Whose fault is it?

I'm often amazed that when preparing for training, the leadership of the organization are always saying what problems they have with the staff / support personnel of the said organization. We get to hear all the "leaks" in the organization that's hindering the progress of the entity at the rate that was previously determined. [There have been times when the organization didn't have their progress way-points clearly defined.]

As a trainer, it is necessary to constantly draw on one's experience and not go in with any slant / biases based on the "management meetings"; should you take that approach you will be in for a rude awakening.

When in sessions with the team, we then are exposed to the ground level reasons why certain objectives aren't realized. Thing is, these team members have been constantly ignored. Only to have their feedback put into to the reports which management then adopts. So here are a couple lessons:

• Your own people never listen to you. This is the fault of both management and line staff. 
• The contributors to the organization need to learn how to be friendly without being familiar. There's no need to be hostile / indifferent to staff / management. 
• Everyone should be on the same page trying to grow the business; which is difficult enough as it is without the internal resistance / negative dynamics. 
• It is necessary, more than ever, to function as a team to ensure sustainability of the entity. 
• Create the environment that everyone would want to associate within. 
• Stop passing blame, begin accepting responsibility. 

If you function well within your organization, it can be the best training you ever receive. You will move from job security to employment security. Everyone will want to hire you once they have been exposed to your positive side within the work place  and these attributes override your negative tendencies. 

I hope that within the near future, we can move from "Whose fault's this?" to "Who's responsible for this excellent work?". 

Our website's here. Feel free to leave comments. 

No Experience Required...

Throughout working life, there is always an emphasis on experience. Never mind the rush for qualifications, experience always seems to win in the end. We've often heard of the stories where experience and qualifications are played off against each other.

Thinking, as I often do, I realized that there are some things that require no experience to be successful. People advance in their careers almost daily with these attributes and they often stay within these careers for a long time.

What am I writing about? Here are a couple examples:

• Bad manners
• Disgusting attitudes 
• Poor work ethic
• Inappropriate behavior 
• Poor deportment 
• No dedication and commitment 
• Lack of hygiene 
• Unhealthy practices 
• No ethics
• The list can be endless

Yet even though these qualities are often discussed, they still find a way into our organizations though they are never shown on the workers' CV. We have highly advanced management education, still the ability to detect these characteristics before they enter the organization is elusive or these attributes have upgraded their stealth. 

It then brings into question, how these unwanted characteristics infiltrate our organizations so easily. Would love to get your thoughts and feedback. 

My Teacher - Experience

Those who know me, would realize that when I interact with them, I tend to be direct. Up to this week, I was told that by someone who just met me fleetingly. Having heard it so often, I paused to think about how my characteristic trait was affecting others with whom I interacted. Further probing revealed that though direct, I am not brash.

Let's turn to what excites me immensely - Business. 

I just love it when people bring me business problems that seem insurmountable. It may seem strange but some people like puzzles, I like the ones that have real life effects. When people describe their challenges to me, I almost immediately or at least within a couple days am able to identify solutions to the challenge. Not from the standpoint of any special gifting that I may have. It often comes from experience. 

What gives me this immense experience?

Usually I would have gone through a similar experience before either via a third party or personally. Lots of things happen to me, and truthfully, I often ask God why these situations are happening to me. One time after  my pleading for an answer, I finally got it. "It's not about you." 

What a revelation that was...

Who trains the trainer? Who develops the consultant? In my case, it's experience. What has experience taught me? Here are a couple, just a few of those lessons. 

• It is possible to realize just about any business deal providing you communicate you case well. 
• All things are possible, when presented with the right conditions. The word can't exist only when all the angles haven't been developed / explored. 
• You don't necessarily need an asset base to obtain money. You need to demonstrate a clear and reliable, well thought out and practical system of operating, marketing, and financing. 

Because of these and similar lessons, through God's grace. We've successfully:

• Obtained financing from a local bank for a business established in another country
• Employ turn around strategies for entities that were in the "red" permitting them to get their finances in the black within rather short times. The fastest one was a one day turnaround. The second one was a six figure turnaround within 90 days. 
• Enabled an entity to secure 3 forms of financing with one document
• Loan
• Direct Investment
• Grant Funding
• Developed collaborations whereby teams have helped businesses and charities realize their business objectives within the required time lines and within budget. 

There's something about developing the plans and then providing the training for the implementation of the same plans. Those entities enjoy greater success. Did I tell you the amount of fun I have helping these entities? It's exhilarating! 

Maybe we can do business sometime... 

Thank you experience. You're a great teacher.