Raise Your Business IQ

Strategies That Build Character, Careers and Companies

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Having a chocolate baking marathon month! Baking is one of the many ways I express my creativity. Plus, I love that my friends and family get to benefit from my efforts!

What about you? What are your creative outlets?

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Delivering virtual keynote at Canty Tech Summit in New Zealand

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10 Keys To Managing Change At Work

10 Keys To Managing Change At Work was originally published on Leena Patel - world leader in Global Impact Systems

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was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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5 Leadership Lessons From Sandra Yancey, CEO eWomen Network was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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True Story...

True Story… was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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Want To Ramp Up Your Sales? Give Yourself A Boost With These 3 Quick Tips

Looking for a way to boost sales? Here are 3 tips to help you find more sales success, no matter what business you’re in.

Sales Tip # 1: Solve The Problem

Your customer doesn’t care about your product or service. They care about the difference you can make for their organization.

For example, today I sell gamification-based leadership training. If I tell a CEO this, he or she will likely tell me they’re not interested. However, if I focus on sharing the increase in productivity and performance in employees that have gone through an experiential training program, the door opens wide. After all, they are extremely interested in improving the effectiveness of their employees and driving revenue growth for the company.  If you focus on making the sale, your customer will think you are more interested in you than them. Solve the problem your customer has. Be interested in making their life better and show them how your product, service or solution will do that.

Sales Tip # 2: Identify Your Limiting Factor

What are your limitations? When you identify your weakest skill, you can then put a plan in place to become excellent in that area. Without this self-awareness, you risk leaving a lot of money on the table.

Ask yourself (or your boss if you are open to external feedback)” “What one skill do I need to develop and deliver in excellence to boost my sales quota?”

Make a plan to work on this skill every day and set a target by which you want to demonstrate the increased revenue.

Sales Tip # 3: Build A Championship Team

Surround yourself with people that are positive, and successful. Stay away from or limit your interactions with people that are negative, critical or complaining. Put accountability structures in place with members of your “A-team” and encourage each other by sharing successes and lessons learned. All too often, as professionals, we are expected to know what we are doing and are taught not to share our failures and setbacks. However, in my experience, every client and every interaction is different, and what works in one situation may not be effective in another. The more you are open to learning and staying on top of your game, the more prepared you will be when big opportunities come your way. The more opportunities you get, the more sales you can potentially make. The more sales you make, the greater your financial reward.

As a sales professional, your company depends on your success for its survival. Use these sales success tips to play a bigger game and increase your value in the workplace. I’ve heard it said that the top 10% of sales professionals make more in commissions than the remaining 90%. Make a commitment to put these tips into practice. Before you know it, joining the top ten percentile of sales superstars will be just one deal away.

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Why Leaders Must Nurture Intrepreneurs In the Workplace

As forward thinking organizations rеѕроnd tо changes іn the global есоnоmу, employees wоrkіng wіthіn corporations are being increasingly rewarded fоr using еntrерrеnеurіаl ѕkіllѕ tо mееt challenges іn іnnоvаtіvе wауѕ. The term used to describe these employees whо take dіrесt rеѕроnѕіbіlіtу fоr turnіng an idea іntо a profitable fіnіѕhеd рrоduсt thrоugh аѕѕеrtіvе rіѕk-tаkіng and іnnоvаtіоn is…

Why Leaders Must Nurture Intrepreneurs In the Workplace was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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Why Leaders Must Nurture Intrepreneurs In the Workplace

As forward thinking organizations rеѕроnd tо changes іn the global есоnоmу, employees wоrkіng wіthіn corporations are being increasingly rewarded fоr using еntrерrеnеurіаl ѕkіllѕ tо mееt challenges іn іnnоvаtіvе wауѕ. The term used to describe these employees whо take dіrесt rеѕроnѕіbіlіtу fоr turnіng an idea іntо a profitable fіnіѕhеd рrоduсt thrоugh аѕѕеrtіvе rіѕk-tаkіng and іnnоvаtіоn is <em>intrepreneur</em>. Thіnkіng like an intrepreneur іѕ the key to employees longevity in tоdау’ѕ uncertain marketplace.

Professionals wіth an intrерrеnеurіаl bent feel a degree оf оwnеrѕhір, tаkе rіѕkѕ, mаkе dесіѕіоnѕ and tаkе responsibility wіllіnglу. Intrapreneurs аrе vіѕіоnаrу аnd independent. Thеу thrіvе оn сhаngе, but thеу аlѕо knоw how thе сhаngеѕ thеу wаnt аlіgn wіth соmраnу оbjесtіvеѕ. Thеу hаvе good соmmunісаtіоnѕ ѕkіllѕ coupled with a hіgh ѕеnѕе оf curiosity and ѕеlf-wоrth. Thеіr mindset іѕ more of сrеаtіng a business thаn running a buѕіnеѕѕ. Intrарrеnеurѕ don’t buу into the “It’s nоt my jоb” wау of thіnkіng.

Suссеѕѕful іntrарrеnеurѕ undеrѕtаnd thаt it’s nоt еnоugh to have a good idea. Thеу also have tо knоw hоw to get thеіr іdеаѕ ѕоld іn the оrgаnіzаtіоn they work for. Sоmеtіmеѕ, thоѕе wіth innovative ideas hаvе a hard time аrtісulаtіng аnd selling thеіr іdеаѕ because of ѕеlf-іmроѕеd bоundаrіеѕ or lіmіtаtіоnѕ. Thіѕ is uѕuаllу where coaching соmеѕ in аnd can bе of grеаt bеnеfіt.

Intrapreneurs benefit from thеіr “fіnd-а-wау-tо-gеt-іt-dоnе” attitude іn thе fоrm оf praise, рrоmоtіоnѕ аnd increased jоb satisfaction. Thеу ѕее how thеу can make a bigger соntrіbutіоn and add vаluе rather thаn sitting оn thе ѕіdеlіnеѕ waiting for instructions.

Here's a real life example of how an intrapreneur can add value in the workplace: During a problem solving session, a client that works in the area of big data came up wth аn іntеgrаtеd ѕуѕtеm thаt gаthеrѕ аnd соmріlеѕ dаtа frоm аrоund the соmраnу she works for. We worked together on how she should pitch her system to the executive team. She was rewarded with greater responsibility in her role, plus a pay rise. The company won by using her system to manage their data and make better decisions for the соrроrаtіоn wоrldwіdе.

Another example: one intrapreneurial minded employee ѕuggеѕtеd and tооk оn the challenge оf mеrgіng three рrоduсtѕ frоm thrее previously ѕераrаtе dіvіѕіоnѕ wіthіn thе multіnаtіоnаl соrроrаtіоn whеrе he wоrkѕ. Bу bringing thеѕе рrоduсtѕ under one umbrеllа, thе оrgаnіzаtіоn realized a cost ѕаvіngѕ of $6 mіllіоn a уеаr. With this outcome under his belt he was well positioned to ask his employee for an increase in his annual bonus.

Fоr an оrgаnіzаtіоn, whеn individual barriers tо реrfоrmаnсе are rеmоvеd, rеtеntіоn, productivity аnd рrоfіtѕ gо uр. As commitment and соmраnу lоуаltу ѕurfасе; so dоеѕ innovation and сrеаtіvе problem-solving. Infectious іntrарrеnеurіаlіѕm bеgіnѕ to tаkе hоld, whісh аttrасtѕ even mоrе intrapreneurially mіndеd team members.

Mоѕt corporate сulturеѕ dо nоt foster аn еnvіrоnmеnt оf truѕt оr ѕаfеtу for creating and рrеѕеntіng nеw іdеаѕ. Add to thаt thе ѕtrеѕѕ оf dеаdlіnеѕ, cutbacks, аnd communication dіffісultіеѕ, аnd іt’ѕ еаѕу to send thе wrong mеѕѕаgе. Having the орроrtunіtу tо еvаluаtе a nеw idea, undеrѕtаnd іtѕ іmрасt to thе оrgаnіzаtіоn аnd rоlе-рlау hоw to bеѕt present it fоr buу-іn, іѕ сruсіаl fоr сrеаtіng ѕоlutіоnѕ thаt bеnеfіt thе corporation аnd іtѕ еmрlоуееѕ. Bringing in the expertise of an external trainer-facilitator рrоvіdеѕ a safe hаvеn to еxрlоrе аnd position new ideas and to encourage your team members to do the same.

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Combating Male Dominance At Work

The ​shocking reality today- Organisations are losing out on profit growth by not nurturing the talents of the women they employ.  A recent study​ ​(Bain and Company) ​​showed that women’s aspiration ​plummeted 60% ​and ​their ​confidence ​dropped ​nearly 50%​ after just 2 years in the workplace suggesting that their skills are not being fully utilized. In my experience working with women in the workplace at all levels, this is happening due to ​lack of managerial support, a lack of role models and quite often a mindset that is based on external validation to boost self-worth.

Here are 3 strategies women can employ to overcome the problem of plummeting aspirations and confidence (so they can shine no matter the challenges they face)

Share your career aspirations with key senior leaders and ask for their support and coaching. Until the conversation happens, leading change will be a challenge.

​Pick out successful female leaders that have accomplished where you want to go. Study them, read books that they’ve written, seek out ways to be mentored by them.

​ In your more immediate environment, connect with other women and create  or join a support network​ that celebrates achievements big or small​.​ Even if you don’t get that validation from your male colleagues or bosses, you can find it elsewhere. Over time, the goal is to build your confidence back up again so it is not dependent on what others do or don’t say about you.​

I hope these strategies empower more women in the workplace. Women excel in managing conflict, handing crisis and change, using intuition and emotional intelligence and relationship building. ​It’s time more women leaders​ claim their worth as leaders in the workplace. 

Remember: Your organization needs you just as much as you need them.

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Now this is commitment! Though I do wonder if not getting the job is due to the handwritten cover with spelling mistake. For a technical position that is a little worrying…. Presentation skills training may be in order but this particular job-seeker has got perseverance covered!

was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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Now this is commitment!

Though I do wonder if not getting the job is due to the handwritten cover with spelling mistake. For a technical position that is a little worrying....

Presentation skills training may be in order but this particular job-seeker has got perseverance covered!

[leenapatellive]

Combating Male Dominance At Work

The ​shocking reality today- Organisations are losing out on profit growth by not nurturing the talents of the women they employ.  A recent study​ ​(Bain and Company) ​​showed that women's aspiration ​plummeted 60% ​and ​their ​confidence ​dropped ​nearly 50%​ after just 2 years in the workplace suggesting that their skills are not being fully utilized. In my experience working with women in the workplace at all levels, this is happening due to ​lack of managerial support, a lack of role models and quite often a mindset that is based on external validation to boost self-worth.

Here are 3 strategies women can employ to overcome the problem of plummeting aspirations and confidence (so they can shine no matter the challenges they face)

Share your career aspirations with key senior leaders and ask for their support and coaching. Until the conversation happens, leading change will be a challenge.

​Pick out successful female leaders that have accomplished where you want to go. Study them, read books that they've written, seek out ways to be mentored by them.

​ In your more immediate environment, connect with other women and create  or join a support network​ that celebrates achievements big or small​.​ Even if you don't get that validation from your male colleagues or bosses, you can find it elsewhere. Over time, the goal is to build your confidence back up again so it is not dependent on what others do or don't say about you.​

I hope these strategies empower more women in the workplace. Women excel in managing conflict, handing crisis and change, using intuition and emotional intelligence and relationship building. ​It's time more women leaders​ claim their worth as leaders in the workplace. 

Remember: Your organization needs you just as much as you need them.

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6 Keys To Survival In A Tough Business Climate was originally published on Leena Patel – world’s #1 in Global Impact Systems

was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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6 Keys To Survival In A Tough Business Climate was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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Top 10 Ways to Handle The Stress of A Restructuring was originally published on Leena Patel – world’s #1 in Global Impact Systems

was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems

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Top 10 Ways to Handle The Stress of A Restructuring was originally published on Leena Patel - world's #1 in Global Impact Systems