Back in 2005, when I was SVP of Operations for a cable television company (Bresnan Communications), I started hearing whispers…..

They were telling me things about the business that needed our attention.

Things that weren’t working.

And things that were working beautifully.

They were also telling me about the people that provided our customer service.

People who were delighting and inspiring them.

And people who were insulting them, or failing them.

I listened carefully to these “Process Whisperers”, and as a result made some changes to the business that greatly improved it, and in turn, generated more profit.

Because they generated more revenue, and LESS cost.

Who were these “Process Whisperers”?

They were our customers.

We started calling them and chatting about their experiences back in 2005, and also took the time to thank them for their loyalty.  Eventually, we also asked them “The Ultimate Question” - On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or relative?.

We put all the information we got on a big spreadsheet, and studied it – very carefully.

Because there, on that page, was a treasure trove of information that would guide us in designing the best service delivery processes and procedures.

And, those calls also had a couple other game-changing benefits that saved the company big money.

Because of these successes, I’m a big believer in talking to our customers, and on the upcoming SOBCon Webinar on December 16th, sponsored by GoToWebinar, I’ll be talking more about these essential conversations, how they benefited our company, and how they can work the same magic for you in your business or enterprise.

I’ll be joined by host (and New Media guru) Chris Garrett for what I’m sure will be an hour of  lively discussion, and we’ll also be taking questions from you, the attendees.

Better still, it’s all FREE, thanks to SOBCon and GoToWebinar.

Mark your calendars for 1PM EST (Noon CST, 11AM MST, 10AM PST) on December 16th, and let’s talk about the Process Whisperers. I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s the registration link - get on the reservation list now, and see you next week!

Lead well!

I know you hear this all the time.

In fact, its become one of the most overused cliches in the business world.

“Hey, let’s all get on the same page”

Right up there with “think outside the box” (oh gosh, my mentor used to hate that one….)

Leaders are always talking about alignment – that need to get everyone marching to the beat of the same drum (yet another cliche).

All these sayings are bandied about for a reason.  It’s absolutely true, and absolutely critical.

I prefer to call it “a unity of cause and values“, because we really need to get two things lined up to really go beyond good, or even great.  To get to extraordinary.

A lot of times it’s just the one, the cause.  That is, the goals of the enterprise, and the processes and measurements that are used to get to those goals.

I call it the cause, because it truly is something a leader needs to get everyone to rally around.

But there’s another step that is necessary, one that is at a higher level - the alignment of the values of the enterprise with the values of those within the enterprise

Values.

And the interesting thing is, it’s not really a matter of getting the words right at all levels of the organization  -   there are many different ways of saying the same thing.  But the underlying values are the same (my business partner Liz Strauss has really helped my understanding of this point – thanks Liz)

Here’s an example – my former company, a cable TV & broadband business.   The summation of the enterprise value at the executive level was something like “Be the Employer of Choice, and the Provider of Choice”

For the folks working within the company, we changed it to this:  “Serve our customers and Support each other”.

We spent a lot of  time asking as many of the employees as we could about what they valued, in their work and in their lives.  And while they too used different words, the ones that we knew would be with us for the long haul were the ones that shared those summary values.

These were the people we could unite with.

And then rally around the cause.

Yes,  A group united, in cause and values. can achieve extraordinary things, for others, and for themselves.

Why not be extraordinary?

Lead well!

(My thanks to the attendees of SOBCon NW in Portland this past weekend, who were the source of inspiration for this post, and who did something extraordinary themselves by giving their minds and hearts so brilliantly to two worthy causes, Direct Relief International, and The Global Hope Network International)

I visited the US Post Office today to put a few things in the mail, and as I left, I scanned the large bank of national and local newspaper boxes near the front door.

Nearly all of the headlines were economic “downers”.   From just about every perspective – jobs, housing, personal income, you name it.

These are interesting times, but not in a good way.

I stood still for a couple of minutes, just soaking it in.  My heart sank an inch or two.

But then, I started to feel something else – something purposeful.

There was this thought – “What If?”

I took a few steps. Then again.

“What If?”

It felt like the beginning of a new thought, but then, it became a continuation of something I had discovered many years ago.

“What if more of us became leaders, in that we take on a higher purpose, and build something bigger than ourselves?”

My pace became quicker, my thoughts, clearer.

“What if, in building that “something”, we could all change the world for the better, even if it was one person at a time?”

“And what if we started, RIGHT NOW?”

Right now.

I walked even faster, making my way to my office, knowing now what I had to do.

I had to write this down.   Put down a marker.

And so I began this post.

And here, now, I’m re-committing myself to going for that higher purpose  – in my leadership, and in my life.

Even if it’s one person at a time.

Things need to change – of course, we need to “do good” in earning a profit, or making a living.  But we also need to DO GOOD for others.

Can we do both?  Can profit meet purpose?  Can we change those headlines to positives?

Heck yes!

Why not?

I’m reminded of that sign my old boss had in his office:

“It can’t be done”

“It can’t be done”

“It can’t be done”

“It can’t be done”

“It’s done”

Can you commit to the higher purpose of leadership?

Let’s go get it done.

(I get my first chance to fulfill that promise this weekend, at our SOBCon NW conference in Portland – I’ll keep you posted on my progress, or check in on our livestream)

What if you could get in a room with 150 other like-minded people, and interact with them in a highly charged atmosphere of trust, heart, and openness?

What if you could get a chance to talk about YOUR business and YOUR dreams with these 150 people, and get meaningful and actionable feedback from virtually all of them?

What if you could have an opportunity to make a bunch of new friends, forge new partnerships, and enjoy a weekend in a fabulous and fun setting?

And lastly, what if you could spend a weekend getting the inspiration you need to change or improve your life, and put purpose into your business, as well as profit?

Then you’d be with us this September 16th through the 18th, in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, for SOBCon Northwest.

Those are the value propositions my partner Liz Strauss and I offer to anyone who buys a ticket to get in that room.   We call it “value for value” – the simple promise that we will do our utmost to get you a great return on your investment of time, money and energy.

Yes, you’ll need energy to come to a SOBCon, because we ask you not to be an observer, but an active participant.   It’s the one rule that is sacred to us, because without this participation from everyone, what I call the “alchemy” cannot take place.

It’s an alchemy we’ve seen and felt six times now over the past 4 years, 5 times in Chicago and once in Colorado.  It changes the conversations from casual to meaningful.  It changes the information exchanged from matter-of-fact to deeply affecting.   It changes the collective consciousness of the room from “closed” to “widely open”.

And it kicks that really big elephant out of the room.  You know the one I’m talking about. Begins with “F” and ends in “R”, and rhymes with deer.

That elephant keeps us from heeding those distant calls to action – those yearnings, those passions, those ideas that percolate in our brains.

It’s hard to do that by yourself.  That elephant is really heavy.  So you need some help.    And in our estimation, about 150 people does the trick.

By getting in that room in Portland, you’ll get all the help you need to make the change you know is “in there” somewhere.

We know – we’ve seen it happen many times.  Just Google “SOBCon” and read all the great stories of people who went into that room, gave us their time and energy, and came out no longer just a dreamer, but a “doer”.

Value for Value.

This is not your ordinary conference.

To top it off, this fall we’re going to put “the room” in a unique and wonderful setting – Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest.

To say this region is “special” doesn’t do it justice.  I moved here 7 months ago by choice, because I found something here that I had seen and felt before, but in a smaller setting.   A feeling of openness, collaboration, community – and purpose.   And a vibrancy that was inspiring.

Kind of like that SOBCon room, only bigger.  Much bigger.

The Portland setting only adds to the value for value, because when you step out the door, and take the time to explore this city around our event, it will only heighten your desire to change – and to make good.

There’s a lot of heart here, and it’s well reflected in the businesses too – meeting profit with purpose is important.

That’s why it’s a perfect setting for the 150 people.

And I cordially invite you to be one of them.

Make note of the dates – September 16-18, 2011.   Here’s the registration site, along with more details and our current speaker list (there will be more): http://sobconnw2011.eventbrite.com/

As part of the price of admission, we’ll also provide you with healthy breakfasts and lunches to make sure you have enough fuel for the journey.

If you buy a ticket before July 3^rd, you can make that value for value proposition work even more in your favor, by saving $200 off the regular price of $695.

I’d also think about arriving early and leaving later, because your ticket also gives you the opportunity to visit the “SOBCon Work Oasis” for free on the days before and after the event, at the great co-working and collaboration space of our Event Partner Souk in downtown Portland.

Value for value.  Come to where Profit meets Purpose, and feel the alchemy for yourself.  I’d love to see you there and show you around.

(cc) Shashi Bellamkonda www.shashi.name

This past weekend I co-hosted our annual gathering of 150 business practitioners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Chicago, SOBCon (“SOB” stands for Successful Online Business).

The theme of this year’s conference was “The New Leadership and Loyalty Business”, and in my presentation and work session, I spoke about a leadership “model” that can be used by leaders in just about any situation – a model that, if it is applied correctly, will put a business, organization, or non-profit on the fast track to excellence.

What is this model?  It’s a 5-step process:

1. Understand and Respect the Work

2. Determine the WMTH (What Makes Them Happy)

3. Transform the Goals to a Cause

4. Connect the dots between the Work, the WMTH, and the Cause

5. Pitch the connection relentlessly and passionately

Let’s apply this model to a “real-life” situation.  I was in the cable television business (for 23 years), and part of my leadership role was to oversee field operations, which included the service and installation technicians.

My example will be those technicians.   Let’s work through the model, as I did with my company:

1.     The technician has a tough job, encountering a lot of different work environments, from scorching heat to bitter cold, and demanding hours (like going out at 2AM to fix a cable line when its 15 below zero).   A leader needs to understand this job, its importance, and needs to express that understanding and respect to the technician (I wrote more about this on a post a few weeks ago – well worth checking out before you read on).

2.     With that done, the next step is to determine the collective technicians’ WMTH.  That can only be done directly, with a lot of one-on-one discussions (which means a lot more time away from the office, and out to the field). In this case, the answers were (generally) taking pride in the work, serving customers, and being part of a great team.

3.     Next, the goals of the business are transformed to a cause that “bridges” with the Work and the WMTH.  In this case, we went from “Hit budget and greatly improve operating metrics” (the goal) to “serve our customers and support each other” (the Cause).

4.     Then, all the dots need to be connected with the technicians.  In this case, If they can embrace the Cause by doing excellent Work (installing or fixing cable connections) and providing outstanding customer care, and all their teammates do the same thing, then the pride will rise, the proportion of happy customers to angry customers will shoot way up, and the team dynamic will create a positive and productive work environment (with fewer calls at 2AM), thus creating WMTH (i.e. happiness).

5.     This connection must be introduced with near-religious fervor, with the Cause becoming a mantra that is known by all, and relentlessly reinforced.   When I “pitched” it I always ended my talks with a simple drawing to illustrate the end result – a smiley face.

Yes, I drew a smiley face.   That, and not the blankety-blank percent improvement in cash flow, was the ultimate “goal” I put on the whiteboard.

For THIS audience, based on the model.

(Note: In case you were wondering, the road to that smiley face did have a few numbers and charts preceding it….)

You can imagine this specific application of the model wouldn’t work for certain other constituencies – like investors or executive management, for example  (I often did imagine the reception I’d get if I drew a smiley face in the boardroom, but alas, I never tried it). But the model itself still works for them too.

A quick example – in the case of investors, the Work that needs to be respected are their acts of putting their money at risk. The WMTH is the satisfaction of funding a successful company.  The goal is a high IRR, and the resulting Cause is “meaningfully increasing shareholder value”.

Of course, there is a LOT more to successfully executing the model than what’s on this page, but the basic elements are here.  How it is fleshed out, and ultimately delivered, always should depend on the situation.

And, it also takes a fundamental belief of a simple premise that is at the core of this model – Happiness is Good Business. Otherwise, it’s not worth trying.   YOU have to believe it.

I believe this.  Fervently.  I’ve seen it work.  Others have made it work (Zappos, for example).   Try this model yourself  – work through it on paper for a particular person, or a group that you lead, and see if it makes sense for you.

Then, if it feels right, do it.   Good luck, and lead well!

I’m in Chicago today to prepare for my labor of love with my biz partner Liz Strauss, SOBCon Chicago 2011, which starts tomorrow (check out our website for more information, and here is the livestream of the event)

Yesterday I was in Milwaukee visiting family, and while I was there I stopped at a Starbucks on a particular street corner. It was a corner that brought back two specific memories. The first was SOBCon 2010 in Chicago.

There, we talked a lot of “forks in the road”, and what we do when we get to them in our lives. We all agreed that “doing something” was better than spending a lot of time deciding which direction to go.

I quoted Yogi Berra : “When You Get To a Fork in The Road, Take It“.

And that’s where the second memory kicked in.  I had been on this street corner before…….long before……

It was a very cold night in late January 1978 – very cold. It was probably 25 below zero. I was halfway home that night after working the evening shift at the mall, and I had to change buses. I stood at the bus stop, with every stitch of clothing I owned wrapped around me (or so it seemed), and just shivered. “Gosh, this is horrible” , I thought. “I need to get out of this”.

I also thought about my young life at the time and where I was going. I felt strangely out of place in this town, and very restless. There was something tugging at me to make a change – a big change. I had just heard of a scholarship opportunity at a small university in San Antonio Texas the week before, and it really got me thinking. I had visited that area the summer before at a retreat sponsored by my high school, and it really struck my fancy. But it was 1,200 miles away – away from my family and friends.

But I sensed that if I stayed where I was, I wouldn’t be really happy with myself. I felt like there was something missing. And yes, I was really cold too. I thought of 70 degree days in January in South Texas. Boy that would be nice. But it’s so far away. I would really miss my family and a few close friends.

I was at a fork in the road that night, and little did I know what that decision would mean to me. As the wind howled and my shivering only worsened, my mind suddenly cleared and the path became clear – I had to leave. I was going to San Antonio. Even though I wouldn’t know a soul, I decided to take the risk and do it, and start over.

The bus finally came and as I finally could feel my face again I looked out the window of the bus and dreamed about the new horizons that were in front of me……………

That day, that moment, that fork in the road, was the most important decision of my life.  And thankfully, it was the right one.

What was your “fork in the road” moment?  And did YOU take it?

Rocinante, Don Quixote's Horse. Detail of the Cervantes monument in Madrid (fr. Wikipedia)

“There is no use trying”, said Alice.  “One can’t believe impossible things”.

“I dare say you haven’t had much practice“, said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.“ – Lewis Carroll

I read this quote from “Alice in Wonderland” on a greeting card a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve been thinking about it every day since then. It’s stuck in my brain because I’ve recently embarked on another leg of my life’s journey.

My company has been sold, my “day job” is no more, and we’ve up and moved 3,000 miles. I’ve set up a home office, and declared, (sound the refrain), “I’m going to start my own business!!”

Ta da!

Here’s the thing: I’ve never done this before. I’ve been employed by “a company” for over 28 years. My favorite piece of paper is a W-2.

I’ve been conditioned by that nice consistency of a paycheck hitting the bank every two weeks.

It’s time to get back on Don Quixote’s horse, and start believing those impossible things.

That’s the interesting element about starting from nothing – all the desired outcomes are dreams right now.   And I do need practice.   Before, all of the business goals were specified by someone else – bosses, shareholders, boards, etc.

Now it just me and my business partner, although I’m very lucky that that partner is Liz Strauss, because she has the disease.

The Dreamers Disease, that is.

Liz has been spreading that disease for many years now, and I’ve been the beneficiary of a lot of her wisdom ever since we started the labor of love called SOBCon.   At those events in Chicago, she is at her absolute best.  After the 2008 event, she inspired me to write:

“We must continue to dream, and dream big, and not let them go. Be fearless, and open, and giving – all the time. Nothing is beyond our grasp”

So yes, I’m lucky, because in Liz there is someone like the Queen in Alice in Wonderland, road testing 6 impossible dreams in the space of one morning (heck, I think I actually counted 12 one morning).  I absorb these dreams now from a different perspective, now that I’m back on Don Quixote’s horse.

I remember the last time I really saddled up  – it was when I started a quest at my day job to make every single person in my company a happy employee.  Every one – all 1,200 of them.   People looked at me like I was crazy when I went around 4 states in my rental car, preaching happiness in meeting after meeting.  Yep, me and the horse got along fine back then.

That experience taught me something else about dreams – there’s an added element to it, one that Don Quixote also knew about.  Grace.

As I wrote then,

He (Quixote) was on a quest, a desire (quoting from the Broadway musical) to “add some measure of grace to the world”. By adding grace, we honor the labor and effort that’s such a big part of our daily lives.

Keep dreaming, and honor our efforts to achieve the impossible.  That’s what we’re going to do, Liz and I.  And through our new business, do our best to spread that Dreamers Disease to many more people.

And I can’t wait to tell you more about it……..

Yes, I love leadership.   And I really love to write and talk about leadership.

So much so, that sometimes all someone has to do is put a quarter in me, and off I go.

Why such devotion to this long-practiced craft?

First, it’s brought me great job fulfillment and satisfaction that I can only hope will only intensify as I go forward.

Second, I’ve discovered that it can be an incredible force for helping individuals, groups,  and enterprises  succeed,  and for creating a lot of “good” and “happy” in the world  (I know it can go the other way, but that is certainly not where I’m coming from).

That’s why I love leadership – and that’s why I will keep spreadin’ the news for all the tomorrows to come, here on this blog, and elsewhere.

And speaking of the “elsewheres”,  I wanted to give you a heads up on a few of those other places you can find me these days.

First, if you have a chance  later today (December 9th), log into Twitter and the #netsol hashtag for a TweetChat about leadership that I will be hosting from 1 – 2:30 PM EST. I’d love to “mix it up” with you on leadership!

Next, I just posted a piece on leadership and influence on Denise Lee Yohn’s excellent blog, entitled “Building Influence in the Workplace: It Has To Be Personal”.   (The companion piece by Denise appeared on this blog last week – if you haven’t read that one, check it out).

I’m also pleased to note that I am now a contributor to the Vistage Blog. (For more information on Vistage, click here).   They just posted my first piece on  the annual raise ritual and process entitled  “On Raises: You Can Have Your COLA and Drink It Too”

And last but certainly not least, my co-founder Liz Strauss and I recently announced the program for SOBCon 2011 Chicago, which will take place from April 29 to May 1, 2011 at the Summit Executive Center.

As you might expect, I’ll be talking about leadership, in my workshop entitled “Volunteers and Partners as Highly Paid Employees and Employees as Heartfelt Volunteers”.   In the workshop I’ll talk about how a single, simple leadership model can bring out the best in any team, in any context.

SOBCon Chicago is a wonderful event and one of my favorite weekends of the year, because of the unique, inspirational and ultimately transformative energy all the participants bring to the room.  Check it out, and do it soon – we have a great $300 off registration offer that expires on December 16th.  I’d love to see you there.

Oh, and one more thing….

My very best thanks to all of you who take the time to read these posts and my Tweets – your support is most appreciated!

Lead well!

At SOBCon2010 in Chicago this past May, I made a keynote presentation on Leadership, entitled “Do the Unexpected“.  I’m pleased to be able to present it to my “Ramblings” readers in its entirety (Many thanks to Cole and Melissa Pierce).   In the presentation I also mention my latest e-book, “Leadership From a Glass Half-Full: 5 Lessons To Learn Before You Jump Into The Pool“.

Please enjoy the video, and let me know what you think.  Did it need more cowbell?

Last week we launched our contest to find a song for me to sing at the opening reception of SOBCon Colorado on September 17th, and the response has been fantastic – nearly 40 songs have been nominated!

Now it’s time for YOU to pick the winner by selecting your 5 favorite songs  from this list of nominees, and by simply doing so, you will be automatically qualify for a drawing to win a FREE trip to SOBCon Colorado.

Here’s what this prize package will include:

• A SOBCon registration ticket for the entire event (a $349 value)
• 2 Free nights hotel at the Renaissance Boulder Flatiron (Friday and Saturday, over $200 value)
• Up to $500 airfare

Yep, that’s over $1000 in prizes!

Here’s how to vote, and register for the contest:

• Click this survey link (it will open up another window)
  
• On the survey, give us your name, e-mail address, URL, and Twitter name (we need this to officially enter you in the contest)
• Pick your 5 favorite songs from the list on the survey
  
• You’re done!

Voting ends at 11:59 PM on August 15th, 201o.   The winner will be announced on August 16th.

Thanks again to all who participated in the nomination process.  There are a lot of really cool songs on that list, and I’m sure I can tackle any one of them.  Well, pretty sure.

Again, here’s the link to vote, and good luck!

Click here to take survey
August 16, 2010 Update:  The voting is closed, and the contest winner is…….. Wesley Faulkner of Austin, Texas  (@wesley83 on Twitter).  Congratulations Wesley!

As for the song that you picked, I will be singing, on September 17th…..

Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

We’ll see what I do with that one. If you want to see it live, sign up for SOBCon Colorado!