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Martyn, thank you for this
opportunity to ask questions. I enjoyed your talk this evening. Systemic Solutions
sounds like a great package of services for organizations. Could you tell me please,
is this new, and what can companies gain by relationship management?
The concept is not new - organizational effectiveness and
productivity are not only increased by technology, but by the relationship
and communication skills of the managers. Many organizations
focus on managing technology - I would say that managing relationships is still in the "Stone
Age".
Managers should care about professional relationships, yet
these relationships are often taken for granted and ignored in strategic planning. Systemic
Solutions offers cost-effective processes that combine strategic planning
with relationship management. Companies can create a strategic plan consistent
with the owner's or CEO's vision, detailed relationship management steps to realize that plan, and
assistance in preparing for and achieving those steps.
Can you please
explain briefly, how can people increase organizational performance with
systemic solutions?
I can refer you to case histories describing some situations
in which organizations benefited from
Systemic Solutions. (Some resources are available on the internet - see below).
Systemic Solutions offers three basic tool-sets, strategic planning,
relationship management and success coaching. However, focusing on the blocks is not effective. We investigate and change the
systemic causes so that blocks to success are not only removed, the blocks cannot be
recreated.
We can also resolve very many individual, partnership, team and
family problems, while focusing on organizational productivity. Deficiencies
in these areas, especially in the life of the founder or CEO, will show as
success blocks for a whole organization.
We dissolve blocks to success ... any lack of creativity, motivation
or loyalty usually reflect relationship issues. We provide fast and
effective solutions for most conflicts. We improve cooperation by dissolving relationship challenges
(such as transference loops and hidden agendas) that stop
people working with full energy.
What are transference loops?
There appear to be six common ways that people contaminate their
relationships with their inner chaos. These are ways in which people react to a
person as if that person were someone else. If two people do this
simultaneously, each feeding the other's chaos, we call it a "loop".
What do you mean by hidden agendas?
Do you mean
things we want - but we don't want other people to know that we want?
Exactly. And sometimes people even hide their real agendas from
themselves. Anyway, our Systemic solutions training programs provide ways to
resolve all these issues.
What skills can people develop in
Systemic Solutions training?
Many
people show significant blocks to using and developing their skills. For
example, many people believe that they cannot
change, and this belief limits their chances for success. Yet most people CAN develop their
qualities in a wide variety of areas. For example - can you incorporate your interest in
people, your skills as a
partner and parent, and your desire to be an artist into journalism?
Yes ... of course ... that's why
I'm a journalist ... I see what you mean ... so what is needed to develop
NEW skills?
Creative people can develop many ways to increase
their skills. Creativity is one ingredient for success, but learning depends very much on
the quality of training.
When we coach people to learn or improve skills, we focus on four factors:
motivation,
information, practice and application. Some people have enough
motivation but not information; some people get the
information but they don't practice; some people practice the wrong skill
for the application. We provide all four.
The lack of one factor limits success. Systemic
Solutions helps people find their deep motivation
for success, and then we provide the required information. Then
we coach people to practice skills
with quality feedback, and then we discuss when to use or apply those skills. People
learn very quickly this way.
Can you please
say a few words about your background and experience.
I joined the Royal Navy to study health physics
and medicine, and I served on nuclear submarines during the Cold War.
I later worked with nuclear generating stations, government
agencies, industries and hospitals - providing radiation safety, nuclear compliance,
environmental monitoring, emergency preparedness and inspection.
During this time I became a professional trainer. I was
fascinated by accelerated learning, expert modeling and behavioral
changework. I eventually became a full time trainer-consultant, providing
accelerated learning and management services. I worked extensively with
individuals, marriage and business partners, teams, families and organizations. I provide
planning and communication services, and
intercultural relationships. This helps organizations streamline their
management teams and expand into foreign markets.
Can you briefly define your
business model?
We grow through strategic alliances rather than
by hiring employees or building branches. Systemic Solutions
is professional, creative and entrepreneurial. We seek appropriately
experienced people - people who already get great results - and invite them
to participate. We also train people - the training time depends on their
attitude, previous training and experience.
Will you describe some challenges you have overcome.
Every case offers challenges. The most obvious challenges are lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of
capital and lack of revenue. Other challenges include poor managerial
communication and poor decision making. All of these usually reflect a missing or
inappropriate company vision. Another type of challenge are the relationship histories of
the owner, CEO and top managers ... many people bring personal problems
to work, and unconsciously recreate their domestic chaos amongst their
management teams.
My ongoing challenge is always "the next project".
We form alliances of experts,
which
improves our visibility and marketing. Persistence and networking helps.
What were the keys in bringing Systemic
Solutions to where it is now?
Persistence, creativity and mentorship! We continue to create and use effective
models. And many
people inspire us to continue.
How important is creativity in your success?
Creativity is a sword with two edges - creativity is both
unpredictable and innovative. Without creativity, all we could do is repeat
what others have done. But creative solutions do not necessarily work, and
may not be cost-effective. All
creativity should be tempered by realism and feedback - internal
consultation.
How important is mentorship for
young consultants?
Young consultants have the incredible luxury of time - they can make mistakes
and they have time to learn from those mistakes. Having said that, they can find quality mentorship and
benefit greatly from the wisdom of mentors. The
problems are 1. finding appropriate mentors and 2. convincing appropriate people
to mentor you.
Although anybody can be a mentor for something, few
people will have exactly the values, integrity and experience needed for
multi-dimensional success. Such
people rarely advertise themselves - those that do advertise themselves may have
strange deficiencies.
But wonderful mentors are out there, and many are eager to mentor
appropriate people.
Gaining their assistance may be simple if you stay in
your integrity and state your vision clearly. The problem may be getting
close enough to them to ask - top people are usually well insulated from the casual
public.
Where do
you see as the next step for systemic solutions?
The underlying dynamics of organizations are fascinating,
and I want to focus on coaching communities. I want to help
community leaders manage and solve community issues - such as integrating families
with different religions, cultural beliefs and traditions, etc. Community
coaching integrates all that we have learned in individual systemic coaching,
family therapy
and management consulting - at a higher
level of complexity. It is fulfilling to consider the services that we can
provide to community leaders.
How do you keep advantages over your competitors?
I find that many consultants are potential partners - we offer expertise
that they lack, and vice versa. Our advantages are:
- we specialize in strategic planning, relationship
management and systemic coaching
- we have a proven underlying philosophy, methodology and
track record
- we have very wide experience in all manner of planning and relationship
issues
- we can quickly apply our methods and experience to new
challenges
- we personalize our services for each client organization
-
we are present and accountable throughout a project
(uncommon in consulting)
What marketing
methods have you used successfully?
We rely on referrals; so we network, we
write articles, we train people and we give talks and presentations. Many of
our articles are published in magazines, and some are available on the internet at
www.systemiccoaching.com and
www.soulwork.net. We speak at
conferences, at annual meetings and teach our work at both public and in-house meetings.
What resources would you recommend for new consultants?
A lot of resources are available
at our web site. New consultants can ask people for
recommendations and they can keep digging to
find what is applicable to them. I suggest that they do not believe any
model or accept any consulting idea as "truth". Instead they can check every detail in
their own experience to find "what works where, when, with whom and why".
What is the most important thing you have
learned about business?
To be true to my sense of integrity, and to cooperate with people who are
true to theirs.
Do you have any advice for new consultants?
- Learn from every action and reflect on every feedback
- Overestimate your expenses
- Underestimate your income
- Start now - use what you have - earn as you learn
- Remember that if "you fail to plan - you plan to fail"
- Imagine you have already succeeded - how could you do it better?
Martyn, thank you very much
... I have a lot to think about!
Case 1: Mentorship
in Upper Management . Case 2:
Manage Families in Organizations
Case
3: Manage Conflict in Organizations . Case 4: Entrepreneurial Management in a Bank
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