Growing your business intelligently

2012-01-15T16:37:00.003-05:00

Are you ready to take our Want to, Need to and Can do Quiz?

* Want to do - Every leader has aspirations for their organization. So what is it you want?
* Need to do – Since we are not able to do all that we want to do, you need to look for ways to resolve the conflicts between the want and can.
* And let’s face it, in this crazy world where we work and play, what we can do is a factor.

Can we find a way to harness our wants, needs and abilities to leverage results? More and more, organizations are discovering that they need to proactively move to the future, because the environment is changing more rapidly and leaders need more time to react. Proactive leaders estimate how their environment will change in the future and consequently change the direction of their organization. Basically you start acting and behaving like a designer.

Therefore, now is the time to understand what you want to do, what you need to do and what the organization can do.

What a great way to drive your success towards the future.

KFC Challenge

2012-01-05T11:04:00.003-05:00

Are you ready to take our KFC challenge?

* Know what you want.
* Find out what you are getting.
* Change what you do until you get what you want.

Would it surprise you to learn that most business owners have never taken the time to consider what KFC means to them? As a result many of them are not getting the things they want personally or professionally.

These three questions can be applied to any problem that you are looking to address. For example: Many companies want loyal and productive employees. But what they are actually getting is a mixture of results and inconsistencies.

So what would you need to change in order to get what you want? Maybe it is your leadership style? Studies have shown that Leadership has a direct impact on the success of a business.

So go out and get what you want! Take the KFC challenge.

Cash/KASH

2011-12-13T12:44:00.002-05:00

Coaching is like having a spring board to propel your business to new levels. Are you looking for ways to generate more Cash? Did you know that you already have the KASH you need.

Knowledge
Attitude
Skills
Habits

In French –Connaissances, Attitude, Savoir-faire, Habitude

Knowledge
Did you know that the sum of your knowledge, your education, and your experience is what enables you to do what you do? How skilled are you at making use of this ability?

Attitude
Attitude is your way of thinking and your approach of thinking. For example when you are faced with a challenge, do you say to yourself “I can do this’ or do you say "I am unable to do this”. Your attitude can hold back or spring board you beyond the limits of most people. How skilled are you at controlling your attitude?

Skills
We all have a variety of skills to meet the objectives of the business but leadership enables you to connect and deal effectively with people. How would you rate your Leadership skills?

Habits
We need to have effective habits that enable us to focus our time and energy and on the high payoff activities that get the greatest results.

Now may be a great time to top up your cash account!

Now is your chance to change your history

2011-08-12T07:01:00.002-04:00

I was reading the book Disciplined Dreaming by Josh Linker recently and it was another great reminder of how important it is to continually challenge your business model. If you are not tinkering with your business at least once a week, sooner or later one of your competitors will start to tinker with you.
Lets face it, your competitors are probably not actively plotting to take market share or business from you but if you are not actively expanding your creative vision you could wake up one morning and fine someone else has implemented your dream.

Complacency is not an option. Every day a new business opens and an old one closes. So you need to take control and be the one with the audacity to decide what the future will be and not wait until circumstances force you to a corner. You have to be disciplined enough to spend time working on your business while working in your business.

‘Today is tomorrow’s yesterday’ - take a moment to let this really sink in. You are in fact living your past today. Now is your chance to influence and change your history today. Think about it.

In a recent news story on business management, it was suggested that you “Think like a designer”. Good designers look at the world with a different viewpoint and awareness. They have unique views that enable them to come up with new products and innovations. They tend to think about people, not just customers. For every one new product they come up with, they have four more on the drawing board waiting to be launched. As an example I have never seen a survey asking if I needed an iPod or needed the ability to text messages. Please let me know if you have. These things did not just happen but just appear on the market overnight and became indispensable. They came about through a plan carefully developed, implemented and adjusted as required. Designers move beyond asking what customers want and think they need. They create something that they feel people will yearn for. You could say that is a risky but essential way of doing business.

How do you begin such a process? One way might be to work with a business coach who can help you to explore multiple ideas. Help you to tap into your creative side in order to establish potential future trends in your particular area of business. You could also hire innovative and inventive people that have the ability to look at things upside down instead of right-side-up. Another way might be to get out in the world, scrutinize and observe what people do. We have to move beyond the traditional thinking constraints we all have. We have to see through what people tell us they need (or think they need) and start to really observe what they are actually doing and how it is accomplished. You might be quite surprised to learn how the need and actual the end-result is accomplished differ and how large the gap is between what they say, what they are actually doing and how they are doing it. Many of us are too focused on the present but the designers who live in the mystery of the future can foresee the future needs. They live by credo ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift, which is why today is called the present".

To all business owners reading this article my challenge to you will be to take advantage of this great gift that is the present we all have and start crafting what people will need tomorrow by stepping out of your current beliefs to start thinking like a designer.

Call to action;
The question you need to answer after reading this article is,
• What will you start doing differently tomorrow? And how do you propose to keep score?
• Are you capable of being a disruptive force of change? In order to bring out the best you can be and the best your employees can be.
• Can you or your employees do one thing differently that would drive the business results to a new level over the next 6 to 12 months? Remember it takes 60 to 90 days for the change to be internalized your quit line will need to be longer than most of the people your know.

In one business we worked with, the owner was doing twice as much as the employees. She was working 60 to 70 hours a week and had no time to take any vacation. Today she works more on her business and less in the business as a result of developing improved leadership skills that have enabled her to tap into her employees’ underused potential - a seemingly impossible task only a few years ago. She is now able to take a three week vacation twice a year and everyone contributes to the overall business objectives. Each person is working not only on delivering services; they are now acting in the best interest of the business and the customers. Interdependencies have been developed and along with the owner, they have become an integral part of the business.

For this type of change to happen one must be open-minded enough to allow employees the opportunity to bring ideas to the monthly team meetings that contribute towards overall short tern and long term strategy. The employees who work with the customers, in turn, listen to the customers and what they are looking for and want. Prior to the change turnover was high and very little communication to take place. Remember that what can differentiate you business from another are those breathless moments in time that all customers and you as a customer yearn for. What to learn we are just a phone call away. Expect the best from tac-coaching.com

‘Today is tomorrow’s yesterday’

2011-07-18T13:03:00.000-04:00

In a recent news story on business management, it was suggested that you should “Think like a designer”.

Good designers look at the world with a different perception and have unique views that enable them to come up with new products and innovations. They tend to think about people, not just customers. Think about it.
I have never seen a survey asking, if I needed an iPod or the ability to text messages. Please let me know if you have?
These things did not just happen they came about through a plan and strategy.

Designers move beyond asking what customers want and think they need and then they create something that they feel people will yearn for. You could say that’s a risky way of doing business or is it?

So how do you begin such a process? One way might be to look outside the box you have created and start to hire innovative and creative people that have the ability to look at things upside down instead of right-side-up. Another way might be to get out in the world and watch what people do. We have to move beyond the traditional, thinking constraints we all have. We have to move beyond what people tell us they need and start to observe what they are doing. You might be quite surprised to learn, how they differ and how large the gap is between what they say and the actual do. Many of us are too focused on the present but the designers live in the in the mystery of the future. "Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift, which is why today is called the present".

So my challenge to you will be to take advantage of this great gift that is the present we all have and start to design what people will need tomorrow by stepping out of your current beliefs, to think like a designer.

I look forward to your feedback
Expect the best

Are you 20/80 or 80/20?

2010-10-09T22:09:00.002-04:00

by Ken Ingram President of www.tac-coaching.com

To run a successful and competitive business it is essential to follow a set of rules, principles and laws; more often than not failure to do so will result in a short and regrettable business venture. That being said, it’s interesting to learn that one of the laws that can have the biggest impact on your profits is being ignored by most businesses. Are you aware that in 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical rule of thumb that states 20% of something will result in 80% of something? As an example 20% of your clients represent 80% of your revenues and the inverse is also true: 80% of your clients represent only 20% or your revenue. It’s come to be known as the Pareto Principle, and if you’re not utilizing it, you probably should be.

As a business owner, the value of applying the Pareto Principle in most aspects of your business is that it should remind you to focus on the 20% that matter the most.

You need to take the time to identify and focus your energy on that group because during any given day you’ll end up fire fighting and this saps your time. So you must remind yourself that your top priorities always need to be addressed first. If something in your schedule slips, or if something is not going to get done, make sure it's not part of that key 20%.

The importance of using this system is to remain focused on ways to increase revenue without working harder. You can make equal or greater income in less time, reduce the stress on the business and all your employees by working smarter. If you have the option, and I believe that you do, than develop a strategy for choosing your customers. Reflect upon where you can get the best return on your investment of time, energy and marketing dollars.

So what can you do? Profile the top 20% of your client base who represent 80% of your revenue by:
• Uncovering existing ‘marginal clients’ who have the potential to become profitable clients’ and open the door to selling them more products or services.
• Define what constitutes a profitable client based on your ten clients who give you the most business each year.
• At every opportunity ask the people in your network for someone to contact who match your criteria.
If you could develop and groom 10 more clients just like the ones in your top 20%, you would see a huge jump in your revenue.
So what's holding you back? Why aren't you already leveraging your profitable clients and reducing the time you spend with marginal clients?
The process makes perfectly good sense, but very few businesses - set themselves up to win by creating a strategy focused on the high payoff group of clients. As a bonus you can now pay more attention and provide WOW customer service to the people who earn you the most profit. I assure you, they’ll love the special treatment.
In reality, you probably can't convert all of your marginal clients because they might not all agree with your plan. Maybe my suggestion doesn't even make sense in your business.
• But I challenge you to take a good hard look at where you are spending your time.
If you are hesitating, determine your real reasons for not pursuing this strategy with enthusiasm.
Below are Five Steps to help put Parato`s Principle at the top of your agenda:
1. List all your clients - preferably in a spreadsheet program. Enter the clients’ name, the revenue that they generated this year and last year. Estimate the average revenue from them over the past five years and the potential revenue for next year. Is it going up or down? What percentage of your total revenue does this client represent for your SPA business?

2. Sort your columns by the margin of revenue and you should be able to identify a pattern. Who are your profitable clients and who are your marginal clients? If something is changing, what are the reasons? Predict which ones will be in your group of profitable clients next year. Do you have all of their business or are you sharing it with others spas? What percentage of their business do you have now?

3. To determine what are the common traits of your profitable clients consider:
a. What are the products or services they purchase?
b. Do they have untapped potential?
c. What is the strength of your relationship with them?
d. How did they become a client?
Also consider what benefits your profitable clients are receiving by dealing with you. I suggest that once you have identified this niche group, call and ask them to help you define your business more clearly. Every important client will value the opportunity to help you grow your business and appreciate that you value their suggestions and feedback.
• Look at your marginal client group to see if you've overlooked people who, with some effort, could be moved up into the profitable client category in order to increase the amount of business they do with you.
• Develop a specific plan to give away, or manage your marginal clients in a way that is relative to their business value.
If you react blindly to your customer base and treat all clients the same, then you are definitely working harder - not smarter. Therefore develop a client strategy that enables you to intelligently identify your top clients and spend more time with them and others like them. Are you 20/80 or 80/20?

Is the world changing or are you changing?

2009-08-02T21:26:00.002-04:00

Before we begin to debate this question, let’s start with the meaning of the word change: To become or make different. Substitute or replace. Transition from something. Obviously, the number of variants continues and I could add more but this should a good start. I guess when it comes to change, the bottom-line is that we are attempting to make a fresh start in our business with the expectation of a positive result at a predetermined point in the future. Dr. Kit Silcox once shared with me three these questions of wisdom:

What do you want to do?
What do you need to do?
What can you do?

Answering these there questions may be an excellent way in determining what you might need to change in your business to meet the future needs and expectations of your clients.

The last six months have left many businesses scrambling for ideas that enable them to stay on track. What they wanted to do, what they needed to do, and could do has been de-railed and influenced not only internal forces but in the present context more strongly influenced by external forces. One thing is certain; you succeed when you think critically and ask questions.

The problem generally is that we may not be asking enough challenging questions in order to generate a clear and balanced perspective.

If you are alone in your business you may decide to involve family and friends in the process.

If your business is larger, get a few of the key managers involved. You can even take it a step further by involving a business coach to facilitate the discussion so that you ask questions that will permit everyone in the process to see well beyond conventional discussions. The process should be well documented and prioritized and should lead to both short-term and long-term goals and a strategies to move forward.

The economy, market shifts and demographics will continue to affect us but we do have a choice. The choice to react to our current situation or to focus on the future. Nicholas Boothman said it so well in his book ‘How to connect in business in 90 seconds or less’ in referring to KFC. Nicholas was not talking about chicken. He was taking about a concept of Knowing what you want, Finding out what you are getting and, most importantly Changing what you are getting until you get what you want.

It is obvious the world is changing but instead of trying to control change and all variables that are affecting you, control the change and speed around you by asking the type of questions that keep you firmly in command.

Tapping into your growth potential in 2009

2009-06-11T20:21:00.002-04:00

As I write this I am unaware of how may of you read the articles in Canada’s Financial Post newspaper. The Small business section on Monday June 1, 2009 contained three great articles that I felt were worth discussing because the messages have significant value.

1. Business plan can unlock your growth potential.
2. Do not make knee-Jerk calls.
3. Credit for those who know how to ask for it

Lets first talk about the relationship between how a “Business plan can unlock your growth potential” and the link to the second article “Do not make Knee-jerk calls”.

It is pretty obvious that we all tend to live and work in an environment that expands and shrinks sometimes at a rapid place and sometimes at a slow pace. We also know that some small business owners tend to fly by the seat of their pants and make decisions based on Gut feel while others are well informed and tend to make tactical decisions. So which of the two type is best? Many studies have been done that indicate 85% of a businesses success is related to being able to make tactical decisions. In doing so we set ourselves up to win because all the chaos associated with change, can be better managed and controlled.

So if this is true how does it relate to the second article? In the second article they begin by talking about how the down turn in the economy is both an opportunity and a threat. An opportunity because it allows us to seriously evaluate what is important to the business. The evaluation should be a written plan that enable you to be more tactical.

It can also be a threat because short term cash flow issues can cause you to make knee jerk cut backs that affect long tern goals. An example would be cuts in the budget to develop yourself or your employees. Image for a moment the owner of a sports team cut back on coaching and left the coaching to the team captain. He did save money that particular year but the team did not make it to the finals. For sure all the players knew how to play game but the elimination of the coach was a knee jerk reaction. Similarly in another case the orchestra cut back on the conductor. Everyone can still play music but it is more noise then harmony. So in conclusion having a plan and Milestones will keep you on track, unlock your potential and keep you from making knee jerk decisions that could affect the longer term results.

Let’s talk about the third article about credit for those who know how to ask for it. Contrary to common belief the banks and other institutions are still loaning money. One of the important comments made in the article is that you should “cultivate your relationship with a banker long before you need the loan. Remember the first rule in sales? “People do business with people they like trust and respect”. So it is critical to take the time to build those key relationships with your banker, accountant, attorney and financial advisor if you have one. If you do not, you should start because in business it is important to have your team ready to play when you need them. I have done this for myself and for my business and it has been well worth the time invested.

I trust that the views shared were of value and I look forward to your feedback.

Expect the best Ken (514) 668-2320

The Chess Game of Outsourcing

2009-02-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

By Ken Ingram

Cost reduction is no longer the sole reason to outsource. Outsourcing itself has changed. In the past, companies had all the talent, skills and abilities needed to reach the businesses goals and objective. However in today’s constantly changing environment, our capacity to maintain those skills has become scarce.Organizations are evolving at a much faster rate than in previous years in order remain competitive and the most compelling reason to outsource may be for survival and business performance.

When I became a black belt in Six Sigma, many of the employees looked at the new methodology as a strategy not for the purpose of becoming more efficient and competitive, but as strategy to eliminate jobs. Those of us who saw it as a methodology to improve cost and to become more competitive while increasing customer satisfaction were able to increase our value to the organization. By getting involved in the process we became a catalyst and were recognized as change agents.

If a business is not constantly making adjustments and corrections in all areas of the business, it becomes complacent. Complacency leads to extinction even for businesses that have been around for decades. One area often overlooked is the workforce. Unless a consistent effort is made, even people will depreciate. We have to constantly challenge the status quo or risk becoming a part of history.

When you have great people, cross-training can be a solution to the changing business dynamics in lieu of outsourcing. You may already have the right people in your organization but they might lack the knowledge and know-how to become the absolute best that they can be. They may resist change and you may resist change because of the investment. In Quebec, the government offers subsidies of 50% of most mandates to keep your business and its people running at optimum.

Peter Drucker’s ‘Management Challenges for the 21st Century’, he describes how the old paradigms will need to be replaced by new ones. In the book ‘Good to Great’, Jim Collins talks about why some organizations make the leap and others do not.

What is important in all of these concepts and ideas, is that you put them into practice. More than any year in the past, your leadership, teamwork, sales and business development skills will be put to the test.

There are now several things that your organizations may want to achieve and cost reduction is one of them, but it may not be the most important goal anymore. You may be looking for ways to bridge the gap by providing additional capacity and skills that are in scarce supply.

What would people say about you if they were asked?

2008-10-20T22:49:00.003-04:00

By Ken Ingram
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."Martin Luther King Jr

Like most of us, our parents gave us a base set of values and principals for us to grow and development as individuals. One of the key principals was integrity and it formed a significant part of their verbal and non verbally communication and was more often than not, generally in alignment with what they did and who they were. I said generally because sometime we act before considering our integrity and a compromise takes place.

Many family businesses across Canada were started out of very modest facilities and have grown to multimillion-dollar companies based on the integrity of the founder. One of the common issues is that the high level of integrity of the founder is not always practiced by all family members and employees. This is why much like our parents as the business owner you need to practice setting the tone and standard for others to follow. I have mentioned in past articles that people do business with people they like trust and respect, why? maybe because your business has one more important quality, Integrity.

In today competitive environment, your reputation is everything, but of course, you already know that. Customers buy into your brand because of your beliefs and how you have communicated those beliefs. My father always shopped at Eatons when I was growing up because of their Integrity and belief that you should be 100% satisfied. Everything the customers purchased came with a money back guarantee. Why because they stood behind every product they sold no questions asked. What would your business look like if every family member and employee shared your core values and if not what are your strategies to bring this back into balance. The creation of a code of ethics for your business along with clearly identified consequences may be a solution.

In the end just about everyone has an opinion or has written something about Integrity but what is most important is how you define it for your business.

Growing your business - intelligently! - http://www.tac-coaching.com/

Do you - Remember how to test your limits?

2008-09-04T07:37:00.001-04:00

I recently watched the movie Rent. What a thought provoking opening song. “Five hundred twenty-five thousands, six hundred minutes. How do you measure a year in your life”? If you are like most of us, we tend to go through life no longer thinking about many of the actions or interactions that take place during the 17 hours that we are awake. The activities have become repeatable habits overtime. Each day we typically repeat the cycle that is both positive and negative until the need to reflect on “what we want to do, need to do and ultimately can do”!

I recently observed a group of skate boarders aged from 7 to 10 years old and thought how daring they were and what remarkable talents they had. The next group was somewhat older and seemed just as remarkable but then a switch happened. The 20 to 30 year olds became the coaches/mentors and they were now working with the younger group on ways to improve their skills and test their limits. As adults, what I find remarkable is that as we age, we pull back to a more secure position and stop testing our limits. We no longer question what we do, why we do it, or what we need to do. It all changes.

When recently working with one of my clients it was interesting to learn how they were avoiding risk and are no longer pushing the limits in their personal or professional lives. Nick Boothman, author of Fully Connected in Business believes that we came into this world with super powers. These super powers allow us to do a multitude of things. However, over time we stop using them as effectively as when we were younger.

So what are these super powers? Enthusiasm, curiosity, the ability to process information and empathy. We draw on these supper powers to survive. How many people do you know who are less enthusiastic, less curious, fail to process information and are no longer empathetic? One of the reasons for coaching is to bring people’s super powers back into alignment.

So can you, as a Coach do this effectively? Let start back at the beginning. Imagine for a moment the question was ‘How do you measure a year in your life both personally and professionally?’ Then reflect on the same question with your coachee.

This question gave me food for thought and had me reflecting on 2007 / 2008 and what I had achieved personally and professionally and what our TAC-Coaching clients had achieved. Are we as a team testing our limits and did we enable our clients to push their own limits? Let’s face it, many of us get lost in the day-to-day business of life. In fact, we are so busy running around working in the business that we forget to work on the business.

Part of the improvement process is about measuring and tracking the key success factors that are important indicators of how we are doing or what we are not doing? I am happy to report that even in the current economic climate as a team we have succeeded and so have our clients. However, we are still pushing the limits. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels. It is all about continuous improvement, striving for platinum and not stopping at gold. So how did we do it? How can you do it?

The first question is to define what you want to do, need to do and can do!

Therefore, in conclusion the first step in testing your limits is a commitment to measuring a day, a week, a month or even a year in your life in order to have a clear understanding of those key parameters that drive your results and the results of your coachee. Be prepared to make adjustments needed to push the limits. In the end, it all boils down to one thing Results and you get results by understanding where you as a coach need to optimize your super powers and where your clients need to optimize theirs. This is how you will have a great five hundred twenty-five thousands, six hundred minutes. in your personal and professional life.

Recharging Your Batteries

2008-07-17T09:56:00.002-04:00

Written by Ken Ingram

I feel this summer has been great because it has not really been too hot at least where I have been. On the other hand, we have all heard news about the increase in the bug population in some areas. Bugs are like competition in your business - an annoyance. Would it not be great if we could immunize our clients with Musk-oil and keep our competitors at bay? I am sure we would all line up for this product. That being said summer is a great time to clean-up, throw out, and recharge your batteries. It is also a great time to re-energize your business. I always find that business owners have more time in the summer to meet with me. They are new ways looking for ways to ramp-up for the fall. My suggestion to you would be create a balance by taking sometime off but do not ignore the opportunities. Your competitors, like those annoying mosquitoes, are buzzing around and if you take too much time off one of them will suck blood.

Here are a few ideas for the summer of 2008.

Believe in your idea! Casually talk about your business with passion and conviction at BBQ.

Analyze. What you are good at, where are your limitations, where are your opportunities and what is holding you back.?

Build a support group. Create your own confidential board of directors. You will be amazed at how many people at a family event will want to help make your idea happen.

Pay it forward. Helping others is a good business ethic and habit to adopt.

Expand you network. At golf game, build relationships and contacts.

Spread the word. Send out press releases to newspapers. Try talking with a journalist. They can help you share your experiences with others who can benefit from your successes.

Keep learning Take relevant business training, find a good coach and make sure you take advantage of government subsidies available to all business.

Make a budget and save money whenever you can. You will find plenty of time to spend latter. Make sure you get a good accountant because they can be worth their weight in GOLD.

Be realistic. It is better to start small than to grow beyond your capacity to deliver.

Seize opportunities. You may never feel ready to launch your product or service, so share your ideas people you meet on a camping trip. You have a captive audience.

Embrace your mistakes. This is part of the learning process and experience. You are stronger than you think.

Recharge your batteries effectively, and work towards creating your own Buzz.

Going green: Fundomondo

2008-05-22T11:09:00.000-04:00

The Lightning Power of Zap or creating energy and Engagement

2008-05-19T13:40:00.002-04:00

By Ken Ingram
For many businesses, employee engagement can be one of our biggest challenges. The question we often ask is, “How can I improve quality, productivity and employee satisfaction?”
The emphasis is on the ‘I’. It is up to you to create the environment. Interestingly enough the answer is simpler than many of us think. In the book Zapp by William C. Byham he shares some ideas on the answer to this question. Byham believes the answer is empowerment.
Most managers are policing for failure, which results in robbing employees’ energy and creativity. Imagine for a moment, you could create a critical mass of employees that are Zapped! What kind of results do you think you would get? Now this is very important. We’re not talking about using a cattle prod to Zapp employees. I’m talking about encouraging responsibility and creating an environment where employees feel they own their jobs. John Miller also wrote an interesting book called the Question Behind the Question, or QBQ. Mr. Miller asks “Could we actually find a way to eliminate blame, complaining and procrastination?". Many managers and business owners would be very surprised to find out that the response is yes. Equally, many managers are looking to change the employees but not themselves.
Change starts at the top. The old adage ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ will not enable you to create the kind of environment that will result in the kind of win-win conditions needed to get that slight edge over your competition.
Michelangelo said “I saw the angel in the marble and I chiseled until I set it free”.
Imagine for a moment we could look at our employees as our personal work of art and coach them until we have succeeded in releasing their full potential. We would in effect be applying the principals of Zapp and the QBQ. In doing so we could pursue any number of business goals or challenges. Did I here you say wow?
Do you want to learn how to Zapp employees or how to find that leader in all of us? Would you like to learn more about the Question Behind the Question? Give us a call at www.tac-coaching.com

Fully Connected in Business - TAC Coaching

2008-03-18T20:22:00.006-04:00

For over two decades, bestselling author and award-winning public speaker Nicholas Boothman has been studying the ways that people interact with one another. His research has culminated in an extraordinary soultion which brings together his vast learning and exploration on the subject. FullyConnected in Business is exclusive to The Achievement Centre Coaching.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re selling real estate, designing concept cars, rallying your team, recommending the lamb chops over the chili con carne, looking for the perfect partner or giving the State of the Union address “If you are not fully connected, you will fail.” You need make, keep and develop strong connections • Form long-lasting business relationships • Immediately establish trust • Ensure that your message connects at both the logical and emotional levels • One of the keys to professional development is the ability to communicate clearly, effectively and to establish trust. If you have learned how to communicate effectively, then you’ll find that getting people “on-side,” whether they’re clients, employees or suppliers, pays huge dividends.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate,” A memorable line in the 1967 classic movie, Cool Hand Luke.

Effective communication means far more than just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in a letter or email. Communicating one’s intentions is a fundamental component in success, whether it’s making a sale or motivating employees, negotiating with suppliers or issuing instructions.
It’s indispensable in business. Fortunately, it’s a skill that can be learned.
FullyConnected in Business is a practical, real-world solution that digs deep into the essential ingredients of effective communication and gives participants a big competitive advantage.
FullyConnected in Business will enable you to learn and practice.:

· How to make, keep and develop strong connections,
· How to form long-lasting business relationships,
· How to immediately establish trust,
· How to ensure that their message connects at both the logical and emotional levels,
· How to sharpen their motivational and interpersonal skills.

We make that decision in less than two seconds. It's illogical: but it's human nature.

To compete in today's marketplace direct sellers and front-line staff everywhere, know three things are essential to their success.
1. the ability to build trusting, durable, relationships with the human side of clients and colleagues
2. a talent for describing their ideas, products and services in ways that engage the imagination and
3. a knack for inspiring enthusiasm in themselves and others
Author Nicholas Boothman.

For more information on how to become Fully Connected in business please contact Ken Ingram at 514-668-2320 or http://www.tac-coaching.com/

To see Nicholas Boothman, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJbYafrNmRM

Five hundred, twenty-five thousands, six hundred minutes, how do you measure a year in your business?

2008-02-18T22:03:00.005-05:00

By Ken Ingram

The movie ‘Rent’ is a source of inspiration. What a thought provoking opening song, 525,600 minutes; how do you measure a year in your life?’ Rephrase the question to make it applicable to you business; How do you measure a year of success?

The question gave me food for thought and had me reflecting on the last 12 months and what our tac-coaching.com clients and us as coaches had achieved during 2007. Many of us get lost in the day-to-day running or operational aspects of our business and forget about measuring and tracking the key success factors that are important indicators of how we are doing or how we got there.

The first question we must consider is what should we measure? In addition, if you are already measuring, are you measuring the right parameter? You must also consider if you need to do a better job of measuring. In creating your balanced score card it is important to be also aware of the measurement traps because too many current measurement systems are designed to meet internal needs and overlook the inside-out measurement. Consider the following measurements:
What key elements are important to the customers? Ask the customer
What are the needs of those serving the customer? Ask your team
What do the people producing your products or delivering your services need from you in order to achieve their own targets? Ask them
Where are you at supporting the needs of your managers? Ask them

Studies have shown that by working to satisfy customer needs and those of your employees your company will excel well beyond your competition.

The first step in measuring a day, a week, or even a year in business is to have a clear understanding of what we should be measuring. By measuring those key parameters that drive your business results, you will be better prepared to make the adjustments needed to have a gold medal financial year. In the end, it all boils down to one thing: results. You get results by understanding the needs then by using your key resources in the most effective manner.

Have a great five hundred twenty-five thousands, six thousand minutes in your business.

What makes a clear and compelling Goal?

2008-01-29T17:42:00.000-05:00

By Ken Ingram

To write this month’s article I decided a little research was required, so I pulled out a few of the books that I read in 2007. I was looking for inspiration on Goal setting, but more importantly something that I felt you would find interesting and of value. If you have never read the book, Built to Last you should. You will learn about the Successful habits of visionary companies. In 1952, Boeing engineers decided to build commercial jets, an audacious goal at the time since they did not have any presence in the commercial aircraft market. Those of you who know the Aerospace market know that nothing is a given and each aircraft program is a challenge from start to finish. However, once the goal is set there can be no turning back Failure is not an option. In 1965, Boeing launched the 747 and the project nearly killed the company. Boeing is an excellent example of companies who push the envelope and set Audacious goals to stimulate growth. So did President Kennedy when he decided to put a man on the Moon. A Goal should be clear and compelling. Therefore, here is an exercise I like to do every year for The Achievement Centre Coaching and is the same exercise I do with our clients.

For your business;
· List 5 High Points from 2007.
· List 5 Low Point from 2007.
· List the 5 things you accomplished in 2007.
· List the 5 disappointments or regrets you experienced in 2007?
· What do you feel were your greatest Lessons learned in 2007
· In moving forward in 2008 what are the 5 most important things you want to accomplish?
· What are the action steps required in 2008 to achieve each of your 5 goals?
· What else do you need to do differently over the next 6 to 12 months to achieve each of
your 5 goals?

Remember this is only the first step in the process. Until one is committed-there is hesitancy. The good news is by completing the exercise you become one of a small percentage of businesses who have written down their goals! Next step is to create a more precise strategy and timeline. Statistically this means you are 80% more likely to succeed in achieving your company goals.

"Of all the things I’ve done. The most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them towards a certain goal".
Author Walter Elias Disney

Do you have the audacity to be the master of your companies Goals in 2008?

Growing your business - intelligently!Faites prospérer votre entreprise - intelligemment!

Who Needs a Coach anyway?

2007-12-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

By Ken Ingram

Quote from Muhammad Ali,
“The greatest lesson I've learned - is to have someone pushing you and making you do things you did not think you could do".

Quote from Bob Gainey (Montreal Canadians)
“We all want the team to get better, so the individuals have to get better. You can go and get other players or you can get the players you have to play better”.

All professional and amateur athletes work with Coaches in order to enable them to get that slight edge over their competition. According to the Quebec International Coach Federation, a growing number of businesses are looking to professional business coaches to help them tap into more of their potential in order to improve the bottom-line.

Perhaps you can benefit as well.

Here are five things to consider

Time, working with a Coach will enable you to identify areas that are important now and in the future so that solutions can be put in place. Leveraging your time is a critical success factor.
Fewer mistakes, it is lonely at the top and the old model of learning from experience is expensive and time consuming. Experience is an expensive trainer.
Stay ahead, things are changing at a faster rate than ever, if you are solving tomorrow’s challenges with yesterdays strategies it may not attain a gold medal financial year or get the results you want.
Balance, many of us are working harder than we need to in order to get results. A Coach can provide solutions that enable you to establish a new level of balance both professionally and personally. Your family will appreciate the change.
Goals, enable you to stay on course, keep focus and ensure that distractions do not influence your business. A coach helps you to develop and understand what is important in the process so that the right attitude and habits are developed.

Coaching is confidential and enables you to test, explore and discuss issues critical to the success of your business. A Coach will ensure that you put the ideas in to practice by changing your habits and behaviors in order to get the results you want.

Growing Your Business Intelligently
(514) 668-2320

Do You Have Santa Claus Skills?

2007-12-08T15:03:00.000-05:00

By Ken Ingram

Without doubt, Santa Claus is the world’s most successful entrepreneur. All his clients love him. This is a testament to his abilities in sales and business development. He has learned and mastered the ability to ACCISS the best methods to achieve greater sales by always knowing what to say and how to say it. He recognizes that we are all part of the idea delivery system and this enables him to be truly and fully connected in business. Ho-Ho-Ho and what do you want?

Let’s talk about his result centered leadership style. His ability to engage and motivate his team of elves every step of the way by tapping into their imagination has enabled them to design and manufacture billions of toys. This must be stressful but it is also his responsibility as the leader to manage his stress and to help others manage theirs.

As a master planner, Santa has fine-tuned his organization by taking into account the milestones that are critical for an effective overall operating philosophy. He has assessed where the organization must be in the future and developed both short and long-term goals in order to fly above global competition

Concerning his own personal productivity and use of time, he has mastered his ability not to become distracted and diverted from what is important. The key to feeling in control is to focus on what is essential rather than what is pressing. He has learned how to be proactive rather than reactive. This enables him to stay jolly.

Of course, the Achievement Center cannot claim credit for Santa’s personal and professional development; it was Mrs Claus. Getting to the North Pole may be a little far for you and your organization, so for similar results, you can call us because we are right here in Montreal.

Lastly, I would like to say many thanks to all of our clients for making this year a great success. Please do not keep us a secret. We make a great under the tree present to yourself and organization.

Do you have the audacity to be the master of your own success in 2008?

Growing your business - intelligently!Faites prospérer votre entreprise - intelligemment!

The Achievement Centre - Le Centre de Réussite
6300 Cote de liesse suite 201
St Laurent Quebec H4T 1E3 Phone: (514) 668-2320

5 Tips for making better use of your most valuable resource in Life

2007-10-30T21:53:00.000-04:00

86,400 seconds
By Ken Ingram

In business we have many valuable resources. Some that are used extremely well and others that are poorly used. How we use our time is one of the most misused resource of all time. Imagine for a moment that your bank account was credited with $86.400 per day and at the end of the day what ever you have not used disappears. The next day the same thing happens. Brings to mind ground hog day where everyday the same thing gets repeated. Well would it surprise you to know each and everyone of us has such a bank and the bank is called time. Every 24hours we receive 86,400 seconds and at the end of the day what ever we have not used disappears never to return. I would encourage you to reflect on what you can do to become happier and more satisfied. What can you do to make better use of this most precious resource? To help you direct your thoughts here are a few tips to consider on your way to the bank of time to make your deposit.
1. Develop greater self-knowledge. Learn what makes you tick and what your unique and greatest talents are. When we know ourselves we can use our talents in ways that will bring us more of what we want in our lives.
2. Find a need in your life where you can contribute your unique talents. This can be in your work and personal life. When we use our talents to fill a need we have a greater sense of purpose and self-importance because we are contributing to something worthwhile.
3. Develop self-discipline. Setting and accomplishing goals motivates us to face new challenges and grow further, but it takes discipline to do the small things needed to achieve what we want.
4. Take the time to enjoy and appreciate what you already have. We live in a world of what's next, always being prodded to seek out the next greatest gadget, relationship etc. New is not always better if we cannot learn to enjoy what we already have.
5. Be passionate! Passion for what you do and for living is inspiring and contagious. Make it a point to live each day with passion. If you cannot, question why and make the changes so you can. The power of choice is one of our greatest gifts. Use it!
Want to learn more about our Systematic Work Organization Strategy? Just give us a call.

What are you doing with Your KASH

2007-10-23T21:47:00.000-04:00

My good friend Alain Theriault wrote this article in French check out his blogspot for more articles in French http://alaintheriault.blogspot.com/2007/06/kashsuccs.html

Un gros merci à Ken Ingram du Achievement Center pour ce petit acronyme qui permet de positionner tellement bien le travail du coach.Pour arriver à la réussite financière, il y a plusieurs chemins possibles. Toutefois, la probabilité de succès repose sur une fondation solide. Quatres petits éléments que je vous présente ici.K for Knowledge (les connaissances). La plupart des gens acquièrent leurs connaissances à l'école ou dans les livres. Bien sur, un coach peu faire prendre conscience à son client d'un manque de connaissances qui ralenti sa progression. Mais de manière générale, les gens décident par eux-mêmes ou avec l'aide d'un conseiller en orientation leur besoin en connaissances.A for Attitude. Avoir la bonne attitude le bon "mindset" est beaucoup plus difficile à développer. Le coaching est une excellente façon d'y parvenir. De par ses questions et surtout par ses requêtes audacieuses, le coach amène son client à tester de nouvelles façon de faire, à générer de nouveaux résultats. Face aux résultats obtenus, le coaché progressivement change son attitude face à certains comportement. Il développe l'attitude nécessaire à l'atteinte des résultats et rapidement s'affranchi de son coach.S for Skills. Encore une fois l'École et/ou le travail permet à un individu de développer ses habiletés. Certaines habiletés sociales peuvent être développées en partenariat avec le coach. Mais plus souvent qu'autrement, le coach aidera son coaché à prendre la décision d'aller "chercher" de nouvelles habiletés nécessaires à la réalisation de ses objectifsH for Habits. Montrez-moi quelqu'un quelqu'un qui n'est pas satisfait de sa vie et je vous montrerai quelqu'un qui a plusieurs mauvaise habitudes. Le corolaire c'est que les gens qui réussissent ont généralement plus de bonnes habitudes que de mauvaises. Même si le dicton mentionne que l'on ne montre pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces, quand celui-ci réalise qu'il restera comme il est s'il ne change pas ses habitudes, il devient soudainement plus docile. La régularité du contact coach-coaché, l'imputabilité qui caractérise la relation, le support constant du coach, permettent d'opérer dans changements majeurs dans les mauvaises habitudes d'un coaché.Souvent plus long à changer que l'attitude, changer une habitude assure toutefois des changement majeurs dans la vie du coaché, souvent avec des résultats qui surprennent tout le monde à commencer par le coach. lui-même. Il est primordial pour le coaché de bien travailler les éventuelles rechutes. Retourner en selle après une chute et se rendre compte que c'est une petite erreur de parcours est la façon la plus spectaculaire d'intégrer chez le coaché la nouvelle habitude.

What is the color of your value

2007-10-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

Wrtten by Ken Ingram

Every business owner I speak to these days are concerned about the shift taking place in business due to a focus on price, the 95 cent Canadian dollar and Global competition. The common question is “how can my business compete under these conditions?” My response is generally you must focus on value in order to differentiate yourself from your competitors. The next question is “we have tried that?” So again, I respond “have you asked yourself a key question to uncover what value means for you and your client?”
The Webster dictionary defines it as “Worth and Usefulness”. Obviously, you feel that your product or service has these qualities or you would not have chosen to be in the business you are in, but have you been promoting or verbalizing to your clients the value you are bringing to the table or are you just stuck discussing price. It is time to change the record well actually CD or MP3 player and re-condition the way we think, act and behave.
In 2003 I read the book the Purple Cow. The message in this book was quite simple. “Transform your business by being remarkable.” “Transform your business by being remarkable”. No, it is not a typo I just thought it was worth repeating. You need to discover what makes your product or service remarkable. There must be something unique that you do that could be considered a Purple Cow. If you cannot think of anything that you need to do to become more innovative because every business has opportunities to do great things, then think about the companies that are able to demonstrate that they offer more value in their products or services and the customers they attract that are willing to pay the difference. Why can’t you?
Some companies are in a hurry to make money. Some might call this greed, but not in the traditional sense of the word. It’s greed because this should not be the first thing on their mind. This kind of thinking is shortsighted, often self-defeating, and ultimately results in less money. If you have a strategy and are committed to providing “added-value” for every client you may be at the beginning of your Purple Cow.

Check out the book The Purple Cow by Seth Godin and give me your feedback.

Le Centre de Réussite Plus Phone: (514) 668-2320 http://www.tac-coaching.com/

Cultivate relationships, not clients

2007-10-21T15:07:00.001-04:00

In a recent meeting with a former client, we talked about the ACCISS Sales and Business Development coaching he received and the results achieved both personally and professionally. Wow, Steve had just tripled his business results and was pleased to share with me how he was focusing his energy on excellence in business and more precisely things that matter.

One of the most interesting things Steve shared with me at our meeting was that he finally really understood what I had taught him in the past. He understands my belief system and what ultimately makes me tick. The secret is quite simply all of his efforts are concentrated on cultivating relationships rather than clients. He realized that clients trusted him to know his business but what really motivated them to work with him was how much he cared for them and their business concerns.

Professional selling and business development in today’s competitive environment is all about relationships. Therefore, Steve has perfected his ability to forget about himself and to concentrate his thoughts, energies and imagination on the person that he is dealing with. Through the ideas of ACCISS, he has conditioned himself to care about the people he is dealing with. This is the difference between sales people looking out for their own bottom line and meeting monthly quotas, vs. a successful sales person’s who is focused on building relationships and earning respect and trust. The engaged sales business partner will not only care about the total person but the real bottom line will be to care for the client’s struggles, successes, worries, and victories.

Here are a few thoughts for you to consider;
1. Ask questions to learn about your client and their business.
2. Consciously listen, there is very little benefit in asking a question if you do not truly listen or understand the underlying dilemma.
3. Practice your empathy, your client’s concern may not be your direct problem but ultimately, the solution may be in your hands. Your client is looking to you for the answer and that makes it a win-win situation.

“The most delightful surprise in life is to suddenly recognize your own worth”Author Maxwell Maltz

Ken Ingram