From Service Excellence to Premium Prices

My friend Melissa related a story to my other day. I asked her why she goes to a local hardware store that is more expensive for whatever she buys there than the hardware mega-stores. Her response both surprised and interested. Melissa stated that unless she knows exactly what she wants, she will go to the local hardware store even though it is more expensive. She went on to say that at the local hardware store there were plenty of people to answer her questions and that they were very knowledgeable. At the mega-hardware stores, she said she can never find anyone to help her and when she does, they usually are not able to answer her questions. For customer services people who were available and knowledgeable she said she was willing to pay more than she would at the mega-stores.

This got me thinking about premium pricing and service. Not the over the phone service. That is a whole other topic. But about face-to-face service in the areas of retail, food service, hospitality, personal services and financial/professional services. These are all areas where in spite of the mantra of “excellence” and “quality” the levels of services have spiraled downward over the past several years. This begs the question, what does it take to truly have excellence in the face-to-face service and only then have the ability to premium price.

The best people. This is a bit of chicken and egg. If people are paid minimum wage, are given no benefits, provided little or no training and given no development or career path then employers get what they pay for. That translates to poor service, bad attitudes, staff that is not knowledgeable and constant turnover. What does it take then to get the best people in any service industry or field?

Pay. Full time people should be paid a living wage. But if the wage is at this level, then the performance expectations and the criteria for employment must match.

Benefits. Full time people after an initial period of time (often six months) should be given a package of benefits. It is not unreasonable to include in this: medical and dental insurance, vacation, retirement savings plan and incentives for longevity and performance.

Training. The U.S. Government spends a significant portion of the defense budget on training. Men and women who protect and defend the country need the best and the most current training available. They need to know their jobs inside and out. Is there any reason why this should not be the case with any individual working in a face-to-face service job. Customers are the heart and soul of any business. So why do we insult them daily by providing little or no training. And the concept of “on-the-job” training has often become the only training. Training is a key area to improving service and retaining the best people.

Development. Most individuals not only want to learn, they want to grow. Whether it is expanding a current jobs or development toward a different or bigger job, professional growth is essential. Anyone looking at doing the same tasks day-in, day-out forever can only respond by providing poor service and always looking for greener pastures.

Career path. Where do the supervisors, managers, districts managers and executives come from? If the answer is they are hired “off the street” that is the wrong answer for this challenge. As part of development, service employees need the opportunity to move both across and up in an organization no matter how small or how large. With the required training and education, anyone who does a great job should have the opportunity to move into the management ranks of a service business.

These steps are not those of a “bleeding heart liberal”. They are service industry business imperative to improve the level of face-to-face customer services. Only by providing the highest levels of service and any business expect to achieve customer loyalty and premium pricing. Otherwise, the battle for the basement will continue with service business providing rock bottom prices, accompanied by poor service, high employee turnover, dissatisfied customers and slim margins. The choice is yours.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation.
He can be contacted at: gfranks@franksconsutlinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com
George's weblog is: http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com

The Death of the Direct Sales Force

Direct sales jobs often seen as the initial proving ground for young college graduates across industries and businesses. Whether it is a product, a service, financial, pharmaceutical, industrial, consumer or advertising, direct sales forces have traditionally been the revenue engines for business. But as technology, demographics and buying behavior have changed over the past decade, there are signs that the traditional direct sales force may be going the way of the typewriter and carbon paper.

Cost. Direct sales forces are costly. They require extensive management, systems and tools, training and often office infrastructure. Additionally, they are generally paid an amount of base pay plus benefits before they get a penny of sales commission. In effect, they are usually on salary with sales commission from 25-50% of their pay. But even if they do not sell a penny of product or service, they still get their base pay, their benefits and all the expenses associated with them and their management has to be paid also.

Flexibility. Direct sales forces are inflexible. Usually they have a fixed organization structure tied either to an account or a territory. Their management is an aggregation of the same. As is their executive management. Any changes to this structure usually happen annually, if then. The same holds true to compensation plans. Direct sales forces usually have annual sales compensation plans. Yes, they do have periodic promotions, incentives and “kickers”. But these are almost always incremental (on top of) the annual sales incentive plans.

Resellers. Most companies have some level of dealers, distributors, wholesalers or manufacturer’s representatives. In most cases, these structures are above and beyond the direct sales force. They are not employees of corporation they represent. Often they are local and geographically focused. In other cases they target specifics markets or customers. Dealers, distributors and resellers are usually not corporate organization men or women. They are more entrepreneurial; customer focused and keep costs to a minimum.

Off-shoring. Whether you love or hate off-shoring, it is a fact of life for all types of businesses. Selling that does not have to be face to face – whether is a product, a service, aftermarket or upgrade can be done remotely. In many cases, the combination of catalogs, television and the internet have made it possible to do must more selling remotely rather than face-to-face. This can be done with high levels of cost and quality control too. When was the last time a direct sales team was focused on reducing costs and improving quality?

The reality. It is unlikely that the direct sales force will totally disappear from the corporate organization chart. The largest customers often demand their own account executive to serve them. But increasing, it is possible the meet the needs of customers of all sizes without a direct sales force by effectively using combinations of dealers, distributors, resellers, off shoring and utilizing the latest technology. In addition to increased sales and customer satisfaction, these distribution alternatives serve to reduce sales and overhead expenses plus increase the level of flexibility – all important steps toward being more competitive and profitable.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the International Coach Federation.
George can be contacted at: gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com

Turnarounds: From the Oval Office to the Corner Office

The headlines recently have focused on how the replacement of President George W. Bush’s chief of staff may serve to salvage the President’s second term. His new chief of staff has set an agenda, made announcements and started lopping off heads, so to speak, in a very public way. This is not too different from what has happened at corporations during turnarounds. Whether looking at financial institutions, industrial companies, airlines, consumer goods companies or telecommunications giants, the visible dynamics are they same. But are they effective? Why are the characteristics of an effective turnaround process?

Identify the problem. Whether it is the White House or Burger King, measures of success should already be in place. If not, the extant of the turnaround will be bigger than anticipated. Are the right things being measured? Do they tie to the vision and the mission? Are the objectives high enough? And which are hitting the targets, which are below the targets and which are exceeding the targets? If the measures are in place, they align with the vision and mission and they targets are realistic then the focus should go to the top two or three areas where performance is below the target level.

Review the goals. For the areas below their target levels the objectives need to be reviewed. Are they market based? Are they best-in-class? Do they include stretch? Do they align with the vision and mission? Are the objectives and timeframes clear? Are they trackable and quantifiable?

Ownership. Each metric or measure of success should have an owner at a senior level. While it may send out positive signals to the press to fire a chief of staff or to Wall Street by firing the CEO or CFO, the question is – how will this impact the specific problems? If the answer is to fix everything then replacing a leader is just a gesture. Who is accountable for each metric? Did they perform? If not why? If their performance resulting in the objective not being met then they should be replaced – immediately. And remember – replace and eliminate people starting at the top and work down. Not the other way around. Again – each measurement needs to have an accountable owner at a senior level.

Action Plans. Each measurement area targeted for turnaround needs to have a specific action plan. The action plan must include deliverables, dates, a budget and dedicated resources. Doing an action plan in the margins is the same as saying that it is not important. Weekly if not daily updates to the action plan need to be developed and presented. The time frames must be aggressive. Again, the overall owner of the metric or measurement must be held accountable for results and outcomes.

Track Progress. The actual performance against the action plan or turnaround plan should be tracked and updated daily. This should be available to all team members and all members of the senior leadership. It must be visible. If the progress misses dates, misses targets, goes over budget or does not get resources, this must be visible to the team members and also to the senior leadership. It is up to both the senior leadership and the action plan team to take the steps needed to insure the action plan stays on track.

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Whether it is the White House or Continental Airlines or Bausch & Lomb, communication externally is not as much of a problem as is internal communication. The problems, the proposed solution, the measures of success, the targets and the actual performance need to be clearly communicated to internally and externally. Customers, suppliers, employees, contractors and investors all need to be on board through clear, consistent and constant communication. And the news media should not be the only conduit for this purpose. The web, conference calls, e-mails, meetings, forums, retreats and other means should all be utilized for this purpose across all the constituencies.

Celebrate. When the goal is achieved – within the project plan, within the budget, within the headcount and by the target dates should be celebrated. The achievement of the clearly communicated goals or objectives for the turnaround projects should be cause for a celebration. This is not just a gesture. This is a tool to both communicate and to reinforce the achievement of goals or goals established in the turnaround action plans. Too often a moment for celebration passes without notice and it is on to the next crises. This is demoralizing for all parties involved in the turnaround initiative.

Raise the bar. With the achievement of the turn around plan it is time to reevaluate the measures, the objectives and actual performance in light of the vision and the mission. This must be a continuous process. Raising the bar – always striving to perform better – should become a way of life for any institution that wants to move beyond a turnaround and to ever improving performance excellence.

Turnarounds have become a cliché. The White House, corporate America and educational institutions at all levels talk about turnarounds. The steps to achieve a turnaround are common regardless of the institution or organization. The investments of discipline, focus and energy required to achieve a turnaround result in consistently higher levels of performance that align with the institution’s vision and mission.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. George can be contacted at:
gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

Interview Shoes: The Right Styles for Men and Women

Interview attire advice often focuses on suit colors and cuts for men and whether to wear a skirt or slacks for women and the color of either. Other articles of interview attire are even more important. A case in point is shoes. For both men and women, wearing the right style and type of shoes can often serve as the most important and most visible item of interview attire.

For Men

For men there are four types of shoes that are acceptable for interviews. There are from most to least formal: the black oxford shoe, the black brogue shoe, the black tassel loafer and finally the black dress penny loafer. Each of these shoes has a distinct style and message. Regardless of which style of shoe is worn, they should be well maintained – meaning not scuffed or worn at the heel and highly polished.

The black leather oxford shoe. This is the classic tie shoe. It has either a plain to or a non-perforated cap toe. This is the dressiest of men’s shoes and are popular with investment bankers, government officials and other’s who must portray formality and consistency.

The black leather brogue shoe. Often described as the wing tip, this is slightly less formal than the oxford. It may be cap toed or have the wing shaped toe decoration both of which are perforated. Acceptable with suits, the brogue has been a favorite of businessmen for decades although it fell out of favor during the “casual Friday” dress down era of the 1990s.

The black leather tassel loafer. The tassel loafer has been around for decades. Once classified as Ivey League or preppy, it is now a business staple. It is a loafer with stitching around the toe and a pair of leather tassels. The shoe is not as formal as either the oxford or the brogue but is acceptable with business suits in all but the most formal and tradition bound professions.

The black leather penny loafer. This is not a casual loafer with the big “beef roll” and the rough hand stitching around the toe. The penny loafer for dress is more refined in cut and stitching. It looks like and is a dress shoe. The least formal of the business shoe styles, it is sleek and clean and works with suits for all but the most formal occasions.

What kinds of men’s shoes to avoid for interviews? First, the heavy soled and big toed lace and slip-on shoes popular with younger men should be avoided. Even if they say they are dress shoes, they say all the wrong things about one. Secondly, avoid casual shoes such as weekend loafers or other very casual shoes with leather, rubber or plastics soles. Finally, avoid trendy shoes. If attracted to a pair of shoes that would look great on the dance floor at a club or at a wild party, keep them for those events. Do no wear them to an interview. Trendy is not an interview look unless you are a fashion designer or in the arts.

The right kinds of shoes are available at stores and on-line. The most popular traditional interview shoes are sold by: Church’s Shoes (English design, very traditional), Alden (American and very traditional), Allen-Edmonds, Cole-Haan and Johnson & Murphy. Stores that carry the right kinds of shoes for interviews include: Brooks Brothers, Joseph A. Bank and Nordstrom.

For Women

While there are infinitely more styles of women’s shoes available than men’s, the styles that are appropriate for interviews are even more limited. The rules about the condition of shoes for women are the same as for men. The shoes must be in top condition and well maintained if not new. While all the colors for men included black and black, there are more possibilities fro women. While black and navy are safe bets 95% of the time. Other colors are OK but must complement the suit or outfit and should match the purse or handbag too. Avoid light colored shoes for interview and never wear white shoes to an interview unless it is for a nursing position. If brown, dark shades are best. Avoid suede and never wear shoes that have metallic sparkle, glitter or sequins for an interview (or for business ever).

The styles of shoes that are appropriate for women to wear for interviews fall into four categories: classic leather pump with a heel, the leather sling back style with a heel, the classic leather Mary Jane style shoe with a heel, the flat or ballet style shoe in leather. All should be leather. All should be well maintained and worn with neutral colored stockings or pantyhose regardless of the season or temperature (or knee highs if work with slacks).

The leather pump. Heel heights and shapes vary. This is the traditional shoe for women in business. Solid color.

The leather sling back style with a heel. Again heel heights and shapes very. This shoe while very traditional has an adjustable strap rather than a closed back. The shoe is classic and in good taste but with a bit more style and is considered a bit more dressy than the plain leather pump.

The classic leather Mary Jane shoe. This is not the flat soled cloth model or even the funky thick soled model worn by teens. It is basically a leather pump in style and cut with a thin strap ending in an adjustable buckle across the instep. Better with skirts than with slacks.

The flat or ballet style shoe in leather. This kind of shoe if made of fine leather and in a traditional cut is classic, flattering and is worn by women of all heights. But it is favored by very tall and strangely enough, very short women. It may be plain or decorated with a discrete bit of gold metal or grosgrain bow at the toe. The casual ballet slipper style in fabric, needlepoint or less dressy leather should be saved for wear with jeans or khakis.

What shoes are not appropriate for women to wear to interviews? Frankly, everything else unless the interview is not for business, non-profits or one of the professions. Anything in unnatural colors or with sparkles or anything novel just will not do. Flip flops are a no always. As are sandals. Big, clunky shoes are for teenagers or weekends. Loafers are for khakis and weekends. Tie shoes are not appropriate for women in business unless running an art gallery or a church order. Finally, strappy, very high heeled shoes should be left for weekends and never for work. Forget what they say in “Sex and the City”.

Women’s interview shoes are available at many women’s stores, shoe stores and department stores. The list is really too long to do justice here. Some of the more traditional sources are: Cole Haan, Talbots, Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor and Brooks Brothers plus the some of the designers who offer quality shoes in more classic styles.

Shoes speak volumes about a person. This is never truer than in an interview environment. Make sure the shoes that you wear say all the right things. While they will not guarantee a job, the will not be an obstacle if the points outlined above are observed.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coaching Federation. George can be contacted at:
gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

Questions Every Job Candidate Should Ask

Job interviews are often viewed as a one-sided experience. This should not be the case. A job interview is an opportunity for the job candidate to learn as much as possible about not only the specific job they are interviewing for but also about other important factors about the company or organizations with which they are interviewing. While some of the questions recommended for the candidate may seem to be common sense, there are a number of job candidates who are either too nervous, shy or afraid to raise these critical questions.

What is the work environment? This question, while broad, can cover everything from the formality of an office to the physical layout of the work space. Depending on while both of these areas are important, the former one is of great interest to manner younger job candidates while the latter one is of more interest to more senior job seekers.

What are the opportunities for development? This question gets to the issue of how much the company or organization values their people. Specifically, the response should address formal training and development programs including opportunities for academic and professional coursework. Those interested in professional degrees or on-going education must clearly follow-up on the response to the question if it does not address those areas. An additional area of inquiry is the selection process for future executives and other leaders. What is the process and how does it work.

How much travel is anticipated and what type? Some people crave travel. Other people hate travel. The job candidate needs to know up front how much travel is anticipated and what kind. Some businesses put travel in percentages: 25%, 50%, 75%? What kind of travel? Is it local? Cross country? International? Will it require being away over weekend? Unless you are committed to working 7x24, these questions are very important.

What is the policy toward telecommuting? Speaking of working 7x24, it is important to ask about the home office policy. This may be very important or not important to the candidate at present, but it is something that should be known up front. Whether due to a personal situation or bad weather, everyone wants to work from home occasionally. And it is essential to know about front about the potential employer’s policy toward home office work.

What is the opportunity for advancement in this position and what is the career track? While fewer if any companies or organizations guarantee careers or any kind of job security, most do surprisingly have career maps for each of the jobs in the company or organization. Often but not always, these are tied to the organization chart. Is the next step from the job a lateral position? If so, what? Is it a promotion? If so, what are the responsibilities? Do these require relocation? If so, what are the possibilities? These questions are not out of line. It is appropriate to think 3-5 years ahead while interview for the first or next position.

What are the expected work hours? Again, this may seem like a naïve question but it is an important one. When does the work day start? When does the work day end? Is there overtime pay for anything over that? What about weekends? If so, how often? One more time…unless you are willing to work 7X24 for your base pay it is critical to ask these questions during the interview.

What are the benefits with the position? This should be an up front question not an after accepting the job question. Benefits whether extensive or meager are part of the total compensation package (salary, bonus, any other incentives such as stock or options and all benefits). What is included? What does the employee have to contribute? When do they start? Which are included and which are optional? Which are most used by employees? Least used and why? This is one more case where the questions are either not asked or asked AFTER the job offer has been made.

What is the cash compensation? While more and more hiring managers and human resources managers get this question out of the way up front, it is a critical question. This encompasses base pay, bonus and other incentives excluding benefits. Related questions include: what are raises based on and how often? What is a typical raise? Does everyone get a raise? What are bonuses based on? Did everyone get a bonus last year? If not, why? Are options available for this position? While these questions sometimes are answered up front, they should be the last questions discussed once the others are out of the way. They are important, but they may not be the most important questions for most job candidates.

Finally, get the phone number and e-mail addresses of each of the people who interview you. If you do not get to ask all of these questions during the interview process, you need to follow-up with them to get the answers. A follow-up call or e-mail is often as important as the follow-up thank you letter or e-mail which is mandatory for all candidates.

Job interviews can be fun and they can be terrifying. They are an opportunity for the company or organization to see if the candidate is a fit for their open position. But equally important, it is an opportunity for the job candidate to find out if the company or organization is a fit for their goals, attitudes and life-style.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group - a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. He can be contacted at gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

Six Steps to Effective Meetings

Most people in medium and large businesses, government, non-profits and other organizations spend the majority of their time in meetings. As managers and executives, their most valuable resource is their time and that of their people. And yet more time is wasted in unproductive meetings than all other activities combined. Making meetings more productive is one of the most important thinks and any business or other organization can do. There are six key steps to making meetings more effective.

People. Insure that the right people are at the meeting. That they are there on time and that they focus on the meeting rather than taking cell phone calls and doing their e-mail. As much as people complain about meetings, people hate to feel they are missing something important. They feel excluded. It is critical that only the people who need to be at meetings attend them. Presenters who are not key participants should attend meetings only to give their presentations.

Purpose. While most meetings have a purpose, that purpose must be clearly stated in the meeting invitation and again at the beginning of the meeting. Someone should be designated to keep the meeting focused on that purpose. Any issues that arise that are not tied to the purpose should be noted and captured for another appropriate meeting. Also, at the end of the meeting, the purpose of the meeting should be stated again prior to the attendees leaving. Invitation – Opening – Stay on Topic – Closing.

Meeting type. Within the purpose, there are three types of meetings. Meetings must to be limited to information, decision making or idea floating. Informational meetings are those where people present new information to the group. These meetings need to leave time for questions. Decision making meetings are those where issues have been previously raised, recommended courses of action presented and decisions must be made by the body. The decisions must be documented. The final type of meeting is what we call an “idea floating” session. At these meetings, a pertinent issue or issues are raised and the people attending the meeting provide recommendations to address the issue or issues. These are then documented with owners to take the recommendations the next step.

Time. No meeting should last longer than one hour. Period. Meetings that last longer than an hour are not productive, they lose focus, they take on additional topics and purposes and they become forums for grand standing. People should arrive at the meeting on time. The meeting should start on time. There should be no more than five minutes to review the purpose of the meeting, who is attending and their role in the meeting plus the agenda for the meeting, which should have been distributed in advance. The meeting should cover the entire agenda in the next fifty minutes. The final five minutes should be used to recap the decisions, who will distribute the notes from the meeting and when the next meeting is scheduled. The meeting should end within the hour and not over. It is ideal to keep the meeting to 55 minutes including the opening and closing comments so people can be on time for their next meeting (on the hour) and are not distracted.

Document. Someone should be charged with documenting the purpose of the meeting, who attended it, the decisions made, any open issues and who owns action on them and when the next meeting will be held. Anything else in the notes is excessive. The notes should be distributed electronically within twenty-four hours only to the attendees. There is a habit of forward meeting minutes to the world – up and down the chain of command. This serves little purpose and bogs down future meetings and creates excessive and unproductive work for all involved.

Follow-up. It is up to the meeting lead (or chair) to insure that all items decided at the meeting including the open issues are either closed or a recommendation made by the owners of the issues. Often, issues remain open for months if not years. It is up to the owner of each issue to do whatever is required to bring them to closure or recommended next (action) step.

Considering that meetings take the majority of managers’ and executives’ time during any given day, it is essential for them to take steps to make meetings more productive. By focusing on the critical elements of effective meetings, this can be done immediately. The key elements include: the right people, a clear purpose, a limited amount of time (and on time), documenting decisions and owners and follow-up. These simple but seldom followed steps will make any organization more effective and improve job satisfaction for the participants.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. He can be contacted on gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

War Room: Do You Need A Command Center?

A command center, sometimes referred to as a war room, can be a competitive differentiator for a business, non-profit or other organization. The key elements for any command center are: centralized location, key personnel, time frames (project, crisis or on-going), mission definition, primary activities and finally, resources as related to organizational commitment. Each on of these points will be outlined below to better portray whether an organization does in fact need a command center

Location. There are two schools of thought in this area. One is that the command center should be near the hub of action such as the corporate, non-profit or other organizational headquarters. The other is that the command center should be at a remote location and not co-located with the headquarters to keep it safe and to avoid too much executive interference in its workings. If the command center is to serve as an executive “dog and pony” or show facility, then it should be at headquarters. It is then convenience for both executives and for other visiting dignitaries. If the goal is a critical information hub, then the command center can be anywhere. Ideally, not in or even near the headquarters facility.

Personnel. The kinds of people who are best for a command center are not necessarily the movers and shakers on their way up in any organization. There are three categories of people who are valuable in the command center environment. The first is the candid veteran leaders or manager. This individual must be fully committed to the center and willing to tell it like it is regardless of the consequences. The second is the expert. There need to be functional experts – the top in their areas – in each of the primary functional areas that the command center supports for the corporation or organization. The third category is the technical guru. Given the importance of communications, systems and tools to the command center, only the best technical gurus can meet the needs of the facility, even if that means they wait in the wings for problems to occur.

Time frames. Some command centers are designed to monitor day-to-day activity on-going. Other command centers are initiated for a specific project, initiative or program. While the underpinnings of both are the same, the project specific command centers tend to be more effective due to their limited scope and duration. In that project specific command centers are temporary, they tend to exhibit a higher energy level and greater innovation. Once command centers become “permanent”, the energy levels and the amount of innovation decline due to the long term institutional effects.

Mission definition. In other words why does the command center exist? What is its primary role in the business, organization or non-profit? This is different from what it does and how it does it. Some examples are: “to intercept all information on competitors”, “to track all bids and sales”, “to track and monitor the launch of the XYZ (new) product” or “track and monitor all media coverage on (you name it…). Additional missions can relate to tracking, monitoring and controlling activities related to: natural disasters (for business and civil use), peak volume periods (hotel chain activity for a tourist season), events such as a convention or an annual meeting or conference or finally, for large sporting or media events.

Primary activities. The command center should not be a catch-all. The primary activities are very clear. These should include: collection and collation of market information, collection and collation of competitive information, collection and collation of customer information, collection and collation of sales information (bids open, bids closed), new product launch data collections and other real time information such as contractors or logistics performance. Other types of information that may be tracked and collated by a command center include: special project statistics, media events updates, event data by time and location against project plan (think of a convention) and monitoring real time visual data for an event of function (such as traffic and buildings for a visiting dignitary or other public official). The key point is that the command center is for collecting, collating and disseminating information to critical decision makers in a timely fashion for the duration of the project, program or event.

Resources. There is a tendency for organizations to count the pennies and waste the dollars. This could be no more than in the case of the command center. The appropriate amount of money needs to be spent on the location, people and technology to make the command center effective. This does not mean it is a palace. Having the right people and technology are much more important than a fancy location with new furniture. Additionally, the resources go beyond dollars and cents. The time and attention of leadership are critical to insuring that the command center has the ability to deliver on the mission for which it was commissioned.

War room. Command center. Control center. Mission control. These are all terms that have been used to monitor, track and report on events, projects, programs, events and occurrences. While the names differ, the overall purpose and structure are the same. By adopting and following the points outlined above, any organization – public or private – can make their command center an effective asset for a specific mission for a limited period of time.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. George can be contacted at gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com/ George's weblog is: http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com/

Nine Points for Sales Excellence

The heart of any successful business is a successful sales force. You can have the best innovation, technology, product, marketing, operations and customer services, but if you do not have an excellent sales force, all the rest quickly becomes overhead. While every sales force organization is different, there are certain key elements that different the average sales teams – no matter how small or how big – from the excellent ones.

Training. The best sales forces spend considerable time training new people. They must know more about the product they are selling than anyone in the organization. They must be able to answer any question. And training is not just up front for the new people. Training is on-going. No just with new products and offers, but in sales skills, all aspects of your company and about the competition (more on that later). Training is essential to sales excellence.

Territory. There is no one right answer to how sales forces should be organized and what territory model works best. By industry? By geography? By account? The bigger the company, the more complex the territory models are. The model that seems to work best is that small and medium sized accounts are split on a geographic basis. Then the largest (or named) accounts are on a national or even global basis. In that the largest accounts require the most “hand holding” and have the longest sales cycles, it does not make sense to align these accounts geographically.

Sales force retention. This point is a bit of chicken and egg. Successful sales people should be compensated in such a way that they will next want to move on or quit what they are doing for a company. Low turnover of the top sales people is essential. But low turnover is essential for all accounts. Most sales are based on relationships and knowledge of the product or offer. New sales people may not have the relationships or the knowledge of the company’s specific products and offers. Clearly, poor performer must go. But the successful sales people – and even those who are not at the top but achieve their quotas are essential to retain.

Face time. The value of a sales person is on the phone or face to face with customers. The more time a sales person is doing paperwork or involved in back office processes not related to either training or customers is sales time wasted. Sales people need to spend the great majority of their time either interacting with a potential customer, a current customer or in training to have sales excellence.

Easy to do business. It is amazing how companies make it nearly impossible for sales people to do their jobs. To achieve sales excellence, a company must develop processes that make it as easy for sales people to turn their relationship into a sales through a contract and then for that to be fulfilled through an efficient order process. The more paperwork the sales person has to do, the less effective they will be. Additionally, the more support the sales person has to provide back into the company on behalf of the customer for the contract or order fulfillment, the less time they are spending generating more sales and revenue. Think about the value of the sales people in your organization and how they are actually spending their time.

Sales centric model. Businesses that do all they can across the organization to support the success of the sales people generate more revenue and grow. Whether it is R&D, product management, marketing or customer service, all functions should be aware that nothing is more important that to make the sales team successful. And this should be tied into their individual and team objectives too.

Leadership. There is an old adage about the best sales people not making the best sales managers. This is often true. But the fact is that the first choice for sales management should be people who have been effective in sales. This may not be the number one sales person. But having the combination of sales experience plus leadership and management skills are combinations that are critical for sales team success.

Business intelligence. Whether it exists in marketing or elsewhere in a company, someone should be responsible for business intelligence. Just as in the military and the government there is need to keep an eye on the enemy and know everything you can about them, the same holds true in business. This function needs to know and provide the sales force and management with the latest on: top competitors strategy and tactics including products, technology, marketing and pricing, big wins, big losses and any other facts that can be useful in building and winning sales.

Compensation. Sales compensation needs to be at least competitive for the industry and geography the company operates in. Most sales people are on a combination of base salary and commission. The best sales people want a higher percentage of commission. The more successful they are the more they can earn. A couple of points on this. Sales people should be on at least 50% commission. There should be no cap on what they can earn based on their quotas. Finally, find a sales compensation plan that works and stick with it. Changing the sales compensation plan every year will only guarantee confusion and discontent among the sales force.

Sales excellence is often thought to be as much of an art as a science. This may be true. But successful sales people need specific support and infrastructure to be successful. Following the points outlined above, combined with smart and aggressive sales people will insure sales excellence in any business or organization.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. The e-mail is gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com
George's weblog is:
http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com

Nine Steps to Corporate Success for Employees of Any Age

Whether right out of college, graduate school or coming in from another company, managing personal success in any corporation is challenging. Globalization, downsizing and outsourcing all have made that challenge even greater. There are steps that anyone coming into a corporation can take that will guarantee a degree of success, if not the CEOs desk (or perhaps cubicle for some companies today).

1. Learn your new job inside out. Know more about your job than anyone in your company. And once you know everything about your job, learn all you can about the functional jobs that intersect with yours. Also learn all you can about your bosses job. But first, be the expert in your job, not just in your company, but in your industry.

2. Meet people. Meet people of all titles, functions, organizations and roles in your company. Build you network. But do not stop there. Join one local and one national professional organization. Get to know others outside of your company in your field. This is more important than most people realize. Your network outside of your company is even more valuable than that within your company although it takes more effort and “care and feeding”.

3. Get your credentials. If you do not have an MBA and those around you or above you have them, get one. Hopefully your company will pay for it. It you need other advanced degrees or professional certifications, get them. Do not wait. This is important too. If the company pays for it, great. If not, it is an important investment. And make sure those you are working with are aware of your on-going academy and professional work – not just you boss but co-workers and your boss’s boss too.

4. Look up. What are the people one and two layers above you doing? Talking about? Wearing? If you aspire to success you need to look up not just at your peers. Are the bosses golfers? Then learn to play golf and learn to play well. Or tennis. Or whatever. These things will be increasingly important for expanding your network and at functions such a conferences, retreats and forums.

5. Take on more than you are assigned. Once you know your job inside out, offer to take on special assignments. This can be work on committees, task forces or other additional work items. While the old military adage is not to volunteer, in the corporate world, volunteering to do more will get you attention. Of course it is a given that you will do a superb job with whatever you take on.

6. Be the first one in your department in each morning. Get a head start on everyone else. Not just some days but every day. And working a half day without being asked on either Saturday or Sunday is a good idea to stay ahead of the curve too. Does that mean you should be the last one to turn off the lights each night? No! While being in early is an advantage. Being the last one in, unless working on a special group or team deliverable can have the opposite effect. Those who work last consistently are view as slow, overwhelmed and it begs the question of what did they do all day.

7. Work and friendship can be a dangerous thing. Whether its buddies or dating. Keep office relationships professional. The end.

8. Stay sharp. Work out. Get enough sleep (unless you are one of those fortunate very few like Henry Kissinger and Martha Steward who do not require much sleep). Read. When not in the office, do not be a slug in front of you television or your computer. Being fit and mentally sharp are vital for the marathon of corporate success.

9. Do not get stale. If you have been in a specific job for two years you have three options: find a lateral job, find out how close you are to a promotion in your department or look for another job outside the company. This is firm. After two year you are a “lifer” in any position. And that is NOT a good thing.

While there is no guarantee for success in the turbulent world of corporations due to takeovers, bankruptcies, downsizing and off-shoring, the steps outlined above will give those who consistently follow them a significant advantage over their co-workers and in many cases, over their bosses too.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation. George can be contacted at gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

The Five Worst Traits in a Boss

Bosses, also called coaches, are a fact of life unless you are self employed. In that case, your clients and your potential clients are your bosses. But in business, non-profits and organizations, bosses are a reality whether you are a clerk in a mom and pop operation or the number two executive over a multi-billion dollar global corporation. In my twenty-five plus years working for five corporations of varying sizes, I had nearly as many bosses as I had years of employment. Some were great. Many were average. And some were just awful. It is this last category that is the topic of this article. The five worst boss characteristics follow. In each example I have also described the desired trait.

“No show Mo” (names changed to protect the innocent) had a long career in sales and on corporate sales staff. He liked to spend time outside of the office. What did he do when outside of the office? Personal investments, family matters and anything but his job. Mo decided I would be his official second in command. He knew he could count on me. I was young, loyal and naïve. I would receive no additional pay or perks for doing double duty. Mo gave me a “delegation of authority” so I could do his job and mine. I reviewed all his mail and signed all the sales contracts. I handled customer complaints. He got the credit and the raises when everything went well. When something went wrong, I got the blame. The desired trait here is accountability. If you are the boss, you take the good and the bad. Do not pass off your job to an underling.

“Will” was a brilliant man. He had an advanced degree, great ideas and worked very, very hard. The perfect boss right? Wrong! Will also had no personal life. As one of his direct reports, I became his surrogate for a personal life. After a long day of work, he would call me into his office to talk. And to talk. And to talk some more. About his past, his life, his weight, his ex-wives, about his career and about just about anything except work. I had a wife and young kids at home. Did he care? No! I was a built-in audience for the duration of the time that I worked for him. The desired trait here is business is business. If you want someone to talk to about your life, do not drag your subordinate into this role. Look elsewhere for a sympathetic listener. Not only is this bad form for a boss, it creates a level familiarity not positive for the workplace. Keep it business.

“Luther” was a grizzled old line manager. He was probably not as old as he seemed at the time. He had worked his way up from non-management to supervisor to manager. And he reveled in his authority. Every technician, clerk and supervisor was scared to death of him. Except me. I was at the time the new kid just out of college. He liked to intimidate everyone with his yelling and belittling. He gave no mercy to any of his subordinates. He would get on his speakerphone and yell at a supervisor mercilessly. He would do this while I sat in his office – and he would smile while he was doing it. He thought it was quite funny. The desired trait is respect. Treat all your people with respect. Those you supervise, your peers and those above you in the chain of command. Showing respect for others will cause others to respect you.

“Ian” was from another country but had been working in the U.S. for several years. He had worked for several large companies and always been successful jumping to a new job. He liked to build strong relationships with his bosses and their bosses. This was priority number one in his mind and actions. While I could list innumerable qualities of Ian that one should not emulate as a boss, I will just focus on the most outrageous. Ian never returned an e-mail, he never left a voice mail message and he never wrote anything down. He attributed it to technology. In fact, Ian wanted no trail of anything he ever did, said or wanted done. No “finger prints” of any kind. As such he could blame his subordinates for anything and everything. And conversely he could also take credit for anything. It worked well for him for a while. The only problem was that his subordinates, did not trust him and despised him for his behavior. The desired trait is integrity. If you are unwilling to write anything down or leave a message, then you must be hiding something. And even if you are not, your people will think you are hiding something. While you do not need mountains of paper, thousand of e-mails or hundreds of voice mails, responding in kind is reassuring to members of a team. Document objectives and appraisals on paper and sign them. E-mails with questions should be responded to in a like manner. Calls should be returned with calls. If no one answers, leave a voice mail message to respond to the question or issue and close the matter. It is a matter of trust. The boss must demonstrate integrity in all matters and this will help to create an atmosphere of trust.

Finally, there was “Winston”. A veteran of both large corporations and his own start-up. He was brought in to shake things up. He was not someone from the existing corporate culture, but rather from someone else’s corporate culture. Winston never heard an idea that he did not like, as long as it was his own. He had little tolerance for anyone else on the team’s ideas or suggestions. No, they were there to execute his constant stream of brilliant ideas ranging from new technologies, to products to marketing plans. And Winston had no problem with the team working seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Why not, he was more than happy to do this. He expected everyone to put their entire life on hold to make him successful. The entire organization was at his beck and call. Nothing was too much to ask in his eyes. Except when it came to his life. His wife, his children, his interests, his habits, his health were all the center of the organization’s universe. All activities and plans had to work around his schedule and his life because they were IMPORTANT because he was IMPORTANT. The height of this attitude was demonstrated when he chose to fire another individual and myself to save some money in the budget for the Fiscal Quarter. But he happened to be on vacation when it needed to be done. Did he come into the office while on vacation to fire us? Did he pick up his cell phone while on vacation to fire us? No! He delegated it to his second in command so he could pleasantly go on with his vacation with his wife and children without any of the nastiness that goes along with firing of two senior directors. The trait desired here is to treat your people – at all levels, roles and titles – as you would want to be treated. Always. That does not mean people do not work hard or that people do not get fired. They do and will. But how you handle these things and how you demonstrate leadership by example as a boss makes all the difference.

There are good bosses or coaches. And there are terrible bosses or coaches. The five bosses that I have described demonstrate some of the five worst traits in a leader. By understanding what each of these bosses did wrong and what traits they should have been demonstrating through their actions, day-in and day-out, every boss and boss-to-be in business, non-profit or other organization can meet and exceed their objectives while inspiring those who work with them at all levels.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. Franks Consulting Group specializes in start-ups, turnarounds, post-merger integration, performance metrics, individual and team coaching, meeting facilitation and leadership seminars. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and the International Coach Federation.
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com/ And George's weblog is: http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com/

Five Characteristics for Super-Success

Successful people, whether they are in business, government, non-profit or a professional field have five characteristics in common. These characteristics distinguish them from those who are in the middle of the pack. Some leaders have displayed these since their youths. Others have learned them, in many cases painfully, over the years. With drive, passion, hard work – and a degree of luck (i.e. being in the right place at the right time) anyone can be successful.

The common traits of successful people include:

Passion for the current job or profession. Successful people wake up every day exciting about both the challenges and opportunities facing them in the day ahead. There is no “oh it’s Monday!” or “thank goodness it’s Friday”. Most work, in some way, seven days a week and do not clock in/out”. I one way or other, they are always working. Everyday single day brings new challenges and new opportunities for those who have a passion about what they do to make money.

Balance of work, family and other interests. Successful people do put how they make a living first. But they also find ways to weave their family and their interests into the way they make a living. Whether it is traveling with family, supporting a non-profit cause tied in to a personal (and professional) interest or just relaxing on the beach, successful people find ways to integrate work, family and personal interests together in a way that enhances each and is not to the detriment of their professional objectives. You can have it all.

High tech/low tech. There are super successful people who use pencil and paper. There are super successful people who use typewriters (yes, this IS getting more challenging). And yes, there are super successful people who always have the latest notebook computer, cell phone, PDA device and the other latest cutting edge devices. Does one or the other make one more successful? Wit the risk of sounding like a Luddite, I say “no”. What works for you is the right technology. Now there are some fields and some professions that demand a high degree of technological savvy and tools. That is clear. But in other, more entrepreneurial endeavors, the low tech person may be just as successful if not more so than the one checking their email and answering their cell phone non-stop.

People powered. Successful people thrive on other people. Customers, clients, investors, potential clients, employees and others energize successful people. It is difficult to be successful if your idea of a good time is being in your office or even just with a few close associates. Listening to the thoughts, ideas, needs, questions, issues and concerns of a variety of people opens up whole new possibilities for successful people. And they create situations where they can have these exchanges constantly.

Reading and learning. While there are many ways to learn: classes, TV, radio, CDs and other medium, the one that propels most successful people to the top of their field or profession is reading. Most super successful people read constantly. And they do not just read professional journals and reports. They read everything they can get their hands on. They are curious about the world and they see opportunities and tie-ins for themselves in much of what they read. They devour books, magazines, newspapers, journals and just about anything else they can read that serves to expand their mind and their horizons.

Success, while a state of mind, is also a series of behaviors. And the most successful people exhibit these five behaviors consistently. Even if one does not achieve the stratosphere of the super-success, adopting there habits into daily life will leader to a higher level of success and personal fulfillment in the future.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the International Coach Federation. Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com/ George's blog is: http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com/

Steel, Telecom , DotCom, Airlines and the Worker in the USA

The last fifty years have seen tremendous prosperity in the United States. This prosperity has not only been experienced by the baby boomers who were born after World War II, but also by the generations that have followed. If there has been so much prosperity, why have so many people lost jobs in various industries since the 1960s? First the steel industry followed by manufacturing was hit as jobs began to move from the historically industrial regions to lower cost regions and then to outside the U.S. Following the break-up of the Bell Systems on January 1, 1984, telecommunications changed forever and continues to change. While some jobs were created, many jobs were lost forever. The build-up of the internet and the dotcom revolution was followed by the dotcom bust and again many jobs were lost. More recently, the airline industry has been hit hard with bankruptcies, jobs losses and reduced pay and benefits for the remaining employees. Is any industry immune to massive jobs losses, bankruptcies, loss of benefits and reduced pay for employees who remain? In simple terms the answer is “no”.

The farmers became the factory workers who morphed into the white and blue collar workers who in turn became the information workers. While there are plenty of products you and I need every day: cars, shirts, food, gasoline, computers, light bulbs, desks – the list is literally endless – most are made, assembled or processed outside of the U.S. They are sold here. We buy them here with our hard earned dollars but someone else, who generally makes much less than you or I and who either has no benefits or has their benefits provided by their government does all the work to make the products we enjoy every day. Think about it. Am I saying “buy American”? No. Am I saying that employment and economies are global and very much in the midst of flux right now? Yes!

So, what can you do?

- Whatever field you are in, stay on top of the latest technology. If your employer does not pay for it, do it on your own.

- Develop a professional network. Not just in your current field and not just in your local area. Be active with your network.

- Build you own business. If you work for someone else, development you own business in whatever field in your nights and weekends. If you already work for yourself, make sure that you are not so narrowly focused that any bump in your field, technology or the economy will vaporize your revenue stream.

- Put yourself first. Corporate loyalty is dead. Take care of number one. No matter how valuable you think you are, you can be eliminated or replaced in a moments notice.

- Save. Make sure you have six months worth of savings just in case you get laid off. While a year would be ideal, it may not be realistic while saving for you children’s education and your retirement.

- Stay flexible. Just because you always worked in a certain field does not mean you need to stay in that field for 40 years.

- Plan to never retire. Unless you are very good at saving and financial planning or you plan to live on Social Security, get it into your head now that you will always work – at least for as long as you physically can work.

- Think of work as a marathon. Sure there are some weekends and all nighters, but there are few crises that require you to work 60 hours per week for weeks on end. After a while that becomes a lifestyle. Mix work, exercise and leisure (family, travel, outdoors, reading, etc.). Balance is the key.

Is there any good news here? Yes. It’s up to you. No one is going to take care of you. Not your employer, not the government, not your mommy. You have got to do it yourself. And you can. Once you accept this fact, it is extremely liberating. Take advantage of that liberation and begin NOW.

George Franks is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group - a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the International Coach Federation and the Institute of Management Consultants. His web site can be found at:
www.franksconsultinggroup.com
His blog is:
http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com

Leadership for 2010 and Beyond

I have been reading a lot of articles and books about leadership – or more to the point – the lack of leadership. All one has to do is look around at business executives, political leaders, the non-profit world and even in religious organizations. The examples of how NOT to lead are presented to us daily via newspapers, magazines, the internet and television. There are plenty of books, web sites, journals and seminars that teach and preach how to lead. So, why do we see so few examples of the kind of leadership that we need to take us to 2010 and beyond?

There are several key principals for effective leadership that apply today and will apply in the future. These cross generations, technologies, professions, disciplines and cultures.

- Listen. No matter how much you know there are always people who know more than you. They may be higher or lower in the pecking order. It does not matter. The art of listening is a skill that ever leader needs to cultivate.

- Honesty and integrity. These should be givens. But they are not. And they matter as much with the little things as the big things. Do not lie, cheat or steal. In word or deed. And do not tolerate others who do – coworkers, employees, contractors or consultants. Lack of honesty and integrity can spread like a cancer.

- Work hard AND work smart. Some say work smart not hard. If you look at any great man or woman, they worked hard to achieve their fame, wealth, office or other achievement. Are there lazy people who accomplish great things? Some. But they are rare. And would you want to be one of them anyway. No, working hard AND working smart are the winning ticket for the leaders of 2010 and beyond.

- Put yourself last. A true leader does not put her or himself in front of his team. He goes to the back of the line. That means take care of your people first. From bottom to top. And make sure your subordinates do the same. Does that mean tolerate inefficiency and fat? Of course not! But do take steps every day to insure that every member of the team is treated with respect and that – in the great tradition of the U. S. Marine Corps – the privates get their chow (food) before the officers.

- Lead by example. Think of the best boss you ever had. What made that boss great? In all likelihood you followed the example of that boss or coach. Leaders are visible to their people. They will emulate them. Do the things in a way that you want the members of your team to do them. With humility, with quality, with focus and of course…with integrity.

Leadership is an art not a science. It can be learned. Applying the points outlined above will enable one to be a more effective leader in any field today, tomorrow, in 2010 and beyond.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group – a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the International Coach Federation. His web site is:
www.franksconsultinggroup.com
His blog can be found at:
http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com

The Corner Office, the Cubicle and Starbucks

The workplace has evolved over the years. At one time, most people worked from their homes as farmers or craftspeople. A few were merchants. Then the industrial revolution changed everything. Many people left their homes and trades to live in and around cities and work in factories of all sorts. In the factories people repeated the same task over and over with many co-workers doing the same thing. People now had a home separate from their place of work. As industrialization matured, there was more and more paper work, administration and ultimately the advent of professional managers. In the last quarter of the twentieth century, as manufacturing began to recede, information workers came to the forefront with the rapid growth of technology in telecommunications, computers and ultimately the internet. During this period, globalization began to squeeze American companies to be more competitive. Companies consolidated and launched wave after wave of layoffs in both the blue and white collar ranks. Few industries or companies were immune from this trend.

Where does this leave us today in 2006? Today there are fewer office-based white collar workers working for large corporations in the same way that there were fewer craftspeople working out of their homes after the industrial revolution. We have experienced the information revolution and in many ways, the effects have been much more staggering than what occurred in the nineteenth century. This can be seen clearly when viewing the current variety of working environments. Some white collar workers gain the few cherished slots for the executive corner office. Many more are finding themselves spending their mid and late working years typing on a computer and talking on the phone in a cubicle. And an ever increasing number are home-based. Where they work for corporations, small businesses or themselves. They find the kitchen table, the local Starbucks or if they are fortunate, a home office, as their workplace.

Whether one is in the corner office, a cubicle or working from Starbucks, there are a few office “rules” that you should consider.

- The most important tools for every business person are a cell phone, a notebook computer with wireless capability, a legal pad, a pen or pencil and business cards (and yes, you do need access to a printer too from time-to-time).

- Everything else, whether it’s a desk set, bound organizer, clocks, manuals, journals, photos, certificates, Post Its, paper clips, boom box, manila folders (I admit – I have a thing for manila folders; always have) or calculators should be considered ranging from nice to have to useless clutter.

- I have worked with some people who carry almost nothing and those who carry more than enough for an expedition to the Artic. I have known executives who have only one piece of paper on their desk at a time. I have also experience co-workers who have mounds of paper, journals, sandwiches, utensils and other materials on their desk always – and yet somehow they seem to function quite well. And I count among my contacts business people who have more framed photos, knick-knacks and mugs on their desks than a veteran politician. And finally, there are those I have encountered who believe that anything personal, such as a photo of the wife or kids, in a place of business is offensive – and tend to be quite vocal about it.

The point is this – it does not matter whether you work in an office, a cubicle, the kitchen table or Starbucks, surround yourself with only what you really need to do your job effectively. Everything else is clutter and will keep you from effectively accomplishing your objectives.

I look forward to your thoughts and experiences on this topic.


George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group – a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the International Coaching Federation. His web site can be found at:
http://www.franksconsultinggroup.com/
His blog is:
http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com/

Ten Steps to a Successful Job Interview

Just like dressing to get hired, the interview itself it fraught with opportunities to fail. But there are “rules”. While following these rules will not insure that you get the job, they will enable hiring manager to see you as more than just another candidate for their vacancy whether just out of school or a veteran to the working world.

1. Bring several copies of your resume in a leather follow with notepaper in it to take notes if necessary. Do not forget to bring a pen. As long as it’s not chewed or juvenile, any kind of pen is fine. If you use a luxury pen to an interview you may be suspect.

2. No matter what the person hosting you says or asks, do not eat or drink anything offered. Just politely say “no thank you”. Remain standing until your interviewer joins you.

3. When the interviewer finally does join you, make eye contact and shake hands firmly. Greet the interviewer by name. Sit only after they sit down.

4. Offer a copy of your resume. Do not assume they remembered to bring it with them.

5. Answer questions precisely. Do not ramble on. Make eye contact. If you need clarification, ask for it. It there are multiple interviewers at one time, make eye contact with the one who asked the question.

6. Be prepared to ask several questions. These should be based on research you have done about the company, business or organization. They should be specific and not “fluff ball” questions.

7. Do ask for the selection process time line. This is the key for following up your thank you note (see below) with a phone call.

8. Stand when the interviewer stands at the end. Make eye contact, shake hands and thank them by name. Ask for their business card. If they do not have a business card ask for their business phone number and business e-mail address.

9. Do not loiter. Leave immediately after the interview is completed. Thank the receptionist or administrative assistant for their help before you leave.

10. Write and send an e-mail note to each of the interviewers within twenty-four hours of the interview to thank them. Some people recommended a "snail mail" note. I believe this can be a nice touch but is optional.

Surprisingly, many job candidates do not follow these key “rules”. By following them, plus a stellar resume and by making your appearance neat and professional, you will be seriously considered for that ideal job.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. Franks Consulting Group can be found on the web at:
http://www.franksconsultinggroup.com/

Dress To Get Hired: Attire Still Matters

Dressing down, business casual and the like, which are sometimes described as benefits by companies, are not appropriate for job interviews. Many of the “rules” established nearly three decades ago in business literature still apply when it comes to interview attire. Whether what one wears to an interview should matter will not be debated here. Rather, it should be assumed by anyone interviewing for a job, whether a newly minted college graduate or a veteran to working world, proper attire still does matter for first impressions.

For men, the interview outfit has changed little over the years.
Suit: Traditional navy or gray two or three button. Only button the top for two button suits or only the middle button for three button suits. 100% wool is best. Make sure it is clean and pressed. Vest are not in style currently.
Shirt: white or light blue cotton. Straight or button down collar. No French cuffs (those are for the CEO and CFO to wear). Neatly pressed and clean.
Tie: striped, foulard (small diamonds or squares) or small dot pattern in silk. Classic colors. Traditional patterns. Neatly tied and again, clean and not creased or wrinkled. No tie tacks or clips.
Shoes: black or dark brown. Classic style with laces are best but dress slip-ons are OK. The clunky ones are for the high school and college crowd. Must be polished.
Belt: leather, understated buckle, classic and leather the same color as the shoes.
Socks: plain black or navy blue.
Jewelry: no earrings – ever, a dress watch, no more than one ring per hand on the ring finger, no lapel pins unless you are going to work at the White House – then an USA flag pin is OK. No bracelets.
Hair – get a good haircut (not a do-it-yourself job) a week before the interview and comb your hair prior to the interview. If you have any facial hair, make certain it is trimmed and understated.
Personal grooming: shower, shampoo, deodorize, no cologne, brush and floss your teeth, use mouthwash. Check yourself over in a mirror before you leave for the interview.
Sources: Jos. A. Bank, Brooks Brothers, Lord & Taylor, J. Press and other classic men’s clothiers.

For women, the task is definitely more challenging. Fashion changes from season to season and from year to year. Again, I am going to strongly recommend the classics. Traditional cuts, colors and styles. If you think this is for the birds, you probably belong in the fashion or another creative industries – or working for yourself.
Suit: Jacket and skirt OR pants in black, navy or gray. 100% wool is best. Make sure they are clean and pressed.
Blouse: white, ecru or pale blue. Various fabrics and classic styles are acceptable. Freshly dry cleaned.
Shoes: black, navy or dark brown depending on the suit color. Classic style pumps are best but sling backs with closed toes are OK. Make sure they are not scuffed and are polished.
Pantyhose or stockings: natural shade and no runs with skirts. Knee highs with no runs with pants. This applies twelve months a year.
Jewelry: no more than one earring per ear, simple and traditional. A dress watch, no more than one ring per hand, a pin on the jacket can be a nice touch if not too big or too "cute". Simple bangle or link bracelets are OK. As are a fine gold necklace or classic string of pearls. No ankle jewelry and no facial piercings.
Hair – the less said here the better. Just make sure the hair is not distracting and the color is a natural looking one.
Make-up – make sure it is not distracting and looks natural.
Personal grooming: shower, deodorize, brush and floss your teeth, use mouthwash. Check yourself over in the mirror before you leave for the interview.
Sources: Talbots, Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Lord & Taylor, Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren and other stores that offer more traditional women’s fashions.

Will wearing and doing these things get you the job? Probably not. But they will insure that the interviewers do focus on you, your skills and how you speak and act rather than on some aspect of your attire (yes, I agree, it should not matter – but the fact is that it does).

I look forward to your thoughts and comments on this topic.

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching practice. See our web site:http://www.franksconsultinggroup.com/

What Else to Read: Managing, Consulting and Coaching

There never seem to be enough hours in the day to read all you need to read much less all that you want to read. When is comes to managing, consulting and coaching, there are several that top the list from my perspective. I categorize these as “must read” for anyone in the business of managing, consulting or coaching. They include:

Harvard Business Review
All of the business magazines, this one is essential for anyone in management, consulting or coaching. Read ever issue cover to cover.
Visit:
http://www.hbr.org/

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins
One of the well researched, well written and truly applicable books that applies to management, consulting and coaching.
See your on-line bookseller and visit:
http://www.jimcollins.com/

Anything by Peter F. Drucker
Peter Drucker’s work is, for the most part, timeless. Do not limit yourself to reading only his later books and other writings.
See your on-line bookseller and visit:
http://www.peter-drucker.com/

Anything by Tom Peters
Sometimes Tom Peter’s comments seem “off the wall” but he remains a true visionary and is always insightful and exciting.
See your on-line bookseller and visit:
www.tompeters.com

Wall Street Journal
Well balanced, well written and always up to date with the latest on all aspects of business and finance (the language of business).
The Wall Street Journal

Anything by Scott Adams
You have to be able to laugh at yourself and often Mr. Adams’ hits home whether he takes aim at HR policies, systems and processes or practice (or lack) of management.
See your on-line bookseller and visit:
http://www.dilbert.com/

I look forward to reading your recommendations for this list.

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching practice based in Bethesda, Maryland. For more see our web site:
www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Ethics-based Leadership: Five Essential Questions

Ethics are the focus of much discussion and media coverage in the post-Enron and WorldCom scandal tainted world of business. Leadership, always an area of study for organizations of all types and sizes, is receiving even more attention as a result of corporate and other forms of corruption (such as the recent events with Tom Delay in Congress and the “K Street” lobbying investigations of Jack Abramoff and others in Washington, DC). But when it comes to ethics-based leadership, while there is a growing volume of literature there are few role models (at least those who are still living and breathing, rather than in the history books and biographies). Given these circumstances, where can one go for “real world” guidance when it comes to ethics-based leadership?

There are several key questions that leaders at all levels and in any type of organization – be it a large or small business, non-profit, government or the professions can ask oneself and others:

- What would my mother say about…(action, decision, behavior…)?

- What if this was my personal bank account (applies both to income and outlays)?

- How would I want to be treated in the same situation (applies to customers, clients, patients and employees)?

- Would I want to see this (action, decision, behavior, conversation, etc.) on the front page of the local (or regional, or national) newspaper?

- If I am making a promise, agreement or “commitment”, am I willing to do everything in my power to keep it (situational honesty is just another name for a lie)?

Simplistic? Maybe. Realistic? Yes. Life changing? Definitely. If leaders of all professions, businesses and organizations asked themselves these questions – and then acted upon them - ethics-based leadership would shift from being an academic theory to a day-to-day reality with remarkable outcomes not only for leaders but also for customers, employees and investors.

George Franks is the owner of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching practice based in Bethesda, Maryland. For more see:
www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Wall Street Journal Article, February 13 - Comments

The article, "Rewarding Competitors Over Collaborators No Longer Makes Sense", was an excellent one (Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2006).

Having worked in management for Avaya, Lucent Technologies and AT&T, I observed first hand how competition was, for the most part, rewarded over collaboration. Both in terms of performance ratings, financial rewards and promotions, the competitive stars were almost without exception better rewarded. They were also held up as role models by executive leadership through selection to various annual leadership (read: performance) councils.

In a knowledge-based economy, the benefits of collaboration seem obvious. But in my experience, and those shared with me by many others working for technology companies, the behavior that is rewarded is not that which is "coached" or mentored internally and externally.

Until better metrics for collaboration are developed and these are tied to performance management systems, the same old behavior of breeding and rewarding competitors will continue.

George Franks is with Franks Consulting Group - a management consulting and leadership coaching firm based in Bethesda, Maryland. For more see:
www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Taming the Conference Call Monster

Whether working from office or home, leading and participating in conference calls are essential for doing business in the twenty-first century. Some key points to keep in mind when participating in conference calls are noted below.

- Be on time whether the organizer or participant.

- Make sure you introduce yourself including name, organization or company and why you are relevant to the call.

- If you are the lead on the call, be clear as to the purpose of the call, the agenda and the time limit.

- An agenda sent out in advance of the call is always helpful.

- Additionally, any background material should be distributed to and reviewed by all participants at least one business day in advance of the call.

- Listen to others.

- Do not multi-task. If you are too busy to be on the call or if it is not important to you, assign someone else to participate and represent your function or role.

- Mute the call when you are listening. Others do no want to hear your dog, child, sneezes, lips smacking, etc.

- When you do break in to speak, state you name first and be clear and concise.

- Do not speak over other people or “step on them”.

- It a debate breaks out on the call, the lead on the call should moderate and put the item on a parking lot for follow-up if appropriate.

- Someone should document the purpose of the call, participants, agenda and key decisions made. It is not a court transcript word for word.

- Five minutes prior to the end of the call, the lead on the call should wrap-up. This should include a summary of any decisions made, any to do’s including who owns what and by when, any open issues and how they will be handled and when the next call will be scheduled.

Following these steps makes calls more productive for everyone and better spends the money related to the business or organization’s people costs. I am sure others have learning from their conference call experiences. I look forward to reading them.

For more on consulting and coaching see:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Leadership: "Leonard Wood" by Jack McCallum

The new book by Dr. Jack McCallum, "Leonard Wood: Rough Rider, Surgeon, Architect of American Imperialism" is a must read for anyone interested in leadership, America at the turn of the last century or Theodore Roosevelt.

As not only a student of leadership, but also a student of history, I found the book more than satisfied my curiousity about the little-known surgeon-soldier-imperialist who had a close personal relationship with TR.

The section of the book about Wood's inspired leadership in Cuba following the Spanish-American War is especially well researched and written.

I highly recommend "Leonard Wood" and look forward to comments from other students of leadership, history and Theodore Roosevelt.

"Leonard Wood: Rough Rider, Surgeon, Architect of American Imperialism"
by Jack McCallum
New York University Press, 2006

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

"The Best vs. the Rest" (Wall Street Journal - Managing)

I read Erin White’s “Managing” article “The Best vs. the Rest” with great interest. Over twenty-five years in management with AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Avaya provided me first hand experience with a number of different pay for performance plans.

AT&T swung from brutal rating and ranking banded pay based on performance after divestiture in 1984 to the elimination of ranking and treating pay individually in the early 1990s under Jerre Stead’s leadership. At Lucent Technologies, ranking and pay for performance reappeared, but stock options and team awards buffered the change for a time. The spin-off Avaya from Lucent established pay for performance with a new vengeance, generally without the options and often without payout of the company-wide performance award. Fewer incentives and less money became available. There was increased focus on greater rewards for top performers at the expense of the other managers. As with most companies, there was also an increased drive to do more with ever fewer people and operating through numerous matrix teams across the business became commonplace.

While the performance outlined in Ms. White’s article may have thrived at GE and other companies, what I observed was a demoralizing effect on managers of all performance levels. Top performers were driven to succeed, for the most part, without the additional financial incentive. Companies cannot expect to motivate and retain talented managers by rewarding the majority of them with raises ranging from modest to none.

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Why should a company engage a management consultant?

Why should a business – large or small – engage a management consultant?

Most owners of small business believe no one knows more about their business than they do. CEOs of mid-sized companies often believe that the kinds of activities performed by management consultants can and should be carried out by their own management on top of their day-to-day responsibilities. And CEOs and senior executives of large global corporations, while generally more open to management consultants than their counterparts with small and mid-sized companies, often resist engaging management consultants either due to their corporate ego or in view of cost controls.

Why and when should a company engagement a management consultant?

- Management consultants bring an independent perspective. Periods of high growth, low growth, tepid financial performance, creative stagnance and organizational change are a few of the many symptoms when an independent perspective is essential for a business.

- They often have specialized skills in areas such as strategy, finance, operations, human resources or marketing.

- Management consultants work from the perspective of best practices and use these as a benchmark for evaluation and recommendations.

- They can provide additional resource in specialized areas for a limited period of time to support a project, initiative or change such as an acquisition or divestiture.

While the reasons to engage management consultants are numerous, more often than not, these four are key to the decision-making of businesses of all sizes.

What are your reasons for bringing on management consultants? Did it result in a position result for the business and why? If not, what was the reason the engagement did not result in success for the business?

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

What does it take to be successful?

The "keys to success" is the central topic of many books, articles, lectures and courses. Is there a secret? A special trick? Can anyone be successful?

Let me offer the following based on years of reading, studying, global work experience and life experience...

What does it take to be successful?
- Have a goal. This must be what gets you up in the morning. This is the thing that drives you, that you are passionate about. Remember, setting the bar too low will do nothing to stretch you to achieve amazing things.

- Work hard. Wheter it is business, sports, an avocation, political office or in personal life, there are no short cuts to success. It takes hard work. Does this mean you shouldnt work smart? Of course not! It is just that any worthy goal requires hard work over time.

- Absorb setbacks. Any worthy goal is going to require persistance. Doggedness. Any have near term setbacks and failures. If it doesn't you again may be setting the bar too low. Examine every failure. Learn from it. And then move on smarter but with a scar or too.

- Share the glory. When you do achieve your goal, share you experience, learnings and praise those who have helped you along the way. Few people achieve great things all by themselves. Put the spotlight on others.

- Celebrate and move on. Once you have achieved your goal take a bit of time to bask in what you have achieved. Let it sink in. What have you learned from it? What would you do again? What would you do differently? Then examine you priorities in life and set your sights on your next goal.

Let the journey begin.

What do you think it takes to be successful?

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Five Questions Every New Boss Must Ask

Whether joining a new company, organization or brought in as an outsider to turn around a business, there are some key questions one should ask.

While I feel strongly about these, I am interested in hearing what other experienced executives, manager and consultants views as their “top five questions”.

- What is the financial performance, on a P&L basis, for the past three years by quarter?
- What are the vision, mission and goals of the business?
- Who are the competitors and how are they performing against you?
- What do the opportunities in the market look like now and over the next 24 months?
- Who are the top customers and what are they saying about our …(people, products, services, etc.)?

Once these questions have been asked and data are presented to respond to them, then it is on to many other questions – internal and external. But almost without exception, these questions are the outgrowth of the five key questions outlined above.

What are your top five questions?

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com

Multi-Tasking and Focus

Most people in business, whether entrepreneurs with start-ups, managers with growing companies or senior executives with global public corporations, face a common dilemma. How can one juggle competing priorities effectively and still maintain a level of focus to insure consistently high performance levels? While roles and companies differ greatly, some of the essential skills they require are common.

- What essential things will not get done if you do not do them? How important are they to the success of your business? In other words, do these impact your key performance objectives? While there are many things that can and should be done on any given day (and night – and weekend), what are the most important? These should be your top priority.

- What are your business objectives? What are the outcomes that you have committed (to yourself, your boss, your board, the investors) to achieving? What are the time frames? Think in terms of specifics not how they are achieved. Insure that these are documented and have the buy-in of all the key stakeholders of the business.

- What are your interruptions – real and potential? These may include: co-workers, vendors, customers, phone calls, cell phone, e-mail, snail mail and other potential time and focus stealers. This is not to downplay the importance of any of these. Customers are essential to all successful businesses. Technology is vital to efficiency and communication. Co-workers and vendors are also crucial to many if not most enterprises large or small.

- Schedule your day and control your environment so you can do ONE THING AT A TIME. Most successful people list the ability to focus as one of the elements essential to achieve success and maintain optimal performance.
List your priorities. Revisit them. Some must be revisited daily. Others weekly. Some monthly. Others annually. Schedule a weekly and monthly review of objectives. Prioritization is directly related to accomplishing them.

George Franks is the founder of Franks Consulting Group – a management consulting and leadership coaching firm. Visit:

www.franksconsultinggroup.com