Author Archives: Tom Foster

About Tom Foster

Tom Foster spends most of his time talking with managers and business owners. The conversations are about business lives and personal lives, goals, objectives and measuring performance. In short, transforming groups of people into teams working together. Sometimes we make great strides understanding this management stuff, other times it’s measured in very short inches. But in all of this conversation, there are things that we learn. This blog is that part of the conversation I can share. Often, the names are changed to protect the guilty, but this is real life inside of real companies.

Will I Sleep Through It?

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“What are we here for?” I started the meeting. It’s always an interesting question. Most people come to meetings without thinking about its purpose. Will it be informational? Will it be interesting? Will I sleep through it? Will it be meaningful? Will we accomplish anything of significance?

Most people just go to meetings.

What was the last meeting you went to, where something significant was accomplished? What was different about that meeting? What are the most important elements to make a meeting effective? Post a comment. -TF

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Registration for our next sales program (www.workingsales.com) ends on Monday September 25.

The Other Person’s Interests

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I stepped down a short flight of stairs into the coffee shop. Small groups of people were huddled around an assortment of morning elixirs. This was definitely not Starbucks.

Gordon was already sitting at a table and I could tell he had done some thinking overnight. We had been talking about connecting the goals of the company with the unlikely topic of boats and fishing.

“I know I kind of laughed you off, yesterday,” Gordon started. “It sounded a little far fetched, but I started thinking about it and it began to make more sense.”

I poured some cream in my coffee. So far, I had not said a word.

“I remember a sales manager,” he continued. “Every Thursday morning, he would load up his two best salespeople and take them down to a boat dealer and they would spend an hour talking about boats. It was kinda funny, because the owner of the company found out and said the time would be better spent going over sales data and prospect lists.

“He didn’t press it though, because things began to happen, volume picked up, margins were holding. And every Thursday morning, the sales manager would take his guys down to the boat dealer.”

“Did anyone ever buy a boat?” I finally got a question into the conversation.

“Yeah, they all did.” Gordon laughed. “Well, except for the sales manager. Turns out, he didn’t care a thing about boats. I even asked him about it. He said the secret to being a manager is to always talk in terms of the other person’s interests.”

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Registration for our next sales program (www.workingsales.com) ends on Monday September 25. Registration for our next management program (www.workingmanagement.com) ends today Friday, September 22, 2006.

Boats and Fishing

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I was working with a group in New York today, in a sideline conversation of interest.

“I don’t understand,” Gordon said. “I explain the vision of the company, where we are going, the success we hope to achieve. The team shows some polite interest, but I just don’t see the enthusiasm. Maybe, I don’t have the right people on the team.”

“I am sure this is all very exciting for you,” I responded. “How did you make the connection for them?”

“What do you mean?” Gordon’s mood changed, almost suspicious.

“I mean, I know what’s in it for you,” I continued. “But what is in it for your team members?” Gordon almost answered, but stopped. His automatic response was interrupted.

“Well, they are mostly interested in boats and fishing. I am talking about the company,” he said.

“I understand.” I wasn’t in a hurry. “Gordon, if you could connect boats and fishing to the growth of the company, what would happen?”

He chuckled. “Connecting boats and fishing to the growth of the company? There would be no stopping us. But, boats and fishing don’t have anything to do with the company.”

“I understand. But if they did, what would be the impact on your company?” Gordon was beginning to get the drift. “What if you could talk in terms of what your team members want?” I closed my briefcase.

“I have one more day, here,” I said. “Let’s meet for coffee tomorrow morning and continue this.” -TF

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Registration closes this Friday, September 22 for our next Management Program (www.workingmanagement.com). Registration closes on Monday, September 25 for our next Sales Program (www.workingsales.com).

Not the Way I Learned It

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Karl shook his head, laughing at my description. “No way,” he shouted. The rest of the class began to chuckle, a communal piling on.

“What?” I looked around the room. I know when people are laughing, that they get the joke. I know when people get the joke, learning happened.

“Here’s how you learned to use a spreadsheet,” I explained. “Your IT guy handed you a book and commanded you take it home. Reading cover to cover will make you an expert.”

Chortles and chuckle was all I got. Of course. “No one learned to use spreadsheet software by reading a book. You told the IT guy to take his book, and himself, and leave the room. By golly, you learned this software on your own, dinging at the keyboard, trial and error, you learned by doing.”

I stopped. The laughter turned to smiles, the room grew quieter.

“People learn in different ways. Some people learn best by doing. Yet most training seminars I attend are PowerPoint slides and a lecture. Tell me, how effective is the learning? How effective is the training that happens in your company?” -TF

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Registration closes this Friday, September 22 for our next Management Program (www.workingmanagement.com). Registration closes on Monday, September 25 for our next Sales Program (www.workingsales.com).

A Scary Conversation

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Registration for our next sales program (www.workingsales.com) ends on Monday September 25. Registration for our next management program (www.workingmanagement.com) ends this Friday, September 22, 2006.
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I could see by the look on her face that she was very uncomfortable with the discussion. As she raised her hand to speak, it was a cross between timid and bold opinion.

“I’m not sure about this exercise,” explained Anita. “It goes against everything we have learned in HR. I’m not sure you are supposed to know all this personal stuff about people.”

The exercise in the class was to conduct a one to one conversation with another person. It’s called Mineral Rights, adapted from Susan Scott’s Fierce Conversations. The point of the exercise is to have a conversation with another person at a deeper level than sports and weather.

“Anita, tell me,” I asked, “where do most team members fail us on the job? Is it their lack of technical skill, or is it connected to attitude, willingness or some personal issue that influences their job performance?”

Anita stopped. She knew the answer, but it was dead set against her HR training. Bottom line, it was a scary conversation. I continued.

“Anita, what is the most important thing for one of your supervisors to know about his team?” She was desperately trying to make this answer come from the textbook, but it was failing her. I was feeling impatient, so I kept rolling.

“Anita, on some of our crews, the most important thing for a supervisor to know, is who is going to show up for work today. Who is going to show up? Who is going to show up hung over? Who is fighting with his girlfriend? Who is having car trouble?

“On the flip side, it is important for the manager to know what makes his technician run up a ladder in 110 degree heat, on top of a roof, change out a compressor and then go downstairs and apologize to the store owner for taking so long.

“This has nothing to do with the technical side of air conditioning repair. And the manager is not going to find this out by reading a job resume. This stuff only comes out by talking, individually, on a personal level, about what really matters.”

I don’t think Anita ever got comfortable with the exercise that day, but she left the classroom a different person. -TF

Identifying the Deal Killers

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“Alright, let’s take a vote,” Ralph directed. I was sitting in the back of the room. I watched the hands go up in favor of Ralph’s plan. There was no dissent. Meeting adjourned.

Ralph was proud, no opposition, he picked up his stuff and strutted out of the room. And that’s when the truth came out. It started as a whisper, a snide remark, and then the piling on began. As it turned out, no one was in favor of Ralph’s plan.

“What do you mean?” Ralph said as I settled into his office.

“I don’t think your plan has a chance for success,” I replied. “As you left the room, I got to thinking, wondering if your plan had covered all the bases, in fact, if it was even the right decision.”

“But, everyone voted,” Ralph protested.

I nodded. “Do you think voting is the best way to make a decision?”

“Hey, it’s how we elect a president?”

I smiled and repeated, “Do you think voting is the best way to make a decision?”

“Well, do you have a better way?” Ralph challenged.

“I was just looking at your four alternatives. You know, there were two things that were absolute deal killers and the one you picked doesn’t meet the criteria.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it this way, Ralph. Put up a big chart on the wall and make a quick list of all the things that absolutely, positively have to be a part of the solution. Deal killers. Then make a list of all the things that are not absolute, but would be really nice to have. Now you have two lists, absolutes and desirables.

“Take your four alternatives and put them up against the criteria and see how things shake out.”

Ralph didn’t say a word. His eyes got wide. I could see him mentally checking his quick list. “I think I need to bring the team back in the room. I think they voted for a mistake.”

I was ready to explain the process in more detail, but Ralph was already headed for the conference room. -TF

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Registrations for our next Management program (www.workingmanagement.com) will be closing out this Friday. Registrations for our next Sales program (www.workingsales.com) will close out next Monday. Sign up early.

Management Is A Social Act

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“Management is a social act.” –Lisa Haneberg, Management Craft.

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When I arrived, she was in her office with a clear desk. Ellen was curious. She had a new department and had real concerns about a smooth transition. She started the conversation before I settled into a chair. “You promised a powerful tool, today.”

I nodded, “Yes, I did. Today we are going to talk about conversation.”

“Conversation?” Ellen looked puzzled.

“Most everything a manager accomplishes is done through conversation. Think about it Ellen. When you set goals with your team, you engage in conversation. When you troubleshoot a problem on the line, you engage in conversation. When you hold a team member accountable for performance, you engage in conversation. The ability of a manager to engage in meaningful, genuine conversation translates into effectiveness.”

“Well, I know how to talk to people,” Ellen retorted.

“Talking to people and engaging people are different levels of conversation. We spoke the other day about showing genuine interest in each of your team members. It is the beginning of all the other conversations you will have with each person as their manager.

“By the way, it is a skill that can be learned.” -TF

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Registration is filling for both our programs in Fort Lauderdale. The Management program (www.workingmanagement.com) kicks off on September 25, the Sales program (www.workingsales.com) kicks off September 27.

Getting Engaged in Work

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“I am good at planning. I am good at delegating. I am good at making decisions, but I am not good at this warm and fuzzy stuff,” explained Ellen. We had been talking about her new department. The grapevine said some people were nervous and some might quit if they didn’t like her.

“Look, the point of management is not to win a personality contest, but if you want to get people engaged in their work, you have to get engaged with them.” I stopped to see if Ellen had a pulse. I could see by her body language that this was uncomfortable.

“But, I always thought it best not to get too close to my people. It just seems easier to be objective if I don’t really know too much about them, especially their personal lives,” Ellen continued.

“It seems easier to be objective? Or it just seems easier to be insensitive?” I asked. “The point is not be a huggy bear. The point is to gain willing cooperation from your team members, both together and as individuals.

“Does your company have a mission statement?” Ellen nodded.

“And does your department have its own mission statement?”

“Yes,” Ellen replied.

“Do things work better if the team mission statement supports the company mission statement?”

“Well, of course.”

“Ellen, believe it or not, your team members have their own personal mission statements. For most it is just rattling around in their head. Would things work better if their personal mission statement supports the team mission statement?”

“Well, I suppose, but how do I find that out?”

“That’s what engagement is all about. If you want your team to be engaged in their work, you have to be engaged with them. Meet me here tomorrow. We will talk about how to do that with the most powerful tool you have as a manager.” -TF

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Spaces are filling for our Management program (www.workingmanagement.com) which kicks off September 25. I would also like to announce our new Sales program (www.workingsales.com) which kicks off here in Fort Lauderdale on September 27. Find out more by visiting the links.

Genuine Interest

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“I am taking over a new department,” explained Ellen. “It’s not a promotion, just a new department. I heard through the grapevine that some people are off-balance wondering what life is going to be like under my direction. Two people said they might quit. How do I let them know that I am not going to be some micro-managing monster?”

“You could wear a sign,” I suggested.

Ellen laughed. “Be serious. I want to let them know that I am not some control freak boss.”

“It sounds backward,” I started, “but instead of telling them about you, why don’t you find out about them?”

Ellen looked puzzled.

“Look, you may be under the microscope. If you become genuinely interested in each of your team members, you will accomplish two things. First, the focus will immediately shift away from you. Second, asking questions about them will speak volumes about you.” -TF

One Simple Question

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Follow-up to yesterday’s posting from the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
What do you feel are truly the most effective skills that I need to think about as a new sales manager?

Response:
Yesterday, I posted the list. Today, let’s talk some details.

I listed hiring and firing at the top of the list. The most important skill for any manager is to develop the ability to select the right team members. The manager who selects the right team members makes all other management skills seem like a walk in the park.

The manager who selects the wrong team members will forever spend time trying to fix the problems that come from hiring mis-steps. And that time spent trying to motivate, coach and correct behavior will be the most frustrating thing in the world.

Take a sports team and put them up against any other team. To pick the team who will win the game, you only have to know the answer to one simple question.

Who is on the team?

Hiring and firing are at the top of the list. Arguably, the most important skill. -TF

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September 25, 2006 kicks off our next Management Class in Fort Lauderdale. Register at www.workingmanagement.com.