Tighten The Lugs Nuts: The Principles Of Balanced Leadership, took First Place in the Business genre in The Authors Show® 2024 Book Cover contest.It's that time of year. We must begin planning now (if we have not started already) for 2025. Revenue is the lifeblood of the planning process for all of us, but there are many ways to approach this core component. In a recent newsletter, bestselling author and top motivational speaker presented a roadmap based on the principles of Balanced Leadership. In that newsletter he said in part:
I often talk about the importance of understanding who we are, what we stand for, and what we will not compromise as an organization and as a leader. So, let’s start there.
Answering the question “Who We Are” as it pertains to revenue starts the process and level-sets the organization and planning process on common ground. Never assume everyone can answer this question consistently. As an example, my answer would be, “We are an organization with Marketing and Sales Savvy.” I would define Marketing and Sales Savvy as:
* Has a nose for business opportunity.
* Broad experience with modern marketing and sales strategies.
* Has led marketing and sales change initiatives successfully, including developing new markets and new product/service intros.
* Has led the development of creating a successful marketing and sales culture.
* Has documentable experience with a sales team in the field.
* Has a history of growing the company top line through organic sales.
* Experience working strategically with senior-level marketing and sales executives.
* Understands how to develop compelling value propositions to support marketing and sales strategies.
* Understands the principles of market opportunity analysis.
*Experience with sophisticated consultative selling processes.
Depending on the size, complexity, and nature of the organization, you may be in various stages of expertise in these attributes. You may add or delete some of these based on your vision.
Defining who you are as a sales and marketing organization is not defined by the number of attributes or competencies. More is not always better. The idea is to identify the few critical competencies that will make the difference rather than every skill and knowledge set that may have marginal impact.
The trick is to have a Goldilocks competency profile—not too few, not too many, but just right. If you have too many competencies, it is going to mean that you have several “nice-to-haves” but not critical competencies. What we are after is to identify the critical few that really will drive the business and lead to revenue.
"What We Stand For" can be defined by our ability to manage customer relationships. Your list may be different. For me, this can be defined as our ability to:
- Work effectively with both internal and external customers.
- Know how to gather and analyze customer data to discover business opportunities, continuously improve customer value, cement customer retention, and develop competitive advantages.
- Understand how to utilize customer relationships to identify high-potential business opportunities and create innovative products/services that create a first-mover advantage.
As you begin to craft your strategic plan, we must clearly understand "What We Will Not Compromise." It is also a double-check on the question, “Does this match our vision and strategy, and does it correspond to what our people, our customers, and investors believe to be our strategy, and consistently reflect our brand?” For me, the biggest differentiator between us and our competitors is the superior customer experience we provide. During every customer interaction, our reputation is on the line. With this belief, these are some of the areas that would fall into my no-compromise zone. As an example:
Our Priority is Customer Satisfaction: Whether on the phone, in person, or via electronic communication, genuinely interact and connect with customers, ensure a positive experience, and exceed expectations.
Actively Listen to Customer Needs: Consistently demonstrate to customers you are in tune with their needs and are operating in their best interest. Customers know what they want but may not always explain it in a manner that is clear to you. Therefore, it is important effective listening skills are utilized. If you do not understand a request, ask clear, positively articulated questions until you understand. Do not rush customers. Allow them, at their own pace, to discuss what they need. Once customers have expressed their needs, confirm your understanding with them to ensure communication is clear.
Build Strong Relationships: Providing value and listening are key components of any relationship. The foundation of strong relationships also includes being fair to customers and following through on your word. Make sure to ask for assistance from others when necessary to ensure proper follow-through and response. Treat every customer how you would like to be treated.
Learn the Products and Services We Offer: Part of providing a superior customer service experience is being knowledgeable of the services we offer. Take the time to really learn our business so you can effectively communicate to our customers the services and value we provide.
Be Responsive and Effectively Resolve Problems: If a problem occurs, allow customers to fully explain the issue and convey empathy. If the fault lies with you or us as an organization, take ownership of it and apologize. Take the initiative to resolve problems in a timely and effective manner.
Remain Positive: Always show respect for our customers, even if you find yourself in a challenging situation. Demonstrate professionalism and keep communication positive.
Express Gratitude: Expressing appreciation can go a long way. It can be as simple as thanking customers for their business and loyalty. Make sure they know we are grateful they chose to do business with us.
Creating a strong service culture is critical to your company’s long-term success and growth. It should be the desire of the Senior Leadership Team to create the Best, the Brightest, Most Informed, and Best Educated management team in the industry.
In the service business, people are our most important asset. The time we spend with our people is an investment in the future, not an expense or burden on our time. The time you spend gathering the necessary data to build your strategic vision and the time you spend with your people developing the plan is an investment.
The full text of the piece is available at Romanella's website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com in the newsletters section.
Romanella's bestselling book on Balanced Leadership, Tighten The Lugs Nuts, took First Place in the Business genre in The Authors Show® 2024 Book Cover contest. Results of the contest can be viewed at https://wnbnetworkwest.com/index.php/book-cover-contest-2024-vote?page=1.
Rocky offers a number of resources on his website that offer powerful ideas for leaders at any level - business managers, educators or small group leaders:
FORBES CONTRIBUTIONS:
Rocky is an official member of Forbes Business Council and a contributor on many different topics. A full list of his Forbes articles is available at https://www.3sixtymanagementservices.com/forbes-business-council/.
PODCAST:
Rocky hosts The Leadership Library Podcast, now in its 8h season. New shows are posted every Tuesday and Thursday morning at https://tightenthelugnuts.com/.
All of us are leaders in some way - parents, educators, athletes, special interest groups large and small, sales teams - the list is endless. Regardless of the role we play, Romanella's concepts, developed under the heading of Balanced Leadership, can be applied to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and results.
Morning coffee is one of the joys of life for many of us. When you add your Cup of Joe to your visit to the Leadership Library podcast, your morning coffee will add an educational, entertaining dose of leadership octane to your day. Past show topics include:
The Feeling Of Trust That Comes From Hope (over 7.5 K views)
Soft Skills For Great Results (over 3.1K views)
Balanced Leadership
Goal Setting
Integrity
Leaving a Legacy
Personal Values
Performance of a Successful Team
Strategic Vision
Operational Excellence
Strategic Process
Are You A Job Skill Developer
Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
SWOT Analysis
Training and Development
with many more topics available and more on the upcoming schedule.
The podcast is now available at https://tightenthelugnuts.com or visit https://www.buzzsprout.com/1484407. The podcast is also available at Apple Podcasts. More on leadership, building a legacy and many other topics are also available at Romanella's website at https://3SixtyManagementServices.com.
BOOK:
Rocky's book about leadership, Tighten The Lug Nuts: The Principles Of Balanced Leadership recently achieved number 1 bestseller status in both Business Management and Business Leadership.
In 'Tighten the Lug Nuts', Romanella uses his forty-plus years of experience at UPS, and his CEO and Director roles, to explore the ways a true leader can lead any organization and its people to new levels of success.
If you read only one business book this year, this is the book you should read.
Rocky's approach to leadership is unique and highly effective. He believes that great leaders challenge their people not to stop at the first right answer. 'Tighten The Lug Nuts' is a book about leadership that help readers move past that first right answer. It is full of detailed examples that are organized in an educational and entertaining way to form a framework of real-world concepts. The deceptively simple concepts, with powerful “How To Messages“ can be utilized by anyone who holds a leadership position - even parents, educators, and others. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a first-time manager, Tighten The Lug Nut is not only motivational, but also a call to action for those who have yet to make a mark in their field.
The book can also help position an organization for hyper growth coming out of the pandemic, Key concepts detailed in the book will prepare leaders and their teams to hit the ground running as they rapidly refocus and rebuild. Tighten The Lug Nuts is loaded from cover to cover with practical information that can help leaders become more effective, more productive, and more successful. It is not just another "book about leadership."
Tighten The Lug Nuts is available at online book retailers. More information is available at his website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com and at https://tightenthelugnuts.com.
Rocky Romanella has built an entire library of cutting-edge resources, available at his website, to help position ourselves to come out of the pandemic stronger, leaner, faster and to get a jump-start on the Rapid Rebuild process. Those resources include:
LIVE AND VIRTUAL KEYNOTES AND TRAINING - SUPPORT FOR WEEKLY MEETINGS AND CALLS
Rocky has been doing virtual conferences and training sessions with a keen eye on POST COVID and the Rapid Rebuild of our businesses. He can build a program, live or virtual, for any organization. Topics can include any or all of the 23 Leadership Competencies, concepts from the book, Tighten The Lug Nuts: The Principles Of Balanced Leadership, or any topic that might be appropriate.
THE LIST - 23 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Every item on the list will play a vital role during the Rapid Rebuild of our economy, our businesses and our lives. Any or all of them will be appropriate for virtual meetings, talks or presentations.
PODCASTS LIBRARY
Over 108 podcasts that take a deep dive into Leadership topics. These can be searched by topic, show name or Leadership Competency.
VIDEO LIBRARY
The video library includes training videos, Balanced Leadership videos, Keynote Speaking videos, Tighten The Lug Nuts videos, interviews videos, Coach's Corner videos and much more.
More on leadership skills, virtual keynotes, training sessions, virtual meetings and conferencing calls, training workshops, strategy sessions and general information on the relaunch of the economy is available at Romanella’s website.
MEETING CALLS
As a special incentive for those who are ready for a Rapid Rebuild, Rocky will be offering meeting calls at no charge for those who purchase 20 or more copies of his 5-star rated book on leadership, 'Tighten The Lug Nuts'. Contact Rocky for details at rockyromanella@gmail.com, and or 610-322-0720 to schedule your session.
With over 4 decades of “boots on the ground” leadership experience, Rocky Romanella is one of the best keynote motivational speakers in the country and internationally. He has spoken in large and small venues all over the US including cities such as Atlanta, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, NYC, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Houston, LA, Charlotte, and many others. Internationally, he has presented keynotes in Toronto, Mexico City, Milan, London, and Krakow. He is known for creating excitement through his energy, passion, and knowledge, while employing his talents and experience to motivate, inspire and entertain audiences, regardless of size.
Romanella has garnered praise for his ability to connect to a wide range of audiences with his storytelling ability and innate charisma. Richard Snowden, President of Raven House International said, "An engaging speaker and facilitator, Rocky leads business executives to break-through results through break-through thinking." Conrad Swanson, Sr. VP Agency Development of Arpin Van Lines Inc. stated, "Rocky inspired many to look inward and improve the way they operate their businesses and lead their team members."
A winner of the UPS Chairman’s Award for Excellence, Romanella has created a legacy of motivating teams to achieve their best. He pulls in audiences with real life stories from an illustrious career spanning nearly 40 years at one of the most recognized and admired brands in the world. Rocky brings leadership expertise in supply chain, logistics and transportation, retail, sales and operational excellence strategy, telecommunications engineering/construction management and installation. Having led many company sales efforts, rapidly building brands, restructuring events, and developing a culture needed to integrate past acquisitions, he inspires audiences to create a unified company with one vision.
Rocky Romanella is available for keynote speaking engagements and media interviews. He can be contacted using the information below or by email at rockyromanella@gmail.com. Full information on 3SIXTY Management Services, more information on keynote speaking and 'Tighten The Lug Nuts' is available at the company website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com.
About Rocky Romanella:
Rocky is the Founder and CEO of 3SIXTY Management Services, LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in Executive Speaking, Leadership Development and Consulting Services. He also serves on the board of Goodman Networks, a leading provider of end-to- end network infrastructure, field and professional services to the wireless telecommunications and satellite television industries.
Rocky is an experienced CEO who led one of the largest rebranding initiatives in franchising history – The UPS Store, revolutionizing the $9 billion retail shipping and business services market.
While leading The UPS Store, the network increased retail unit, same-store sales by 5.8%, outpacing the National Retail Federation results of 4.6% during a recession.
Rocky steered UPS’s entry into the health care industry and created the mantra, “It’s a patient, not a package.®”
He also led the integration of more than 20 acquisitions to improve financial performance, capabilities, and global network footprint.
Through his executive roles and leadership advisory services, Rocky delivers results by developing and implementing his Balanced Leadership Model across enterprise operations. This includes a laser focus on customer needs, employee empowerment and the demands of shareholders.
Rocky has the rare ability to see a clear vision of the changing business landscape, the passion to develop strategies, tactics, and metrics to drive desired results.
Contact:
Rocky Romanella
https://3sixtymanagementservices.com
rockyromanella@gmail.com
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