So You Want to Hire a Guru?

In the old roadrunner cartoons, Wile E. Coyote had a business card. It said:

Wile E. Coyote, Genius

Now I can't say that I've been handed a business card with a "Genius" title on it. But I have come across a lot of self-proclaimed "Gurus" lately.

I'm a member of the professional networking site, LinkedIn . Just for fun, I ran a search of my network (contacts and my contacts' contacts) to see how many people call themselves gurus. I found 53. Outside of my network, there were hundreds more.

Gurus galore.

There were your run-of-the-mill gurus. Marketing gurus. Sales gurus.

And there were some highly specialized gurus. I found a "70s music guru", lots of "recruitment gurus" and a "dp api guru" who worked for a major software company.

It seems that many companies want to hire gurus as consultants, usually with a heavy price tag...to motivate the troops or work some kind of magic in the organization. Gurus are often seen as a quick fix. They are expected to fly in like bees, speak at a conference or talk to an executive team, pollinate their people with magic dust, then jettison out.

So what makes someone a guru? Here's a definition from Answers.com:

"An advisor or teacher. The term, which comes from Hinduism, refers to a spiritual teacher. 'Gu' means darkness, and 'ru' means light; thus a guru turns ignorance into enlightenment.

In the west, the term has been interpreted quite often as simply an expert in a field, whether that person helps you learn or understand anything or not."

So let's say your company is looking to hire a guru - a high-powered consultant, speaker or advisor. How do you know you're really getting a guru (someone who can turn ignorance into enlightenment)...and not some self-proclaimed genius who decided to quit corporate life and hang out a "guru" shingle?

Here are some tips for hiring a guru for your business:

• Beware of people who call themselves gurus. As my husband says, "Any self-respecting guru would be embarassed about being called a guru." (Can you imagine great people like Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein or Vince Lombardi calling themselves gurus?)

• Peel back the layers. When you think you've found your guru, ask lots of questions to make sure there's substance beneath the surface. Many consultants and "experts" talk a good game (like salespeople), but lack the smarts or common sense to deliver results. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions to make sure you've found the right person.

• Set realistic expectations. If you're expecting to hire a guru to work miracles in your organization, you're setting yourself up for disappointment (and wasted money). Be clear about why you want to bring in a guru. Is it to motivate the troops for a day? Do you want behavior or cultural change in your organization? Or do you just want a smart person to come in and talk tough to your leadership team? Before engaging your guru, ask yourself, "Is this really what we need...and will it really solve our problems?" Or are we just looking for a quick fix?
  

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

A Tale of Buyer's Remorse

Scene 1:

Our living room, the night before a sales appointment.



A few weeks ago my husband and I were in the market for new windows for our home. My husband got a referral for a window contractor and scheduled an appointment in our home at dinner time the next day. My husband told me:

- He was just getting an estimate.
- He expected the job to cost around $20,000.
- We really needed to get it done soon.

Fast forward to the end of this story...

We signed a contract for almost $30,000 that night...then cancelled the whole contract the next morning. What happened? It's a good lesson for salespeople on buyer's remorse - and what happens when you take shortcuts to close a sale quickly. Read on for the rest of the story...



Scene 2: The Set Up
Walking through the house, while Mom (me) is distracted


My husband greets the friendly salesman at the door. I'm distracted with our baby (and trying to finish some work email), so I suggest that the guys (my husband and the salesman) walk around the house and discuss the job.



I hear bits and pieces of their conversation. It sounds low-key and friendly. Occasionally my husband asks my opinion and I try my best to jump in (but my hands are literally full). He asks, "What kind of door would you prefer here?" "Should we replace the bedroom windows while we're at it?" The job was growing...but what the heck, we were just getting an estimate. Let's see what it'll cost, I thought.



Scene 3: The "Divide and Conquer" Tactic
The husband and wife try to talk in the kitchen...



When the house walk is done, my husband and the salesman sit at the dining room table to go over numbers. It comes out to over $30,000, more than $10,000 more than we'd anticipated spending. My husband and I try to talk in private in our kitchen, but the salesman can hear us. I ask my husband quietly, "Did you plan on spending that kind of money?" "I thought we were just getting an estimate." "Are you ready to sign now?" "Why don't we wait and think about this, or cut some stuff out. We don't really need all of this, do we?"



Sensing that his sale was in jeapordy, the salesman interrupted our private conversation and told my husband that "he needed to show him something in the other room." Separating the husband and the wife. One of the oldest tricks in the book!



Scene 4: The "Sign Today or Else" Threat
Back at the dining room table...



When my husband returns with the salesman, he tries to close us again by telling us what a great deal he's giving us. He says we're getting "free installation, which has a several hundred dollar value." He tells us it's because he's the company's sales trainer...and we're a referral (implying he's doing us a personal favor).



I say, "We'd like to think about it overnight. How about if we let you know tomorrow or on the weekend?"



The salesman says, "That's fine, but it'll cost you more. It's the end of our quarter tomorrow and we need to get this order in. And if I don't sign you today, I'll have to send a real commissioned salesman out tomorrow...and we'll have to tack on a commission. If you buy today, you're getting the job commission-free."



Scene 5: We Sign...But with an Escape

Haggling at the dining room table, while baby cries.


I ask if we can change our minds, if we sign today. The salesman says of course...and shows us the cancellation clause in the contract. We have three days to change our order or cancel.



So we sign, knowing that we're probably going to change the order anyway. (I know...dumb move. In hindsight, it's very clear that we should have just thrown him out the door. I don't know why we didn't.)



Scene 6: We Get Mad and Cancel
Later that evening, in the bedroom...



After dinner we're getting ready for bed and decide to put the issue to rest. We talk about what happened. As my husband and I recount the scenario, we get mad. And madder. Until we're so ticked off at the guy's sales tactics that we decide to cancel the whole job...even though the company was recommended highly and we really needed windows. We figured we could get them somewhere else. And we'd rather spend more to work with someone we trust and respect.



Epilogue
My husband and I felt good about our decision. More important, our relationship was in tact. And I took away a few lessons...

• Salespeople: Don't shortcut a sale. You might make a "deal," but it won't be a good one.


• Customers: If the sale doesn't feel right, trust your instinct. If you feel pushed, you probably are.


• Sales Organizations: Be careful about the messages you convey to your salesforce. If you pressure salespeople to close everything by the end of the quarter, you're likely to get "bad sales." They'll cost you in the long run. Reward good, solid sales that stick.

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

The Toxic Employee...Another Perspective

Yesterday I wrote a post about Toxic People. My premise was that some people are just miserable and spread negativity to everyone who comes in contact with them. Keith Harrell calls this, "toxic negativity."

Interestingly, today's CareerBuilder online newsletter has an article about the hidden costs of keeping a "bad" employee. Here's a taste:

"A bad employee can be like cancer within a company. Strong negativism, a poor attitude, backbiting, and incompetence can spread quickly within any organization. Co-workers of a bad employee notice the issues and
typically try to fight off catching the negative traits. However, such traits are contagious and can severely hurt or even kill a company. A bad employee will eventually affect your employees, customers, and product/service's quality."

This is exactly what I meant in my earlier post about toxic (cancerous) people.

What I like about the CareerBuilder post is takes a different perspective on the cause of toxic people's negativity. It points out that negativity can be caused by the workplace - specifically, a bad fit with the job. Can a perfectly happy, good person become toxic in a bad work environment, or in a job that isn't right for them? Absolutely.

Think about waking up every morning for work, with your stomach turning, knowing you've got to spend the next eight or nine hours in a place you hate. Perhaps you have an hour commute each way...two hours to stew in traffic and think about work that you despise. Or perhaps you're in the wrong job all together. You're in over your head, and you know it. Your performance isn't good, your boss knows it and so do your coworkers. You struggle to get through every work day. Could this make a normally happy person toxic and negative? You bet.

So maybe we should have empathy for negative people. Maybe they're not "bad" people after all. The trick (particulary in the workplace) is...empathize without letting them drag you and others down.

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Toxic People

Have you ever worked with a toxic person?

These are people who spread negativity. And when you let them into your workplace or your life, they are like mold. They're unpleasant, they spread their nastiness everywhere...and they're often hard to get rid of. I have one of these in my life now. Every time I think I've removed this toxic person from my life, she keeps coming back.

There's a great book by Keith Harrell called "Attitude is Everything", in which he warns about "toxic negativity" and the damage these people cause to the poor souls who encounter them. According to Harrell, these poisonous people fall into different categories:

Judges and Critics: They invest most of their time and effort criticizing and judging others (deflecting attention away from their own short-comings and unhappiness). They can be direct and outright demeaning, or they can be subtle (but no less critical).

"I wouldn't have done it that way."
"Do you really want to wear that?"
"Let me tell you what's wrong with your idea."

Professional Victims: Things always happen to them. Nothing is ever their fault.

"It's not my fault that the customer changed his mind."
"If my manager were better, I could do my job better."
"Nobody told me I was supposed to do that."
"I couldn't make any sales because you gave me bad leads."

Soap Opera Stars: These people are drama kings and queens. They thrive on turmoil, chaos and conflict. When there isn't any drama, they stir the pot to create it.

"Did you hear what Donna said about Albert?"
"I heard a rumor that there are going to be some big changes in the department!"
"I can't believe I was so wronged! How could they do this to me?!"
"I wouldn't take that. You should give her a piece of your mind!"

Bitter to the Core: According to Harrell, these people have a motto: "There's nothing worse than seeing your friends succeed." These are miserable people who are so unhappy with themselves and their lives that they want to spread their misery. They may smile and put up a friendly facade, but they'll stab you in the back and bring you down every chance they get (smiling the whole time).

"I wouldn't get too excited. It probably won't last."

"If it weren't for me, you'd never make it!"
"You got a promotion? Great! I heard you got the job because no one else wanted it."
"You're pregnant? Congratulations. My sister's pregnancy was hell. I hope yours isn't as miserable."

So what do you do when you encounter toxic people? Here are some tips, many of which I've learned the hard way, through experience.

• Don't let them in. Have you ever seen a vampire movie? If so, you'll know that one of the "rules" of vampires is that they can't enter your house unless you invite them in. (In the movies, the unwitting victims ALWAYS let them in for some reason!) Toxic people are like vampires. They'll suck the life out of you. If you see them, don't even let them in...because once they're in, they'll do damage.

• Contain them. These people need to be reigned in, or their toxicity will spread rapidly, partciularly if they're on your work team. Let them know the rules early on. When you hear an example of negative talk, criticism or rumor-mongering, address it immediately. Let them know that the behavior is not acceptable. If it's in the workplace, give them examples of how their negative behavior is impacting work performance and the morale of others. If the behavior continues, let them go.

• Create a "buffer zone". If you're forced to live with a toxic person (for example, your father-in-law) or work with one (for example, your peer in another department), you've got to deal with it. Protect yourself by creating a buffer zone. You can do this by limiting your interaction with this person as much as possible. And when you must interact with them, prepare yourself emotionally in advance. Build up your strength by doing something that makes you feel good first, like going for a long walk. Talk to someone positive beforehand, so you feel upbeat and good about yourself. Mentally prepare by saying to yourself: "I'm happy. I won't let this person get to me."

Positive attitude is a choice you can make. You can either allow yourself to get dragged down by toxic people, or you can leave them to roll around in their own mud. You choose.

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Beware Workplace Bobble-Heads (Part 2)

In a previous post I wrote about bobble-heads in the workplace. These are people - your customers, employees or managers - who bob their heads as if they're listening and agreeing while you talk.

But they're not agreeing. Their silence and blank stares are a cover for boredom, confusion, defiance, doubt or some other emotion they're not willing to share with you.

As promised, this post provides tips for communicating with head-bobbers and finding out what they're really thinking.


Know it when you see it.

Could the problem be you? When you're in a meeting, sales presentation or conversation and you're doing most of the talking, watch for the steady head bob. Look for glazed-over eyes. These are signs that you might have unintentionally lulled your audience into a head-bobbing coma (they've tuned out or decided that they disagree with you). It sounds pretty basic, but you'd be surprised how many "talkers" (salespeople, presenters, managers) get in their groove and forget that other people may not be listening.

Shut up (Let there be silence)

Silence can be as powerful as a scream. Just stop talking. The head-bobber will snap to attention.

Ask open-ended questions

This is a good follow-up to silence...the old one-two combination. Pause and let there be a moment of silence. Then ask an open-ended question to reengage the head-bobber. Some of my favorite open-ended questions (that require more than a yes/no or one-word answer) are:

• "How do you feel about this idea?"


• "What are you thinking at this point?"


• "What's your perspective on this issue?"

Ask them to summarize

You're leading a meeting. At the end, you wrap up by summarizing: "So here's what I'll do...and here's what you'll do...we'll meet again at X date...etc." And everyone else is head-bobbing while you rattle off your summary. Why not turn the tables and ask the other person to summarize what they've heard? Some good summary questions are:

• "I've been doing a lot of the talking so far. What do you feel are the most important points?"


• "What are three things that you take away from this meeting?"


• "What do you think should be our next steps?"
  

Look in the mirror

Are you a head-bobber? You may be, without even realizing it. The next time you're in a long meeting, listening to a salespitch or getting feedback you don't agree with...check yourself. Are you nodding as if in compliance because it's easier than speaking up? Ask a question. Disagree. Do yourself and the speaker a favor and just say something.

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Help Wanted: Failures

Resume

Job Objective: To obtain a position where I can leverage my significant failures.

Key Accomplishments:

• Lost a major account to the competition because I got too comfortable and assumed that the customer was happy, when they weren't.


• Hired the wrong person for a leadership position and as a result, employee engagement dropped 2% over the prior year.


• Risked $1.5 million on a new product launch that failed.
  

Fastcompany.com recently had a fascinating two-part interview with Sir James Dyson, founder of Dyson, the maker of the best selling vacuum cleaners in the U.S. by revenues. (Article part 1, part 2 ). Dyson describes himself as an inventor, who created 5127 prototypes of his vacuum over 15 years before getting it right.

Dyson says, "I've always thought that schoolchildren should be marked by the number of failures they've had. The child who tries strange things and experiences lots of failures to get there is probably more creative."

What a refreshing perspective on failure!

Another Fastcompany.com article by Richard Watson , CEO of Global Innovation Network, talks about Celebrating Failure. In the article, Watson says "Most companies -- indeed, most people -- fail more often than they succeed. It is the proverbial elephant-in-the-boardroom. And yet by being scared of failure, we are missing a great opportunity. The point about failure is not that it happens but what we do when it happens. "

Both Dyson and Watson are talking about failure in the context of invention and innovation. They argue that creativity relies on failure - and learning from those mistakes. I'll go a step further. It's not just inventors and product development specialists that need to embrace failure. Everyone in today's organization has the right, and the need, to fail. Sometimes miserably.

Unfortunately, our society encourages hiding failure. When we fail in a job, career coaches often teach us how to put a positive spin on it...or bury it all together. When politicians or corporate executives make big mistakes, their first reaction is often "I didn't know about it", "I wasn't involved" or "Someone (or something) else was to blame."

I am not afraid to say that I have failed, sometimes miserably. But one thing I can say with confidence is that I learn from my mistakes. Rarely do I make the same mistake twice. And I always use what I learn from the failure to propel me forward in other directions. Sometimes it does take two steps back to take three steps forward.

In job interviews, one of the questions I teach managers to ask is, "Tell me about a big mistake or failure you've had recently that had significant consequences." The responses you get are fascinating. Often candidates claim that they can't recall any examples (the Alberto Gonzalez defense)...or that they haven't made any big mistakes with significant consequences. These candidates are either: a) Fibbing b) Guilty of having a very bad memory (unlikely) or c) Very risk-adverse individuals who always do exactly what they're told to stay safe...and never any more.

In any case, the "I haven't had major failures" answer raises huge red flags about a candidate. I'll take the candidate that smiles and coolly tells me in great detail about a major misstep or failure...and what he/she did about it. The person that turned the situation around and landed on his/her feet, smelling like a rose, is the candidate that interests me most. This is usually the same candidate who has a track record of stellar accomplishments and success throughout his/her career.

Of course, failure has to be balanced with good judgment, forward movement and ultimately success. Here are some of my ground rules for failing successfully, with grace and brains.

• Fail quickly and cheaply if you can.
• Know the risks. When you fail, you shouldn't be blindsided by the consequences.
• Cut and run when you need to (don't hang on too long...which goes with the first bullet).
• Don't be bitter. If you lose a promotion because you failed, accept it and move on.
• Take time to think after failure. Failing to learn from failure is the only REAL failure.

What's the failure you're proudest of...and why? What good came from it?

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Beware Workplace Bobble-heads (Part 1)

We've all seen them.

They stare at you in meetings as you discuss ideas. They appear to be listening as you give them feedback. They say little. They nod their heads. (That's why I like to call them "workplace bobble-heads.")

Rarely will they disagree openly or challenge ideas. In fact, to the untrained human eye, they might even seem agreeable and pleasant. But beware. Behind that agreeable facade may lurk a hidden cynic, doubter, nay-sayer, or behind-the-scenes griper who would rather smile and nod than express him or herself to your face. Who are these bobble-heads...and what causes them to nod silently as if in agreement, even when they're not?

Customer Bobble-heads

If you're a salesperson, you've most likely met customer head bobbers. Here's the scenario. The salesperson is making an engaging presentation, with all the bells and whistles, saying all of the "right things"...and there's the customer, not saying a word but nodding (seemingly in agreement). But when the salesperson asks for the order, the customer (to the salesperson's surprise) says something like "I need to think about it" or "Thanks, can you leave me some information?"

What happened? The salesperson, who was falsely encouraged by the customer's quiet head-bobbing, assumed that the customer's silence meant the customer was ready to buy. She wasn't.

Employee Bobble-heads

This can frustrate the heck out of managers. Here's the scenario. A manager and employee are meeting to discuss a new project the employee is going to take on. The manager tells the employee all about the project in great detail (while the employee looks on and - you guessed it - nods his head as if he's listening). The manager then asks something like, "Do you have any questions for me?" And the employee shrugs and says, "I guess not."

Fast forward...it's three weeks later. The manager and employee meet for a project update. To the manager's surprise, the employee is floundering. The manager wonders why the head-bobber didn't speak up and ask questions in their initial meeting.

What happened? The manager assumed that the employee was bought into the assignment and understood it. (Fooled again by the head bob).

Manager Bobble-heads

Imagine a meeting with a group of managers. A senior executive (or someone in power) is talking. She's droning on and on - plugging through endless PowerPoint slides - and no one really knows what she's trying to say. Instead of speaking up to get clarification, the group just sits there and nods, as if in agreement...as if what they're hearing makes perfect sense. The meeting adjourns. In the hallway (after the exec leaves), the managers whisper to each other, "What do you think she meant?" and "I'm more confused than before the meeting!"

What happened? Because of fear of speaking up or looking dumb, the managers just kept their mouths shut and nodded. And no doubt, this body language from the manager group assured the senior exec that she was communicating loudly and clearly. She likely left the meeting thinking it was a success.

In my next blog (Part 2 of Beware Workplace Bobble-heads), I'll provide tips for how to communicate more effectively with head bobbers - and engage them in dialogue.

© 2007. Phyllis Roteman, The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Salespeople...Think Before You Propose!

Is all business good business?

It's always difficult to say "no" to potential business. Let's face it, when times are lean and sales goals are aggressive, it's easy to get desperate and jump at every opportunity...even when it doesn't make strategic sense for your company. Smart sales leaders are strong enough to walk away when needed. But it takes discipline.
The next time you’re asked to create a big proposal or bid on a project, stop and think. Below are some questions you can ask yourself, to ensure that the business will be good business for your company.

1. Do we know that we can do a good job and deliver value?

Making the sale is just the beginning. You can damage your reputation, lose customer confidence and get bad press if you take on work or sell solutions that don’t get results. Make sure you can actually deliver what you’re promising.

2. What are the indirect costs of working with this customer? Do the potential revenues outweigh those costs?

Some customers cost more to do business with than others. Think about those hidden costs before pricing your proposal. For example, a demanding customer that requires lots of hand-holding will add to your cost of sale…and will also cost your company time and resources (dollars) after the sale. It adds up and erodes your margins.

3. What's the opportunity cost of responding? (In other words, what can't we do if we dedicate resources to getting this business?)

We’ve all seen it. Sales teams running around like chickens with their heads cut off, falling all over themselves trying to get a sales presentation ready for a big potential client. After 20 revisions and thousands of hours, it’s ready. But at what cost? Ask yourself, “What could we have done with that time?” How many other sales calls could have been made? How many other proposals could have been written? How much time could you have spent researching other prospects? It’s important to go after the “big fish.” Just make sure you’re aware of what you’re not doing when you make that time investment…and ask yourself whether it’s worth it.


4. Is this a strategic fit with our company’s goals and values?

The promise of money and growth can easily lure a company away from its core values and strategy, leading it to make business it later regrets. Take Google and its decision to sell a censored version of its search engine in the China market (the ultimate big fish customer). Less than two years later, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said he regretted the decision because “on a business level, that decision to censor… was a net negative.” Sacrificing your values and core strategies to make a buck rarely works well in the long run - in sales and in life.

© 2007. The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.