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Barrett Consulting Group celebrates 8 years in business. See the article on Lessons learned.

Who we are
An Australian based human capital consulting firm.

Mission - what we do
We help you examine your current selection, development and retention practices and diagnose any areas which may be affecting your current or future organisational health and fitness.

Once we understand your organisation's specific issues we help you implement practical leading edge solutions which deliver real and sustainable results with the right people.

We provide a range of diagnostic, consulting, facilitation, public speaking, development, design, testing and IT technical services using leading edge practices, especially when it comes to the critical performance areas of:

1. People Management & Leadership
2. Key Talent Retention
3. Sales Performance & Productivity.

Vision - what we want

To inspire greater personal, organisational and community success by helping people develop a deeper understanding and respect of self and others whilst being socially aware and responsible.

Values - how we act

We are professional, disciplined, collaborative and courageous

Our Values in more depth.

Article Perspective:

Reflects on September 11, the fallout in corporate America and why values based culture change initiatives fail.

In recent times, and in particular in the wake of Sept 11, the topic of Values has become more commonplace in conversations, be they at an executive level, in the workplace or in the ever challenged space of our personal and family lives.

From an organisational perspective, current events, the rise and fall of the technology boom, and the new economy with its "talent marketplace", have given priority to two major issues,

• Values and responsible effective corporate governance
• Talent attraction and retention

Corporate Governance

It's no secret that the degree to which an organisation, its executives , management, and staff live the organisational values, has a bearing on the bottom line, consumer and shareholder perceptions and the organisations continued existence. (e.g. Enron, Anderson, WorldCom, HIH et al)

Talent Attraction and Retention

The merits of an organisation which possesses a magnetic culture where its Values are aligned to the growing new demands from the talent pool, have been recently highlighted and few would disagree.

The question that on everyone's lips now is " How do you create a magnetic culture, where the Values of the organisation live and breathe in the soul of its people, and are reflected in each employee's behaviours, at every touch point with customers, suppliers, strategic partners, as well as internally?"

Many attempts have been made, massive budgets spent, and in many cases, with little success. The Organisational Values remain a statement staring down at the employees from a Vision and Mission poster, or dwell unnoticed in the inside cover of an induction manual.

So where did it all go wrong?

Too often organisations jump into a culture change/development initiative without ensuring that it is really necessary, or that the organisation has met all the requirements for readiness. Sometimes the initiative is an attempted quick fix, and a trendy solution is embraced only to end up failing miserably. The outcome is often a sense of confusion and apathy, alienating employees and clients, and in some cases losing key talent who can see through the attempted window dressing and opt to go elsewhere.

Rather than risk potential damage, it could be wiser to maintain the status quo unless the critical C.R.U.N.C.H. factors for a successful culture change are met.

Commitment - from the CEO, Executive and key management. Without commitment to change, and the senior executives "walking the talk", attempts to introduce change at lower levels is futile. There are many examples of organisations who make part of the remuneration of their executives and key management subject to the degree to which they live the values of the organisation. ( A most recent example would be new WorldCom CEO who has as part of his new contract turning the company into a paragon of corporate governance.Time Magazine Jan 6 2003)



Resources - would include people, time and budget


Urgency - There needs to be a sense of urgency, to fuel the commencement and more particularly the follow through


Need - Thorough investigation and business drivers pointing to the fact that Culture is the key area resulting in the business challenges/needs


Continuous - Too many initiatives get off to a great start and then either fade or get overtaken by other business priorities. Any culture change initiative requires continuous, regular intervention as part of an ongoing process


Heroes - Internal champions need to be identified to become stewards of the process and drive it internally

Having identified and met with these requirements, the methodology employed should take into account the following key factors for program effectiveness:

• Personal involvement. In order to fully engage the employees and create buy-in to the organisation's Values, employees first need to gain an understanding of their own values ( both current and desired). This provides a bi-directional check of their alignment to the organisations values, as well as an understanding of the intended process and outcomes.
• Participation. Employees need to feel that they are in some way involved in the process, to gain ownership of both the process and the Values.
• Systems. If the internal systems of an organisation (recruitment, induction, performance management, reward, etc) don't re-enforce the Values, they will undermine them
• Support. There has to be ongoing support, both in the individual's personal attempt to reach their desired Values, as well as the organisation's attempt at change/improvement

It is no secret , that the real test of any Values initiative, will come at a crunch time, where not only will it be important that the entire team shares the same Vision and Mission, but the Values driving each individual and the degree of personal sacrifice that they are willing to make is commonly shared.

About the author: Pete Jensen is the business development manager for Values Journey. Values Journey is an organisation whose focus is on a values based approach to culture change. Values Journey methods have been implemented in many organisations, including global organisations, SME's and family businesses. For further information contact Sue Barrett on (03) 95327677.

Article Perspective:

Looks at a Case Study of a leading Australian bank as one of its divisions takes developing a professional sales culture seriously!

In 2001/2002 Barrett Consulting Group was asked by the division of a major Australian Bank to design, develop and implement a process to deliver a professional and sustainable sales and service system.

The Purpose

To deliver two main outcomes, namely:

• To create substantial improvements in revenue within each divisional district
• To deliver a self-sustaining system for the ongoing development in the areas of sales and business development for all staff involved in sales revenue generating and customer service activities.

Results

Preliminary results have been very favourable with substantial increases in sales activities, business in the pipeline and actual sales results across the business. Within 5 months of the program commencing total sales in that period of time have increased dramatically and have out performed total sales results achieved in the previous 18 months.

 

• Disciplined sales approach introduced in each team
• Substantial increases in sales activities: client calling, referrals, business in the pipeline and actual sales results across the business.
• Effectively lifted business performance around new customer growth
• Growth in the balance sheet running at twice the rate compared to the same time of the previous year
• Business under discussion with clients also up, indicating they are now getting opportunities they previously were not getting.
• The process is becoming a "way of life" for their business and not just a "fad".

The Process

Business analysis and diagnosis: Gain an overall understanding of strategic business goals & direction, performance measurements, issues and challenges in the business. Design and customise a change process to meet the division's needs.

People analysis and diagnosis: All senior/middle managers and frontline staff responsible for revenue generation and sales within the division (300+) completed a targeted assessment questionnaire, the SPQ*GOLD. This questionnaire has been developed from decades of research into sales performance and looks specifically at identifying learned attitudes and behaviours in a sales context. In doing this, it helps to identify, both at an individual and group level, what key training is needed.

Barrett Consulting Group have always found that by identifying and working on these issues, business professionals in contact dependent careers have been able to significantly improve their sales performance and subsequent earnings.

Training and Development: The information gathered in the previous activities was incorporated into the training and development component of this project. Our training methods are different from other courses people may have attended in the past, in that it involves practical, individual application rather than motivational hype. However, people who have attended our training courses consistently find that they are able to substantially lift their sales performance. We understand that it is impossible to change everything in two training days. So we incorporated follow-up training sessions on a regular basis which involved Managers in a coaching role. We have found that a follow-up approach is essential to ensure a successful development outcome for the individual and the organisation.

Project Completion: To measure the effectiveness of sales development process in the division we established measurements to determine the success of the project. We established Key Performance Indicators i.e. prospecting calls, referrals, client visits, quality of contact, business in the pipeline, deals won, etc. Our aim was for a substantial and long-term improvement in sales performance for the organisation.

Note: The Selling Skills component of the program is now registered under the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) having met all competency and delivery requirements and standards.

Finding and Outcomes

Managers' Observations:

• Managers able to use the management coaching and counselling material with positive results
• Managers able to see actual increases in prospecting activities, proposals in the pipeline, sales results and improved people development
• Managers have observed their teams establish more open communication and a sharing of ideas which includes sales as a necessary and positive part of their work
• Managers have implemented regular weekly structured 'sales meetings' in each team which has made a significant difference in the openness, morale, and direction of the teams
• Managers have adjusted their recruitment practices and job profiles to select higher caliber people with a good blend of sales and business competencies.

Frontline Sales Staff's Observations:

The overall feedback from participants who attended the program has been very positive especially in terms of:

• demystifying the sales process
• provision of a practical communication process to follow in sales meetings
• understanding what activities need to be done to work successfully in sales
• understanding the correct contact mix which helps them achieve results
• how to communicate with clients in a language clients understand
• how to ask questions and understand what clients need
• greater self awareness and understanding of how their behaviours affect their own success in writing more business and communicating with clients and each other.

Article Perspective:

Sue Mounsey, consulting psychologist for Barrett Consulting Group, outlines 7 key dimensions in selecting a good assessment tool

So you're looking for psychometric tools to use in your recruitment process, development centre or other people management activity. How do you sort the quality from the "rubbish" among the hundreds of psychometric tests and questionnaires out there?

Barrett Consulting Group recommends that you carefully evaluate prospective tools on a number of levels before making a commitment:

First and foremost, evaluate a tool's Relevance. Was it designed for use in selection (refer to the test manual for intended applications), for a 'normal' (rather than clinical) population, appropriate level (e.g. management, supervisory, entry level) and an occupational context? And most importantly, does the tool measure the competencies required for job suitability? While most tools can probably provide you with information that is "nice to know", selection processes and decisions based on anything other than the inherent requirements of the job will not be viewed favourably in an anti-discrimination investigation or court of law!

Secondly, consider its Practicality. Is the test/questionnaire easy to administer, undertake and score? How long does it take? Are there multiple modes of administration possible e.g. booklet, computer, Internet? What facilities and equipment are required? How quickly can reports be generated? Are the reports easy to read and available in multiple formats?

Thirdly, investigate the Technical quality of the tool. Technical information is typically presented in a test manual and hence, the absence of a test manual should raise some doubts. Wading through statistical information can be dry and confusing for some people. If that includes you, seek the assistance of a psychologist or other person familiar with psychometrics. Decide to ignore technical evidence, because it all seems to hard, at your peril!

In terms of technical properties, you need to consider reliability, validity and norms. Reliability indicates whether the tool is likely to provide you with dependable information. Reasoning abilities and personality are fairly stable attributes. Therefore, test results for the same person should be fairly consistent across time. This is usually evidenced by a research study in which the test or questionnaire was administered twice with a few weeks break in between. Alternatively, or additionally, you might look for evidence of "internal" reliability i.e. the degree to which the items are measuring the same construct. You need to look for a correlation (usually denoted by an 'r') of at least 0.8 for ability/aptitude tests and 0.7 for personality, values and other untimed questionnaires.

Validity indicates whether the tool measures what it purports to measure. There are various forms of validity but, most obviously aligned with 'bottom-line' considerations, is predictive validity. The test manual should provide research evidence that there is a statistically significant relationship between test scores and subsequent performance on the job. Best practice in the use of psychometric tools would include conducting validation research to determine a tool's predictive validity in your own organisation. If it doesn't then why are you using it?

Norms are data sets for groups of people who have previously undertaken the test or questionnaire. They may be delineated by nation, industry, occupation, gender or some other characteristic. Individual results are interpreted by comparison with one of these groups. Therefore, you should investigate whether appropriate and relevant norm groups are available for the tool you are considering.

Finally, Cost will inevitably also be considered. Make sure you consider all factors which might impact the cost of using a particular tool including administration time, materials, facilities or equipment required, software licence fees, staff training in administration and interpretation, use of consultants, etc.

Remember that sound quality psychometric tools, particularly when closely aligned with the results of a job analysis, are much stronger predictors of on the job performance than traditional selection methods of resume/application, unstructured interviews and reference checks. So balance the cost of including psychometric tools in your recruitment process against the cost of one or more poor selection decisions! Which bill would you rather be paying!

Article Perspective:

Looks at Retention and how key specialist employees hold the intellectual capital and corporate memory.

Barrett Consulting Group P/L have been closely monitoring the work of Australian corporate psychologist, Colin Beames, in the area of Retention and Turnover. According to Colin Beames, "preserving intellectual capital is a key issue for organisational survival in Australia.

Increasingly, organisational survival is dependent on an organisation's capacity to learn, adapt, and anticipate future developments. The traditional competitive edge of new products or technology is now short lived, as within up to six months, these can be replicated by competitors. However, people and their intellectual capital cannot be as easily copied. In particular, core knowledge or key specialist employees or are vital to business success. They know the business, its strengths and weaknesses, products, customers and processes. It is in these people that the intellectual capital and corporate memory of the organisation resides".

Assisting organisations to maintain their intellectual capital is a fundamental objective of Barrett Consulting Group and the WRDI Institute. It is the end result of employing best practice recruitment and selection strategies so as to increase the probability of hiring someone with a high committment to the organisation.

Working in conjunction with Colin Beames of the WRDI Institute we are exploring avenues to provide clients with access to new diagnostic tools and intervention strategies aimed at improving retention and reducing turnover. Barrett Consulting Group have now been accredited by the WRDI Institute.

The Costs of Turnover - What we know.

According to Kepner-Tregoe, "Avoiding the Brain Drain" ... "The loss of high performers costs more than money. It tends to impair the organisation's memory, dilutes the ability to perform, and compromises the will to win".

However, the Saratoga Institute Turnover Costing Model puts direct costs as being:

• Cost of termination (including any pay out arrangements);
• Cost of hiring (including advertising expenses, recruitment consultant's fees);
• Cost of the new hire (only 60% as effective in the first 3 months compared to an experienced employee).

In short, estimates of turnover cost range between 1 to 2 times an employee's annual salary and benefits. We only need to extrapolate that to any medium to large workforce to determine the value of best practice retention and turnover strategies.

Direct replacement costs comprise only a small portion of the total cost of turnover. Indirect or less visible costs include:

• Lost customers or damaged customer relations;
• Additional marketing and sales expenditure needed to win replacement customers;
• Loss of intellectual capital;
• Lost opportunities (particularly in the development of new technologies and products);
• A decrease in the "bench strength" required for effective succession planning;
• Advantage to competitors from their knowledge acquisition of their new recruit's ex-employer;
• Decreased morale and increased stress among remaining employees; and
• The negative affect on an organisation's reputation.

Bottom Line Implications - what we need to know.

Employee retention is a key driver of customer retention which in turn is a key driver of company growth and profits. There are numerous statistically valid models that can measure the movement of employee retention and its impact on the bottom line. Probably the most published model is the Sears Employee Customer Profit model. An enduring household retail icon in America, Sears Roebuck was headed for obliteration in the 1990's until a change of management created a new way of thinking and, importantly, commissioned the scientific measurement of the relationship between employee and customer retention and total performance indicators. In 1994, a new vision was created that propelled Sear's to become:

• A compelling place to work
• A compelling place to shop
• A compelling place to invest.

This model established that a 5 unit increase in Employee Attitude transferred to a 1.3 unit increase in Customer Impression which led to a 0.5% increase in Revenue Growth. Thus, retention not only has an impact on costs to an organisation but also on revenue growth.

This model has been adapted, and proven to be successful, in a wide range of industry sectors.

Recent Influences on employee retention

The unprecedented work place changes that have occurred in the past 10 to 15 years, have contributed to turnover. These changes include:

• Increased competition as a consequence of the twin forces of globalisation and technology;
• An emphasis on economic rationalism;
• Changing employment practices (e.g. Use of fixed term contracts, casuals, contractors); and
• The changing needs and values of employees (e.g. Emphasis more on "employability", inlcuding career advancement/development as opposed to job security; a greater concern for work/life balance; need for autonomy etc)

The turbulent and ever diversifying world of work has thus added an extra layer of complexity to the problem of turnover. It has driven us to look more closely at the relationship between employer and employee.

The Psychological Contract

The psychological contract between and employer and employee defines the essence of the employment relationship. It represents the stated and implied set of expectations, obligations and understandings operating between workers and their employer.

The "health" of the psychological contract comprises:

• The delivery of the "deal" (i.e. Extent to which employee's expectations have been met, consistent with the stated and implied promises and understandings between the employer and their employees); and
• The key relationship factors of trust and fairness between the employer and their employees.

In respect of the delivery of the "deal", it is important to have clearly defined expectations, as unspoken expectations may often be un met, giving rise to discontent.

Some of the key consequences of the psychological contract include employees:

• Job satisfaction;
• Affective committment; and
• Intention to stay with the organisation (the strongest or key predictor of turnover).

Proven - Good Selection leads to Good Retention leads to Profitabilty.

The selection process of assessing skills, knowledge and attitude is no longer enough. Workplace changes dictate a need to measure employer expectations against employee expectations throughout the employment life cycle.

Ultimately, retention is about how an organisation manages its relationships with its workforce or more specifically, how an organisation structures and manages its psychological contract with various work force segments.

Profitability comes from the effective management of employee expectations (creating job satisfaction, effective committment and intention to stay) leading to positive levels of customer impression and loyalty.

Measuring the Psychological Contract.

The work of Colin Beames has resulted in the development of the Workplace Relationship Development Indicator. This multi purpose, diagnostic survey tool, has been designed to develop and protect an organisationi's real asset - its relationship with its workforce. It can be used throughout the employment life cycle including the pre employment stage. Working in association with the WRDI Institute, Barrett Consulting Group can add an extra layer of validity to the recruitment process while, at the same time, confirming the answers to the following questions for existing employees:

What are employees realistic expectations of the organisation?
Are these expectations being met?
What levels of trust exist between employees and the organisation?
Are employees being treated fairly?
How committed are employees to their jobs?
How attached, or what is the degree of "fit", of employees to the organisation?
How satisfied are employees in their jobs?
Do employees intend to stay with the organisation in the medium term?

For further information, please contact Sue Barrett on (03) 95327677.

Article Perspective:

Examines a 2nd Barrett Case Study in migrating a business to a professional sales and service culture.

Case Study - "Everyone lives by selling something"

The Senior Management team of an organisation decided that in order to achieve its strategic business objectives over the next 2-5 years the organisation needed to adopt the guiding principle of "Everyone lives by selling something" and migrate their business to a professional sales and service culture. When we were introduced to the company, this had yet to be communicated to their staff. As part of a pitch to win this consultancy, we were asked to consider the following :

* what problems, challenges or opportunties might this create?

* what might a viable solution look like?

* what would be the major steps in implementing this solution?

* how would you work with the senior management team to help them achieve this objective?

The framework for our presentation was based on Barrett Consulting Group communicating an awareness and methodology. The following is our "working paper".

Potential Problems	Challenges
Defining new culture - performance based Setting of new targets and benchmarks Evaluating efficiencies Staff attrition Adopting a "Change Management" philosophy Middle management "buy in"	Staff acceptance of new culture Development of new processes and incentive plans Setting of KPIs for all aspects of the business Disruption to external customers - staff attrition Launch and communication of plans to internal and external customers Costs associated with "change"
Opportunities	Migrating to a Professional Sales & Service Organisation - What does the solution look like?
Increased morale - sense of professionalism and positivity Reducing costs Increasing efficiencies - improved processes and structure Increases in Revenue and EBIT Managing out non performing staff Hiring of the "right" people Development plan for staff Succession planning Profit sharing Customer Feedback Forward planning for Marketing activities	Look at current company structure and how it can change Assess growth strategy for the company - year by year, for the next 5 Decide on "New Sales Culture" that will meet 5 year plan Decide on "New Service Culture" that will support 5 year plan Implement "Change Management" philosophy from the top down Introduce new performance based staff incentives Train staff to adopt new culture - Impact on corporate image Up-skill staff Develop Customer Retention, Acquisition and Attrition strategies. Plan company "Relaunch" Implement an on-going assessment culture
Major steps in implementing this solution	How we can help you achieve this objective
Work out "Current State" and "Desired State" of each area of the business. Assess the individuals and where they "fit" on the scale "Test" individuals willingness to adapt to change Set business transition plan Develop Internal and External Communication plan Present "New Culture" plan to Middle Management Team Present "New Culture" plan to all staff - to facilitate "buy-in" at all levels Develop staff transition plan - work out who to keep and who to manage out Develop " Internal Customer" philosophy for the organisation - internal customers creating value for external customers. Set New KPIs, assess individuals and the businessmodels against them. Communicate new KPIs to staff and set half yearly and annuals reviews	By business unit - based on the new company structure we would: Work with individual managers and assist in developing a "people" strategy and plan to support the short, medium and long-term business objectives. Implement "testing" of all staff to assess current skill levels, gaps and suitability for "new culture" Facilitate ongoing assessment, training and development of staff to meet business objectives Work with management to set KPIs and develop a measurement process to effectively measure people against set objectives Work with management to asses sales process and gaps and assist in implementing solutions Assist in moving the "Support" organisation through to a "Service with a Sale" culture. Assist in setting plan and timeframes

If you would like more information on "Everybody lives by selling something" and how it can assist migrate your business to a professional sales and service culture, please call Sue Barrett on (03) 95327677.

Article Perspective:

A selection of realisations and reflections by Sue Barrett, MD Barrett Consulting Group, based on 8 years experience running her own business.

The spark that fueled my fire to start Barrett was my belief that I am a whole person and that I can (and now) challenge traditional paradigms to create success on my own terms ... In that I wanted to send a strong message to other business women and men that there are ways to achieve success that don't require personal sacrifices made at the corporate altar.

I felt personally limited and professionally constrained by the standard corporate approach to business and especially people leadership and development and wanted to see if there were different ways to do business yet still be profitable and successful. I didn't know what that was going to look or feel like so ... in blind ignorance I set off and started Barrett Consulting Group on 9 January 1995 with $3,000 and the knowledge that I was useful, hard working and determined.

Starting and leading Barrett into the future has been like doing multiple degrees on the run in: MBA, Leadership, Marketing, IT, Accounting, Law and Psychology. You have to know so many things. If I had started Barrett knowing what I had to learn over the next 8 years and beyond I probably would have been too scared to start. But once again ignorance was my saving grace ... It wasn't that I couldn't learn it - because I have. It was that there is always so much to learn and more often than not, nothing goes according to the book.

From an organisational perspective.

Using the Sibbett/Le Saget Organisational Model (1998), we recognise that we are at Stage 3 in the model. (Please contact us if you would like more information on this 7 stage model).

Clear Strategies linking to Core Competencies.

In order to sustain growth for a long period, and establish an identity and niche beyond the go-go period of a hot market, an organisation needs to begin to understand it's real strengths and weaknesses and keep capable people aligned. This requires planning. CLEAR STRATEGIES growing out of experience in the growth phase become drivers for specialisation. The constraints are the CORE COMPETENCIES of the organisation and the people involved. Connecting competencies to clear goals is the simplest way to begin working in a more sustainable way, and unleash the power of the new workforce attracted during the growth phase.

In the specialisation stage an organisation is constantly looking at who is good at what, and trying to build this assessment into plans so that there is some kind of rational organisation to the business. If an organisation decides it wants to expand into China, it must find people who have competencies related to China. If a computer company plans to develop new technology they need to have somebody who understands the new technology. etc. And of course sustain the leadership and cash flow in each part, and keep new ideas attaching to opportunities.

Specialised organisations can be highly decentralised, giving different divisions a lot of autonomy to be startup, growth, or specialised kinds of entities with strong identities. They can also be quite centralised in their accounting and P&L reporting, but loose in other regards. This was the corporate form that General Motors invented under the leadership of Alfred P. Sloan in the 1930s. Equilibrium can be sustained in a radically decentralised stage for quite a while. By distributing the responsibility for starting and growing new business, products, and markets over a specialised set of divisions, the organisation can keep growing and provide the autonomy needed to keep talented people challenged.

Focused, centralised organisations can identify niches and sustain themselves by keep attention to their "fitness peak."

Stage III Crisis Watch: Lack of Control

As an organisation continues to grow, the chances of different organisational elements getting mis-aligned and out of control are quite good, especially if different parts of the organisation fair better than others. In fact, being slightly out of control is one of the ways the specialisation stage achieves its equilibrium. But overhead increases as people are added. The chances of slip-ups and system disequilibrium increase. "Fresh" market identities can become "old hat." General managers and functional chiefs can start pulling in different directions, and when they become powerful these tensions can become conflicts. More often than not, "control" becomes a crisis that must be confronted and understood to evolve further.

From a personal perspective.

I didn't know what I was letting myself into but I am glad that I did ... Because I know I am a better person for the experience. So for what it is worth here is my review of the last 8 years and the some of the lessons I have learned thus far:

Some Lessons Learned

• Vision: Create your vision. What are you going to stand for? What do you want achieve? How are going to do it? Really examine what is driving you; why you have taken the risk to start your own business?
• Values: Define your values and what you stand for. What is acceptable and what it not. Make that part of your daily work habits, your charter and your selection process when hiring people.
• Strategic Planning: Is your vision and mission viable? Can it make money and be self sustaining? Once you have decided to move forward build a plan. From top to bottom and back up again - Strategic to tactical. Review it on an ongoing basis not just once a year; Involve all staff in its development; make it actionable, accessible and relevant to every role in the business.
• Value Proposition: Find out what you are good at and how it best helps people solve problems; define it in language clients understand and then do it - stay focused and don't get distracted
• Passion: Without passion you just won't have enough energy or desire to make business success happen. Staying focused is crucial. Set goals and "see" yourself achieving them.
• Health: look after yourself and make sure you take care of the whole person - exercise, diet, rest, get variety, holidays, etc. Because if you don't then you are no use to anyone especially yourself.
• Creativity & Innovation: create something new; think outside the box; challenge prevailing views and attitudes and don't let yourself be bullied. Read outside your area of expertise to see how others learn, lead, make decisions, function and work - look at how it may apply to you and your business.
• Structure & Foundations: have in place processes and measurements for Leadership; Strategic Planning; Human Resources; Customer & Market Focus; Process Management; Information and Analysis; Organisational Relationships; Competitive Environment; Strategic Challenges; and Business Results.
• Annual Business Health Check: using the Organisational Performance Indicator (OPI) undertake an annual check on all levels of your business which helps identify problematic areas you can fix. Call us for further information on our online OPI self assessment.
• Always run your business as if it is for sale: always have up to date financials, strategy/business plan, full pipeline of business opportunities and current work on the go.
• Mentors and Advisers: find them and use them. Learn how to ask for help in business, marketing, law, personal development, finance, leadership, etc.
• Partners & Distributors: Don't get intimidated by people just because they look like they know more than you do - find out what substance and content they have and make sure it isn't just rhetoric - don't fall for the "don't you trust me" line especially when they want piece of you or your business.
• Mergers: Walk away if it doesn't feel right - if their values and yours don't align then the businesses never will
• Protect yourself: Get a good contracts and intellectual property lawyer - scrutinise everything!
• Prospecting & Sales: business development is a constant process and prospecting for work is an essential, unavoidable part of the process. It means identifying and overcoming your fears about prospecting and picking up the phone to promote yourself to the people that need to know about you.
• Visibility Management must be a daily discipline. Never miss a chance to get your name before current or potential clients. Involve clients in good news stories - let everyone know when good things happen. Word of mouth referrals provide unbeatable credibility and their value that can't be overestimated.
• Marketing & PR: you don't necessarily need a brochure but if you do produce one write it for your clients not for you; you don't have to pay for advertising - submit articles on topics of interest to publications; speak before relevant industry groups; take a "knowledge leader" position in your area of expertise; put yourself out there.
• Employ the "right people": know what work functions your company needs to operate successfully; review these on a regular basis as your markets and business change; have current job and person profiles which support selection and performance management practices.
• Retain and develop the right people: create the opportunity and space for your people to develop their own sense of self; let them see how they contribute directly to the business success; develop and support Employer of Choice practices. Even after adequate support and development opportunities if the person is not performing, move them out sooner not later - set objective and measurable key performance indicators and stick to them.
• Discipline: employ people with disciplined thought and disciplined action in their business and life practices.
• Money: is not THE priority, although must always be A priority. Don't over commit and over spend when times are going well - save some money for a rainy day.
• Market challengers: look for clients who will experiment and push a few boundaries; are willing to take a risk, they are often the right ones to go for.
• Leadership & humility: Central to management and leadership is trust, respect and openness; listen and learn from your staff, clients, mentors and guides and adjust yourself on your journey to become a proficient, effective leader; build a bridge and get over yourself - don't let ego get in the way; follow through; don't assume anything; be available and responsive; It is important to remember that helping others helps you.
• Communication: open door policy; consultative; inclusive; listen more than you speak; seek opinions and advice; be clear and connect with each person; follow up straight away if there is an issue, don't leave it; remember it's not what you say it's what they do with what you say that is the most important thing - connnect people to the common vision.
• Respect the person: having a family and running a business is never easy so make sure you create flexible work practices that allow you and your staff to continue to have a fulfilling career and a fulfilling personal life that creates an environment of health and prosperity . The key is that "it's not a one size fits all approach". With all this in mind it is essential that you listen to and help individuals balance their needs with the needs of the company, helping both to reach their goals.
• Theories: don't get hooked on only one way of doing things and most theories don't hold true in real life.
• Experimental Kit Bag: always have a full kit bag of ideas, processes, resources, etc. you can draw upon and learn how to use them when you need them in real life; take bits and pieces and apply them; trust your common sense; be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Managing setbacks: always confront and resolve issues straight away, as they only get worse when ignored. Don't be afraid to take risks. If you fail at things always try to learn from your mistakes. Never see yourself as a "failure". Listen to people but be aware of saboteurs who are jealous of your success - put their comments through the "FACT versus "EFFECT" filter to see if they are being genuine or not. When you feel things are getting tough look to your achievements versus your mistakes - weigh them up and take a realistic view not an "overachiever's" view.
• Trust, Faith & Courage: even when things are not going the way you want them to you need to trust your vision and have faith in yourself and others that you will come through. Courage in the face of adversity - don't forget the basics that make good business and make sure that you practice what you preach.

In Conclusion: (at least at this point in time)

Certainly as a businesswoman I have enjoyed success thus far. That success is financial, personal and professional in nature and is measured on my own terms although it has been acknowledged by others in the form of independent business awards, public recognition, media and press coverage and of course ongoing client successes, feedback and patronage.

As a result I feel I am attaining balance in my life and support it in the lives of my staff. At Barrett, we have surrounded ourselves with people who invigorate us, challenge us and most of all they respect each other for who they are not only for what they can produce. And perhaps most importantly, we have attempted to and succeeded somewhat in putting humanity back on the corporate map through our work and our work practices.

We look forward the future what ever it may bring. We would welcome any feedback on your observations of us and your own experiences in working in and or running a business. If we can report these it will not only help us but our clients in general.

Warm regards

Sue Barrett.

Article Perspective:

Announcing Barrett Consulting Group's achievement in attaining RTO status and what that means.

All Registered Training Organisations (RTO's) are formally recognised by the Government to provide recognised vocational education training and/or assessment services. The RTO is able to issue nationally recognised qualifications and Statements of Attainment. Registration requires an organisation to operate in accordance with nationally agreed competency based standards. This ensures clients receive training that places a primary emphasis on what a person can actually do in the workplace as a result of training (the outcome) rather than focusing on the process involved in training (the input). As trainers we are concerned with training to industry specific standards rather than with an individual's achievement relative to others in a group. Compliance with these standards is monitored through audit.

This type of training involves a system that contains:

• OUTCOMES
  to national standard specifications of competence
  
• CURRICULUM
  that gives learners a clear indication of what is expected of them to demonstrate competence
  
• DELIVERY
  methods that do not oblige learners to undertake training or continue to be trained for skills they already possess
  
• ASSESSMENT
  of competence which is available when learners believe they are able to demonstrate competence
  
• RECORD
  of competencies gained - available to learners upon successful demonstration of competence
  

As RTO trainers we will be training and assessing in the following units for the Sales AQF Levels 3 & 4:

• BSBSL301A Develop Product Knowledge
• BSBSL302A Identify Sales Prospects
• BSBSL303A Present a Sales Solution
• BSBSL304A Secure Prospect Committment
• BSBSL305A Support Post-Sales Activities
• BSBSL306A Self-Manage Sales Performance
• BSBSLS401A Lead A Sales Team
• BSBMKG406A Build Client Relationships