Communications – Page 48 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

You Talk Too Much! Shut Up!

October 11, 2010/6 Comments/in Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

To help you be a better team member, colleague and boss, I’m bringing you a pointed lesson in the art of being quiet. Today I’m conjuring up the spirit of Run DMC. To quote the immortal Rev Run:

You talk too much! You never shut up!

Run DMC nailed the heart of the issue with this verse:

You’re the instigator,
the orator of the town.
You’re the worst when you converse,
just a big mouth clown.
You talk when you’re awake,
I heard you talk when you sleep
Has anyone ever told you,
that talk is cheap?

Now let’s take DMC to the workplace. You know the person they’re singing about. It’s that guy on the team who can’t shut up about anything. Hopefully he simply blathers on about his antique smurf collection (and boy is he jazzed about the upcoming movie). More likely though, he’s the guy who is talking about everyone and everything going on in the office.

But guess what? YOU might be that person. If you are, you’ve got a big problem. First let’s discuss your symptoms then some ways to fix it.

4 Surefire Ways to Destroy Your Brand

October 4, 2010/7 Comments/in Communications, Customer Service, Sales, Strategy /by Mike Figliuolo

Brands. Some are worth billions of dollars. We revere them. Coca-Cola. Nike. Apple. thoughtLEADERS (hey, a guy can dream, can’t he?). They seem monolithic and untouchable. The dirty little secret is they’re as fragile as a porcelain doll.

A brand is nothing more than a promise. It sets an expectation with a consumer or customer. They know what to expect when they interact with your brand. And I don’t care how big or small your brand is, it promises something to your customers. The operative key to all of this brand building is that point of interaction. That is where your brand is at its most vulnerable.

For example, if you get a can of Coke that’s filthy and the soda in it is flat, the brand is diminished. You tell 10 friends about it and it’s diminished more. You get an iPad that doesn’t work. Same thing. You run into a rude associate at Best Buy and the brand is tarnished. A brand becomes the summation of all those small touch points with your customers. The risk is you’re likely doing some things every day that are putting your own brand at risk.

From where I sit, I’ve seen four major points of failure that destroy brands:

Do You Sound Like a Hypereducated Idiot Who Swallowed a Thesaurus?

September 13, 2010/19 Comments/in Communications /by Mike Figliuolo

It’s unreal how buzzwords and bullcrap have completely permeated our language and our businesses. It’s almost unconscionable how we simply tolerate it rather than pushing hard to get back to simplicity.

I was reading an industry magazine this morning and came across a quote in one of those little quote boxes. I decided to read it (after all, they set it aside in a quote box *and* put the guy’s head shot in the box too therefore he must be superbrilliant to rank a head shot and a quote). First I had to see whose brilliance I was about to have the pleasure of reading. The guy is an EVP of Global Strategy for a very reputable firm. I got all tingly. This was gonna be some life-changing stuff. I was sure of it. Then I read this:

“To successfully address senior management’s concerns, human resources leadership needs to embrace its strategic role as an executive partner, and define and execute a holistic human capital management strategy that builds a superior corporate culture based on performance and accountability.”

My head exploded. It was like the guy had been force-fed Roget’s and the last twelve years of Harvard Business Review. I was completely dumbfounded – not because of the brilliance of his insight but because of the complete load of crap that had been spewed onto that page killing hundreds of trees (Oh! The humanity!). I wish Kanye had been at that interview: “Imma let you finish but… Mike can say that in about 50% fewer words.”

So here’s my take on what the guy was really trying to say:

Valet Park, Self Park or South Park – What’s Your Brand?

September 9, 2010/1 Comment/in Communications, Customer Service, Guest Blogger, Sales /by Mike Figliuolo

I’m again happy to bring you AmyK Hutchens as today’s guest blogger (last time she was here she talked about reducing stress). No, that’s not her to the left. That’s Kenny from South Park. Here she is:

Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and CEO of Diamond Resorts International, a company with 150+ branded and affiliated resorts in 26 countries, shared that if you want “to bring value to a busted brand, you start with the details.” For Cloobeck, this means a direct access email address available to every customer and a winning smile with the word “yes” at the tip of his tongue. With these details, and a few others, Cloobeck has built one of the largest vacation ownership companies in the world in an era when the words “time share” can leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

Brand Overhaul

How did Cloobeck sustain success despite turbulent times? He started with a brand overhaul, beginning with the classic time share sales pitch. “It was too aggressive,” stated Cloobeck. “We needed to soften the customer experience. We had to bring the value back to a busted brand.” So they shifted the pitch to a connect, and Cloobeck went straight to the consumer’s children to start. When he heard they had a menu kids refused, they added mac n cheese and other child-friendly foods. When he heard the kids were bored, he changed “baby-sitting” hours to outdoor adventure sessions and opportunities for physical and mental activities, and… he added an adult beverage to the “meet & greet” for parents, so they too could have a little more fun. Diamond’s new mantra? We’re listening!

You too can stimulate and reinvent your brand. How do you know if your brand is successful? It creates and retains customers. Successful branding is actually that simple. Ask yourself two questions: What are you promising? How can you best deliver that promise?

Email Stupidity: Reply All Cuts Both Ways

September 6, 2010/6 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications /by Mike Figliuolo

Reply All is the dumbest button ever.

I can’t tell you how much junk ends up in my inbox that should be a private conversation or frankly that I just don’t care about. I’ll bet if Microsoft removed the Reply All function from Outlook, U.S. productivity would climb by 15%, GDP would pop by a trillion dollars, and there would be 84% fewer aneurysms at work.

I believe there should be a qualification test you have to pass before Reply All functionality even works on your machine. It’s bad enough when people misuse the button because they’re clueless. It’s even worse when they misuse it to be passive aggressive or to play political games.

Yes, this is a bit of a rant post (like you expect less?) but it’s also a cautionary tale of how technology can be your friend and your enemy. You might think your laptop is cute and cuddly like WALL-E only to find out it rises up to destroy you like the terminator. Heed this advice now or pay the price later…

This one time, at band camp… oh. Sorry. Wrong blog. Lemme try again.

This one time, there was a team I was on. They did incredible work. They had found the balance between analytical rigor and rapid decision making. When they got busy, stuff happened.

4 Ways Leaders Can Overcome the Fear of Conflict

August 30, 2010/43 Comments/in Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

It’s nauseating to hear – someone soft-shoe dancing around an issue because they’re afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. They do so because they might receive negative feedback in a 360 review that they were abrupt or too direct in delivering feedback on that issue. So rather than going the direct route, they water down their message until it’s a mealy mouthed blathering stream of meaningless crap (yes, I’m fired up as I’m writing this).

Let me ask you this – do you want to follow a “leader” who doesn’t speak his or her mind? Someone who is more concerned with how their actions will be perceived rather than saying what they really think? Do you want to follow a leader who is more interested in doing nothing wrong (and hence not doing much of anything) or would you rather follow someone who takes a stand for what they believe in and suffers the consequences as appropriate?

Me? I’ll choose option B.

Conflict avoidance has invaded Leaderville and it’s an ugly blight. IMPORTANT: realize, I’m not advocating or approving of hateful, cruel, rude, or offensive behavior and words (although some idiot won’t bother to read this sentence and they’ll leave an anonymous comment to the effect that I’m a hate-monger or some stupidity of similar ilk). Those words and behaviors have no place in any workplace (or our lives for that matter).

What I’m attacking is a belief that we as leaders can’t speak our minds because we might hurt someone’s feelings. It’s that mindset that erodes the core of leadership over time and turns it into gentle corrective actions that end up having no impact whatsoever. Sure, no one felt corrected or had their feelings hurt but they now effectively have no freakin’ idea what they’re supposed to do or what they did wrong in the first place because the message was diluted.

We need to fix this. Now. So here’s what I propose:

6 Executive Presence Failures You’re Exhibiting

August 16, 2010/13 Comments/in Career, Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Many of us aspire to be a senior executive (and many of you already are). Sometimes you might wonder why you’re not getting picked for the role.

You’re a solid performer, your work is great, and you’ve exceeded every goal yet still you don’t make it to the big leagues. Can’t figure out why? You might be exhibiting silly little behaviors that are easy to fix but no one has ever pointed out. In short, you sometimes come across as a clown. Now, I know I’ve previously said it’s okay to occasionally be a clown in the social networking arena but this post covers the flip side of that coin.

When you exhibit these little quirks, other senior executives (and your team members) question how polished you truly are. In a day when people are risk averse, they’re not going to take a bet on you if they believe you might embarrass yourself or the organization in front of the board, customers, partners, or large groups of associates.

The good news is I’m more than happy to point out some of these little failings that are extremely easy to fix. Yes, some take time to implement while others require but the click of a few buttons.

If you’re serious about playing at the next level (or if you want to ensure your performance at that level isn’t lacking credibility), read on, take a hard look at what you’re doing, and modify behaviors accordingly. It’s the little things that can make a difference. And here they are:

All I Need to Know About Marketing I Learned at a Lemonade Stand

May 31, 2010/1 Comment/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Sales /by Mike Figliuolo

It’s frickin’ hot, huh? Wow. But the dawning summer heat is a great reminder of good, solid marketing principles.

Many of us make “marketing” some arcane science. Focus groups, market research, surveys, brand consultants. Meh.

I learned everything I need to know about marketing at a lemonade stand.

As I was tooling around in my car this weekend, I was reminded of what it takes to be a great marketer. Really, it’s not as hard as the Marketing Group makes you think it is. The reminder of these principles came in the form of the perennial lemonade stand.

I drove past four such stands this weekend. Each one demonstrated a core principle you must adhere to if you want to be a successful marketer.

Marketing is about understanding a need and meeting it

It was hot this weekend. Unfortunately for Lil’ Jimmy’s Big Ade Stand, it wasn’t hot at 815AM when I drove by. I give the kid bonus points for getting to work early on a Sunday but he clearly missed the mark. He was out there selling his little heart out. The problem was the market did not have a need.

Lil’ Jimmy was targeting a market that didn’t exist. No need equals no sales. He had his dreams crushed by about 10AM and had packed it in thinking no one wanted lemonade that day. Jimmy’s problem was the market of overweight underexercised middle-aged homeowners doing yard work was just ramping up at 10. Jimmy missed the market. Right product. Wrong time.

Look at your business. What is THE MARKET asking for? Are you delivering what they want when they want it or are you pushing your product into a market you hope exists?

The Secret to Getting an Awesome Job Reference

May 17, 2010/3 Comments/in Career, Communications /by Mike Figliuolo

Have you ever noticed tons of resumes state “References available upon request” but many job seekers probably haven’t put thought into what that really means? Did you know there’s a secret to virtually guaranteeing you get an awesome reference from these people who are available upon request?

I know many of you are still in job search mode. The reference can be the deal maker or breaker. I’m going to give you the key to make it the deal maker. And if you’re not job searching but perhaps are serving as a reference for someone who is (and someone you obviously care about otherwise you wouldn’t be their reference) I’m going to help you be the best reference you possibly can.

Side note/PRO TIP: DON’T write “References available” on your resume – it’s stupid and a big “duh.” You had better have references available on request so stating it on your resume earns it the award of OBVIOUS FAIL. If you’re putting that in there, you might as well also include “I’m not a murderer nor am I a mutant” because that too is obvious – unless you’re actually a murdering mutant. Putting that references statement in there is also a huge waste of valuable space on your resume. Now back to our post…

Great Leaders Should Move to a Cubicle

May 10, 2010/7 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Congratulations! You’ve arrived. You’ve earned that nice cushy office where you can shut the door and no one can hear you listening to the greatest American Idol video ever on YouTube (or looking for a video card to send your mom on Mother’s Day – use this one next year).

Yep. The office is fantastic. But if you want to demonstrate some real leadership, toss your junk into a box and move into Downtown Cubeville.

Before I explain why I encourage you to head out into the ant farm, let’s acknowledge why cubicles are one of the most horrific inventions ever:
– You have NO privacy
– You can hear *everything* everyone around you says
– You can smell every roadkill opossum Lean Cuisine entree your neighbor heats up in the microwave
– You can be subjected to the scorching hellfire of your cube-mate’s space heater or the gale force winds of their oscillating fan
– The lovely industrial gray or taupe of the cube walls makes you want to scream

All that said, sometimes getting back to the cube is a good thing if you’re the boss. There are two major benefits from doing so. You’ll just have to trust me on these and give them a try sometime.

12 Things My Son Would Say In Your Stupid Meeting

May 5, 2010/2 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications, Leadership, Project Management /by Mike Figliuolo

Admit it – you can’t stand meetings. Me either. I’d rather shove a rusty plastic spork in my eye (think about it…).

Why do we loathe meetings so much? Most likely because they’re venues where we can witness atrocious and moronic behaviors while wasting minutes of our lives that we’ll never get back.

Guess what? The meetings you hold are terrible too. Seriously. Fess up. By the way, my meetings are awful as well.

So I had writer’s block and asked my twitter followers to pick a blog topic. Here it is: 12 things my son would say in a meeting. This post will be sort of like my April Foolish Office Behaviors to Kill post (go read it – you’ll love it).

For those of you who haven’t read about my son before, he’s hysterical. Acerbic wit. Moronic ideas. Biting sarcasm. Silly concepts. I guess he has a career in blogging ahead of him.

A little about my son: He’s 13. He never stops eating. His nickname is “Galactus” so named after a Fantastic Four villain who is commonly known as “The Devourer of Worlds.” Trust me – you don’t envy my food bill.

Anyway… in this post I’ll tee up 12 common meeting situations and offer you his take on that behavior. Hopefully you’ll see the wisdom inherent in his perspectives. I’ll simply give an example of the typical meeting behavior. Galactus will supply the commentary.

You should be smart enough to walk away with the implied lesson and the “to do” of changing the behaviors on this list.

Hate Presenting? That’s Okay – They Hate Listening to You

April 26, 2010/5 Comments/in Business Toolkit, Communications /by Mike Figliuolo

This might sound mean but we don’t want to hear you present. The thought of you inviting us to your 2 hour presentation on “Budget Variances and Optimized Value-Added Opportunities for Synergies” makes us want to barf. Why? Because we’re terrified of watching you present.

I’m going to be a little snotty in this post (okay… maybe a lot snotty). First, you kind of expect that from me. Second, if I’m nice and polite, you won’t listen. I’m like your best friend who tells you you’ve been drinking too much and wearing lampshades too frequently. It’s not pleasant news but it’s definitely constructive and helpful.

Let’s break it down. There are three reasons we don’t want to hear you speak. Your presentation is awful. You’re boring and stiff. You talk down to us. Because of that, we hate you.

I know presentations are the lifeblood of every corporation. Without PowerPoint you guys would shrivel up and blow away. The thing is, you don’t have to be so terrible at it (although part of me is very thankful it’s such a rampant problem otherwise our Structured Thought and Communications Course wouldn’t be in such high demand).

I won’t go into why it’s critical for you to get better at building compelling presentations and having powerful meetings. If you haven’t figured that out yet, you need to stop reading this blog and head down to McDonald’s and pick up an application. I will go into why we think you’re awful, boring, and condescending. And don’t worry, I’ll offer some suggestions on how to fix the problems. Here goes…

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