Social Media; Are you missing out?

by Toye on March 8, 2010

Some months ago I was at an event sponsored by IBM and the Telegraph Business Club  and was thinking, “am I good at spotting opportunities?”

The emphasis of the main talk was on trends of how more Small and Medium sized companies will do business in the future. Although the audience were a bit sceptical, the statistics are showing that more networking and communication is taking place via social network sites etc.

So here are some questions I think every business owner needs to be asking:

1.  How long do I want my business to be around for?

Sounds like a simple question, but the answer does have its consequences. First, if your target market are 21 year olds and above, then in 10 years time these are the 11year olds of today; if in 10 years time you are going to be marketing to 35 year olds and above, then these are the 25 year olds of today.  So here is what I am thinking: are some of us missing the opportunity to begin the change now or are we waiting to hear, ‘I told you so?’

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Blogs, Linkedin, etc are becoming part of many businesses’ strategy to build relationships with potential and existing clients.

2.  Is it worth the time?

I think this is what a lot of us are asking; how much time do I have to invest in this before I get a return on my investment?  My thoughts would go back to question one: If your target audience are in this platform, then learn to embrace it! The future of your business lies in the hands of the clients and customers you will keep and the ones you will attract in the future.

3.  Where do I start?

You know, this is a question I have asked myself – I would suggest first doing some internet research on your topic of interest.  Make a few comments on some blogs and forums, begin writing your own thoughts and set up a blog.

The main challenge I think majority of people have is the commitment that is necessary e.g. updating fresh content could be an issue, but if it is something you are passionate about, I think something will always flow.

What do you think?

I don’t see myself as an expert, however, I do have a few friends that know this industry inside out. I am thinking of doing a few teleseminars giving them a chance to teach us how to make the most of this. Do you think this will help you?  Your feedback and any comments on this will help.

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In Effective Leadership, Character Counts

by Toye on March 2, 2010

5 Simple Points for Character Development

What can we learn from Tiger Woods since the revelation of his extra-marital affairs, being dropped by his major sponsors and having to take a step back from playing golf?

That Character counts!  It was Ghandi that said “One man cannot do right in one department of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in any other department. Life is one indivisible whole.” Since many of us today would agree that leadership is influence, we can also see very clearly that other parts of our lives that aren’t going so well could affect our leadership influence no matter how good we might be in our profession.

What is Character?

Repeated patterns of behaviour over a long period of time is what forms character- It is the sum total of our behaviour spanning our whole life i.e. both public and private.  Therefore, it goes to say that a trustworthy person is someone that you know and can predict up to some extent over a period of time.  Since the foundation of Leadership is trust, it goes without saying that we leaders must consistently be working on our character. I am not saying that we will not make mistakes, however, having Core Values that we strive to uphold will create boundaries for us to work on. We must continually be working on our character to provide effective leadership.

Below are 5 Simple things we can focus on to develop our character:

1.      Integrity

Integrity is doing the thing we said we were going to do long after the feeling has left us. Our commitment is what builds trust – these are the silent ingredients of Leadership that inspire others. Think of the many great leaders you know and you will find that they had tremendous integrity which built trust among their followers. Do you do the things you said you are going to do?

2.      Apply principled thinking

Knowing the right thing to do starts from having the right thoughts. This comes through having an ever-learning attitude, new insights, paradigm shifts and new ways of looking at things which contribute to our growth in tremendous ways.  In a recession or downturn economy, it is essential to seek out a fresh approach to your business. You as the leader need to have foresight- this is what gives you the leadership edge.  Not that you see everything, but that even when it comes from someone else, you have the ability to accept it.  Who/What shapes your thinking?

3.      Give yourself time

You know the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. It’s the same with character development. Effective leadership relies on consistent characteristics, this can sometimes take time to develop. But remember if you work on one thing or area at a time each day, you’ll eventually get there. What’s the one thing you need to work on now?

4.      Learn to embrace pressure

When it comes to character development, pressure needs to be viewed as a good thing, there is a saying that “people are like tea bags, they don’t know what’s in them until they are placed in hot water”.  This is the same with many of us, our businesses places us under various levels of pressure. We can choose various ways to go about things.  It is in these moments of pressure that effective leadership is shown through our character. The ability to say no, especially when no one is looking. What’s your attitude towards pressure?

5.      Making decisions in the moment of choice

The forth point (related to pressure) puts us in a position to either lean into the situation or retreat. Once we decide to lean into it, then making a decision is just as important.  Effective leadership is shown when a decision is made.  Too many of us want to pass the buck because we know that if it doesn’t work out, we are to blame.  Effective leaders make tough decisions.  Each time you make a tough decision, you are growing in character and increasing your leadership effectiveness. How do you rate yourself when it comes to decision making?

If you can answer these questions on a regular basis, you’ll be working on an essential part of your leadership development.

What are your thoughts?

Toye Oshunbiyi

Discover Your True North

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Effective Leadership: Personal Purpose

February 12, 2010

Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Do you have a clear concise answer?

Because building and growing a business could be a life-long journey, it is essential that you know why you are doing this. Are you clear on your personal purpose?

The Common Problem
As I speak to various business owners, I am sometimes surprised that many haven’t really thought of the ‘why’ question. Many times the answer ends up being that I want to make more money to take care of my family e.t.c. Is that really all?

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Servant Leadership

February 3, 2010

Also, what is the purpose of your business? These are thought-provoking questions that need to be answered first before we can ever become the great leader that we aspire to be, and through your answer you will see how you can adopt the servant leaders approach.

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5 Things to know about Marketing

December 23, 2009

Have you ever been asked this question: If you were offered (a) £1000 a day for 30 days, or (b) a Penny on day 1, two pennies on day 2, four pennies on day 3, and so on, doubling the amount everyday for 30 days, which would you take?
For those that know the answer, you [...]

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