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Being Respectful Pays on Every Metric

By / / Blog, Common Ground, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Leadership, Life Skills, Sales Culture, Success, Teamwork, Wellbeing

For a long time, getting ahead in business has been promoted as a war to be won, going into battle, beating the competition, and having a “be tough, no wimps” policy which has created leaders, teams and cultures that are often combative, hyper-competitive (think Survivor) and, in some cases, downright dangerous and toxic to be around.

The accompanying put-downs, bullying, shaming, physical threats of violence, and constant yelling at your team, individuals and colleagues to ‘boost performance’ might make for entertaining TV shows and movies but it does not improve performance. Instead, it has the opposite effect severely diminishing people and …

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The Moral Case for Human-centred Businesses

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Sales Trends, Uncategorized

Sales trend 2 of Barrett’s 12 Sales Trends Report for 2023 presents the moral case for putting humans at the centre of businesses.

Adam Smith, often referred to as the father of capitalism, was, in fact, a moral philosopher and said, “Markets could not flourish without a strong underlying moral culture, animated by empathy and fellow-feeling, by our ability to understand our common bond as human beings and to recognize the needs of others.” Smith recognised the moral aspects of humans and the importance of supporting the common good when it came to creating healthy and prosperous societies. …

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The Case for Human-centred Economics

By / / Blog, Environment & Sustainability, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Sustainability & Environment

Sales trend 1 of Barrett’s 12 Sales Trends Report for 2023 is about why we need to become human-centred in our economic activities.

By guest author TOBY KENT // Toby Kent is a Partner in PwC’s Energy Transition team and leads PwC’s work with privately held companies.

The challenge afoot

A human-centred economy is one in which the primary, and arguably only goal, of an economic system should be to better the lives of those within it. The focus of a Human-Centered Economy is to maximize human welfare.

In a recent role, I focused a lot on urban issues. I would often deride …

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Barrett Sales Trends 2023 Humans at the Centre

12 Sales Trends for 2023 – Humans at the Centre

By / / 12 Sales Trends Pages Category, Blog, Human-centred

The evidence is clear, the prevailing business model of the last 50 years where profit and shareholder return have been put above everything else hasn’t been good for business, sustainability, or the wellbeing of employees, suppliers, customers, communities, and the planet. While very few have profited handsomely, it has shown to be at the expense of the majority, with dire consequences. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality.

All of our annual Barrett 12 Sales Trends reports, but in particular the last three editions, have focused specifically on what leading-edge businesses and their sales operations are doing now and …

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Putting humanity back on the corporate map

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Collaboration, Ethics & Values, Human-centred

It’s time we put humanity back on the corporate map

This was my core purpose when I started Barrett Consulting Group on 9th January 1995, and it still is today, 28 years later.

Prior to starting Barrett, I’d been in corporate for 11 years, giving my best, but feeling out of sorts, unsure about the purpose of business and sales. Something didn’t feel right.

I could see back in the late 1980s and early 1990s that business priorities were dramatically shifting:

  • People were being reduced to consumers with an overemphasis on profit maximisation, shareholder return, and reductionism at the expense of holistic systems, humans, …

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    Cats take the road less travelled by being human-centred

    By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Human-centred, Success, Wellbeing

    Despite the prevailing ‘leadership’ paradigms of the last 40-50 years of ‘win-at-all-costs’ profit maximisation, command-and-control, and the cult of celebrity CEOs, that haven’t been good for business sustainability, or the wellbeing of employees, suppliers, customers, communities, and the planet, it’s deeply satisfying as both a long-time advocate for human-centred, sustainable business practices and a Cats supporter, to see the Geelong Football Club (GFC) not only win another premiership but choose a different model to do so.

    A model that values a human-centred, inclusive, community-minded, and respectful culture.

    A model that includes and values the contributions made by all sorts of people making …

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    Sales skills future-proof careers and margins

    By / / Blog, Digital credentials, Education in Sales, Human-centred, Learning and Development, Sales Skills

    We have discussed the importance of soft skills in the past, in fact, it was one of our 12 Sales Trends for 2020.

    However, this is an increasingly relevant topic. It is estimated that by 2030 soft skills will be key in 2 out of 3 jobs. Those with the right skills in the right context will increasingly choose how, where and when they work, and businesses that invest in developing their employees’ soft skills will benefit, too. It’s been estimated by Deloitte Access Economics that employees with effective soft skills could increase revenue by more than $90,000 …

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    No More Games - Fostering Healthy Relationships

    No More Games: Fostering Healthy Relationships

    By / / Blog, Brand & Reputation, Common Ground, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Sales Relationships

    No more games*! Now more one-upmanship! No more outfoxing, outsmarting or outwitting others at their expense!

    Instead, what about playing it straight and acting with honesty, integrity, and transparency?

    What about prioritising and fostering healthy relationships in business and life?

    In this pandemic VUCA** riddled world, many people already have a lot on their minds, assessing risk and worrying about their future. Being in a constant state of wariness is exhausting.

    Finding someone you can trust and rely upon to do a good job, someone who wants to work with you, has your back, and understands and respects you in this turbulent sea of …

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