The quick and the dead !

                                                      

Edition 96 Monday 27^th June  2011

Hi, there are some things you never grow out of and they tend to be lifes simple pleasures. Things like eating fish and chips out of the wrapper with copious amounts of extra sauce and salt (yum). Who doesn’t love skimming stones across the surface of the lake or foreshore in the world championship final with family or friends (judges decision on amount of skims is final). What about hunkering down in front of an open fire on a blustery winters afternoon watching an oldie but a goodie movie or some sport on the tele zzzzz. Or creating an old favorite like sweetcorn fritters or pikelets in the kitchen and then eating them all yourself ! (yum). Then you could head for the local beach or park for a walk wrapped up like Sir Ed against the elements! Like me I bet you too find it is simple things like this that often provide us with the most pleasure, fun,and long lasting memories. These are all things I happily remember from my past, things that were not planned days in advance but that were often spur of the moment things that became family favorites. They are all things we have done impromptu in the last few weekends without thinking about it and withoput it costing an arm and a leg that have been priceless fun to do. If you havent done some old favorites for a while why not promise yourself to take time out and do just that,…. soon.

Speaking of hunkering down in front of the fire, tennis and the footy, I remember seeing both the mighty Blues and the Crusaders heading for victory before falling asleep this weekend. Both live to fight again next weekend…good news. I hope you all had fun, some wins and a restful weekend with family and friends. Have a safe and happy week J ………………. cheers Jonesey!!!

Harry the hound cant believe I told you about him getting a blow dry last week!, a dog has a reputation to uphold afterall, crikey mate if only they knew about your grooming issues !!

 “A competitor is a person who goes into a revolving door behind you and comes out ahead of you” Richard Branson

We had some great wins last week because we reacted quicker than our competitors to opportunities that came our way. The secret to our success was the speed of our response. It has been an interesting experience starting a new company in a competitive market sector that boasts a number of major players who dominate market share. When you are the big guy it is often harder staying there than it was getting there in the first place. Complacency and arrogance are the enemy of the market leaders. The bigger you get the harder it is to maintain that personal touch with customers. Large corporates often lose touch with the coal face, their customers , they forget that it is those very customers that got them where they are today. This however is good news for businesses like ours as it creates opportunities for us to fill the void between the automated phone system and the the personal touch so many of them crave.

We have set some simple standards that are proving highly successful that include answering all phone calls to our business in person and returning requests for quotes and service immediately. Our competitors prefer instead to hide behind automation and contractual red tape avoiding face to face contact at all costs. Like the simple personal stuff alluded to above it is also the simple things in business that make the difference between winning and then retaining customers.

We have combined the personal touch and speed of response with some good old fashioned kiwi ingenuity putting together deals that provide us with key points of differentiation. Just like the Crusaders and the Blues the key to success is often how well we do the simple stuff. By concentrating on and doing the basics well you will find you stay one step ahead of your competitors…….go for it !

“The successful person is the one who finds out what is the matter with their business before their competitors do”. Roy L Smith

Virtus Pollett

Hi, the hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention and the tips of my fingers tingled as we waited in anticipation early Saturday afternoon. We weren’t alone as thousands of others crammed, pushed and jockeyed for position to share the same experience. The annual Auckland Grammar (AGS) vs Kings College (KC) First XV match has a history that dates back 115 years. The two sides have met an amazing 196 times over that period. Hundreds of pupils past and present, parents and supporters from each school welcomed their respective teams to the AGS #1 field. Two blood curdling haka’s were performed on the field by large groups of boys from each school. The tradition, passion and excitement was infectious and moving. Beamed live to ‘rugby channel’ viewers an amazing game unfolded where the lead seesawed and the result was in doubt to the very last seconds when unbelieveably the visitors snatched victory from the jaws of certain defeat. It was the type of match that restores ones faith in ‘our’ game through a traditional rivalry that has stood the test of time. As an ex coach of the KC side I was particularly proud that one of my former players was now coaching KC and a number of others were at the game supporting. It was also good to see a number of AGS supporters and past players fervently doing the same.

I know ruggers and sport isnt everyones cup of tea and there is probablyy more to life but it is hard to go past the rich life tapestry woven over time by this traditional rivalry. It was certainly a welcome and positive diversion for all from the recent negative and tragic KC press

I hope you managed to have an equally memorable weekend with family and friends, cheers Jonesey!

Harry the hound was pampered at ‘Nose to Tail’ (dog car wash!). We went for the full works including the blow dry and a new silver food bowl, Scooby Doo eat your heart out !!

 It isn't just what you know, and it isn't just who you know. It's actually who you know and who knows you that makes all the difference”. Bob Burg

This weekends experience at the First XV footy game reminded me how important the ‘old school tie’ network is. This network is clearly alive and well if my observations are anything to go by. Many prominent ex pupils of each school were in attendance amongst groups of friends and colleagues

Every school has an ‘old boy and girl’ network among which there are ‘movers and shakers’ who have influence or have worked their way to prominence in the world of Industry and Commerce. You don’t have to have attended posh private schools to be able to use your ‘old school ‘ network to your advantage. We tend to lose touch with people we went to school with after having formed close and special bonds with our year groups, class, and team mates. These are bonds that are formed for life, they are loyalties that are built and trust that is earned not given lightly.

So it makes sense to use this network to refer and be referred to as we work our way through life. Detractors say the old school network can limit competition and create a ‘closed shop’ in some cases? I say that if you can use this network to give yourself an advantage over competitors then why not? Often ‘who we know’ rather than ‘what we know’ makes all the difference. I don’t make enough of the large network of contacts I have so I went looking for a way to do something about that…

 I discovered a networking site called www.linkedin.co.nz it is the business/professional persons facebook. It does exactly what its name says by linking you to old school and business associates. It is a powerful worldwide network site that can assist you to grow your business contact base. You can join/register for free and it is amazing how quickly you can build and develop a network of contacts…so what are you waiting for, I look forward to connecting with you soon. Good luck.

“Position yourself as a center of influence - the one who knows the movers and shakers. People will respond to that, and you'll soon become what you project”. Bob Burg

Its a Buoy !!

                                                      

Edition 94 Monday 13^th June  2011

Hi, I am a hoarder from way back I think I inherited this from my dad who was always and still is  reluctant to throw anything out! I have combined my passion for hoarding with a love for wheeling and dealing. To this end I have a fixation for buying and selling on trademe. I am particularly interested in buying rugby memorabillia and selling anything I get sick of or pick up that I think has a resale value. I get a huge buzz out of both buying and selling and seldom don’t have anything listed for sale or on my watch list to buy. I figure everyone needs to have a passion ,interest or obsession and mine is hoarding,collecting or selling. I recently sold a large black buoy I found on our local beach for an undisclosed sum, I figured it was worth it after nearly killing myself recovering it and lugging it home ! Then I was able to save the future of full size cardboard cutouts of the legendary Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke from remaining in the hands of South Islanders by outbidding all comers to bring them home to Auckland for the Rugby World Cup (for an undisclosed sum !) I now have full life size cut outs of Dan the man Carter, Grizz Wylie, Captain Fantastic Richie McCaw and Zinny/Fitzy in my gym at home (scary in the dark when you forget they are there!). Such a buzz!

Its so much fun bidding on or running an auction, if you havent done it before, have a go!

Crikey , tough going for Blues supporters with loss # 4 on the trot, time to step up boys (yeah right)

Thank you for the encouraging feedback from last weeks ‘Upbeat’. On the back of this I watched the movie “The Kings Speech”,a great endorsement for the need to effectively communicate,check it out.

We had a cool weekend catching up with family and friends, hope you did too. Cheers Jonesey

Harry the hound is over the Blues and says the sooner I am the better!(yeah right).

“The standard you set is the one you choose to walk past” Fulton Hogan

I had a ‘minties moment’ Friday when I slipped and fell on a wet, slippery underground supermarket carpark surface. I was lucky not to hurt myself but got a big fright and smashed a number of bottles as the liquid supplies and contents therein went sprawling across the surface with me.

Once I had recovered from the embarrassment, shock and laughter/lack of assistance and fumes I cleaned up the mess and felt sorry for myself whilst considering what to do next.

Ordinarily I would have accepted the blame for being uncoordinated and clumsey and either re purchased the broken goods or disappeared embarrassed and  angry with myself for being a dipstick.

However the Health and safety side of me urged me to take action!, so I approached the manager to make her aware of the hazard the wet surface presented to customers. To her credit she was apologetic and agreed that the surface was a problem and one they needed to do something about. She also conceded that she and a number of her staff had also slipped previously. I suggested at the very least they put signs up warning customers of the hazard. She agreed to take some immediate action and without prompting duly replaced all the smashed items in my bag (Foodtown).

Imagine if I had not said anything and done what I guess so many of us would have done and accepted we were at fault and to harden up and get on with it? Who knows how many people have slipped over and smashed stuff or hurt themselves previously and not said or done anything?

This experience relates directly to the quote above from Fulton Hogan who encourage all their staff to report rather than ignore safety hazards. Clearly anything you see and know is wrong but choose to ignore is something you are accepting is ok. Yes we live in an over legislated and PC world but common sense needs to prevail. In my case I am glad I said something, I feel good that I have  contributed to making a difference by doing so. Too many of us accept rather than challnege things these days, time to preserve standards by pushing back and taking a stand. Good luck with that.

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing”. Albert Schweitze

Breaking the Ice !

                                                      

Edition 93 Tuesday 7^th June  2011

Hi, its amazing how things always seem to happen in three’s? That’s great if they are good things! Last week it was good for me when within the space of a couple of hours I ran into three people I had not seen collectively for nearly 30 years !Two were ex business colleagues and one was the daughter of an old personal friend I had been meaning to catch up with for ages. In the space of those three chance meetings I found out lots of stuff I had been wondering about too long. It made me realise how important it is to stay in touch with colleagues and friends and how easy it is to drift apart from people who can enrich and enhance your personal or business lives.

In another recent example I found out one of my customers was soon to be admitted to hospital for  open heart surgery. I also found out that we had a mutual friend whom he had not spoken to for years. So I contacted the mutual friend (whom I had also not spoken with for a year) I told him about his old mate and the Op. The outcome was an emotional reunion of two old buddies who had drifted apart for no good reason. This random act of reconnection made me feel pretty good too, so glad I made the effort to get these two together. Interesting observation from one of the guys that too often people don’t reconnect with old mates until they attend funerals of mutual friends or tragically when its far too late and they find themselves attending the actual funeral of that particular mate!

For the sake of a phone call (preferably not by text or email) I urge you all to call someone you have been meaning to touch base with for far too long… go on do it NOW(no resthome regrets…right!).

We were lucky enough to snaffle the ‘Jones’ family bach for QB weekend, where after weathering the storm we had some awesome weather and a relaxing time, hope you did too, Cheers Jonesey!

Harry the hound was so overwhelmed with birthday mail that he had to take time out at the bach to recover ! He asked me to pass on his appreciation for his popularity !Cheers!

 

“Come to the edge”, he said. They said,”We are afraid”. Come to the edge,” he said. They came. He pushed them…And they flew. Guillaume Apollinaire

I have been inspired by five people I have heard speak recently. They were not highly paid motivational gurus or celebrities on the public speaking circuit. No they were five people like you and I who were taking the first steps toward overcoming their fear of public speaking!

Each was presenting their first speech (the ‘Icebreaker’) to their chosen Toastmasters club. Their  objectives to ‘begin speaking in front of an audience’, to ‘introduce themselves to their fellow club members’ and ‘to identify skills thay already have and any they need to work on in future speeches’.

I still get a huge buzz out of watching and listening to people confront and feel the fear but do it anyway ! These speeches have it all, passion, honesty, raw emotion, deep personal connection, nerves, tears, laughter, humour, smiles, anguish and ultimately satisfaction and elation as their first speech is wrestled to the ground for the three count !

The most compelling thing about these speeches is there is a little bit of us  in all of them, stuff we can all relate to about fears and what we often do to avoid rather than confront them. The five all drew on heartfelt personal experiences that led to them ultimately mustering the courage to do something about what is a common fear for most of us... it was truly motivating and captivating.

After over twenty years as a Toastmaster these are the things that make me keep coming back for more, they drive, inspire and continually improve me as a leader and a presenter. They keep me bouncing out of bed on the day of the meetings and enthuse and energise me between them.

Toastmasters may not be everyones cup of tea but it is important for us all to identify confront and overcome fears so we can be driven by the energy harnessed from the confidence this generates!

“Its alright to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation”Rob Gilbert