LET the train take the strain. And we’re not talking about the 09.10 to Paddington here. As a business owner, don’t try and do everything yourself. You must delegate and to do that you must take training and development seriously. Training means helping your staff acquire additional skills to help them do the job. Development is ensuring they are able to move to the next level and beyond. Skills and experience gained in tandem.

As part of the staff member’s annual appraisal, you should identify training and development needs. This can involve courses, or perhaps sitting them next to a more experienced colleague, or maybe even temporary job swaps. Maybe a secondment would allow that individual to further their knowledge. Coaching, on a one-to-one basis, can also be beneficial.

While managing a team, don’t ignore problems between individuals. If there are strong differences of opinion on how things should be done, bring it out in the open. Discuss it as a team. Iron out the problem at the outset and there will be a greater chance of the group achieving their objectives.
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OBVIOUS experts get to the point, give clear and often brief responses. It’s enough to be understood, no more.

Get to the point, and get to the point really fast. Never use 10 words where five will do. Never use jargon (a word that someone hearing it would not understand), speak as if you are speaking to a 10-year-old, and a 10-year-old knows a great deal.

News channels can describe a war in a headline, so you can and I can describe anything in the same time.

(Extract from The Naked Millionaire)

CAN you grab the attention of others? Are you able to take centre stage and make an impact? Can you, in those immortal words of Adam Ant, stand and deliver?

Well, Lucy Moore, a Community Products Manager for The Prince’s Trust, can. Lucy attended the last Powerful Presentations course run by Naked Leader associate Martin Coburn. And she had this to say about how she benefited from her two-day experience.

‘The course inspired me to take a fresh approach to presenting,’ she said. ‘Presenting is no longer about standing up and reeling off stats in an uncompelling way to a disengaged audience. For me now, it’s about grabbing the audience’s attention, performing for them, having a conversation with them, interacting with them, and leaving them driven into action.

‘With a huge cross range of people in our group, we had the opportunity to learn from each other as well as from Martin. All of the activities we undertook were unique and totally different from what I had expected; drawing out the skills that were already in fact embedded in me. He covered everything, from realising my “showtime” state, to learning a clear and simple formula to use in any presentation.’
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FOR those old enough to remember, Abba had a hit with a certain song about money and declared that it’s a rich man’s world.

Actually, it isn’t and for many people, money – or more pertinently the lack of it – is an issue. If this is the case then draw up a detailed list of your assets and how much you owe. Facing the bottom-line figure is the key to solving any problem you might have. So, face the facts, the reality of what the figures are telling you.

Then, and only then, will you have the full picture. When you know what you are dealing with, set clear, consise objectives. Know what it is you want to achieve and then make plans to achieve it. If it is a negative balance don’t worry. Set yourself manageable goals and you will be able to tackle the problem. And don’t be afraid to ask for expert advice should you need it.

THINK of Simply The Best and an image of singer Tina Turner springs to mind. She sang an iconic song and suggested in the lyrics that we could be better than all the rest.

Well, no doubt you would like to be the best in whatever job or role you find yourself in. There are certain aspects of your character you can consider when trying to make yourself better.

Firstly, creativity, imagination, call it what you will – challenge yourself to find different ways of achieving a certain task. Take criticism in the spirit it is intended, to help you, and make sure when you are handing it out that it is constructive and based around helping the individual improve. Say ‘well done’ when it is appropriate.

Don’t stick to a tried and trusted formula, such as selling techniques you might have used over many years. There is the old adage ’stick to what you know best.’ And that might be what made you the successful person you are today. However, be flexible. Allow yourself to move with the times. Be adventurous.

Also, be enthusiastic, energised and show people you are excited about what you’re doing. Show them you care and they will care too. Try to copy what other people do well. Model yourself on someone you admire. And always be receptive to learning.

Attention to detail in areas such as finance, to make sure you are aware of profit/sales in the business environment is also important. Be on the ball. Be the best.