Be Different or be dead

January 10, 2022

How process-focused leaders are relentless at delivering great results

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How process-focused leaders are relentless at delivering great results.

As I’ve said many times before, standout brilliant leaders think more about execution than the contents of the plan itself.

They spend endless hours and days figuring out how the organization’s business plan can be flawlessly implemented.

They believe execution precision is a key competitive advantage, whereas most other organizations focus on getting their strategy ‘perfect’ and run out of gas when it comes time to determine their execution fundamentals.

They are the Strategy Hawk in the organization who lives and dies by how the strategy is progressed and how results are achieved.

Process thinkers

One trait that these execution leaders possess rarely gets attention is their process-thinking ability.

Audacious leaders are extremely competent process thinkers.

Why is process thinking important?

Because results are always produced by people working horizontally ACROSS the organization rather than vertically within it.

Marketing may create an unbelievable small business value package solution, but if it’s not presented to the target customer in the right way OR if there’s no inventory OR if it’s not delivered seamlessly, OR if it doesn’t work as promised, sales targets are missed and the package dies on the vine.

So, if you’re the VP Marketing, you might be tempted to judge your worth in terms of the creative products your team comes up with or the added features that add value to your current product line.

But if you’re serious about the performance of the organization and not just marketing, you must consider the complete go-to-market performance of marketing’s work as a fundamental part of your role.

Silos don’t deliver stuff to customers, cross functional teams do.

Process-thinking leaders are exceptional at performing these tasks:

#1. Process definition — They define the one or two key processes in the organization that determine the sales success of their products and services.
The idea is to define the processes that hold the key to delivering a product to market and therefore are critical for revenue generation.

#2. Process ownership — They assume ownership of the key processes they’ve defined, filling a void that exists in every organization.

Who owns the product delivery process in an organization? Who is that single person who should be held accountable for the process outcome and overall performance?

The truth of the matter is that in most organizations—I can’t think of ONE exception—a process is never owned by a single function because it involves employees of several separate functions.

The process-thinking leader steps up to take ownership of the processes critical to their performance.

As VP marketing, I assumed the Owner role of the installation process for one of our data services because the process was essential to my revenue line and because there were performance issues with getting the service to our customers quickly and seamlessly.

No one else wanted the messy task so my executive colleagues were happy to let me take on the work to assemble a high quality team representing every piece of the process puzzle.

#3. Process mapping — They map out these processes to clearly understand how the current process works with particular emphasis on the number of hand-offs and on the complexity of the work that is performed in each node in the process.

In the marketing case, for example, the VP might define the product configuration process—preparing the software for the small business product—as key to sales, and HOW configuration is presently done and what the work looks like in terms of its complexity.

Mapping is a revealing piece of work, because it shows the potential break points where things could go terribly wrong and negatively impact go-to-market performance in terms of time and quality.
Too many nodes—handoffs—in the process impacts product delivery time to the customer, and complicated work at various nodes could cause work errors.

#4. Process re-engineering — They take the lead in making the processes they define more effective—producing exactly what is required— and efficient—supplying it when the customer wants it.

Process-thinking leaders micromanage the processes that matter to them; they assume the responsibility to do so.

They transform ‘as-is’ process maps into ‘new state’ processes by simplifying the process—reducing the number of hand-off points—and the work done at each process node.

And these re-engineering leaders are different from others who have been schooled in the science of process management. They engage their customers in the design of the new process, believing that the optimum system is one that enables customer engagement not controls it.

#5. Objectives and measurement — They set end-to-end objectives for each process they manage in terms of time and result.

The delivery process for our small business package, for example, might be tagged with the objective of having the product in the customer’s hands 24 hours after the order has been placed.

In addition, an objective is set for each component of the process—order received, order passed to configuration team, configuration done, delivery team advised—adding up to the overall 24 hour objective which has been ‘approved’ by the customer.

Finally, measurement systems are designed and put in place for the Owner’s constant scrutiny and follow up.

Takeaways

Leaders who are truly dedicated to strategy execution need to own the key processes that influence their results.

They need to step up and assume the responsibility even though the process owner function is not formally part of their job description—the VP marketing, for example, doesn’t have product delivery process ownership anywhere in the document that defines their role in the organization.

Yet if the leader wants better results, they have to get involved and follow the 5 simple steps I’ve outlined in this piece.

Own the process—engage the customer—design a new one—measure the hell out of it—keep tweaking it—watch your performance soar.

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

‘Audacious’ is my latest…

• Posted 1.10.22 at 04:05 am by Roy Osing
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January 3, 2022

Why new dauntless sales methods should replace the old tired ones

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Why new dauntless sales methods are necessary to replace the old ones.

Everyone knows what sales is, right? After all every one of us is exposed to the selling process almost every day of our lives so we must understand what it is and how it works.

The traditional role of sales is focussed on ‘the transaction’, the exchange of a product or service for money.
And within this context, the challenge for any salesperson is to get more efficient at making a successful transaction.

Old tired sales methods

So traditional sales teaching is populated by such topics as:

- The cold call.
- Funnel management.
- Conflict resolution.
- Client resistance.
- Competitor analysis
- Time management.
- Sales metrics.
- Closing the deal.
- Forecasting.
- Product knowledge.

All of these topics are intended to enable the sales person to ‘push’ as many products as they can from inventory into the hands of the client and make the sales process more efficient—selling the maximum number of products in the shortest time possible.

The issue with the traditional sales model is that if we are teaching every sales person these same ‘micro-selling techniques’, what distinguishes one salesperson from the other? What makes one particular sales person special enough that the client decides to buy from them over and over?

The way it’s done today is that the masters of micro-selling consistently achieve their quota—they sell the most—and they are given a large pay bonus and most likely a free trip to some exotic place as their award for being the ‘Salesperson of the Year’.

In today’s world, the standout salesperson is recognized by their organization as the one who consistently sells the most.

That’s how they distinguish themselves—they push the most FROM the organization TO the client.

This traditional view of ‘What makes a great salesperson’ is not only short sighted—the focus on annual sales adds limited long term value—it’s narcissistic—the organization rewards itself and often to a great extent leaves the client out of the equation.

The traditional view of sales needs to be replaced with more of a client-centric approach. The historical product-centric paradigm of sales worked when technology was ‘primitive’, when clients’ needs were relatively simple and when competition was not so fierce.

Back then, clients were happy to get their basic needs met and were ok with having the product as the main focus of the sales engagement process.

But not any more.

Today, clients are barraged with salespeople representing a myriad of companies all claiming to be ‘client saviours’ offering the lowest prices and the best quality products.

Who does the client believe with all this noise?

Well, I can tell you that the sales rep who has been the cream of the crop by mastering micro-selling techniques doesn’t stand a chance in this world because clients see their behaviour for exactly what it is: self-serving, egotistical, insincere, dishonest and no different that the person who pitched their proposition to them a few minutes ago.

Today, clients are looking for a salesperson who is consumed with finding out what the CLIENT needs, wants, desires and craves and who is prepared to invest their time to discover them.

If you’re not selected by the client to serve them, what good are all the micro-selling tools you learned?

Right.

Client-centered sales isn’t about products and services; it’s about communicating a sales proposition to the client that is unique and different from the competition.

“I got top marks in Conflict Resolution” doesn’t get you much if the client is faced with giving their $MILLION business opportunity to 1 of 5 hungry competitors all hungry for their business.

Competitive context is missing

What’s missing is the competitive context within which micro-sales methods can be meaningfully practised. It’s the framework, if you will, that defines how the competitive game will be played and hence how the sales process must be designed in order to win sales.

Competitive context, the way I think about it, is the declaration of what your organization does to beat the competition and secure the customer.

In practical terms, my method of declaring competitive context for any organization is to create ’The ONLY Statement’ that defines why someone should buy from you and not the other guy. addresses the need for organizations to be specific in terms of what makes them special in a field of competitors.

The ONLY Statement is a declaration of what you uniquely do to serve what your targeted clients need want and desire, and is expressed like this:

‘We are the ONLY ones that…’

Here are two examples of ONLY Statements I helped clients create for their organizations:

▪️“We are the ONLY team that provides integrated safety solutions that go beyond the needs of our customers ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. We are committed to growing our customer’s business. We ONLY serve safety.”

▪️“We provide the ONLY solution that permanently stops people from depositing biohazard contaminants through manhole covers.”

Sales organizations need to press executive leadership to create The ONLY Statement that sales can use, or if that’s not possible for whatever reason, sales should create ONLY for themselves to use.

‘We are the only sales team that…’ would be an extremely useful way to move from products to a client-centric approach.
It would force thinking around what really matters to their clients—their wants and needs—and how sales intends to deliver them.

ONLY-selling methods

Depending on the client wants and desires sales intends to respond to, ONLY-selling techniques include topics such as:

- ’Secret’ gathering.
- Client intimacy.
- Being a strategic force.
- Losing the sale.
- The old sales model is dead.
- The new sales roles.
- Caring sales.
- Discovering client ‘leaners’.
- Why you should stop selling.
- Sales listening skills.
- The Sales Report Card.

Sales efficiency in a product-push context is short sighted and doesn’t add any sustainable value for organizations.

Strategic sales in a competitive ONLY-context is the only real way to survive and thrive in the long run.

Start teaching ONLY-selling ways now.

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

‘Audacious’ is my latest…

• Posted 1.3.22 at 04:13 am by Roy Osing
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December 27, 2021

6 important things we need to teach kids for success

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6 important things we need to teach kids for success.

How well are we preparing our kids to be successful?

Are we teaching them the abilities necessary to enable them to solve the unique challenges of today’s complicated world, or are we merely promulgating the facts, figures and methods of learning that have been practiced for hundreds of years?

I believe our kids need more than what they get from school; they need an extra shove toward these 6 skills and competencies that are more critical for success today than ever before.

#1. Look beyond the classroom

Kids are super focused on learning what their teachers have to offer; mastering the curriculum is their prime objective. But, while this is essential, it shouldn’t be all consuming.

Like sports and other recreational activities, there needs to be room for kids to engage more with the world around them; to explore the problems, opportunities and challenges that are integral to the context within which they live.
And to think about how what they are learning could apply to making things better.

At a very young age, kids need to be challenged to apply what they’ve learned. They need to understand that success is more than learning what’s in textbooks; it’s more about how knowledge is used to achieve something useful and amazing.

#2. Question what you see

It’s important to cultivate curiosity in young people; to encourage them to not automatically accept what they are told — even from teachers.
They need to ‘ask to understand’ and to be able to see the broader implications of the information being presented to them.

Successful people don’t blindly accept what is given to them. They look, listen, probe, inspect and examine what they see and then decide whether to accept or not.

‘Ya, but…’ should be encouraged in kids because it represents a thinking process that is stretching information to another dimension. It shows they are wanting to understand more than what they’ve heard; that the facts presented to them don’t go far enough to satisfy their curiosity.

#3. Think outside the lines

Our children need to be encouraged to be uncomfortable with compliance; to view rules not as limitations on what they can achieve, but as guidelines to enable them to seek rich solutions to difficult problems.

Schools make this difficult because they insist students conform to the rule-set being taught, with success measured by how well someone follows them. An ‘A’ student is better at following the rules, for example than an ‘C’ student.

Successful people constantly look for opportunities to break away from the way the crowd sees things because they realize that being different is the source of high performance.

#4. Help your friends

A successful career is not a solo effort; it is built on a platform of support from many people. Unless someone has the respect and trust of fellow professionals and peers, they are likely to travel a bumpy road as they try to advance in any organization.

At an early age kids need to be taught to be team players and be encouraged to help their friends. This enables them to learn the skills required to build support and respect the unique capabilities of other people.

#5. Keep learning

The school curriculum should be viewed as entry level learning; the lowest level of knowledge that should be mastered in any given grade.

Kids should be encouraged to learn more than what they are being asked at an early age in order to develop the continuous learning competency.

Long term career success requires an ability to adapt to the changing circumstances around us, and the ability to be constantly in the learning mode is the critical ingredient to allow this to happen.

#6. Be different

It’s essential.

Schools and parents are uncomfortable with kids who are not like their friends and others in their peer group.

When Roy stands out and attracts attention, teachers often notice through a negative lens — ‘that’s not what I taught you’ — and parents criticize because of their discomfort — ‘why can’t you do what you’re told like your classmates?’

This reticence to allow our kids to stand apart and separate themselves from the herd has long term consequences.

All the successful people I know are not herd members; they don’t spend their life trying to be like everyone else — they don’t believe that copying what others do is relevant and useful to adding value in the world.

Let’s give our kids an early start on what I consider to be the most critical element of success: the capability to exploit differences rather than the mentality of replicating what the crowd thinks.

How about a class topic once a month on ‘What one thing could I do that is different from what we have been taught?’ Have fun with the topic. Teach kids that it’s ok to step out and be special.

Reading — writing — arithmetic competency is the baseline for developing our kids, without which they will likely never reach their full potential.

Helping others — continuous learning — being different — questioning — thinking outside the lines, on the other hand, represents the capabilities they need to standout from others and be successful.

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

‘Audacious’ is my latest…

• Posted 12.27.21 at 05:17 am by Roy Osing
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December 26, 2021

7 proven ways to make your marketing stunning and unbeatable

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7 proven ways to make your marketing stunning and unbeatable.

Marketing is practiced in the same way by most organizations; typically marketers adopt efficiency tools to perform the detailed tasks of their profession. They are infatuated with the minutiae of their world.

There are, for example, keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest,  site usage tools such as Hotjar, email marketing tools like Active Campaign and many many more.

Today, there are so many tools available that overwhelmed marketers have a difficult time choosing one that best fits their particular circumstances.

But the real problem is that with everyone searching for the toolset that will make them more efficient at performing marketing tasks, the specific strategic actions that will enable them to stand out in the crowd are often overlooked and given a low priority. In some organizations they are ignored.

Efficiency is a laudable goal, but what organizations need from marketing are strategic tools; tools that will make them different from every else and give them a strategic advantage in the marketplace.

Marketing is not a tactical resource, it’s a strategic one.

These are the actions that different marketers take to add strategic value to their organization and make their marketing efforts stunning and unbeatable.

#1. They don’t care about new customers

They treat existing loyal customers as the lifeline of the business. They choose to reward loyalty with special deals and promotions before offering them as an incentive for people to leave their current supplier.

‘Deals for loyalty’ is the mantra that drives the offer development process and additional revenue is generated by creating programs for current customers as opposed to adding new customers.

#2. They bring service in

They introduce service elements into the marketing value proposition mix, realizing that if the right service umbrella doesn’t overshadow the specific product being offered, there is no positive outcome.
If someone can’t easily get their solution with care and attention, they won’t buy or stay.

And they differentiate various levels of service to reflect the value of various customer groups. For example, a dedicated ‘Chairman’s Club’ 1-800 line is provided exclusively for those customers who are top spenders.

#3. They ignore technology

They are agnostic to technology; they focus on the value and benefits the technology delivers rather than on the technology itself.

Current marketing is infatuated with gee-wiz technology and uses it to declare a competitive advantage.
So, for example, a communications company mistakenly assumes it is unique among their competitors if they use 5G technology yet the technology is available (and eventually will be used by) everyone in the business.

Unmatchable marketing, on the other hand, positions their organization as unique in how they employ technology to solve customer problems or enhance their quality of life.

#4. They covet ‘The ONLY’

They ask the question,’Why should I do business with you and not your competitors?’ guide them in developing the competitive strategy of their organization.

They avoid using ‘better’, ‘the best’  and ‘number 1’ to declare their competitive position; rather they use the ONLY statement — ‘We are the ONLY ones that…’ — to express their uniqueness and state why they should be chosen over their competition.

#5. They are ‘always on’

They are constantly learning what customers desire every time they touch the organization, whether it’s a personal contact or a visit to a website.
 


They are not enamored with traditional market research studies as the way to discover what people want and desire; they use a learning streaming approach that gathers relevant information on the customer every time they engage with the organization.

The smallest detail may be the most important in terms of providing the right solution, and unmatchable marketers don’t want to miss the opportunity to get it.

#6. They love ‘secrets’

They are obsessed with discovering the innermost secrets that customers hide: they aren’t really all that interested in the needs they give up freely.

Most organizations try to determine what their customers NEED and use their data to drive the marketing process. Unmatchable marketing, on the other hand, tries to get ‘under the covers’ and discover what their customers crave and lust for as the engine for what is offered to them.

If every marketing team is looking for needs, no one will stand out; they all have the same information. If they have secrets though, they will be unique and will have the opportunity to stand out from all others.

#7. They like trying

Experimentation through market trials is the beacon they use for what will really work; studies and rigorous analysis take a second seat to real market experience.

Old school marketers do exhaustive studies on the potential for a product or service and if the results are positive they go to market.

Unmatchable marketers, on the other hand, do abbreviated studies and conduct extensive trials with real customers and then move to a full market launch based on trial results and customer feedback.

The unbeatable marketers’ scorecard has ‘the number of tries’  as a key performance measure; the more tries, the better the performance. They trust what they learn from the customer experience not from what study and analysis concludes.

Unbeatable marketing is needed for organizations to win in these unpredictable and pandemic times; staying with old school ways unfortunately guarantees mediocrity, herd membership and anonymity.

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

‘Audacious’ is my latest…

• Posted 12.26.21 at 07:33 am by Roy Osing
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