from doing. You didn’t learn to swim by reading a book. It’s in this spirit that I invite you to experience Prophit Marketing Institute. If you’re looking to learn through involvement, then these classes are for you. Check out PM Institute on our website. Classes begin next week!

 

Some people, like me, feel very comfortable sharing a vision and then empowering others to make it happen. Quite honestly, I don’t do well with all the nitty gritty stuff, but I love the dreaming and achieving part. I know I’m not good at the details, so placing it under the care of more talented people is what I like to do. I know many leaders who are not programmed to let go. They must be involved at some level. I don’t think that’s bad, as long as they stay involved for input and as a source for information, but I think it’s unhealthy when it becomes too hands-on.

 

It’s in this spirit that I challenge you to launch into ideas that are not fully flushed out. You must do to learn. What do penicillin; the incandescent light bulb and Post-It notes have in common? They were a result of doing and failing, doing and failing and then, voilá, a new discovery!

 

Don’t be afraid to throw yourself into life with a ‘Yeah, I’ll try that!’ point-of-view. You’ll be amazed at what you find there!

 

Joe Kiedinger

 

ACTION PLAN: Make Your Advertising Better in a Day is a class we are offering next week! Never worry about ‘what to say’ in an ad again. We’ll help you create your own ad blueprint. You’ll also learn how to apply the seven key ingredients in creating killer ads. You can bring up to three people from your company at one affordable rate.

Leadership by Walking Around

I always say ‘You need to read if you’re going to lead’. We can learn the most powerful lessons on leadership by picking up a book. That’s why I’m reading Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times by Donald T. Phillips right now. It hones in on the leadership practices of one of our nation’s greatest Presidents.

 

But what I really love about the book is how much we can learn from Lincoln! His style of leadership is timeless. Lincoln was not a leader who sat in his office all day waiting for people to bring him news. He got out of his ‘white tower’ and circulated amongst his people to learn what was going on out there. He met injured soldiers in hospitals to hear what was really happening on the front lines. And he never turned down any citizen wanting to express their opinion. He welcomed them to speak up and intently listened. Lincoln was a very approachable leader in these ways—definitely a lesson we can all learn from.

 

I like to call this style “leadership by walking around”. It’s the only way to really get your finger on the pulse of your organization. We all need to spend a little less time at our desks and a little more time checking in on the health of our companies.

 

-Joe Kiedinger-

 

ACTION PLAN: Does your business need a checkup? PM Institute Classes are now enrolling!