Jack Petchey CBE Honored With The Dale Carnegie Leadership Award

On September 20th 2012, Mr Peter V. Handal, Chairman and CEO of Dale Carnegie Training flew in from the United States of America to present Jack Petchey CBE with the prestigious Dale Carnegie Leadership Award.
The Leadership Award recognises organisations or individuals who have truly demonstrated that the development of their organisation has been achieved through a commitment to the development of people.
In his first years of business Jack Petchey, now aged 87, picked up a copy of the infamous book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. It was a moment that changed his life! He promptly signed up for a Dale Carnegie Course and that decision was one that undoubtedly contributed to him becoming one of London’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Jack’s entrepreneurial ventures have spanned travel, property and investments. He founded companies, such as Petchey Holdings Plc and Petchey Leisure, turning them into multi-million pound empires. But he is perhaps best known by many for his commitment to supporting youth projects, predominantly across his home turf of London and Essex. In the last 12 years he has sought to inspire a generation through The Jack Petchey Foundation, a charitable trust that has invested well over £75 million into raising young people’s aspirations, rewarding their achievements and encouraging them to achieve more in life.

From humble beginnings, Jack was born in 1925 to poor working class parents in Plaistow, East London. Despite leaving school at the age of 14 with no qualifications, he had already begun to demonstrate the entrepreneurial skills that would aid his later success. Following his discharge from the Fleet Air Arm in 1947 he invested his whole life savings (nearly £60) in a car to found a car hire business.

His exposure to Dale Carnegie Training gave him the self-belief and skills to build his business and to go on to found many more!

All his life he has carried a commitment to the basic principles of management learnt through Dale Carnegie. His belief in reward as a powerful motivator for change has been implemented in his staff reward schemes and now been developed even further through the Jack Petchey Award Scheme, operating in over 2000 youth clubs and schools across London and Essex. Another saying from Dale Carnegie was “Don’t criticise, condemn or complain” and to this day Jack carries a small cardboard disc in his pocket as a permanent reminder! His aim has always been to encourage staff to give their best.

Now, with a focus on the work of the Foundation, his heart’s desire is to enable young people to access the ‘power’ of positive thinking, to believe in themselves, to learn how to capture their dreams and turn them into reality by setting goals, learning new skills and sheer dogged determination! With this in mind he is currently exploring some new training programmes to be delivered to young people through schools.

It is only the second time that this Award has been approved and awarded by the Board of Directors of Dale Carnegie Training to a businessman in London, “and there is none more deserving than Jack!” says Clive Thompson, of Dale Carnegie, London.

The Dale Carnegie Leadership Award, established in 1985, was given to The Ford Motor Company that same year and in subsequent years to such well known organisations as Coca-Cola, Adidas, Boeing, Four Seasons Hotel, Daimler-Chrysler and SAS Scandinavian Airlines.

Jack Petchey joins a long chain of the world’s greatest businessmen and through his Foundation it is hoped his legacy will be to continue to inspire a generation. Jack said: “I feel really proud to accept this award, Dale Carnegie was such an inspiration for me; I just hope that future generations of young people will be able to see that they can achieve – if they really believe they can, they can!”

Get Over It

Just having got over a cold that has lasted for 4 weeks had me thinking about other things in life we have to 'get over'.

The failed romance - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Losing a golf competition - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Getting into debt and seeing no way out - "you'll get over it"
Losing a client - "you'll get over it"

Why is it such a popular expression? What is it we have to get over?

Getting over something suggests an obstacle, barrier, or some other frustration which prevents us for carrying on as normal. And it is this carrying on as normal that is the problem.

The world is changing rapidly around us. You've heard the adage 'better, faster, with less'. If we carry on as normal we are surely getting left behind. So what we have to get over is a state of being that does not see the need to change. This applies to our role as leaders almost more than any other situation.

This was amply demonstrated in a module of one of our training programmes when the group finally decided that what they had to 'get over' was thinking about themselves and devote their time and attention to others. Once they let go of their ego's and concentrated entirely upon the needs of others they showed up more powerfully, more assertive, more in control, more caring, more generous.

Leaders need followers - you've heard that before - so what would you follow. The lead that somebody provides that is entirely in your interests or someone whose ego is needing to be fed?

Talk to us about servant leadership!

David Pickering

Leadership Development Increases Performance.....FACT!

It has been reported that the Government should make leadership development a key part of its "skills for growth" strategy in order to improve the UK's competitiveness and boost economic growth, a report has recommended.

According to the "Business benefits of management and leadership development" report, produced by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and HR consultancy Penna, 34% of individuals across all levels of management consider their line managers to be ineffective.
The report, which surveyed 4,500 managers, found that companies that invested in the development of leaders saw increases of up to 32% in people performance and 23% in organisational performance.

In addition, organisations that performed well spent, on average, 36% more on leadership development per manager per year than those with low performance levels.
The report's findings suggest that simply spending more on managers' development is not necessarily the answer - employers are, in general, investing in a range of leadership development activities, but the types of training being used are not always the most effective.

Short courses on management and leadership were used by 43% of organisations but were rated as one of the most effective tools to train leaders by only 34% of respondents.
To continue to read this report please visit http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2012/02/28/58366/leadership-development-must-be-part-of-skills-for-growth-strategy-says-report.html

Find out how Dale Carnegie can improve your leadership development and help increase your people and organisational performance visit our web site, or contact us for more information on 0207 379 4323

Stephanie Fletcher

So what does it take to be a leader?

Leaders only need one thing ....!

FOLLOWERS

and perhaps the more people that twig onto this simple notion then the more we will accomplish each day - individually, as a society, as a nation and as a world of 7 billion souls.
So what does it take to be a leader? Well, here are a few pointers.

Appearance. This is the first thing that anyone notices and if we do not create a positive first impression then we are out of the running immediately. So as a leader am I ever off stage? The answer is no. This means we do have to be 'smart' within the accepted dress code. We have to smell right, and sound right and our overall body language must be positive.

What we say and how we say it are the next two. It's not the words that people listen too in the first few seconds they listen for tone of voice. They listen for passion, desire, drive, belief and a whole myriad of other words we might use to describe elements of charisma. This is where we demonstrate our congruence. That alignment between our values, actions and outcomes together with how we show up in the world is congruence. It is the exhibition of authenticity and leading an intentional life.

So appearance attracts, what we say and how we say it holds attention.

In fourth place then comes our actions. How do I relate to others? Do we do what we say we are going to do? Is our conversation littered with doubt in the form of ifs, buts and maybes. Do we wait or act? Do we dream hope and wish? Or do we live life as it comes cherishing each and very moment, exploring all opportunities? Do we create solutions to problems and implement without delay?

It is only now, after we maintain the attraction of others through these four elements that anyone will start to take notice of our technical capability, our business or academic competence.
So, would you follow the person who looks, acts and sounds the part, who is congruent and authentic? If the answer is yes then you know who you need to be and how you need to show up in the world for others to follow your lead.

Begin now, as you sign off from this blog. Become conscious of your incompetence as a leader and start working on it right away. Yes, that's it, have a look in the mirror. A good look.
If you need some help - call.


David Pickering

A happy ending

None of us could have missed the amazing news this week that all 33 miners who had been trapped under ground for weeks on end, had been rescued and brought safely to the surface.

They had spent ten weeks, trapped 2,041 feet under the desert in Chile. When the mine collapsed on August 5th they had no idea whether they could be saved. Living off meagre rations until they had been found alive seventeen days later, they faced and conquered something incomprehensible to most of us.

Whilst the country worked out a rescue plan, they coped and survived underground. No one can imagine what that could be like, whether arguments happened, or how they worked together to get through such a horrible event. As their stories come out in the following weeks, I am sure we will learn a lot more.

The leader of the miners, Luis Urzua carried his duty through to the end and was the last man to leave the mine, making sure all his men were safely rescued before allowing himself to be winched up. Chile’s President, Sebastian Pinera hailed Urzua for seeing off all his men before ‘leaving last like the ship’s captain’.

The rescue operation took weeks and the drilling to free the men veered off course twice, before a successful third time. I can only imagine what the leader(s) of the rescue workers must have been going through each time the drilling failed. Leading such a team on a life and death rescue attempt would have been challenging and stressful to say the least, so when the third drill was triumphant, euphoria must have followed.

This event was extraordinary and one which has captured the world. We all face stress, although hopefully nothing as awful as what the miners have been through. It can affect us in the workplace and our personal life. Stress has no boundaries and all of us at some point in our life, have it thrust upon us. But what can we do. Here are a few tips on taking charge of stress:

~ Get all the facts
~ Weigh all the facts then come to a decision
~ Once a decision is reached, act!
~ Answer these questions:
What is the problem?
What are the courses of the problem?
What are the possible solutions?
What is the best possible solution?

~ How to face trouble – ask yourself:
What is the worst that can possibly happen?
Prepare to accept the worse
Try to improve the worse

Dale Carnegie wrote the book ‘How to stop worrying and start living’ and if you are interested in finding out more, why not come along to our preview on 4th November.

In the meantime, it's nice to see a happy ending......

Helen Mills
Financial Controller
www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Leaders don't Bully

‘The Secret to being a great leader isn’t to bully or harrass your underlings – it’s to be a sensitive listener.’ (David Derbyshire – Daily Mail – 15th September 2010)

The above quote is from an article published in the Daily Mail this week which talks about two pyschologists research into 85 self-help books and biographies. Their findings show that most leaders secrets of success are ‘touchy feely’* and that the leaders themselves are ‘positive and inspirational.’* Doctor Peters one of the Psychologists who carried out the study says that their findings from the research go against the belief that ‘the best leaders were driven individuals with domineering personalities’* She said ‘Actually, it’s someone who is always looking to their followers and who is concerned about their relationship with them.’

Dale Carnegie is one such leader who’s principles and ideas agree with this research and have been used for nearly a hundred years. When it comes to listening he has unearthed that there are 5 levels – Ignore, pretend, selectively, attentively, empathetically. Here are some of Dale Carnegie’s principles for being a leader –

- Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
- Talk about your own mistakes before criticising others.
- Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
- Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
-Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

So the key to being a good leader is not to dominate but to build and sustain good relationships with your team. Leaders who dictate will eventually lose their position as leader.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a successful leader then why not join us at a preview of our Leadership Training for Managers Programme on 23rd September. Click here for more details.

To read the full article in the Daily Mail - Click here

* David Derbyshire – Daily Mail – 15th September 2010

Sophie Whittall
Marketing & Admin Co-ordinator

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

Team Work

Henry Ford said:
“Coming together is the beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.”

He was talking about Team Work: When looking at the sporting arena, working with other organisations and also within our own business at Dale Carnegie I never cease to be impressed by the power of a team.

As I’m sure many other people did on Sunday, I watched Spain stand together for 2 hours against a strong and assertive Dutch team and come through with a fantastic goal in the dying minutes of the game to become World Champions. Football is a game that idolises and often rewards individual superstars, there is undeniably great individual talent in that Spanish team ..... but for those who understand the game it is no great surprise that the team with almost 50% more completed passes than any other team won the World Cup. Spain epitomised good team work across the tournament and went on to win.

Perhaps it’s a cliché but I feel that Football like business is a team game. When we start working with new organisations one of the first questions we ask is ‘What do you like about your business?’ In most successful organisations one of the first answers back is always ‘The people I work with.’

Looking to our own business, Dale Carnegie London business has grown by two new business consultants in the past few weeks and already I’m delighted with the energy that a larger team brings to the office. Building a strong team creates an energised work environment, people share ideas and best practice and we achieve far more than we would through working as individuals.

So if you’re looking to grow your business and your team remember these key principles:

1. Think about the people you bring into your existing team .... do the personalities fit.

2. Seek to create a positive fun working environment where people can share ideas and work together.

3. Trust your team to do a good job and give them the responsibility to achieve results.

4. Invest the time to coach and support your team and reward the right activities and results.

If you’d like to find out more about building the kind of team that will drive your business forward join us on the 3rd of August for the next preview of Leadership Training for Managers. Click here for more information

David Anderson
Managing Director

www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Tips for Staying Flexible

Think of yourself as stretchable, expandable and able to adapt to anything new. Who wants to view themselves as static, inflexible and unable to adapt? Periods of change are unpredictable, and we may be asked to adapt to changes that we never anticipated. In order to stay flexible, follow these guidelines:

1. Set short-term goals
It is best during changing times to think ahead, but not too far ahead. Focus on goals and tasks that can be achieved in the immediate future. That way we can achieve measurable and motivating results, even if the change plan is altered in some way. Instead of abandoning our efforts because of changing priorities, we complete our short-terms goals and move on.

2. Work in intense bursts of activity
Some people call this the “blitz mentality.” Complete tasks with intense periods of creative output that produce concrete results. That way we have measureable outcomes that motivate and inspire us to continue our work and, in the process, better engage change.

3. Focus on team efforts
Teams are in a constant state of changing responsibilities and deadline. By aligning ourselves with others who are aiming at similar goals, we create the opportunity for flexibility in achieving results. We become more focused on others and less likely to retreat into our own comfort zone. We gain motivation and inspiration from the other members of the team, making us more likely to successfully play a leadership role.

4. Plan for possible change scenarios
The most important strategy for staying flexible during change is to prepare for various change scenarios. If we create a plan for each possible set of change circumstances, we are prepared to engage change in any way that affects us in the workplace. This gives us more flexibility, greater confidence and makes us more likely to be successful in leading change without authority.

Click here to attend a free preview of our Leadership Training for Managers Programme

Inspirational Leadership

Leadership is about the ability to motivate and inspire people from a variety of backgrounds to a higher level of performance.

One of the main reasons people are promoted into management and leadership positions is because they were effective at what they did in their job. Now, as a manager, the job is to get others to be able to do things as well as or better than we did them. These require a totally different skill set. Our success requires making the transition from doing to leading in order to leverage our skills and our time.

Without motivation nothing gets done but as soon as we try to hold people accountable they get demotivated, right? Not necessarily! There are tools to hold people accountable for their goals, objectives, and commitments and stay motivated at the same time. With this balance, the more control we have over results for ourselves and our team.

Today, more than ever, a manager’s job is to build people. When we can create an environment where people get results, develop new skills, and become successful, we are fulfilling our highest calling as a manager and leader of people. Communicating with strength and sensitivity, being a coach, and building people are a leader’s highest priority.

No matter what we do there will always be the challenges with negative people and performance management. Our results, and the results of our team, depend on how those situations are handled. Fairness, consistency and strength are required in the right places, at the right times and in the right way. Without this, morale can grind to a halt for everyone, effecting productivity, customer loyalty, and employee engagement-all mandatory in today’s highly competitive work force.

Leadership Development Quotes from Dale Carnegie
“If we want to find happiness, let’s stop thinking about gratitude or ingratitude and give for the inner joy of giving.” -Dale Carnegie

“Remember that the other man may be totally wrong. But he doesn’t think so. Don’t condemn him. Any fool can do that, try to understand him. Only wise, tolerant, exceptional men even try to do that. There is a reason why the other man thinks and acts as he does. Ferret out that hidden reason-and you have the key to his actions, perhaps to his personality. Try honestly to put yourself in his place.” -Dale Carnegie

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Which is just another way of saying that the way to make a friend is to be one.” -Dale Carnegie

“One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let him sustain his feeling of importance.” -Dale Carnegie

“This is a hurried age we’re living in. If you’ve got anything to say, say it quickly, get to the point and stop, and give the other man a chance to talk.” -Dale Carnegie

“Make a man laugh a good hearty laugh, and you’ve paved the way for friendship. When a man laughs with you, he, to some extent, likes you.” -Dale Carnegie

“Do you know the most important trait a man can have? It is not executive ability; it is not a great mentality; it is not kindliness, nor courage, nor a sense of humour, though each of these is of tremendous importance. In my opinion, it is the ability to make friends, which, boiled down, means the ability to see the best in man.” -Dale Carnegie

“We ought to be modest, for neither you nor I amount to much. Both of us will pass on and be completely forgotten a century from now. Life is too short to bore other people with talk of our petty accomplishments. Let’s encourage them to talk instead.” -Dale Carnegie

“Actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, “I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you.” That is why dogs make such a hit. They are so glad to see us that they almost jump out of their skins. So, naturally, we are glad to see them. An insincere grin? No. that doesn’t fool anybody. We know it is mechanical and we resent it. I am talking about a real smile, a heartwarming smile, a smile that comes from within, the kind of smile that will bring a good price in the market place.” -Dale Carnegie

For more tips like this attend our Engage & Inspire Seminar on 27th July.

Click here to register

Certainty in Uncertain Times

It’s certainly been an interesting 24 hours on the political stage but what are we to make of a potential hung parliament and how it will affect us at home and our businesses?

If you’re interest in politics is the same as mine then perhaps you were also sitting watching the results come in at 4am this morning. Having followed the polls over the past few weeks, I set my alarm for 3.30 am in the expectation of seeing David Cameron taking the stage and forming a government with a small majority. However, as 4am became 5 am there was still no result! So what are we to read into this leadership battle and how can we draw from that experience into our own businesses.

It seems that the big surprise of the night was the lack of gains from the Liberal Democrats. There was talk of gains to perhaps 100 Liberal Democrat ministers and as the night drew on it looks like the party despite good coverage in the press has not moved from its 2005 position. Without question Nick Clegg had the common touch as it came to the leadership debates. He talked to the audience and used questioner’s names in a sincere fashion, he often drew the others back to the question asked and sought to answer it directly. He also did a great job of driving his point home to camera ... the debate around our office was who had trained him in presentation skills.

All that done but no real gains when the votes were cast! So what can we learn?

As has happened in many past elections the word ‘Change’ has been bandied around by most of the parties. Certainly it has been the theme of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat campaigns. Based on the results in so far it would seem that as a nation we have more trust in David Cameron than Nick Clegg to bring change to our country. As leaders in business we are often called upon to lead our teams through change so what can we learn from the experience of the past 24 hours.

I can only speculate what was in peoples’ minds as they cast their votes .... Therefore the points below are my own thoughts and how they might relate to us in business.

1.Perhaps in times of uncertainty people value experience higher than new ideas .... Therefore when leading a team through change make sure we take the time to demonstrate our competence as well as our passion.

2.Did Nick Clegg miss the mark on matters of immigration and national security? We should perhaps remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when it comes to winning people to our way of thinking. Maslow talked about ‘Security’ as one of the base drivers. Remember how important security is to people when leading change.

3.Think about the importance of Charisma when you think about leading your team or business. Labour it seems were the biggest loser on the night. Was that based on track record of the party in power or lack of Charisma from their top man? Who knows?

It’s certainly going to be an interesting few days and hopefully through democracy we’ll find some certainty as we head into next week. From my experience of helping teams and businesses deal with change it’s the uncertainty not the change itself that scares us and stops us making decisions.

Therefore set a clear direction and move your team towards it..... Hopefully our government will do the same!

David Anderson
Managing Director

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

Leadership and Ego

In his book ‘Good to Great’, Jim Collins refers to the two key qualities of Level 5 Leaders of being a paradox. The two qualities he defines are ‘personal humility’ and ‘professional will’.

Throughout our careers we make progress by delivering performance and outcomes that are usually better than our peers or when an opportunity arises that we are considered best to meet or deliver.

It is no surprise then that as we progress through our careers that our ego gets continually fed with the ‘good news’. With some people the more positive feedback they get the more the ego grows and so on in an upward spiral. Such is the power of ego that for some nothing would seem capable of giving a knock back and which for others the same happening could be a humbling experience.

The news is full of examples of those who by dint of their ability, and not inconsiderable hard work, become leaders. In this sense leadership is not a hierarchical thing but unconsciously exercised by being an example that others wish to follow. When these ‘leaders’ fall from grace, as so many do, it is tough for them and everyone else, to handle. This is where the ego has won.

So those that rise to the top of their businesses or societies with significant positions of authority over others have to avoid this ego breakdown. This is where humility comes in. The greater our humility and our humanity, the better there is a chance of us being a Level 5 Leader.

Perhaps a conversation with your Dale Carnegie Consultant will lead you to a place where ego does not matter. In this place our Executive Leadership Programme will accelerate your career to being a Level 5 Leader.

Thanks Jim, for the inspiration.

David Pickering

Sales Consultant and Trainer

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

What's Your Mountain?

As we got out of the tent soon after dawn it was obvious that the weather was going to be fine. It was one of those September days when summer is still with you.
Glencoe, which can be dark and forbidding, was today bright, clear and welcoming. Our objective was out of our direct view but on our journey through the Glen the previous day its full might was seen – albeit from the safety of our car. The Aonach Eagach ridge runs on the northern side of the glen and its reputation as a fine ridge walk was well known.
Do you ever have those days when everything is set fair and yet when you look back from the start never gave a clue of how things would end up? Doesn’t matter whether its work or leisure we all have them, don’t we.
The climb to the ridge is significant for me, the hill walker, over 1000 metres straight up from sea level at Glencoe village to the col below the Pap of Glencoe and then on up to the ridge itself.
Like any job we have to do we plan what needs to happen when and in what sequence. The guide book said the usual route is east to west – we decided to go the other way. There’s usually a good reason for given advice; doesn’t matter what the situation and you ignore it at your peril.
When pushing the limits – whether organisational or individual you often get so far and hit the proverbial brick wall. So it was, that just over half way along the ridge, the proverbial came true. This time it was not a brick wall but a very narrow arête stone, no more than 20 feet in length and narrow enough to sit astride.
So what, I hear you say. Either side, below my suspended boots were near vertical drops into the floor of the glens on either side. “This is not a place I want to be right now,” I said to my companion as I turned to see where we had just come from and the view back along the ridge was amazing – but laid out an alternative that even having completed it I did not relish renegotiating.
This journey to the metaphorical ‘brick wall’ was not one I wished to do in reverse. So, as in business, going back was not an option. This was on the edge stuff if you’ll excuse the pun, but we had come so far it was right to see it through.
You see we had the skill, the strength, will and desire to complete the plan. Back in the office its easy to give up – out there it’s not an option – its life threatening.
The were so many powerful lessons on that day that have a place in business life, not just hill walking and scrambling, but the one that will stick with me the longest is about pushing the boundaries mental and physical.
I saw the significance of this when after climbing the buttress at the end of the arête when three climbers came the other way complete with interlinking ropes and who were visibly staggered to see us in tee shirts, shorts and climbing boots.
No challenge in the business environment is too great, no situation too intimidating, no problem too difficult to overcome, providing you have the required knowledge, skill and above all – the right attitude.

What’s your mountain?

David Pickering
Sales Consultant and Trainer
www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Eye Contact - Especially When Under Pressure

What goes through the mind of a prospective Open Golf Champion playing the final 36 holes - and in the lead? To know exactly would require sixth sense but there are some things that can give it away.

Last Saturday found me standing at the 13th tee at Turnberry, this years venue for the Open Golf Championship. Having been there for a while it was easy to become connected with the different moods, pressures and energies of the different golfers as they shot their drives anything up to and in excess of 300 yards and then passed on.

All without fail acknowledged the support of the crowd, doffing their sun visors, tugging a forelock, or simply raising a hand. There was one exception. Maybe it was the years of treading the fairways, maybe it was the memories of being in the lead and what awaited, perhaps it was acknowledging that the first prize of £750,000 was only possible with the support of the crowds present and watching television.

The one real exception was Tom Watson, five time open champion and now at 59 about to stand on the cusp of a second immortality. Tom did one thing that no one else did on that day on the 13th tee. For every voice he heard he returned a look right in the eye of the owning source of the whoop, shout or cry of 'Come on, Tom'. AND along with the look came the words - thank you.

For the remainder of that day and throughout the next no matter what the pressure I saw Tom Watson make a true connection with the whole crowd and where possible one person at a time.

Can we do simple things to build lasting impressions with people we may never see again/ Leadership is made up of simple things. Tom was leading the way and teaching others a lot about leadership. Well done Tom you will remain in my heart for ever.

David Pickering
Consultant

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

The language of love

Love is at the centre of a successful organisation. Why did I not see this before? Why do we avoid combining the language of love and business in the same sentence? We use euphemisms like, “client service”, or “personnel policies and procedures,” when what we really mean is putting love at the centre of what we do. It is our key driver, our dominant motive, our greatest need and yet we do not name it.

What is management? Well one definition is – getting tasks done through people. Early in our management careers we learn that we can manage other resources, like buildings, cash and raw materials. Try to do that with people and our endeavours are bound to fail - eventually. Managing people is like trying to herd cats.

Why did we ever think we could tell people to obey us? We were rather seduced by the model of command and control inherited from the theatre of war. The trouble was that we brought other war-like attitudes and language with it: destroy the competition, discipline the work force; make a killing on the stock market and so on.

Now – there is another way - if we have love at the centre of an organisation we create products and services with intrinsic value and integrity; we build enduring and affirming relationships with people in our sphere of influence; and we use the planet’s resources responsibly and with sustainability at the forefront of our business strategy: Profit, People, Planet!

In the current climate there is a temptation, in the most enlightened companies, to revert to bullying behaviour. But we all know, deep down, that the bully is the most scared child in the playground. The language of the bully is, do this or else - or else what? I lose my job, I do not get a pay rise, you stop being nice to me? Money is not a motivator, and most people are not turned on by threats. They may go through the motions but they will never give you what you really want,

Enthusiastic cooperation from our people is a gift not a right: a true leader creates an environment of love where that gift can be freely given and gracefully received.

The language of love is sometimes denigrated as a weak thing – slightly embarrassing and a bit over the top. This is foolish. Someone who loves is prepared to give up his life for a cause or a friend; is able to create an environment where people feel valued and free; and whose behaviour consistently reflects values of integrity, honesty and fidelity. There is nothing weak or indeed easy about that.

Exchange the word leader for lover. Leadership is love; love is leadership. Phew – I feel better now!!

Jane Kustner
Dale Carnegie Instructor

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

Take one for the Team

It’s 8.55pm and I am sitting on the sofa with chocolate by my side and the TV on.... ready and waiting for the next instalment of Hell’s Kitchen. Over the past week I have found myself becoming rather drawn into this latest reality TV show. You may be thinking to yourself ‘What is she watching that rubbish for, has she nothing better to do?’, but if you look past the cameras and the glamour there are some core values being showcased which are key to any successful working environment.

Marco Pierre White sacked one celebrity from the kitchen because he wasn’t a team player. He appeared to have been doing well, working hard and cooking what was expected of him but this was not enough to survive. He built up no rapport and chose to work as an individual rather than helping and working alongside the others. He may have been creating what was required but what he was producing was not spectacular, if he had chipped in with the others and made himself a team player perhaps the results he could have achieved would not just have been acceptable but would have been outstanding.

Marco leaves the kitchen in the hands of the celebrities, how will they cope without their teacher at the helm? Step up Ade.... as soon as Marco has left the kitchen Ade has taken control, he is shouting orders, checking his colleagues are ok and getting stuck in to the task at hand. He keeps the kitchen moving, which in turn keeps the food going out to the tables and consequently makes the diners happy. If Ade hadn’t stepped up to the challenge and taken the role of leader things could have been very different. Every working environment needs a leader who will engage with the team and lead them in the right direction to achieve the desired results.

So if you take away the celebrities and the TV cameras Hell's Kitchen is very similar to any work place; people are key to its success. Whether you are working in a shop on Oxford street, an office in the city or in Hell’s kitchen, you need team players and leaders to make sure your successful in whatever you do.

Sophie Whittall

Marketing & Admin

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

Natural Leadership

This is Emma and Juanci, my beautiful niece and nephew, 9 & 8 years respectively. Like many children they are spontaneous, energetic, fun loving, joyful, creative and daring souls. Their mission in life is being happy and their vision is doing the things that make them happy; simple really. They live each day to the full, content and satisfied and sleep deeply at night unless it is their Birthday, Christmas or another special event!

Recently a client of mine from the Finance sector said to me, ‘I want to be like my son. He is learning to walk. He falls down, gets back up again, succeeds a little, falls down, gets back up again and so on. He is fearless! If I did the same in my business I would achieve my dreams!'

Like Emma and Juanci and like my clients son, what if we woke up each day with a clear mission and vision in life that would have us leap out of bed with excitement and boundless enthusiasm? How many of us actually know and live the mission and vision of the companies we work for? What if we aligned our mission and visions with that of our organisation? Would we perhaps feel we were contributors and a part of a diverse leadership within our business and for our clients?

Despite the current economic situation, confidence is returning, risks are been taken, and opportunities are abound, if only we look for them. The overwhelming challenge for the UK is in leadership and management, we spend 1,100 Euros per manager on leadership and management training compared to our European counterparts who spend just under 5,000 Euros. Now is as good a time as ever whether you are an employee, a Manager, a Director or an Executive (if we are not already being this way) to be ourselves, to communicate our mission and our vision clearly with each other and to involve our customers, partners and suppliers in the challenges we face. We are all leaders after all and this collective, co-operative approach is what kids do so naturally. I know Emma and Juanci are constantly and unwittingly reminding me.

Lizzie Thomas
Consultant

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

Dare to Speak

Sitting with the leadership team of one of our clients the other day, we were discussing the impact of the changes that had occurred in the business world over the last 18 months. We also focused on the impact that there had been on the business. It had been 'devastating', a 'horrible experience' and similar expressions. There had been redundancies, cash flow problems due to non payments for work legitimately carried out. All in all the whole thing was getting a bit depressing.

Then there was a change. One of the Directors suddenly said, "I'm fed up with all this doom and gloom. It seems as though we always talk about the same depressing things when we get together". Quite taken aback the other Directors tried to pull this individual back into the pit of despondency because that's where they were. Quite voracious were they in there appetite for self pity that they almost succeeded, but he stood his ground. A champion for a different way of thinking and boy had he been giving it some thought. So now came words. His thought had drummed up courage. The courage to stand out with a different opinion, the courage to see how things were and not wrapped up in words like disastrous, depressing, awful and such like.

Well did he get going with his words. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. As his declaration of a new way of being continued there were changes in the others, almost imperceptive at first but there nonetheless. As he continued the pressure for change rose like a great geyser blowing off. Well that was enough, the others started throwing in their ideas talking about what could be and what they could do.

At the end of the meeting the team were a team unified behind the 'dare to speak', 'the odd man out'. They had even constructed the bones of an action plan where all the aspects seemed feasible and practical. Not at all pie in the sky.

Do you wish sometimes your colleagues were a bit like that, prepared to speak the courage of their convictions and beliefs rather than just trying to ride out the storm. If you do tell them this story, also tell them that there is no doom and gloom, there are no disasters, no hard times. There is just our reaction to what's happening. That reaction is the only thing we have control over. Nothing else.

Remember - thought - word - deed. Be creative with your thinking, declare to the world what you will do and then - GO AND DO IT

David Pickering
Consultant

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

Lead the way....

In times of recession being a leader helps a business not only survive, but prosper. It is during this time when leadership really counts....when it is truly needed.

Being a leader can take courage.....you may need to make decisions that steer the company in a completely different direction, insistent to the stakeholders that this is the best thing to do. But what is this based on? Based on courage, conviction, research...or just pure gut instinct? There have been many notable leaders in the past...Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King spring to my mind, each one of them notable in their own special way, most of them showing courage and making couragious decisions during turbulant times.

More and more companies are looking towards their managers to become leaders. But are they up for the challenge? Do they have the tools to deliver what is asked of them? Do they have the courage to lead us through this recession? I feel sure that in every company, there are leaders waiting to show what they can do....to show that they can help their company ride this recession and come through stronger, leaner and more profitable.

It's time to lead the way......

Helen

Financial Controller

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

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