Measuring Up

Energy banks

Energy is a company asset. I don't mean utilities. Electricity and Gas are essential to operations as anyone in South Africa will know all too well at the moment. But what I am talking about is people. The energy that is applied to thought, to problem solving, to customer relations. Its critical to any business, but I wonder how many count it as an asset?

Over the past few weeks I've been working on the concept of Entrepreneurship with Graham Singleton of Make Yourself. We've been discussing a model for a presentation. As we explored what could be done to enhance entrepreneurship within companies, we discovered the links with energy. Its been a great experience working with Graham. His enthusiasm is infectious.

Energy is the life blood of an organisation. Its the fuel that drives both the pace and the quality of growth. But the challenge lies in the intangibles. Some people have it in spades, and others don't have quite the same amount of 'go'. Those that have it can infect others with enthusiasm, but they can also overwhelm. And although its not finite, it does need to be nurtured and sometimes conserved.

Its value is hard to measure - it never appears on the company's balance sheet. But without it nothing happens. Although we can't always control it, we should perhaps look after it - think of it as deposits and withdrawals from a bank. If we keep drawing on it without top ups, we'll start running low. But shared with others effectively, it multiplies rather like compound interest.

Investing in your energy bank could well pay great dividends.

Creating Entrepreneurs talk - part 1

I've been asked to speak at the Institute of Directors Annual Conference in Suffolk. The topic is Entrepreneurship and I guess my opinion is considered relevant as East of England Business Woman of the Year Enterprise Award recipient. Public speaking isn't an area where I have much experience. Those of you who know me may well raise an eyebrow at that statement and think ironically about the fact that I talk up a storm - all the time. But speaking in public is quite different to just having a big mouth!

I decided for a number of reasons that if I was going to accept this request I would need to make an investment in getting the final product to the state where it was absolutely the best I could do. Firstly, I know how valuable time is to people who run businesses. I owe it to the audience to make it worth their while to sit and listen to me for half an hour. I also owe it to myself to use this opportunity to develop a killer presentation and the skills to deliver it really well - because then I can do it again in June when I have a second speaking engagement.

Over the past 6 months, I've been working with two great people to get my output to a professional enough level. More about them in a later blog.

For the current presentation I've been researching companies that behave in exceptional ways. And I found it fascinating. I just had to share one of the best stories I've come across:
Southwest Airlines took part in an event which became called 'Malice in Dallas' in 1992. At 61, with a smoking and drinking training regime, Herb Kelleher took on 37 year-old weight lifting head of rival company, Stevens Aviation in an arm wrestling match. And all because they didn't want to involve the lawyers in a dispute over the use of a slogan. If only all corporate disputes could be settled so brilliantly - its worth reading the story.

Its easy to see why Southwest Airlines is one of the USA's top companies to work for when you understand just how far they go to make work fun.

Getting help with the 'What next? question

Great to see MSA gets a mention in Personnel Today's article on training for before and after 360 feedback.

The expertise that wraps around 360 reviews is a key component in the ultimate result. Making sure the 'What next?' question (or even the 'So What?' question) is properly explored makes the difference between it being a box-ticking exercise, and something that delivers powerful results.

Welcome Aboard

Earlier this month a new "free" 360 review service was launched. Its a DIY, no service, no support, one size fits all product which comes with no advice on how get any value out of the reports. This scenario is a classic case of 'You get what you pay for.'

How many people would be willing to fly on an airplane that had not been safety checked, had an unqualified pilot in the cockpit, no cabin crew and no baggage handling staff - even if it was absolutely free?

Yet somehow, there are still those who would rather save a few pounds than make a solid investment in their people.

Hard to understand.

The Right Questions

Ten times a year I give myself the gift of a day of developing my business skills. As part of a fantastically powerful group called Association of Business Leaders (ABL), I have the benefit of being able to focus entirely on my business issues for a day, and share current issues, problems and suggestions with other members.

The impact of this peer coaching is surprisingly powerful given that the members are not professional coaches. What we are tapping into is the shared experiences and perspectives of a group of highly motivated people who understand the pressures of building a business. Although the industries, business sizes and specific expertise of every member is different, the common thread is the willingness to share knowledge, support a fellow member, and help each other grow in capability, and profitability. This is powerful stuff and every one of us is loathe to miss a single day despite our heavy pressures.

Our speaker this morning was Anne Miller, a highly knowledgeable and enormously talented author, inventor and entrepreneur from Cambridge. Anne has recently published her first book, The Myth of the Mousetrap, in which she unravels some of the critical barriers to getting new ideas adopted. For anyone attempting to build an innovative business, Anne's book is an essential management tool.

It turns out, we learned from Anne today, that its really important, when gathering information to back up a hunch, or provide data as the basis of an important decision - to ask the right questions. So often, we miss some critical nugget of knowledge just because we forget to ask some of the more obvious questions. Anne's example of NASA's Challenger disaster is a poignant reminder of at least one instance where this critical step wasn't included, with devastating results.

Clearly, in most situations, the consequence of asking the wrong questions (or omitting the right questions) isn't catastrophic. But even in our discussion of business issues during our ABL sessions, effective questions provide greater clarity in the least amount of time.

Consider your teams and your organisation's culture. Do you encourage lots of questions? Do you focus on asking the right questions to get the whole picture?

Ask yourself those questions.

What's really at the core?

I just took the leap and converted from Windows to Apple. In between the groans, the gulps and the pained sighs, I do hear the voices of reason that remind me of why I made this decision. I needed something really portable - portable enough for someone with a dodgy back and shoulders who needs to be more productive and takes a fair number of train trips.

I could have stuck with Windows and just bought a more portable laptop. But, my iPhone has been such a good experience, I thought I would look at the new MacBook Air. The sight of the Apple Store in London and the smaller but newer Apple Store in Cambridge was amazing. Its not a shop - its an experience. Apple have very cleverly made enough cool pieces of kit freely available that there are throngs of fans all lined up to play games, check emails and surf the web - and its a continuous stream.

When it comes to the actual buying experience - they have the slickest operation I have seen for a very long time. Its quick, its easy, its packaged to perfection and once you have parted with a pretty hefty chunk of your hard-earned wage, you'll have charming salesmen and women offering to help carry your new kit to your car for you.

Sadly, despite the absolute assurances of solid support 24/7 online and on the help line, and failing that, the services of one of the in-store 'geniuses' - the support I received did not live up to the same standard. Not by a long chalk. These assurances had been delivered when I specifically asked about any potential issues with converting from Windows to Mac.

Imagine my concern when I discovered that Outlook 2003 does not create mbox files, but Apple's mail programme only takes file imports in mbox format. Imagine my annoyance the first time I called the support line only to be told that this was a 'microsoft problem' and that I should therefore call Microsoft. Annoyance increased to irritation when I got exactly the same answer to a second call when the first 'Tucows' free download suggested didn't work. Then imagine the escalation to complete disdain for their assurances when I managed (after 3 hours) to get hold of one of their much talked-about instore Geniuses. Only to be told that he was busy and could not help me. And that all he could do was to wish me luck with my chosen solution. By this stage I had worked out a fairly torturous route to getting my mails across via Thunderbird.

I succeeded in the end, but not before feeling really disappointed in Apple. This is the iconic brand that promises the ultimate experience. What I got was extreme irritation. I was prepared to love their brand. In fact., I already loved my phone and was quite eager to have the same sort of relationship with the MacBook. The trouble with setting high expectations during the sales cycle, is that we expect the same level of service to be present in the support team. Somehow, the disillusionment is all the more intense for the positive build up beforehand.

It strikes me as a real lost opportunity - not only with me, but with thousands of Windows users who might dearly like to swap over to a Mac, but who won't take that step specifically because they dread the prospect of conversion nightmares. When the store Genius said that an Apple employee shouldn't have more than a very limited knowledge of the competitor's product, he was so wrong on so many levels. Competitor knowledge is a real asset to any organisation. In this case, it made all the difference between having a satisfied customer, and having a customer who is writing this blog entry. Worlds apart.
If Apple had Windows experts on tap to help customers make a smooth transition - how many more opportunities would they have to sell their very well designed products? Its impossible to quantify, but I'd stick my neck out and said that its probably many thousands.

Knowledge is the ultimate advantage in today's world of business. Know your market. Know your customers. Know your competitors. Without that, you can't possibly offer a world-class support service. Pity that beyond the shiny outside, I found a pretty rotten core.

PS. to be fair, I have tried their support 4 times in one shape or form. Today (number 4) I had the first positive result sine I bought my laptop. Perhaps people and things are looking up in the world of Mac.

Spread a little Lovemark

I've just finished my first reading of what is, in my view, one of the most engaging business books ever created. I say 'created' because this book is the sum of more than one part (writing). Not only is the message compelling and convincing, the design is exciting and the whole package is enticing and absorbing. Lovemarks was written by Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi who has followed it up with The Lovemarks Effect - now on my 'books to buy' list.

My brilliant designer sister gave this book to me for Christmas and I have been diving into it repeatedly ever since then. I say that I've just finished my first reading because this is a book that I will re-read. I can see that it will be dipped into repeatedly, and parts of it will be gone over many times to extract more ideas for developing our business.  Discovering the Lovemarks website felt like a fabulous bonus.

Expanding on the ideas of what comes beyond building a brand, Lovemarks incorporate elements of mystery, storytelling and intimacy. Once you've read this book, you start to recognise these qualities in the messages created by some of your favourite brands. The Lovemark stories submitted on the site make interesting reading too. Once you've read Lovemarks, its quite possible that you'll never look at brands in quite the same way again. I know I won't.

Turning Critic into Champions

It may seem counter-intuitive to invite your most difficult colleagues to be part of a steering committee or pilot group. But there are some excellent reasons for doing just that.

We learned this from a very wise client – by making sure that he had some challenging colleagues working alongside him he ensured that the final result met all their expectations.

Including them in the ‘how’, ’when’ and ‘who’ decisions means that they get to be part of the project decisions. It’s always harder to criticise when you’ve been partly responsible for the final result.

A few things to consider:

• Try to get people from other disciplines or departments – this helps avoid silo-mentality.


• Think about whether there are any key groups in the organisation where the project will have major impact – make sure they are represented.


• In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the need for
  • Connectors (people who know lots of people),
  • Mavens (people who know lots of stuff about their subject) and,
  • Salesmen (people who can persuade other people). 

If you want to create champions for your project – aside from getting them inspired by being involved – do you need your team members to be Connectors, Mavens or Salesmen?

• But, be very careful not to make any group too big. No elaboration required, I’m sure.

In many cases, once they have been involved in the early phases, these challenging colleagues can often become the project’s biggest assets – the champions within the organisation.

Helping organisations focus on areas of maximum value and impact

We've made good progress on the project we announced last year which aims to provide charities with free 360 feedback services this year. We've now got 4 charities signed up for the project and our first completed project was a great success.

Here's our official press release about it:

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MSA Interactive CEO Vandy Massey announced today that the company, in partnership with Performance First, will offer free staff development services to the UK charity Sporting Equals. “As part of our charity initiative this year, MSA are offering a 360 Review and a one-to-one feedback session for senior executives at Sporting Equals, all at no cost to them,” Massey said. The Cambridge-based company is working with a number of charities that support education and training in the UK and abroad in 2007.

Sporting Equals works to promote racial equality in sports throughout England, and it is the first charity to benefit from this initiative.

“We’re all sports enthusiasts at heart, and we know that training is essential to success – that’s why Sporting Equals was delighted to respond to MSA and Performance First’s invitation to participate in L360 and coaching development. PF and MSA have helped us to target specifics and focus on these areas for maximum value and impact.” said Sporting Equals Director Lorraine Deschamps.

MSA helps organisations make fast, positive improvements in staff performance using online assessment tools. Performance First is a specialist consultancy based in London that focuses on delivering performance improvements to its clients. Together, the companies look forward to helping Sporting Equals maximise its performance as an organisation, and ultimately, the clubs that the charity benefits across England.

Massey explained, “MSA is thrilled to be working with Sporting Equals. Their work with governing bodies of sporting agencies is making great strides to promote racial equality, and we think that our online tools and support can help them build on their impressive results.” MSA will announce further charity partnerships in the weeks and months ahead.

There is still time to benefit from one month of free online utilities and support services offered by MSA and its training associates. Charities wishing to take part in MSA Interactive’s 2007 Initiative are encouraged to contact Vandy Massey, either by email, on contact@msainteractive.com, or by post, at MSA Interactive, PO Box 972, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB2 4WQ.

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Do let us know if you would like to take part in this project.

The Gift of Effective Feedback Part 2

Recently, I wrote about how seasonal 'giving' relates to an important gift that that we can make part of our day-to-day lives - effective feedback - and invited you to share your experiences. I'd like to thank everyone who sent in responses, and pass on some tips.

The first reply that caught my eye was from Shamus Doherty, who gives us all a reminder that feedback is a two-way street: "When giving feedback make sure the other party is willing to listen, otherwise there could be tears at bedtime." Good point, Shamus! Even feedback delivered with the best intentions can be counterproductive if given at the wrong time. But remember that uncomfortable, or even unwanted, feedback can be some of the most useful. As Binh Zientek writes: "Painful as feedback can be at times, I have always tried to listen to constructive ones and have always improved personally and professionally because of them. I also thank the other person for their feedback."

A formal feedback exercise can help take some of the pressure out the exercise, but it still requires some thought to get the most out of it. If you've been invited to give feedback, either in person or as part of a formal process (for example an appraisal or a 360 review), here are a few tips:

• Give clear, honest feedback - comment on aspects of specific behaviour. Often the person requesting feedback is not aware of how their behaviour affects others. You may be able to highlight and reinforce certain positive and helpful characteristics. Equally, your feedback may clarify the reasons why it would be a good idea for them to make some changes.
• Be constructive - it isn't helpful to comment on things they cannot change, or to write feedback in a thoughtless way. If carelessly worded, at best, your comments could be dismissed - at worst, they may be damaging.
• Think informally - be respectful, but not deferential; rather than focusing on your relative positions within the organisation, concentrate instead on the impact of the recipient's actions.
• Treat the request responsibly - don't let personal quibbles or a bad day have an impact on the feedback you give. Give yourself time to do the review properly. If you want to have a look at the questions first and think about them before responding, log in to the questionnaire, but log out without submitting a response (once the review has been submitted, it cannot be re-done). When you are ready to complete the review, give the task your full attention.
• Finally, remember that by giving good feedback, you are helping a colleague improve their performance. Ultimately, this benefits all members of the team.

I'll leave you with a great response from Steve Pendray of ProCustomer, a Reputation Marketing company. When talking about his experience of 360 degree feedback, Steve's comment was: " I realised that I now had a solid foundation on which to base my personal development. I would say that it was the most useful development tool I have ever used." He goes on to say, "Feedback for a business is a bit like going to the gym - you know it can be painful, but it's also good for you. You pay the subscription with eagerness but, having joined, you can find 1001 excuses for not actually going."

Well said, Steve. The message here is if you take the task seriously and follow through with the exercise, then you reap the rewards!