I had coffee this week with one of the strongest practitioners in the Employment Branding space, Heather Polivka at UnitedHealth Group. Heather is a great example of the Marketing meets HR competency needed to get effective Employment Brand strategy the top down support and traction necessary to have some significant long term impact on the business. What kind of impact?
-Increase in hew hire satisfaction
-Increase in Hiring Manager satisfaction
-Significant reduction in recruitment marketing spend
-Dynamic and growing talent networks through the recently launched social media strategy
The foundation of this 2 year journey was based on a significant research and discovery initiative to determine the unique, differentiated and compelling EVP that now serves as a foundation for all of the tactical deployment and communication both inside and outside the organization. Driving consistency across such a large and complex organization is both a significant undertaking and accomplishment.
Her extraordinary work effort and contribution to her own employer is being recognized by Electronic Recruiting Exchange where UHG is a finalist for Best Employment Brand (winner to be announced during the upcoming Spring ERE Expo).
I am sorry I won’t be in San Diego to witness the well deserved recognition firsthand but enjoyed Heather’s insights and perspective this morning around how she has achieved success, the recently deployed UHG social strategy and what is coming next! Her words of wisdom follow:
Late last week I received a red alert phone call from the SVP of Business Development of a large tech. company on the East Coast. She had a real problem. And need to arrive at an immediate solution.
A complex and significant enterprise deal she had been working on for months was in the final stages. And all indicators pointed to her crossing the finish line victorious. Value – check. ROI validation – check. Proof of concept – check. Competitive differentiation – check. Relationships – check plus. Further, she was a veteran. Had done her homework. Delivered deep and meaningful insights related to business strategy and outcome opportunities that elevated the sense of urgency to expedite a decision and move into implementation/execution. This was an expertly managed, collaborative sales cycle with a customer showing all signs of a desire to move forward.
Unfortunately, as is sometimes customary in late stage game changing deals, Executives who have been removed from the sales process enter to demonstrate commitment, reinforce value and/or personally offer up the requisite resourcing support. Certainly C level face time can have a very favorable impact. However, it can also adversely effect an outcome if the C suite doesn’t possess the requisite client facing acumen and commit to the preparedness necessary to impact the decision. And that is exactly what happened.
I had a Sales Executive on the line who was frustrated and clearly feeling like she “never should have allowed her CEO to enter into the conversations at this stage….things were right where she needed them and after the last meeting she now has experienced a setback, unsure whether or not she can recover.”
As we conducted our situational assessment it was readily apparent the CEO had made several missteps during the limited client interface that introduced new concerns around the decision. Moreover the customer had lost some of the good feelings that were previously associated with the idea of this partnership. And that shift in “feelings” or “instincts” were communicated by the customer post meeting by a sudden need to take a much closer inspection to a specific competitor. Never a good sign. And we needed a game plan for this sales recovery mission.
As we began developing our approach/recovery plan to compete through the final phase of this sales cycle there was an overwhelming desire to communicate. She wanted to pick up the phone. Have a personal review with all of her key contacts. Apologize to everyone and get the situation back on track. She wanted to send e-mails. Have conference calls. She wanted the fix. She considered eating deeply into her margins and discounting in lieu of a serious competitive threat to preserve the sale. Ultimately we organized a course of action that was more directed and focused on moving the customer back to the shared vision of the outcome that my SVP was capable of delivering. We did that 3 ways:
-By isolating the new issues relative to the decision, owning them and specifically making sure they were addressed. How you deal with a misstep in the sales cycle says a lot about what kind of vendor partner you are going to be. In large, complex, technical sales there are likely to be imperfections. It was clearly in everyone’s best interest for the SVP of Sales to apologize, own any parts of the process that wasn’t managed properly, understand the new/key concerns specifically and address them head on to minimize their significance in the outcome. Further, she needed to get back to owning the relationship. She was a big part of the reason the company was going to buy and it was critical she emerge as the lead to drive the relationship forward.
-By reinforcing value. A new competitive threat did offer up another opportunity to discuss the clear and compelling advantages of this specific partnership in a side x side comparison and reinforce the outcomes. Building out some customized communication around this and presenting it personally at the right time should prove to validate the business reasons behind doing business. Absent the emotion, the logic make sense (although that isn’t necessarily how people buy) and we we have the opportunity to interject both back into the consideration.
-Give something first. And while that didn’t mean eating into her margins the idea that new concerns were understood and being met with some specific action will make the customer feel better about the partnership and go a long way to demonstrating the understanding, flexibility and value associated with doing business. That is good partnering.
This cycle stalled but it’s still very recoverable if the next steps are managed properly. This SVP of Sales is expert enough to seize this setback and treat it as yet another opportunity to demonstrate that she is truly going to bring the very best solution to bear on the business challenge. And like all good sellers, she is going to make it all about the customer and build the shared vision of the experience and results in working together.
Would sales be easier if every call you made was to a prospective buyer who was aware of both you and your organization prior to talking? Would it be easier to sell to qualified prospects reaching out to you with a direct inquiry? What if you could turn virtually every cold call into a “warm call”? Sales Nirvana? Perhaps.
And it’s all very possible today with a shift in strategy and through the adoption of new tools and technology.
The blend of a traditional networking philosophy and technology integration can transform the opportunity to develop higher levels of awareness and more attention from your TAU (target account universe). Social selling is all about being expertly informed and demonstrating value early in the sales cycle to achieve elevated interest specific to your product or solution. While you cannot automate relationships, you can dramatically expedite quality introductions and knowledge transfer by leveraging a Web 2.0 selling platform. Consider:
How easy it for your customers to intersect with your BIG idea?
Are your channels alive with your very best new content?
Is your value proposition abundantly clear, compelling and so differentiated its worth considering a change?
Is it clear at “the moment of truth” why urgent action is required?
Are you leveraging quality assets early and often in the cycle to add value first?
Now, benchmark against your competition.
In Professional Selling YOU are the the brand, company and marketing strategy in the eyes of the marketplace. A good foundational strategy will get you off the phone and in front of customers.
Building Sales Influence with your customer community make sales happen.
Great relationships are resilient. They ebb and flow. Time passes. But the most meaningful one’s can quickly come back to center. I am lucky to have some real authentic relationships like that. I count my friendship with Brian among them and that is why it was so great to catch up last night over dinner while he was passing through Minneapolis on business. Although the years had passed, last night it was like we hadn’t lost a step. Lots of reminiscing, reflection and laughter. And a few life lessons worth sharing.
Brian was my after college roommate. We lived in Cincinnati, OH and were pretty inseparable. Flag football, softball and basketball leagues, road trips and a few hazy weekends. I encouraged Brian to ditch the accounting career and get into professional sales. He did. And became a raging success. Sellers that are genuine, unselfish, and put other peoples needs ahead of their own have several legs up. That’s Brian. No surprise that today he is running his own growing/thriving media business. He is one of those guys that makes success happen. Works real hard at it. And success for him isn’t all about the business. It’s about the balance. He has a wonderful wife and 3 adorable children. Success is fulfillment. Its an approach. A philosophy on life. And that philosophy is his foundation to take great pleasure in the good and face up to the inevitable challenges that are part of living.
Brian had (and still does) the world in the palm of his hand. Great life. One of those guys that other people love to be around. Centered. You could call him lucky. Or, realize he works hard to make his own luck. But there was no luck in the medical news he received 3 months ago about the tumor on his brain that required immediate surgery. There were great risks to that kind of surgery. It was very delicate. And he might not be the same. But it was the only decision. You could call that really unfair. Say it just doesn’t make sense. Ask why? Brian never did.
Last night he shared with me that getting the news was a real tough day. His life changed. He knew that. And he gave himself 15 minutes – from the doctor’s office to his home to be angry, feel sorry for himself, ask why…..and when he pulled up into his driveway and prepared to walk into his house and see is family he turned on the switch to turning his approach and attitude into something positive. The next couple weeks were all about about preparing for surgery. The workouts to fine tune his body. The education to prepare to deal with what might happen next. The mind space to know this wasn’t his time – he had things left to accomplish.
He has brought that same attitude to his recovery. The pain meds stayed in the hospital. No drugs to dull his mind and numb his body to the reality of his recovery. He was on the fast track – like he said to me last night, “I had a business to run, a family raise and a life to live”……the surgery was by all accounts a success. He lost his hearing in his left ear which effects his balance but you’d never know it. We were in a restaurant that was a bit noisy last night and I could see him sitting across from me laser focused on what I was saying. Intense concentration. I realized soon, he was reading my lips. Adapting. Adjusting. Improvising.
He is back in the gym, back on the road and back to living the life he loves. He shared with me how the experience has renewed important relationships for him. Brought him closer to the people he loves. How the worst situation is becoming a positive event. He told me that he has gained so much from the whole experience. Yes, he had to give up some things. But he doesn’t take his new perspective for granted.
Brian is special. So is his outlook on life. But a big take away from last night was about his choices. He could have complained, been angry at the world or felt sorry for himself. Bad choice. For himself. For the people counting on him. Choosing his attitude is part of his DNA. But even he realizes it was a real conscious choice. He is getting involved in patient advocacy now. Wants to volunteer time to support others who are facing the same life altering obstacles. I couldn’t imagine someone better equipped to offer that kind of coaching and counsel.
We also chatted a bit about fear and regret. What are the things that hold us back from doing the things we want in life? Strong consensus that its better to take some calculated risks, to try, learn by doing…..to conquer those fears and come out on the other side. It usually ends up being different then you might expect….but that is a whole lot better than always playing the safe move and living with regret.
Whatever comes your way, realize you have choices. And even when its hard, its probably not brain surgery. But when it is (or worse) we could all take a page from Brian’s playbook. He has the approach and outlook nailed. Its all about PERSPECTIVE.
I typically don’t walk away from conversations about Employment Branding and Employee Engagement blown away. I have a pretty decent perspective on the industry and its evolution. Friday’s conversation with Polly Pearson, VP of Employment Brand and Strategy Engagement for EMC was the exception.
Polly is a progressive communications executive with vision for the impact EB initiatives can have on culture. She is a no BS, brand from the inside out thought leader and our conversation confirmed for me the impact and significance having the right leader in the EB role can have on business outcomes.
We talked a bit about the misconception that EB was a strategy specific to talent acquisition. From her perspective, that is the easy stuff. The hard part is “winning over the hearts and minds of their people.” Banking on the idea that people inherently want to be successful and contribute in meaningful ways to meaningful work at some level it means simply removing the barriers that inhibit potential – and just getting out of the way. It also means being forward thinking enough to let people do more of what they love and not being confined to the limitations of job titles, policies and procedure.
EMC is clearly winning with a culture of “collaboration and connection”…..and you can learn more about how she drives this initiative and her ideas for 2010 at her blog Building and Branding Careers, Culture and Cool (and yes, they are hiring!).
Employment Branding isn’t all about image. It’s about execution and experience. Polly delivers and provides keen insight and best practices that other organizations can learn from and leverage to make some real progress in the talent engagement arena.
If you get the chance she is definitely a webinar or conference keynote worth watching!
Remember the movie, Meet the Parents? Where Gaylord Faucker was hopelessly left outside his soon to be father in law’s magic circle of trust despite his every effort and very best of intentions. Once he was outside the circle it took quite the herculean effort to get back inside.
TRUST is a major issue in the workplace today. Employee engagement has waned and the prevailing feeling in so many organizations can only be described as anxious and trapped. It matters little whether the marketplace is talent rich, if the talent on the team isn’t aligned to the objectives and invested in the outcomes. And invested just enough not to get fired doesn’t count. I know a lot of passive jobs seekers, working and waiting for something better to come their way.
Sales and Marketing have a Circle of Trust with their customers. So does Recruiting and Leadership with their employees. And trust and engagement are never higher than the moment someone says YES! Once the big decision is made the trust should solidify and escalate into endearing loyalty and evangelism. But it usually doesn’t. The circle breaks down.
When interest is elevated and engagement is high its a violation if the ‘experience’ doesn’t meet the ‘expectation’. Brands (and employer brands) that can deliver an experience, that exceed expectations consistently (exceed once and fail twice and you’ll drive people crazy and right into the hands of the competition) build loyalty and have the opportunity to drive evangelism.
Transparency and Authenticity are the new mandate. You better BE what you SAY. I read a great quote about this on the Edelman site last night.
“Audiences expect companies to interact with authenticity and transparency. Companies need engagement. Both will only achieve these if driven by compelling content that courts, plays and engages with credibility and professionalism. As Peter Whitehead wrote in the Financial Times, Web 2.0 is a world in which anyone can have a go at generating content; Web 3.0 is where professionals take the lead in shaping that content. And those professionals are the production experts and the multichannel, multimedia engagement experts. A new world, needing a new marketing offer. It’s all for the taking.”
Content is everywhere. Quality is another matter entirely. And better communication inside and outside the company is imperative. And experience is what really counts.
Authentic, Sincere, Transparent, Timely and Relevant Communication builds TRUST. With employees and customers.
How is your company doing? Are they inside your circle?
The following post was contributed by Employer Brand International Chairman & CEO, Brett Minchington. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Brett the last couple years and watching him evolve into the industries leading authority on global employer brand strategy. Leading? Absolutely. You get there by getting on a plane. Landing. Doing the work. Repeat. 30 cities. 20 countries. 24 months. Workshops and round tables with the regions leading Consultants and Practitioners. While globetrotting on this world tour he also managed the build out of a world class global consultancy and advisory team, published a book (Your Employer Brand), some terrific research and developed the community portal employer branding online. I understand there is plenty more coming. That is how you develop global expertise. He is the master of the work/life blend – “it’s all living mate” and brings a very broad, futurist perspective to bear on Human Capital trends. He’ll be back in the USA this spring and will be participating in my keynote on Employment Branding 2.0 April 13th for my hometown HR community at the HRP-MN Conference. You can follow Brett on Twitter or check him out on YouTube to see what’s coming next! Here are his thoughts on Employer Branding 2020:
Employer branding towards 2020….Consider
Having spent the best part of the last decade researching, writing, speaking and consulting in the field of employer branding, I thought as this new decade begins now would be a good time to reflect and share my opinion on employer branding trends towards 2020 and how they will impact on the workplace.
My views have been shaped by leaders, practitioners and academics I have been fortunate to collaborate with over the past 10 years with the past 3 spent travelling to 30 cities in 20 countries as part of my Employer Brand Global Masterclass Tour.
Some of the trends below have already started and will gain momentum towards 2020. Whilst it is by no means a complete list, I hope it will provide insights, awareness and facilitate discussions into how I see employer branding evolving over the next decade and your preparedness to meet these challenges.
Global companies such as Google, Sodexo, Apple, McKinsey & Co, Southwest and Philips have been frequently spoken about as leading employer brands over the past decade. Whilst there are many lesser known or visible employer brands, they are in fact in all industry categories and in companies of all shapes and sizes. These companies consistently articulate a clearly defined employment proposition to their target audience and align systems, policies and processes to ensure an authentic employment experience for employees across the employment lifecycle. In short they care about the welfare of their employees and have leadership conversations to better understand what drives superior performance in their teams.
Companies who are judged as the leading employer brands over the next 10 years will be those who identify, react and adapt to the people and product/service challenges that lay ahead. These include:
1) Time replaces money as the new currency
With increasing amounts of women entering the workforce and one parent working families’ being a thing of the past companies who can trade time for other rational benefits such as pay and career development by embracing flexible work practices and ensure work commitments align with social and family responsibilities will be highly sought after. The notion of ‘work’ will be replaced by striving to provide an employment experience which is closer aligned with living a rewarding life throughout all stages of the employment lifecycle (e.g. recruitment, induction, promotion, etc) rather than working towards retirement merely being seen as a reward at the end of a lifetime of work.
2) Functions will blend
Employer branding is not a HR function, it is a business philosophy and all functions have a role to play. The business environment is dynamic and moving way too fast for Human Resources, Marketing and Communication professionals to continue driving the strategy in isolation whilst trying to achieve alignment between people, products and consumers. The study of employer branding will continue to make its way into the University syllabus in HR, Marketing and Communications courses and the science of employer branding will advance as an increasing number of academics and students undertake research in employer branding building upon the research previously undertaken in employee engagement, organisational psychology and brand management.
3) Less is more, small is big
As every dollar spent has come under closer scrutiny during the Global Financial Crisis, this culture will continue towards 2020 and leaders will need to demonstrate a ROI of investment in employer branding and how it impacts on delivering the company’s mission and vision – two areas the top company’s get right whilst others’ actions fall well short of their promise leading to disengagement and lack of trust amongst employees.
There will be an increased focus on employer brand strategy development to avoid brand fragmentation and confusion which exists when the market produces innovative ways to attract, engage and retain talent faster than companies can keep up with. There will be less focus on creative communications and more focus on relevancy, customisation and authenticity as companies’ invest to build their brand from the inside out and reward behaviours which reflect a defined employer brand positioning and strategy which takes a holistic approach to the employee lifecycle and diverse employee segments.
4) The talent crisis becomes the matching crisis
Companies will tune into the global network of untapped talent in emerging economies such as India, China, Middle East and Turkey where technology and access is accelerating skill build in these regions. As organisations become more knowledge and technology reliant the demand for more diverse skill sets will result in companies building virtual teams of specialists on retainers in order to keep up with the accelerating pace of market change. Companies will leverage affordable, high quality technology to connect virtual teams and provide an environment where employed and contracted talent feel valued and a sense of belonging, – an experience much like the one today being enjoyed by millions on social networking sites. The uptake of Talent Relationship Management (TRM) software will accelerate in much the same way as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology did in the 1990’s as companies strive to find competitive advantage in TRM – let’s hope the same mistakes aren’t made!
The demand for specialist virtual consulting will accelerate towards 2020 as the demand for real-time access and transfer of explicit to tacit knowledge to optimise performance demands real time reflection, feedback and action. The game will be won by the companies who can match talent (from anywhere on the planet) to be up to speed on roles and responsibilities much quicker than today’s 3-6 month onboarding period allows.
5) Relationships will replace reputation
The key to sustainable business success has always been established in the relationships between the people involved, not just in a superior product or service. The cost of a bad hire or vendor selection is costly so companies will rely less on a ‘pitch for service, ’and‘ tender processes and choose partners based on a previous working relationship or referral when allocating resources for employer branding initiatives.
The key shift will come in defining, nurturing and evolving relationships based on a value return as opposed to the ‘bigger is better’ approach companies and agencies have strived for the past 20 years leading to redundant information and disenchanted candidates and vendors.
6) Employer brands become global
In the past decade employer brands have been highly localised. That’s why an organisation that is judged a number 1 employer in the USA may only rank number 6 in Asia. The evolution for the world’s leading employer brands is to find closer alignment between the culture nuances in attracting and retaining talent in different countries and cultures. This will require increased communications between Head Office and Regional leaders. I am amazed of how many global brands talk about having a global employer brand strategy and when I meet their regional leaders they advise, “What Global Strategy.” Technology will support improved global collaborations between regional offices but it is going to take a culture change of moving from a “command and control employer brand leadership” at headquarters to a “collaborative and evolve” employer brand leadership” style to enact engagement across regions which enhances business performance.
7) Slow is fast
Information will be delivered faster towards 2020 but the churn of redundant information will become slower. Technology and tools will get better at filtering out noise that has the tendency for employees to waste productive time online and on social networking channels.
Training will become a daily occurrence inside organisations and tools will allow for knowledge to be requested, captured, customised and transferred to employees via their hand held communication devices. Employees will receive real time updates aligned with their career development plans and leaders will be able to view real time updates on performance to plan and provide coaching and mentoring before or at the moment when it is most needed rather than 3-12 months later at a formal performance review.
Organisations will get naked
Just as reality TV shows have become the norm the past decade, reality workplace TV will become the norm towards 2020 as companies allow access into the culture of the organisation through web streaming and reality shows about the day to day operations of what makes the company a success or a failure. Viewers will be encouraged to participate in and solve workplace problems similar to how crowdsourcing works today. Job offers will be made and filled within hours as companies exploit the benefits of crowdsourcing.
9) Work becomes living
Companies will empower employees to come and go as they feel is required to deliver the outcomes of their role. The level of distrust in corporations today will be a tipping point for talent to move to an organisation that provides an employment experience which is closer aligned with their lifestyle choices.
Exiting baby boomers will pave the way for a new workplace dynamic where Gen X’s, Y’s and Z’s will provide a melting pot of skills, attitudes and a ‘can do’ attitude with lower levels of bureaucracy. Just maybe, this reduction in bureaucracy will provide talent with an increased sense of ownership of time as efforts are focused on outcomes and performance rather than politics and bureaucracy.
10) Connected, cleaner and greener
The penetration rate of the internet is growing at rapid speed in emerging economies and along with the increasing speed and lower cost of delivery, companies will increasing opt for greener consulting services which can be delivered over the web rather than in-person and in doing so, save on time (which will add value to #1 trend) and carbon emissions. This will add up to significant tangible savings and market support for companies amongst all sections of the community.
Top talent will choose between companies who can demonstrate they care about making the world a better place to live rather than just maximising profits at the expense of society’s negative externalities.
………………….and some closing thoughts
If the economic downturn has taught us one thing, it is the value of the three business performance pillars of trust, communication and leadership in building competitive advantage. The rate of technological innovation is increasing at rapid speeds and the greatest challenge for business will be to manage the needs of shareholders and employees to ensure that profit is returned in a manner that is both healthy for the environment and for employees. We should not forget these pillars have always been within our reach, the challenge will be how we balance our focus on them whilst managing the complexities of the workplace towards 2020.
An outstanding week followed by a miserable weekend offered some interesting considerations for the work I do.
I attended HR Connect, a networking event co-sponsored by SHRM, SmartBrief and RecruitingBlogs. The event and a few meetings around it provided an outstanding opportunity to catch up with clients, colleagues and friends who are passionate about HR and Recruiting. The ‘Tweet-Up’ (my 2nd official happy hour focused on people connected on Twitter meeting up) affirmed the real desire that people have to connect face to face, with other people, who share a passion for their profession (I wasn’t the only one who got on a plane and flew in for the event). Using social media makes events like this more rewarding for me and strengthens my network. But the secret to social media is really all about the relationship. And its clear to me the conference/event model is far from dead. To the contrary, people have a deep need and desire to connect live, in person and learn, share and grow. So, while formats may evolve, good conferences with progressive content aren’t going to be extinct anytime soon. Social media is simply an accelerator.
I attend a lot of HR conferences. Often, I am speaking. Always, I am interested in meeting new people and having meaningful conversations. And while so many of the conferences provide valuable content and connections the HR event circuit can be a bit insular. And its valuable to gain outside perspective specific to the work you do. I attended a non HR workshop/event in my hometown a couple weeks ago. The focus was on social media for business and the audience was comprised of mostly business professionals. Marketers, Entrepreneurs, Consultants etc. looking to learn more about leveraging new tools/technology. And part of the workshop general discussion the topic of recruiting and social media was raised. I was a bit surprised by what happened next.
A gentleman in the audience stood up (not required as part of the discussion format), looked around at the 200 or so people in the room, and in an elevated tone suggested that, “Recruiting is absolutely the most disrespectful business process…..ever.” He had my attention now. And went on to explain how it was simply unconscionable for companies to treat candidates the way they do during the job search. Some of it was what you might expect. Lack of communication. No feedback. Minimal, if any human contact. Horrendous turnaround time. He was angry to be certain. And had it stopped there, you could write it off as one disgruntled person having a hard time with a job search. But it didn’t. What it did was open the dialogue, all affirming stories acknowledging the problem. The snowball could have turned into an avalanche had we not had facilitation and the discussion was closed on the story from the candidate, who 30 days after he was hired and started working for his new employer, received an automated email from the recruiting organization updating him on the status of his resume. Oops.
Sometimes it pays to get perspective outside of your profession. And it was clear to me this snapshot of dialogue offered some indication that companies have a long way to go with respect to how they respect candidates during the recruiting process. Some of it comes right down to bedside manner. And I think some recruiting organizations could learn a lot from Dr. Black.
Dr. Black was my personal weekend Physician. Heading back from DC Thursday evening I had slight pains in my chest and side. Writing it off to bad airport pizza I gutted out Friday’s work day with the pain worsening a bit. By Friday night I knew something was definitely wrong and I ended up in the ER. EKG, discussion of blod clots, fluid in my chest and lungs, worsening pain and an escalating fever. No fun. No diagnosis. Nobody quite sure what exactly is wrong. Enter Dr. Black.
She offered clear and concise communication with a personal touch. She explained herself. Her thoughts about what might be wrong. What they wanted to rule out and why. She patiently answered questions. And stopped back an hour later just to see if I had any more. And under the circumstances I actually felt so much better having her around. It wasn’t so much what she said, as the way she said it. I trusted her. And because of her I felt good (and still do) about the entire hospital/organization. Dr. Black circled back around and amid my ailment we chatted a bit about work, passion and bedside manner. I learned that although she had been practicing in this very ER for 11 years she didn’t necessarily think medicine was her true calling. She is a full time mother and very part time artist. And would love to have more time to create. We talked about the danger/trap of getting really good at the wrong thing…..and she knew she was good at her job. Real good. And her confidence and charisma carried over into a bedside manner that absolutely elevated the patient experience. Although this might not have been her true passion, her sense of purpose to serve never wavered. I’ve been to the ER before. And I have never had a Doctor follow up with 2 phone calls to me personally the next day. Of course, I wasn’t in the care of Dr. Black. People make the business. And the brand.
When you are in the business of saving lives (or starting careers) its easy to put the human element on auto pilot. But the best in the business don’t. They remember that it isn’t just what you do, but the way you do it that often makes the difference. And doing it with elevated communication, care, compassion and consideration make all the difference in the world.
Antibiotics and rest will get me better. Likely pneumonia or a really bad infection.
Dr. Black’s bedside manner made me feel better when it really mattered. A great lesson.
Do you need Social Media to be successful? In your job? As a business? The answer is, it depends.
I have a very close personal friend who is extraordinarily successful. By all accounts. He owns his own business. And owns his time. He is financially independent and works because he loves what he does, not because he has too. He also chooses who he works with and has built his business with partners, colleagues and clients he counts among his closest friends. He has terrific balance, perspective and never fails to take time to enjoy life and share it with those closest to him. And he is very generous with his time and resources.
He doesn’t have a Twitter, Facebook or Linked In Account. He doesn’t need them. Not in his business. And not in his personal life. His secret to success? Having some insider perspective, I’d say its the quality of his relationships. He loves the phone and face to face meetings. He is heavy on email but doesn’t let too much time pass without a real conversation among those in his circle of influence. Because that builds a much deeper connection than he could with 140 characters. That doesn’t interest him. What does is meaningful, trusted relationships that have reciprocal value for years. A more narrow universe of quality, coveted and nurtured relationships. He doesn’t want to be famous. He wants to be fulfilled. For him that is doing what he loves, with people he loves, his own way.
Conversely, I realize value from participating in my expanding social structure everyday. I am invested because it’s afforded me opportunity, insights and introductions that without participating I otherwise wouldn’t have received. But the secret to making it successful isn’t all that different. The secret is still in the relationships. And personally and professionally I have found tremendous value in and opportunity to expedite relationships that begin online, in my social universe and move beyond. And certainly for the work I do it keeps me in touch, informed and able to offer my own ideas related to how new tools and technology can impact a business.
Time is a precious resource and determining where to invest will usually impact your outcomes as a company or in your career. New tools and technology, when leveraged appropriately and efficiently can provide tremendous value. Every business and every individual needs to determine the opportunity cost of how and where to spend it. And that should get determined by staying aligned to your outcome objective. Begin with the end in mind. And that certainly applies for a Social Strategy as well.
In professional sales the sellers are often taught to “find the pain”. Uncover where they are really hurting. Expose that. Spend time there. Dig into the pain. Talk about the pain. Ouch. I’ve been through that sales training. Ouch again.
The problem with the pain is that its usually painfully obvious. To the buyer. To your competition. Most people are aware of their most significant problems. And most sellers selling in the pain zone sound like all the other sellers. Not all that compelling or differentiated. Eventually someone offers the lowest price to win the business. The other problem with pain is that it’s rather unpleasant.
There is a better way. If you want to elevate the relationship, value proposition and potential, sell into the opportunity. Not just what you solve, what is gained. Not what you save, rather what is made. Not what you fix, what is built. Discover. Innovate. Deliver the new. The best salespeople leverage their category expertise to understand and subsequently coach, counsel and help…..to get there you have to do your homework, ask great questions, listen. Sellers are students first. Then teachers.
The best sellers always serve…as guides on the journey.
Organisations will get naked
