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Two senior business people walking outdoors

<h3>Asking a prospective or existing client for their business is one of the most challenging things faced by a professional advisor, sales executive or business developer.</h3><h3>Other than appearing as too ‘pushy’ when pitching our services or products (and therefore not doing it at all), closing the deal is usually the next big thing on the list that most sales and non-sales people dislike.<br></h3><h3>There’s a good reason why too, because nobody likes to hear the word ‘No’.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Nobody likes to feel rejected and so the challenge with many professionals and sales people is that - they confuse themselves, with the deal.<br></h3><h3>We need to understand that the prospect or client is not saying ‘No’ to us (as in personally) – what they’re saying ‘No’ to is what we are offering them.</h3><h3>However, I do understand that even though I understand that logically - it still doesn’t change the feelings of rejection and dejection that comes with being rejected by a client.<br></h3><h3>It’s often said the salespeople live ‘lives of constant rejection interspersed by moments of blissful triumphs’!<br></h3><h3>So, to increase the number of ‘triumphs’ in our role it’s important to keep in mind that when someone says ‘No’ it doesn’t mean they are saying ‘No’ forever – just for now.<br></h3><h3>The fear of rejection is strongly linked to the fear of failure. We believe that if we fail that we’ll also be rejected and for most human beings we need to feel both recognized and accepted by our peers. So it's entirely natural to feel like a failure when we have faced rejection.<br></h3><h3>The important thing to remember when we are turned down is to keep going - keep moving forward.<br></h3><h3>This is just one prospect or client saying 'No' and if we are clever about business development we have many more in our ‘funnel’ of people that we are meeting.</h3><h3>Successful business development comes down to focused and consistent activity. The more people that we see and serve then the more success we earn.</h3><h3>Ultimately new business development is a numbers game and the higher the quality of the people that we see (and the greater the number that we seek to spend time with) then obviously the higher our ‘closing ratio’ will be.<br></h3><h3>However there is something that we can do to improve our chances of a positive response when we have positioned our offer and are ready to close.</h3><h3>Specifically, it is to use a question that I call a ‘convincer’ or ‘closer’ question.<br></h3><h3>The sole purpose of this question is to move the client into an emotionally positive space just before we ask them to make their decision about our offering.<br></h3><h3>I define modern professional selling as ‘the ability to influence the emotional state of the client and thus their logical decisions about the transfer of goods, services and money for the mutual benefit of both parties’.<br></h3><h3>So if you are familiar with my work then you’ll know that I’m a great believer in harnessing the power of emotions when looking to influence or persuade people to do things.<br></h3><h3>I value the fact that the main driver behind buyer decision-making is not logic but emotion. Not thinking but feeling – and the more powerful the feeling we can induce in the neurological system of the person we are looking to influence, then the greater the ability we have to influence them.<br></h3><h3>Let’s imagine a scenario where we have made our pitch. We’ve presented the value of what we can do for the prospect or client, we’ve explained exactly how we are going to do it for them and they are happy that they know enough about us and our expertise or resources or experience to be convinced that we are the right people to do the job.<br></h3><h3>So they are nearly convinced but they are not there yet. They are wavering or hesitating.<br></h3><h3>They might be comparing us to the last presentation they received or even the next presentation – wondering if they would get a better price or more for their money.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Here’s where the following question can be very powerful.<br></h3><h3>Just ask: ‘<strong>How valuable would it be</strong> <strong>if</strong> we were to get the paper work out of the way and make a start on things’ or ‘<strong>How valuable would it be if </strong>we were to finalize the terms of the deal now’ or ‘<strong>How valuable would it be if </strong>we could wrap this up in time for the weekend’ or ‘How valuable would it be if we get you prioritized for the project’ or How valuable would it be if we were to get started right away on making those savings we discussed’.</h3><h3>The words <strong>‘How valuable would it be if…’</strong> cause the prospect or client to link a value that is important to them to take the suggested action that we are positioning in the second part of the question.</h3><h3>If they assign a high emotional value to the action that we are proposing – then they will make the decision to take the action that we have proposed – allowing us to move forward with the deal.<br></h3><h3>In most case this question works – but if it doesn’t then we have one last question we can ask to potentially close the deal.<br></h3><h3>Ask them ‘We’d really like to work with your firm so may I ask, what one thing would you need to know to be absolutely sure that we are your firm/partner/supplier of choice?’<br></h3><h3>This question is full of ‘soft’ and influential language designed to bring out from the person the one thing they need most in order to choose us.<br></h3><h3>Usually, the prospect or client will then share with us the critical piece that may have been missing in earlier conversations, allowing us to continue the conversation and so close the business and create a long-term, high-value relationship. </h3><h3>For more on the Psychology of Sales and Advanced Questioning techniques whynot join us at ExpertToAdvisor.pro&nbsp;</h3><h3>- Sean Weafer Founder, ExpertToAdvisor.pro</h3>

How to Close A Deal

<h3>Management styles are revolting …and this revolution is fundamentally altering the culture of management within business.</h3><h3>Up to recent times traditional management has been viewed as directive, controlling and authoritative. An “us and them” mentality maintaining the strict boundaries between management and personnel.</h3><h3>The phrase “firings will continue until morale improves” summed up an attitude around motivation and reward that created institutions and not flexible, people and profit-centered learning organisations that successfully face and adapt to the pace of change in modern business.</h3><h3>So ingrained was this institutional approach that even very small businesses successfully managed to have a clear division between those doing the work and those charged with managing its implementation.</h3><h3>This style of management was perfect for those of us who are task-orientated rather than people-orientated. Of course we can communicate with staff…we tell them what to DO don’t we…?</h3><h3>Unfortunately, while managing to successfully communicate OUR desires and wants to our staff, we failed to involve and engage people well enough to ensure that THEIR desires and wants were part of theorganisational outcome.</h3><h3>In doing so we have missed an important point about people in the workplace. People want to work. People need to work. It is a fundamental means by which they actualise themselves in the world.</h3><h3>But if we fail to create an environment in which they can successfully actualise their potential, then we create people who give only what they must and not what they can, to our organisations.</h3><h3>But around ancient management styles, the people changed. They became better educated, more mobile, more demanding of consultation and direction and they sought more meaningful purpose in their working lives and they were willing to move to get it.</h3><h3>Faced with the challenge of retaining good staff and creating environments in which they can grow and succeed, there has come a radical revision of how management engages with its human capital.</h3><h3>Hence the rapid emergence of the modern coach rather than the traditional manager.</h3><h3>Now leaders must be both managers AND coaches, they must learn not just to communicate but to INVOLVE and ENGAGE with their people, but often there is confusion about the difference in the roles. There’s often confusion for managers about what coaching or mentoring is all about, what they are expected to do and how to do it.</h3><h3>Many firms simply tell managers that they are now coaches, while failing to provide the necessary training for what is a different way of reaching business objectives than traditional management.</h3><h3>In many cases managers may not have received even basic management training and often rely on unconsciously “modelling” their own managers for their skills – not always a good practice.</h3><h3>They also fail to learn key soft skills of engaging with others. Coaching (or mentoring) requires engaging with team members in a different way than traditional management and an enhanced ability to influence and persuade is just one such critical skill.</h3><h3>There is an increasing recognition of the importance that both coaching and mentoring play in developing people, but there is some confusion about what both terms mean. So, let’s first try to define that difference and then explain how coaching and mentoring are different from traditional management approaches.</h3><h3>Coaching and mentoring are similar but they are not the same. While coaching focuses on effecting a perceptional change in a delegate’s thinking, mentoring is more focused on the transfer of skills or corporate culture to a delegate – or training a person’s thinking about a role or organisation.</h3><h3>Think about it this way, a coach can work anywhere, with anyone, to effect change in their personal, professional or performance development.</h3><h3>What a coach has that is unique, is that degree of flexibility that comes with not necessarily being experienced in either the skills or the culture of the role that they may coach.</h3><h3>A coach can work with a CEO, a director, a senior manager, an executive or a team leader – virtually anyone within the same organisation.</h3><h3>A mentor however tends to work only with those with whom they have a relationship of seniority, or in contrast with whom they have a higher skill set or more experience in the firm or role.</h3><h3>The function of a mentor, while similar to a coach in terms of developing their professional or performance skills, is limited by the fact that it is primarily about the transfer of those skills unique to a role.</h3><h3>Those skills sets include knowledge of the job, it’s personalities, it’s ethics and all the other absorbed knowledge we take on board when we have worked somewhere for a time.</h3><h3>For example, I can successfully coach anyone from any industry (and do!) but I could not mentor someone from an industry other than one in which I am specifically experienced.</h3><h3>The reason why is that a coach works on the PERSON – often bringing unique ideas, insights and solutions to their challenges – seeing the wood as well as the trees, helping them to re-evaluate and generate NEW PERCEPTIONS.</h3><h3>The mentor however, focusing on the ROLE and the SKILLS, tends to see the same trees as their mentee but are experienced enough with the territory to find their way out of the wood.</h3><h3>What further confuses things is that coaching and mentoring may use exactly the same approach to get their result. What differentiates them is the type and level of outcome required from the process.</h3><h3>Coaching often operates using external agencies, whereas mentoring tends to be the title most apt to what in-company managers are expected to accomplish with their teams.</h3><h3>But what of managing versus coaching/mentoring then?</h3><h3>The main difference here is in the direction of leadership.</h3><h3>Managers are charged with implementing the business goals and targets.</h3><h3>They appraise the ability of their team members to work to and achieve those business targets, then reward them according to their performance to those targets. They lead from the TOP-DOWN.</h3><h3>Often they are trained to comment on where someone is failing rather than on where they are succeeding…and simple psychology tells us that in reinforcing poor performance, we continue to get poor performance.</h3><h3>A coach/mentor takes a different approach.</h3><h3>Even when furnished with a brief on what the company may want a client or staff member to accomplish, a coach/mentor focuses on the individual goals and aspirations of the team member and looks to harmonise those goals with the organisational goals. Thus creating as close to a synergistic relationship as possible.</h3><h3>In this relationship the team member owns both the goals and the actions, thus creating a self-directed person who moves forward on the basis of purpose and personal meaning rather than on impersonal corporate goals.</h3><h3>Coaches therefore lead from the BOTTOM-UP.</h3><h3>It’s not hard to see how the coaching/mentoring approach gets more motivation and buy-in today than the traditional management approach.</h3><h3>In understanding this difference, a manager, by being trained to manage both his or her communications style and expectations of staff, can move effortlessly between both roles and accomplish even more than was thought possible in the past.</h3><p><br></p><h3>- Sean Weafer - SeanWeafer.com and ExpertToAdvisor.pro</h3>

To Manage or to Coach?

Team of diversity business people are discussing over the new strategic strategy project on investment real estate while working in modern office building for new project and planning

<h3>The Covid19 crisis brought about the single biggest change in working practice in a hundred years. With it, the world suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated almost entirely into the digital realm.<br>&nbsp;<br>This presents real challenges for modern leaders, executives and professionals, not least of which being how to reach out to build their executive presence, to build trust at a distance to create new business relationships or influence and manage their teams remotely.<br>&nbsp;<br>There is a further element to this in that the crisis has accelerated the adoption of AI (or artificial intelligence) in the workplace. AI is already replacing transactional work, sales and management practices and can carry out the monitoring of staff performance remotely now that everybody is tied to a screen.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>What it cannot replace (at least not yet) is the need for leaders and professionals who can project their presence, build empathy and trust with others, inspire performance, motivation, creativity, synergy and success.<br>&nbsp;<br>People who don’t just lead from a position of expertise but from a position of influence and service. People who act as highly trusted and influential leaders and advisors.<br>&nbsp;<br>To put it simply, to succeed in this new digital and increasingly AI-enabled world then professionals, executive and leaders need to be strategic, creative and relational and not transactional and therefore replaceable.<br>&nbsp;<br>In this article I want to cover some simple tips and ideas about to how to network, how to approach meetings, how to run meetings and how to follow-up on meetings to ensure that executives and professionals can build and maintain an effective personal brand and high levels of trust with their key internal and external stakeholders in the new digital world of AI.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>1. Learn to Network in Any Environment Whether Live or Online.</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Networking is the single most powerful tool when it comes to building influence and presence. While during Covid many events became virtual there are still techniques that are relevant in both the live and online world that are worth learning.<br>&nbsp;<br>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn to read the room<br>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn how to break the ice<br>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn how to have a structured conversation<br>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn how to ask for the meeting and<br>5. &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn how to ‘Exit Elegantly’<br>6. &nbsp; &nbsp; Adapt to the digital world<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Before a Digital Meeting:<br>&nbsp;<br>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; Create a LinkedIn (or intra-company equivalent platform) profile, ask for recommendations and connect on in advance<br>&nbsp;<br>While I am no longer a fan, LinkedIn is the largest professional social network in the world, period. If you’re not on it you need to be. Here’s why. Trust in a world where WFH is the increasingly the norm means that trust is now built first online. If you do not have a professional profile on LinkedIn it means you don’t exist in the new digital world.<br>&nbsp;<br>When people know that they are scheduled to meet a new contact, our default is now to check out their profile on LI. What conclusion would you say people make about us when they:<br>&nbsp;<br>1.They can’t find any profile of us on LinkedIn<br>2. We have an incomplete profile<br>3. We have little or no connections on our profile<br>4. We have no photograph on our profile or a personal rather than a business photo<br>5. We have no recommendations or testimonials on our profile?<br>6. We haven’t posted or shared articles or content relevant to our role, company or industry?<br>&nbsp;<br>It’s very likely that they are making judgements about who we are as a person right now and they’re probably not positive.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; Build a Contact Strategy and ‘Credibility Bank’</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>To build influence the ability to retain the attention of a key management stakeholder is critical. Staying ‘front of mind’ so that they are thinking of us when it comes to their needs is crucial.<br>&nbsp;<br>Today, ‘share of attention equals share of influence’.<br>&nbsp;<br>To help with this it is useful to create a ‘contact strategy’ or a strategy that ensures that the person we are looking to influence receives some communication of value from us on a regular basis. An email with a relevant report attached, an introduction to someone of value to them, a link to an industry or company report or a ‘virtual’ coffee.<br>&nbsp;<br>It’s worth defining a list our key stakeholders, identifying the areas of most value to them and then creating a proactive contact strategy to ensure that our ‘brand’ with clients and stakeholders remains strong.<br>&nbsp;<br>In addition then create a ‘credibility bank’ or be a source of useful information to the people on your contact list. Create interesting posts or emails or share articles, reports, videos and podcasts that might be of interest to our contacts (think team members, colleagues and key stakeholders).<br>&nbsp;<br>On platforms like LinkedIn (or inhouse networks) ‘Like’ or ideally comment on<br>posts created or shared by these same connections, indicating to them that we are engaging with their interests.<br>&nbsp;<br>In addition, we should consider presenting at any of the webinars and digital events that may be happening within the firm or offer to be a host or a member of an expert panel for our client firms, industry or professional associations. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>If we’re not comfortable presenting then perhaps offer to host or facilitate a breakout or discussion room at the virtual conference or event.<br>&nbsp;<br>Any of these activities can help to raise your brand, build trust and influence through demonstrating your expertise and in the new digital world where people do not have a chance to interact personally, seeing a person’s expertise demonstrated is reassuring and builds confidence.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; Effective Meeting Management</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>During a Digital Meeting:<br>&nbsp;<br>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; Be Personable&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>The digital world is a less formal world than the office so when we speak in this medium think ‘conversation rather than presentation’. &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Remove a lot of the formality of presentations and focus instead on having a conversation. Minimise the length of our slide decks, make sure we focus on the camera on the laptop (positioned at eye level with the right lighting) and not on the image on the screen.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Presenting and engaging in the digital world is more like TV presenting than live pitching and looking at the camera gives the other person the perspective that we are looking directly at and addressing them. Looking at their image rather than the camera lens however means that our eye contact appears poor and poor eye contact never helps with building rapport and trust.<br>&nbsp;<br>Try to speak at a medium pace as this is more suited to a digital presentation and be aware of our dress and appearance. Dress is more relaxed in the digital world but recommended as smart business casual (at least from the waist up!) and if we are in a meeting keep our camera on. It sends a poor message around our level of engagement in a meeting if people cannot get any feedback because we’re not on screen.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; Be a Master of Questions and Suggestions&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Either live or online always encourage other people to do the talking as it helps them to relax and engage more readily with us.<br>&nbsp;<br>On a virtual call do allow a short pause when people finish speaking to ensure that they have indeed finished and it’s not just a lag on the line. Also learn to become more comfortable with asking questions and suggesting ideas rather than directing the conversation as the person asking the questions is the real person in charge of the meeting.<br>&nbsp;<br>Encourage others to speak, to volunteer ideas, to make suggestions to solve problems. Ask them to clarify and specify their responses so there is no confusion between all the parties.<br>&nbsp;<br>Get comfortable with facilitating rather than directing conversations, people will value a person who is seen to support and serve rather than command in this new world. The new definition of leadership is to create the environment in which others can excel. In this new world of remote working teams this is especially true.<br>&nbsp;<br>Facilitate, make suggestions rather than statements and try to avoid arguments. Trust is hard to build in the digital space and easy to lose. Be an advisor rather than a seller.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show your hands, look at the camera and actively listen.<br>&nbsp;<br>Operating in the digital world is operating in a 2D world and not a 3D world. Much of what we unconsciously pick up when we are assessing people and making a decision about whether we trust them or not is absent in a 2D world. Our ‘Spidey senses’ don’t work so well when we’re on Zoom or Teams.<br>&nbsp;<br>Therefore to build that trust that comes before influence there are some simple things that we can do. The first is as I’ve already mentioned look at the camera lens and not the image. This gives the impression that we are addressing the person directly and making good eye contact. Good eye contact is essential to building trust and appearing sincere to others.<br>&nbsp;<br>Secondly, when we’re speaking be a little more animated in our gestures and show our hands. When people can see our hands on screen it helps to build rapport. Being overly formal and stiff can often create resistance from others.<br>&nbsp;<br>Lastly, Paraphrase (“let me just see if I understand what you’re saying”) and Summarise (“so what we’ve on agreed is”) and use simple language that matches the language that the other person is using.<br>&nbsp;<br>This clearly demonstrates to the other person that we are actively listening and engaged in the meeting and are fully present. This keeps the other person’s attention focused on you, allowing you to exert more influence in the meeting.<br>&nbsp;<br>Here’s a check list of things to also be aware of online:</h3><h3>· Look relaxed and calm<br>· Look into the camera<br>· Dress appropriately<br>· Have a professional background<br>· Project with energy (need to project more energy when presenting to a screen)<br>· Consider standing up (if you are presenting)<br>· Avoid distractions<br>· Have the right lighting<br>· Have your sound right (Unmute!)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; ‘Flex’ Your Behaviour – Connect in Colour.</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Bear in mind that not everyone sees the world the same way. In fact, we all have a different way of viewing the world depending on our unique personality profiles.</h3><h3>Get familiar with a 4 colour model that helps you to identify the different behavioural types people have and then learn to flex your behaviour to work more effectively with them.<br>&nbsp;<br>You might need to slow your normal pace of speech to people who are more reflective and process-oriented, or even speed up your pace of speech for people who are more auditory or visual in how they process information.<br>&nbsp;<br>Remember, you may not be entirely comfortable shifting out of your comfort zone when you communicate but by doing so you help others get more comfortable and build trust with you faster.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>5. After a Meeting Follow-up Immediately&nbsp;</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>After any digital (or live) meeting, follow-up immediately. Out of sight is out of mind in the world today so make sure that you deliver what you promised as close to the call or virtual meeting as possible to remain relevant.<br>&nbsp;<br>If it’s a report or documents then offer a follow-up virtual call when you ‘walk them through’ the data.<br>&nbsp;<br>Building your executive presence is an essential activity for young or senior professionals. It develops our brand, opens doors and helps us get the attention of key players in our careers.<br>&nbsp;<br>Hopefully the tips above will serve as a guide to how to build and promote your presence in the ‘blended’ (live and online) world of today.<br>&nbsp;<br>The Author: Sean Weafer is a leadership and business development capability coach specialising in helping experts and professionals lead teams and win clients in this digital and remote age. </h3><h3>His clients include Microsoft, Indeed.com, Towergate Insurance, DLA Piper, Azets and Bank of Ireland among others.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>He is the creator of ‘The Highly Trusted Advisor’ business growth program, the ExpertToInfluence.pro business growth academy and the G2S Coaching system. He is an author of several books and is a professional speaker.<br>&nbsp;<br>Sean is an engineer by profession and a trained psychotherapist who specialises in taking complex concepts in leadership and sales and creating highly practical and measurable tool kits for his clients to help them excel in all areas.<br>&nbsp;<br>Connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanweafer/<br>&nbsp;<br>Email Sean at sean@seanweafer.com<br>&nbsp;</h3>

How to Build Leadership and Executive Presence Online

Businessmen collaborating on project using digital tablet in office

<h3>Welcome to "The Virtues of Leadership," a journey into the essential qualities that make exceptional leaders. In this article, we'll explore twelve key virtues that not only define great leadership but also serve as the building blocks for personal and professional success. </h3><h3>These virtues are your guide to becoming a more effective, empathetic and influential leader. Let's embark on this inspiring journey together.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 1: Protection</strong>: Protection is the cornerstone of leadership. It's about safeguarding your team, your values and your mission. As a leader, your role is to create a safe and nurturing environment where your team can thrive.&nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 2: Provision</strong>: Provision involves ensuring your team has the resources, training, guidance and support they need to excel at what they do.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 3: Service</strong>: Leadership is about service, not dominance. Consider performing daily acts of kindness for your team, fostering a culture of service and selflessness.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 4: Self-Discipline:</strong> Self-Discipline is the foundation of personal and professional growth. To strengthen this virtue, commit to a small, meaningful change for 30 days and witness the power of consistency.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 5: Endurance</strong>: Endurance is needed when leaders face challenges and setbacks. Endurance is about staying the course, even when the going gets tough. To build this virtue identify a significant obstacle, break it into smaller steps and tackle them one by one.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 6: Integrity:</strong> Integrity is the bedrock of trust. It's about aligning your actions with your values. Take time to evaluate your recent decisions and actions to ensure they align with your core values.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 7: Strength:</strong> Strength isn't just physical; it's mental and emotional resilience. The mind (psycho) and the body (soma) are intimately connected, so building strength in one, automatically builds it in the other. &nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 8: Courage:</strong> Courage is stepping into the unknown despite fear. Try the "Fear-Conquering Challenge" to cultivate courage. Identify a fear or block and take small steps to confront it daily. FEAR is Face Everything And Rise.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 9: Empathy</strong>: Empathy is the ability to understand and connect with others on a deeper level. Practice active listening with your team, provide feedback and remember to listen to understand and not just to respond.&nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 10: Responsibility:</strong> Responsibility means owning your actions and their consequences. As an exercise record your commitments to others and track your progress to strengthen this virtue.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 11: Collaboration:</strong> Collaboration involves working harmoniously with diverse individuals. It is an essential leadership virtue. Great leaders know that to fast they go alone but to go further they go together.</h3><h3><strong>Virtue 12: Influence:</strong> Influence is the culmination of all these virtues. It's about inspiring others to follow your lead willingly. Take time (and the training or coaching needed) to focus on developing your persuasive communication skills. Our leadership no longer comes from our level of expertise but from our level of influence.</h3><h3>Remember, leadership is not a destination; it's a continuous process of growth and self-improvement. By nurturing these virtues, you'll not only become a better leader but also inspire those around you to reach their full potential. Embrace these virtues, and watch your leadership skills flourish. The world needs leaders like you.</h3><h3>For more details on leadership and coaching programs to support you on your journey visit us at SeanWeafer.com</h3>

The 12 Virtues of Leadership

Female speaker giving a presentation during business seminar at convention center.

<h3>Before we get into this article perhaps we should ask ourselves what is the value of having a ‘High Trust Culture’ in any organization?</h3><h3>Why would we go to the trouble of investing time and money in helping our leaders, managers and teams develop the skills and mindsets needed to create and sustain such a culture within our organization?</h3><h3>I believe many of us would agree that some of the indicators of such an organization might be:<br></h3><h3>1. &nbsp; &nbsp;More open communication between leaders, managers and teams (no silo-thinking, no misunderstanding, greater clarity)<br></h3><h3>2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Greater transparency and individual empowerment are both prized and facilitated&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>3. &nbsp; &nbsp;Leaders deliver results through influence and collaboration rather than a ‘command and control’ approach – a culture of shared accountability and responsibility rather than blame and&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>4. &nbsp; &nbsp;The organization attracts and retains the best of talent.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>In an attempt to explain some of the key areas that help with creating a High Trust Culture I have repurposed a model I created many years ago for the key areas addressed when one provides leadership coaching - which I call the ‘6C Model’.<br></h3><h3>It is comprised of the following key factors: CONTEXT, CLARITY, CONTROL, CONFIDENCE, COMMUNICATION AND COMPETENCE.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>1. CONTEXT: The first part of the model deals with Context or, to be more specific, the organizational environment.<br></h3><h3>Many leaders, managers and staff are simply responding to the increasing challenges on time that we face everyday.</h3><h3>The environments that we find ourselves working in constantly change and the pace of change may be such that we find ourselves <em>reacting</em> to the changes rather than being <em>proactive.&nbsp;</em><br></h3><h3>We find ourselves working in constant fire-fighting mode, simply holding the line against the growing tide of work and the demands that the organization and the market seem to be heaping upon us.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>The demands placed upon us are such that little time is available for active reflection and team members are driven by external forces rather than by their own compass.&nbsp;</h3><h3>Companies and cultures are often unaware that they have moved into a reactive mode.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>This has to potential to create a highly stressed, toxic and low performance environment that has high levels of staff dissatisfaction and low levels of employee engagement or innovation.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>2. CLARITY: In such an environment there are few opportunities for periods of ‘enforced reflection’ – or facilitated conversations held by managers and team leaders who are trained not simply to just be experts and to find things to ‘fix’ when people do things ‘wrong’ – but to be influencers, advisors, advocates and collaborators.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>A period of ‘enforced reflection’ is a space and time away from their normal environment where the manager or team leader can guide and facilitate a reflective period for a team member – encouraging greater clarity, focus and an environment where they can bring to bear the values of collaboration, co-creation, co-operation and co-creation into the manager and team member dynamic - the values that build a ‘High Trust Culture’.<br></h3><h3>Through effective rapport-building, coaching, questioning and suggestion skills a manager can help a team member quickly identify the critical challenges they are facing and then systematically structure an active approach to their resolution.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Lack of clarity and meaning deprives us all of the ability to focus and act effectively. It maximizes stress.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>However helping a team member to clearly define their focus, perhaps how to get greater clarity around their role and their expectations, the authority that they have to get things done and what is expected of them - is an essential part of improving performance – not just understanding ‘what’ they have to do for the business but ‘why’ it helps them personally too.<br></h3><h3>Why? Because focus creates expectations and expectations drive behaviours.<br>We have to help our managers develop the skills of synergy and co-creation.<br>&nbsp;<br>3. CONTROL: With clarity accomplished, a team member should now find a greater sense of power over their environment. They are now in a position to choose their actions and activities.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>A person’s sense of control can be further developed by a leader or manager using a simple model of mine with a team member which I call ‘C.I.A.’ - which stands for ‘Control. Influence. Accept for Now’.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>‘C’ stand for Control – do we control this action, can we do it once we leave the meeting, can we act on it now, immediately? This is the first order of change, what we control - we should act upon.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>‘I’ stands for Influence – if they do not control this action, can they reach out to someone who does, someone who might act on this for them and can they influence them? This is the second order of change - who they can influence or what might be called a ‘relationship’ action.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>This is where educating our staff in networking skills enabling them to be able to comfortably connect and build their brand, name recognition and connections with other parts of the team or organization adds significantly to their value and effectiveness.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>That and teaching them the skills of working with different personalities or even effective questioning skills so that they can make more change then before by being able to reach out to their new networks.<br></h3><h3>Finally....&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>‘A’ stands for Accept For Now – if people do not control it and they cannot influence it, then they are encouraged to walk away, for now. They are taught to focus on what they can control and influence and ‘park’ temporarily what they have no control or influence over.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>How much time and productivity is lost at all levels in an organization when people spend a great deal of time worrying over things that they can neither influence nor control. By educating them to act on what they do control and influence, that which they have to ‘park’ for now, may fall within their control and influence in time.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>4. CONFIDENCE: With clarity and control comes a greater sense of self-esteem in our teams, a belief in their individual ability to deliver at an individual level.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Self-esteem is increased once they have clear goals and the power to exercise them. Confidence is boosted by the successful achievement of quick ‘hits’ or small actions.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Success breeds success and with growing success comes more energy, more self-belief, more self-confidence in every member of our teams.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Confidence is infectious. A person whose confidence is based on clearly articulated goals and empowered by controllable actions, can be a powerhouse within a team or organization.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Such people are willing to try more, do more, be more – in effect, to accept more responsibility for initiative and delegation.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth, wrote that extraordinary things are seldom accomplished by extraordinary people, rather they are accomplished by ordinary people doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. To do that they must have clarity, control, confidence and can successfully communicate with others. Imagine the cumulative impact that can have on an organization.<br>&nbsp;<br>5. COMMUNICATION: The first four ‘C’s’ lead unerringly to the fifth – effective communication.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Organizations are networks of individuals. Networks function only as effectively as information is transferred through them.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Imagine a network of individuals managing their environment, actively reflecting and amending their goals, deciding on the most effective actions and with enhanced self-esteem and confidence. How effectively would they communicate?&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>The essence of good communication in today’s flattened corporate structures can be defined in another simple idea of mine – ‘C.I.E.’. Connect. Influence. Engage.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Several years ago an SHL report confirmed what has become a fact of the modern workplace that the ‘psychographics’ of people have changed in the last decade. The report states that twenty and thirty-something’s want collaborative forms of management rather than the old style of ‘command and control’.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>In order to create such collaborative styles, managers are having to re-learn their management skills.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>It’s not enough to simply ‘command’ and dictate now – not just enough to communicate, they must now have the essential skills of coaching, ‘influencing’ and engaging their team members.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Management still faces the challenge of moving from ‘Industrial Age’ management (which was fear-based, short-term and hierarchal) to ‘AI Age’ management (which is collaborative, co-creative and partnership-based).&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Many of us, as managers, have ‘modeled’ the management styles of those who preceded us.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>However today’s management style is required to be different. We need to learn not just to communicate our needs but how to influence and engage the new networks in finding the solutions to corporate challenges.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>How do we ‘Influence and Engage’ (or Coach) more effectively? By learning techniques such as active questioning and listening, establishing rapport, develop role clarity exercises, defining employee communications preferences and then adapting our personal style to suit them.</h3><h3>These are the tools of the modern manager and leader.<br></h3><h3>What were once termed ‘soft skills’ are no longer optional they have become the basis of ‘soft power’as AI increasingly handles the automated thinking and doing.</h3><h3>Expertise is no longer enough to lead now we need to have managers and leaders who are also powerful influencers and advisors.<br></h3><h3>6. COMPETENCE:&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>Put all of the above together and we come up with enhanced competence or performance for the individual, the team and the organization.<br></h3><h3>Once Context, Clarity, Control, Confidence and Communication are successfully addressed then there is a corresponding increase in Competence.&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>The benefits of educating our teams, our managers and leaders in the skills of what it takes to be coaches, influencers, connectors, advisors and facilitators – what it takes to create a High Trust Culture - are now evident:<br>&nbsp;<br>1. &nbsp; &nbsp;More open communication between leaders, managers and teams (no silo-thinking, no misunderstanding, greater clarity)<br></h3><h3>2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Greater transparency and individual empowerment are prized and facilitated&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>3. &nbsp; &nbsp;Leaders delivering results through influence and collaboration rather than a ‘command and control’ approach – a culture of shared accountability and responsibility rather than blame and&nbsp;<br></h3><h3>4. &nbsp; &nbsp;The organization attracts and retains the best of talent.&nbsp;</h3><h3>-Sean Weafer SeanWeafer.com and ExpertToAdvisor.pro</h3>

The 6C Model for a High Trust Culture

Businesswomen leading meeting showing charts to coworkers

<h3>The Referral Renaissance – Reclaiming<br>Growth in a Distracted World<br>@Sean Weafer 2025 All Rights Reserved<br>&nbsp;<br>In today's hyper-distracted, post-pandemic sales landscape, referral-based selling is no longer optional - it's essential. Cold outreach is waning. Buyers are more guarded, inboxes are flooded and attention is fragmented. What remains powerful is the trust that passes from person to person: the referral.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Why Referrals Matter More Than Ever</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>“Attention is the new currency.” and it’s traded most efficiently through trust.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>A warm introduction carries inherited credibility and dramatically shortens the sales cycle. It bypasses barriers like scepticism, time delays, and inbox oblivion.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>In a world where “nobody cares until you make them care,” referrals get you in the room before a sales pitch is ever needed.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>The Psychology of the 'Ask'</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Asking for referrals is often feared. The discomfort stems from a lack of structure and confidence - not from the act itself.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>By using soft, influential language like “might,” “perhaps,” or “who else,” the emotional threat is removed. Clients feel empowered, not pressured.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>One example from many that stands out: “Who else in your network<br>might appreciate a similar outcome?” It’s confident, clear and empathetically framed.<br>&nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Structuring the 'Ask' at the Right Time</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Timing is everything. The best moment to ask for a referral is right after a milestone or project success.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>When the client’s emotions are elevated and appreciation is high, the likelihood of a referral skyrockets. This isn’t just sales psychology - it’s behavioural economics. We reciprocate when value is fresh in our minds.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Leveraging Cross-Referral Networks</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Beyond clients, consider suppliers and adjacent service providers. These professionals often work with your ideal prospects and pose no competition.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>A simple conversation “Would any of your suppliers benefit from this?” — can unlock an entirely new referral stream. It’s a strategy often overlooked yet incredibly scalable.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Digital Proximity and the New Gatekeepers</strong><br><strong>&nbsp;</strong><br>In an age where digital noise drowns out cold outreach, referrals via platforms like LinkedIn reign supreme. A warm message from a mutual connection often cuts through the clutter.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>If you're not yet systemising these introductions digitally, you're leaving<br>influence (and income) on the table.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Turning Referrals Into a Habit</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>Referrals shouldn't be sporadic. Make them part of your delivery and debrief process.<br>&nbsp;<br>Train your teams. Provide templated scripts. Build referral metrics into your CRM and most importantly - reward and thank your referral champions. A note, a gift, or even public recognition amplifies the loop.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>From Inaction to Activation</strong><br>&nbsp;<br>For experts, advisors and consultants alike, the call to action is this: make asking for referrals a conscious and consistent part of your client journey.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Even one referral per month from each active client could yield exponential growth. The question isn’t whether referrals work - it’s whether you’ve built a system to harness them.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Call to Action:</strong> What would happen if every project ended with a powerful referral ask?<br>&nbsp;<br>Start today: identify five clients, revisit the value you delivered, and craft your referral moment. The next deal is already one relationship away.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br><em>- Sean Weafer is a leadership and business development capability coach,</em><br><em>professional speaker and Founder of the online business development, sales and</em><br><em>communications skills training hub, ExpertToAdvisor.pro. </em></h3><h3><em>He is also the</em> <em>author of 'The Highly Trusted Advisor: How to Lead Teams and Win Clients in</em> <em>the Hybrid Age (2021)' 'CASH'; Coaching As a Side-Hustle' &nbsp;and 'Invoking the Feminine: Strength, Love and Wisdom'</em></h3><h3><em>Contact him at SeanWeafer.com</em></h3>

The Referral Renaissance

SeanWeafer.com