Open Courses
Fri 27 Feb, 9.00-1.00pm.
"Unlocking Business Development Potential"
Venue: eOffice, 1 Portland Street, Manchester. £185.00 + VAT.
Free Seminars
Tues 7 Apr, Manchester.
"Business Development Ability - something you’re born with?"
- a Pro-Manchester event
Tues 8 Sept, Manchester.
"How Your Clients May View you"
- a Pro-Manchester event
Why not run a seminar in-house - maybe for your team or for a client event. Choose one of the topics above or get in touch to discuss a subject specific to your organisation.
Focus - Unlocking Business
Development Potential
The pressure is on to be developing more business but how comfortable are you, your team or your colleagues with business development activities?
If the answer is "not very" you may be interested in a new half day course we've developed, Unlocking Business Development Potential. It takes a different approach, focusing on breaking down the barriers people put in the way. Without addressing these no amount of pushing or training will bring sustained and productive activity.
Email or give us a call on 0161 236 0724 if you'd like to know more or book on the course.
Ah go on, ask us. Anything you like. A question about something you've read in Sphere or some feedback on what you think of Sphere. We love hearing from you.
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What's the view like from over there? Sometimes a conversation is all we need to see things from a different perspective and get things moving.
Enjoyable reading.
Jim Wigg
Coach and Trainer
The Broken Toilet
Modern toilets are great. These days cisterns are often built-in so that everything's flush (no pun intended), hidden and minimal. However, a few months ago the toilet flush in our en-suite bathroom started misbehaving. Sandra and I did a great ostrich impression and buried our heads firmly in the sand, until it finally stopped working altogether. The reason for the ostrich impersonation was because we'd decided that if there was a problem it would be a real pain to fix, and to get access to the built-in cistern would mean removing the whole of the marble top.
In passing (again, no pun intended) we mentioned it to our neighbour Greg who said exactly the same thing had happened to them! He'd begun investigations - had at least cut the marble top out and had a look inside, but hadn't managed to establish what was wrong. Then he went away on a 12 week work trip. My parting gesture was "don't worry Greg, I'll get it sorted".
Fortunately, we have a plumber mate who said he'd pop in and have a look next time he was in Manchester but what with the Christmas lurgy and all it was ages before he managed to get round. When he did make it round he took one look at it and confirmed the push button had stopped working and we needed a new part. He didn't recognise the make but said he’d check next time he was at the plumbers merchants.
I decided to also go in search of the offending part. Armed with a photo I went to two merchants, neither of whom recognised it and said I’d have to buy a complete new system! With a heavy heart I envisaged more pain - making new holes in tiles, tiles to replace etc. Then I went to the posh bathroom shop. They were really helpful, emailed the next day saying they’d found the part and we could have two within ten days.
On day eight Noel (Greg's flatmate) arrives home from two months working away, and asks for an update on the flush situation. Clearly there was some confusion as Noel also goes in search of the offending part. He discovers the local Plumb Centre and pays them a visit. He's initially met with the "don't recognise it mate" but eventually Mr Plumb Centre goes out the back and finds one on the shelf!
Noel calls: "Jim, I've got the part and I can get another one for you tomorrow if you want", which prompts me to call the posh bathroom shop to chase the ones on order (already paid for). Next day I call Noel to say "I'll get one from Plumb Centre and then get my plumber round". “No need for a plumber. It's all done" he says. Just like that – took 15 minutes! Enthused, off to Plumb Centre I go, get the part, Noel fits it for us in 20 minutes – including cutting out the marble top, replacing it and re-pointing the mastic! So, Jim Didn't Fix It, Noel did.
Well, what a long, drawn-out story - merely because we'd got into the frame of mind that the problem was going to be difficult to solve. Why, I don’t know. We'd managed to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Noel came home without any knowledge of the saga, took a different perspective and The Broken toilet was restored!
So our point this month is a really simple one – when something appears difficult or complex get someone else to give you a different perspective. It may be much easier to solve than you think.
How often, in business, do we get our heads down working so hard that when a problem comes along we’re blocked from a solution or get into the mindset it’s going to be hard? If we just took the time to ask someone else to give us a different or fresh perspective we might get something done much quicker, much better or more profitably.
Often that’s my job as the independent coach and facilitator, but it could be anyone you know and respect. Ideally, someone who’s not to close to what you are doing and is good at asking questions, listening and summarising. Very often the person doesn’t need to give you a solution (like Noel), a different perspective on the situation is enough to get things going.
PS. The posh bathroom shop called today – four weeks later – to say the parts are in. Looking on the bright side at least we’ve got some spares now!
...and now for something a bit different.
Jim'll Fix It. Who remembers that programme? Here’s a great clip of the Cub Scouts who asked Jimmy Savile to fix it for them to eat their lunch on the big dipper:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5wwPeSDCCAs
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