In my travels as a consultant I enjoy soaking up the local flavor of an unfamiliar city. Sometimes to unwind after a training session I find myself meandering through book stores aimlessly flipping through the latest best seller. However my most guilty pleasure is when I find an interesting title that entices me to buy the book instead of just sneaking a peek. Such a thing happened over the summer when I came across the book, The Truth About Trust In Business.
I found myself questioning whether trust exists in business today. Given the current economic climate trust is a commodity in short supply. Author, Vanessa Hall developed a simple Trust Model that did not discover new territory but the explanation of trust was clear, concise and understandable. The Trust Model deciphers the relationship that is built on the premise of trust and divides it into three distinct parts. They are expectations, needs, and promises. If any of the three components are at odds in a relationship then trust is in jeopardy. Lack of trust can translate into loss of business. Sound familiar? A consumer has an expectation of service. The expectation comes from previous experience, word of mouth, research, or a similar situation. The consumers’ needs are human needs that are fairly standard according to Hall. Consumer needs tend to follow Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, namely: psychological, safety, love, esteem and self- actualization. Promises are a bit trickier because consumer perception separates the message into implicit and explicit promises. Ms. Hall explains the differences as follows:
“I refer to explicit promises as the clear- cut “I know
what I’m going to get kind of promises.” They create
certainty. They leave no room for interpretation.”

“… implicit promises can be imbedded in things like a company
name, a company’s brand, the packaging of a product, the way
a salesperson or customer service representative behaves, or a
manager looks at his or her staff, to name a few.”

Using Hall’s Trust Model I decided to look at APL S Group with a critical eye and I liked the outcome. Our customers expect value, competent consultation and expert training services. They need advice on how to improve productivity in their organizations. Our implicit promise is that we are a quality company that cares about our clients. We are willing to work with our clients to facilitate change in their organizations. That message is evident in the website photos, explanation of services and our customer service. Our explicit promise to our clients is outlined in our initial agreement and backed up by the final contract.
I challenge you to take a look at your business to evaluate the “trust factor”. How does your company measure up? If you were to poll your customers would they respond that they trust your organization? Fall is a great time to re-evaluate business strategy and plan for the new year.

Greetings readers, it’s good to be back after a refreshing hiatus. Somehow the end of August gives us permission to wind down, say goodbye to summer and greet autumn with a fresh perspective. I have always been a fan of September. The ninth month of the year carries with it an air of renewal, the promise of harvest and the clear thinking of its birthstone, sapphire. Even though I fancy myself a seasoned professional, perhaps I have never really transitioned from the traditional school mode where everything starts anew in September.

I would like to thank Mark, an invaluable member of the APLS GROUP, for pinch hitting at Nanci’s Notions during my absence. Mark’s insightful views on transitioning from college to a career have given me a question to ponder. Are you in the right career?  With unemployment in the double digits
in many areas across this country, having a secure job is enviable and daring to ask if my career fits me seems unthinkable. Yet making the proper career choice can be the catalyst for combined personal and professional success.

According to Kathleen Gage’s article “How to Know if You Are in the Right Career”, 80% of working  people are misemployed. They are working in careers that are unsatisfying and unfulfilling.  Mike Rowe, popular host of Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, says on his website that popular culture has
demonized the idea of work and work is a place to be avoided at all costs. Unemployment and under employment figures would have us believe that the pride associated with a job well done is passé. Our country, our people and our economy are suffering. In the last thirty years we have lost or outsourced manufacturing jobs by the millions and discouraged our children from entering the trades. As a result, the college enrollments have swelled, the high school dropout rate has escalated and job dissatisfaction has increased. There are jobs in IT, building and construction trades, healthcare, and engineering but the lack of a skilled labor pool has caused a disconnect on the employment front. What’s wrong with this picture?

When I traced my own steps that led to the career that I currently have, I was pleasantly surprised that I am right where I want to be.  Though I have rarely been reflective of my professional journey, the outcome has been more design than happenstance. I am in the career that suits my personality
and my skill sets. It is impossible to be misemployed when skill sets and personality are aligned. I did not always know that I wanted to be a consultant but I always knew that the study of human behavior was my passion. As a college student,  I was fascinated by psychology and participated in numerous lab studies to test the cause and effect of human behavior. Later when I began my professional life I worked at NTL Institute where I was surrounded by the masters in the field of human behavior, training and organizational development. As my resume grew, I continued to pursue opportunities in organizations where human behavior was an integral part of my responsibilities. I developed a professional toolbox that keeps me invested and engaged in my career to this day.

Whether you are just starting a career or preparing for a change in career, consider the following tips to help you make a wise transition:

Make an investment in three assessments: personality, learning style, skills inventory
Research the industry you want to enter including outlook, pay, benefits
Interview people that are doing the job you think you want to do
Do not be afraid to switch from traditional “white collar” to “hands on” jobs
Concentrate on your strengths and seek employment that uses your strengths
Accurately assess your skills and outline what you have to offer an organization
Seek appropriate education to sharpen your skills in the field you are pursuing including job sector training
Network in the field (go to industry events including career fairs)
Meditate and visualize yourself as successful in the field (positive self -talk)

The next time you ask yourself if you are in the right career, let the answer be a resounding yes!

Visit the APL Group online store for additional material on this topic.

In our continuing theme of guest bloggers, I have asked one of my colleagues, Mark Morton to write a blog for August.  Please let us know what you think…………….

It is so cliché, but…
When you hear people drop the need for the “C” word, do you almost want to scream “Communication, again…?  That’s the best they have?  Yet over and over again companies see this as an area of disconnect, if you will, on the “Employee Engagement” surveys they send out each year.  And each year employees say “so you asked, now what?”
I have been a manager of people throughout my career.  I started out lousy, made mistakes, and got better over time (I think).  The main issue was not the technical aspect or lack of knowledge.  It was the communication part.  I was lousy and at times I still struggle.  The quote that sticks with me and moved me to action was from Lee Iacocca of Mustang and Chrysler fame – “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere”.
I see this in practice in the current work I do as a process improvement practitioner.  I work with managers that have gaps between what they tell me is going on versus what I observe when I work with their folks.  No one in this situation is the “bad guy”.  It is an easy trap, however, for managers to fall into.  Manage by reports from the confines of their office.  Interaction may be sporadic or situational. Sound familiar?
The cure is a bit tough, but it has been validated for me in practice and in literature on the subject.  Systematic, routine meetings with each employee on a weekly basis that the employee owns go a long way toward curing the communication symptom.  Employees are engaged, held accountable, and better yet cannot claim that they did not know.  It becomes a way of life, a way of doing business, an old way.  Not micromanaging.  That is when an assignment is given and you stand over someone asking “is it done yet?” blah, blah, blah.  Weekly meetings are planned and prescriptive.  It is effective if done over and over.  The amount of sharing and front line problem solving cannot be over stated.  And the mid year or year-end review?  A piece of cake.  There has been full disclosure throughout the year.  No surprises!  Ever been surprised during a review cycle? (Insert stomach churn here)
So when you hear that better communication is needed, do you see yourself above or below average in that category?  If below, ask yourself how often you have real, face to face (or phone to phone) conversations with your direct reports.  If you are above average, have someone observe you or get feedback from your direct reports.  You may be surprised.

 Visit the APLS Group on-line store for a variety of resources on Communication – www.aplsgroup.com