Business Skills and Permanence

How often do we attend a seminar or other training event...and get psyched about what we have learned, only to have our new-found skills fade away?

Think about high school or college. We often forget practical skills that we have learned because we do not use the skills on a regular basis...even though they could have saved us money or made our lives easier. (How many of us wish we had used those skills we learned in shop class more often...especially after we spend thousands on a remodeling project!)

During our careers, many of us will spend thousands of dollars to improve our skills. If we're lucky, our organizations may pick up the tab.

...And without a plan to commit to use what we have learned, we can fall into what is often called the "knowledge trap". When our good intentions to turn our new knowledge into skills and our old habits collide, what will win out? Almost always the answer is our old habits!

Huge amounts of training and education dollars are wasted each year because we attend a learning event with no realistic, specific plans to use what we have learned. There is often little or no follow-up (and yes accountability!) to connect our new knowledge to tangible results.

It has been said that practice does NOT make perfect...rather it makes our skills permanent.

When we commit to use what we have learned, we build permanence for our skills...and we avoid wasting lots of time, money, and effort!

"Soft" Skills

We spend huge amounts of time on technical, process, and procedure training...and we need to. Our team members need to know how to do their jobs.

Once our team members are technically competent, their development in "soft skills" areas is often overlooked. How confident are they? What is their level of skill in dealing with other people? Do they communicate well? What are the leadership qualities that they bring to the table? Can they effectively deal with stress and worry?

Managers, supervisors and executives often find out the hard way that these skills are not so soft...and in fact have a profound impact on any organization.

For example, what kinds of things would happen if your team members made a concerted effort to criticize, condemn, or complain less?...not just because it's "nice", but rather because it tends to be a complete waste of time. (How many people do you know that truly welcome criticizing, condemning, or complaining?) Dale Carnegie realized many years ago that trying not to criticize, condemn, or complain is a key aspect of getting results, professionally, AND personally. Abiding by the principle helps us to get beyond the quagmire of negativity.

Your customers are the end users of your organization's proficiency with "soft skills". If their mantra, for whatever reasons - good or bad - is to criticize, condemn, and complain, rest assured that your customers and clients will know it.

Next we will examine how to make "soft skills" more than just a nice idea.

Customer Satisfaction Ratings...and People Skills

Having a relative who used to work for a company that was recently the subject of a monumental implosion has distinct benefits; you can sure learn a lot of important lessons.

My brother-in-law, who was an executive at this company (he left when he saw that the "C" level leadership was on the wrong path), came to a profound conclusion recently.

"You know", said he..."I have been all around the world in a hundred different cultures and business climates...and THE main thing that matters is the way you treat people." Yes...that skill that we sometimes dismiss as unimportant, or worse, "soft"- people skills, will make or break your business (and your personal life!).

While we pay close attention to the top and bottom line, how our colleagues, bosses, and subordinates treat each other and customers, internal and external, often gets overlooked until it's too late. "See the light, or feel the heat", as Sam Iorio, Partner in the Philadelphia/Allentown/Delaware area Dale Carnegie Sponsorship says.

And when our team members are collectively not all that great at people skills, our customer satisfaction rates suffer. And we lose business. And we lose profits. Suddenly our ability to deal with people in genuine and sincere ways is not such a "soft" skill any more.

Our customer satisfaction rating here at the Philadelphia/Allentown/Delaware Dale Carnegie Sponsorship is currently at 97.87% based on customer evaluation data. What is yours?

Stay tuned to this blog for more on how and why people skills matters far more than you might think.

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What Our Customers and Potential Clients Are Saying

We recently sent a survey to a group of our local clients and potential clients. Here are the questions that were asked and their responses.

1. In what ways have recent economic conditions had an impact on your business?
None, we are "recession proof" 0%
Minimal, we are "holding our own" 18.8%
Moderate, we have noticed an impact 37.5%
Significant, our senior leaders are concerned 37.5%
Catastrophic, our organization itself is in danger 6.3%

2. How has your organization addressed current economic conditions?
A focus on "back to basics", re-emphasizing what has made us successful in the past 50%
We have down-sized 31.3%
We have re-organized 31.3%
We have discontinued products or services 6.3%

3. What departments in your organization most positively impact results? (multiple answers were acceptable)
Finance 20%
Operations 66.7%
Human Resources 33.3%
Sales/Business Development 80%
Customer Service 40%
Information Technology 26.7%
Distribution 20%

4. Of the following competency areas, which would have the most significant impact on your business results in these difficult economic times? (multiple answers were acceptable)

More Effective Leadership 78.6%
Customer Focus 92.9%
Sales Effectiveness 85.7%
Employee Engagement 92.9%
Process Improvement 84.6%

5. Of the following subjects, which would have the most positive impact on enabling your organization to "do more with less"?(multiple answers were acceptable)

Customer Service 62.5%
Sales Effectiveness 73.3%
Dealing with Stress and Worry 66.7%
Preparing downsized employees for interviews 26.7%
Presentation Skills 71.4%
Making Process Improvement programs "stick" 73.3%

What is YOUR Organization's Economic Stimulus Package?

We recently asked our clients how they are addressing the economic down-turn. Downsizing, "rightsizing", process improvement and many other tactics are being employed, according to their responses. A significant percentage (50+ %) said that their organizations are "getting back to basics"...many are focusing on their Core Values as a form of getting back to basics to guide them through tough times. One of our clients measures EVERY initiative against their Core Values...if it doesn't match, it doesn't happen.

What is YOUR organization's economic stimulus package? Layoffs? Cutting training? Straying from your Core Values because they are not convenient in tough times?

The organizations that are most successful long term not only stay with "back to basics as a mantra"...they also put processes in place to allow their employees to understand HOW to live the organization's Core Values...not just WHAT the Core Values are.

What do you have in place to allow your team members to live your Core Values?