We are pleased to note that we now offer training in Business Communications including Persuasive Writing Skills, Crucial Conversations – How to Talk About What Matters Most, and Enhancing Interpersonal and Leadership Effectivness (using the SDI).    We continue to offer branded training programs such as Change Leadership (which includes a customized simulation), Negotiating and Influencing Skills, Internal Consulting Skills, Conflict Resolution, and Taking Charge of Your Career.  

Robert Harris is delivering leadership training programs throughout Canada and the USA for Schulich Executive Education Centre (part of York University).   In 2010, Robert delivered Change Leadership programs to municipalities across Canada, and also companies in the mining, high technology, computer software, and engineering industries.   Some of these programs were dedicated programs with customized materials which reflected the client’s current business challenges.  In 2011, Robert is also co-directing a leadership program for Schulich which will involve 8 modules of leadership training for Canada’s high technology industry.

Robert Harris delivers the keynote address to the 2011 American Dietetic Association…Robert has been invited back to address over 200 ADA professionals in Scottsdale Arizona.   Robert was a top rated presenter at the ADA annual leadership event which lead to Robert’s being invited back for a return engagement in 2011.   Robert will be speaking on “Strategic Influencing – How to Get Commitment to Critical Business Goals” and also “Leveraging Your Leadership Strengths”.   For the leadership presentation, attendees will be completing the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) in advance of the session which will allow Robert to explain their core “motivational values”, how they can be most rewarded, and what would demotivate or cause them conflict.    Last year’s session was extremely well received.

On April 5, 2011, Robert Harris presents at an Ontario Wellness Conference sponsored by the Region of Peel Public Health.   Robert will demonstrate his innovate 4 step communications process for “Getting Buy-in when Your Goals Aren’t Their Goals”… Robert will be teaming up with Allan Smofsky, an Independent workplace health strategist.   Allan is a 2008 winner of the Rogers Media Working Well Who’s Who in Workplace Health award, and is a frequently invited speaker and writer on workplace health & well-being issues. 

On May 3, 2011, Robert Harris Resources has been invited to present at the 2011 Credit Union Central’s annual conference.   Robert and his colleague Francoise Morissette will be co-presenting.  Francoise will also be highlighting her best selling book entitled “Made in Canada Leadership”, published by Wiley.  

Sincerely,

ROBERT HARRIS RESOURCES INC.

In my business practice, I am often asked, “how do I get ‘buy-in’ when my goals are not the same as their goals?”   The reality is, most of us simply try harder to convince others, or give up altogether, presuming the other party simply “doesn’t get it.”

I believe a different, almost counter-intuitive, approach is needed.   

Instead of advocating for the validity of your perspective, you first need to acknowledge the validity of theirs.   A good example is anything requiring organizational change.   Whenever an individual, team, department or entire organization is asked to embrace a change, there are invariably two “camps” that quickly form – those who support the change (advocators) and everyone else (resisters).    Change frequently fails because these two factions simply refuse to accept the viewpoints of the other.    From my perspective, there is often validity in both viewpoints that must be worked with.

I teach a 4-step communications process that integrates differences and builds shared commitment to organizational change.   The keys to this model include:

• You must present a “burning platform” as to why this change is necessary, not only to others but to the person you are trying to engage
• You must demonstrate that you not only understand the other party’s “resistant” points (concerns and needs), but that you are willing to work with them to minimize or lessen these issues
• You must avoid over-selling your perspective as this comes across as “cheerleading” and causes the other person to quickly dismiss you or your purpose.
• You must explain what is not impacted by your proposal; that is, those things the other party values that are going to remain intact.   
• You must invite their input so that solutions become “our” solutions, not just yours.

All too often, the person trying to get agreement from key decision makers is passionate but unsure of how to get commitment to their purpose.   When resistance is encountered, the proposer loses confidence which makes the next client meeting even more difficult.  

Getting commitment is a process and very few decision makers are going to commit on first encounter.  Changing our own mindset about what should be the goal for a client meeting is crucial.  Rather than expecting immediate endorsement, instead we should seek to effect an attitude shift that moves the client, over time, from disinterest to interest, to understanding, and finally to shared commitment to move forward collaboratively.

Robert Harris is a president of Robert Harris Resources Inc., an organization which trains employees at all levels on interpersonal effectiveness.   You can visit our website at www.rhresources.com

(The 5 C’s of Selling)

This past week (February, 2009), I had the pleasure of delivering a seminar for a national sales conference in conjunction with my close working colleague, Bill Smalley.   Bill is an expert on sales and marketing and speaks on these topics globally. continue

There is a critical organizational level, frequently overlooked and under-appreciated, that gets even less attention during tough economic times – “middle management”. continue

“This month, the world got very excited with the election of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States of America.   I must confess, I have never watched so much CNN as I did for the 18 months leading up to this significant event.   Given all my work in the areas of creating change, moving past conflict, and engaging a critical mass of stakeholders in a new vision, I was intrigued by Obama’s very different, yet highly effective approach to getting others onside. continue