FIR Podcast Network

Getting the support and success you need with project management. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Randall Englund (http://aha.pub/RandallEnglund), owner of Englund Project Management Consultancy. He is a project management instructor and seminar leader at Northeastern University College of Professional Studies and Project Management Institute, respectively.

Randall conducts project management consulting and training services for project managers, as well as executives and project teams. He is focused on helping his clients get the executive support they need and establish a better environment for them to achieve the success they need.

If you’re a project manager and you’re not getting the executive support you need to be successful with #ProjectManagement, consider reaching out to Randall Englund on his website https://englundpmc.com/ or http://aha.pub/RandallEnglund.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Project managers working in toxic environments and not getting the upper management support they need to achieve results can look at the work done by Randall Englund. #ProjectManagement https://englundpmc.com/

* If you are not getting the success that you want from your projects, assess and define the problem why you’re not successful. Clarify problems before working on solutions. #ProjectManagement https://englundpmc.com/

* After identifying the problem, figure out ways to get project management support in place. Work with sponsors to build healthy work environments, develop a more complete skill set, and manage up the organization to get the support needed to be successful. #ProjectManagement https://englundpmc.com/

* Project managers who are interested and want to get better can work with me. I provide reference materials and teach necessary skills for them to be successful. #ProjectManagement https://englundpmc.com/

* I teach project managers and teams how to negotiate, how to be salespersons, and how to use influence skills to be more effective. This paves the way to get executives’ attention and get them trained to establish necessary management support. #ProjectManagement https://englundpmc.com/

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

Buyers purchase agencies for all sorts of reasons — to expand geographic reach, extend capabilities, grow revenue, or pad profits. Since it’s a talent-based industry, the other reason that agencies may be sold is for their people.

When the primary reason for an agency purchase is the team itself, it is often referred to as an “acquihire.” It’s something that has been popular for many years among tech companies in Silicon Valley who often buy small, struggling startups to quickly augment their engineering teams.

But even without a fancy name, these types of acquisitions have been taking place in the agency space for a long time, too.

Chip and Gini talk about how acquihires work, when they are a good idea, and how to structure it by looking at both sides of the transaction (buyer and seller).

RESOURCES

* Scaling Creative Agency with Freelancers Client Book (Reddit)

* Agency M&A Transactions List

[read the transcript]

Agencies evolve over time — and so do their team cultures. But they are always a reflection of the founder and key leaders.

Keith Scandone of O3 World joins Chip to talk about his experience and evolution over 15 years of running his own agency based in Philadelphia. He explains why he has prioritized culture — and hired help to focus on it. He talks about some of the challenges he has faced, including growing out of their existing space and managing team members in two locations.

The conversation also touches upon a difficult subject for many agency owners: what to do when an employee wants to leave. He explains the concept of a “graceful exit” and why it benefits both the individual and the organization.

As agencies grow, it becomes more difficult for the founder to stay in touch with every employee, but Keith has come up with a system that encourages open dialogue between himself and any team member.

In a business that is fueled by talent, this is an episode that you don’t want to miss to build an environment to get the most out of your team.

RESOURCES

* O3 World

* How to leave your job gracefully

* Keith on LinkedIn

ABOUT KEITH SCANDONE

Keith Scandone is partner and CEO of O3 World. He guides the agency’s strategic direction and focuses on strengthening and expanding the company’s overall impact. From spearheading the Forge Conference and 1682 to co-founding the Philadelphia chapter of the Awesome Foundation, Keith looks for unique ways to differentiate the company and bring the industry and community together. His efforts to consistently craft and curate O3 World’s culture have lead to the agency being recognized as Entrepreneur’s “Top Company Cultures” and “Best Entrepreneurial Companies.” Keith is also working with the leadership team on building out O3 World’s Ventures program, which is a separate entity that takes an equity stake in digital product ideas.

[read the transcript]

Take your business to the next level by improving your leadership skills through leadership development. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Kimberly Svoboda (https://aha.pub/KimberlySvoboda), founder and CEO of Aspiration Catalyst, group leader at ProVisors, contributing writer at Forbes Coaches Council, accredited Vistage keynote speaker at Vistage Worldwide, Inc. and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Better Business Bureau.

Kimberly conducts leadership development coaching programs for leaders. She helps them improve their leadership skills so that they can take their businesses to the next level. Kimberly is passionate about helping her clients to improve their leadership skills so that they are able to achieve better results faster and easier.

If you are looking for #LeadershipDevelopment programs to train yourself and your leaders to hit your goals and upscale your business, consider reaching out to Kimberly Svoboda by visiting her website https://www.aspirationcatalyst.com/ and going to https://aha.pub/KimSvoboda.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Many leaders who lack the skills that are essential to help improve their companies’ performance should reach out to Kimberly Svoboda. #LeadershipDevelopment https://www.aspirationcatalyst.com/ @KimSvoboda

* #LeadershipDevelopment will be a great help for you as a leader to acquire and develop the skills you need to help your companies improve and thrive in today’s market. https://aha.pub/KimberlySvoboda

* Are you working with an expert who actually knows about #LeadershipDevelopment? My practical knowledge from years of experience gives me the perceived credibility to help you hit your sales targets and accelerate your growth. https://www.aspirationcatalyst.com/ @KimSvoboda

* Effective leadership skills can help you as a leader in setting up your agenda, leading your teams and hitting your goals. I can work with you and mentor you in how to develop effective leadership skills. https://www.aspirationcatalyst.com/ @KimSvoboda

* Teaching with a correct #LeadershipDevelopment approach is my focus so that leaders can learn the ropes of leadership with the necessary skills to realize their goals. I can help you work on solutions with practical applications. https://aha.pub/KimberlySvoboda

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

Making a difference in the government through results-driven management systems. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert John Bernard (http://aha.pub/JohnBernard) who is the author of the best-selling book Business at the Speed of Now (Wiley 2012) and the widely read Government That Works, The Results Revolution in the States (Results America 2015). He is also the host of a podcast titled The New Bureaucrat. John works with government leaders in bringing the focus on results into the culture of government.

John is a recognized authority on Lean applied to the work of management. He has earned a national reputation as the leading authority on the results-driven transformation of state government. John has served as an advisor to four governors. He is committed to working the intersection between business, government and social good.

If you are working for the government to make a difference and are not getting results, you should consider reaching out to John Bernard by visiting his website https://johnmbernard.com and going to http://aha.pub/JohnBernard.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* People who are working for the #Government to make a difference and are not getting results, should reach out to John Bernard. https://johnmbernard.com @JohnMBernard

* It seems nearly impossible to actually make anything work in #Government to make it better. It is not an accident. You can steer the ship and get the results. https://johnmbernard.com @JohnMBernard

* Culture is powerful because it drives results. I help you create a culture where people actually move those results in the direction that makes the #Government better. https://johnmbernard.com @JohnMBernard

* I wrote 2 books and served as an advisor to 4 governors. I had the opportunity to talk at and meet governors at the National Governors Association. This gives me the perceived credibility to help you make a difference in the #Government. http://aha.pub/JohnBernard

* A large-scale change in #Government is subject to a lot of challenges and pitfalls. The solution is in the details. I can help you select the right measures, engage people, and determine what processes to improve. http://aha.pub/JohnBernard

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

See dramatic improvements in your sales volumes by learning effective sales strategies. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Ben Gay III http://aha.pub/BenGayIII, sales speaker, sales trainer, author, consultant and founder and current Executive Director of The National Association of Professional Salespeople who helps salespeople increase their sales and income dramatically.

Through training, consultations and speaking engagements, Ben teaches sales techniques that will help salespeople to organize themselves for success.

To learn more about Ben Gay III, go to http://aha.pub/BenGayIII. To get in touch with him, visit https://www.bfg3.com.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* The pain point of some sales companies is that they have a difficult time maintaining and increasing their profits because their sales team is giving products away when trying to sell them. #ReachYourSalesGoals http://aha.pub/BenGayIII

* It can be said that nothing has changed about selling. It may be the same as it has always been, but the techniques required now may be faster. What sales technique are you using? #ReachYourSalesGoals http://aha.pub/BenGayIII

* You can reach sales success if you sell a competitively priced, quality product to qualified customers. #ReachYourSalesGoals https://www.bfg3.com @BenGayIII

* When you learn to overcome virtually any objection, you are on your way to increasing your sales. #EffectiveSalesStrategies https://www.bfg3.com @BenGayIII

* Learning how to read your prospects and customers like books can help you close the sale. #ReachYourSalesGoals https://www.bfg3.com @BenGayIII

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, subscribe to the channel: http://youtube.com/user/thoughtleaderlife.

Discover your leadership style to achieve your vision for your team. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville https://aha.pub/DorothyMartinNeville, who is a bestselling author, consultant, psychotherapist, pioneer in integrative health, executive confidant, and an expert in leadership development.

Dr. Dorothy creates healthy leaders and teams by helping them bring balance, joy, and personal reward back into their lives and their business through executive coaching and consulting.

If you’re a leader who feels like you’ve hit a wall and are looking for help in achieving your vision for your team, get in touch with Dr. Dorothy by going to her website at https://www.askdrdorothy.com/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Leaders with a vision who hit a brick wall because they can’t get out of their own way or work around external obstacles should get in touch with Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville. https://aha.pub/DorothyMartinNeville

* Many leaders don’t even understand their own leadership style. They try to fit themselves into a box and end up getting stuck and can’t understand why. If you’re experiencing the same, @AskDrDorothy. #TransformingLeaders

* When leaders don’t understand their leadership style, they are not fully connected to what feeds them. Because of that, they can sabotage themselves or their team without realizing it. #TransformingLeaders https://aha.pub/DorothyMartinNeville

* I created a self-assessment tool that helps me and my clients discover their leadership style and the ways they can support their leadership development. #TransformingLeaders https://www.askdrdorothy.com/ @AskDrDorothy

* After being a therapist for over 25 years and founding four companies, I gained the ability to see the big picture and the details that get in the way of achieving your vision as a leader. #TransformingLeaders https://www.askdrdorothy.com/ @AskDrDorothy

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

A lot of organizations talk a good game about transparency but when push comes to shove, they can still seem secretive and opaque. Clearly, transparency doesn’t mean making every scrap of information available. Share your employees’ health records and you’ll be subject to penalties under HIPAA (in the U.S.). Reveal plans for product launches and you could be giving the competition a leg up. And will you engage in salary transparency, letting every employee know how much every employee makes? (Some companies do!)

In episode 53 of the “Circle of Fellows” broadcast, IABC Fellows and moderator Shel Holtz discussed transparency, how to be strategic about it, and how communicators can keep their organizations (or clients) consistent about what and how they implement a transparent culture.

The next episode will focus on achieving business outcomes through effective communication. It’s set for noon ET on Thursday, February 20, 2020. Fellows participating include Priya Bates, Neil Griffiths, Ned Lundquist, and Jim Shaffer. Details will be posted around February 1.

About the transparency panel

Martha Muzychka — one of our newest Fellows, from the class of 2019 — speaks, writes, listens, and helps others do the same to make change happen. Martha is a strategic, creative problem solver seeking challenging communications environments where we can make a difference. She helps her clients navigate competing priorities and embrace communications challenges. Martha offers strategic planning, facilitation, and consultation services as well as writing and editing, qualitative research, and policy analysis. Her work has been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally with multiple awards.

Cindy Schmieg is an award-winning strategic communicator. With 30+ years of corporate, agency, and consulting experience, Cindy now teaches online within the Communications Master Degree program at Southern New Hampshire. She has served in many IABC leadership roles and today serves as IABC 2018 Gold Quill Awards Chair.

Jim Shaffer is a business adviser, leadership coach, author, and speaker. As leader of the Jim Shaffer Group, he helps organizations accelerate results through superior strategy execution. The Jim Shaffer Group creates hard business results by translating the business strategy to the people who need to implement it, aligning systems, processes, and culture to make the gains sustainable. The firm has improved quality, service, sales, safety, turnover, productivity, speed and costs with some returns exceeding more than 1,600 percent. He designed and produced the IABC Academy courses, “Managing Communication to Drive Results and Value” and “How to Add Value as a Strategic Adviser”. Some of his clients have included: Hallmark, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, IBM, Marriott, Mayo Clinic, Verizon, Owens Corning, Pfizer and Toyota.

Brad Whitworth is a communication manager at Hitachi Vantara.  A communication coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Brad was most recently an executive communication manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Before that, he was senior communication manager at Cisco Systems. Before Cisco, Brad led communication programs at HP, PeopleSoft, and AAA. He earned undergraduate degrees in both journalism and speech at the University of Missouri and an MBA at Santa Clara University. A former broadcaster, Brad has made more than 300 presentations to executives, communicators, and university classes around the world. Brad has a long history with IABC, including serving as chairman of the international board and president of two local chapters. He is one of the authors of The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication.

Regenerate your business by quitting ineffective traditional practices. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Carol Sanford http://aha.pub/CarolSanford, the executive producer at The Regenerative Business Summit who brings highly recognized innovation in the business and nations around the world.

Through her A-rated speeches and highly-praised, award-winning books, Carol teaches tested alternatives to traditional business practices so executives can produce better decisions and financial results.

If you need a change agent who will help you realize the traditional processes that you need to quit and the innovations that you can create, you should get in touch with Carol Sanford by going to http://aha.pub/CarolSanford.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Business executives and teams that are dissatisfied with doing “business as usual” but keep doing ineffective traditional practices without knowing it should reach out to Carol Sanford. https://aha.pub/CarolSanford

* We often think that the best thing in life is to take accepted best practices and reapply them. But if we keep doing ineffective traditional practices, this can take us down the wrong course. https://carolsanford.com/ @CarolSanford

* Businesses need to quit borrowing leadership processes that undermine their ability to have a working democracy. #BusinessRegeneration https://carolsanford.com/ @CarolSanford

* Businesses need to realize the ineffective traditional practices that they keep doing. Some of these practices have negative implications on the people they work with and on society. #BusinessRegeneration https://aha.pub/CarolSanford

* I help business executives and teams identify ineffective traditional practices that they keep copying, and help them quit these practices and create new ones that work for them. #BusinessRegeneration https://aha.pub/CarolSanford

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

The Spin Sucks community predicted artificial intelligence would be the biggest trend in 2020.

AI can profitably scale activities that are proven to be effective for business, such as content personalization, market research, risk assessment, and customer communication.

One of the most exciting things about the growing power and accessibility of artificial intelligence is that it can scale activities that are proven to be effective for business, but that are difficult to scale sustainably when done manually.

Things such as content personalization, market research, risk assessment, and customer communication take up huge portions of budgets—and AI is beginning to change that.

Artificial Intelligence by the Numbers

Really change it. It’s going to be big…and we need to be ready.

Forbes Insights and Quantcast research found that marketers who used artificial intelligence increased sales by 52% and improved customer retention by 51%.

In the near future, more companies will be using artificial intelligence for:

* Analytics enhancement

* Augmented customer relationship management

* Customer communications

* Risk assessment

More and more companies are starting to look seriously at AI-assisted tools to increase their profitability.

SalesForce determined that while only 22% of marketers are using AI-based tools, 57% plan to start in the next two years.

This is probably a train you want to catch.

However, AI poses several concerns, including data bias, misinformation and transparency.

In today’s show, we look at how big artificial intelligence is predicted to be, what it could do for communicators, and what we may need to be concerned about.

Have Your Say

What do you want robots to do in the future? What are you afraid of robots doing in the future?

Tell us in the Spin Sucks community.

Resources

* Communications Trends

* Lessons of 21st-Century Brands Modern Brands & AI Report

* How to Put AI in PR by Martin Waxman

* How to Spot Red Flags