SalesMotivation.net

by Vince Thompson, author of Ignited

Are you sick of the relentless pressure and day-to-day squeeze? Exhausted from trying to lead in limited space?

After years of being de-positioned, de-layered and un-empowered, managers are on the verge of recreating their roles and driving the future of business. They’re building a future where old pay scales won’t apply and where managers who are truly Ignited will lead in innovation and the corporate agenda — a place light years beyond the world of Office Space’s Bill Lumberg and The Office’s Michael Scott.

How? Four major trends are putting the wind at managers’ backs. We’ll demonstrate them, as well as share action steps to make sure you use this wind to get more of the Power, Purpose and Success that you deserve.

1. The Increasing Complexity of the Business World - With creative destruction and reinvention at play across industries from manufacturing to music, transportation to telecom, business is more sophisticated than ever. While the ones at the top have neither the tools nor the proximity to the trenches to make sense of the chaos, you, the veteran manager, are regularly accomplishing feats far beyond the org chart. Your knowledge is power waiting to be leveraged.

Action Step: Light up Your Network- Managers, keep going deep on process and forging the relationships across your firm to really make stuff happen. Lighting up your network will give you unprecedented power.

2. The Pig is Leaving the Snake - As the gigantic swell of Boomer population turns 60 and heads for retirement, the need for skilled workers is swelling. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the shortage of skilled workers will exceed 10 million by 2010. According to Business Week, nearly 24% of the mid-level management positions will open up. The market could not be more ready for a savvy manager.

Action Step: Expand your Group of Mentors. Not only can these older professionals help you understand where your company is in the movie and the motivations of the lead characters, but they may give you a powerful endorsement as well. Position yourself to take advantage of the newly vacated jobs.

3. Business Models are Failing Faster- With a global economy, increased competition and an accelerated business cycle, companies are learning the next big idea is not likely to come from those who at the top who created the first one. It’ll come from those in the middle who not only understand the customers and vendors, but recognize the skills of those on their own team and what is really possible.

Action Step: Become a Scout. Customers and vendors are incredible sources of information if we ask and listen in the right way. Schedule time with no agenda other than to share information. Ask open ended questions. Try to learn who’s doing it better and who’s struggling? Then think about how your company needs to change and start lobbying for people to see the light.

4. Growing Corporate Flexibility - One positive result of the re-engineering movement of the 1990s was some smashing of the old military-style corporate hierarchy, with its rigid job ladders and pay scales. Now with a new appreciation of the importance of managers in The Middle-a growing number of companies are waking up to the fact that they need to retain and attract these roles.

Action Step: Be the Person Everyone Wants for the Job. If you’re looking for a promotion for yourself, be the person everyone wants to see promoted. It’s The Secret meets big business. Also, use the new, growing corporate flexibility to make your own people more successful and, therefore, more loyal. Those benefits will find their way back to you.

While these revolutionary trends manifest themselves differently in every business, they impact and empower all managers. Now is the time to take back our companies and careers.

About the Author

Ignited: Managers! Light Up Your Company and Career for More Power, More Purpose and More Success is the culmination of an exhaustive research effort including custom research and in-depth interviews with more than 100 managers. With Ignited, we go beyond the four trends to introduce our readers to seven key “Ignition Points” that are truly unique to the manager’s role. When working these Ignition Points, managers achieve a greater sense of purpose and truly make a difference. You’ll also learn how to lead in limited space, get more of the recognition you deserve, and meet many managers bringing their personal passions into the workplace.

Vince Thompson has spent most of his career in sales. First in television, then seven years leading sales teams at AOL where he was Regional Vice President of Southwestern Sales. Now Vince leads a consulting practice, Middleshift, dedicated to generating revenue for Internet companies by super-serving customers and empowering those in the middle.
To Learn More about Vince and Ignited as well as to register for exclusive content visit: www.BeIgnited.com