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Yesterday I had a meltdown.

It started with me receiving a request to perform a series of computer tasks that I was unfamiliar with. Being a relative latecomer to the world of internet marketing, I panicked. I saw myself taking a whole day to accomplish what someone else might accomplish in half an hour.

The result was a series of mistakes that let to a waste of time and effort, until I stopped and looked inside, at my state of mind, rather than outside, at the task that confronted me.

I realised that my mistakes had nothing to do with ability and everything to do with my state of mind. And my state of mind was brought on by a belief which said ‘You’re no good at working with IT’.

I then asked the following questions:

Where does this belief originate from?

Where is the evidence to support this belief?

Where is the evidence to the contrary?

What will happen if I continue to hold this belief?

What  could happen if I believed the opposite?

In what way is this belief ridiculous?

What would be a better, more empowering belief to have?

The result of this analysis was not a new belief saying ‘You’re good at IT’, but one that said ‘You can do anything you put your mind to when you are calm’. It was my ability to manage my state that was the crucial empowering factor.

The result was that I finished the task in a short period of time thereafter with no mistakes, and actually felt elated as I was doing it.

There are many ways that we can change our state, from thinking about something different to exercising to doing a different task to talking to someone.

Whatever it is, there has never been a more appropriate time for executives today to look inward for the source of their frustrations, failure and fear, and to harness the tools of the mind to secure their future.

James Irvine, Team Egyii, Singapore

Egyii is privileged to be hosting the April Carnival of Trust for Trusted Advisor. Charles H. Green is founder and CEO of Trusted Advisor Associates. The author of Trust-based Selling and co-author of The Trusted Advisor, he has spoken to, consulted for or done seminars about trusted relationships in business for a wide and global range of industries and functions.

Centering on the theme of trust in business relationships, Charles works with complex organizations to improve trust in sales, internal trust between organizations, and trusted advisor relationships with external clients and customers.

What is a carnival? A carnival is a gathering of like minds around a theme such as ‘Trust’. The Carnival of Trust, for example, gathers on the first Monday of each month. On that day an appointed ‘host’ posts and comments on ten blogs which they think you will be interested in reading. These blogs are gathered from your own submissions, and from blogs that your host thinks are great reads.

So, for example, the Carnival of Trust presents a group of really interesting blog postings around four areas connected with the theme of ‘Trust’. The areas that we are going to look at in April are:

Leadership and Management – how crucial is ‘trust’ in running companies in today’s new world of business?

Strategy and Economics – how does ‘trust’ fit into these ‘hard’ disciplines in today’s business?

Advising and Influencing – why is ‘trust’ the essential ingredient in advising and influencing?

Sales and Marketing – how do today’s new sales and marketing practices incorporate ‘trust’?

If you would like to submit a blog, please submit it by midnight your time, Thursday 2 April.

You can submit by either going to submit, or by commenting on this post with your link to your blog. 

Come and join us, and remember, no April fools!

Bill O’Brien, the late CEO of Hanover Insurance, once told C. Otto Scharmer, author of Theory U – Leading from the Future as It Emerges that when facilitating corporate change, the success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervener.

This idea, that to create change in the new world of business, leaders need to look inside themelves first and connect with their own instincts, deep understandings and self-awareness, is the key to creating the kind of change that businesses need to succeed in the future.

It’s no good using the past to inform the present and future. What went well before, what the consensus of opinion is, and what is comfortable for the majority will only return businesses to the old world where external measurements and influences based on past experiences were used to decide on the future direction of the business.

According to C. Otto Scharmer, leaders need to engage in internal work before even considering change interventions. There are three kinds of internal work that need to be engaged in:

Suspending habitual patterns and seeing the situation with a fresh pair of eyes

Redirecting your attention from the exterior to your interior mental processes and really listening to yourself

Letting go of old identities and intentions

It is only when this internal work has been completed that leaders will be open to new visions and intentions, to redirecting attention to exterior action, and to creating new action, structures and practices to lead the business forward.

Every leader, whether a CEO or a learning and development designer, can benefit from turning inwards and connecting with their own source of wisdom before automatically adopting ideas and structures that are acceptable to the majority. These ideas will usually only present you with what is already acceptable and comfortable, and therefore what fits with the existing status quo.

Thus, the new learning and development will be first and foremost about internal awareness, insight and personal change. And coming out of this process will be new ideas, decisions and actions that will propel your business into a successful future.

James Irvine, Team Egyii, Singapore

Our thinking patterns determine how we feel at any moment. How we feel at any moment determines what we do. And what we do determines the results we get in our lives.

Everyone at this time is trying to tell us to change our behaviour.

Be more caring about your clients, engage them with empathy and reassurance.

Take more care over your tasks.

Pay attention and be patient.

Communicate your thoughts to your colleagues and boss with honesty and openness.

While this is all very well, nothing will change unless we all pay attention to the thinking patterns that underly all these behaviours. If I have a belief that says “never trust anyone until they first prove that they are trustworthy”, then it doesn’t matter how much I try to be open with people, I will always default to my underlying belief in practice.

So, if we all truly care about changing the way we do business in this new world, then the only way to show it is to stop all the activity for a moment and listen to ourselves.

How do we see ourselves?

Does our sense of identity match our behaviour, or are we living a false life?

What’s really important to us?

Do our values align with our behaviour, or are we rejecting these with every action we take?

And are we acting upon beliefs that we developed many years ago and which have no relevance to us today?

Are we sabotaging our future with these limiting beliefs?

Once we take control of our minds, the rest will fall neatly into place and we can start picking up the pieces left by an era of blindness to ourselves.

James Irvine, Team Egyii, Singapore

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What happened to the old days when you walked around the corner to the local bank with your wad of cash or your cheque…walked in and were greeted by Norm the security guard….then greeted by Esther the receptionist …and then John the banker, who is your neighbor and child’s Godfather?

You sat around, chatted, had a cup of coffee and a curry puff..and actualy enjoyed being in the presence of people you liked and trusted.

In 1969 Chemical Bank in NY stated in its ad campaign: “On Sept. 2, our bank will open at 9:00 and never close again!”

That changed the world of banking.

This was the start of the faceless ATM we see everywhere today. It was the start of automation, which has led to technologies such as online internet banking and more.

Wow! Great concepts! 24 hour banking!…clients loved it..and what a great way to save money for the bank. Remove faces, remove overhead. But this does not work for everyone.

Some interesting statistics from Gallup on banking  preferences show that a high percentage of people still bank at a branch. They want to see faces.

Clearly, the banks need to re-look at how they interface with their clients on a day to day basis. It should be for the  ”convenience of the customer” not the “convenience of the bank.”

Isn’t it time for a change…back to the good ‘ol days?

Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

First there was “Speed Dating.”

Then there was ‘Speed Networking”

And now there is “Spud Networking.”

How many times have you gone to a “networking” event where you have been assailed by salesmen from moving companies, hotels selling packages, priority and private bankers or spud companies?  All are looking for prospects…

The Scenario

There are 30 people in the room and these salesmen are canvassing everyone, tipping their card to any and all innocent passersby. And then he comes to you…he flashes his card, presents it in a stately fashion, and moves to the next person. Don’t you feel special? or do you feel like one of the many spuds (potatoes) growing in a great, big field?

Often that card lands in the bin when you get home. No meaning. No attachment. (No insults meant)

The Real Networker

Off to the side is a gentleman. He is poised and confident. He is also a “salesman” but of a different sort. He is spending time with only 1 or 2 people, listening, asking questions, showing interest and concern. Although his ‘prospects” may not be immediate prospects, he could potentially link down the road or through “word of mouth.”

His card ends up in the Rolodex.

Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

Being There.

1/2 of building relationships is just being there.

1/4 is exhibiting the personal traits; being genuine, showing your clients you care, listening, presenting yourself with undue confidence and ensuring that you are like-able.

But you need to “be there” first, before you can exhibit the other traits.

Why is it so important? How many people really interface with the client in good or bad times? Very few.

With all the phoniness today it is tough to find a  great diamond. But if you realise the rewards of just being there , then you will reap the benefits, you will stand out.

So be there.

(PS…the other 1/4 is adding direct client value)

For related blogs, see How to Re-Polish the Banking Image.

Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

The Current Scenario

Your private or priority banking team management or HR has built a sales process into the sales “routine.” This is typically driven top down. Your Relationship Managers now need to ask the right questions, follow a script, fill in forms and often utilise a time consuming, data capturing CRM system.

What does this do?  It allows consistency for all sales and management so that the actions and numbers can be tracked. From a management perspective, it is a lot easier.

The Dilemma

Does this work? Does a process work  for everyone? Does it make for a successful Relationship Manager? Most likely no.

Dealing with the Dilemma

In order to make the sales process successful, the Relationship Manager needs to feel very comfortable in his own zone. He needs to be be driven by his own conviction and passion..that could be money, success or bonding with his client. Quite often, he is too focused on what he “needs” to get done (the sales process-to keep his boss happy since so much was invested to make it successful) that he actually doesn’t get done what he really should get done. It is not suggested that the complete sales process be dropped by any means, but if the Relationship Manager focuses and uses his own intuition, mixed what he is comfortable with in the sales process, he will connect.

How does he connect? The client will see that the Relationship Manager is focused on his needs and not focused purely on immediate sales results.

Isn’t this what the client wants? An undistracted focus on him and his needs?

For related materials see What Makes a Great Salesperson.

Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

Can you imagine a business without overstuffed egos? How much more do you think could be accomplished?

Most of the time the word ego has negative connotations but having an ego can be both positive and negative to business.

Steven Smith, author of  “What Makes Ego our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability)” writes “Ego is the invisible line on everybody’s profit and loss statement.”

Guy Kawaski of Garage Technology Ventures recently interviewed Steven and asked him “Why is it invisible?” Steven’s response was “Because it hasn’t been measured, and yet the people know the costs are there. Over half of all business people estimate ego costs their company six to fifteen percent annual revenue; many believe that estimate is too conservative. But even if ego were costing six percent of revenue, the annual cost of ego would be $1.1 billion USD to the Fortune 500 Company. ” (For more read the interview)

Ego? Affecting six to fifteen percent of revenue….WOW!

If the egos were recognised, and put under control, how much money would that save banks (and other institutions) today? Not only that, how many more of the staff would feel in control, and therefore more productive? And client relationships? They would be better for sure.

Take a peek at the tools and techniques in self management - this will be a good start to help unstuff egos.

Another 6-15% in the bucket is not so bad. Agree?

Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

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Trip Allen and James Irvine, Team Egyii, Singapore