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Month: February 2020

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Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

“Danger Is The Cost For Crossing A Negotiation Line“ – Negotiation Tip of the Week

“The danger in crossing a line is ending on the wrong side.”

-Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

 

 

(Click to get the book)

 

 

“Danger Is The Cost For Crossing A Negotiation Line“

 

He stated, with a sense of exasperation, “you’re getting very close to the line! If I can’t walk away feeling like I got something out of this deal, both of us will walk away with that feeling.” With that statement, he’d tossed the gauntlet down and drew the line indicating how far the other negotiator had gone. Yes, it could have been his ploy to signal where his disdain laid per the offer made. But it was also his way of heightening the tension in the negotiation.

There’ll be times when you get caught in situations that lead to crises. Some will stem from the fostered efforts of others. That’ll be their attempt to entangle you in the trap of indecisiveness and uncertainty. If you’re fleet of mind, you’ll slip the snare and avoid a potential crisis. And here’s how to do that.

 

Using And Applying Pressure

 

When an accident victim is badly bleeding, first responders use a tourniquet to apply pressure to the wound. That’s an effort to control blood loss. If you use too little or too much force, you risk further harming the victim. And the same is true in a negotiation. You must know when to and when not to apply pressure. There are three ways to do that if you sense someone’s getting close to crossing a line.

 

  1. Time – Most people know you can use time as a form of pressure. But if you wish to use it as a deterrent to indicate someone should not cross a line, you need to have incremental line points. As an example, let’s say you extended an offer with a time deadline. Instead of stating it expires at 11:37 a.m. on Thursday, you might structure your offering to have the best deal expire on the prior Monday. You could have incremental offers between Monday and Thursday too. And at each point, the deal would become worse. In this case, your efforts would become geared to inducing this individual to act sooner than later. Because the longer inaction occurs on his behalf, the higher the cost he’ll bear. And, if he waits until Thursday to accept your offer, he will have crossed several lines, which will be the penalty he incurred for doing so.

 

  1. Scarcity Factor – Another tried-and-true inducement is the scarcity factor – only two left, 14 people are watching this item, etc. You see it in some form of your everyday activities. Its purpose is to get someone to act quickly.

Depending on your position at that point in the negotiation, you can state that you’ll wait for a better offer before doing anything. With that, you’ll be moving the line closer or pushing it off into the distance. Just be aware that there’ll be a cost for readjusting the line.

 

  1. Boogyman/Phantom – Another buyer is waiting for this. So, you’d better get it while it’s still available. This maneuver encompasses both the time and the scarcity factor. And it can be an excellent ploy to use against a less sophisticated negotiator. Before him, you’ve placed the proverbial line. But a more astute negotiator may mark you as being the one that lacks sophistication if you attempt this with him. So, assess the negotiator’s astuteness before you employ this tactic.

 

Demeanor

You must set the right tone in any interaction, less your actions set out for failure. Thus, before you set the line you’ll use to induce activity, you must consider the role and demeanor you’ll use to enhance that effort.

 

Being Too Soft (soft line) – Recall a time when you were making a purchase or selling something, and there was no pressure or rush to complete the transaction. How did you feel? If you were the seller, you might have experienced some form of angst if you wanted to complete the deal quickly. If you were the buyer and you sought to acquire the item fast, and could not do so expeditiously, you may have had the same sensation. The point is, sometimes taking a soft approach is not the right approach to use. With some people, the more time you give them to complete a transaction, the more time they’ll take, which may lead to them not adopting an action at all.

 

Pushing Too Hard (hardline) – Darn, he was pushy. That’s what someone might have said about you, or you might have said about someone you dealt with about and effort to excessively close a deal. While the soft line approach can be less daunting for some to deal with, being a hardliner can cause someone to run from you. Always know the difference between when to use one approach versus another. And that will dictate which demeanor and line you should adopt.

 

Tip – Always attempt to leave the other negotiator feeling like a winner. And, if he thinks that he slightly got an advantage due to his smarts, he’ll receive greater pleasure from the outcome. The demeanor you cast during your engagement will determine the degree he feels he’s won something, or if you gave it to him. People have a tendency not to appreciate what someone has given them as much as what they’ve achieved on their own merits. Remember that!

 

Reflection

Every day, we’re confronted by a line that serves as a boundary between what we want, what others will allow us to have, and what we’ll offer them. Once you become better at drawing a line and knowing how to maneuver someone’s perspective about the value of it, you’ll become better at achieving more significant outcomes from those with whom you engage. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

#Danger #Cost #Line #csuitenetwork #thoughtcouncil #Bodylanguage #readingbodylanguage #Negotiation #Control #Conversations #NegotiationStrategies #NegotiationProcess #NegotiationSkillsTraining #NegotiationExamples #NegotiationTypes #ReadingBodyLanguage #BodyLanguage #Nonverbal #Negotiate #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #Negotiator #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #BodyLanguageExpert #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #GregWilliams #success #negotiation examples #Negotiation strategies #negotiation process #negotiation skills training #negotiation types #negotiation psychology #Howtowinmore #self-improvement #howtodealwithdifficultpeople #Self-development #Howtocontrolanegotiation #howtobesuccessful #HowToImproveyourself

 

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Growth Health and Wellness Leadership

The Business Case for Mindful Sales

 

No matter the size of y0ur company you are trying to sell something to someone for money.  Sales is, in fact, improving the lives of people no matter if you sell cars, technology, or food. In today’s instant economy that means both sales professionals and customers expect, us to sell more, faster than your competition.  As a sales professional that can mean higher goals, shorter time frames and hard to reach sales goals.  As these continue day after day it causes stress, overwhelm, turnover and burnout of an unmotivated sales team.  Or, worse such a highly competitive sales team there is no team morale at all. It means your company suffers from mind-full ness.  Mindfulness is expensive to your bottom line.

What is mindfulness in the sales process? Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, without judgment. There are many definitions of mindfulness. Over the years this definition is starting to refine. Mindfulness is at its core awareness.  When you become aware your team is overwhelmed to the point of losing sales it’s time for mindfulness.  Simple, easy 2-5 minute questions, affirmations, and activities that can reduce the stress and regain focus on the sales cycle.

There are many ways to be mindful and techniques to bring you back to the present moment, to bring your brain, heart, and body back to focus.  As a sales professional, I like to use short, simple affirmations to re-set my brain in times of stress.

Mindfulness can be practiced no matter where you are selling, as an individual or as part of a group as part of a meeting or during a retreat. I have won client projects by taking a moment to be mindful with my clients honoring what they are going thru personally and professionally.  In fact, mindfulness is so easy you can practice it anywhere! Mindfulness can be practiced for the sole purpose of becoming more mindful and there are several mindfulness practices and organizations that are designed for specific groups of people.

We all take ourselves too seriously, with a fear of failure driving the daily regiment of sales offices. Whether you are a perfectionist who will not accept anything less than an A+ on your report metrics, or you are an average sales professional who does what it takes to get by each day, we invite you to become more mindful in every part of your day.  Don’t take my word for it, try it with your team and measure the results.

Excerpt from “Sell More Stress Less: 52 Tips to Become a Mindful Sales Professional” by Holly Duckworth & Eric Szymanski – Available at Amazon.com

To learn more about how Eric & Holly can help your organization, please visit www.leadershipsolutionsinternational.com or www.mindfulsalestraining.com

Categories
Best Practices Growth Human Resources Management Skills

The Top 10 Lies We Believe About Our Influence

Avoiding These 10 Lies and Focusing on Real Influence

You might not be as influential as you think. Misconceptions about influence keep us from continued success. Anyone at any level, with any title, can influence others to act willingly upon what we have to say, but only if they are willing to do the work. Influence is a learned skill requiring self-awareness, feedback, and ongoing practice. But why?

We don’t intentionally want to hold ourselves back, but the truth is hard. It’s easier to believe we have influence and believe lies than to put in the hard work required to get better. If you believe one of these 10 lies, it’s time to start focusing and practicing on what it takes to earn and maintain real influence.

My title and position wield influence

Authority does not equal influence. We believe that when we have an authoritative title, we naturally resonate influence. You may have power by default, but do your employees want to follow you? Unlike authority, you can’t mandate influence; you earn it.

I can turn my influence on and off as needed

Many people believe they can turn on the influence needed for high-stakes meetings or big presentations. They fail to realize that influence is earned by the way you show up to every interaction, every day. Your listeners don’t automatically grant you trust or believe you to be credible when you’re front and center. You earn that perception in the consistent behavior you demonstrate in even the smallest interactions.

I feel confident, so I know others see me the same way

It’s natural for us to believe that the way we feel inside is the way others perceive us to be. Rarely is this true. Our behavior, reactions, body language, and habits displayed every day create our identity. When we show up late, are distracted, interrupt others, fidget or ramble, others question our credibility. Even if we feel confident, that’s not necessarily what others experience.

Only face-to-face interactions count

Digital interactions are as crucial to our influence as face-to-face meetings. Perhaps even more so. When body language and tonality are missing, people only have our words to interpret. If they’re too short, we are considered curt. Too long and we are rambling. Even the simplest of digital messages tell a story and provide us an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

Day-to-day interactions don’t count

Think of how many casual conversations you have with co-workers. Or, consider the number of emails you send. It’s easy to believe they don’t matter, but they do. You build influence from these small exchanges. They are easily misinterpreted and can damage your reputation. Your influence is always on display, no matter how important or casual the interaction is.

People look at their phones when I speak because that’s just our culture today

Every day we try to influence the digitally distracted. Heywire Business found that 97 percent of people respond to business-related messages within three minutes. That means no matter how high the stakes are, chances are your listeners are distracted. If your listeners are paying attention to their phone, they aren’t paying attention to you. If you don’t have people’s attention, you can’t expect to influence them.

Influence is required in more than high-stakes situations

Influence requires you to show up for every moment, conscious of your actions and behavior. Don’t discount the impact of an after-hours email or a simple social media post. It’s vital for people to experience your daily interactions as consistently as your high-pressure moments. If you have a commanding presence on stage then send an email filled with typos, your listeners will be confused, and your influence will diminish.

People will follow because it’s their job

Gallup recently reported that 63 percent of employees lack engagement and 87 percent of team members are unmotivated to do their job or give more than the bare minimum. Effective leadership requires much more than delegating tasks. Influence requires you to inspire others to act, to be their best. Your team is only as good as your ability to motivate them to rally around a common cause.

My previous work got me promoted and will keep me climbing the ladder

The higher we climb, the more others expect of us. Our good is no longer good enough. With all other factors considered, our good won’t beat out the competition for a raise or promotion. Our past won’t create a future of influence when new teams of employees willingly follow us. Today, it is the experience we create for others that builds trust, resulting in new opportunities.

People always show up to hear me speak because they find what I say to be important

Leaders believe that if people show up to hear them speak, they will listen. Physical presence doesn’t mean mental presence. You must earn people’s attention. For others to believe what you say is important, it requires you to create a standout experience that they can remember and later act upon.

Only with consistent behavior is credibility established, trust given and influence earned. Stop believing the lies and start doing the work required to earn influence and see success in your career.

Categories
Best Practices Body Language Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

“This Is What Happens When You Abuse Compliments” – Negotiation Insight

“Compliments like smiles wear off if extended too long.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

(Click to get the book)

 

“This Is What Happens When You Abuse Compliments”

“You know what he was saying, right?” “He was complimenting me,” was the response. To which the retort was, “he said, you looked interesting, as a black man in a gold Mercedes. He wasn’t complimenting you. That was mockery! What did he want from you? I’m sure he was trying to persuade you to do something.”

 

Even if unintended, compliments tend to persuade the receiver to adopt a particular view of the sender. And in most situations, that opinion tends to be favorable. Even when an insidious compliment comes from an opponent, it can shift the trajectory of the interaction. Thus, with the best of intent, if you abuse the usage of complements, they can produce more harm than good.

Here’s what to consider when complimenting someone – especially if you don’t want to incur a backlash.

 

Listening/Hearing

Listen to what you’re hearing, and for what’s not said. That means, to understand the intent of the compliment better, seek to glean insight by observing the sender’s body language and other nonverbal cues. As an example, if the praise was about you, as the black man and the gold Mercedes, you might have detected the tone of the accolade, body language gestures that accompanied it, and any statements made immediately after that. That degree of awareness would have increased your intuition from which to assess the intent and sincerity of the compliment. After that, if you thought it was a mockery, you might have pushed back on its genuineness, or sought clarification about its intent.

If you compliment someone, and you sense they misperceive it, don’t offer another one to bolster the one before it. Make your sincere intent known about the initial one you made. If you don’t do that, you’ll continue slipping down a slope that could pull you deeper into a chaotic mess of unbelievability about your future compliments.

Tip – When in question, always listen intently to how something’s said, the body gestures and sounds that accompany it, and what precedes and follows it. By doing so, you’ll be able to discern better the intent of the words spoken.

 

Abuse of Compliments

Another concern to be mindful of, as the sender or receiver of compliments, is its frequency. If you’re overly infusive with your compliments, it can make you appear as though you may be ‘sucking up’ to someone. To that end, you should understand the personality of the individual to whom you’re complimenting. Some people don’t like the attention to themselves that compliments bring.

If you’re on the receiving end of compliments, once again, understand their intent. Question their validity, what the intention is to make you feel or do, and where the sender may be going with them. While some people are genuinely pleased about an aspect of your being, which causes them to extend a compliment to you, some know how to use tributes as a sly form of manipulation. If there’s any manipulation to occur, you should be the dapifer that determines when it happens. The point is, control all attempts when someone is attempting to manipulate you!

Suffice it to say, if you compliment someone, you should know the purpose of it, and so should the person to whom you give a compliment. The assessment and balance of your interactions and relationship will hang on that scale.

 

Complimentary Points To Consider

To give a compliment that has more pizzaz, consider these factors.

  1. Make your compliments personal. The more they address specific characteristics a person possesses, the higher the chance of it having a more impactful impression.
  2. Try to avoid compliments that speaks to someone’s physical appeal. If they possess a physical trait that’s genuinely appealing, they’ve more than likely heard what you’re saying from other people, which will lessen your compliment. Instead, focus your praises on their achievements and/or something about their demeanor that’s pleasing to you.
  3. When giving a compliment, highlight someone’s strengths. While you might say, “don’t worry, you’re getting better.” An endearment such as that can ring hollow. Instead, you might say, “you have improved significantly!” That type of statement has more energy in it, and it’s more uplifting.

Reflection

When extending praise, understand your intent, which means have a purpose in mind for why you’re offering it. It’s okay to compliment someone with a sincere intent in mind. Just be sure that they perceive it as such. If you sense that they don’t, make your meaning known by stating your intention and rectifying any ambiguity. The better you become at providing perceived sincerity when complimenting someone, the more the receiver will be enriched by them. That will bode well for you, your communication abilities, and the enhancement of your persona.

It’s always nice when you can genuinely compliment someone. Delivered and perceived in the right way, both you and the other person will get a good feeling stemming from your graciousness. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

#compliment #abuse #csuitenetwork #thoughtcouncil #Bodylanguage #readingbodylanguage #Negotiations #Control #Conversations #NegotiationStrategies #NegotiationProcess #NegotiationSkillsTraining #NegotiationExamples #NegotiationTypes #ReadingBodyLanguage #BodyLanguage #Nonverbal #Negotiate #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #Negotiator #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #BodyLanguageExpert #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #GregWilliams #success #negotiation examples #Negotiation strategies #negotiation process #negotiation skills training #negotiation types #negotiation psychology #Howtowinmore #self-improvement #howtodealwithdifficultpeople #Self-development #Howtocontrolanegotiation #howtobesuccessful #HowToImproveyourself

 

Categories
Human Resources Management Negotiations Sales Women In Business

“Here’s How To Stop Biases From Killing Your Negotiation” – Negotiation Tip of the Week

“A bias, like a virus, can be devastating if left untreated.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

(Click to get the book)

“Here’s How To Stop Biases From Killing Your Negotiation”

 

What’s your perception of the word, bias – is it good or bad? What thoughts does that word conjure up in your mind?

He negotiated with people from all ethnic and social backgrounds. And sometimes, his efforts were thwarted at the negotiation table. There always seemed to be something he’d not considered about the personality and history of the people with whom he’d negotiated. In some cases, he realized he wasn’t negotiating with someone; instead, they were negotiating against him – there’s a mindset difference between ‘with’ versus ‘against.’

And then, one day, the thought dawned on him. I’m not considering the biases of those I’m encountering at the negotiation table. And I don’t like how I feel when I think of the word, bias. I’ll think of it as being someone’s preference in the future. With that small mental shift, from that point forward, his mentality shifted. And that allowed him to alter how he negotiated with people.

The questions for you are, what biases or thoughts do you consider before entering a negotiation? And how quickly do you adopt the appropriate mental mind-shift and strategy to match the demeanor that confronts you? The thoughts you ponder and the speed at which you do will determine how successful you are.

 

Identification

  • Identify the source of biases or the label you choose for it for yourself and those with whom you negotiate. If you don’t, you decrease the probability of addressing a situation successfully.
    • Is it from a social circle? Social circles can impact a person differently than a business or a more personal relationship. Thus, when one displays an influencing preference from their social associates, they’re also revealing a choice for wanting to be accepted by those in that environment. That’s worth noting because, once you identify someone’s number one source of motivation, you’ll have insight into how you might use that person’s preferences to advantage your position (e.g., you might cite the group’s norms, and highlight that your negotiation counterpart’s viewpoint is outside of those norms. And then you might suggest that the group would not think highly of him.) You can adopt the same strategy once you identify someone’s other sources of motivation. It’s akin to identifying their Achilles heel. Once you know what it is, all you have to do is wait for the right time to exploit it.

 

  • Is it something ingrained from childhood? When intense childhood traumas or beliefs are adopted and accepted by those whose minds are impressionable, those beliefs can leave an indelible imprint on that person’s outlook about himself and others. Thus, dealing with such an individual may require more patience and understanding, especially if that’s the cause of their interaction consternation. They may display a strong preference to an unyielding point of view that sways outside the boundaries of the norm, which can serve to highlight a furthering degree of challenges you’ll have in dealing with them.

When you encounter this individual type, if such is warranted, be patient. Let this person speak and ramble to expend his thoughts. One aspect of this personality type is, he wants you to hear him. He wants others to understand him and the way he sees his world. Once he believes you comprehend his viewpoint, he’ll be more apt to open up. It’s at that point that you’ll have the opportunity to address him, his preferences, and pointing him in the direction of your choosing.

 

  • What are his norms, and how far do they extend? Another aspect to keep in mind when dealing with someone’s bias is, what rules do they abide by, and what views do they hold as truths. While some people adhere to standards, others are constrained by them, and they rebel.

Once you’ve identified this individual’s driving source, agree with them to the point of having your agreement serve your purposes. And break with them, to shock or to display strong disagreement, when it becomes appropriate. Your efforts should be geared at bonding when possible and breaking it when necessary. You’d do that to display at one point you’ll break the bond when you perceived his views to be out of bounds. If executed stealthily, you’ll lead the other person without them realizing what’s occurred. At that point, be sure not to give the impression that you’re attempting to take advantage of him. If he senses that, all trust will be lost and you would have wasted your efforts to that point.

Name It

Biases are perceptional. Thus, you should call it for what it is. It’s crucial to identify and give extreme biases a name. That cruciality in naming it becomes heightened when dealing with people that have widely separate views about an issue. Because in a worst-case scenario, when dealing with hot button issues or other inflammatory matters, logic can step aside in someone’s mind and become replaced by raw emotions(e.g., supremacy, gender, sexual preferences, etc.). Then, reasoning becomes abandoned. And that’s the reason to get everything you’re dealing with on the table, so there’s no ambiguity.

Once again, to deal with a challenge successfully, you must know the insight of that challenge. And the person with whom you’re interacting must know that you know, and he buys into, understanding what the two of you are addressing and why. Thus, the more the two of you are viewing a situation from the same perspective, even if you don’t initially agree on the severity of how things stack up, you have a point of understanding from which to proceed.

Reflection

Anytime you deal with someone, you’re also dealing with their emotions, which stem from their biases. To better deal with them, understand the basis of their preferences and how that drives their feelings and choices. Once you do, you’ll be able to control them and the negotiation. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Click here to watch a short video on controlling emotions in a negotiation.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

#Biaes #csuitenetwork #thoughtcouncil #Bodylanguage #readingbodylanguage #Negotiations #Control #Conversations #NegotiationStrategies #NegotiationProcess #NegotiationSkillsTraining #NegotiationExamples #NegotiationTypes #ReadingBodyLanguage #BodyLanguage #Nonverbal #Negotiate #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #Negotiator #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #BodyLanguageExpert #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #GregWilliams #success #negotiation examples #Negotiation strategies #negotiation process #negotiation skills training #negotiation types #negotiation psychology #Howtowinmore #self-improvement #howtodealwithdifficultpeople #Self-development #Howtocontrolanegotiation #howtobesuccessful #HowToImproveyourself

 

 

Categories
Best Practices Growth News and Politics Personal Development

Has Recycling Proved to Be Overly Tedious and Expensive?

Recently, we enjoyed an article written by Michael Corkery for The New York Times about the escalating waste crisis. Titled “Recycling Efforts Stall as the Cost Skyrockets”, he analytically examines an issue that will soon hit us right in the wallet—the cost of packaging waste disposal.

We want to talk about this because people often ask us, “What is the next big thing?” Well, it’s crucial to be aware of today’s trends in order to understand the business opportunities that present themselves.

China Isn’t Taking it Anymore

In January of 2018, China ceased acceptance of American recyclable materials. The plastics and cardboards they were looking for were mixed with too much waste for recycling to make sense. The nonprofit Recycle Across America’s Mitch Hedlund says, “Recycling has been dysfunctional for a long time. But not many people really noticed when China was our dumping ground.”

Recycling costs continue to skyrocket without a buyer. More recyclable materials end up in landfills, and municipal governments are pressured to raise taxes in order to cover these increased costs and find a better solution. Some cities are actually using incinerators, but residents are worried about air pollution. This is not an effective long-term solution.

Not a Level Playing Field

Producers of CPG products are especially feeling the pressure. Until now, they haven’t had to worry about the cost of recycling or disposing of their packaging. Their argument has two points:

First, they can argue that only a small percentage of customers will actually pay for sustainable alternatives, despite a larger number calling for them. We think this will no longer be the case, especially considering a recent Nielsen report on the subject. If cities start raising taxes to cover waste disposal costs, won’t this mean the consumer pays more for products anyway?

Second, CPG producers argue that they can’t compete with businesses that sell unsustainable packaging options. Yes, industry hates government control, but it seems to be the only thing that could level the playing field. What if disposable packaging was illegal? What if businesses were legally required to use reusable, returnable, or biodegradable options instead?

Confusion

There’s also the debate about what is actually considered “recyclable” or “sustainable”. If a recycling waste company moves their waste offshore instead, will it really be recycled? And if the only recycler in the area significantly raises their rates, what then? Many cities have already started subsidizing recyclers. And, if a type of plastic is turned into materials that can be reused for clothing, for example, what happens to the fibers after that use? Does the plastic residue become a more complicated problem? Now that China isn’t taking our recyclable wastes anymore, it’s suddenly our challenge to reuse them, dispose of them, or just find a better alternative.

“One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure.”

This problem isn’t going away. It will just get worse. The obvious business opportunity that presents itself is to fix this problem.

We write about entrepreneurs who face these issues head-on to get ahead of the curve. Bonnie always says, “If you want to change the world, put a buck on it!” Or, go into business with a solution that’s less expensive than the more unsustainable option.

TerraCycle is an example of how to profit from finding the answer to this problem. They get right to the source. They’ll produce a reusable packaging system to be used by major brands. Their packaging will emerge in the market this year. If you have a sky-high garbage bill, wouldn’t you prefer packaging that doesn’t produce waste?

Synova is another example of a great, profitable solution. They come in at the other end of the process, at refuse facilities. They gasify plastic and bio waste through a proprietary process instead of incineration or burial, and use the resulting gas to produce power. The gas ends up offsetting the cost, therefore eliminating waste!

Just like these trendsetters, we want this article to encourage and inspire CPG companies to address every part of this problem, from packaging choices, to distribution, to collection, to waste elimination and power production. The next big thing is sitting right in your garbage can!

For more, read on: http://c-suitenetworkadvisors.com/advisor/michael-houlihan-and-bonnie-harvey/

 

Categories
Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

“Do You Know How To Overcome Abusive Gauntlet Attacks” – Negotiation Insight

“You can be put upon by abusive behavior in the time it takes a snake to strike. To avert such gauntlets, know the snake you’re dealing with and where it may lay in wait for you.” – Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

(Click to get the book)

 

“Do You Know How To Overcome Abusive Gauntlet Attacks”

 

Two people were sitting across from one another at the negotiation table.  And one said to the other as he stood to leave, that’s the best damn offer you’re going to get from me. My supporters and I will ruin you if you don’t take my deal.

Such occurrences can happen in any environment. And the gauntlet tossed before you can come in ever-increasing degrees. Some can be chilling and fraught with an abusive tinge, while others may have a tint of seduction attached to them. There are a lot of variables to consider. So, what might you do in that situation?

 

Point of Challenge

Someone has served you (i.e., offered a challenge)! Now what? How should you handle the test before you? Should you back away, readily accept it, or is there something else you might do? The answer to how you should proceed is, it depends.

When confronted with a challenge, some people shrink, and others rise to the occasion. The pending point as to the direction you choose is dependent on your personality and the form of the challenge that’s before you. Some points you might consider are:

 

Assessment

  • Ask yourself, what’s the intention of the challenger? There’s always a source of motivation behind the actions of people. Even when a person says they don’t know why they’re doing something, they’re motivated and moved to take action by some stimuli. Thus, if you can identify what that source is, you’ll have a more significant understanding of what’s motivating them to adopt the action they’re perpetrating against you.

 

  • Another question to pose is, who do the person’s actions serve, himself, or a more substantial body? An additional point to consider is what forces are behind the perpetrator’s actions against you. And assess if those actions are born out of folly, or do they possess a more sinister intent. That assessment will not only give you insight per how you might refute his actions. It’ll also indicate the forces aligned against you.

 

  • There’s something else to consider. And that is, is this person being used as a puppet by a puppeteer that wishes to remain anonymous? If so, you may have a more significant challenge than you initially assessed. If you believe that to be true, dig hard and deep to uncover who and what that source might be. You can’t determine the best action to take if you’re not aware of who or what is confronting you.

 

Possible Responses

  • Opponents’ strong points – When considering someone’s capabilities, related to them putting forth a challenge, I suggest you start by evaluating their strong points. The reasoning is, if you know the degree of their strength, you’ll have a better understanding of the resources they might marshal against you. You should consider that support, the quickness at which they can gather those forces, along with the potency of them. With that judgment completed, you’ll have greater insight per what powers you might want to assemble to combat him and his allies’.

 

  • Opponents weak points – Sometimes, a challenger will issue you a summons in an attempt to enhance his persona. It can be something akin to an attempt to dethrone the one that sits atop of the preverbal pile, you. Thus, again, you should identify the motivation that’s causing this person to engage you. You should also not dismiss that individual type out of hand. Because they can possess a hidden danger in the form of being or doing something irrational – something you don’t anticipate. And sometimes, dismissing them may be perceived as mockery, which would serve to heighten their attempts to dethrone you.

 

In either case, try not to over or underestimate the forces against you. The more accurate you are per your assessment, the higher the possibility you’ll have of competing against it successfully.

 

Response Timing

Depending on a situation, if you don’t perceive it to be dire, you can take a wait-and-see position. This approach will allow time to point the direction the challenge might take. If you adopt this strategy, be sure to monitor it regularly. You don’t want it to become dire due to your lack of attentiveness.

On the other hand, if the challenge requires an immediate response, consider where a hasty action might take you and how quickly you can marshal the forces needed to support your efforts. That means, measure how you’ll respond before doing so. Don’t initiate a massive undertaking when a smaller one might suffice.

The degree of your response will carry with it your perception of the seriousness of the gauntlet. Thus, your comeback should be one that meets your objectives without signaling any angst that might be associated with it. Too strong of a rebuttal will indicate just that, there was angst in your calculation, which might give the perpetrator more incentive to become more dogmatic with his challenges. Correctly apply the right force, and you’re more than likely to subdue his efforts without further recourse from him.

 

Reflection

Avoiding an abusive situation can be a daunting gauntlet to overcome. But, it doesn’t have to be if you adhere to the suggestions mentioned. If you choose to adopt the recommendations, you’ll increase your odds of quietly admonishing your foe without riling him or his supporters. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

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Categories
Entrepreneurship Personal Development

Revving Change in the On-Demand Transportation Economy

Bill George witnessed a lot of change during his many decades in the ground transportation industry—he’s owned cab companies since 1984. But now, George is the one driving the change.

From the printing press to the iPod to Reese’s peanut butter cups, some of the best “new” inventions combine already-existing products or ideas. And that’s just what George did. He capitalized on shifting consumer expectations by combining the best taxi service model with the best technology. The result? A new hybrid brand of on-demand transportation called zTrip.

It would be an understatement to say George has ridden it to success. The “new face of taxi,” zTrip is now the country’s largest private passenger ground transportation company, operating in cities across the U.S. as well as through affiliates worldwide.

On the latest episode of my Talking Business Now podcast, George shares how his father encouraged him to bring new ideas to the table as they worked together—although George admits it sometimes led to some “knock-down-drag-out fights.”

He also draws on the lessons he learned from selling two businesses—and then buying one of them back. “There’s buyers and there’s sellers,” he said. “And as a seller, my advice to every entrepreneur is get enough money to happily walk away, because there’s a good chance you won’t be happy when someone else takes over this thing you’ve created.”

Although George’s innovations have disrupted the on-demand transportation industry, he’s built his company on solid, proven business principles. Tune in for George’s insights on:

  • Leveraging the disruption your competitors create.
  • How to carve out a niche and define customers.
  • Working with family—including the thunder, wonder and blunder theory of multi-generational family businesses.
Categories
Growth Personal Development

Producing Blogs with Teamwork

In a small company, all employees may share responsibility for contributing blog content. In larger companies, there may be an expectation of content contributions from various teams. In either situation, the production of blog content can be a team effort.

Do Employees Read the Blog?

This should be the first and most important responsibility regarding the blog. Each employee needs to get a feel for the content and how well it expresses the company’s mission statement.

Encourage employees to make notes on what they do and don’t like about the blog. These observations are as important as what random readers may post in response to a blog post.

Create a Blog Team

If your company is large enough, it may make sense to ask for volunteers from each team to meet regularly and form a blog team. Each member will bring the particular focus of his or her team. This also provides the blog team members with the opportunity to have a better understanding of what goes on in different areas of the company.

For a smaller company, perhaps all employees should discuss the blog as part of the company meetings.

If there is no mission statement for the blog, I would recommend going back to the drawing board and creating one. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Brainstorming a mission statement can be an effective collaborative effort for a team.

One thing that can really bring a blog together in a cohesive way is to create an editorial calendar of topics. Do keep this benchmark in mind: the overall content of a blog should be no more than 20% sales oriented. That means you need to provide 80% interesting content. Ideally, the sales-oriented material should also be interesting and not stick out like an advertisement.

You can organize your calendar by seasons, holidays, or any series of themes that make sense. Every member of the team should be responsible for coming up with ideas.

If the blog is oriented to your industry, it should have stories that affect that industry.

Don’t neglect the personal touch. Customers want to see the people behind the company.  If an employee in your company just returned from a photo safari in Africa, that might make an interesting post. Ask yourself if a story is likely to appeal to a general audience.

In general, it’s probably best to avoid listing marriages and births. However, if an employee in your company has received a significant award for an act of courage or good citizenship, do report it. Any employee news that demonstrates the diversity or civic involvement of the company is worth reporting.

Inspiring quotations always make an interesting blog post if they’re not overdone. Have a collection available. Look at quote sites, like seachquotes.com and others.

Meet to Evaluate the Blog

This is crucial. Everyone who participates in working on the blog should be reading the comments carefully—and, of course, responding thoughtfully.

Working from internal and external sources of feedback, the people on the team can figure out if they’re on track, especially if they’re fulfilling the blog’s mission statement. If they need to correct course, they can have a brainstorming session about how to accomplish this.

The most important thing is to keep the spirit of this discussion collaborative and cooperative.

A company blog is one of the faces the business shows the world. When the work on it is well organized with a team approach, it can also help to bring the diverse elements of the organization together.

Pat Iyer is a C Suite Network Contributor, one of the original 100 contributors. She has written over a thousand blogs since 2009. As an author, editor and ghostwriter, Pat helps her clients share their brilliance without having to do all of the work. Reach her at WritingToGetBusiness.com.

Categories
Best Practices Growth Personal Development

Blogging: It Does Not Have to be Daunting

As with any form of writing, some people keep themselves from blogging by allowing themselves to get overwhelmed with the details. Is this you? You enjoy reading blogs, but the idea of writing one may throw you.

You want to write a blog? You need to write a blog for your company? What’s stopping you? This is not a rhetorical question. I want you to ask yourself what stands in the way.

Here are some of the answers I’ve heard.

  • “It’s a big commitment.”
  • “You have to do it every week—at least.”
  • “I don’t know what to write about. How does anyone think of all those article subjects?”
  • “No one will read it on my company site.”

They’re all objections, and if you’re convinced of their truth, you’ve proven your point. You shouldn’t start a blog.

Some of us, though, come up with those kinds of answers to talk ourselves out of projects. If you’re on the fence about this and would like to explore the idea of writing a blog, let’s look at the objections above, one by one.

“It’s a Big Commitment.”

Try removing the word, “big.” It looks smaller, doesn’t it?

It’s a commitment, but keep the following in mind:

  • It’s not like getting married or having a baby.
  • You only must come up with 300 words. Of course, some blog posts can be longer, but 300 words is the minimum.
  • No one is going to die if you don’t post for one week. You also can write a couple of blogs at a time when you are on a roll, and schedule them to appear when you want them to show.

“You have to do it every week—at least.”

It’s a good idea, if you can do it, to post every week. I’ve blogged either 1 or 2 times a week for 10 years. I’ve written thousands of blogs for legal nurse consultants, attorneys, and patients. Don’t get intimidated by that number: you start where I started – with the first blog.

Seth Godin, blogger par excellence, posts every day. I think that is not a realistic or desirable goal for most business owners. I’d rather see you marketing and generating income and reserving an hour a week for blogging.

And yes, you can do it for an hour a week if you are organized and keep track of your ideas for blogs. Focus on blogging regularly, and increase the frequency to whatever is comfortable for you. A lot of your comfort, though, will depend on whether you can change your mind about the next answer on the list.

“I don’t know what to write about. How does anyone think of all those blogging subjects?”

Alternate wording of this objection: “I never could (know what to write about).” You’re right about that if you think, “One year of blog posts every week is 52 subjects. I can’t think of 52 subjects.” Break it down into manageable pieces. Don’t think about a year; think about one month. That’s four articles. You can do four articles.

To make sure that you can (and to even put you in the running for 52), allow yourself preparation time. See what other people in your niche write about in their blog posts. Free-associate, brainstorm. And never copy their blogs. That is plagiarism and could get you in BIG trouble.

Brainstorm topics. Write down every idea you can come up with. Do not censor. Write, write, and then write some more. Use the power of your fellow company employees to brainstorm topics.

This file is your gold mine. Every time you get an idea for your blog: when you’re shopping, waiting at the dentist’s office, write it down. Use the back of a shopping list or any available piece of paper or a note on your phone. Or send an email to yourself with the idea. Make sure it’s legible, though—no “sttnhm pof, artiiop!!!”

You are surrounded by topics and team members who can contribute their ideas.

“No one will read it on my site.”

Not at first. You will need to promote and publicize your blog. Search engine optimization is crucial. Your goal now is to think about what you want to write and then use that for blogging.

Once your blog is ready, you will share it on your website, LinkedIn, your business page on Facebook, and to your list of clients and prospects. You’ll get comments, which will encourage you to keep writing.

This blog is extracted from Pat Iyer’s book, 52 writing Tips: Fast and Easy Ways to Polish Your Writing. Find it on Pat’s website, WritingToGetBusiness.com. Pat is one of the original 100 C Suite Network Contributors.