Stephen Caunter

Improving your LinkedIn connections

Stephen — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:42:47 +0000

Without harping on about what is LinkedIn and what it can do for you I would like to share a couple of tips to improve the chance of making connections.

At times there are people you will connect with that you will know well and they know you. Thses are easy and connection made. The next tier are those you know or would like to know or the connection is just a little loose. Sending off the bog standard invitation does not provide the connection with much information or inspiration to accept.

I have had requests from people I dont know and do not accept these as a matter of course. So how to improve acceptances in my opionion.

1. Have a photo that is a reflexion of you, can be fun but try and avoid the mug shot look from the police records.

2. Most importantly add in a persoanl message to the invitation giving me a possible memory jogger as to who you are or why you should accept the invite.

Bog Standard
I’d like to add you to my professional network.

With some thought.
Great meeting you at the networking function……
Enjoyed your book and I like the way you think…….
Enjoyed our chat on the plane…….
A mutual friend/colleague ‘Monty Python” has reccommended you….
Great presentation last night….

You get the picture. A persoanl touch to actually want the connection will win every time over those which are potentially a trawling exercise to get a greater number of connections.

Appointments

Stephen — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:16:09 +0000

How much time and value is lost through people not keeping appointments. I suffer from this with people not showing up and I think it is rude. Same thing happened at my barbers. An appt did not show. Time wasted! Turned up the next day and was politly told “no thanks-You didnt show yesterday and I cant risk the same thing hppening again. The guy went off his nut, but in my opinion it was poor form. His excuse “had other business to take care of!” How would your dentist, solicitor, the judge treat this situation.
More importantly what do you do in your business to make sure your clients respect you by keeping appointments. Txt them, e-mail them, confirm or else policy (they confirm or you cancel). Your aim is to be more productive and in turn make more money. The flip side is the sales reps that turn up without making appts. That is a different story!!

How do you do this, comments welcome.

Mothers

Stephen — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:00:59 +0000

This came through our vintage club magazine. Not sure who the credits are due to but enjoy.
WHAT I OWE MY MOTHER
1.. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
“If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.”
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
“You better pray that will come out of the carpet.”
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
” Because I said so, that’s why.”
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
“If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store
with me.”
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
“Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
“Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about..”
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA ..
“You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
“This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.”
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
“If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!”
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out..”
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
“Stop acting like your father!”
9
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful
parents like you do.”
16.. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
“Just wait until we get home.”
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
“You are going to get it when you get home!”
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
“If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way.”
19. My mother taught me ESP.
“Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?”
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
“When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
“If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
“You’re just like your father.”
23.. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
“Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?”
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
“When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”
And my favourite:
25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
“One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.”!

The Perfect Poached Egg

Stephen — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:34:34 +0000

It is a great thing when you can still impress your mother later in life…. My answer is to create for her when she visits the Perfect Poached Egg. With our own chickens and a daily supply of free range eggs I believe that I now have the Perfect Poached Egg method. Slightly off topic, but hey, we are still learning.

To start with:

A good quality egg. Free range about a day or two old. Two eggs if you are peckish.

Good toasting bread + butter

Pepper & salt (Preferably in grinders)

Plate, knife & fork.

I use a standard pot with plenty of water. Add in a dash of white vinegar or Balsamic white vinegar.

The process:

Get the water to boiling and then turn it down to simmer.

Crack the egg and transfer it to a cup, dish, or small bowl.

Here is the key step. Just ease it into the boiling water. This will stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan. Don’t let the water get to a rolling boil again. Just simmering. No need for a lid on the pot.

At this point get the bread into the toaster and get it cooking.

The rough rule of thumb on timing. The toast will pop and provided you have not tuned it into charcoal and set of the fire alarms off the egg will be just right and runny in the middle. I like mine a little firmer so I can butter the toast then take out the egg.

Presentation.

Gently take the egg out and let the water drain off. The toast is buttered and ready for the egg. A good grind of pepper and salt and you are in business. In a perfect world I will have on the side a raw tomato fresh from the garden sliced into wedges but that is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Enjoy.

Wouldn’t even give them one star

Stephen — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:48:23 +0000

On the whole I find that service in New Zealand retail is not even average. I have written previously of the “Are you Right There” syndrome that pervades nearly every retail outlet in NZ.

One lot takes all the prizes. If it weren’t for Fly Buys would anyone shop at Noel Leeming. I don’t think so.

The service is just useless.

The pricing is over the top (to pay for the Fly Buys).

The “we will meet any competitor price” promotion is full of fine print that makes it near impossible to deliver on.

It would seem I am not the only one. So what are they doing about it, it appears little.

The connection between Alan Hubbard and Terry Serepisos

Stephen — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:18:41 +0000

I don’t know either of them or have any financial connection to them but I do have an observation to make.

Other than the internal events going on within SCF the one things that didn’t help was the relatively constant negative media. I am not saying this was good or bad, right or wrong. But it existed and had an influence on the perception of those involved in the business. The rest is history with SCF. A lucky outcome for investors.

Next cab off the rank is Terry Serepisos. How much bad news can he endure. It keeps coming thick and fast and not much if any is positive. The Phoenix have also got into the act losing their last 2 games. At some stage this mounting wall of action must topple the empire. Sad thing is that the football team has got great following and really added something to the NZ sporting landscape. Those taking action against can’t all be wrong. It seems the IRD action relates to the likes of PAYE, Kiwisaver deductions. It is not taxpayer money like GST & Income tax but his employees money. Dumping on your own is not a good thing…….

Will be some brave people stumping up to bail him out with the cash. Glad I am not making that decision.

Could add in David Henderson here as well. The legal system must give in at some stage and act. Just quick thought to conclude.

Q. Would you lend your money to Dave Henderson? A. Probably not.

Q. Would you lend your money to a business that lent money to Dave Henderson? A. Probably not. Unless you were an investor with SCF when it was Yes to Q2.

Kenn Butler Guest Post.

Stephen — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:42:50 +0000

Game not just about “the Shield….”

Everyone enjoys a sports metaphor, well most people! Rowing is often used in corporate literature as a metaphor for teamwork. The visual evidence is compelling; watching 8 oars in perfect time is dynamic, aesthetically pleasing & an obvious demonstration of the importance of working together. Winning the Boat Race is, for many, one of the pinnacles of rowing & quickly becoming a tradition of amateur sportsmanship.

Earlier this year I listened to a radio show about the156th Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. Apparently it was an extraordinary race & a perfect demonstration of the importance of belief, preparation & execution. In rowing as you will know, you race without being able to look your crewmates in the face, without being able to communicate. You have to know what they will be thinking &, more importantly, know how they will react, in any given situation, without being able to see or talk to them. So, hours are spent in preparing, testing & finally visualising every possible scenario.

Both crews will envision their success. They will think about how they will respond if they get ahead, & how they will respond if they are down. Cambridge spent the first two-thirds of the race chasing the Oxford crew; but they held on, they increased the number of strokes they took per minute, & crucially when Oxford should have taken advantage of their lead, it was Cambridge who actually made ground. Afterwards, the crew said they had spent a lot of time thinking about the second half of their race. There is no harder way to win a rowing race than to spend most of it behind – it means some members of the crew cannot see the opposition or how far away they are, so you are racing blind.

Everyone in the crew needs to believe in what they are trying to achieve, & believe no one in their boat will give up…even when it is hurting & they have doubts about whether they can make up the gap, they will keep going. Cambridge won the race because they won the psychological battle. They trusted their own strategy, their training & their crewmates to execute their own race plan & not panic when Oxford took the lead off the start.

Visualising success, & envisioning what winning will look & feel like, are tools used in all sports at the highest levels & notably in our world-class New Zealand rowing squads over recent years. It is easy in sport to define what success means – it is getting the most points, scoring the most goals or crossing the line first but in our work & in business it can be harder to articulate… & there is no finish line, commercial races are never-ending. But if we take the time to define what success within a business or organisation will mean & to communicate with our people about what it will take to achieve it, it becomes immensely powerful.

Another more recent analogy I want to share with you is relevant to me. Last Thursday night I watched the Southland rugby team defend the Ranfurly Shield against Auckland. Some data: It had been 39 years since a Southland team had last beaten an Auckland team (I know this, having watched a great deal of them). The match took place 51 years to the day when Auckland won 13-9 in Invercargill to end Southland’s previous hold of the Shield. I was four then, so was not at this game…

But it had been a tough week for Southlanders, a week when farmers would come home in the dark & pull off the thick woolen socks in despair having watched their livelihood dying under a blanket of snow. A week when the provinces sporting jewel, Stadium Southland, was reduced to mangled metal for reasons which remain unclear. The final injustice would have been for the Ranfurly Shield to head north exactly 51 years to the day after Auckland last stole it.

From the first 5 minutes Auckland put together 20 phases, yet through it all there was a calmness under adversity (just like the Cambridge Rowing eight). Southland defended stoutly. Rewind! Southland defended like the pride of the province depended on it. How do you win a game with only 29% possession & a similar amount of territory? Answer is generally you don’t (unless of course you are Tasman against Otago a few weeks ago…)

The Shield was there, but according to Co-coach Dave Henderson, they never talk about it & they haven’t right from the first challenge at the beginning of the season. “Whilst it is at the back of the boys’ mind & they will die for it (on Thursday night[1]), this is not the focus of our preparations”. I suggest visualising what your world will look like when you have met the goals you have set. Making it worth achieving. Being honest about the risks, the challenges; then planning for them. When everyone knows what you are aiming for, they will be able to make decisions themselves which help the team to achieve them. The same applies in business, well it should…

So, they kept moving up on them, inch by inch. They kept making ground until, with barely minutes to go they were ahead & still resolutely defending… & they kept going. The final 10 minutes was the sort of finish we have come to expect & become used to. For every Auckland action, there was an equal & opposite Southland reaction. Muscles burning & lungs bursting they won!

Envisioning & visualising success are techniques which are well used & recognised in sport. Sharing stories of experience & best practice can be powerful in reaching those goals. This kind of evidence builds confidence in strategy & makes sure everyone knows what is expected of them. Sharing stories of where your tactics have worked before is a way makes it real for people.

Earlier this year, Cambridge executed their race plan perfectly. Months latter Southland is doing the same thing week in, week out. It does not get any easier, does it? Today, they are celebrating the success they had envisioned for themselves. Tomorrow, they can use the same story to help them achieve new goals.

So can we do the same? Do we have the structures in place which allow it to happen? If not, what mountains need to be moved to get there? What sort of team work will be necessary? Can we use the sporting analogy? Thank you Southland for the reminder we need to show pride & passion; the importance of belief, preparation & execution. More importantly, thank you for a great night.

I trust you will have such a splendid week

kenn butler

www.kennbutler.com

[1] Pre-match interview with both Coaches Sept 22^nd 2010

Are you flogging a dead horse or backing a very slow one?

Stephen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:05:38 +0000

We have had some fun in the office following a horse that is not as quick as those it races against. Managed a 2nd placing and now having rest to consider its future and where it might be going wrong (generally the start). This blog will post any winning moment.

This has me thinking about how many slow horses we flog in business.

Staff that don’t or cant perform

Advertising that we don’t know works or not

Timewasters

Processes that could be improved.

Plans not made

Customers that cost us money.

We are often hoping that the problem will just go away and it never does. The short term pain of sorting out the slow horse is easily overshadowed by the long term benefits.

Go find that slow horse.

Biting off more than I can chew.

Stephen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:00:45 +0000

The truck restoration project has really started in earnest. Bits are coming off left, right and centre and they are now spread around the district.

The engine is out. What would have taken me all day was achieved in about 2 hours with help from Guy from Victory Automotive.

Springs are off to ChCh for replacement as well as shocks for a recondition. This will hopefully take out the twist and improve the ride. replacing the rear ones certainly did.

So now cleaning, degreasing and generally mess making before we can start putting back together. Aiming for around early Jan to be driving again!

Quite exciting and so far no nasty surprises. Will update the website with some progress pictures.

Make the little things count…

Stephen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:53:26 +0000

Over the last few day I have experienced and observed the little things that have made a difference. They have cost nothing or very little and are within the realms for any business. In no particular order.

1. Smile. At everyone especially your customers. Be delighted they have come to see you, or ring you. (You should smile as you pick up the phone). Smiling makes you a whole lot more appealing.

2. Enthusiasm. Have it is spades. Know who you are and what you do. Speak with all the confidence you can muster.

3. Stand tall. Stop looking at the ground unless you are looking for something you have lost. Opportunities become unveiled when we look up and out.

4.A little treat can go a long way. As an example have coffee yesterday in Blenheim. We were treated to 4 little biscuits for free. Nice touch and will go back. You will have opportunities within your business to provide treats. The best ones are low cost to you but high value to the consumer.

5. Use peoples names. We love our names and are delighted by other people using them.

6. Implement. We are learning all the time but we seldom take that learning and implement changes within the business. Go on and try, you will be pleasantly surprised.

7. Set goal and plans. Have a view to the future with goal setting and business plans that paint picture of success.

Thats all for now.