Dear Barbara Weaver Smith:
What a great book and I must say I was prepared to think I wasn’t going to learn a lot from the book. I was wrong.
1. If you could tell women one thing that would entice them to read this book what would that be?
Women have a special flair for doing big deals, in our companies and in our communities. We need to claim our role as deal-makers, believe in it, and constantly work to get better at it. This book is about how to become a bigger, better deal-maker, whether your deal is a going to be sale, a project, a fundraising goal, or a new personal opportunity.
2. Tell me, and everyone reading this why you start out asking questions instead of giving information in your wonderful book? There must be a good reason and I really want to know it.
Questions prompt readers to consider my ideas in light of their own experience. People don’t learn by being told; we only learn by actively processing information. The questions that I pose throughout the book, under the titles “reflections” and “actions” are designed to help readers make it their own.
3. What would you say to someone who only has experience in a competitive environment to make them be open to give collaboration a chance?
I’d ask them, how’s that working for you? Does your organization or department or team accomplish its highest objectives in this environment? If you work in an internally competitive environment, chances are it’s not very functional, and everyone knows it.
4. Sometimes we don’t know when we are in a certain mindset because the entire environment is of that mindset how would you suggest shaking up the “Norm” every so often?
Two chapters in my book offer suggestions for shaking up the norm. One is “Radical Culture: Kill Some Commandments.” It has a list of “the way we do things” and some ideas for change. Another is “Fast Times.” This chapter has ten ways to work differently. My ideas for shaking up the norm are always focused on “what are we trying to accomplish?” and “how might we accomplish it better, faster, or more easily?” There’s no point to “shaking things up” unless we want to improve our outcomes.
5. What criteria or guidelines would you give a group or company to assist them in bringing in someone with a different but effective mind set that would increase the assets of their company meaning their people, product and creative collaboration?
My guidelines are time, trust, and team. Any kind of organizational culture change requires time and commitment from the leadership. So my first guideline is, are the leaders committed to change and willing to stand behind the change agent or the change process over a period of time? It’s only natural for some people to resist change, especially in an organization that has been successful. “This is how we do things, and this way works.” Sometimes it’s necessary to change because you’re at a different point in your evolution, or the world around you is changing, and what used to work doesn’t work as well any more. Nevertheless, the leadership needs to allow lots of time for people to understand and implement new ways of working together. The second guideline is to choose a person or team that you like and trust, who are warm and inviting, not abrasive and off-putting. You will be trusting them with your most precious resources. Third, involve the whole team. Don’t just tell people how or why things need to be different. Engage them in the process of change, seek their involvement in designing new methods or processes, and learn from them along the way. The “change agent” should be someone who believes that the team has the answers—they only need good questions and a safe environment in which to work out the answers.
6. You said. ”You are in control of how your market perceives you –
exercise that control faithfully.” Would you please explain that in
more detail?
That concept is especially directed to small companies or to people who are solo entrepreneurs. If we allow ourselves to “think small,” we often look even smaller than we are! So controlling the market’s perception is another way of saying “put your best foot forward.” You have the opportunity to influence how a whale (big prospect) sees you. In your marketing materials, your website, your phone calls, and in person, you can choose to look professional. You can choose to prepare. You can create a team to do this deal, enlisting your banker, your accountant, a current customer, a networking partner. These ideas are discussed in the chapter entitled “Small Company Looking Big.”
Thank you for visiting this post about Barbara Weaver Smith and Whale Hunting Women. We are offering a free giveaway to two people who comment during the tour and to the hosts where they posted. It is simple to be entered in the giveaway – just post a comment on any post about the tour and you will be entered. But, an interesting post is more likely to get our attention. The host on the site where the winning comments are posted will also win a three-volume set of Whale Hunters Wisdom in audio format. Volumes include I: Mind of a Hunter, II: The Hunt, and III: The Whale Hunting Culture. This is a $90 value. To see the tour schedule visit http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/04/whale-hunting-with-barbara-weaver-smith.html
Barbara Weaver Smith’s website – http://www.thewhalehunters.com
Barbara Weaver Smith’s blog – http://blog.thewhalehunters.com
Order your copy of Whale Hunting Women – http://cli.gs/WHWEbook
