For most people, this question is a hard one. Firstly, because we usually want both:  more money and more time off. And secondly, whether we plan it this way or not, more time off generally involves spending more money.

Ideally, we want to earn more money in less time. But who wants to pay someone more for less? Name any employer or customer who wants to pay more money for fewer hours worked, and there will be a stampede to their door.

So how can we sensibly pursue both objectives?

It should be immediately apparent that we are unlikely to succeed by negotiating on the basis of our previous hourly rate. Even if we can provide convincing evidence that others are charging more, or that we are doing an outstanding job, most customers will take a lot of convincing. We may of course threaten to leave, in which case we had better have Plan B worked out. And even then, Plan B is often negotiated by reference to Plan A. Catch 22 you see.

If we are to successfully achieve more income in less time, we usually have to shift the entire basis of reward.

It is rare for us to point to our outstanding performance or commitment. In fact, the harder we do so, the more the other party may search for counter arguments. Or look for ways they can get the same service elsewhere.

Let’s go back to first principles. The only reason why anyone buys from us – as employer or customer – is that they derive more value from the transaction than the costs they incur.

So the solution to our conundrum lies not with the costs but with the value. And the time to establish the value is before (not during) the negotiation.

Therefore we generally need to begin this process of value-determination 3-6 months before the next appraisal or negotiation.

Here are some of the techniques I explore with my VIP Mastermind Members:

• Getting clear about the outcome of what you do versus the value of what you do. “Meeting the deadline” may constitute a successful outcome, but the value lies in why that deadline is important. Most people are highly focused on outcomes, but insufficiently clear about value.
• The value of what you do is often hidden, so we need the tools to uncover it… the “hidden value conversation”. For example, developing the habit of asking, “why is that important?”
• Learning to quantify value – even speculatively or hypothetically. Like beauty, value exists in the eye of the beholder: value is always a perception. Perceptions only exist when the light of attention is shone onto them. Without attention, there is no value.
• Asking the right budget questions before we are asked to quote a fee, a salary, or a rate. Learning to frame these questions in the right way, and in the context of value.
• Not writing proposals for people or organisations who don’t have budgets.
• Confidently asking for what we are worth and dealing with objections.

With the right guidance, it is possible to get dramatic fee increases. Where are you deriving the value for your customers?

Tony Blair did something similar – but after the event. When he left office, he remarkably declared that he had become a Catholic. Why he had to make his personal ‘faith’ public in the first place is a mystery, although it did help galvanize a friendship with the incoming American President, among other things. His authenticity had, of course, been called into question while he was in office, and his lack of it had eventually led to his downfall. Even so, he kept his bigger ‘faith’ – political spin – intact right through the recent parliamentary investigation into the Iraq debacle, insisting that he had done the right thing. I can only imagine that the pressures of political life had eventually got to him, and while he felt he needed to maintain a righteous public face, it was only in the privacy of the confessional that he could unburden himself of his errors without risking a roasting in the press, or worse.

Why am I mentioning all this, and how does it relate to normal business life? Well, the behaviour of those who are elected to serve us as leaders often trickles down into how we behave in business. Look at the Thatcher years, for example, and how money became god and survival of the fittest became the ruthless mantra of that era. However, political spin to achieve short-term gains through influencing public behaviour and manipulating beliefs is never sustainable. While the Bush/Rumsfeld team was laying waste to the American economy as well as Iraq and Afghanistan – with the majority support of its people – Ireland was having a boom time and everyone was happy to be on board, spurred on by a government seemingly on speed. What a shock, when it all came crashing down.

The point is that we cannot keep deferring to the apparent authenticity of others to guide our own lives. We have to build our own. Personal empowerment is the only way forward in an ever-more transparent and interconnected world. A good reputation is only won through authenticity. It can take a long time to achieve it and it can be lost in an instant if we choose to compromise. It is clear that our ‘leaders’ don’t have autonomy. To gain a following and the votes to put them in power, they choose to allow their authenticity to be chipped away; and, to hold on to power, they do deals that may fly in the face of the values that they preach and the very reasons that caused them to seek to serve

In business, the environment is changing. Much of the change is due to a growing awareness of these issues, and that a higher level of personal autonomy is increasingly within reach for more and more people. Many choose not to embrace it as it comes with responsibility and risk of exposure should authenticity be breached. Some will choose to embrace it for exactly the same reasons.

It is crucial to the success of a business that the nature of the emerging environment be understood. Directors and managers can no longer wield power just to serve their egos or the interests of their backers. The ‘boardroom boys club’ is becoming less and less relevant. Employees have diminishing value if they simply follow orders and routines. The innovators of the business are now as likely to come from rank-and-file on the shop floor as from experts, directors and financiers.

Ultimately, this appears to be a call to all of us to ‘get real’. If we don’t know what that means in terms of who we are and what we do, then maybe it’s a call to do that first, and to re-align ourselves with where we are meant to be and where we want to go – based on our true identities, values and abilities. The sooner we do this the better because, as we go through life, we embed more and more useless stuff in our psyche simply because we have no real direction and we accumulate it just because we think it may be useful some day. The search for clarity increases our confusion, and we are increasingly likely to be swayed and influenced in ways that don’t serve us, so even if we have declared our intentions, we are undermining our ability to stick with them.

You may not agree with my take on Obama (and, for the record, I still feel he is the best president that America has had in years) or Blair but, in your life, do you struggle with compromised authenticity and a lack of personal autonomy? Is any sort of atonement a real option for the odd slip or intentional wrong-doing? Do you see a way forward other than by going inside to find real answers that will reveal the real (and best!) you?

Of course, the next logical step would be to brainstorm ideas and reasons of how to get around the barriers. Advice would fly in, tips and tricks to get us out of the cold shoulder moment…

So back to the point above, why is it so difficult to ask someone to become your partner in life? Well, what if I was to ask why could it be so difficult to ask someone for their business? It’s not like you are asking them to marry you, is it? Or is it? As I was contemplating this question, I thought of some personal and documented reasons why we, as business owners, do not ask for business:

If you don't ask, it won't happen

They might say NO!
It is well documented in the Sales arena, that NO does not always mean “NO!” NO in business is not rejection; it may simply mean that they are not ready to listen to your pitch/proposal at this moment in time, for many possible reasons. If a prospect listens to your proposal and then maintains they are still not interested, it does not mean that you or your furniture products are not interesting; it may simply mean they are not looking to refurnish their offices right now. The biggest mistake a business owner can make here is to take this personally.

Fear of rejection
Similar to above, but goes beyond someone not being interested in your product or service. Business owners, marketers and sales professionals have built up a thick skin over time. Give yourself a chance if you are a Start Up or taking over the sales role in your own business. Remember the stats about rejection and use them to guide you to your next prospect, and not the nearest pub to drown your sorrows!

I don’t want the business
What? How could you be running a business and not want clients/customers? Many assume that if they start a business, of course they want clients. It’s a given. But some businesses are not getting clients. If you do not surround yourself with people who can help you, or talk about your products and services all the time, or look for opportunities to make contacts and more opportunities to turn those contacts into customers, then you are not looking for business.

There is a recession, don’t you know?
Well then pack your bags and go back to college, or on a very long holiday. Recession is not a reason to lose clients or not ask for business. It can cause a downturn, but if you decide there is no business to be had, then you will not ask for it. And you will drown.

So what can we do? Besides cold calling, are there other ways we can ask for business?

Networking events – Yes, it’s all about helping others connect, doing favours for others, finding out what is going on in business etc. The bottom line is, networking still provides us with a specific avenue to ask for business.

How would you make a marriage work? – Tell your wife that she looks pretty,
even if she looks like a truck.

Start wooing your customers – Connect with them, interact with them, and keep them informed about what you are doing and any new areas they should know about. Use the various off-line or on-line strategies available to encourage them to ask you for your services.

Referrals – If you have a good relationship with a client, ask them to refer your product or service, again breaking down the barriers of cold calling. Get as many contacts as possible through your existing network, and establish a basic relationship with them, with the view to asking them for business sooner rather than later.

Become the expert – Join relevant online forums and interact, asking good questions, writing blog-posts , and answering relevant questions. Be seen and be available. Become the writer you never had time for before. Submit articles for magazines in your field. Follow this up with turning contacts into potential clients.

Improve your professional development – If you have always struggled to sell yourself, you will struggle to sell your business also. Employ a Business Coach or Mentor to help you get past the confidence issues. Attend a Sales Training session to learn more about the process and use these newfound skills to get out there and ask for business

If you don’t get out there and ask, you don’t GET!

I would love to hear your ideas on asking for business, please add them below…

I’ve been watching the Ryanair/AerLingus/Hanger 6 situation and noticing how each player has been portrayed in the media. Michael O’Leary has definitely used the Can-Do attitude since he began leading Ryanair. One of the most interesting things I’ve noticed over the years is his capacity to be a lightning rod. To be fair, I’m not sure which annoys people the most- his success, his personality, or both.

Even if you don’t agree with his methods, O’Leary’s example leads us to the important questions about implementing the “Can-Do” attitude. What are the cultural attitudes towards going after your dreams? What happens if you succeed? What do people say when you fail?

The original Can-Do post started with an American perspective and the “must-haves” to foster it in your own thinking. The active discussion in the comments ended up focusing on failure and how it is defined and experienced in Ireland. Two themes emerged out of the conversation. The first theme is that there is frustration with current mainstream thought and the second theme is that failure is poorly tolerated.

What is in your philosophical soup? Not only are there national ideas about failure and success but there are class definitions and family definitions. These cultures influence your business philosophy, planning, and actions on a daily basis. To have a successful entepreneurial venture, it is crucial to take the time to examine how they are true for you. Your belief system impacts your decision-making. Personal and professional attitudes are influenced by what is around us and it is worth emphasising that we’re not alone with these thoughts or questions.

Just yesterday I was engaged in a conversation about how difficult it is to reconcile the desire to help with the necessity to monetise services with 3 different people who are highly competent business owners. They felt bad that they need to charge something for their time and expertise. One of my most recent clients did not move forward in his startup until he identified that his reluctance to make any money from his business had to do with overidentifying with his father. There were messages that “people like us are supposed to…” have a job with predictable hours and predictable earnings. Other rationalisations I hear is that an entrepreneur is engaged in a noble cause, having fun, or they are too new to charge market value. It’s hard to believe in your abilities when you feel such self-doubt.

So, how do you implement the “Can-Do” attitude with all these messages in the background?

Is it time to start a thought revolution?

But there is one that is often invisible, and that is the habit of decision-making. Or, more correctly, “non-decision” making.  Some forms of procrastination are so sophisticated that they warrant being awarded a doctorate.  Here are just a few:

Generalism: A consultant who “does business planning, organisational development, marketing strategy, performance management, financial planning, executive coaching and team motivation with a wide range of small, medium and large organisations”. Adding “decision-making” to their portfolio – and applying it – might enable them to cut through the tangled web that prevents them from moving forward (which is typically invisible to them).

Activism: A professional who spends every waking moment on client affairs is potentially running their lives by deadlines and the driving need to please. If the time for business and personal development is never “now”; then when is the right time?  The decision to stop being a martyr – to “get off the cross, because they need the wood” is just that: a decision. But in these cases a lot of pain must sometimes be endured before that decision gets made (for them).

Detailism: It’s always much easier to call for more information, more facts, more reasons; than it is to make a decision. Calling for more information can indeed avert a mistake. But who’s counting the cost of untapped opportunity? Might it be more productive to just “try it and see”? What have you to lose? or more importantly what could you gain?

We all slip into these and other habits.  The problem is that when we do, we are least likely to know that it has happened. Our minds will go to great lengths to label this state as something else: “prudence”, “need for variety”, or “customer service”.

The same applies to our colleagues and clients. They too will call for more information, say “they need to think about it”, raise objections… and a zillion other tactics to avert the moment of decision.

The root cause however is Fear. Fear of making the wrong decision, fear of recriminations, fear of the unknown, fear of what other people might think. But where else is this showing up in your own life – and how’s that working out for you? The opposite of fear in my book is Faith. You have to have faith in yourself that you’re making the right decision and this comes from your gut, not from your head.

Too many times we make decisions based on our head and invariably they work out to be the wrong decisions but through the laws of probability we don’t notice. The important thing is – do you know how to deal with these issues so that you don’t waste your time pandering to procrastination?

What would happen if you made just one more decision every week? Are numerous dilemmas preventing you from doing this? What would be the value of a breakthrough? How much are you missing out on by not making a decision and moving forward? What has it cost you so far in delayed decisions?

This is the first post of a 2 part series on the “Can-Do Attitude.”

After reading Una Coleman’s recent post about the differences between British and American business styles and having a conversation with  the lads from  Bloggertone on Facebook, it became really apparent that a lot of my business philosophy has its roots in the basic pioneering spirit of America. (Okay, I did know this already but usually it’s a negative.)

One of the most pervasive themes in American thought comes out of the pioneering spirit that settled and built a nation. It’s the “Can-Do” attitude. It’s really not unique to America though. If it were, there wouldn’t be entrepreneurs globally. It’s in all of us who have a dream for a business and then find way to make it happen.

So, here are 3 important “must-haves” to get your Can-Do attitude part of your business operations:

• There’s gotta be another way. Your creativity and just plain stubborness are what drives this perspective. Entrepreneurs are a bit like mad scientists. How many other people do you know view failure as something other than a total 6 foot thick concrete wall? So something didn’t work or circumstances are not ideal, well, what else is there?
• Perseverance. Did I already mention stubborness? This is it’s more socially acceptable cousin. Either way, stick to your principles, your vision, and your big idea! Your willingness to show your grit through tedious testing and monitoring how your big idea works in reality, through the many networking meetings telling everyone about your business, learning about SEO and online marketing, and so many other things you didn’t consider when you founded your business.
• Avoid the Doom-and-Gloom crowd. Everyone has naysayers around them. Some are the talking heads who tell us how awful the recession is and how the recovery is very sluggish. For some entrepreneurs, there are family members asking them when they are going to get a real job. There are even other business owners at networking events talking incessantly about how hard it is to get clients to sign on. Yes, economic conditions are tough, no doubt! And…you have a business to run. Too much negativity is going to drain your enthusiasm, your energy, and, most importantly, your belief in what you are building.

What do you see has “must-haves” in your Can-Do attitude?

When it comes to getting investment it’s the team that matters and not the idea. Why? Simple really:

• The team comes up with the idea
• The team does due diligence on the idea
• The team implements the idea
• The team markets the idea
• The team sells the idea
• The team changes the idea when assumptions are met
• The team comes up with new ideas
• The idea does nothing

Investors Have Money, Not Time

Take a professional Venture Capitalist as an example. They are typically actively involved with 5-10 companies and see a large number of new companies every year. Their time is necessarily split between all of these businesses. This means that they cannot hope to devote the same time or resources to any one idea as the management teams of each business can themselves. Put simply, they don’t have the time to work out whether or not an idea is good or not.

It Doesn’t Take Long To Assess People

It takes a lot of time and dedication to do the due diligence necessary to tell whether or not an idea is gold. On the other hand it’s quick and easy to get an idea of the merits of a particular management team. A few well chosen questions during a pitch can show how prepared they are. A couple of phone calls to past employers or colleagues can provide a good picture of their overall abilities.

What If The Idea Is Crap?

Even a great management team can’t make gold out of a crap idea, but this is why investors make sure that their businesses have a good management team: because good management teams don’t choose crap ideas.

This doesn’t mean that good management teams are never wrong or that the market will necessarily pan out the way that they expect. It does mean though that they have done the due diligence into their idea’s technical feasibility, marketing potential, associated costs, and so on, and all at a level of detail far greater than any investor can hope to match.

So, put the shoe on the other foot. If you were going to invest in a start-up company, which would you invest in? An idea that might even be a great idea? Or a team of people who give you the confidence that they will choose great ideas AND be able to handle it when things change?

RE<C
Google have a vision to develop renewable energy to become cheaper than coal to produce energy, this vision is represented as the following formula – (RE<C). Google is taking this idea very seriously, as its google.org site states that it is “making strategic investments and grants, advancing key public policies, and using Google products to unlock critical information”.

Powermeter
Google PowerMeter is a free electricity usage monitoring tool. It provides you with information on how much energy your home is consuming, this can even be visualised on your iGoogle home page.  It works by retrieving information from utility smart meters and in-home energy management devices. Most smart metres don’t give near real-time information, the advantage of retrieving near real-time information is that it makes it easy to reduce unnecessary energy consumption, and in turn costs.

Green tourism
Google also has green mashup site which assists tourists to find “environmentally friendly activities attractions and amenities” in five U.S. cities.

RechargeIT
The purpose of Google’s RechargeIT project is to accelerate mass commercialisation of plug-in vehicles. This project was launched in June 2007. Google has its own plug-in demonstration fleet of standard hybrid Prius cars as well as eight Priuses which have been retrofitted to become plug-in hybrid vehicles.  These are charged by Google’s 1.6 megawatt solar installation. The data for the vehicles are collected and made publicity available.

Google again are setting the trends, what can your business take from Google’s example?

As part of the Eco-Village there are plans to build a green enterprise centre which will inherit the sustainable culture of the existing village. I am one of the directors of the board and we are tasked with ensuring that this project is successful.  So far we have put a vision and project plan together. Furthermore, we have secured funding to build the centre and we are down to the last three applications for the build tender.

Vision for the sustainable green enterprise centre.

The North Tipperary green enterprise park will use a best practice ‘Interface’ design to foster and nurture the development of participating eco-oriented businesses from incubation stage through to production in 758 square metre specialised building with an internal structure designed to promote collaborative enterprise and synergistic possibilities through geographic proximity.

It will provide smart solutions to environmental and resource issues, the companies locating in NTGEP will have competitive advantage through their provision of innovative product/service offerings with enhanced environmental performance.  It will also support eco-enterprise in the local area and educate existing businesses on how to evolve their existing business model to be more futuristic and sustainable.

Next steps

Next steps are to rebrand the North Tipperary green enterprise park to a more suitable name, to start recruiting potential residents and to start the build process. I shall keep you informed through Bloggertone as we progress of through this project.

It may take a moment to digest the full wisdom of this brilliant distinction.

However, for businesses in the future, it’s not going to be a case of what is the cost; but more about the value we bring.

Do you ever find that your customers (or employers) are reluctant to talk about the value you bring? Or would bring… if only they gave you the assignment or the job?

This reluctance is often very real. At other times, however, it is also a reflection of our own reluctance to probe, and thus discover how exactly we are valuable. Who knows what enormous gems lie undiscovered beneath this reluctance?

If we are serious about harnessing the untapped power of undiscovered value, we must equally be honest about the resistance we encounter. We have a natural distaste for those who constantly seek reassurance that they are of value. Those who constantly ask for feedback on their performance may well betray an underlying self-obsession that at best we indulge, at worst we resent.

They are making the mistake of pursuing the question of “how valuable they are”. Let’s be honest, most of us are tired of “rate our performance” questions.

By contrast, take a look at these questions, assembled to discover how we might be of value, rather than how valuable we are:

1. (at the start of an interview) “What was it about my CV that prompted you to meet with me?”
2. (meeting a new client for the first time) “Of these four subjects, which would be most valuable for you to explore today?”
3. (at the end of any meeting) “What are you taking from this discussion?”
4. (in a project review) “Of all the areas we have worked on – brief recap – which for you had the most value?”
5. (personally / socially) “What have you most enjoyed about this evening?”

Questions like these uncover how exactly we are of value, rather than how valuable we are. Value is the ideal basis of effective negotiation, genuine customer-service development, fruitful employee appraisal and lasting business development.