ExecPointe

2011-05-09T17:39:00.001-07:00

"Winning teams combine specialized roles, in which players have deep expertise that they continue to refine through practice, with knowledge of others' roles and how to support them." http://ping.fm/PMa1O

2011-04-18T07:41:00.001-07:00

"...Lift the trajectory of your career and speed your progress"
http://ping.fm/c3C1m

2011-01-26T13:11:00.001-08:00

How To Get The Most Out Of Linkedin – 10 Simple Tips http://ping.fm/l3Ip2

2011-01-09T12:45:00.001-08:00

Frustrated about the status quo? Find out about Umair Haque's "Meaning" Organization. http://ping.fm/59WXX

2011-01-04T14:55:00.001-08:00

Striving To Be Happy. http://bit.ly/gLPB3s

2011-01-03T15:11:00.001-08:00

Manage Yourself with Measures. http://bit.ly/eeFuWq

2010-12-21T15:08:00.001-08:00

31 Days to Become a Better Leader. http://bit.ly/h1zKFc

2010-12-20T16:26:00.001-08:00

7 Leadership Strengths Are Weaknesses When Taken Too Far. http://bit.ly/eeMI8l

2010-12-14T14:54:00.001-08:00

The Leadership Walk http://bit.ly/edzzrP

2010-10-15T12:20:00.001-07:00

Leadership vs. Management. http://bit.ly/ahCuc3

2010-10-14T17:16:00.001-07:00

The Power of Leading by Example. http://bit.ly/diylT8

2010-10-13T12:24:00.001-07:00

Five Steps To Breakthrough Performance In Your Organization. http://bit.ly/9CvpAy

2010-10-12T14:12:00.001-07:00

Lights! Camera! Leadership? http://bit.ly/dbu4QQ

2010-10-09T22:04:00.001-07:00

Strategically Creating A Positive Performing Team
http://ping.fm/zbjgp

2010-10-09T21:37:00.001-07:00

Top 5 Social Media Tips for C-Suite Execs.
http://ping.fm/nozyO

2010-10-09T21:13:00.001-07:00

Does Your Business need a SOCIAL MEDIA Injection? Find out more here! ://www.execpointe.com/profile_development.php

2010-05-11T15:55:00.001-07:00

How To Choose The Right Non-Executive Board Leader.
http://ping.fm/G4k7o

2010-05-07T07:49:00.001-07:00

Does Your Business Need a SOCIAL MEDIA Injection? It's not as complicated as you may think. Find out more here! http://ping.fm/smucq

2010-05-05T20:56:00.001-07:00

Who Thinks Social Media is A Fad? We Don't! Watch This! http://ping.fm/HbW99

2010-05-03T13:27:00.001-07:00

How we do it: Three executives reflect on strategic decision making
http://ping.fm/lDjAz

De-mystifying The Meaning of Marketing

2009-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Marketing quite simply is the method you choose to publicize, advertise or otherwise promote your services or products to others.

Without marketing, it doesn't really matter how good you are at what you do because nobody knows about it. Or more typically - not ENOUGH people know about you, your product or your service in order to make a difference and to generate the revenue you expect. Hence the need for a business plan - and marketing is just a portion of your business plan.

In today's digital age, it simply isn't enough to hang a shingle outside your office and declare to your neighboring businesses that you are now open for business. We are far removed from the world of Mad Men and are inundated with so many options to create business that at times it can seem overwhelming and confusing. Thoughts like "how much should I really spend?" and "should I put those marketing dollars into that magazine page or that online search engine?" can spin around in one's head without the right focus.

This article is basically written to provide the business owner with a concise idea of what marketing should mean to his or her own business. So let's de-mystify the whole idea of marketing - right now!!

There are a number of marketing and advertising agencies that have developed numerous ways to reach your target audience. They are skilled, knowledgeable and can be costly. Alternatively some companies prefer to have their own marketing guru on staff so that there is a sense of loyalty and ownership of the creative process. There are of course countless freelance marketing experts out there, ready to brainstorm the night away with you on why the consumer should pick you over your competition.

Nonetheless, no marketing strategy or planning should take place without you, as the business owner first establishing your own long term business goals. (Demystifying The Business Plan is another topic that I'll address at a later date). A marketing strategy must be born of a realistic and fiscally feasible business plan and no business should attempt to function without one.

Here are 6 Essential Steps to ensure you are on the right track with developing your business by creating or re-evaluating your marketing plan.

1. Research today's market for your industry

This involves identifying your niche. Do you provide a wide rage of services/products or are you more specialized?

Obtain feedback (via questionnaires) from your current clients. This helps in understand if you are on the right track or need to make a change.

2. Develop your marketing strategy
This involves understanding the DIRECTION you want to take your business.

Keep the focus on the client base (your niche) that you have already determined for yourself and how you will continue to service their needs.

If you are a visual person, you should have a marketing activity calendar available to keep you on track. Even if you are less visual and more systematic, you will find having your marketing activity calendar on hand will help you stay within the boundaries that you have created for yourself. For example, each goal should have several steps from start to conclusion.

3. Set measurable goals
Don't be vague here. Set specific goals - with time limits and time ranges.

Good parameters to use are 6 month and 12 month time frames.

Quantify expectations - such as "5 new clients by 1/30" or "$25,000 incoming revenue from 10/1 - 12/31".

4. Familiarize yourself with the necessary resources
As we say in England - " you have to spend a bob to earn a bob"!

It is prudent to explore the cost of marketing and ensure it is aligned with your overall business plan. Of course some industries use a larger percentage of their annual budget on marketing than others. You should establish where along the spending scale your business needs lie.

Keep in mind that resources often include personnel.

5. Implement your marketing plan

Rule #1 of implementing your marketing plan is - IMPLEMENT IT! Don't set it up and then leave it for a year and then pull it out and wonder why it does not gel with the current climate.

Marketing is a CONTINUOUS activity that should not stop because you are busy with business matters. Marketing now = future business. Therefore you don't want the future to arrive without having planned for it.

6. Evaluate your results and adjust where needed

So your marketing plans worked out well for the last quarter and you want to stick with the same plan. Maybe... but consider the changes that have taken place within your industry, in the economy and of course to your target market. Use these observations to evaluate and adjust your marketing planning accordingly.

How about the areas of your plan that met with some unexpected results - for example you might discover that the sale-cycle for the mid-sized manufacturing company you are targeting is too long for your goals and you find you have to either adjust your goals for that particular market or target a slightly different one.

Bottom line is this - if you own a business you will ALWAYS need to keep track of the trends around you and adjust your marketing plans accordingly.

This was a concise look at Marketing. If you have any questions or would like more in-depth and specific marketing information send an e-mail to strategies@execpointe.com

___________________________

ExecPointe, LLC

- PARTNERING WITH YOU IN DEVELOPING YOUR VISION -

5 Levels of Entrepreneurs

2009-09-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

What makes a team a STRATEGICALLY Positive Performing Entity?

2009-07-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

Strategically Creating a Positive Performance Team

The purpose of creating a team is to produce results. Simply having a pleasant team without results is of no use. In the same manner, a team that is focused on achieving the results without attention to having a good working environment will not perform at optimal efficiency. A pleasant environment does not mean everyone is best friends and agrees on everything. There is a need for CONSTRUCTIVE conflict. Nonetheless the best group interactions are those that nurture a positive trusting environment. When team members harbor feelings of distrust and do not address them due to conflict avoidance or a lack of commitment to the productive end result the project suffers.

Teams that have an absence of trust, fear of conflict, and lack of commitment usually don't produce the best results. High-performing teams are both productive and positive. Surprisingly, unproductive teams are actually more common that truly productive teams. If you recall experiences you have had in your organization, you are likely to remember the dysfunctional teams more readily.

Here, I look at John Gottman’s Four Toxic Communication Styles that used continually in a team environment will erode the potential for a productive, successful outcome. These four communication styles not only affect the team as a whole but the individuals on a more personal level. Mr. Gottman is a psychologist that is better known for his extensive work on relationships in the home, however the principles apply to any environment where people must interact with each other without nurturing a negative environment that eventually destroys the potential for successful results.

The Four Toxic Communication Styles are as follows;

1. Criticism: attacking the person rather than the behavior.

2. Defensiveness: reacting negatively when being challenged.

3. Stonewalling: includes cutting off communication, silent treatment, refusal to

engage, withdrawal.

4. Contempt: includes sarcasm, belittling, cynicism, name calling, and hostile

humor.

We support the belief that even the most unproductive group can become a successful team by developing into a STRATEGICALLY Performing Entity. When you think about the teams you are in at the moment - whether it’s within your organization, your community or in the home, do you believe that each member is able to input their perspective and thoughts without being criticized or stonewalled? Does everyone fearfully outwardly agree with anything the boss says - even if they know it can harm the end results? These are areas worth pondering and exploring further.

Here are 5 functional pointers for developing strategically positive performing teams;

1. One Vision. No team can be set up without a well-defined vision. This must be articulated in multiple formats to ensure progress is in the target direction. The executive leadership must first be clear themselves before representing the vision to the team that is to carry out the project. The project is based on this vision and the vision defines the manner in which the team is formed.

2. Team Operating Principles: The team needs to have some upfront dialogue about the culture expected for the team. Topics such as - what will make the team thrive? What ways will the team deal with difficulties when they arise? What specific actions are supported and what behavior patterns should not be endured? This should include methodologies but in place to handle issues that interfere with the productivity of the team.

3. Role Definition: Ensuring there are specific roles for each team member clarifies each member's sense of belonging to the team as well as his or her own responsibilities. This is a CRUCIAL point for the dynamic of the team. One such role is that of Mediator. This member is assigned with acknowledging the need for to re-focus on the agenda when discussions get off the subject or debates take on a negative and/or unproductive tone. The definition of roles and responsibilities at the onset of the team formation goes a long way towards avoiding common issues that arise when team members are not sure where the line is between their role and that of another team member. Allowing each member to feel that their role is clear, not only to the leader but to the rest of the team allows for a positive starting point from which to continue throughout the project. This enables each member to offer their perspective based upon the role that has been assigned to them and allows for functional debate on difficult topics.

4. Accountability Framework : At the conclusion of a team meeting, follow-up assignments need to be re-clarified. This exercise helps to confirm the assigned roles and verifies the continuation of the existing structure of the team. It is a good idea to have one person responsible for documenting the agreed upon actions and ensuing all team members (including those unable to make the meeting) are provided with the same information. Accountability promotes a sense of responsibility among team members and increases the probability of staying on track with the vision and meeting the team's goals.

5. Off-Site Engagement (Retreat): The purpose of taking a team out of their familiar environment is to create a new unfamiliar environment where the members finds familiarity with each other, thus bonding the unit. This could be a half-day, one day or a two day event - depending on the size of the team and the scope of the project. The off-site engagement or retreat can utilize a number of team building and coaching exercises designed to strengthen the core of the group and provide a positive boost mid-project.

To request the full document with additional pointers, send an e-mail to info@execpointe.com and put ARTICLE REQUEST #11 in the subject line.

Change Management - Ex. 1

2009-02-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

Process Improvement - Ex. 1

2009-02-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

What is ExecPointe?

2009-02-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

ExecPointe, LLC is a management consulting, business coaching, training and facilitation company that focuses on performance improvement strategies for individuals and small to medium businesses.

We provide organizational and individual development services with innovative solutions, integrating assessment tools, specialized design modules and established best practices aimed at achieving your goals.

Our Mission

The mission of the company is to develop a strong work-life balance for our clients, "humanizing" their growth options and essentially partnering with our clients, to function based on human responses and not merely as products or tools of the environment.

We believe that harnessing the methodology of structured process mapping along with humanizing personal and group goals, our clients are able to participate in their home life and business life with improved clarity and a truly balanced sense of fulfillment and purpose. The specialized formats utilized produce energized growth potential and results.

We are focused on providing guidance for the changing world around us which enables our clients to adapt to these changes at a comfortable yet highly effective pace, thereby improving their overall quality of life.

Our Vision

Our vision is to develop a reputation as a catalyst of innovative, yet humanized processes and programs for individuals and businesses, thereby attaining an international presence in the arena of management-life consulting.