What's your sales process? Can you answer that? Could you put into words AND a flow chart?
Sure, if you operate a toy store it's easy. Somebody comes in, picks out a toy and they take to the the register. You "ring up" the sale. Done.
If you manufacture a product or market a service, can you as clearly express your sales process? If not, you have a problem and that problem is costing you a lot ... >>full...
I believe companies want capable, competent, creative producers. They just don't know how to find them. MBA on a resume catches their attention.
But what is that MBA worth? Business schools have always been a bit behind what was actually happening in the real world. Today, most business schools are way behind because the pace of change has so greatly accelerated. In response, business schools have resorted to preaching, not teaching, canned programs that they ... >>full...
Seth Godin brings up the question about the relationship between the thirst for knowledge and the achievement of success---and the order in which they occur.
The relationship, if any, in my opinion is pretty loose. I've been successful with things I've stumbled into and later researched. And been successful by learning then doing. And, I've had failures that followed "learning" because not every "secret to success" works or can be formulized.
[ Posted bymichael cardus, November 25, 2009 15:55 ] Chris I also enjoyed Seths post today and have been thinking about it.
Recently I have been speaking with a friend who is also a well know philosophy professor and author of a book all about critical thinking. We were talking about the thirst for learning and how with the internet the retention and critical thought of ideas is changing. Why learn (or thirst) for knowledge if you can look it up on the internet use it and then forget it.
The challenge is this thirst for thought and application drives you to be prepared when situations arrise.
This is what luck it - the person who is prepared when the situation arises.
Seth Godin posts today about people making bad decisions based on a lack of scientific thinking. I agree with much of what Seth posits but makes some comments I consider demeaning to the public. Further, he wanders from 'scientific' into political. When we start basing decisions on a particular political dogma and ignore real science, the trouble goes from silly to dangerous.
Not to be critical of Seth, but I have a science background and want ... >>full...
BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - 11/11/09) - Just published research on learning and
development trends for front-line and mid-level managers from Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks
Company (NYSE:HHS - News), shows that organizations making manager development a
priority are outperforming their counterparts significantly. The study,
"Learning and Development: Arming Front-line
and Mid-level Managers to Deliver People and Performance Results,"
showed that companies with the strongest emphasis on learning and
development for this key employee group improved employee performance ... >>full...
I had a conference call with a marketing firm today. They were looking for someone to do some business training for them. The call was set up after a couple of very pleasant conversations with the office manager and the submission of a written, then revised proposal.
A conference was required. Naturally, the management team wasn't organized enough to attend the first call they set up and canceled at the last minute.
[ Posted bymichael cardus, November 18, 2009 11:18 ] Chris -
I agree although I see this most often when I lead trainings for Experiential (team building, ropes course, camp) programs. These organizations work with children and some with corporate groups on establishing team work and most often just bonding as a team. There trainers are all knowledgeable about Learning cycles, theory, and philosophy of working external. And when you explore the internal workings of the organizations dynamics it is lacking. This fear of turning the lens inward for your own staff is very common.
Additionally many companies can fake it till they make it' although turnover is often very high especially at the executive level and the company, could be much more successful if they would focus internally some.
[ Posted byChris, November 18, 2009 13:26 ] Michael,
I agree. This company in particular has serious internal problems but they cannot see those problems from the inside. The better employees will not like the environment and tend to leave with opportunity.
This process concentrates the duds as with this "marketing" company.
