The Seed

I found this article thought provoking and gained renewed inspiration from reviewing the 8 stated fundamentals Author Unknown

The Seed A successful business man was growing old andKnew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,He decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.

I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives beganTo talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.

He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.

But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- In all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room withHis empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants andFlowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, youSubstituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

1. If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

2. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

3. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

4. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

5. If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

6. If you plant hard work, you will reap success

7. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

8. If you plant faith, you will reap a harvest

So, be careful what you plant now; It will determine what you will reap later. "Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back"

David Anderson
President
Okanagan Training Solutions / Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT KELOWNA BY USING PRIORITY MANAGEMENT

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT KELOWNA

GIVING FEED BACK by Dr. Peter Honey

Giving Feedback is absolutely essential for learning and development and yet in the majority of workplaces people do not get enough. People at work have three basic rights which can only be met by receiving ongoing feedback.

• To know what is expected of them
• To know how they are doing
• To know what they need to do to improve/become even better

Interestingly, most people for most of the time are lucky if one or two of these rights are met, let alone all three.
You may be amongst the many managers who are reluctant to give feedback, but if you withhold it you are failing in one of the most fundamental duties of any manager, It is impossible to provide for the three basic rights without giving feedback. People who are deprived of feedback from their manager compensate in two potentially dangerous ways.
Firstly, they start to rely exclusively on scraps of feedback from the other people, colleagues, friends, customers, anyone who will offer it. This in itself is no bad thing except that feedback from these sources may be at variance with your own perceptions. In the absence of your feedback, subordinates will understandably become dependent on what you might regard as spurious data.
Secondly, and even worse, people deprived of feedback fill the void by giving themselves feedback and assuming, in the absence of any contrary indicators, that all is well. The longer this goes on, the more difficult it becomes to grasp the nettle and, when you do, the more traumatic the discovery that your perceptions differ from theirs.
So, the provision of feedback is a non-negotiable, bottom-line requirement if you are to help your people to learn and develop. Always remember, however, that the receiver of the feedback has the right to decide whether or not to act on it.
Having listened and understood, the receiver is always the final arbiter in deciding what to accept and what to reject. The choice is theirs. If you withhold feedback you have deprived them of the right to decide and therefore of one of the most powerful learning opportunities of all.

David Anderson
President
Okanagan Training Solutions / Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

So What Time Will You Finish Work Tomorrow? Work Life Balance From Priority Management Kelowna

Just as few people are trained in information management, even fewer are trained in workload management. Yet every job in the world entails balancing a series of to-dos with the clock. Our research with over 1,000,000 of our customers worldwide in best-practice productivity processes, shows that very few people have a realistic plan for each day. Most plans that we see are long lists of non prioritized tasks-more of a wish list than a plan.

Here is a quick check as to how your workload management processes compare to best practice. Firstly, think about where you presently keep all the things you have to do . How many of the following tools do you use each day? Notepad, paper to-do list, scraps of paper, post-it notes, whiteboard, piles on the desk, Inbox, electronic to-do list, diary, electronic calendar and your memory. No wonder we so quickly lose the plot and find ourselves working late.
Best practice demands just one place to plan (yes, that’s ONE). When our work is in one place then we have something we can manage and control.
Now we have consolidated our tasks into one location we have a process that will get you home on time!

1. Write down all the things you need to do tomorrow in one place.
2. Estimate how long it is going to take to get each item done. Total the time - does it fit into
an 8 hour work day?
3. Are you likely to be interrupted tomorrow? If so, how will that impact your work? It will most likely double the time it takes to accomplish your work. Ask yourself if you can still get the work done after the interruption time is added?
4. Have you included time for lunch? What about travel time to and from your appointments? What about time to check your email? Remember that non-productive time for lunch, coffee breaks and checking email can easily add up to one-and-a-half hours.
5. Now total the realistic time and block out your calendar. What time are you going Home?
Is it time you want to go home?

Start today to develop the skills that will help you stay balanced and in control of your personal agenda. By developing essential skills such as personal organization, life/work balance and workload management you will improve every aspect of your life.

David Anderson
President
Okanagan Training Solutions / Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

RESOLVING CONFLICTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

OKANAGAN TRAINING SOLUTIONS KELOWNA

RESOLVING CONFLICTS

By Dr. Peter Honey
Every difference of opinion, every disagreement, is a conflict, either with a big or small 'c' depending on the magnitude of the difference.

Conflicts between people are inevitable as they try to agree priorities, make decisions, solve problems and work together. If there weren’t differences of opinion it would probably be a sign that people were apathetic or acquiescing by ostensibly saying yes, but in reality hiding major reservations.

Whilst conflicts are rarely welcomed, the offer splendid opportunities to:

-Reach a better solution than would have been possible if the conflict hadn’t arisen.

-Learn from the experience of facing the conflict squarely and addressing it constructively

It sounds pious to say it, but as a manager the way you handle conflicts is a decisive factor in whether they will result in win-win or win-lose outcomes and whether they will result in beneficial learning.

Broadly there are three different ways to react to conflict:

Avoid it. - Typically this involves:- denying the conflict exists- circumventing the person/people with whom you are in conflict- deciding not to make the conflict explicit or to raise it.

Diffuse it. - This involves:- smoothing things over, ‘pouring oil on troubled waters’- saying you’ll come back to it (as opposed to dealing with the conflict there and then)- only dealing with minor points, not the major issues.

Face it. - This involves:- openly admitting conflict exists- explicitly raising the conflict as an issue

All three approaches are genuine options when conflicts arise. There may be occasions when it is best to let it go (why win the battle but lose the war?) and there will be other occasions when some pussy-footing is appropriate.

Usually, however, facing conflict rather than avoiding it or diffusing it offers the most potential. But how you face it makes all the difference. You can face it aggressively or assertively.

People who face conflict aggressively
1. Are secretive about their real objectives
2. Exaggerate their case
3. Refuse to concede that the other person has a valid point
4. Belittle the other person’s points
5. Repeat their case dogmatically
6. Disagree
7. Interrupt the other person

People who face conflict assertively1. Are open about their objectives
2. Establish what the other person’s objectives are
3. Search for common ground
4. State their case clearly
5. Understand the other person’s case
6. Produce ideas to solve the differences
7. Build on and add to the other person’s ideas
8. Summarize to check understanding/agreement

You can convert conflicts into useful learning opportunities by refusing to adjudicate and doing everything you can to foster assertive behavior amongst protagonists. If you put your energies into helping them to find some common ground, however tenuous, and to build on it, then you not only make a constructive resolution more likely, you also make people work for it and learn as they do so.

David Anderson
President
Okanagan Training Solutions / Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

Take Ownership Of Your Own Stress in Kelowna BC

Take Ownership Of Your Own Stress! By Daniel Stamp

People everywhere are worrying about their savings, their careers and the future. So this is probably a good time to talk about taking control of your own stress levels. In last month’s LearningLink survey we asked how your employer could help reduce stress in the workplace and I’m pretty confident that most of you aren’t holding your breath on that being the solution. Indeed, most experts on the subject will tell you that the place to start on the road to recovery is to take ownership of your own stress.

But first we need to understand what constitutes stress. The environment or event that causes stress plays a small part but the main stress comes from your reaction to it! If it were the appalling economy that was causing stress, then everyone would be feeling the same amount of stress-but we’re not! Each person’s reaction to a situation is unique. Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life. It can be a positive beneficial force protecting us in times of danger or helping us adapt to change. It can motivate, stimulate us to greater achievement and make for creativity.

Stress only becomes a problem when there’s too much of it, too often, when it lasts too long and when we feel out of control and unable to cope. But mainly becomes problematic when we haven’t developed coping strategies. Stress now becomes debilitating-our physical, emotional and mental health suffers. Relationships with colleagues and loved ones may become casualties too.

We owe it to our friends, workmates, families and mostly to ourselves to firstly accept that it’s our individual emotional reaction to a stressful situation that will determine how we behave. Remember Shakespeare’s famous line “It is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.”

So what’s to be done - we can’t eliminate it from our lives, nor run from it. The best solution is to develop your own coping strategies.

Here are some suggestions:

• Recognize that you do have some personal control. You may not be able to control what happens in your workplace, or in the world at large, but you can control how you react.
• Take care of your health. Eat well. Get a good night's sleep.
• Exercise daily. This needn't mean joining a health club, just a commitment to walk around the block before bed.
• Look for relaxation techniques that personally appeal to you. Meditate, for example, get regular massages. Take up a hobby. Practice Tai Ji or QiGong.
• Don't allow your frustration to build. Find ways to let off steam. Seek out a counselor. Find a confidant who isn't judgmental. Keep a journal.
• Take a little time for yourself every day, if only to sit in a warm bath or read a book unrelated to work. A walk in a forest or park or by a river or lake on the weekend can revitalize you.
• Practice time management. Organize systems at work and home for greater efficiency. Determine the things that waste time during the day and try to eliminate them. Come up with polite yet decisive ways to excuse yourself when the talk becomes particularly gloomy, for example.
• Ask for help. It's not to your employer's advantage to have workers under chronic stress. Ask about employee assistance programs, stress management or time management training. If some of your co-workers are feeling stressed, as well, form a united front and approach your manager or boss to discuss the issue.

Finally, the next time you observe that your breathing is shallower, you feel nervous or tense, you're a bit twitchy - whatever your stress symptoms are, you can take an immediate step to calmness - take three deep breaths, low and slow and think about nothing but your breathing. You can do this anywhere, anytime. It takes a couple of minutes and it works. Every time.
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David Anderson
Okanagan Training Solutions - Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096 or 1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/

Office Handbook - Blackberry Etiquette

I ran across this great article today on Blackberry Etiquette taht is done with a bit of hunour at the Priority Learning Link

David Anderson

By Ryan Underwood, Fast Company Magazine

Chapter 3(a):

BlackBerry Etiquette
It has come to management's attention that wireless email devices have begun to hinder employees' interpersonal communication skills. In the light of that, the following guidelines update Chapter 3 on email.

Conditions of use: It is generally acceptable for supervisors to send wireless emails while meeting with underlings - but not vice versa. Employees may not email at any engagement where the CEO is speaking; during off-site "trust exercises" that require colleagues to catch each other; and at "nonconfrontational" meetings with clients.

Mealtimes: During meals with colleagues, the use of wireless email devices is encouraged in the awkward lull between ordering and receiving food, and while awaiting the check. Employees generally should not, however, attempt to eat and email simultaneously.

Notification: In an effort to prevent workplace violence, the Company asks employees to silence devices at all times in the office.

Ergonomics: Many employees have taken to emailing, hunched over, with both hands, device nestled between the legs. The legal department has determined that this activity, though not technically harassment, could embarass fellow employees. Hence, the Company now requires devices to be used above the waist or on the knee. Three or more "zone" violations may result in harsh disciplinary action.

Addiction: Though wireless communication is not technically classified as an addiction, the Company has started a support group for employees who derive pleasure from being tethered to their email at all times. (Senior managers: This group is code named "Fast Track.")

If you or your organization relate to any of the above, you should click here to learn more about our new Working Sm@rt with BlackBerry program.

Time for Priority Management Training ?

8 Ways to Stay Positive in Tough Times

By Barbara Pachter

The economy has tanked. Sales are down. You're disappointed that you didn't get your promotion, you're angry at your colleague for missing a deadline, or you're bummed that you blew the presentation. It is easy at times like this to let negative events affect you and influence how you appear to others.

Many people don't realize that they have a pessimistic communication style and that they express themselves negatively. Yet in work, and in life, you do not want to let your negativity come through. It can affect your career if you do.

Who wants to be around someone who complains to others, puts people down, disagrees with you, or generally talks about downbeat topics? The answer is simple: No one does. These Negative Nellies or Neds view the glass, as the saying goes, half empty.

To start viewing the glass half full, practice these eight behaviors:

AVOID DOWNBEAT TOPICS. Don't keep discussing negative things. You do not want to keep talking about how you lost the contract, or how bad the economy is. People will steer clear of you to avoid listening to your negative comments.

REMIND YOURSELF TO BE POSITIVE. One man I coached put up a small sign by his desk with the initials KIP (Keep It Positive). Another man had a boss who would pass him a note that had B+ (be positive) on it if he started being negative in meetings.

TAKE ACTION. Don't let a bad situation paralyze you. Explore different options. Take a class, sign up for training. Keep your resume up-to-date; don't put your job search on hold. The more action you take, the more likely the issue will be resolved.

STOP COMPLAINING. Complaining is draining. People get tired of listening to the same negative comments about someone over and over again. If you have an issue with someone, talk to him or her, don't complain to others. Plus, people can start wondering what negative things you are saying about them.

DISAGREE AGREEABLY. Saying, "I see it differently," or "I disagree" lets people know that you have a different opinion without attacking them or their opinion. If you say, "You're wrong," you are pointing fingers.

AVOID USE OF THE WORD "BUT." "But" can negate what comes before it. If someone says, "I agree but ..." or "You did a nice job but ..." you are waiting for the bad news. Use the word "and." "You did a nice job, and it would even be better if ..."

WORD THINGS POSITIVELY. The same thought can often be expressed negatively or positively. One manager said, "I don't want my people viewed as unprofessional or incompetent." Or, "I want my people viewed as professional and competent." What would you rather hear?

REMEMBER YOUR NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION. Have a pleasant facial expression. No stern expressions, frowns, or stares of gloom as you go about your day. Greet people when you see them. Avoid sarcasm and eliminate any harsh tone to your voice.

This is the time to develop your communication and influencing skills.

Click here to learn more about the Priority Influencing Program

Sleeping Smart!

Importance of sleep

Sleep is essential for your health and well being, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. For example, surveys conducted by the NSF reveal that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month - with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.

How environment and behavior affect a person’s sleep

Stress is the number one cause of short-term sleeping difficulties, according to sleep experts. Common triggers include school- or job-related pressures, a family or marriage problem and a serious illness or death in the family. Usually the sleep problem disappears when the stressful situation passes. However, if short-term sleep problems such as insomnia aren't managed properly from the beginning, they can persist long after the original stress has passed.

Drinking alcohol or beverages containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening, exercising close to bedtime, following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule, and working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed can disrupt sleep.

Traveling also disrupts sleep, especially jet lag and traveling across several time zones. This can upset your biological or “circadian” rhythms.

Environmental factors such as a room that's too hot or cold, too noisy or too brightly lit can be a barrier to sound sleep. And interruptions from children or other family members can also disrupt sleep. Other influences to pay attention to are the comfort and size of your bed and the habits of your sleep partner. If you have to lie beside someone who has different sleep preferences, snores, can't fall or stay asleep, or has other sleep difficulties, it often becomes your problem too!

Having a 24/7 lifestyle can also interrupt regular sleep patterns: the global economy that includes round the clock industries working to beat the competition; widespread use of nonstop automated systems to communicate and an increase in shift work makes for sleeping at regular times difficult.

According to leading sleep researchers, there are techniques to combat common sleep problems:

-Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule
-Don’t drink or eat caffeine four to six hours before bed and minimize daytime use
-Don’t smoke, especially near bedtime or if you awake in the night
-Avoid alcohol and heavy meals before sleep
-Get regular exercise
-Minimize noise, light and excessive hot and cold temperatures where you sleep
-Develop a regular bed time and go to bed at the same time each night
-Try and wake up without an alarm clock
-Attempt to go to bed earlier every night for certain period; this will ensure that you’re getting enough sleep

Being well organized for the next day will help you sleep better and sounder.

Click here to learn more with our Workload Management Curriculum

Turbulent Times: Threat or Opportunity?

When it rains manna from heaven,

some people put up an umbrella.

Others reach for a big spoon.

ACTION POINT: Get rid of unjustifiable products and activities, set goals to improve productivity, manage growth, and develop your people.
Click on the link below to learn more:

David Anderson

Okanagan Training Solutions - Priority Management Interior BC

250 762-5096 or 1-877-762-5096

prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/

The manager will have to look at her task and ask, “What must I do to be prepared for danger, for opportunities, and above all for change?”

1.First, this is a time to make sure that your organization is lean and can move fast. So this is when one systematically abandons and sloughs off unjustifiable products and activities – and sees to it that the really important tasks are adequately supported.

2.Second, she will have to work on the most expensive of resources – Time – particularly in areas where it is people’s only resource, as it is for highly paid, important groups such as research workers, technical service staffs, and all managers. And one must set goals for productivity improvement.

3.Third, managers must learn to manage growth and distinguish among kinds of growth. If productivity of your combined resources goes up with growth, it is a healthy growth.

4.Fourth, the development of people will be far more crucial in the years ahead.

Leaders are made, not born - Management Training Kelowna

Leaders are made, not born

by John Adair


Whilst debate rages over the differences between management and leadership and the various qualities which may or may not be inborn, practical people just want to know what they have to do, whatever it is labeled.

In today’s business climate three levels of leadership are now emerging which replace a single leader at the top. Together these form the overall leadership team of the organization.

Team leaders – responsible for between 8 and 12 people
Operational leaders – responsible for a sizable area of the business
Strategic leaders – responsible for the whole organization
Character is part of leadership. Leaders gain credibility by exemplifying the qualities expected within the working group and are different from managers because they possess certain generic traits such as enthusiasm, integrity, toughness, fairness, warmth, humility and confidence. The first step in developing leadership potential is to recognize those traits in oneself.

The suitable approach to leadership is based on the use of authority appropriate to the context. There are four types of authority:

Position – “Do this because I am the boss�?
Knowledge – "Authority flows to one who knows"
Personality – Charisma in its extreme form
Moral authority – the personal authority to ask others to make sacrifices
To get people to co-operate, a leader will need to understand the particular circumstances and choose which type of authority would be most effective. The leader who knows what to do inspires confidence in others. Technical and professional knowledge can make a significant contribution to a leader’s development.

My approach focuses on group actions. A group of people working together develops a unique personality which has three overlapping areas of need. These needs are: to achieve the task, to build and maintain the team, and to develop the individual. Each interacts with the others, so that if a task is achieved, the team develops and individuals develop a sense of satisfaction. Equally, if the group lacks cohesion its task performance will fall, resulting in lowered individual morale.

At this point the mystique of leadership falls away – success comes from something a leader does rather than someone a leader is, so leaders can enhance their skills through practice, study, experience and reflection.

Leaders cannot avoid being some kind of example, because people constantly observe what they do and who they are. However, the individual has discretion over whether it will be a good or poor example (and people generally notice bad examples more than good). A sure sign of integrity is when a leader’s words match their deeds and the best leadership example is provided unselfconsciously as an expression of who the leader is, rather than something calculated to have an effect.

Click here to learn more about how our training programs will enhance leadership skills and competencies.

David Anderson - Warren Buffet- Thoughts on Life

YES, there are many challenges in today’s business world for example: Budgets, financing, credit, reduced demand for your product or service etc. Keeping you and your company in the window of opportunity when the business pie becomes smaller there is an automatic need for all business people to increase their skill sets.

“BUT” I still wonder why companies stop training their people when faced with difficult situations.

Business people Like Warren Buffet and his well trained team are out spending, investing knowing these are the times that will propel them further ahead of his competitors for the future. They have a different view on life.

Training within companies during challenging times positions their people out in front during and after an economical slow down.

Due to the time spent in training the company’s success is a direct reflection of the people it employs.
Over many years in the business world I have formed a strong believe that top producing companies flourish when there is an emphasis on well trained employees.

I ran across this great thought about life from Warren Buffett, Please click on the URL to my blog and you will find It at the foot of the current news letter in a Video format

David Anderson
Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management Interior BC
250 762-5096
1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
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TRUST MATTERS from priority learning link

Trust Matters!
Trust. You know when you have trust; you know when you don’t have trust. In last month’s Priority survey, more than half the respondents thought trust to be the most crucial element for team performance. Yet, what is trust and how is trust usefully defined for the workplace? Can you build trust when it doesn’t exist? How do you maintain and build upon the trust you may currently have in your workplace? These are important questions for today’s rapidly changing world.
Trust forms the foundation for effective communication, employee retention, and employee motivation and contribution of discretionary energy, the extra effort that people voluntarily invest in work.
Trust is telling the truth, even when it is difficult, and being truthful, authentic, and trustworthy in your dealings with customers and staff.
You cannot always control the trust you experience in your larger organization, but you can act in ways that promote trust within your immediate work environment. The following are 10 ways to create and preserve a trusting work environment:
Hire and promote people, who are capable of forming positive, trusting interpersonal relationships with people who report to them, to supervisory positions.
Develop the skills of all employees and especially those of current supervisors and people desiring promotion, in interpersonal relationship building and effectiveness.
Keep staff members truthfully informed. Provide as much information as you can comfortably divulge as soon as possible in any situation.
Expect supervisors to act with integrity and keep commitments. If you cannot keep a commitment, explain what is happening in the situation without delay. Current behavior and actions are perceived by employees as the basis for predicting future behavior. Supervisors who act as if they are worthy of trust will more likely be followed with fewer complaints.
Confront hard issues in a timely fashion. If an employee has excessive absences or spends work time wandering around, it is important to confront the employee about these issues. Other employees will watch and trust you more.
Protect the interest of all employees in a work group. Do not talk about absent employees, nor allow others to place blame, call names, or point fingers.
Display competence in supervisory and other work tasks. Know what you are talking about, and if you don’t know—admit it.
Listen with respect and full attention. Exhibit empathy and sensitivity to the needs of staff members.
Take thoughtful risks to improve service and products for the customer.
If you are a supervisor or a team member, set high expectations and act as if you believe staff members are capable of living up to them.
When trust exists in an organization or in a relationship, almost everything else is easier and more comfortable to achieve.
Trust is built and maintained by many small actions over time. Marsha Sinetar, the author, said, “Trust is not a matter of technique, but of character; we are trusted because of our way of being, not because of our polished exteriors or our expertly crafted communications.”So fundamentally, trust, and here is the secret I promised in the title of this article, is the cornerstone, the foundation, for everything you'd like your organization to be now and for everything you'd like it to become in the future. Trust Matters-lay the groundwork well.You can always trust the Priority Curriculum to deliver first-class training for you and your organization!

David Anderson - Kelowna - Business Week - Work-Life Balance: How to Get a Life and Do Your Job

Great article in Business Week about Work Life balance that I would like to share with you. David Anderson Okanagan Training Solutions

Work-Life Balance: How to Get a Life and Do Your Job
BusinessWeek readers make it seem possible. Here's how some have succeeded in a balancing act
Edited by Michelle Conlin

There is a species of knowledge worker that seems transcendentally competent when it comes to finessing work-life balance. These are the people of the tidy desks and tidy homes. The work-life super class. They don't skulk in late like the rest of us. They don't wear rumpled clothes, miss deadlines, or weaken before the vending machine. Are these people for real? Is work-life balance achievable? We asked our readers. Some responders groaned that, owing to a hypercompetitive workplace and the race for status, the answer was no. But more disagreed, having found ways to make their lives less chaotic when it comes to juggling what often feels like two full-time jobs. Sanity actually exists, they say. Hallelujah! Now, dear readers, over to you.

Click link below for full article: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_34/b4097036727134.htm?chan=magazine+channel_special+report

David Anderson - Okanagan Training Solutions – Teaching at UBC Okanagan Kelowna

In January and February of 2009 David Anderson of Okanagan Training Solutions will be teaching at the UBC Okanagan in Kelowna.

This course call Business Theatre is in a nut shell based on the company’s place of business being staged and directed like a theater performance. It is based on teaching the students a different form of business and personnel communication skills based on Business Theater.

Participants will learn verbal & non verbal communication management with: clients / customers / co-workers when confronted with, Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) and acquire the skills for managing conflict resolution.

The philosophy behind Business Theater is to teach employee’s and management the art of telling and selling the company story, living and acting the vision, being committed to the story line and have all employee’s playing their part in telling the story before any product or service is ever sold.


David Anderson - President - Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management - A Better Way to Work
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
mailto:prioritymanagement@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/
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Okanagan Training Solutions workshops are held in the following cities:
Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Veron, Salmon Arm, Prince Rupert, Prince George, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Nelson

David Anderson - Okanagan Training Solutions - Retail Business Training – Retail Theater

Retail Business Training – Retail Theater

Retail Theater is a strategy that addresses the changes in how and where people purchase today.

These changes are based on the changing motives’ that stimulate the purchasing process from today’s internet and gamer savvy consumer”.

Todays consumers are more interested in retailers who are going to “entertain their minds and provides an atmosphere of a true live shopping experience” rather than what the traditional retail has provided for many years.

The internet savvy shopper is looking at the “overall experience which includes entertainment as a key factor when they visit your retail establishment”.

The place to go, The place to be seen and the place to be able to interact with likeminded customers.

To book and assessment contact:
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David Anderson - President - Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management - A Better Way to Work
250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096
mailto:prioritymanagement@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/
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Okanagan Training Solutions workshops are held in the following cities:Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Veron, Salmon Arm, Prince Rupert, Prince George, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Nelson

David Anderson - Okanagan Training Solutions - Improve Communications by asking the correct questions

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who just drones on and hammers their opinions, without once stopping to listen to what you might have to say? I don't know about you, but whenever I find myself trapped into a conversation with one of these people, it takes every ounce of my self-restraint not to scream "Who cares?!" In fact, I have yet to meet a customer who enjoys the experience of having a sales person force their opinions and perceptions on them - even (or perhaps especially) when those sales people felt they were only offering their "honest opinion."

Today, we continue our series on "The 9 Fine Lines to Sales Success" with a closer look at the fine line between offering an honest opinion, and being brutal with the truth.
Don't get me wrong, our opinions are important - to ourselves. Nobody needs to hear all your opinions - especially not your customers! The mistake most sales people make is thinking that it is our opinions and perceptions that influence the customer to buy. The fact is, most successful sales people find that the complete opposite is true: they are far more successful when they don't express their opinions and perceptions, and instead limit their communication entirely to the facts and their emotions.

Making sure you don't cross the line

Honesty is stating facts the way we see them, and sharing how we feel about those facts. Brutality is attempting to force our opinions on others, blaming others for what we think they did wrong, or adopting an attitude that just screams "I told you so."

Successfully staying on the right side of this line depends entirely on your ability to get your customers to share with you their emotional reasons for buying your products. How do you do this? By asking them the right questions - questions that will move your prospect from an intellectual position (knowing they have a problem that needs to be solved) to the emotional state of trusting you to solve that problem in a way that will satisfy them.

The right questions, in other words, are ones that will help you to reveal a buyer's true motivations. To help you get the answers to those questions - and close more deals in the process - try the following four steps to building more lasting and profitable customer relationships:

1. Identify the intellectual problem.

Q: What's the biggest challenge you're facing today in the area of X?

Q: Our clients tell us that we help them solve problems in the area of X. That's not a problem for you, is it?

Q: What plans have you made to?

2. Develop an intellectual awareness about this problem.

Q: Can you tell me more about it?

Q: Could you be more specific?

Q: How would you improve?

3. Get emotional! Identify the specific business impact of this problem.

Q: How has this problem impacted your organization?

Q: What will happen if this problem continues?

4. Identify the specific personal impact of this problem.

Q: What impact does this problem have on your job / your staff?

Q: What will happen if you don't find a solution to this problem?

Staying on the right side of the line

Once you've revealed your prospect's true emotional reasons for buying your products, you're ready to move to the next step in streamlining your communication: learning how to share your emotions during the sales process.

Now, I want to be very clear here: I'm recommending that you describe your emotions, not that you show them - especially if that would mean breaking down into tears or a screaming tirade.

When it comes to expressing your emotions, think of yourself as Tarzan. Tarzan was a man of few words, yet he was always able to express himself in a way that people understood. Keep it simple, and simply report your emotion: I am mad. I am upset. I am stressed.

For example, you might say to a customer: "I noticed that we haven't received the purchase order from your purchasing department yet, and I'm worried that this will delay your implementation." Or: "It's been a couple of weeks since we agreed to talk about your order. If we wait much longer, I'm concerned that they'll be out of stock."

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David Anderson

Okanagan Training Solutions

Priority Management Interior BC

250 762-5096 / 1-877-762-5096

prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

David Anderson - Champion Service in Tennis & Business for Better Net Results in Tough Economic Times

I recently received and email from my daughter on the Gold Coast in Brisbane Australia that deals with Customer Service. I thought I would like to share it with you on my blog.

David Anderson / Okanagan Training Solutions

‘Whether serving customers or tennis aces, you’ve got to keep your eye on the ball if you want to be a winner.’

I’ve watched and played countless hours of tennis and whether it is Wimbledon or the Australian Open, I’ve never once seen a player win a match by looking at the scoreboard. Champions keep their eye firmly focused on the ball and let the scoreboard take care of itself. Yet, how often are we so busy measuring customer satisfaction results and looking at the scoreboard of tangible indicators, that we take our eye off the actual customer situation? A classic example was an attempt to improve train service. Although there were indeed improvements with running on time, it was also revealed that they weren’t stopping at all stations to pick up the passengers, as the drivers were only focused on the measurement of timeliness! So much for keeping your eye on the ball!

Let’s look at the acronym of the word, ‘service’ and other such analogies between service in tennis and service to customers.

Self-esteem
Too often, we have confused service with subservience and people in service jobs have not had the high self-esteem that their roles deserve. How often have you played doubles with someone who ducks and calls out “Yours”? How often do you work with individuals who do an equivalent ‘duck’ and call ‘yours’ when there’s a tricky customer situation? We need to feel useful and be able to step up to every customer situation, difficult or otherwise, take ownership of that moment, and call out ‘Mine”.

Exceed expectationsAs customer demands increase, we need to constantly meet and exceed their expectations. We can never take them for granted. It’s not always the number one seed who wins Wimbledon but often the up and coming players who are willing to go that little extra distance to gain that slight competitive advantage. So too in business-and no matter how great a champion you or your organization may be, success in the past is no guarantee of success in the future.

Recover
We all know that things go wrong from time to time and even customers appreciate this fact. Encouragingly, the research shows that if you satisfy a customer complaint, and do so quickly, the majority of those customers will become more brand loyal to your organization if they feel you’ve adequately recovered from an initially unsatisfactory situation. Just like missing a first tennis serve, most customers let you have a second chance. It’s equally important to remember that 96.7% of unhappy customers never take time to complain so you better not double fault on those who do.

Vision
It’s not only essential to keep your eye on the ball but to keep in mind a long term vision in order to successfully win tennis games or customer loyalty. Neither happens overnight and in order to maintain a key competitive advantage, keep in mind a long-term vision. Tennis games aren’t won or lost on centre court. They’re won or lost on the back courts-hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year of practice before you even qualify to play in the big game.

Improve
Even if we never reach centre court, our tennis game can improve through practice. The difference between an amateur and professional tennis player is that an amateur will practice until they can get something right. A professional will practice until they never get it wrong. We need to be professional in our approach to servicing customers, as consistency is a key retention factor.

CareIf you’re a tennis coach, you care about your players, just as a service provider must care about the needs and wants of their customers. Customer care should never be some phoney platitude but a genuine, heartfelt desire to help the customer by placing yourself in their shoes, whether they be sneakers or high heels! If you like your job and look for daily opportunities to do this, you’ll find it easier to succeed. It’s better still if you love your job; love helping people. In tennis, love is nothing. In life, it’s everything! And it’s important that we genuinely care about serving our customers, our organizations, families, communities, planet and ourselves-not necessarily in that order.

EmpowerWe all like to feel that we can make a difference to the final score; that we’re a valued team player; that we can be empowered to stretch ourselves beyond former personal bests. John Akers, CEO of IBM, once said:

‘If you always get your first serve in, you’re not trying hard enough.’

Unlike Wimbleton, it’s certainly not all strawberries and cream in the world of customer service-especially in tough economic times-but it will be game, set and match to those individuals and organizations who recognize that looking after your customers will result in increased net profits.

Love all. Love all customers. The ball is truly in your court so remember that:

Whether serving tennis balls or customers, you’ve got to keep your eye on the ball if you want to be a winner.

Catherine DeVrye MSc, CSP - Author of Who Says I Can't?-Hope Happens-Hot Lemon & Honey- Good Service is Good Business


David Anderson
Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management Interior BC
250-762-5096 /1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/

David Anderson - Okanagan Training Solutions - WHAT TIME WILL YOU FINISH WORK TOMORROW?

David Andereson / Okanagan Training Solutions - Kelowna

I read this great article that I would like to share with you.

Just as few people are trained in information management, even fewer are trained in workload management. Yet every job in the world entails balancing a series of to-dos with the clock. Our experience with over 1,000,000 customers worldwide in best-practice productivity processes, shows that very few people have a realistic plan for each day. Most plans that we see are long lists of unprioritised tasks-more of a wish list than a plan.

Here is a quick check as to how your workload management processes compare to best practice. Firstly, think about where you presently keep all the things you have to do . How many of the following tools do you use each day? Notepad, paper to-do list, scraps of paper, post-it notes, whiteboard, piles on the desk, Inbox, electronic to-do list, diary, electronic calendar and your memory. No wonder we so quickly lose the plot and find ourselves unable to finish 'a day's' work.
Best practice demands just one place to plan (yes, that’s ONE). When our work is in one place then we have something we can manage and control.
Now we have consolidated our tasks into one location we have a process that will get you home on time!
1. Write down all the things you need to do tomorrow in one place. (It can be your Priority Manager or your electronic calendar)
2. Estimate how long it is going to take to get each item done. Total the time - does it fit into an 8 hour work day?
3. Are you likely to be interrupted tomorrow? If so, how will that impact your work? It will most likely double the time it takes to accomplish your work. Ask yourself if you can still get the work done after the interruption time is added?
4. Have you included time for lunch? What about travel time to and from your appointments? What about time to check your email? Remember that time for lunch, coffee breaks and checking email can easily add up to one-and-a-half hours.
5. Now total the realistic time and block out your calendar. What time are you going home? Is it the time you want to go home?

Start today to develop the skills that will help you stay balanced and in control of your personal agenda. By developing essential skills such as personal organization, life/work balance and workload management you will improve every aspect of your life.

Go to these links to learn more: Working Smart with Outlook ,
Working Smart with Lotus Notes
David Anderson
Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management Interior BC
250-762-5096 /1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/
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Okanagan Training Solutions workshops are held in the following cities:Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Veron, Salmon Arm, Prince Rupert, Prince George, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Nelson

David Anderrson - Okanagan Training Solutions - The first quarter of 2008 is OVER

David Andereson / Okanagan Training Solutions - Kelowna

The first quarter of 2008 is OVER, did you reach your first quarterly goals or objectives ?

YES ___ NO____
If your answer was NO, did you understand the reasons that kept you from obtaining them?

YES___ NO____

At Priority Management Interior BC we help our clients increase productivity in the areas of
greatest return, Their time. Through our training, graduates learn to manage their workload with less stress and gain control over their day to day activities with a gain of 40-70 minutes

How can you help me achieve my goals?

Through our training we will help you acquire the skills to manage your workload which will allow you to experience less stress, gain back control over their day to day activities and enjoy a Positive Work / Life Balance.

How does your Training method work?

At Priority Management we use a comprehensive system that makes our clients think differently about how they run their business and their lives.

The competitive advantage our clients gain through Priority Management training is based on the unique concept we originated to identify, measure, and improve the performance of individuals, teams and organizations.

This is accomplished by introducing participants to our 8 step program which is broken down into 3 key elements, Decide, Do and Deliver.

If you want positive results for the second quarter of 2008

Call:

David Anderson
Okanagan Training Solutions
Priority Management Interior BC
250-762-5096 /1-877-762-5096
prioritymanagment@shaw.ca
http://www.okanagantrainingsolutions.com/
http://okanagantrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/