“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

For “foolish consistency” you could very easily read “dull routine.”

Routine – doing things by habit, subconsciously, without thinking – is most certainly the enemy of success.

For example, after six years of posting to this blog, I have only ever once considered that it was a routine; a duty; a chore. Not bad after almost 1500 posts?

You see the human mind is a computer – you program your computer by the input you feed into it; learning, knowledge, experience and so on.
If you program your mind with images of failure, you will fail. Conversely, if you build a bank of success images, your computer will direct you to success.

How do you build and input images of success into your computer? By creativity…by thinking.

The fruit of thinking is knowledge; and knowledge is the medium from which skills are built.

In skills learning, there are four steps:

Step One:
The Unconscious Incompetent. They don’t know that they don’t know. The salesperson that is making mistakes, but is completely oblivious of them. This doesn’t just apply to salespeople of course, but sales leaders and even so called sales “gurus” who have become totally wrapped up in their own self-importance!

Step Two:
The Conscious Incompetent. They know that they don’t know. This is the beginning of wisdom. The salesperson that is aware they are not cashing in on their full potential and wants to learn how to improve.

Step Three:
The Conscious Competent. They have learned and are aware of what they have learned – and they use it. They know why. The salesperson who knows how to make a successful approach call and can program and execute their proposal and business case to achieve their objectives.

Step Four:
The Unconscious Competent. They have learned so well that they use their knowledge with a semi-automatic skill. Their skills have reached a level where they are no longer self-centered. They are free to devote their efforts to the needs of others. The professional salesperson who does the right things to get results, but functions without conscious attention to what they are doing or why.

Note that I say semi-automatic. Even the Unconscious Competent should have the ability and the sharpness to call forth self-awareness.

Purposeful self-awareness, plus a knowing application of skill, generates maximum personal horsepower.

The handmaiden of creativity is imagination and imagination is the well that brings forth the new ideas that are essential to our growing success.

News: The end of another frenetic week at “JF Control Center” We have been busier than the busiest people who have ever been busy, and it’s a chance to renew the saw; recharge the batteries etc. etc.

Have a great w/e wherever you are – there will be a couple of guest posts here for you, should you feel inclined to pop back - JF

Many years ago, I realized that my organization - like most others - occasionally suffered what is commonly known as “The Peak and Trough Syndrome” or more usually, “Feast and Famine.” However, me being me, rather than blithely just sit back and accept it as a fact of commercial life, I determined to challenge it and front it head-on – this is what I came up with:

The Sales Cabinet concept is a sophisticated process for analyzing, planning, directing, and monitoring the activity of a sales team. It is an essential tool for setting sales policies and the management, at whatever level, of a sales team, if not every sales call produces an order and there is a time lag between the first contact with a potential customer and that company placing an order. SC is also a valuable tool for marketing and business development personnel.

The Dimensions of Sales Cabinet:
Sales Cabinet is an imaginary four drawer filing cabinet and each drawer represents not only a stage in the buying cycle, but also the critical tasks a sales team should be performing if they are operating in a “balanced” mode. The aim is to elevate as many of the inhabitants of the bottom drawer up to the top drawer as possible, whilst continually finding replacements for them.

The Buying Drawers:
We have two buying drawers - the top two. In the very top one, we keep our long term stable partners. We might well have preferred supplier agreements with them or a clearly defined and established purchasing history.

In the second drawer, we place the less well established clients; the occasional buyers or the one off buyers. A great deal of purposeful, strategic, objective-based selling can and should be done within these two drawers.

In the precarious second drawer of the cabinet, every piece of business has to be fought for and often secured through sacrificing margin. Whereas in the secure environment of the top drawer, the inhabitants respect the added value we bring to the relationship and seek stability and value for money, rather than lowest price. However, developing and promoting Drawer Two occupants has obvious benefits to the growth and profitability prospects of the Company.

The Working Drawer:
In Drawer Three, we keep our prospects, potential customers who we have visited and qualified, but have yet to win the first order. Though this is a crucial part of the development of an ideal customer base, sales work in the Working Drawer is, in general terms, the least cost effective unless rigorous qualification processes are followed.

Its importance and its costs make it, therefore, yet another important focus for the Sales Manager. What can we do to heighten our success with a major sales opportunity?

When are we best to back off?

How can we capture big opportunities more quickly? Etc.

The Marketing Drawer:
Drawer Four, is where we keep our suspects - those potential opportunities identified but not yet visited or qualified.

As with most things in life, the more work that is put into the preparation phase of the sales process, the less effort will be wasted in the long-term.

The selection of the right opportunities from the market place can ensure better sales, better profits and can reduce the cost of the sales work. Selection criteria have to be established and graduated by experienced sales personnel. Once in operation and proven, their continued use can be maintained by other members of the organization who will develop, to a much higher level, the specific skills needed. Banks of qualified prospects can be built up if appropriate – ready for a concerted attack on a targeted part of the market place.

Summary:
When I first designed Sales Cabinet, I realized just how important it is that balance be maintained between the four drawers (where market conditions permit).

Excessive top drawer activity will constrain the growth of the business into those areas that are identified as the opportunities of the future. It is also a symptom that the organization has got itself into a rut or a ‘comfort zone’; that the communication of policy is poor; that management is not controlling the work, or that people lack the confidence to tackle new areas (or a combination of all of them).

Too much emphasis on the bottom two drawers is inefficient and will dramatically reduce the potential for growth, will increase the cost of sales unnecessarily and could well lower the reputation of the Company.

Sales Cabinet has since been successfully implemented by thousands of companies around the world – it works!

News: I wanted to point out the three important buttons in the top left-hand corner: If you would like to link with me on LinkedIn; or if you wish to follow me on twitter; or to save yourself the need to keep popping back, you can use the RSS feed. Most of all, if you enjoy my posts, do please share by using the buttons below – thanks! – JF

Only now is the notion of ‘emotional intelligence’ becoming widely understood. For the leaders of the future, it is likely to be as important as a high IQ.

In his ground-breaking 1996 book, “Emotional Intelligence,” the American psychologist Daniel Goleman explored the issue of personal and professional effectiveness. He argued that in a business world too often obsessed by cold analysis, the emotional climate is more important to the success of a leader than previously recognized.

At senior levels, ‘emotional intelligence’ rather than ‘rational intelligence’ marks out the true leader: “The qualities of leadership and the quality of the heart are largely the same.” This may explain why someone like Branson, who twice failed his elementary mathematics exam, can make a better leader than someone with a degree from Harvard Business School. Branson’s ‘emotional intelligence’ – his ‘people radar’ – is more keenly developed.

According to Goleman, studies of outstanding performers in organizations show that about two thirds of the abilities that set star performers apart in the leadership stakes are based on emotional intelligence. Only a third of the skills that matter relate to raw intelligence (as measured by IQ) and technical expertise.

“Our emotions are hardwired into our being,” Goleman explained. “The very architecture of the brain gives feelings priority over thought.” There is a sign in Harvard’s rat lab that says: “Rats under carefully controlled conditions will do any damned thing they please.” The same is true of human beings. Leaders ignore emotions at their perils.

Most important of all, the role of leaders in developing the next generation has too often been neglected. If we are to grow as a society, this must be the priority for the future. As Sir Adrian Cadbury, the former Head of Cadbury Schweppes, has observed: “Good leaders grow people, bad leaders stunt them; good leaders serve their followers, bad leaders enslave them”

News: Lest you should forget, my new consultancy launches on June 12th, and me and the elves are currently burning the midnight oil in readiness: The twelve Associates are on board, and we have finally agreed on the site design….. exciting times!!

Last December, I was asked by a number of people to make some predictions for 2012: I could very easily have talked about my favorite topic right now, i.e. the rapid transition towards inside sales, or the demise of “commodity salespeople” or … the list is quite long. Instead, I took a more global view, to try and understand what was likely to happen with the economy – always a very tricky thing to forecast, which is why traders in “futures” are paid so much money. But actually, the economy directly affects all of us who operate within the sales space.

The predictions below were for openview Labs, and this is what I said …

“I think sales in most sectors next year are going to flatline, despite the optimism of many of my learned and esteemed chums. Here’s why …

Most observers from across the pond in North America are probably viewing the financial debacle − which the Eurozone is fast becoming − as a “not in my backyard, so not my problem” situation. The reality is that no other economic relationship in the world is as integrated as the transatlantic economy. The E.U. and U.S. economies account together for about half of the entire world GDP and nearly a third of world trade flows. The transatlantic relationship also defines the shape of the global economy as a whole, as either the E.U. or the U.S. is also the largest trade and investment partner for almost all other countries in the global economy.

My personal view is that the total disintegration of the European community is inevitable; eventually, taxpayers in the northern European countries will grow tired of standing by and watching their governments continue to prop up the economies of southern European countries, who they perceive to be lazy and incompetent. They will adopt a far more “selfish” and independent stance, which will put money back into their own economies, increasing investment in their own infrastructures.

This will lead to a “two-tier” Europe, which in turn will cast countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy adrift, leading to potential bankruptcy – and considerable exposure for both American and European banks, who have been lending them money – albeit at extortionate interest rates!

I therefore believe that 2012 should be a time of consolidation and preparation for what’s to come in 2013.”(You can read all the predictions over at openview http://labs.openviewpartners.com/sales-experts-share-their-predictions-for-2012/)

This weekend, Europe took a giant step towards calamity: Francoise Hollande became the new French president-elect, after a massive 90% plus turnout. The reality is that at least half of his votes were gained from an electorate disenchanted with Sarkozy, not because they have faith in Hollande. And he wasted no time in outlining his primary objectives “M. Hollande has vowed to rework a deal on government debt in Eurozone member-countries to focus on promoting growth.” (BBC)

M. Hollande has called for a renegotiation of a hard-won European treaty on budget discipline championed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and M. Sarkozy.

Merkel congratulated the president-elect by phone and invited him to Berlin to hold talks soon, but she warned the fiscal compact was “not up for grabs”. So we can expect a head-on clash – because she was, co-incidentally, one of Sarkozy’s most prominent cheer-leaders – but she now stands alone, bereft of her pro-austerity partner.

To make matters worse, Greek Centre-right head Antonis Samaras has said he cannot form a coalition government, dealing a blow to backers of the country’s international bailout. His New Democracy emerged as the biggest party after Sunday’s vote, but he said a coalition was “impossible”.

Far-left group Syriza, which is opposed to austerity measures, will now try to form an anti-bailout coalition. End result? Nobody gets their money back. That is the money you and I – indirectly – have paid them via our taxes.

This means that voters in Greece, France and Italy have all largely swung in favor of anti-austerity candidates this week. Expect Spain and Portugal to follow.

They are refusing to take the medicine prescribed, and we can anticipate fatalities. The knock-on effect will be considerable, even in California!!

It was only a matter of time before the highly successful Sales 2.0 Conferences made it across the “Pond” and the organizers have finally announced that June 7th is the date, and London is the venue.

Why London, and why this year? Larissa Gschwandtner provides the answers …

“During the last 2 years we have seen an increasing interest and demand from business executives in Europe to understand and leverage technology within their sales organizations to improve overall sales effectiveness. From our 2012 survey done in conjunction with Frost & Sullivan of global sales leaders, we discovered their top 5 challenges are:

1. Implementing lead generation strategies
2. Aligning the sales process with customers’ decision-making behavior
3. Enhancing sales reps’ productivity (focusing on the highest-value activities)
4. Integrating win/loss analysis into sales strategies
5. Responding to pricing pressures from competitors, the market, and customers

The June 7th event will aim to provide strategies to overcome those and other key challenges. We saw the highest demand for the event in the UK so we chose London as the location for the first event.”

And here are the full details …

Accelerate Sales Growth through Strategic Leadership

The Sales & Marketing 2.0 Conference, London, is produced by Selling Power magazine – the leading global publication for sales management executives.

Topics will focus on sharing ways business executives can:
• Strategically align sales and marketing departments.
• Enhance sales force effectiveness by leveraging key technology solutions.
• Adapt to shifts in buying cycles and customer behaviors.
• Incorporate social communication tools into your current sales methodology.
• Track, measure, and analyze sales performance to increase sales force effectiveness.

Review the Agenda >

Attendees will include senior-level executives in sales, marketing, or sales operations. (CSOs, VPs of Sales, VPs of Marketing, VPs of Sales Operations, Directors of Sales/Marketing/Sales Operations/Demand Generation, or other executive-level leaders in sales and marketing).

Use this code, s2cuk12topsales, to book your place and you will receive a £50 discount.

See registration packages >

You can also listen to my short interview with Larissa HERE

I have absolutely no doubt that it will be an unqualified success, and I am disappointed that I will not be able to attend personally – I will be in Poland and the Ukraine for you know what! JF

When Sir Tim Berners Lee invented the World Wide Web 20 years ago, he had little idea how his invention would transform the world of business and marketing.  An increasing number of companies now perceive the internet as a vital marketing tool and have discovered that their exposure has grown as a result of this form of marketing.

The range of marketing options on the net is huge, from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to Social Media marketing. Some require a large marketing budget, whereas others can benefit from some of the internet tools available and make only a modest investment.  One of the easiest ways to start the internet marketing journey is to build an effective website.  Businesses that build a slick website with well-written copy, accompanied by clear graphical illustrations, have found that this is an effective marketing tool.

Umbrella companies

Many companies and freelance workers now use the services of an umbrella company to manage their financial affairs so that they can concentrate on promoting and developing their business. As a business expands – benefiting from the results of successful marketing – it’s often a complex matter to ensure that the business’s accounts and invoicing are kept up to date.  Umbrella companies remove this burden.  With a great deal of the day-to-day paperwork being completed by them you are able to concentrate all your efforts on running and promoting the business.

Google ads

Another popular marketing tool incorporates Google’s ad sense’ and ‘ad words’.  Using these methods the advertiser doesn’t have to pay for its product or company to advertise until a user clicks on the display ad.  Once a business is signed up to these tools it can use key words to ensure that traffic is directed to the relevant site(s) and Google’s ‘Pay Per Click’ ensures that the hosting website can even earn money from displaying the advertisement.  Businesses like this model because the Google analytics tool allows them to analyse their website customers and any potentially interested parties that visit.

The Internet

The global appeal of the internet is, in part, responsible for the growth of the global economy; the net is open 24-hours a day 365-days of the year.  Many businesses have found that goods and services that didn’t necessarily do well in the domestic market might be best sellers on the other side of the world.  The internet also is far more responsive than traditional forms of marketing, though companies that used to indulge in email advertising have discovered that customers do not like being inundated with marketing emails and will block these messages as spam.

SEO (search engine optimization)

The internet has helped many marketing consultants to actually clarify their promotion through the use of SEO.  This is a process whereby a series of complicated algorithms and clever website design will help to place websites high in the Google rankings after a user conducts a keyword search. The battle to propel a company to the front of the queue is fierce and success is only achieved if the advertising copy is not repetitive and also highlights keywords that describe the company or product.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing, for example, Linked In, Facebook and Twitter, blogs and You Tube are increasingly used by many businesses for marketing purposes.  The ease of access to these sites and the ability for the consumer to provide feedback helps a company discover how the market is responding to a specific product or announcement.  The additional bonus is that these methods are free; it costs nothing to open a page on Facebook.

Being prepared for your business trip

Regular business travel is often a requirement of any job these days.  Whether we like it or not it is often necessary to travel to European destinations and even further afield to see clients.  This can be very tiring and demanding when you are young and fit; when you are older it can be an ordeal if not handled well. To avoid that being the case, thorough preparation is required before you board that plane.

If you have recently joined a company you must make yourself aware of its policies on business travel.  Some companies may have restrictions on how a company credit card can be used. For example, taking money out of an ATM abroad may not be permitted, or there may be limits on how much can be spent on a meal, etc. Ensure that you know which items are reimbursable and check if receipts are required to be produced. Some companies may select a hotel for you, but others may permit employees to take advantage of frequent flyer or frequent stay deals. If you have to make your own business travel arrangements a good travel company will help.

Backing up all of your files

Last minute work at the airport whilst waiting for a flight may be possible, however, this is not really advisable. Before business travel all the materials required for any meetings should be collated and all computer files should be backed up on a memory stick or a CD. Hours of work to produce slides, documents and other material to help close a deal and then having a computer crash could mean losing everything. A travel itinerary should be prepared so that you know where you are going and when. Also take all confirmation numbers as these may be needed at the hotel or the airport.

How to beat jet lag

Business travel can be very tiring, but there are steps you can take to mitigate the effects. If you are flying from west to east you can help your body adjust to the time shift by adjusting your sleep time up to three days before your flight.  This is simple to achieve by just going to bed early and rising earlier. Always get an early night before your flight. Have a light meal before you fly and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Adjust your watch as soon as you get on the plane and after an hour or two try to go to sleep. Drink plenty of water during the journey.

After you arrive at your destination and for the duration of your stay, eat healthy meals with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Get plenty of sunlight and avoid snack foods. Do not take an afternoon nap, as this will confuse your body. Exercise will help to reduce stress. When travelling from east to west the advice is the same, but you will be awake for most of the flight so drink plenty of water.

Generally preparing yourself

Before business travel do some general research about your destination. Check that your passport is current and apply for any visas that are required well in advance. Also arrange any vaccinations that may be required. Purchase adapters and set up your phone so that it can be used abroad. It may also be useful to learn some simple phrases in the language of your destination.

What you cannot do or should avoid doing when on a business trip

On a business trip remember that you represent your company. Act responsibly as you cannot guarantee that your behaviour will not be reported back to your company. Don’t get drunk, know your limit and either politely refuse drinks or drink slowly. On a business trip you will be surrounded by people that you will not know so be discrete in your conversations. Company sensitive information should be kept safe at all times and if you need to dispose of any paperwork do so carefully.

Starting out in business is the fulfilment of a dream for many individuals. Being one’s own boss, working the hours that you prefer, having the ability to make decisions about the direction the company will take, are all attractive benefits when running your own business. However, the dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if the ambitious would-be entrepreneur is not properly prepared to start his or her company.

Having a solid business plan is essential and is critical to success. The business plan must include financial information (including projections and reasonable expectations), marketing strategies, information on the competition, the target customer base, and of course the product or service on which the business will be based. The business plan is really a blueprint for your business. It explains to a bank or other potential investors exactly how you intend to go about filling a niche in a particular marketplace, and shows that you understand your market and who you will be selling to, and how you will go about doing so.

Once you have formulated a solid plan and the finances are in place, you are ready to open your doors to the flocks of customers waiting eagerly to buy your product or service. Or are you? How do you intend to pay your bills, to bank business cheques, and pay your employees? Since it’s a good idea to keep your business funds separate from your personal money, you will definitely need to open a business bank account.

Just like personal finances, business funds take careful looking after. It is important to choose the least-costly accounts that will fully meet your company’s needs. Savvy entrepreneurs begin their business with a lump sum of ready cash to cover unexpected expenses. Equipment breakdowns, underestimation of costs, even new business opportunities can crop up, creating a need for ready cash. An emergency fund should be liquid enough that you can access it readily, but leaving a large sum to stagnate in a traditional low-interest savings account is not good business sense. A money market account that pays a higher rate of interest but retains the liquidity the company needs may be a better choice.

Every business needs a current account. Cheques need to be banked, and vendors and staff need paying. A current account should be chosen which best fits the needs of the company. Consider not only the cost, but also the features offered with the account when making a choice. Overdraft protection shields against large fees for cheques that are larger than the available balance. If you intend to accept payment in cheque form be sure to understand the returned-deposit fees. If a customer writes you a rubber cheque, you will need to ensure that your bank’s returned-deposit fee is as low as possible. Be sure to shop around. Don’t settle for just the institutions in your neighbourhood. Look at online checking accounts as well. Sometimes an online bank offers better rates and perks such as free cheque printing.

Finally, leave room for growth. A money-market account that allows for cheque usage and pays a high interest rate might seem like an attractive option at first, but most limit the number of cheques and monthly withdrawals. Choose an account that fits your business’ needs now, and in the future.

The first question from a student in my sales workshop at Wharton earlier this week was, “Is sales still a good career?”

When I asked the students what they thought, the majority worried that the Internet knolled The Death of a Salesman. Ironically, Death of a Salesman written in 1949, is the hottest ticket on Broadway right now!

Far from the demise of selling, I believe there is no better time to be in sales – provided salespeople make a course correction in how they sell. Those who make the shift will be more valuable to customers than ever before – and more successful.

You know the Internet has changed the sales environment.  It has created a knowledge explosion. Knowledge is at a premium. But knowledge is at risk of becoming a commodity.

We are in the era of sales as understanding, understanding your customers’ industries, businesses, aspirations, and business challenges. The secret ingredient to winning today is not in the customized product solution but rather the application of it to solve business challenges.

There are two primary shifts in selling driving the change:

1) the shift from persuasion to understanding (Customers are not interested in hearing why one product is superior to another.  They can learn about products more conveniently and objectively from the Internet and their peers.  They know they have multiple viable alternatives. But they are very interested in talking about their business challenges with knowledgeable professionals who bring expertise, insights, and ideas that help them solve business problems, and

2)   from expertise as knowledge of your products to expertise as the ability to use products as tools that solve business problems.

The good news is that these shifts require a course correction not an abandoning of how you have been selling to your clients.   Customers know more and expect you to know more from your first conversation with them on any topic. Preparation has taken on a new dimension.  Research, data, insights, ideas, success stories – all must be a part of your sales conversations. Questioning is more important than ever but the questions must show your business acumen and understanding of the business issues. Rather than focusing on product needs, the focus must be on business challenges. Questions that are industry informed (begin with knowledge sharing and insight) help you build credibility and engage your customers.

These will likely be very different conversations for many salespeople. The probing strategy  begins with questions to understand  the business challenge ( the objective,  desired outcome, factors that must be in place to achieve the objective, and the metrics)  before  focusing on product needs and then work backwards into product application to solve complex business problems or capitalize on opportunities.

My advice to my students was that there was never a better time to be a salesperson especially for people with strong business backgrounds or those open to change and willing to build their body of knowledge and combine that with skill, become immersed in their customers businesses, and commit to solving business problems.

I was excited to read in the NY Times that the new chief at J&J started as a sales rep!

Customers are demanding a higher bar and that says to me there is more opportunity for those in sales who aspire to be the best.

What is your secret ingredient?

Linda Richardson has been described as the most significant “female influencer” in the sales space – ever. She is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales effectiveness organization. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence for 2006 and in 2007. She was also identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” She has written ten books; created a brand new sales curriculum for Wharton ….More

News: If you are in the UK, look out for news tomorrow of an excellent free event happeing in Birmingham next week.

You would be surprised – well maybe you wouldn’t – at how many messages I receive from friends and colleagues asking if I actually sleep, and where I find my energy reserves from. It is true that I do “blitz” for short periods, like this week when we had three initiatives launching, but I do also take extended vacations, and most important of all, I exercise for an hour each day, and I am very, very focused on what I eat.

The reality is that there has been increasing evidence that sales professionals and sales captains are working longer and longer hours, thereby putting health and family relationships at risk.

Pressure to complete and meet the ever increasing demands of customers (as well as the need to achieve higher sales quotas) is forcing people to spend more of their time working.

Whilst stress does have its benefits, too much can cause errors of judgment, mistakes, accidents and damage to health.

Some people are more vulnerable to stress from overwork than others; American researchers identified two types of managers – Type ‘A’ who, though thriving on stress, are vulnerable to its effects, and Type ‘B’ who rarely let events disturb them.

Not only are there Type ‘A’ managers, but also Type ‘A’ organizations – is yours one?

Types A & B

Type A

• Try to do more and faster
• Concerned with speed, performance and productivity
• Tend to be aggressive, impatient, intolerant, hard driving and always hurried
• Preoccupied with time
• Start early
• Strong competitive tendency
• Always want to succeed
• More likely to have heart attacks

Type B

• Easy going
• Take difficulties in their stride
• Spend time on what they’re doing
• Rarely harassed
• Less prone to heart attacks
• Take time to ponder alternatives
• Usually feel there’s plenty of time
• Not as preoccupied with time

Stress – What Is It?

Popular definitions include: ‘the result of a person being pushed beyond the limit of their natural ability’ When used in physics, stress is defined as ‘the external pressure applied to an object’- the resultant change is called ‘strain’

Applied to people, we mix up the two terms, using ‘stress’ to refer to both the pressures we’re under and the effect it has on us.

What Causes Stress?

• Where you work – Red tape, changes, demands from customers, uncertain future

• Your Job – Volume of work (too much/little), deadlines, pressures, being responsible for staff

• Your career to date – Still not found your niche, no clear goals, reached your plateau

• Your Relationships – Colleagues, friends, partner, boss, staff, children and families

• Conflicts – Unable to find a balance between work and home, worried about money

• Self-imposed – Giving yourself a hard time, low self-image, poor self-management

What Are The Signs?

• Physical – Headaches, indigestion, throbbing heart, allergies, infections,  twitching, nausea, tiredness, weight loss/gain, vague aches and pains.

• Mental – Indecision, making mistakes, forgetfulness, poor  communication, easily distracted, worrying more, making hasty  decisions.

• Emotional – Irritability, anger, alienation, nervousness, apprehension,  loss of confidence, tension, cynicism, job/life dissatisfaction.

• Behavioral – Unsociable, restless, unable to unwind, appetite loss/gain,  diminished/increased interest in sex, taking work home, too busy to  relax, poor personal management.

In Summary – Techniques for Handling Stress

Remember, you have some choices – do nothing, fight it or learn to manage it by:

• Identifying what causes you stress and how it shows itself (this will give  you a clue about what you need to tackle)

• Concentrating on what must be done and cutting out all those non-essential meetings, phone calls and visitors

• Learning to delegate and trust others – none of us is indispensable

• Pacing yourself – have 10 minute breaks throughout the day

• Being tidy and organized – untidiness creates its own problems

• Learning to relax and switch-off – don’t take work home

• Learn to say ‘no’ – don’t take on everything that comes your way

• Get a balance between work and home – your life is important too!

• Eat properly, avoiding too much fat and sugar

• Improve you listening skills – many busy and energetic people are bad listeners

• Take breaks – make sure you use all your holiday entitlement

• Get yourself on an anti-stress program if necessary

• Develop breathing and relaxation techniques – e.g. yoga, Tai Chi, etc.

• Keep fit – try swimming and/or walking

• Learn to manage your time more effectively

And Finally – Prime Time: When Are You at Your Best?

We all have a ‘prime time’ during the day when we are at our best and fully alert, the secret is to recognize this and do those activities that require energy, application and thought when you’re at your sharpest.

When energy is low, we are sluggish and tend to make mistakes, so watch what you eat – a heavy meal and wine make a lot of people sleepy; a healthy meal can provide energy for hours.

Work in periods of time – a maximum of an hour before you give yourself a break – this way you’ll concentrate better.

Nothing is more important than our health – without it, we have nothing!

News: And talking of extended breaks, we have a holiday in the UK on Monday, so I am heading off for a well-earned four day rest. I will leave you in the hands of four capable guest bloggers, beginning tomorrow with an excellent post from the “Queen of Sales” – my term for her not hers, I should add – Linda Richardson

Meanwhile, in Paris on Sunday, we will voting in the second, and final round of the presidential elections: It is a straight fight now between Sarkozy and Hollande – left versus right? No, unfortunately it has come down to personalities, and the anti-Sarkozy vote will be out in force. France is going to spend the next five years regretting their short-sightedness I fear – and then the following five years trying to repair all the damage. Fickleness is an expensive  characteristic of “Les Francais”