3 Keys to Building a Sense of Belonging.

Associations are really in the teambuilding business!

Most of my research over the years has been in the area of effective teams. In the past three years I have worked with several associations and have concluded that the elements of success for building highly effective teams are the same for highly effective associations. In order to have a high performing team or association, a strong sense of belonging must exist.

Like teams, associations must focus on this sense of belonging to enhance overall effectiveness and in the case of associations, membership value. Three key elements need to exist in order to facilitate a greater sense of belonging:

Include and exclude-

Set boundaries that make membership exclusive to the extent possible and necessary. When the fans enter the “Big House” on Saturday afternoon to watch Michigan play football, there are generally 105,000 that are fans “members” of the Michigan group and 4,000 fans of the other teams. It is easy to see who is in and who is out.

A common language is also very important. Use acronyms, logos, certificates, levels of membership and encourage exclusivity.

A sense of belonging is enhanced through clarity of who is included and who is not.

Safety in numbers-

Humans naturally like to be, or feel a part of something bigger. Neighborhoods, churches, alumni groups, clubs and associations are few examples of organizations people can join and feel comfortable. But comfort commonly doesn’t last. Membership isn’t enough!

Just as in teams, associations and their members must share common goals.

Most people join associations to increase their “bottom line.” Individuals define that “bottom line” in many different ways and the more successful an association is at understanding their member’s “bottom line”, the more value they can deliver. However, if an association maintains a laser-like focus on increasing membership and revenue, it will become apparent to their members and the sense of belonging will be diminished.

Being part of a higher purpose engenders a powerful sense of belonging.

Input/ Output Ratio-

This element is most often misunderstood. People don’t just want more!

Research has shown that people are more satisfied when they feel their results are equal to or greater than their expense. In other words, the more they are involved…the more they get in return. Associations will create a much greater sense of belonging by increasing the input to output ratio. All too frequently, associations center activities around “serving” benefits to their membership while underutilizing their member’s willingness to be more engaged.

Now this is where you are thinking; “This guy is crazy!”

Look, simply asking members to volunteer to perform a task is not what we are talking about here. Doing things does not equal engagement.

In an effort to attain the highest sense of belonging, make sure your members believe they will get more if they give more.

This past Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Michigan football program produced a very high sense of belonging. Just ask the other 104,999 Wolverine fans that were there.

Highly effective teams and associations maintain a high sense of belonging because they set boundaries, share common goals and are engaging.

To Twitter or not to Twitter?

Do I  want to Twitter? How do I get the most out of Twitter? Twitter…what’s Twitter?

Using Twitter as a Social Networking tool is fun and easy. It can be a helpful tool or a waste of time.

But can it increase your performance?
Here’s how to get the most out of Twitter.

DON’T JUST DO IT! Follow these suggestions and tips.

1) Decide what you want to get from Twitter before you start.
Do you want more friends, customers, motivation, ideas, research, updates, news, weather, quotations, jokes…well you get the idea. What exactly do you hope to get from Twitter? Many people join Twitter, try it for a couple of days, then let it die. That’s because they didn’t have a clue what they wanted from it.
Be clear on your objectives for using Twitter. Tip#1: Having lots of “Followers” is not as important as having Followers that are important to you.

2) Do your research.
Let’s say you want to use Twitter for researching a specific topic. Okay, this is almost too easy! All you need to do is Google “How do I use Twitter for research?” There you will find details on how to use this valuable tool.
For example, if I wanted to see what others had to say about the new Chevy Camaro,I would enter #Camaro or Camaro into Twitter Search. Another tool I find very helpful is Tweetdeck, a free downloadable software which can beused for searching several topics at once. Tip#2: Spend a few hours at Twittip.com and explore the opportunities.

3) Call on a friend.
Find somebody you know that will mentor you on Twitter. If you have a friend that has used Twitter for some time (and they have a clue) they can be a great resource for coaching.
If you are a member of an association or group, try to find other members that utilize Twitter.
Another way to begin “Tweeting” is to get a friend or group of friends to join with you and leverage each others research, tips, followers et cetera.
Tip#3: Follow me on Twitter.com/TheCPO and follow a few of the great people I follow. Once you build 30-50 followers…ask them questions. People that Tweet are most helpful folks. Ask them, they will help.

Today saying you don’t Twitter is like people who ten years ago boasted about not using email. Get with it! Improve your performance in life and at work by staying in the know and in contact. Be Your Own Chief Performance Officer.
Like everything thing in life, this tool we call Twitter can be helpful, but “Don’t Just Do It!”

Are You a “Walter Cronkite” of Sales?

This past Friday, Walter Cronkite passed away at the age of 92. For decades, he has been recognized as the most trusted person in the world. What an honor to bestow on a person and how it must have made him feel.

Research continues to show that trust is the most significant selling competency for professional sales people. Furthermore, sales professionals that are most proficient at gaining their customers trust are most adept at generating higher sales revenue.

Here at The CPO Institute, we believe trust can be built on what we call the “Attitude of Caring.” The “Attitude” is based on three crucial components:

Caring about them-

Professional sales people ask the right questions, listen to the answers and truly care about the client and their needs. Demonstrating how much you care for and are knowledgeable about your clients specific business will earn your their trust and loyalty.

Caring about your company-

Nothing will undermine trust more rapidly than “selling out” your own company. NEVER discount or dismiss the importance of the rest of your organization. Accept responsibility and help make the necessary changes to enhance customer satisfaction. Giving away the store or bashing other departments will weaken the foundation of the very trust you are seeking. One of the best ways to build trust is to be knowledgeable of your industry and your company.

Caring about the order-

Getting the order is simply the first step in building trust.

Now they trust you enough to place the order. This is where trust is truly built. Follow-up on the order, make sure the customer gets what they expect, show how you and your company is actually concerned about them and deliver everything you promised.

All too often, trust never develops in a sales relationship because once the order is written the sales person begins to focus on the next sale.

Sales Professionals truly live with an “Attitude of Caring” and continuously build trust in their customer relationships. Sales Professionals that build trusting relationships with their clients generate greater sales revenue.

Wouldn’t it be great to be considered the Walter Cronkite of your industry, company or marketplace?

“Most trusted!”

Be You Own Chief Performance Officer and visit The CPO Institute today.

3 Bad Things Can Lead to Good Sales!

If you are in Sales, nobody needs to tell you the economy sucks!

Here are three market conditions that are generally considered to be negative, but when properly handled during a sales call (read relationship), can lead to higher sales revenue generation or market share.

Dollars are shrinking:
The dollar is not as strong as it once was and there appears to be a shortage of available dollars for most companies and individuals. This is forcing buyers to be more selective in how, when, where and even why they spend those scarce dollars. Everyone’s budget has been affected.
Therefore, it is most important to truly understand, not only your customers needs, but also what makes you, your company and your products better. Only then can you properly address your customer’s needs and provide appropriate solutions.

Competition is scared:
That’s right! They are panicking. They are getting pushy and obsessed with “making the sale.” They are cutting support, warranty, service, quality, availability, and they may even be cutting their price.
That’s ok! Don’t fall into that trap.
Take advantage of their weaknesses by emphasizing your strengths.
Be willing to change or alter your strategies.
Public perception holds that GM and Chrysler won’t stand behind warrantees any longer. This may or may not be true, but it is a common perception. My neighbor, a lifelong GM customer, just purchased his first Ford. His reason, “can’t take a chance on the warranty running out.” Ford and other manufacturers are leveraging this public perception and stressing their warranty in their advertising messages.
By accentuating your strengths you can highlight their weaknesses.

Customers are experiencing pain:
Aren’t we all?
Empathize with your customers and show compassion, but don’t dwell on it.
Acknowledge the aches they or their businesses are experiencing.
Don’t dwell on it!
Empathize and move on. Turn conversation into a positive.
The day after the Red Wings recently lost in the Stanley Cup Finals, I overheard a Sales person commiserating with a customer over how bad they played, how bad the officiating was, how bad the coaching was, even how bad the media coverage of the event was.
When people are in pain, they want relief. Instead of complaining about the “cause and effects” of game seven, what if our sales friend would have focused on the fact that Detroit had in fact made it to Game seven of the finals. What if he chose to discuss the excitement that led up to game seven? Don’t wallow in woeful negativity. Help customers lift themselves up. Help relieve their pain.

Selling is hard work. To improve you need to continuously leverage these common factors in selling relationships. Adapting to these market forces can set the true selling professional apart from the competition, resulting in higher sales revenue.To make an effective sales call, Don’t Just Do It…be your own Chief Performance Officer!

Death of a Salesman and Xylophonist

Believed!

Back in the mid 1950’s my father was a professional salesman. He taught me that Sales was all about being competitive, caring and competent. These attributes helped him be very prosperous over the years.

As a good Christian, my father believed that helping others was not only a noble goal, but a responsibility of everyone. With his guidance, I began helping others as a Cub Scout. Doing good deeds quickly turned competitive. The Cub Scout’s award bronze, silver and gold arrows for various activities that support their mission and receiving arrows was like winning the Olympics for me. Winning these arrows became THE competition for me. At first, my goal was to win more than Tommy Teachout and then it shifted to literally fill my shirt with the little arrows. Dad taught me to believe that competition was good and healthy. Just as long as winning didn’t come at the expense of another.

As a good father, my dad believed helping others was one of the best attributes a salesman could have. Like my father, I have been a salesman all my life. At a very young age Dad taught me that selling wasn’t about persuading and convincing, but about truly caring for your customer. He always said that if you offer the customer something they need, they will buy it. He also believed that true salesmanship helps the customer understand that they need what you are selling. Dad truly believed that, bottom-line, if they REALLY don’t need what you are selling, care enough to walk away. (But keep them in the Rolodex)

As a leader, my dad believed helping others grow and improve was a critical component of good leadership. Not unlike the young sales people that worked for my father, when we were young, we kids were expected to continuously improve in everything we did. Be it on the athletic field, in the church choir, or our given professions. We always needed to improve.

As a young man, my first commission sales job was selling shoes. I recall one time early on, when I complained about needing to take so long to locate shoes in the confused and cramped “Backroom” that it was hurting my sales. Dad simply told me not to worry about trying to change the system, but to focus on learning the system and deal with it. I did and in no time I was earning more than the full-time employees in only 20 hours per week.

My dad loved music.

He played the Xylophone in church and sang in the choir nearly every Sunday until just a short time ago. His competitiveness came out in everything he did. He wanted to be the best father, husband, salesman and Xylophonist. And, as I recall…he was. Of course, now that I think about it, I never actually knew any other Xylophonists.

Don’t get me wrong. He wasn’t great just because he was competitive, but because he truly cared. He cared deeply about his children, his clients and the congregation.

Finally, Dad was a role model when it came to having and maintaining a high level of competence in everything we did. He not only expected us to continuously improve, but he did it as well. I recall one Saturday evening when I wanted to go out, but dad couldn’t take me because he was practicing the Xylophone for the next day’s service. Now keep in mind, I had heard him flawlessly rehearse that same song what seemed like hundreds of times. He knew that his perfect practice would result in a perfect performance. On the other hand, I just wanted him to take me someplace where I could continuously improve my relationship with my friends (girlfriend) I’m sure. That Sunday morning, as I watched the congregation enjoying my father’s music, I realized just how important competence was in maintaining highly effective levels of performance. Not just in music, but in everything we do.

My father passed away at 5:26PM today 5-26-09.

As I reflect on his life from my perspective and what he meant to me, I am grateful to have learned how to nurture a healthy level of competitiveness, a deep sense of caring and an appreciation for competence in every aspect of my life. Dad has often expressed how proud he was of his children and grandchildren. He was also very proud when I left Corporate America to embark in a business of helping others improve their performance and their lives. In fact, he left a voice mail message for me just a couple of weeks ago telling me how proud he was of me and all the kids. I saved that message, but I can’t listen to it right now. But I will!

In closing, one element I often use in my presentations is to challenge the audience members to think of only one word that they would want on their gravestone. One word that describes who they are, who they were or what they did. Just a few of weeks ago, when Dad was still alert, I asked him what his one word would be. My competitive, competent and caring father said his word is…

Believed!

Thanks for always believing in me Dad!

Love, your competitive, competent and caring Son…TJ

Go for the Easy Pieces!

There I was, sitting on the patio watching the little sparrow tugging on the three foot piece of ornamental grass from our “Asian Garden.” He (or she) was committed to getting that specific piece of long dead grass to build his nest. He had a plan to build the best nest in the trees. And he wasn’t afraid of hard work, in that he tugged and tugged on this grass for nearly twenty minutes.

All the while, several other sparrows made many trips to retrieve 3-5″ pieces of grass and take them to their nest. I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually got several feet of nest building materials while my stubborn little buddy tugged on the well connected winterized blade of grass. Much to my amazement, the feathered little tough guy actually severed the blade from the plant. And yet again, another major task was at hand (or wing). How to get the blade to the nest construction site?

The meager tiny guy looked like an exhausted runner crossing the finish line of a marathon. As he tried to fly the grass would wrap around his body and disable his ability to fly. In what looked like a series of the Wright Brothers first flights, he flew only a foot or two, landed (or crashed), flew another foot or two, crashed and finally got to the tree. Flying up into the tree was another act of determination from this sturdy little creature.

At last, he finally got the 3′ long blade of ornamental grass to the site of his nest. Only to find that it was too inflexible to function as good nest building material. There, nearly twenty feet up the pine was a cluster of unused 2-4′ ornamental grass reeds.

Have you ever felt as though you’re tugging and tugging on your “Big Blade of Grass” hoping for the big payoff? Maybe your plan should allow you to pick up the small easy pieces and build a comfortable nest as opposed to aiming for the “Big Prize” and never getting it.

Make sure you have a realistic plan to achieve your hopes and dreams. Be Your Own Chief Performance Officer!

Twitter and You?

One of the key elements in the BYOCPO Process is Partnering.
We describe Partnering as a process wherein you work with another person, system or process to build support, encouragement and accountability. Twitter can help by building a supportive network of “followers” that can be employed as accountability Partners.
Do you currently use Twitter? If not, why?
Please take the following poll and let us know if or how you use Twitter. Then leave a comment about your take on Twitter.

What is your Mission?

Do you have a Personal Mission Statement?
Are you guided by a set of deeply held values?
Do you know where you are going in life?

!!!TAKE OUR POLL!!!

Here at The CPO Institute, we encourage our clients to create a written Personal Mission Statement that does the following:
     Defines the people and things you
       deeply value in life.
     Describes who you really are.
     Explains what you want to do, be, or have.
     Outlines where you want to go in life.
     States how you plan to live your life.

Your Mission statement should be short, 2-5 sentences and is created with both your head and your heart. As Zig Ziglar once said: “People often fall short of their goals by 18 inches. The distance between their head and their heart.”
This “Mission” should help guide you when faced with difficult or conflicting decisions.
Stay true to your mission, stay true to thyself, but Don’t Just Do It!
Be Your Own Chief Performance Officer.

Tell Them Who You Are?

NOTE* The names have been changed to protect the…innocent.

Another call with the infamous “Unknown” on the screen!

Since several of my clients block their number on outgoing calls, I must answer the call with my usual professional, pleasant greeting. But in all honesty, somewhere deep inside me is a little voice saying “Screw ‘em if they don’t want to identify themselves.”

“Hello, this is TJ Wisner.” “Hi TJ, this is Shirley from Your Solutions, glad I caught you. Hope all is good…just wanted to get back to you with that quote on….”

When she was finished I told her how surprised I was that her number was blocked.

Here (paraphrased) is what she said: Well, we don’t want to broadcast our number because some clients might recognize it when we call them and they may never answer.

Here is what I said: “And you want me to do business with you? Why would they not want to take a call from you?” Unfortunately, for the company, Shirley’s explanation wasn’t very convincing.

Great customer relationships are based on trust. If a company can’t trust their clients to take their telephone calls, that is a symptom that cannot be overlooked.

After thinking about it, this is what I wish my phone could be programmed to tell people upon receiving a call from me: “Hi there, TJ Wisner here to help you improve you or your organizations overall performance…how can I help?” Okay, I know, it’s a bit long but I’m proud of it and want them to know.

If you don’t want to tell them who you are…they probably don’t care who you are.

Want to improve your Customer Service…Don’t Just Do It! BYOCPO

Did Screw Dad Screw Son???

Being the 5^th generation in the family business, Hyland Screw Machine Products, doesn’t guarantee a job. Dan Hyland, whose great-grandfather founded the automotive supplier in 1928, has been making some pretty tough decisions lately and lay offs are one of them.

Due to production cutbacks, Hyland was faced with giving some of his workers their pink-slips. Since his son is one of the newest employees in the company, Dan thought it was only right to lay him off in the first round as well.

It was the right thing to do Dan said. And moreover, when he told his son about his impending lay off, the son told his father that it wouldn’t be right for him to stay on while other good workers were let go.

At The CPO Institute, our primary focus is on values. Companies and people that have well established values and live by those values are successful and sustainable.

Dan Hyland and his son live by a set of time tested values. Being the 5^thgeneration in the family business, Hyland Screw Machine Products, doesn’t guarantee a job, but it does guarantee a foundation of solid core values.

No, Dan didn’t screw his son…he helped him learn a valuable lesson. Dan appears to be a man that lives through his values and is a great business man and Dad.

Life is tough sometimes and it is filled with choices. Live by a defined set of values and Don’t Just Do It!

For more on this story check out the local TV report from Dayton, OH on Hyland Screw Machine Products.