In 1993 AT&T released a massive ad campaign called “You will.” How many of them came true? EZ-Pass, books online, video conferencing, and voice recognition technology. How many of them didn’t? Faxing from the beach (touch technology did though), or public phones with Skype built in - who uses a public phone now? I don't even know how they work anymore.
The great thing about this ad campaign is that I take most of these technologies for granted now. They're a part of my every day life. However, not to long ago, they were simply dreams in people's minds and hearts - dreams that were birthed through vision, strategy, and process.
Krama Consulting and Development is about a lot of things (I'm ambitious). But it's mainly about one thing - assisting people in realizing their dreams through vision, strategy and process.
As you watch this video with these commercials, think about your dreams and how they might come.
Best wishes and happy dreaming:
Showing posts with label consulting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consulting. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Beyond The Triple Bottom Line (Integral Business II)
There is a lot of talk in the business world, especially the post-modern new business world of value and vision, about the Triple Bottom Line: profit, people, and planet. I like this approach. I think it's a great start towards building businesses that are sustainable in the long-term and impacting, meaningful in the short term. However, an integral business needs to go beyond this.
I know some of us are just getting our feet wet to the idea and practice of the Triple Bottom Line. For some of us, it's not even yet on the radar. An integral business of profit and impact needs a Penta Bottom Line. I was going to add just one more to the mix (quadruple bottom line), but we, as a business community, need to take a huge leap. Now.
The Penta Bottom Line: Profit, People, Planet, Principles, and Progress.
Most when talking about the Triple Bottom Line put profit last, as in: planet, people, profit. I think this is wonderfully visionary, and yet it fails to acknowledge that a business exists, in my perspective, to primarily create capital. Certainly, not at the harm of the other points on the bottom line, but it's primary reason for being a business, is again, making money. Otherwise, it would be a non-profit or something different.
I assume most of you understand profit, people, and planet, so I will explain principles and progress.
Principles: Rules are out. Principles are in. Principles act as guides and measures in vision, strategy, process, operations, and out-reach. Principles are interactive, directive voices in the process of decision making. Rules are rigid, limit creativity, and exist to create measured and tested results. Principles, on the other hand, acknowledge that our world is complex, changing, and unstable. No longer will rigid rules work to guide organizations that need dynamic and responsive action in a rapidly changing market and business landscape - we need interactive principles. What are the known and unknown principles that guide the decisions in your organization? Do you like them? Are they effectively guiding the outcomes you desire? Do you need a guiding principles tune-up?
Progress: I forced myself to stick with P's, but by progress I really mean development. Integral businesses consider the development of their people, culture, organizations, and the systems they interact with as important as profit. A direct investment in the development of each employee in your organization is a direct investment in your organization. Development programs are generally geared towards management (which is great and certainly needed) and those that are really screwing up, but what would your organization look like if it valued the development of each person, group, and the world around you? How can you create systems where each person is given the chance to build capacities and self?
By operating with a Penta Bottom Line, your organization opens up the sphere and valuation of success to areas that directly relate to your organization's success in the short-term and long-term.
As always, more on this soon.
I know some of us are just getting our feet wet to the idea and practice of the Triple Bottom Line. For some of us, it's not even yet on the radar. An integral business of profit and impact needs a Penta Bottom Line. I was going to add just one more to the mix (quadruple bottom line), but we, as a business community, need to take a huge leap. Now.
The Penta Bottom Line: Profit, People, Planet, Principles, and Progress.
Most when talking about the Triple Bottom Line put profit last, as in: planet, people, profit. I think this is wonderfully visionary, and yet it fails to acknowledge that a business exists, in my perspective, to primarily create capital. Certainly, not at the harm of the other points on the bottom line, but it's primary reason for being a business, is again, making money. Otherwise, it would be a non-profit or something different.
I assume most of you understand profit, people, and planet, so I will explain principles and progress.
Principles: Rules are out. Principles are in. Principles act as guides and measures in vision, strategy, process, operations, and out-reach. Principles are interactive, directive voices in the process of decision making. Rules are rigid, limit creativity, and exist to create measured and tested results. Principles, on the other hand, acknowledge that our world is complex, changing, and unstable. No longer will rigid rules work to guide organizations that need dynamic and responsive action in a rapidly changing market and business landscape - we need interactive principles. What are the known and unknown principles that guide the decisions in your organization? Do you like them? Are they effectively guiding the outcomes you desire? Do you need a guiding principles tune-up?
Progress: I forced myself to stick with P's, but by progress I really mean development. Integral businesses consider the development of their people, culture, organizations, and the systems they interact with as important as profit. A direct investment in the development of each employee in your organization is a direct investment in your organization. Development programs are generally geared towards management (which is great and certainly needed) and those that are really screwing up, but what would your organization look like if it valued the development of each person, group, and the world around you? How can you create systems where each person is given the chance to build capacities and self?
By operating with a Penta Bottom Line, your organization opens up the sphere and valuation of success to areas that directly relate to your organization's success in the short-term and long-term.
As always, more on this soon.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Integral Business I: Short-Term and Long-Term
For the purpose of this blog and post, business is defined as any operation creating capital increase. The hub of a business is making money. This, of course, doesn’t mean that businesses can’t do other things, as they both do and need to – look for a future post: Penta Bottom Line. This simply means that the creation of new capital is the generalizing principle for all things defined as business.
The core intention of this blog is to illustrate what an integral business is, how it operates, and how it is created. My assumption is an integrally framed business will ultimately be more profitable and sustainable (meaning: existing for a longer period of time) than a business that is not.
Businesses typically focus on capital and profit. This makes sense given that business’ organizing and general principle is generation of new capital; however, in our contemporary world with stockholders and stakeholders operating at multiple levels, this has come to mean consistent quarterly increases with solid strategy reaching generally about three quarters out.
An integral business considers many different things as essential to both its existence and profitability. Short-term profit growth is important, as is long term. There are many examples of individuals and organizations that have made decisions that boosted short-term increases, but were ultimately detrimental in the long-term (both to profit and sometimes the viability of the organization).
I recommend that organizations visionize and strategize ten years forward. I understand that ten years is a very long time. Things change rapidly in this world: the market, technology, governments and law, generational preferences in the workforce, social values, and the environment. However, with the assistance of forecasting, intuition, and highly developed leaders and strategists, a ten-year vision and strategy is not simply possibly, but functional and necessary.
Visions and strategies are not fixed, concrete things. They are meant to be dynamic, adjustable, and molded with the feedback of the market and further insight. Though they adjust over time, vision and strategy becomes the guide for every decision made in the present moment. Each decision for profit in the present is measured against a ten-year vision and strategy, and the evaluation considers both short-term and long-term impact (imagine if Enron did this).
An integral business works dynamically in the present while always keeping its sight ten years forward. The relationship and tension between the present and the future (while considering the past) more greatly enables a business for present and future profitability.
The core intention of this blog is to illustrate what an integral business is, how it operates, and how it is created. My assumption is an integrally framed business will ultimately be more profitable and sustainable (meaning: existing for a longer period of time) than a business that is not.
Businesses typically focus on capital and profit. This makes sense given that business’ organizing and general principle is generation of new capital; however, in our contemporary world with stockholders and stakeholders operating at multiple levels, this has come to mean consistent quarterly increases with solid strategy reaching generally about three quarters out.
An integral business considers many different things as essential to both its existence and profitability. Short-term profit growth is important, as is long term. There are many examples of individuals and organizations that have made decisions that boosted short-term increases, but were ultimately detrimental in the long-term (both to profit and sometimes the viability of the organization).
I recommend that organizations visionize and strategize ten years forward. I understand that ten years is a very long time. Things change rapidly in this world: the market, technology, governments and law, generational preferences in the workforce, social values, and the environment. However, with the assistance of forecasting, intuition, and highly developed leaders and strategists, a ten-year vision and strategy is not simply possibly, but functional and necessary.
Visions and strategies are not fixed, concrete things. They are meant to be dynamic, adjustable, and molded with the feedback of the market and further insight. Though they adjust over time, vision and strategy becomes the guide for every decision made in the present moment. Each decision for profit in the present is measured against a ten-year vision and strategy, and the evaluation considers both short-term and long-term impact (imagine if Enron did this).
An integral business works dynamically in the present while always keeping its sight ten years forward. The relationship and tension between the present and the future (while considering the past) more greatly enables a business for present and future profitability.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Vision and Strategy
Back to the basics.
Whenever I meet with someone for the first time, I ask two questions: 1) what's your vision, and 2) what's your strategy?
Most of the time, I sit there for about an hour while I listen to a long ramble that doesn't quite make sense. I then ask again: so, what's your vision and what's your strategy?
It quickly becomes clear that they don't really know, can't really articulate it, are lost in vision, or have a sense of strategy that doesn't move too deep because they're lacking vision.
For organizations (and individuals) to be successful there has to be clear vision and strategy, and everyone (I do mean everyone) at the organization should be able to articulate it, think on it, change on it, practice it in a dynamic and personal way.
Your vision and strategy needs to be precise, simple, and clear, as this is where all else will move forward.
What's your vision? What's your strategy?
Whenever I meet with someone for the first time, I ask two questions: 1) what's your vision, and 2) what's your strategy?
Most of the time, I sit there for about an hour while I listen to a long ramble that doesn't quite make sense. I then ask again: so, what's your vision and what's your strategy?
It quickly becomes clear that they don't really know, can't really articulate it, are lost in vision, or have a sense of strategy that doesn't move too deep because they're lacking vision.
For organizations (and individuals) to be successful there has to be clear vision and strategy, and everyone (I do mean everyone) at the organization should be able to articulate it, think on it, change on it, practice it in a dynamic and personal way.
Your vision and strategy needs to be precise, simple, and clear, as this is where all else will move forward.
What's your vision? What's your strategy?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Creative Solution Selling
Last fall I lost a lot of contracts due to massive budget cuts. It was and still is a hard time to be an independent consultant. I was discussing this dilemma with my friend Saam Gabbay and he said, "Dude, you have to create projects and the capital to fund them. You have to not only make yourself invaluable, but you also have to illustrate a problem, create a solution, and sometimes find the capital to pay yourself."
Saam is an exceptional producer, brander, marketer, and media professional. He showed me 10 companies that he really liked for product, brand, and value reasons, and also where he saw gaps in their branding, marketing and social media. He would then pick up the phone and call. After various holds and transfers, he would eventually find the person he needed to talk with, explain that he was a fan and customer, and present a proposal. He landed several projects in a market that, for most people, was entirely frozen. I had spent the last few months engaged in traditional marketing, lamenting with other consultants and freelancers, and working on a novel (it's still in the works).
Things had to change. My first venture in creative solution selling was with a local non-profit I really appreciate and beleive in. They had some really detrimental challenges in leadership, organization structure, vision and mission, and branding - all of which was causing the organization massive pain. Not only were they confronted by these challenges, but with the crash of the market they had also lost a lot of funding.
Much like Saam, I wrote a proposal, connected, and shared my enthusiasm and appreciation for their work. I went throgh my proposal and they agreed: they were indeed challenged; however, they had absolutely nothing they could pay me. I needed to be more creative. I proposed that I fundraise for them and asked that they give me 75% of whatever I raised for project fees. They agreed. We went forward. It all worked out very well.
In this market, we not only have to offer a service or product of value, but we have to find where these fit, illustate their necessity, and sometimes create the capital.
In our post-modern iteration of the sells approach, we're taught to listen, create a relationship, and really find out what the customer needs. It's this process of discover that sells you and what you offer. I generally like this. This is the approach that I tend to use. However, without losing the significance of relationship, discovery, conversation, and ultimately care, we have to take a much more active approach. We have to engage creative solution selling.
With creative solution selling, you're both creating (or illustrating) a need and a solution.
Harvard Business Review's March issue had a great article called Provoke Your Customers. This article, much like this discussion of creative solution selling, urges businesses to become active in their sells process. Create both the problem and solution.
HBR offers a table of comparison:
In current relational based selling:
Saam is an exceptional producer, brander, marketer, and media professional. He showed me 10 companies that he really liked for product, brand, and value reasons, and also where he saw gaps in their branding, marketing and social media. He would then pick up the phone and call. After various holds and transfers, he would eventually find the person he needed to talk with, explain that he was a fan and customer, and present a proposal. He landed several projects in a market that, for most people, was entirely frozen. I had spent the last few months engaged in traditional marketing, lamenting with other consultants and freelancers, and working on a novel (it's still in the works).
Things had to change. My first venture in creative solution selling was with a local non-profit I really appreciate and beleive in. They had some really detrimental challenges in leadership, organization structure, vision and mission, and branding - all of which was causing the organization massive pain. Not only were they confronted by these challenges, but with the crash of the market they had also lost a lot of funding.
Much like Saam, I wrote a proposal, connected, and shared my enthusiasm and appreciation for their work. I went throgh my proposal and they agreed: they were indeed challenged; however, they had absolutely nothing they could pay me. I needed to be more creative. I proposed that I fundraise for them and asked that they give me 75% of whatever I raised for project fees. They agreed. We went forward. It all worked out very well.
In this market, we not only have to offer a service or product of value, but we have to find where these fit, illustate their necessity, and sometimes create the capital.
In our post-modern iteration of the sells approach, we're taught to listen, create a relationship, and really find out what the customer needs. It's this process of discover that sells you and what you offer. I generally like this. This is the approach that I tend to use. However, without losing the significance of relationship, discovery, conversation, and ultimately care, we have to take a much more active approach. We have to engage creative solution selling.
With creative solution selling, you're both creating (or illustrating) a need and a solution.
Harvard Business Review's March issue had a great article called Provoke Your Customers. This article, much like this discussion of creative solution selling, urges businesses to become active in their sells process. Create both the problem and solution.
HBR offers a table of comparison:
In current relational based selling:
- Competes for vendor preference within an exisiting budget
- Aligns with prevailing point of view
- Addresses acknowledged pain points
- Targets tactical problems
- Begins with technical proof and then builds a business case
- Starts as a line-of-business dialogue
- Asks questions to identify needs
- Responds to issues described by the client
- Compels project investment outside an existing budget
- Challenges the prevailing point of view
- Addresses unacknowledged angst
- Targets strategic problems
- Begins with the business case and then provides technical proof
- Starts as an executive-level dialogue
- Uses an insightful hypothesis to provoke a response
- Is proactive and leading, forcing issues out
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Elephant, the Butterfly, the Hummingbird, and the Orchid
The Elephant, the Butterfly, the Hummingbird, and the Orchid:
Important Lessons for These Economic Times
I am constantly interested in what makes organizations, businesses, and individuals successful. A recent HBR article drew parallels from the Foreman v. Ali fight, and their symbols, the elephant and butterfly/bee, as creative impetus for business principles and solutions for our current market. I like a good metaphor. Metaphors are universal, offering insights that mold into our personal situations through shared symbolism and meaning. I like this. I am borrowing two of theirs and adding a few of my own.
The HBR article provides both exquisite symbolism and practical analytical tools, and is highly recommended. Give it a read when you have a chance.
One of the most constant assumptions in the change management consulting world is organizations that are highly adaptable will be success in our ever increasing world of rapid change and ambiguity. I tend to agree with this assumption and consult toward this end; however, as HBR points out, there are organizations (and prize fighters) that simply have the size and strength to resist challenges from the most agile competitors and most challenging environments.
Healthy adult elephants have no natural predators. They're big, tough and smart. Elephants, especially females, interact in groups, partnerships, and social circles that provide further protection. Brains and groups are helpful, but their lack of competition is ultimately a result of their size.
There are organizations in our marketplace that are the same, and because of their size, strength, positioning and cash reserves they will weather this down cycle with relative ease. It's important to note, the appearance of strength and size is not strength and size. A sick elephant is an easy target. A large organization, like Enron and Citi Bank, in a state of distress is quickly challenged by shifting markets and harmful attacks.
Consider for a moment your size, strength, production position and essential partnerships: do you have the strength, size and stable relationships with both partners and customers to weather this current storm? How are your cash reserves? Is your organization functional, resilient, and grounded in shared vision? Are the values of your company solidified in each employee? Are the larger systems that support you, lenders, supply chains, and vendors, also stable?
Strength and size is important, but it's not the only thing that will enable survival and success - think Roman Empire and Russia v. Afghanistan. The capacity to change and transform is essential. Caterpillars are great at what they do, and when there is the natural impulse to change they are able to completely transform their capacities and function interacting in a completely different environment and world - from crawling to flying.
Is your organization in touch with the intuition for necessary change? Can your business adapt to meet the demands of the current environment? Are there people in your organization that have the intuition to see needed change, development and evolution? Are there people that can facilitate necessary adaptation and growth?
IBM was able to adapt when their PC business began to fail. Instead of doing the same thing poorly, IBM created a new and powerful business of IT consulting, network installation and customer service. They completely adapted, changed their business model and process, and remained viable and successful.
Progressive and evolutionary change may not be the right thing for your business. Most often, simple, horizontal shifts will keep your organization competitive. The hummingbird has a lot to teach us here. Watching them move is enchanting and mesmerizing. Hover, shift, hover, shift. It's important now, more than ever, to move and reflect in ever rapidly increasing cycles. Pause, lateral shift, pause, lateral shift. Through this process, hummingbirds escape detection from predators and find necessary sustenance. The same will be true with your organization.
Is your organization able to make quick lateral shifts in strategy and process? Are there active reflection and action cycles built into your work process on all levels of your business? Is there clear time for assessment and course correction? Is it easy to let go of things that aren't working any longer and adjust to what does?
Again, we're not looking for big transformative shifts, just the right, strategic adjustments that keep your organization operating well from its current position.
A client over the period of a year gave me about 20 orchids. She would get a new orchid at her office each week, and so she would pass the prior week's off to me. I brought them home. I cared from them. I bought books about orchid care. I bought orchid food. I changed their light. I misted. I looked at them smiling while offering encouraging words. And nothing. They never bloomed again. After a year of this, I put them outside and left them to their own accord. I assumed that they would last just a few weeks in the challenging Los Angeles desert environment.
I was right about some. Some died quickly. However, the majority to my amazement lived! And even more surprising, about half of the plants that lived bloomed. No attention, water, care, food or encouraging words were offered - they simply lived and thrived.
Sometimes, against all odds, things survive and thrive. Does your organization have fierce will, a solid and embodied vision, and a functional strategy to channel these? Is your organization, powered by your people, systems, culture and social structure, going survive against all odds? Do you have the passion?
In this time of challenge and trial, some will fail, some will survive and some will thrive. Leverage your strengths, adapt, position and engage, just like elements in our natural world. It's worked for them for 14+ billion years. It just might work for us.
Important Lessons for These Economic Times
I am constantly interested in what makes organizations, businesses, and individuals successful. A recent HBR article drew parallels from the Foreman v. Ali fight, and their symbols, the elephant and butterfly/bee, as creative impetus for business principles and solutions for our current market. I like a good metaphor. Metaphors are universal, offering insights that mold into our personal situations through shared symbolism and meaning. I like this. I am borrowing two of theirs and adding a few of my own.
The HBR article provides both exquisite symbolism and practical analytical tools, and is highly recommended. Give it a read when you have a chance.
One of the most constant assumptions in the change management consulting world is organizations that are highly adaptable will be success in our ever increasing world of rapid change and ambiguity. I tend to agree with this assumption and consult toward this end; however, as HBR points out, there are organizations (and prize fighters) that simply have the size and strength to resist challenges from the most agile competitors and most challenging environments.
Healthy adult elephants have no natural predators. They're big, tough and smart. Elephants, especially females, interact in groups, partnerships, and social circles that provide further protection. Brains and groups are helpful, but their lack of competition is ultimately a result of their size.
There are organizations in our marketplace that are the same, and because of their size, strength, positioning and cash reserves they will weather this down cycle with relative ease. It's important to note, the appearance of strength and size is not strength and size. A sick elephant is an easy target. A large organization, like Enron and Citi Bank, in a state of distress is quickly challenged by shifting markets and harmful attacks.
Consider for a moment your size, strength, production position and essential partnerships: do you have the strength, size and stable relationships with both partners and customers to weather this current storm? How are your cash reserves? Is your organization functional, resilient, and grounded in shared vision? Are the values of your company solidified in each employee? Are the larger systems that support you, lenders, supply chains, and vendors, also stable?
Strength and size is important, but it's not the only thing that will enable survival and success - think Roman Empire and Russia v. Afghanistan. The capacity to change and transform is essential. Caterpillars are great at what they do, and when there is the natural impulse to change they are able to completely transform their capacities and function interacting in a completely different environment and world - from crawling to flying.
Is your organization in touch with the intuition for necessary change? Can your business adapt to meet the demands of the current environment? Are there people in your organization that have the intuition to see needed change, development and evolution? Are there people that can facilitate necessary adaptation and growth?
IBM was able to adapt when their PC business began to fail. Instead of doing the same thing poorly, IBM created a new and powerful business of IT consulting, network installation and customer service. They completely adapted, changed their business model and process, and remained viable and successful.
Progressive and evolutionary change may not be the right thing for your business. Most often, simple, horizontal shifts will keep your organization competitive. The hummingbird has a lot to teach us here. Watching them move is enchanting and mesmerizing. Hover, shift, hover, shift. It's important now, more than ever, to move and reflect in ever rapidly increasing cycles. Pause, lateral shift, pause, lateral shift. Through this process, hummingbirds escape detection from predators and find necessary sustenance. The same will be true with your organization.
Is your organization able to make quick lateral shifts in strategy and process? Are there active reflection and action cycles built into your work process on all levels of your business? Is there clear time for assessment and course correction? Is it easy to let go of things that aren't working any longer and adjust to what does?
Again, we're not looking for big transformative shifts, just the right, strategic adjustments that keep your organization operating well from its current position.
A client over the period of a year gave me about 20 orchids. She would get a new orchid at her office each week, and so she would pass the prior week's off to me. I brought them home. I cared from them. I bought books about orchid care. I bought orchid food. I changed their light. I misted. I looked at them smiling while offering encouraging words. And nothing. They never bloomed again. After a year of this, I put them outside and left them to their own accord. I assumed that they would last just a few weeks in the challenging Los Angeles desert environment.
I was right about some. Some died quickly. However, the majority to my amazement lived! And even more surprising, about half of the plants that lived bloomed. No attention, water, care, food or encouraging words were offered - they simply lived and thrived.
Sometimes, against all odds, things survive and thrive. Does your organization have fierce will, a solid and embodied vision, and a functional strategy to channel these? Is your organization, powered by your people, systems, culture and social structure, going survive against all odds? Do you have the passion?
In this time of challenge and trial, some will fail, some will survive and some will thrive. Leverage your strengths, adapt, position and engage, just like elements in our natural world. It's worked for them for 14+ billion years. It just might work for us.
Monday, May 4, 2009
General Solutions v. Custom Solutions
Most general consulting solutions tend to look like this when you really need something that looks like this:
Friday, March 20, 2009
Upcoming Telecourse: Becoming Change - Transition, Vision, and Strategy for these Economic Times
Upcoming Telecourse: Becoming Change - Transition, Vision, and Strategy for these Economic Times
The world needs your service, vision and hope. If you have recently found yourself:
Then Becoming Change - Transition, Vision, and Strategy for these Economic Times was created for you.
Becoming Change is a course designed to empower effective transition. Over the course of a month, 4 conference calls, and 2 coaching sessions you will be guided through a process of transformation. Stepping into new perspectives, strategies, and a community of support you will create the life and career that you desire and the world needs.
Through your participation in this course you will get:
Join us for a complimentary introductory session on April 7th at 5:30 PM PST (8:30 PM EST). Start your journey of transition, vision, and purpose, and experience an interactive conversation with Doug and Kris. You will be given practical tools, a course experience, followed by a question and answer session.
April 7th, Week One: Complimentary Introduction
April 8th - 13th: Orientation and Intention Coaching Session with Doug or Kris
April 14th, Week Two: Becoming Change
April 21st, Week Three: Transition
April 28th, Week Four: Vision
May 5th, Week Five: Strategy
May 6th+ Continued Support Coaching Session with Doug or Kris
Investment: $295
To Register Now:
The world needs your service, vision and hope. If you have recently found yourself:
- inspired to create change and support others,
- laid off from work and want a new direction,
- seeing a new potential but are unsure how to create it,
- tired of doom and gloom and are looking for a new conversation,
- interested in shifting the way you feel about the current culture and economy,
- seeking new solutions, looking for a new conversation,
- or are looking for hope and vision,
Then Becoming Change - Transition, Vision, and Strategy for these Economic Times was created for you.
Becoming Change is a course designed to empower effective transition. Over the course of a month, 4 conference calls, and 2 coaching sessions you will be guided through a process of transformation. Stepping into new perspectives, strategies, and a community of support you will create the life and career that you desire and the world needs.
Through your participation in this course you will get:
- tools to alleviate stress, fear, confusion, and anxiety
- practices to create a clear picture and a broad view
- empowering experiences of vision and purpose creation
- methods to cease knee-jerk reactions and make powerful choices
- practical tools and assistance for creating and implementing strategy
Join us for a complimentary introductory session on April 7th at 5:30 PM PST (8:30 PM EST). Start your journey of transition, vision, and purpose, and experience an interactive conversation with Doug and Kris. You will be given practical tools, a course experience, followed by a question and answer session.
To register: Email Kris at kris@kramaconsulting.com or Email Doug at doug@coachdoug.com
Course Outline:
April 7th, Week One: Complimentary Introduction
April 8th - 13th: Orientation and Intention Coaching Session with Doug or Kris
April 14th, Week Two: Becoming Change
April 21st, Week Three: Transition
April 28th, Week Four: Vision
May 5th, Week Five: Strategy
May 6th+ Continued Support Coaching Session with Doug or Kris
Detailed Information:
Investment: $295
To Register Now:
- Contact Doug: doug@coachdoug.com | www.coachdoug.com
- Contact Kris: kris@kramaconsulting.com | www.kramaconsulting.com
Saturday, March 14, 2009
New Management Job Description: Managing Stress, Anxiety and Fear
In a survey conducted several years ago by the Anxiety Disorders of America Association (ADAA) in partnership with National Stress Out Week, 56% of people said that anxiety and stress affects their performance, 51% said it affected their interpersonal work relationships, 50% said it affects their quality of work, and 43% said it affects their relationship with their superiors.
From The Business Mirror:
"For some, the economy is having an extreme impact. In a November-December study by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 54 percent of participating hotline callers said their household's financial situation had changed in the past year. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, meanwhile, has had an increase in calls, from 412,000 in 2007 to 568,000 in 2008."
Right now, almost everyone is, at least a little, stressed out. Especially at organizations that have gone through one, two or three rounds of layoffs. Right now, in this economy and during this recession, managers, leaders, and organizations need to step into new leadership capacities. Managers need to engage and interact with people in a way that assists in finding ease and support. We need new management for a new world. Earlier this week, I wrote a blog called Leading from the Heart, the first in an undetermined series on a new and emergent way of leadership and management. We all need to lead from the heart.
Again, from The Business Mirror:
"The irony, advisers and economists say, is that an anxious investor, consumer or worker actually compounds the economy's distress. The fear is driving people to make rash decisions with investments, thus contributing to the volatility of the stock markets. It is keeping consumers from spending money, not a good thing nationally, considering that consumer spending makes up 70 percent of the economy. And it is making many workers less productive at work."
Building leadership capacities is now essential for an organization's success. Managers need to manage and lead from the heart. Leaders need a new sensitivity and awareness. If an organization's leaders cannot manage fear, anxiety and stress, that organization will be greatly crippled and ultimately fail.
In the series Leading from the Heart, I will touch on and explore many different perspectives on what will be required for leaders to manage successfully and effectively in our new world and time.
In the meantime, here are a few pointers:
1) Find confidence and be confident. Inauthentic expressions will backfire. However, if you can access a true perspective of ease, innovation, and abundance your presence will have powerful impact on all of those around you. Your attitude speaks much louder than your words.
2) Listen. Listen. Listen. Use your time to listen to your employees concerns. Listen with genuine concern. Talking to your employees about their problems is not listening to their problems. Truly listen. Truly listen to them from a place of clarity and compassion. Yes, compassion. This is not the 80s anymore and management needs to change.
3) Be honest and positive. False hope is false. Blind optimism is annoying. However, find a healthy, balanced, positive perspective and share it generously.
4) Reframe. Challenge the assumptions of doom and the perspectives of failure. Give your people a new and empowered place to perceive from. Show them hope. Show them innovation. Make the impossible possible. Take failure and turn it into results.
5) Be real. Share your concerns and your fears in a real, honest, and authentic way, and also offer your wisdom for how you manage and deal with it. Be willing to relate to your people; collapse the divide and let down the wall. Create access to you. This isn't an open door policy, it's an open heart and mind policy. Revisit no. 3.
Change has to happen, and it needs to happen fast. The world and our economy is not going to afford us an even and measured learning curve. The time for new management came yesterday. Get busy.
From The Business Mirror:
"For some, the economy is having an extreme impact. In a November-December study by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 54 percent of participating hotline callers said their household's financial situation had changed in the past year. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, meanwhile, has had an increase in calls, from 412,000 in 2007 to 568,000 in 2008."
Right now, almost everyone is, at least a little, stressed out. Especially at organizations that have gone through one, two or three rounds of layoffs. Right now, in this economy and during this recession, managers, leaders, and organizations need to step into new leadership capacities. Managers need to engage and interact with people in a way that assists in finding ease and support. We need new management for a new world. Earlier this week, I wrote a blog called Leading from the Heart, the first in an undetermined series on a new and emergent way of leadership and management. We all need to lead from the heart.
Again, from The Business Mirror:
"The irony, advisers and economists say, is that an anxious investor, consumer or worker actually compounds the economy's distress. The fear is driving people to make rash decisions with investments, thus contributing to the volatility of the stock markets. It is keeping consumers from spending money, not a good thing nationally, considering that consumer spending makes up 70 percent of the economy. And it is making many workers less productive at work."
Building leadership capacities is now essential for an organization's success. Managers need to manage and lead from the heart. Leaders need a new sensitivity and awareness. If an organization's leaders cannot manage fear, anxiety and stress, that organization will be greatly crippled and ultimately fail.
In the series Leading from the Heart, I will touch on and explore many different perspectives on what will be required for leaders to manage successfully and effectively in our new world and time.
In the meantime, here are a few pointers:
1) Find confidence and be confident. Inauthentic expressions will backfire. However, if you can access a true perspective of ease, innovation, and abundance your presence will have powerful impact on all of those around you. Your attitude speaks much louder than your words.
2) Listen. Listen. Listen. Use your time to listen to your employees concerns. Listen with genuine concern. Talking to your employees about their problems is not listening to their problems. Truly listen. Truly listen to them from a place of clarity and compassion. Yes, compassion. This is not the 80s anymore and management needs to change.
3) Be honest and positive. False hope is false. Blind optimism is annoying. However, find a healthy, balanced, positive perspective and share it generously.
4) Reframe. Challenge the assumptions of doom and the perspectives of failure. Give your people a new and empowered place to perceive from. Show them hope. Show them innovation. Make the impossible possible. Take failure and turn it into results.
5) Be real. Share your concerns and your fears in a real, honest, and authentic way, and also offer your wisdom for how you manage and deal with it. Be willing to relate to your people; collapse the divide and let down the wall. Create access to you. This isn't an open door policy, it's an open heart and mind policy. Revisit no. 3.
Change has to happen, and it needs to happen fast. The world and our economy is not going to afford us an even and measured learning curve. The time for new management came yesterday. Get busy.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Solutions for The Current Economy
Times are very tough, and yet I am hopeful. I'm optimistic and even, dare I say, excited by the opportunities for change. Things may get a little worse before they begin to get a little better. However, they will get better. The most exciting thing about this opportunity is that we (each and every one of us) can, needs to, and will affect this change. There is already so much transition, reconsideration, visioning, creation, commitment, and energy.
Simply, we want to do better, and we know we can do better. I want to support you in this, and am offering four distinct services for both individuals and organizations to assist in this economy and transition.
Summary of Services
· Transition Coaching for Individuals
Perfect for someone that has recently lost a job or is currently re-visioning their lives.
· Executive Coaching for Struggling Organizations
Essential for an executive that is faced with layoff and restructuring decisions in the next month.
· 360° Organization/Business Assessment & Change Initiative
Ideal for organizations and businesses that are restructuring and cutting back.
· Process Driven Strategy Investigation for Organizations
Designed for businesses and organizations that need to rapidly adjust immediate strategy to current market and social conditions.
Detail of Services
· Transition Coaching for Individuals
This is a specific six week or three month course for individuals in transition. This personal course will include deep vision work, development of strategic intuition and forecasting, communication coaching, leadership empathy, value solidification, and effective life strategy. We will explore the things that are keeping you from being proactive and successful: fear, doubt, blame, and hopelessness, and ensure that they no longer keep you from your greatest success and purpose.
We will meet for an hour each week in person or on the phone. You will engage specific work and practices custom designed for you. And you will have full access to me, either by phone or email, in between sessions for support and guidance.
As the things that are keeping you from moving forward dissipate, and the capacities and skills you need to be a successful actor of the future are developed, you will step into greater success and freedom.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· Executive Coaching for Struggling Organizations
Executives are dealing with a lot - I am hearing about overload, impossible decisions, guilt, fear, frustration, and challenge like many have never faced before.
This support and coaching focuses on separating emotional and mental experience, the facts of circumstance, and forward moving strategy in a process I call M3. Each area is dealt with using further processes of discernment and discovery, so that every decision is made with absolute clarity and information.
This is a retainer package, which allows for 24 hour a day access to me.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· 360° Organization/Business Assessment & Change Initiative
A needed solution for businesses and organizations of all sizes. Please call or write for a free consultation to learn if this is right for you.
This process opens up the organization from the inside out and the outside in. The organization is reviewed in a systematic and comprehensive method, uncovering the invaluable, unclear, unrefined and underdeveloped areas allowing for a more fluid, more successful and higher achieving organization.
During a time when mistakes cannot be allowed to go unnoticed and persist, it is essential to know what is great, what needs work, and what no longer adds value. The sustainability of your organization may depend on this. The assessment is always followed with a path to change and the support to implement.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· Process Driven Strategy Investigation for Organizations
I hear about too many organizations making short-term, reactive decisions that do not align with overall vision, mission and values. In this process the vision, mission and values become clarified and act as the guiding light for all needed adjustments in strategy, tactics, and process.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
More than ever, during this time, support is needed for your success and the success of your organization. Allow Krama Consulting & Development a hand in growing you and your organization into the future.
Best wishes and great success!
Sincerely Yours,
Kristoffer Nelson
Kristoffer Nelson has been transforming individuals and systems for over 10 years.
Simply, we want to do better, and we know we can do better. I want to support you in this, and am offering four distinct services for both individuals and organizations to assist in this economy and transition.
"Kris is a natural teacher and coach, and an exceptional leader. He is extremely intelligent and grounded, and visionary and compassionate. I recommend him with out hesitation to those wanting to work at the leading edge of development and performance."
- Dana Carman, Principal Pacific Integral
- Dana Carman, Principal Pacific Integral
Summary of Services
· Transition Coaching for Individuals
Perfect for someone that has recently lost a job or is currently re-visioning their lives.
· Executive Coaching for Struggling Organizations
Essential for an executive that is faced with layoff and restructuring decisions in the next month.
· 360° Organization/Business Assessment & Change Initiative
Ideal for organizations and businesses that are restructuring and cutting back.
· Process Driven Strategy Investigation for Organizations
Designed for businesses and organizations that need to rapidly adjust immediate strategy to current market and social conditions.
"Working with Kris Nelson brought clarity and precision. Kris's easy, natural and non-judgmental insight supported and encouraged me to go deep inside myself, to observe my actions, to notice where they were coming from without attachment and critical analysis. Kris is a pillar of strength; his wisdom coached me through situations that I would have previously thought were insurmountable."
- Lauri Ashworth, Owner and Founder The Hub
- Lauri Ashworth, Owner and Founder The Hub
Detail of Services
· Transition Coaching for Individuals
This is a specific six week or three month course for individuals in transition. This personal course will include deep vision work, development of strategic intuition and forecasting, communication coaching, leadership empathy, value solidification, and effective life strategy. We will explore the things that are keeping you from being proactive and successful: fear, doubt, blame, and hopelessness, and ensure that they no longer keep you from your greatest success and purpose.
We will meet for an hour each week in person or on the phone. You will engage specific work and practices custom designed for you. And you will have full access to me, either by phone or email, in between sessions for support and guidance.
As the things that are keeping you from moving forward dissipate, and the capacities and skills you need to be a successful actor of the future are developed, you will step into greater success and freedom.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· Executive Coaching for Struggling Organizations
Executives are dealing with a lot - I am hearing about overload, impossible decisions, guilt, fear, frustration, and challenge like many have never faced before.
This support and coaching focuses on separating emotional and mental experience, the facts of circumstance, and forward moving strategy in a process I call M3. Each area is dealt with using further processes of discernment and discovery, so that every decision is made with absolute clarity and information.
This is a retainer package, which allows for 24 hour a day access to me.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· 360° Organization/Business Assessment & Change Initiative
A needed solution for businesses and organizations of all sizes. Please call or write for a free consultation to learn if this is right for you.
This process opens up the organization from the inside out and the outside in. The organization is reviewed in a systematic and comprehensive method, uncovering the invaluable, unclear, unrefined and underdeveloped areas allowing for a more fluid, more successful and higher achieving organization.
During a time when mistakes cannot be allowed to go unnoticed and persist, it is essential to know what is great, what needs work, and what no longer adds value. The sustainability of your organization may depend on this. The assessment is always followed with a path to change and the support to implement.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
· Process Driven Strategy Investigation for Organizations
I hear about too many organizations making short-term, reactive decisions that do not align with overall vision, mission and values. In this process the vision, mission and values become clarified and act as the guiding light for all needed adjustments in strategy, tactics, and process.
For pricing and further information, please email me at: kris@kramaconsulting.com
More than ever, during this time, support is needed for your success and the success of your organization. Allow Krama Consulting & Development a hand in growing you and your organization into the future.
Best wishes and great success!
Sincerely Yours,
Kristoffer Nelson
Kristoffer Nelson has been transforming individuals and systems for over 10 years.
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