Be Different or be dead

May 20, 2019

6 daring things brilliant ‘weirdos’ do that people in crowds can’t

Source: Unsplash

6 daring things brilliant ‘weirdos’ do that people in crowds can’t.

When someone distances themselves and steps outside of the crowd to do something different they standout.

They are noticed because they don’t conform to what people are normally exposed to — they don’t fit the mould of commonality. And they are special in some way that others are not.

What do these people do to distinguish themselves in the eyes of others from the masses of people who all blend in to one another?

1. They don’t care

... about expected norms.

As opposed to being influenced by the majority opinion they choose to be guided by a different set of standards.

My observation is that this trait is not a learned one but rather an innate instinctive leaning to not give a sh** about what people expect and to constantly push for the opposite to what is expected.

They ask “Why not?” constantly when an alternative to a commonly held thought or opinion is posed. Instead of going with the flow, their natural instinct is to breakaway and pursue a different direction.

“We’ve always done it this way” doesn’t wash with these folks; it provokes them and in fact fuels their energy to push back on the crowd mentality. They see continuing the momentum of past decisions as the reason so many problems exist in society today.

2. They hang out

... with weird people.

Like minded people tend to cluster; so these people join with other breakaway thinkers and doers to form their own tribes. Ironically they dislike the common crowd but love to create their own tribe of weirdos.

And they are attracted to places and experiences that are frequented by the different crowd. For example, you wouldn’t be surprised to see them having a burger at the Heart Attack Grill in Vegas just to witness their brethren participate in a crazy (and unhealthy) experience.

3. They are compelled

... to present a different point of view.

Compliance with crowd-think is simply not on their radar; their persona has the step out rather than a fit in trait.

Whereas the masses might advocate throwing more money at healthcare, for example, these people might suggest that the system delivering healthcare be fixed — re-engineered — first.

They would argue that it makes little sense to apply additional resources to a system that is inherently flawed; it’s wasteful of tax dollars. And of course they question everything; it’s their way of formulating an alternative point of view to something that is accepted by the crowd.

4. They don’t follow rules

... and their school report cards commented on this aspect of their class performance.

Remarks like:
“Roy is constantly challenging how things are done and distracts the rest of the class”, or “Roy on occasion breaks the school rules and doesn’t seem to understand that students are expected to conform with school policies” are ascribed to them constantly by the school establishment.

If a rule doesn’t enable logical behaviour, they resist it vehemently and press for its elimination or at least that flexibility be applied to bend it in certain circumstances. And killing dumb rules is their mantra to which they invest much of their emotional energy.

5. They make mistakes

... and are noticeable because they are proud of the number of mistakes they make.
They are naturally unafraid of taking a risk; they believe that risk taking is a necessary prerequisite to achieving remarkable progress.

And the corollary they have to this is that a high level of performance can be maintained only if someone tries a lot —> the more tries —> the more mistakes —> the more real change is accomplished.

6. They are insanely

... curious.

It’s what feeds their incessant drive to do what they do and stand apart from everyone else.
I think it’s a bit of a science gene that these special folks possess. They need to understand how things work and why things are the way they are; it’s the fuel that enables the to think differently and do different things.

Face value accounts for very little to the different ones; they accept nothing at face value but need to dive deep to know what’s really going on.
They view the current base of academic knowledge as their fodder for change.

Someone who’s not like the others loves the fact that they are slightly distant but realizes that it’s sometimes hard because the pressures to conform and NOT standout are so enormous.

Thankfully they are strong enough and persistent enough to be who they are — special, quirky, remarkable, weird, different, unmatchable, an ONLY one, distinguished and brave.

We need them.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 5.20.19 at 04:23 am by Roy Osing
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April 29, 2019

7 easy ways a salesperson can breakaway when the boss wants compliance

Source: Unsplash

7 easy ways sales can breakaway when the boss wants compliance.

The reality is that sometimes a salesperson is confronted with a culture that encourages sameness — copying best in class sales organizations, following academic pedagogy, complying with consultant expertise and conforming to internal company practices.

They feel stifled; stepping out from accepted norms in terms of how the sales job is performed is simply not an option if one is to avoid being labeled as a loner — not a team player — and if employment continuity is the end game.

So what options does a salesperson have if they want to be creative and be different but the culture says conform to established sales scripture?

Recognize that the world is not black or white; either fit in or step out are not the only considerations when faced with this dilemma.

This is the approach that I used in an organization that reeked of adhering to strict standards of performance.

No deviation here

First, define the areas of the job where conformance is expected and no deviation is tolerated.
If, for example, copying best practices is mandated for a specific sales function like funnel management in order to have everyone doing it consistently then accept it and perform the function in amazing fashion.

Freedom here

Second, look for other aspects of the sales role where compliance rules haven’t been defined. Innovate and step out in these areas.
There is ample opportunity to be different in areas beyond sales process generally where defining compliance standards is more difficult.

These simple actions worked for me to perform my role differently than others and shed the shackles of compliance.

1. Build a BE DiFFERENT brand

Build your personal brand strategy on the principle of standing out from the crowd. You need a strategy to guide your actions outside of the conformity zone.

2. Team with marketing

Lead the teamwork process with marketing to get more support for the sales team. A simple act that will benefit the entire sales organization; be known as the person who championed the cause.

3. Build strong client relationships

Be the sales champion for relationship building with clients to complement a product sales focus. Long term success requires intimate customer relationships and loyalty; create your own rules for doing this and teach your sales colleagues.

4. Be contrarian

Outside of the compliance zone, do the opposite of what you observe others doing. Eliminate “boiler plate” thinking and create your own approach. 

5. Be the best ‘secret’ gatherer

Gather customer secrets; those deep innermost desires they have but will tell only their most trusted partner. Secrets pave the way to great sales at premium prices.

6. Start a report card

Introduce a sales internal report card; rate others in how well they support the sales organization. This is an excellent way to enhance the support receives from other functions in the organization.

7. Be the customer champion

Step up to be the customer’s champion in side your organization. Be that salesperson who does whatever it takes to get an issue resolved; shield the customer from the pain of having to deal with your bureaucracy, rules and policies.

You can be different in an environment that mandates compliance and sameness?

And you can be an effective agent in changing the sales culture of your organization from a copycat to a vibrant, innovative and creative one.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 4.29.19 at 04:23 am by Roy Osing
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April 26, 2019

Really simple ways leaders can empower their employees

An empowered employee is an amazing asset to an organization, and it is a manager’s/supervisor’s job to motivate and empower their employees.

75% of employees that leave their jobs say that they don’t quit the job; they quit the boss. This shows the great importance of good management. Employee retention is literally in the manager’s hand, and consequently, so is empowerment, productivity, and success.

Understanding how your employees work best and what they enjoy doing is the most important job of a leader.
Communication is the first step towards it. Instilling a culture of communication will not only help you understand your employees but it will also create a more enjoyable workplace.
Employees are empowered when they feel like their needs and expectations are met. And when people enjoy what they do, they do it better.

Listen to them

Communication is the first step towards understanding your employees and it starts with listening. By listening and understanding what your employees need to best perform their tasks, you’ll also make them feel empowered and important.

Talk to them

Expressing your expectations and your thoughts is also an important part of effective communication between leaders and employees.
As a leader, you are expected to remind everyone of the vision of the organization so they can become a part of it. At the same time, you have to keep in mind that succeeding in what you do is the end goal. 

Help employees see their purpose

When your employees see themselves as part of something bigger and as great contributors to a bigger cause they are more likely to feel motivated and empowered.

You can do that in various training methods by explaining to them their exact tasks and responsibilities.

Address any negativity

Conflict is a sickness that harms collective groups. Managing conflict and negative behavior between employees is a leaders job.

When you begin to see a negative behavior between two employees, or between another employee and yourself, the best thing is to talk about it.
Most of the times you will find that there were misunderstandings at play, and other times you will be able negotiate a solution to the problem.

Think we & us

The reason organizations have low employee retention rates is the spirit that comes from believing that everyone is on the same team.

Treating your employees as a separate entity rather than as members of the same group can create dissatisfaction among them; when you approach them with the “we & us” attitude, on the other hand, they feel more empowered and willing to make a greater contribution to the collective effort.

Own the blame but pass out the praise

Nothing bums people out more than failure. When something goes wrong, your employees might start to feel discouraged and powerless.
As a leader, your authority comes with accountability. Owning the blame can help your employees learn from their unsuccessful attempts rather than feel beat up about them.

Present new challenges and opportunities

Challenging your employees is crucial to their development and empowerment. You can do this by training them.
Your employees can gain new skills with eLearning or face to face learning. This will provide them with new skills and knowledge.

You can also give them a task they don’t usually do but one that fits their skills and/or talents. Sit down with them and ask them what they would like to do next and what they think they’re good at.

Involve employees in decision making

The best way to empower your employees is to give them the power in decision making. That will give them confidence in their job and abilities.
By doing this you tell them that you trust their abilities and ideas. This way, you’ll have a helping hand that you can delegate to and an empowered employee that is ready to do the job.

Provide growth paths

But giving them the space to grow and make decisions might not always work. Make it easier for your employees to develop by providing growth paths. Be a mentor to them and you will not fail to empower them.

Respect their boundaries

Regardless of the power you give to your employees, it will be insufficient if you don’t respect them and their boundaries.

No matter how much you want to push your employees to develop, you have to be careful to not push them to the point where this turns into a negative experience. You also have to understand what direction they want to further develop their skills so they don’t turn off and bail out.

Don’t babysit & don’t micromanage

Most people don’t like to be treated like they don’t know what they are doing; that’s just common sense. If you babysit your employees or micromanage them, you will certainly lower their confidence and make them feel incompetent.

Constant babysitting your employees disempowers them — don’t do it.

Give them flexibility

Being a leader is all about directing your team towards success. But sometimes, the best thing you can do is give your employees the flexibility they need to best perform their tasks.
Flexibility is the greatest driver of creativity; by giving them the flexibility they need, you will succeed more.

— UJËBARDHA BEKOLLI is passionate about ongoing, self-motivated and self-paced learning. She writes for Kiwi LMS, which is a learning management platform that aims to help restaurant owners train their staff in easier and more effective ways including online courses for different restaurant services.

• Posted 4.26.19 at 04:51 am by Roy Osing
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April 22, 2019

Why are great leaders close to people on the frontline who execute?

Source: Unsplash

Why are great leaders close to people on the frontline who execute?

There is a huge misconception that remarkable leaders are separate from the common folk in an organization; that they exist in rarefied air that only the great consume.

Don’t be fooled.

Pundits push the view that distinctive leadership is extremely complicated to achieve given the knowledge silos a leader must be proficient in.

Gifted leadership is much more than being expert in the tools of the trade such as strategic business planning, risk management, organizational theory or interpersonal relations.

Yes, you have to understand the basics, but they alone will not place you in the ‘the chosen few’ of leaders.

They are merely table stakes to be in the leadership game.

My experience is that standout leaders are special due to their common folk attributes, in particular connecting with others in a casual way with honesty and integrity.

Leaders who can ‘see’ others; understand their needs and wants and are motivated by a strong desire to help them in any way they can.

Throughout my career I was pressed to conform to the standard leadership practices promulgated by experts who believed that if I followed traditional thinking more closely, I would be a better leader.

I refused. It didn’t make sense to me given the ‘in the trenches’ execution challenges facing the organization to be successful.

Organizations perform well when they execute flawlessly; people performing their assigned roles brilliantly to deliver expected results.

Achieving amazing results doesn’t exist within a strategic plan or conflict management theory.

Rather than go deeper and learn more about traditional practices, I chose to go broader and add a behavioural dimension that I believed would make the difference for the organization.

My approach was simple: to listen to the people doing the work and try to find a way to help them; to make their organizational life easier.

My game plan was to build a team that was unmatched in their ability to execute.

My style was very informal and I was approachable.

I focused more of my efforts than my peers in the workplace to understand and solve the problems preventing people from doing their jobs effectively; to break down barriers and grunge that impeded effective execution.

The upside — my teams consistently punched above its weight; the downside - my personal currency took a hit because my ‘common folk’ approach was deemed inappropriate by some old school executives.

And if I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 4.22.19 at 04:34 am by Roy Osing
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