| April 2010
The Enlightened Manager Newsletter
A quick read for busy government, industry and association executives, managers & sales professionals
GSA MOBIS schedule holder for management and risk consulting
King County facilitation and performance coaching contractor
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In this issue:
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 1. It's a thing called hope
When we get overwhelmed with emotionally charged organizational, political and economic realities, it's easy to lose hope. The onset of despair is a subtle thing. It sneaks up without warning like an autumn chill. An innocuous burning ember, it slowly gets fanned into a full-fledged frustration that is easily transmitted to others. It extinguishs optimism and can even prevent an organization from achieving its mission.
I try to avoid the negativity -- I don't want to be a carrier. Still, I realize that with the constantly changing nature of human life, it isn't possible (or desirable) to maintain a permanent detachment. So, if some degree of sadness and suffering is an inevitable part of life, where do we find hope?
Businesses and government agencies undergo a cycle of change. Underneath this reality lies a sense of possibility, compassion, accomplishment and sharing. It's a choice, this thing we call hope -- the belief that winter will turn into spring.
In spite of setbacks, downturns and disappointments, there is always hope. The very act of being alive -- of understanding that we can make a difference.
Here's "hoping" you can find hope in your professional situation and continue to make a positive contribution.
Sincerely,
Mike
Celerity Works
Read more about Enlightened Management
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2. Management (in)security
Unwillingness by management to wholeheartedly support security requirements can have serious repercussions. All of the PMI and security management knowledge in the world won't make up for a refusal to adapt - an unwillingness to take the shared responsibility for protecting vital information from internal and external threats. For an organization's security plan to be effective, everyone has to do their part.
Managers need to accept that taking appropriate action to protect sensitive information is their professional, ethical and legal responsibility. This means taking the time to understand the key elements of IT security including the organization's security policies and procedures.
Managers lead by example. It's unrealistic to expect a department's staff to adhere to security policies if their manager diminishes security's importance either verbally or through body language.
Security risk is the likelihood that something bad will happen that causes harm to an informational asset (or the loss of the asset). The 2006 CISA Review Manual provides the following definition of risk management: "Risk management is the process of identifying vulnerabilities and threats to the information resources used by an organization in achieving business objectives, and deciding what countermeasures, if any, to take in reducing risk to an acceptable level, based on the value of the information resource to the organization."
Managers should identify the value of the IT and information assets that might be impacted. Then a threat and vulnerability analysis should be conducted to identify the potential effect of an occurrence and the probability of that occurrence. This type of analysis should rely on both quantitative and qualitative measures. Finally, risk mitigation controls should be identified and implemented in proportion to the cost and potential severity of the risk.
Managers can accept, mitigate, transfer, or, some cases, deny the risk. These decisions should be made in concert with a multi-disciplinary team that includes finance, IT and security specialists.
Security risk management is not a one-time process. Risks enter and leave an organization or program as time passes. On-going review of identified risks and periodic assessment of potential new risks are essential for continued security risk management.
Management (in)security is no longer an option. Each manager needs to reach out to the security professionals in their organization and take the initiative to protect our nation's vital resources.
www.celerityworks.com
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3. Select the right government sales model
There has been much debate about what is the appropriate way to sell consulting services and incrementally grow business. A company's cultures, people and organizational models produce different results. Most companies have tried several approaches and probably none has it figured out completely. However, the importance of having a sales model that produces results may be the crucial determinant in a consulting services firm's degree of success or failure, and especially so during tough times.
There are a range of roles and working relationships in a sales model that vary according to a company's management background and organizational structure. Broadly, there is a Partner organization model or a Corporate Sales organization model and combinations of both.
The Partner model is similar to that of a large traditional consulting company in that senior executive status and promotion requires the combination of consulting delivery management experience as well as significant business development and revenue generation. The Partner is a "Rainmaker" who deals with "C" level client executives and typically has P&L and overall delivery management responsibility. Positions below Partner include Principals, Practice Managers and various Senior Manager functions.
In the Corporate Sales model, sales career progression is to higher and/or broader levels of sales and sales management that typically does not include delivery or operations management and P&L. Typical positions include Sales Representative, Business Development Manager or Account Executive, Sales Manager, Director, VP and SVP for geographies, major accounts, industries, or service lines. It could be argued that this model is more successful in larger companies with the necessary overhead to support a separate sales/BD infrastructure.
In combined models, Partners may have sales managers (Account Executives, Business Development Managers, etc.) reporting to them who carry new business quota responsibility and/or account growth managers (Account Mangers, Engagement Managers) with client relationship and revenue responsibility. The Partner may also have Sales Directors or Business Development Principals who directly manage sales and handle sales plans and administration. The VP or Director in the combined Corporate model may have P&L and delivery executive direct reports. It is not unusual for companies that achieve a certain revenue level ($50M to $100M) to evolve into a sales driven organization.
No single sales model or combination is most effective in producing sales results. Rather it is the selection of the optimum model appropriate for the company's current situation. And each model's success is heavily influenced by whether there is a sales driven/sales supportive culture and the necessary new business capture and proposal resources.
Read more about winning and managing government business
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4. GSA schedules - you still need to fill the basket
I continue to receive email advertisements and phone solicitations claiming all a small business owner needs to do is get a GSA schedule and "you can tap into a steady stream of government business." While an important part of the equation, GSA schedules don't automatically generate new business. Successful government sales require a disciplined streamlined business development strategy and approach, targeted research and marketing, and effective relationship building. It's a great market with clients who are really dedicated to their mission. But, it takes time and effort.
Unsure how to proceed? Ask me to help you avoid the most common mistakes and achieve your growth objectives.
Contact me
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5. 2010 Walk MS: Less than one week to go!
The daily reality of MS is still impacting hundreds of thousands of people including my wife, Trude. Which is why your support is so important if we are to cure this disease. We're thrilled that Team Lisagor has already registered 52 people and raised $8,500. But, we still need your help to reach our goal of $10,000.
So, please donate online and, if in town, join us on Saturday, April 10 at Bainbridge High School (30 minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle). We also appreciate everyone who joins our team as virtual walkers. That means you can register to be on Team Lisagor even though you can't be here in person!
All the information you need is on Trude's walk ms team web site. You can also create a personal web page as part of our team with your own individual goal. Let us know if you need any help doing this.
Or, if you prefer, you can donate by mail by sending a check (made out to the National MS Society) to:
Team Lisagor
120 Wood Ave. SW
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Thank you so much for supporting this important cause...a world free of MS!
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Winning and Managing Government Business (click to read more or order)
"Winning and Managing Government Business is a concise,
easy-to-understand and to the point overview of securing and doing
business with the federal government. It provides step-by-step
instructions on approaches for penetrating government markets, how to
do your prep work prior to proposal time, and then how to respond and
win opportunities. It's a definite must read if you're new to the
government space. It's also very handy if you're a savvy veteran as
it's full of checklists, timelines and templates you can use in real
world situations. I've been involved with government contracting for
over 15 years and found this book to be very useful and practical."
- M. Cosgrave, VP, ManTech International
The Enlightened Manager (click to read more or order)"Whether you are new to a management role or a 25 year management
veteran, these 20 concise morsels of enlightenment are the heart of
being a successful leader. Worth reading every year !!"
- Business Confluence |
Both available in paperback at www.amazon.com
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About Mike and Celerity Works
Michael Lisagor founded Celerity Works in 1999 to help government, industry and non-profit executives improve their performance and accelerate their organizational growth. He has performed over 450 organizational assessment interviews, facilitated 200+ meetings and workshops, and coached over 250 managers for 65 organizations.
Benefits and results:
- Government contractors - Win more government business
- Government agencies - Improve performance and manage program risk
- Commercial businesses - Become more efficient and accelerate growth
Consulting services:
- Action-oriented planning and retreat facilitation
- Management performance improvement coaching
- Improved decision making and focus
- Streamlined business growth planning
- Effective program risk management
Government management and risk consulting services available on GSA MOBIS schedule.
Facilitation and performance coaching services available on King County contract.
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