A Best of Barry: Finding trust within corporate decision-making

We're a jaded society. We're skeptical. When we hear of a lay-off or a downsizing, it usually implies that the corporation has a focus only on money. It usually implies that the corporation doesn't care about people.

Sometimes that's true. Often it's not.

A poorly run corporation will seek to survive at any cost--including its morals, its people and its reputation.

But the good corporation--and I think most are good--makes decisions the best it can at the moment given the information they have. They will make mistakes but they will make good decisions, too.

Here's an example: a corporation must downsize. It gives severance packages to its departing employees. Now they have a flat organization, meaning the remaining employees have greater responsibility and autonomy. The corporation empowers them to make decisions at their local level, to run their part of the business entrepreneurially.

If we interpret the above scenario skeptically, it may say:

The evil corporation is now asking more of people, paying less money and making more for themselves.

If we interpret it from a positive standpoint it says:

The corporation made some tough decisions. It trusts their remaining employees to a greater extent than ever and is giving them the chance to be successful.

Even if the corporation is good overall--if they don't communicate their message so the employees realize they trust them, there will still be plenty of skepticism.


Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
Originally posted 10/28/09
www.labov.com

A Best of Barry: Silence is golden

Blah, blah, blah

Have you ever daydreamed during a presentation or while a salesperson is going on and on talking? I have. Too much talk, not enough meaning. Blah, blah, blah.

The worst infraction of all is not allowing for silence in any conversation, whether it happens to be on a sales call or a business presentation. We all want to fill up the "space" and talk, talk, talk.

Mark Twain said it well, "The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause."

Want to improve your presentation or increase your sales? Do this: after you ask a question of your audience, shut up and allow for silence. Let someone think and respond. It may take a few more seconds than is comfortable, but it's worth it. Avoid the temptation of filling that space with blah, blah, blah.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
Originally posted 05/21/10
www.labov.com
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A Best of Barry: Setting goals and overcoming fear

There's a strategy in golf that many of the greats employed. Instead of practicing and playing a few rounds on a golf course, many of the great golfers would instead play the course backwards.

"Playing the course backwards" meant they would stand on the green and look back to the fairway to examine the hazards as well as the open areas where they could land their ball. Then they next walk to the fairway and look back to the tee and everything in between--the trees on the left, the bunker on the right, etc.

Why do this and...what does this have to do with business?

Golf courses are designed to trick the eye and to scare a golfer, to demand execution. Many times those hazards, trees or lakes out there are merely illusions (they're not in play), but if we don't watch out, they'll affect our swing and ultimately our score. Playing backwards allows the golfer to see the reality of those hazards and be able to overcome them.

In our businesses, we can employ this approach. Look at your business not from today's standpoint, but from next year's, for example. Looking back to today, what's in your way? Is it real or an illusion? What's the smart play?

The business world is designed to scare and intimidate. Play it backwards.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
Originally posted 04/12/10
www.labov.com
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