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TIVO and The Chasm

Blair Ingle — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:00:58 +0000

If you market a product or an idea, I strongly suggest that you read Geoffrey Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm.” Even if you aren’t in business, marketing or sales, its a great insight into why we buy, what we buy, and when we buy.

The theory is based around the Law of Diffusion of Innovation. Before your eyes glaze over, the theory around the law is pretty simple.

There are 5 different stages of “adopters” or consumers:

Innovators: these are the ground breakers, the risk takers and make up 2.5%
Early Adopters: these are the consumers that believe in the product and buy on emotion, making up 13.5%
Early Majority: these are the folks who only buy when something is tried and tested, 34% of the market
Late Majority: this group will arrive once the product or innovation has long since been accepted, making up 34%
Laggards: this group has no choice but to accept the product or innovation, making up the final 16%

Here is an example of how this works. When the iPad was announced, the Innovators (2.5%) waited in line for 6 hours for the chance to pre-order. A week after the product hit the shelves and there was some inventory, the Early Adopters (13.5%) showed up. About 3-6 months after the iPad was introduced, those Early Majority (34%) consumers arrived and ordered theirs online. The Late Majority (34%) showed up this past Christmas and gobbled up all the inventory, or maybe they waited for the iPad 2. And the Laggards (16%), well, they are still waiting, and when they are ready, they will pick up their rotary phone and call Apple, or borrow an Innovator’s ancient iPad.

Here is what is important about the groups. Those Early Adopters influence the Early Majority which then influences the Late Majority. The Early and Late Majority groups make up 68% of the market. The Early Adopters are the key influencers.

And “The Chasm?” That’s the tipping point between those Early Adopters and the Early Majority; the tipping point between a small share and market domination. Your product only enters the mass market when it hits that 12-15% mark. Most marketers will tell you that you can literally trip over 10% of the market. That 10% will leave you in a heartbeat if the Early Adopters push or influence them in a different direction.

So, if you have 5% or 6% of the market, even in a fractured industry where that is the largest share, your hold is tenuous at best. You are standing on the wrong side of the Chasm. You still need to hit 15% before becoming comfortable and working on the Majority. Dig in and get back to work aggressively or suffer the inevitable consequences. Because someone else WILL jump you eventually.
Just ask TIVO, who maybe had the greatest product technology OF ALL TIME, that we all enjoy using now via DVR on our crappy Time Warner Cable boxes. TIVO nearly went bankrupt and has been passed like a turtle on the Autobahn.

Don’t be a turtle, endeavor to jump the Chasm.

Blair Ingle

“Innovative leader; man of action, influence and service everyday.”

You can read more at his website BlairIngle.com

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Aristotle Is Laughing At Me…Again

Blair Ingle — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:00:09 +0000

If he was alive today, do you think Aristotle would be busy? Do you think he would be a blogger? Would his calendar be completely booked with speaking engagements?

If you think about it, so many of the self-help gurus are really preaching practices that Aristotle and his contemporaries discussed in 350 BC. Even as I talk to people about their personal strengths and assessing their strengths, somewhere in the heavens, Aristotle has to chuckle at my feeble efforts to describe his ground breaking theories a couple thousand years later.

Look at some of his quotes and teachings:

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”
“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.”
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
“Whatever we learn to do, we learn by actually doing it: men come to be builders, for instance, by building, and harp players by playing the harp. In the same way, by doing just acts, we come to be just; by doing self-controlled acts, we come to be self-controlled; and by doing brave acts, we become brave.”

That last quote on self-development really hits home with me. You can’t improve through desire alone, you have to actually act on the self-improvement. Small strides coupled with minor setbacks, but we learn by doing, successfully and unsuccessfully. Is it any wonder that his student, Alexander the Great had such a dramatic impact on the world in his time?
What was true two thousand years ago is still true, because of the continuum of human nature. Whether you wear a suit or a toga, carry an iPhone or a wooden staff, ride a Hummer or an elephant, human truth remains.

What will you learn by doing today? Would Aristotle nod approvingly?

Blair Ingle

“Innovative leader; man of action, influence and service everyday.”

You can read more at his website BlairIngle.com

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How to Turn Clients Into Brand Evangelists

CEOConsultant — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:15:35 +0000

When it comes to growing their businesses, many entrepreneurs are missing the gold in their own backyards. They are so focused on acquiring new clients, they neglect to see the in-house sales team right in front of them.

When you turn your clients into evangelists for your brand, you’ll never have to worry about where your next client will come from.

At least 80% of my new clients come via word of mouth. Nine times out of ten, they have been referred to me by a past or current client. My “sales team” is an ever-expanding community of satisfied clients who have achieved substantial results from our work together. Because of this successful track record and because we continue to stay in touch, I am the person they recommend when someone is looking to build their brand and their authority online.

When your clients feel appreciated and understood, their expectations have been exceeded and they like and trust you, they’ll wholeheartedly recommend you to others.

Here are seven ways to turn your clients into brand evangelists:

1. Deliver more than you promise. Always ask yourself, “How can I deliver even more value?” Clients will remember when you exceed their expectations long after you’ve done so. Go above and beyond what’s expected to create a remarkable client experience.

2. Use the element of surprise. A thoughtful gift, a referral, a donation to their favorite charity, an unexpected phone call during a stressful time; these show how much you care. Put this quote in a place where you’ll see it daily, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

3. Give THEM a referral. Never forget that your clients who are in business for themselves are always looking to expand THEIR network. Make gracious introductions and recommend their businesses to others.

4. Let them know you’re open for business. Once a client has experienced winning results from working with you, make sure they know you are open to taking on new clients just like them. Educate your clients regularly on your offerings so that they are prepared to recommend you to others.

5. Remember important occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are a great opportunity to connect with clients you haven’t spoken with in a while. It’s also another chance to show them you care.

6. Say thank you – often. When was the last time you thanked a client for their business? You’d be surprised at the power of a hand-written note in today’s fast-paced digital world. Let your clients know how grateful you are to be working with them and it will be returned to you a thousand-fold.

7. Don’t be strictly business. It’s important to make an emotional connection with your clients – one that isn’t created over blueprints and graphs. When you share your passions outside of work (and encourage them to do the same), you build likeability and trust. Include your clients in your life outside of the work environment and they’ll likely do the same.

When you realize that clients aren’t a commodity, but relationships to be treasured, you’ll be well on your way to a full practice and a successful business.

“Liz Dennery Sanders is a branding visionary and successful entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, public relations and celebrity outreach. She is the CEO of Dennery Marks Inc., a nationally acclaimed brand strategy and celebrity outreach firm, and SheBrand, a company dedicated to empowering other female entrepreneurs and small business owners to build their buzz and create powerful personal brands that attract more clients. Known as the Entrepreneur’s Personal Branding Coach, Liz gives her clients the marketing and mindset tools they need to be successful and teaches them how to build confident personal brands that will resonate with their target market and garner tremendous visibility. For a FREE report, “101 Ways To Build A Powerful Personal Brand and Attract More Clients” visit www.shebrand.com.”

Business Coaching Practice of Triangulation to Improve Your Business Coaching Program

Jeffrey Sooey — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:00:48 +0000

A truly successful business coaching practice is one that achieves a triangulation of wins; for the coach, the partner and the client. The partnership of these individuals should promote win-win situations for each other.

The win triangulation springs from the capacity of a coach to influence a partner. He should be able to convince the partner to invite his client to avail of the services of the coach. Once the partner realizes the value of the coaching program offered by the coach and then convinces a client to avail of such coaching, then the process begins. The partner should convince his client that the said coach will be able to offer the services that the client needs which can’t be directly provided by the partner.

With the said partnership, you win with an increase in the number of coaching clients without having to spend for advertising fees. The partner, on the other hand, gets to split up the commission with you by referring his clients to you. The client benefits with reduced business risks and costs while experiencing increase in sales.

The Basics of Business Coaching

The basics of business coaching involve 7 steps that must be followed to create a win triangulation, and they are as follows:

Create a list of possible partners who may have clients that are interested and in need of your services.
Strategize various ways that a 3-way triangulation can be implemented.
Meet up with possible partners and present your proposal for a 3-way triangulation that will suit everyone.
Agree on what each party must deliver in the new business coaching practice you want to present to their clients.
Launch your partnership through webinars, conference calls, direct mails or product launch.
Strategize on how you can follow up leads interested in your coaching services.
Keep track of your progress which you should present to your partner to update him of the status of your partnership. This will also speed up commission splitting.

Higher Level Business Coaching Practice

Once you have your coaching clients from the partnership you established, create a coaching program with the business of the partner in mind. Supply what their clients need and want from the perspective of your partner to really cater to his client’s needs.

Jeffrey T. Sooey
CEO, JTS Advisors
Founder, Coaches Training Blog community

Helps new and developing coaches with coaching skills and client acquisition by training and mentoring them in good coaching, sales, and marketing best practices.

Works with employers on eliminating hiring mistakes and implementing best practices in hiring employees commensurate with the job attributes.

Partners with executives on growing business and working with employees by combining forces, clarifying goals and articulating strategic plans

Drawing a Line in Your Life

Blair Ingle — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:42:18 +0000

I love playing golf with my friends. Often when we play, we pair up as teams or play against each other individually. Believe me when I say that it is VERY competitive. We will usually wager something small to make it interesting.

When we compete like this, we use a way to reset the bet. Let’s say you lose the first few holes, but you are feeling pretty good about starting fresh. We use the term “draw a line” which means that we will start a new bet from that point. The previous bet is not erased, and it continues, but the new bet starts from scratch. It’s a fresh start.

Wouldn’t it be nice to “draw a line” in your life? How about in your career? How about with your team and your company?

In medieval times, there were knights of the guard that protected the king and the realm. Those knights had a commander. He would keep a journal, tracking the history, accomplishments and even the death of the knights in his command. It would start with their history prior to joining the guard and continue until they died or no longer served.

Each knight had a page, and the commander continued that page, line after line, year after year. Every heroic effort, every injury, every happening of note was built into that page.

Our lives are more than words on a page. And if our lives, loves, wins and losses were put to paper, they would be more than a page. We are, each of us, our own authors. And every day we have a chance to start with a fresh page. Yes, there are pages before and after, but we control the pen and the words that will be written on today’s page.

The question is, do you feel good enough about today to draw that line?

Blair Ingle

“Innovative leader; man of action, influence and service everyday.”

You can read more at his website BlairIngle.com

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A Case for Having a Strategy: Sustainability Reality Should Not Lag Perception

CEOConsultant — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:40:09 +0000

Machiavelli wrote that it is better to appear virtuous than to be virtuous, that leaders benefit from looking like good guys while actually doing whatever they see as best for themselves. A recent study, by Brandlogic and CRD Analytics entitled “Sustainability Leadership Report, Measuring Perception vs. Reality” seems to echo history’s most famous expert on amoral leadership -companies that are seen as leaders in the area of sustainability are not always the greenest companies. While it may seem opportune to benefit from this inflated reputation, in fact it represents a growing risk. In many cases, it has been known to backfire – sometimes spectacularly.

The Brand Logic / CRD study looked at 100 leading companies across 9 major industries and compared perceived performance on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) parameters versus actual reported performance. It found that, in many cases, there is a stark disconnect between how companies perform and how they are perceived.

The perceptions were measured in six countries (China, Germany, India, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States) from three “highly attentive” audiences: investment professionals, purchasing professionals, and graduating university students who are entering the workforce. The reality score was determined from a review of the companies’ Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 sustainability reports, the most universal reporting protocol for sustainability.

Perhaps surprisingly, a number of well-known brands such as Apple, Google, and Honda were categorized as ‘Promoters’, meaning that “they are credited with ESG [environmental, social, and governance] performance ahead of their actual achievements”. While these companies enjoy a halo-effect from the prominence of their brand and from some specific sustainability activities, they are, as a whole, sitting on reputational air.

Recent events surrounding Apple and BP demonstrate that reputational bubbles can deflate rapidly and embarrassingly. Apple was exposed to the critical spotlight when the alarming treatment of workers by their supplier, Foxconn, was exposed. BP, who dramatically rebranded themselves from ‘British Petroleum’ to ‘Beyond Petroleum,’ saw their market capitalization halved in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster last year. In these cases, as in others, ‘Promoters’ suffered tangible consequences for having sustainability performances that did not live up to their marketing.

It has become increasingly difficult for companies to mask their environmental deficiencies because the stakes for sustainability performance have been raissed dramatically in recent years. Most Fortune 500 companies have taken actions which they can point to as sustainability achievements. While it is a positive sign that so many companies are seeing value in investing in these activities, many of these programs are still formed from the bottom up as opportunistic collections of uncoordinated quick hit actions. This is no longer enough to demonstrate leadership or even differentiation. What’s needed is a strategic platform to: review needs, benchmark successes and failures, adapt and improve. Beyond reputational credibility, such programs often uncover cost savings and even profitable new market opportunities.

To develop a program that can vault your company into the ‘Leaders’ category, your company needs to be deliberate about reviewing all areas of operations. We find that it is best to begin the process with an assessment to see where you are performing well and where there is room to improve. Many of our engagements begin with this type of sustainability review, followed by benchmarking your performance to your peers. We commonly find that even in the best-managed companies there are opportunities to realize more value from environmental initiatives, or for risks (reputational or otherwise) to be mitigated through more comprehensive action.

Machiavelli might have thought that looking green is better than being green, but many companies have already found that greenwashing is a liability. Simply put, sustainability should not be faked. Sustainability benefits will accrue over the long-haul when they are developed under an umbrella strategy that has high level commitment, clear targets, and authentic program branding so stakeholders can recognize that sustainability is part of corporate DNA.

Zach Goldman
Partner, Malk Sustainability Partners
Corporate sustainability solutions for the banking and technology industries.

I Want A Memory Like A Child

Blair Ingle — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:59:54 +0000

“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” — Henry David Thoreau

I’m sure every parent has been frustrated like I have recently when talking to their child.

“What did you do today in school?” The answer is somewhere between “I don’t remember” and “nothing.” Really? Nothing? And we pay how much for this pre-school?

But then I get reminded of how great our son’s world is when at the end of the day, or at some point during the day, he announces that it is the “BEST DAY EVER!” That might be after a movie, some ice cream, a video game, a play date with his friend or just dinner.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a memory like that?

In football, they talk about having a cornerback’s memory. It doesn’t matter that Peyton Manning just threw a touchdown pass over your head. You have to cover the same receiver, with the same quarterback, on the next play. You can’t afford to have your mind on the past. Or fear a repeat of the past. You have to stay in the moment.

Wouldn’t it be great to just stay in the moment as a leader? You get to forget yesterday’s mistakes. And there isn’t time to worry about what might happen tomorrow. Its just the now that matters, and the people in that moment.

There are so many trivial distractions from yesterday and tomorrow that steal us away from the moment. And so many insecurities that make us wish longingly to some hazy version of yesterdays. And yet the moment at hand is so bright and clear.

I envy my 5 year old, planted so firmly in the moment. Why can’t I be like him?

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” — Henry David Thoreau

Blair Ingle

“Innovative leader; man of action, influence and service everyday.”

You can read more at his website BlairIngle.com

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10 Warning Signs Your Leaders Lack Executive Presence

CEOConsultant — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:23:02 +0000

Future business success depends on having leaders who can drive change. If you observe any of these signs, your top team is probably under-performing and it’s time to take action.

Executive presence is the hallmark of every successful leader. The ability to think, act and communicate like a leader is grounded in polished communication skills. Executives with presence deliver higher performance. They are vital to the leadership team. People want to work with them. Through enrolling and engaging the best resources, they deliver superior results time and again. Consider successful executives such as John Chambers, CEO of CISCO since 1995. Chambers overcame childhood dyslexia and today his enthusiastic communication style, which conveys can-do optimism, has helped lead CISCO to the top of a tough, fast-changing industry and Chambers was selected in Harvard Business Review’s Top 5 most valuable CEOs in January 2010.

Executives without presence fall short as leaders. Their low-energy performances display a lack of confidence and cause audiences to tune out within minutes. They can’t think on their feet or compose clear, compelling and motivating messages. Their communication style frustrates senior managers, so their ideas are ignored and resisted.

Without executive presence their credibility suffers. They are less effective in their role as they struggle to get buy-in from important stakeholders. They must work harder to make change happen. Doubt, frustration and insecurity creep in.

Look for these 10 warning signs. When leaders lack executive presence, they:

1. Are nervous and shaky in front of senior managers

People judge you when you speak. They make assumptions about your capabilities based on how effectively you express yourself.

While this may not seem fair, it’s a fact of life – even more so at the executive level. Executives who seem nervous are labeled less effective. How many times have you seen someone with superior communication skills promoted ahead of a peer who has better technical knowledge? Giving halting and uncertain answers to senior managers impacts credibility, while confident executives who rise to the occasion of a high-pressure meeting are marked as future leaders.

A recently-promoted general manager of a technology firm found it difficult to hold his own with overseas managers in management review meetings. The managers started to question his promotion. By arming him with several quick-thinking tools, we enabled the executive to become better prepared, thus increasing his confidence.

2. Speak without a clear message

Executives from technical disciplines, such as finance or engineering, often have a misconception that technical ability is more important than communicating effectively. The very skills that make technical experts successful actually prevent them from being promoted to senior management. They focus too heavily on process and small details when the situation requires something more concise. Unlike junior managers, a senior executive’s main role is to communicate a clear and compelling message.

Executives with presence understand how to tell the story behind the numbers, correctly balancing big-picture with small details. The best executives, such as Steve Jobs, communicate effectively using simple and concise language that conveys powerful and memorable messages. Jobs has honed this skill over the years and his product launches contain such gems as, “Today, Apple reinvents the phone” from the 2007 iPhone launch. This ability to express a situation in its simplest terms is often overlooked by technical executives. However, all effective executive communicators have mastered this art.

3. Put audiences to sleep

Voice makes or breaks a presentation. A monotone voice puts people to sleep and a whispering voice is a liability when attempting to persuade senior managers. Great presenters have honed their vocal variety. They are able to attract an audience’s attention and keep it with a full range that combines pace, tone, resonance, rhythm, emphasis and pause to add impact to their messages.

Many senior executives are introverted and reluctant to speak out, like a recent banking client who had a limited vocal range. After working through a range of exercises, her vocal range expanded and she began to make a better impression on conference calls and in presentations.

4. Dump data rather than connecting

Facts are interesting, but they don’t motivate anyone to change. But many executives still think data wins the day. Despite almost one hundred years of research into what motivates people, many executives still blast their audiences with data-heavy presentations. Then they are surprised by the lack of engagement and change that results. Executives with presence are able to connect and engage people on multiple levels by understanding why people are motivated to act.

A CEO of a fast-growing retailer was missing opportunities to get buy-in on strategy from his more than 500 senior managers at quarterly meetings. Using a three-step process, we helped him identify the underlying message beneath all those facts and figures and he delivered a memorable talk that stuck with the management team long after his speech. This was a great improvement from his previous approach of reading statistics from index cards.

5. Think presenting is PowerPoint

Many executives waste time making weighty slide-decks instead of the one preparation tool that’s truly effective: rehearsal.

Executives who rehearse by making and reading slides at their computer deliver dull, mundane and forgettable presentations. The best executives combine whole-brain thinking in their presentations with story-line, flow and anecdotes along with appropriate facts, figures and slides.

A general manager with a strong technical background realized he needed to break bad habits built up over decades. He stopped using slides for three months- a major leap of faith. Then he focused on his message and got comfortable speaking with just a few well designed slides that were visual and memorable. The change was dramatic and he became a role-model for other managers.

6. Appear evasive and uncertain when asked questions

Some executives tend to ramble around a topic before expressing their opinion. This propensity gets worse when faced with a very direct, aggressive questioning style designed to intimidate the executives, who are often answering in their second language. Executives who cannot handle this pressure suffer from stress, anxiety and a breakdown in confidence. Executives with presence are able to handle difficult questions and deliver sharp, concise and punchy answers to even the toughest questions.

A finance director at a leading specialty chemicals firm, despite being an expert in his function and industry, was overwhelmed when global executives fired questions at him. Using media techniques, we helped him stay calm and composed while in the spotlight.

7. Choke during important presentations

Executives are expected to step up and perform during important meetings. Unfortunately, many executives let stage-fright drag them down. They forget their message, hesitate and stutter through their presentation, and freeze while answering questions. In the eyes of their senior-level audience, they come across as unprepared, unconvincing and uncertain.

A CEO recently used one of our rehearsal techniques, which shifted him away from what could go wrong and allowed him to focus on his key purpose. This enabled him to better cope in high-pressure meetings and stay on track.

8. Blame culture and language too often

Even successful executives make excuses. Common excuses among China-based multinational executives are that cultural differences and language ability cause ineffective communication. Without doubt, culture plays an important role in communication. However, it is often overused as the cause for misunderstandings among senior managers. Executives with presence are able to weigh the cultural aspects before a presentation and allow for them without diluting their message or tone.

As China-based specialists, we frequently support executives, such as country managers, in getting out of this rut. Many of them humbly believe that their language ability or lack of overseas study is the main reason why they cannot get their message across to senior managers, but often have similar issues in their native language. We then focus on the underlying communication skill that can help the executive become more vocal and proactive.

9. Are unaware of their communication impact

When executives are unaware of their communication style, they are deaf to the world. They come across as rigid because they stick to one style for all settings. This causes friction among the leadership team and delays important decision-making. Executives need to be versatile to the subtleties of each occasion.

A CEO for a manufacturing multinational used to turn his back to the audience during important presentations while he read his slides. This lowered the executive’s credibility among senior managers. Intense feedback and video work helped the CEO become more aware and adopt more effective speaking postures.

10. Are low-key to the point of invisibility

Senior executives can underestimate the power of meetings to enhance their credentials. Executives’ days are full of meetings; regular weekly calls with line managers, monthly conference calls with senior management, and quarterly business reviews. These are often missed opportunities to showcase their potential as a high-performing executive with the capabilities to drive the business forward. Successful executives take every chance to enhance their reputation in the eyes of their peers and superiors.

A senior partner in a professional services firm needed to increase his visibility in important meetings with the global management team. His qualities were not coming across clearly during these meetings and, although a capable executive, he was unable to project his opinions with confidence. We helped him adopt a more assertive role which improved his reputation. His ideas got more air time and his recommendations were more quickly accepted.

If you have read these warning signs and thought “that sounds like an executive on my team”, then it is time to contact us. We specialize in supporting senior executives in overcoming these and many other challenges as they learn to speak with executive presence. Give us a call so we can help you find the best way forward.

I support senior executives working for multinationals in Greater China who lack the executive presence to effectively influence key stakeholders. While these executives are very smart, very knowledgeable and highly capable, a key piece missing. Their executive communication skills need polishing.

I help executives build a strong foundation in executive communication so that they are able to better think, speak and act like a leader to set and implement strategy.

Warwick John Fahy

Download the Speak with Executive Presence Program which systematically helps executives think, act and communicate like a leader.

To see if this program is for you, call Warwick to book a complimentary Executive Presence Strategy Session on +86 21 6101 0486. The purpose of this session is to help you gain more clarity on where you want to go and challenges you are having getting there. We’ll also discuss the services I have to offer and determine if what I do can help you get you where you want to go.

When Headhunters Call

CEOConsultant — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:11:15 +0000

For many individual’s there is no more terrifying a moment in their career than an unsolicited call from a headhunter. On one hand this communication can be seen by the individual as vindication and recognition of their hard work in their industry. On the other the call can represent one of the most alien experiences which can inspire terror and nervousness. As such it is essential to make a few considerations on how to react if a headhunter does indeed call.

Why have they called?

Individuals who have little to no indexicology of dealing with headhunters may jump to the conclusion that the call constitutes nothing short of a solid job offer. This is incorrect. As headhunters are employed by companies to find candidates to fill a specific role, it is not unusual for headhunters to be keeping tabs on a small number of people at the same time. This means, in practice, that a headhunter may “feel out” a fair few individuals to see if they would be hypothetically or potentially interested in a new role at a different company. Having ascertained which individual’s would be open to such an opportunity a headhunter will then whittle down his shortlist from the remaining candidates before any formal offers are made. It is rare that formal offers at this stage will be anything strong than an invite to submit a CV or perhaps attend an interview.

Making Good Impressions

As the headhunters will be communicating with a plethora of individuals simultaneously a candidate should do the best he can to distance themselves from any potential rivals and to stick in the headhunters mind. Simply put, the best way of doing this is by dealing with a headhunter in the utmost professional manner possible – every interaction with them should, in essence, be treated like a job interview. As there will be a number of similar candidates, many of whom sharing similar employment histories and qualifications, small things such as a courteous and respectful manner can help separate an individual from the pack of rival competitors. Similarly an individual who lacks professionalism could find themselves removed from shortlists as nominating such a candidate may reflect badly on a headhunter who puts them forward.

The Initial Call

Much of a headhunter’s judgement on a potential candidate will be made during their first interaction, usually by phone, and, as such, it is important to get this right. Common mistakes often come from individuals who are not expecting such calls and therefore panic. One regular cause for concern for those being headhunted is how their details were obtained by the headhunter. Usually the answer to this is innocuous and quite innocent; it is not rare for a mutual acquaintance or colleague to have passed on the details or for the headhunter to have found the number on an internet directory. If an individual is to put these concerns to one side, rather than adopt an accusatory tone, they will be much less nervous and will fare better in their interactions. Another area of worry is for a potential candidate not comfortable with discussing opportunities elsewhere whilst still at the location of their current employment. This issue can be avoided by swapping details and arranging to speak on a different occasion. This also allows the candidate to prepare for the phone call whilst also researching the headhunter and the client they are representing.

What if the position offered is unappealing?

Many times a headhunter will begin to inquire if an individual is interested in a specific position and the answer, on occasion, will be a flat “no”. If this is the case then the best solution is to not just dismiss the headhunter out of hand but rather to be as helpful as possible. Even if an individual is currently very happy in their current position it would be foolish to deny a possible future contact as it is more than possible that circumstances may change. One way to be courteous and helpful to a headhunter would be to perhaps suggest another colleague for the position they are looking to fill. This course of action would prove favourable to all three individuals.

Kieron Casey

Kieron is a BA (Hons) Journalism graduate who blogs regularly on a number of topics including careers, employment, headhunters and executive search services.

The Hard Part is Letting Go

Blair Ingle — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:54:32 +0000

Have you ever tried to float on your back in a pool? Do you remember the first time?

Our 5 year old son is taking swim lessons, and floating on your back has not been easy for him. The trick is to relax and let go. Not an easy thing to do for a beginning swimmer. But when you relax your body and hips, and give in, pretty soon you are floating.

Have you ever experienced the same thing with a change professionally? Maybe it’s a promotion or even a new career. You have to let go of those things that you previously did. As a leader, are you strong enough to let go?

I know first hand how hard it can be. When I recently made a change, the hardest thing part knowing that someone else had to finish the projects that I had started. Would they turn out as expected? Would they flop or be successful? How would it reflect on me, or my legacy? Those questions kept me awake at night, but in the end, letting go helped me overcome my concerns.

You can also apply this concept to delegation. Every good leader delegates, and the best leaders have learned how to effectively delegate. Some of the keys to effective delegation include:

Defining the task or project to be delegated in detail. This also includes reviewing the task or project to determine its worth. Does the desired result make it really worth delegating?
Communicate clearly with the team or individual all of the details of the task or project. This includes discussing the desired result. Discuss what tools, resources or training are needed. It also requires discussing deadlines.
Support and communicate with the team or individual throughout the process. This isn’t micro managing, but regular meetings are helpful along the way.
Discuss and give feedback along the way, especially with regard to the results. This should be a two-way conversation, not just your take on the results and the path to success.

And above all, LET GO. If you hire, train and support your people in the right way, delegation is natural and effortless. But it starts with your willingness to let go.

So, are you ready to float? What is holding you back?

Blair Ingle

“Innovative leader; man of action, influence and service everyday.”

You can read more at his website BlairIngle.com

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