Business Performance Perspectives Newsletter: June 2007
Welcome to the second quarterly ezine from Business Performance Perspectives. Each quarter my aim is to keep you up to date with developments in business performance management and business etiquette.
Key Message from the IAPC Conference:
On the 18th of May I attended a three day conference in Washington D.C. entitled “Mastering Protocol, Etiquette and Civility”.
Among the speakers at the conference was Dr. P.M. Forni who is a Professor at the John Hopkins University. Dr. Forni was speaking about the link between civility and quality of life. I would like to share some of the survey results that he presented at the conference as I believe that they are important to Irish business people.
The key message from the session was that if we allow our work colleagues to behave in a rude manner within our businesses then the business will suffer by people leaving the company and by the amount of time that mangers spend on resolving personnel issues. It goes without saying that clients would also be affected by rudeness within businesses.
There are two recent studies that back this point up. The USC Marshall School of Business workplace rudeness study (2006) reported that more than 90 percent of workers have experienced incivility in the workplace. Of these 50 percent lost work time worrying about the incident and 13 percent left the company.
According to an Accountemps IRC 2006 survey, American managers spend 18 percent of their time at work resolving personnel conflicts. That is almost a day a week. The interesting thing here is that the figure has increased from 13 percent in 1991 and 9 percent in 1986.
Although these are American studies, I believe that similar trends do exist in Ireland.
From my perspective the message is simple. In work as in life social skills make us more likeable. When you are more likeable, you will have better work relationships and good working relationships improve the quality of our lives. There is a fear among business people that nice people come last. But there is no harm in being mannerly and business savvy at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive.
If you are interested in receiving an in-dpeth review of the IAPC conference please email me on info@pamelafay.ie.
Strategy to Action
At this half way point in the business year 2007, it is time to sit down to look at the strategic targets that you set in January to see if you are over or under achieving on your goals.
If you are not hitting the targets that you set; one of the main reasons might be your performance management system. Many businesses spend weeks preparing strategic plans but the failure arises in the execution of the plans.
According to Kaplan and Norton, the authors of the Balanced Scorecard 'Less than 10% of strategies effectively formulated are effectively executed' and 'in the majority of failures – we estimate in 70% of cases the real problem isn’t bad strategy it is bad execution'.
The failure to hit targets occurs because many employees don’t understand or are not aware of the company strategy. If your employees are not aware or are not accountable for strategic plans, how can they succeed?
If strategy implementation is a concern for you, take five minutes to complete a performance management review. This review will highlight for you the areas that are not working within your business at present. Click here for the review document.
For any further information on performance management, contact Pamela on info@pamelafay.ie.
Workplace Manners:
As it is summer, many of us are being asked to play in work golf events. There are some points of etiquette that we all should keep in mind when taking to the golf course.
Safe Golf:
- Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your distance when others are swinging.
- When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in the grass that could fly up and injure a playing partner.
- Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead of you is out of range.
- If your ball appears headed toward another player or another group, give them a warning by yelling out, "Fore!"
- Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous.
Play with Pace
- Keep the round moving by being prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably don't like waiting on other groups - don't make other groups wait on you.
- Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if there is a group behind you ready to play. If you need to take the full five minutes to look for lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to allow them to play through.
- Always try to keep pace with the group ahead of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to play through.
- When two players in a buggy hit to opposite sides of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit, meet up farther down the hole.
- When walking from your buggy to your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club, then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club, is a huge time-waster.
- Always leave the putting green as soon as your group has finished putting.
- Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous.
Be Kind to the Course
- Observe buggy rules. Some courses will post "cart path only" signs; others will ask you to observe the "90-degree rule." Do as you are told.
- Keep buggies away from greens and hazards.
- Repair all divots.
- Repair all pitch marks the green.
- Always rake a bunker after hitting to erase your footprints and damage to the area where your ball was.
- Try not to take a divot on a practice swing.
And a Few More Golf Etiquette Hints
- Never talk during another player's swing.
- Do not yell out following a shot. Even if boisterous behavior doesn't bother your playing partners, there are other people on the course who may be within earshot.
- Be aware of your shadow on the putting green. Don't stand in a place that causes your shadow to be cast across another player or that player's putting line.
- Never walk through a playing partner's putting line. Your footprints might alter the path of a partner's putt. Step over the putting line, or walk around (behind) the partner's ball.
The Polished Professional Course, 20th September 2007 at the RDS
The Polished Professional is a one-day business programme. The programme will cover the key elements of business etiquette and business style. The programme will be delivered by Maggie Gibbons and Pamela Fay. There will be a maximum of 14 participants on the programme.
Who should attend?
The programme is designed for business professionals who want to ensure that their work style and business etiquette reflect the quality of their professional work. The programme is ideal for professionals who are going for a new role, setting up a new business or entering a new work arena.
Course Content:
The programme will cover the following areas:
Business Etiquette including:
- Business Etiquette including:
- Managing client interactions
- Managing formal and informal meetings
- Business communications
- Dining etiquette
- Personal Branding
- Business Style including:
- Dressing for success
- First Impressions
- The rules of dressing for business
- Business colours
- Developing a capsule business wardrobe
- Dressing to enhance your body shape
- Matching wines with food, with a wine tasting.
Profiles of the Programme Leaders:
Maggie Gibbons is a trainer with the Style Coaching Institute. She has a wealth of experience in both Training and Style Coaching spanning more than 20 years. With Diplomas in both Life Coaching and Style Coaching she works with businesses throughout Ireland. Maggie was a regular contributor on the hugely popular "Open House" and has been published in newspapers and magazines.
Pamela Fay is Managing Director of Business Performance Perspectives Ltd. Pamela has delivered a range of business etiquette programmes in professional service firms since establishing her business in 2003. For further details on the programme and booking form please contact Pamela on info@pamelafay.ie.
Feedback
I would be delighted to receive your feedback on any aspect of this e-zine. Please email Business Performance Perspectives on info@pamelafay.ie.