Wealth & Finance International - January 2017

11 January 2017 Vice presidents, managers and heads of human resources must push for the types of programs. It’s too easy to miss what you need so work with outside expertise to develop and implement effective programs for maximum results. It is particularly important for all human resource professionals, including at the highest levels, to participate in the sales education program themselves so they are best able to recognise the qualities and attributes of the best candidates. This recognition will perpetuate the revenue generation culture throughout the organisation. HR must remember a significant portion of their job function involves sales at multiple levels. Too often weak leaders will not push for the types of programs dis- cussed here because of fears of inadequacy and job loss. Pressure for performance in 2017 will expose weak sales and service leaders quickly. Ignoring this weakness will have punishing consequences to the business. Management Management skills are still woefully inadequate. Most managers are reasonably good at giving orders, but not at motivating their people to action. Successful managers in 2017 will be excellent teachers. To be an excellent teacher requires both managers and their companies to educate themselves in leadership and managerial principles. It’s impossible to make your subordinates perform at peak levels if you have inadequate skills. “Do as I say and not as I do” won’t work at achieving consistent maximum results. Leadership Even rarer than an excellent sales professional is an excellent leader. In my book “Leadership Defined”, I had the privilege of being a featured contributing author with world class leaders and experts on leadership, people such as; General Alexander Haig, Dr. Warren Bennis, Jack Barry, Patricia Ball and Alan Keyes. All of us agree that powerful, ethical leadership is the most critical element to business success. We also agree that it doesn’t exist in most organisations and that leadership development is a key area of concentration. I have been asked many times the difference between management and leadership. As I state in the book, “In its purest form to lead people is: to inspire them to achieve or do things they would not necessarily achieve or do left on their own. To manage people and ourselves is: to direct, encourage, expect and inspect the day-to-day activities that are the action plan of the objectives to be achieved. To lead and manage effectively we have to make some determination about ourselves.” The determination about our leadership style, comfort and skill level as well as that of our team, department, division or corporation needs to be a top priority. Leadership development programs that become part of the corporate culture should be implemented ASAP. These leadership programs should be synergistic to the other education programs. In other words, they should not be conducted in a vacuum but rather they should be an integrated part of the other skill training. They should have complementary not contradictory principles and language. Lead- ership training should be implemented at the top first then immediately filter down to all levels. When leadership training occurs in this manner people have the skills as they are called upon to use them and there are no leadership voids. If you are unsure of the types of information that should be part of any excellent leadership development program check out my award-winning Leadership Mastery™ Program at RichardTyler.com. There you will get a complete view of what you should be looking for in any top-notch leadership training program. As an individual, you cannot wait for your company to provide this leadership education. You can strongly encourage it, but you should not and must not trust your entire leadership destiny to the company. You must take control. If you are thinking, “I don’t have a leadership position in my company” maybe the reason you don’t have a leadership position is your skill level and attitude about leadership. If you are thinking, “I do not really want a leadership role”, you have a wrong-headed idea of leadership because everyone will have to lead at something at some time in his or her life. The better you are at leadership the happier and less negatively stressed you will be when it is your turn. Remember leadership does not just happen at work. Leadership hap- pens in your family, at your church, with your homeowners’ association, with your civic organisation, with a field of interest, and in conversation. You get the idea; leadership happens everywhere. You cannot avoid it, so why not embrace it and be good at it. Get started today! Let’s boil these five areas down to just a singular truth. The companies and individuals that will lay the groundwork for excellent results in 2017 and beyond will be those that spend a significantly larger portion of time and money developing the attitudes of pride, ownership and high self-esteem. At the same time, they will educate their people and themselves with long-term commitments to skill enhancement in Sales, Customer Service, Quality Improvement, Management and Leadership. Success is an ongoing lifetime journey not a destination. Now get busy making your company and yourself the best in 2017. Richard Tyler is a Best-Selling Author and the World’s Top Sales and Management Expert. For more Personal and Professional development principles you may subscribe to Tyler Tips® at www.TylerTips.com ©1989-2017 Richard Tyler. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publica- tion may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in any database or retrieval system without prior written permis- sion from Richard Tyler. Tyler Tips®, Commitment to Excellence® and Sales Immersion® are Registered Trademarks of Richard Tyler Company: Richard Tyler International, Inc.® CEO: Richard Tyler Address: 5773 Woodway Dr., Suite 860, Houston, TX 77057-1501, USA Phone: (+1) 713 974 7214 Websites: www.RichardTyler.com www.SalesImmersion.com www.RichardTylerTechnologies.com ®