A hotel client of mine has made miraculous strides over the past few years. Started just six short years ago, they have transformed themselves from a U.S.-based mid-scale hotelier to a global upscale branded boutique hotel. In the process of changing their value proposition, they have been recognized by JD Power as the best of their class. Not bad for the new kid on the block. They have effectively elevated their level of cool, while smoothly entering the upscale landscape.  

Even though each one of their hotels looks different (and they have 39 of them), they use three words to describe the personality associated with all of their hotels: vibrant, curious, and original. The following takes a look at each one of those qualities, plus a few that I added just for good measure. 

Vibrant. From the colors and designs that adorn the lobby, to the personalities that greet you at check-in, vibrance abounds. This client has done a masterful job of creating a cool, fun vibe at each of their hotels. At the same time, individual establishments possess a uniqueness that resonates within the local community. And the local community is important to each hotel. They reach out to their neighbors and allies in the community in order to be a destination for conversation, power business meetings, tasty delectables, or whatever other eclectic flair neighbors desire to summon on a given day. As a result of their commitment to the concept of vibrant, their hotels exude vibrance at every turn.

Curious. There is youthful and authentic curiosity that is part of this organization’s culture. They sincerely want to learn about each one of their guests. Not from a nosey or intrusive way, but from a sincere curiosity standpoint. Curiosity is the cornerstone that drives their service culture. They figure the more they know about a guest, the greater their ability to tailor their service to make the guest feel welcomed. Like many hotels, their team members offer to help guests with luggage, packages, and other items they may be carrying. However, it is the marvelous questions they ask, and the empathetic manner in which they assist people that sets them apart.    

Original. When we talk about original, we are really discussing differentiation. One of the ways this brand differentiates itself is by being one of the few “pet-friendly” hotel establishments in the industry. No, there are not Great Danes running rampant through the halls. Each hotel has dedicated pet-friendly rooms in order to serve furry friends. Sound proofing, fanatical cleaning, and courteous guests keep pets unnoticed by those who may not be so animal-inclined. The fun, cool, and authentic vibe is another way that this hotelier is original. When you enter the hotel it just looks like everyone is having fun – it’s contagious, so new guests just naturally join the fray. Nice.

Passionate. Being rated best overall, as well as tops in seven out of eight JD Power evaluation categories is no easy task. By the way, the eight categories are: Reservation, check-in/check-out, guest room, food & beverage, hotel services, hotel facilities, cost & fees, and overall satisfaction. In other words, this hotelier gets it right from start to finish. How many businesses can boast the same? From the time a potential guest contacts this establishment, through the booking and check-in phase, they get it right. Further, they help their guests enjoy their stay by nailing the room experience - sight, sound, smell they call it. Then, the service at the hotel, as well as their food and beverage takes over. During their guest’s visit, they also ensure that their facilities offer an exceptional experience and their costs and fees are seen as a bargain. This may sound simple, but it takes a passion for excellence in order to consistently deliver these goods across a 39-unit organization.  

Driven. It would be easy for this youngster to rest on their laurels, and bathe in their success for a bit. Not so with this passionately precocious upstart. They want to expand the fan base that enjoys the cool and calm that is part of this hotel’s authentic vibe. The leader of each hotel also believes they can achieve anything. After all, look what they have accomplished in six years. Across the company they are committed to expanding the awareness of their brand, turning guests into devotees, and broadening their geographical market. As such, their mantra has become PowerOn!

Bottom Line: Leaders and their teams deliver results that create brand perception in consumers. Whatever consumers perceive of us in the marketplace is our true and real brand. As such, seek to deliver the kind of product, service, and quality in the manner by which you desire to be remembered. Be well my friends, and whatever brand is associated with your flag, fly it proudly! 

Are you curious about the name on the flag that flies above the unique and rocking brand highlighted in this narrative? Read a few of the comments below and the identity of these ingenious hoteliers will be revealed.  

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© 2012 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.

The structure of an increasingly large number of organizations these days is one of a matrix. In other words, teams and leaders are being placed into silos as they accomplish their work deliverables. There is nothing wrong with a matrix structure. It can be very efficient and often makes perfect sense. What it does call for is excellent communication within a given “silo team,” as well as between teams. Effective collaboration leads to outstanding output. On the other hand, the matrix structure and collaboration process can be undermined by a few people who do not play nice in the sandbox. If you are a leader in a matrix organization, seek to drive communication and collaborative engagement at every level of the company. Also, deal with personnel problems quickly and thoroughly. A people issue that is allowed to fester is a killer in a matrix structure.   

The other day someone asked my opinion on why Wikipedia is so successful. I pondered the qualities that I associate with online, informational behemoth and then replied, “Ownership.” In my view, the people who contribute and conduct quality-control for Wikipedia really take pride in owning the valuable information they provide. Now, someone could certainly find errors and omissions on selected Wikipedia articles. However, it is difficult to argue the great sense of ownership that contributors take in building Wikipedia’s knowledge base. So what can leaders glean from this viewpoint and information? The answer is: Take ownership of issues and do not pass the buck. Solid leaders practice taking ownership every day. They realize issues occurring under their watch are their responsibility. In turn, they realize that great accomplishments that occur under their watch are best attributed to their fine team. A paradox, yet good leadership. Lead well, my friends.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 Leadership Simplified, all rights reserved.

I was recently talking with my wife as she read one of my sales articles and she exclaimed: “Wow, people really need this stuff!?”

“Yes,” I calmly retorted, “people really need, and read, mind you, this stuff.” Sidebar: She is a wonderful woman who heads up the technology division of our company; and I love her dearly. Back on task.

“So much communication….so many techniques,” she said.

“Yes.”

“Wow, I hate selling,” she said.

“Of that I am painfully aware,” I said, in a bit of a resigned tone.

My wife then looked at me and said: “I just tell people the price and say there it is. If they say ‘no,’ so be it, I’m busy.”

“That’s true honey,” I said, “you don’t beat around the bush.”

“It’s the Gonzo Method,” she said as she was heading out the door. “Just go for the ‘no,’ you should try it some time!”

And so I share with you my friends, the Gonzo Method for sales. Simply state your price with supreme confidence, go for the ‘no,’ and get ready to write an order – because, I assure you, in the appropriate situation the Gonzo Method just flat out works…..every time.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Peter Drucker once implored: “You can only manage what you measure.” This is sage advice for leaders to consider. Many leaders, however, get caught in a retail mindset whereby they measure results via the measure of time. In a certain way, this makes sense since many leaders compensate their team members by the number of hours they work. Time does not necessarily serve as the best measure of productivity. Just because a team member is onsite does not mean that they are being wildly productive. As such, seek to have a deeper measure of productivity. Developing meaningful measures sometimes takes time and creativity. In the end though, a meaningful measure provides a barometer as to the contributions that team members deliver to the organization. 

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

The electronic leader. When many people ponder the topic of leading virtual teams, they envision far-away leaders using tools such as the telephone, video-conferencing, and email as they connect with team members. With the meteoric rise in email usage, however, many leaders manage electronically even when their people are 10 feet away. In other words, there is an epidemic of leadership from afar, despite the leader being within easy walking distance of the people they are supposedly leading.

There is nothing wrong with leaders taking advantage of the ease and speed of email. Furthermore, the preferred communication method of many workers is email. However, it is the leader’s responsibility to take stock of the needs of their team members and the goals of the organization, and to make certain that he/she is leading in an appropriate, interpersonal manner. The electronic leader can be valuable and effective. Just do not sacrifice the many benefits of the personal touch in an effort to save time.      

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

A wise leader recently shared his management mantra with me. He said, “Guard rails, not rules that’s how I like to manage.” He went on to share three components of his leadership philosophy:

1. Give your people the flexibility to meet the needs of their market
2. Give your people the means to have the kind of price, product, and placement they need to be successful
3. Get the heck out of their way and do not be an impediment to their success!

Meaningful words from a wise and successful leader.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Last year I published an article which detailed three types of leaders: Foot-Soldier, Aerial, and Satellite. The foot-soldiers are the leaders that are physically positioned where the rubber meets the road. As such, they are in the weeds by design and work shoulder-to-shoulder with worker bees. Foot-soldier leaders do and tell. By contrast, the aerial leaders maintain a bird’s eye view of processes, operations, and the delivery of goods and services, and become involved with team members on an as-needed basis. Aerial leaders ask a lot of great questions and delegate tasks effectively. Satellite leaders set the vision for the organization and provide the means for team members to accomplish goals. They see the entire organization and think of it in its entirety. Satellite leaders rarely get stuck in the weeds.

Many leaders who should be aerial find themselves getting stuck in the weeds. Odds are likely that these leaders came from the weeds, so it makes sense that in times of stress they would gravitate back to where they are most comfortable – production (i.e., the weeds). This trap, however, does not serve the leader or the organization very well. Typically aerial leaders are charged with completing higher tasks, and when they get mired in the weeds they are, in essence, abandoning their core responsibilities. A leader who is not supposed to be in the weeds needs to develop the kind of delegation skills, prioritization skills, time management skills, and coaching skills that will maximize the production of their team. Certainly this is easier said than done, but getting things done is the leader’s job nonetheless. While rolling up your sleeves and doing the work yourself has a time and a place, it is usually not the most effective means for aerial leaders to drive a team to world-class results. 

For a detailed description of the preferred competencies associated with each one of these leaders, read an article I published entitled Competencies of Leadership. And remember: During the upcoming year seek to get out of the weeds by striving to become aerial.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Greg is a likeable and knowledgeable professional. He works in sales, but also functions as a leader in the capacity of sales manager. When he meets with prospects and customers they can be assured that they will receive a thorough presentation. Often times, while Greg is making a presentation his audience seems to drift off and lose interest. He tried adding more sizzle to his handouts and PowerPoint slides, but still the same result. After a visit with his sales coach the light went off for Greg: He was talking too much, and for way too long without interruptions. What coaching taught him was a technique whereby he sells by using permission. The permission technique can hold a myriad of benefits during conversations or the selling experience. A handful of those benefits are shown below.

1. Move a conversation forward, without losing your audience in the process. Some leaders and sales professionals talk and talk and talk and, at some point, their audience loses their will to live due to disinterest. Yet, it is easy to keep the listener engaged by simply pausing on occasion and asking them something to the effect of: “That is a lot of information I have thrown at you, shall I continue or shall we go in a different direction?” If the listener desires to go in a different direction, they are still part of the conversation and you have not bored them. If they request that you carry on, you have gained their permission to move forward, and learned they are engaged in the conversation.

2. Keep your fingers on the pulse of the listeners needs. Sometimes professionals have great information to share and volumes of it, but at some point the listener’s needs are met. By breaking up a conversation with various “permissions,” we land closer to the point where the listener’s needs are met.

3. Demonstrate empathy. The skillful use of a permission sell telegraphs to the listener that you are empathetic to their point of view. It also shows good respect for their time. In other words, you want to share maximum information in minimal time.

4. Help the listener feel in control of the conversational flow, even though you are controlling the core conversation. The asking of permission involves the other person, yet you are not relinquishing control of the floor. 

5. Deliver buy-in to the topic at hand. Skillful use of selling by permission can let the leader or sales professional know if someone is onboard or not with regard to the topic of discussion.  

Bottom Line: Whether you tend to ramble during conversations or simply want to tap in to the mindset of your audience, selling by using permission holds vast benefits. By mastering this easy conversational technique, leaders and sales professionals can confidently move conversations forward, maintain the pulse of the listeners needs, and save time in the process.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Many leaders possess the raw skills and charisma to lead effectively. They craft a meaningful mission and vision for the organization, and effectively drive the execution of strategic plans. As the recent and still unfolding events at Penn State University illustrate, however, there is more to leadership than skills and efficiency.

Over the past decade or so, influential people associated with the Penn State football program have been aware of improprieties. Rather than take bold unpopular action, various Penn State leaders chose to ignore a serious situation. Did the people closest to the problem follow “procedures” when they were made aware of unacceptable behavior? Answer: It appears so. Did these leaders do the right thing? Answer: No way. They failed in three key areas.

First of all, there was a lack of ethics. Let’s be clear on this point: From an ethical standpoint it is the leader’s duty to follow through to make certain that poor behavior is dealt with properly and expeditiously. At Penn State, the head football coach was made aware of a horrible incident, and while he elevated the issue to his superior, he did not follow up to ensure a resolution to the problem. This is not leadership, this is passing the buck.

Secondly, there was lack of courage. There are times when leaders find themselves in uncomfortable situations. The dilemma that leaders sometime face is that on one hand they clearly have a moral obligation to act on an event, and on the other hand they feel pressure not to harm the reputation, aura, and power of a previously pristine organization. The person who first witnessed unacceptable behavior at Penn State faced this type of dilemma. It appears that he did not muster the courage to take a stand for what was right. Real leadership would have called for him to help an innocent victim, and to confront a well-respected (at the time) and influential member of a lauded football program.

Lastly, there was poor judgment. Leaders on many levels at Penn State had the opportunity to investigate and subsequently eliminate unacceptable behavior. Their failure to act accordingly showed miserable judgment, which subsequently allowed for additional innocent people to be victimized. It should be clear from the Penn State example that sound judgment is symbiotic with sound leadership.  

Once improprieties were brought to the attention of the Board of Trustee of Penn State University, however, they acted quickly and reactively. An internal investigation was ordered, the president of the university was fired, and the football coach – a man with tenure of over 40 years and a previously spotless reputation – was let go without fanfare. While it is curious that broader firings have not occurred pertaining to the issue, it does appear that the Board of Trustees has a commitment to ethics and judgment, as well as the courage to take on difficult situations. With their unanimous decisions and decisive actions, the Board of Trustees sent a message that unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated at Penn State. It is a shame that other leaders at their institution did not possess the same qualities when they could have made a positive difference.

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Too many sales professionals believe that if they are talking they are selling. This type of thinking is misguided. The best sales professionals are excellent listeners. They realize that learning, and subsequently educating others, begins with listening. And the road to listening opportunities is paved by the asking of great questions. Keep in mind, there is an art to asking questions. We must be certain to be conversational and not interrogational. Also, the art of the question allows the sales professional to be in control of a conversation without appearing in control. This is a subtle but important distinction that must be understood or practiced during sales training. If you find that you are doing most of the talking when you meet with customers or prospects, think to yourself “Whoa Nelly.” Relax, ask questions, and listen. You will have plenty of time to talk. If positioned correctly, you will find that your prospects and customers begin to sincerely ask you for information. And that, my friend, is a beautiful thing.  

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 

© 2011 DVD Consulting Incorporated, all rights reserved.

Mortgage rates are near all time lows. CD rates are practically zero. Hmmmmn, I wonder about inflation, probably zero, right? No way. Try 3.63% as of July 2011. It is hard to find an investment that will earn you 3.6% these days, yet that’s exactly the return you need to earn if you want your investments to essentially remain the same. I find it quite strange that no one is talking about inflation, which has quietly grown by 300% over the past year. That’s right, in July 2010 inflation stood at 1.24%. In fact, in January 2011 inflation was still a palatable 1.63%.

What does all this mean? First, if your business has any type of inventory, you better check your turnover ratios. Any inventory you hold for one year has just lost 3.63% of its value. Secondly, if you are holding cash, it is losing (well, you know the percentage by now) value. I could go on, but keep your eye on the inflation rate. If the economy continues to stay in positive growth territory, a little inflation is okay. If the economy stalls, look out, we enter stagflation territory – a conundrum the United States has not faced since the Carter administration.   

Professional football and basketball leagues have such a divide between players and owners that they seriously consider eliminating or truncating entire seasons of play. Politicians in Washington are so polarized and steeped in self-interest that they almost let an entire nation default. What the heck is going on in our world? Why can’t groups that have every incentive in the world to cooperate, come to sensible agreements that keep actions moving forward? Why all the drama? Perhaps that is it – drama. People seem to thirst for it these days. What I propose is a workplace drama reduction program (WDRP). How does that sound to you? If you have an interest in participating in the WDRP movement consider embracing a leadership tool known as a working agreement. It helps people share their expectations of each other, while building trust and integrity. Many organizations have created working agreements. Perhaps it is time for the word to spread.

By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified

Let me be clear from the beginning, this blog post is not intended to be a political statement. It is my opinion that the Republicans and the Democrats have shown equally poor leadership, as well as a disinterest in collaboration with regard to the debt ceiling issue.

First of all, let’s take a look at the President’s role. It is his job to, well, lead. The debt ceiling issue has snuck up on no one, thus he has had many months to craft a strategy, communicate it to the public, gain their buy-in, and drive a course of action. Notice that I did not say “correct course of action.” Any course of action would have sufficed, as long as a debacle was avoided. But a debacle will not be avoided. What has occurred is a lack of leadership: no early-on communication, no vision for people to embrace, no rallying of both parties. Nothing. Apparently, other domestic and non-domestic issues have taken precedence for the President, as opposed to averting a National, financial catastrophe.

If we shift our vision to the Republican side of things we also see a void of leadership. When a leader is faced with a crisis, compromise should rule the day. Even now, at the eleventh hour, Republican “leaders” are not showing a willingness to compromise. Unbelievable.

The debt ceiling showdown is disgraceful. And the dearth of politicians willing to fall on their political sword for the good of their country is disappointing. What looms for the United States, almost assuredly, is a downgrading of our revered AAA debt-rating. This, at a time when we have $14 trillion of debt to repay. The United States will have to pay more for future debt, as the cost will increase via higher interest rates. This will place great financial strain on an already anemic economic recovery.

A polarized landscape is dangerous ground. A void of leadership amid a widening abyss is even more dangerous. If you need proof of the danger, simply watch the financial fallout that will occur – even after a last-minute debt ceiling escalation is ratified and implemented.   

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Please do so, as long as you do not alter the content or embedded links. Also, please include the following information: Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and collaboration consultant, executive coach, and strategic planner. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and videos are available at www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about coaching and training services, contact Doug today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

© 2011 Leadership Simplified. All rights reserved.

According to a recent article by NPR, China has plans in the works to expand its rail system beyond its borders. The Chinese are negotiating with Laos, their nearest neighbor, to install a high-speed rail system in northern Laos. Once established in Laos, the rail system would head south in order to intersect with Thailand’s rail system. The Chinese are rumored to be commencing negotiations with the Thai regarding routes and financial arrangements. Ultimately, the rail system will connect to Singapore. While a massive investment, a China – Singapore rail system could unleash unparalleled travel between the Asian financial powers. As China builds infrastructure and diversifies its financial future, the United States is embroiled in wars and mired in ever-polarizing politics.