Have you ever started a book by reading
the last page? If you’re curious by nature, you know that sometimes, there just
isn’t enough time to read an entire book.
In Build A Better B2B Business, Winning
Leadership for Your Business-to-Business Company, leadership expert/seasoned
executive/author David Shedd provides two final exam questions on page one. But
don’t be scared away…he provides the answers on page two.
Does this sound odd? Perhaps, but the
book’s theme is so critical, especially during today’s challenging economic
climate and oversaturated marketplace that everyone can benefit by reading
about the fundamentals to drive business success.
According to Shedd, a key component to
drive business success is leading by example. To help create better leaders, take the quick quiz from the book. Don’t be upset if you don’t have all “Yes”
answers, use the “No” responses to improve your leadership skills.
[1] Can you recall three examples where
your ethics visibly showed to your team?
[2] Do you return everyone’s phone calls
immediately and respond to all emails promptly? Do you start and finish meetings
promptly?
[3] Right now, does your frontline
management have fewer than five goals?
[4] As a leader, do you take full
accountability for the failures but share the praise for the successes?
[5] Have you ensured that all of your
senior direct reports are held accountable for their performance?
[6] Are you easy to reach and interact
with?
[7] In the last week, have you found at
least 10 people doing something right and recognized and thanked them for their
work?
[8] In the last month, have you coached
or trained at least one small group in your business?
[9] In the last two weeks, have you been
involved in resolving a customer service issue?
[10] In the last two weeks, have you been
involved in thanking a customer for their business?
Shedd also shares other useful tips to
drive business success:
[1] Write out and develop three goals for
your business.
[2] Determine the most significant “Mokitas”
in your business – these are the dirty little secrets that aren’t really very
secret – for example, the industry you serve is in decline and will never
rebound OR the sales manager was promoted from the finance department and doesn’t
interact well with customers.
[3] Aim to accomplish one key initiative
each morning, and at the end of each day, ask yourself, “Did I accomplish this
task?” If not, decide how you will accomplish the task tomorrow.
[4] Recognize employees on a regular
basis.
[5] Value your customers.
[6] Deliver on the brand promise – for example,
FedEx delivers by 10am each day – and align all employees to be effective brand
advocates.
[7] Solve a customer’s problem. “No
customer has ever bought anything because it was “strategically logical or
synergistic.” A customer buys from you because he has a problem, and you have a
solution for that problem.”
As you can see, the final exam questions
and answers were only a teaser…the best part of the book was in between the front
and back covers.
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