September 14th, 2009
Guerrilla Business Intensive
How to create Wealth Quickly in Any Business You Choose!
5 days – London, UK
Date: 30th Sep ~ 4th Oct 2009 (Wed – Sun)
Venue: Alexandra Palace
This powerful programme will give you all the strategies you need for high-speed success in any business. Most people go into business to make a living; Guerrilla Business Intensive will show you how to create a lifetime of passive income.
Through high-impact processes, exercises, games, and case studies you will
learn:
- How to earn a million dollars a year in any business you choose!
- How to generate million-dollar ideas every 60 seconds.
- How to make or save a fortune using guerrilla negotiation tactics.
- How to start any business or division with little or no money down.
- How to raise $10,000 to 1/2 a million dollars without asking anyone to finance anything.
- How to set up your business for massive passive income or (sell it for millions if you choose to!)
If you know how to market, you are going to get rich. If you are an ineffective marketer, you won’t. It’s that simple. The Guerrilla Business Intensive is also a hands-on, step-by-step, paint-by-numbers marketing program where you will develop a brilliant marketing plan and learn the specific strategies necessary to making a fortune in any business
You will learn:
- How to write the kind of killer sales scripts and marketing copy that will have people lining up to buy from you.
- How to identify your ultimate USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and become a master at creating the “hooks” that close every sale.
- How to create a name and tagline for any company and brand strategically and meaningfully for your market.
- The four most critical elements of guaranteeing success in any marketing campaign.
You will become a marketing genius in 2 days flat.
The objective of the seminar is for you to leave with a full business strategy and complete marketing plan of the caliber you would normally pay an agency over $100,000 to produce. Best of all, after creating this plan you’ll own a transferable skill in marketing and business expertise that can make money for the rest of your life!
Using what you learn at the Guerrilla Business Intensive, you will stop wasting time with tactics that produce little or mediocre results and start creating wealth in any business you choose.
Usual Price: £5,995
Special Limited Offer: £1,995 + VAT
"I’ve spent the last 15 years in marketing, sales, and production, but I got more useful knowledge in only five intense days at Guerrilla Business Intensive. What an awesome value and amazing experience! This course actually lets you leave richer—on so many levels—than when you arrived."
Sarah H
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September 14th, 2009
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September 7th, 2009
 There is more to a book than the ideas within it.
There are the words, the structure, the style. There are also the physical aspects, the colour and design. In addition, there is the feel of it.
‘Niche Marketing for Coaches’ by Hannah McNamara scores on all counts. It is just a pleasure to hold and to open. The soft binding and glossy cover are a joy.
In addition, the subject matter is very pertinent to many coaches. My experience is that the majority of coaches have difficulty attracting clients, at least in their first year.
As I thumb through the book, I am reminded of the pleasure of the design, the page layout. However, let’s get down the the meat of it.
The book is divided into two sections. The first section covers choosing your niche, positioning and pricing. The second covers your marketing message, networking, public relations, public speaking, Internet, and creating a marketing plan.
Most coaches will be familiar with the Wheel of Life. Hannah has developed a Wheel of Marketing. Try this exercise. Set up a the traditional Wheel but use these labels: -
- Niche: Your specific area of coaching, your coaching expertise, the type of clients that you want to work with
- Marketing message: The message that you want to communicate to prospective clients
- Price: How much to charge and how to package your services
- PR/publicity: How yo get articles published and use the media
- Public speaking: How to get booked as a public speaker and run your own workshops
- Networking: How to make contacts who will introduce you to other people, word of mouth marketing
- Internet: Using the Internet st spread the word about you
- Closing: Asking for the business, how to convert prospective clients into paying clients
Score your level of knowledge 1 – 10. Then ask yourself, for those areas where you scored seven or lower, what would it take for you to improve your score? What are the things that you want to know about? What would it take for you to improve your confidence in this subject? (Good coaching questions, these!)
You will not be surprised to learn that these are exactly the subjects discussed in this book.
I recommend it.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 28th, 2009
 Some time ago I asked you to support us in a campaign to get The Law of Business Attraction into an Amazon top ten best seller category. We succeeded in several categories and I thank you for your cooperation.
There was a distribution problem with some copies from Amazon – if you had a problem, please let me know and we’ll sort it out.
I have now received my copy and enjoyed reading it.
The book is subtitled “Secrets of Cooperative Success”, and this is really what it is about. It contains 30 ‘chapterettes’, each one being a true story that reveals why competition is no longer the smartest way to do business and why cooperative business is the key to fast results.
Certainly, I am beginning to benefit from such an approach since I joined the XL Results Foundation. Indeed, just at present, I am attracting associates and business partners for Brefi Group that means that I can plan a re-launch in September.
Not only is this compilation approach to book publishing a new innovation by Ruby Yeh, but it will be accompanied by a multi-media version that includes audio and video contributions be many of the authors.
A similar approach is being adopted in The Wealth Garden in which I am an author.
The book includes authors such as T Harv Eker, with whom I shall be studying this weekend, and also Ruby herself.
All authors are entrepreneur members of CEOSpace, and they tell how they: -
- Raised billions in seed money and revenue
- Landed high-profile clients and strategic partnerships with mega companies such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, Banana Republic, Dreamworks and L A Dodgers
- Developed great ideas into multi-million dollar businesses
- Transcended age, race and gender barriers to reach the top of their fields
I quote below a set of rules from his chapter used by author Donald C Mann to get his team to buy into a vision that if it could be done, they would do it.
- We shoot no messengers, and everyone gets his or her say. Silence is fine, but it is counted as acceptance and is held accountable as such. No backbiting is allowed.
- We keep the vision in mind. Every meeting has an agenda, a project plan and the status of current items, with assignments and due dates. All stakeholders and decision-makers are involved, or some tasks are managed and all results are communicated to the entire team. Ignorance is unacceptable.
- There is no clock, only results. We work as long as it takes and as long as it is safe. We manage to meet schedules and commitments.
- We recognise, praise and reward good work and results. All other limiting behaviours are ignored or, as necessary, dealt with individually. The only fear allowed is that of negative consequences for not being fully committed to getting optimal results. Otherwise, every failure or unexpected result is just another challenge to be solved.
- We invent what we need to make this a success.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 28th, 2009
 In the last issue of CorporateCoach I included my Demartini inspired mission statement summary.
I had been able to develop this as a result of seeing John Demartini’s own mission statement, and my example last week was well received.
This week, therefore, I am repeating the exercise.
For several years I was tempted to write some affirmations, but could not get my head around the concept. Then I was given some examples by the Centerpointe Research Institute for their Holosync system, and also found some in MindMovies. All fell into place.
So here is an example from my affirmations list. As before, I am only including the summary section. I also have sections for: – Spirituality, Friends and Family, Contribution and Appreciation, Business, Health, and Wealth, followed by another set of summary affirmations.
I get rich doing what I love; adding value to other people’s lives
I am open to miracles
I earn enough passive income to pay for my desired lifestyle
I am a much sought after coach and facilitator, who provides fantastic value
I attract colleagues, partners and opportunities to help my businesses grow
I am seen by others as loving, confident, attractive, and personable
I enjoy being rewarded for my contribution
Money brings me freedom and opportunity
I am fit, healthy, happy and fulfilled
I am wealthy beyond my imagination
I also have a set of visualisations supported by photographs.
These various psychological games can be used in different ways, and I tend to take different approaches on different days.
Each of these statements is a standard, a benchmark, that you are setting for your life.
The classic approach is to read them out with emotion; especially loudly with positive, physical actions. Alternatively, you can stop and visualise each one as being already true; or use one or more as the basis for meditation.
Selecting an appropriate representation is also important. I have three photographs to support traveling business class. The picture of an Emirates business class cabin does nothing for me; the picture of a steward serving champagne is better; but the one that really resonates is the picture of a business class meal tray. It is the food and service, rather than the leg room, that I value and this picture is exactly what I see when travelling business class, and what I fantasize about  .
I am pleased to welcome Krishna Kumar (KK) as a visiting author this week. He and I are planning a major new initiative in Bangalore and this is the first step in launching an Asia edition of CorporateCoach. Both he and Stefan Powell promise that their articles are the first of a series, which will be very welcome in supplementing my own writings. If you would like to contribute, and raise your global profile, please contact me.
This is the last week of July. Our next issue of CorporateCoach is due in September. If you are in the northern hemisphere, I wish you a great holiday.
 Richard Winfield is founder of Brefi Group.
An international facilitator, he coaches and
facilitates directors and boards in transition:
helping them to make progress by
bringing structure and clarity
to their thinking.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 28th, 2009
 The Sporting Conundrum: Chasing the Dream, by Krishna Kumar
Roger Federer shedding a tear is now passé. He did it after losing an epic final to bête noire Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year. He came close to it at this year’s Australian Open while losing again to the World Number 1. But, why did Federer shed tears as the French Open champion while holding aloft the only trophy he had never won till date?
Were they tears of joy or of ecstasy? Or was it just a plain sense of relief of a man who achieved his dream of becoming a GOAT (Greatest of all Time)? A journey to reach a dream that, in recent times, was littered with seemingly insurmountable hurdles. In his post-match comments, Federer admitted that he could now enjoy playing out the rest of his career without the burden of expectations.
And this begs the question, what happens when you finally realise your dreams?
Sportspersons through the ages have battled this question. After years of brutal hard work, sacrifice and nerve-wracking courage a few achieve the pinnacle of success. They not only become world champions, but beat existing records to climb the highest peaks. In the process they set standards that ordinary mortals find difficult to comprehend. And, once they have tasted the heady elixir of success, it is not uncommon for them to find life at ground level unpalatable.
Modern history is replete with examples of champion sportspersons who have lost themselves to the perils of success. Alcohol and substance abuse, bad marriages and broken relationships, bankruptcy and ill-fame. This is often the other side of the coin, the shiny side of which is sporting superstardom.
History often labels such ‘superstars gone bad’ as people who were unable to manage the fame that accompanied their success. While this could well be true it is equally likely that they were “magnificently unprepared” for the phase of life after fulfilling their dream.
A young Apollo, golden haired,
Stands dreaming on the brink of strife.
Magnificently unprepared,
For the long littleness of life.
– Rupert Brooke
What’s next for these great achievers who have fulfilled their dream? Should they not have planned for a life after their achievements? Perhaps, they could have set themselves another dream following the one that they achieved by traversing a back-breaking path.
Or, wishing to live a long, healthy and fulfilled life they can believe that sporting glory is but another step taken in the “long littleness of life.”
Dreams are the language of the soul, writes Paulo Coelho in his bestselling novel, The Alchemist. In the novel his protagonist, a shepherd boy called Santiago, seeks the help of many persons – a gypsy woman, a king, an alchemist – to help realise his dream of travelling to find an extravagant treasure.
The real world is filled with people who are searching to understand the language of their soul. Like Santiago, they too need to seek the help of friends, coaches, mentors and well-wishers to achieve their dreams. They require support to understand their dreams, define clear and achievable goals and develop a path to reach this peak with the minimum of obstacles. Most importantly these coaches are even more critical when the stars get closer to reaching their goals. For, they need to help the superstars answer a crucial question… What Next?
When Federer won the French Open two months ago, he achieved a career Grand Slam of titles. With this year’s Wimbledon, he collected a record 15 Slams. It seems like the ‘tears of relief’ has had its desired impact as Federer was back to his composed self while getting the better of a resurgent Andy Roddick.
The Fedex has started rolling again… And Olympic glory at London 2012 could be the next stop!
Krishna Kumar is an engineer, MBA and professional tennis coach who combines
his academic and sporting achievements with his corporate experience
to develop mentoring-for-change programs for senior management
professionals in the information technology industry.
He is founder director of Bangalore-based Intrad Consult,
which has a strategic alliance with Brefi Group.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 21st, 2009
I once heard talent defined as: “Easy to learn, easy to do.”
The result is that you do not value it, or even notice it. So, I have another definition. “Talent is what causes you to get irritated by other people’s incompetence.” It is not that they are incompetent, rather that they lack your ‘talent’. If you want to discover your talent, just notice other people’s behaviour.
My talent is in perception and systems thinking. Not only do I have a natural aptitude, but I have a master’s degree in transportation planning – which is the study of networks and systems. These days, I recognise that my purpose is to make sense of the world, so that I can be a resource to others.
What is not my talent is developing relationships and managing people. That is why I am a consultant, not a manager. However, going out and meeting new people is a key part of running a business.
A couple of years ago I made a strategic investment by joining the XL Results Foundation. That was because it gave me both a ready-made global network, and Wealth Dynamics, a technology for identifying the right partners and collaborators. As a result, I am building businesses in India and Singapore and attracting new associates to help grow Brefi Group in the UK.
Part of the philosophy behind Wealth Dynamics is that your ‘wealth’ (or effectiveness) is a multiple of your value and your leverage. My value is great – but my leverage is small. The result is far from optimal. However, one person’s talent is another’s leverage. So, by using Wealth Dynamics we are able to apply our talent effectively.
Wealth Dynamics defines eight business roles. If you take your profile test, you will discover where your talent is and how to get into flow. You then have the basis for focusing your energy, finding partners and building an effective team.
I now teach Wealth Dynamics and have seen practical examples of the value of building teams according to the process. Also, a couple of examples of husband and wife who work together recognising that they are in the wrong roles, and who have swapped roles to good effect.
One of my teachers is Dr John Demartini. I attended his Breakthrough Experience earlier in the year.
He taught us how he has developed his personal mission statements. He has one each for Spiritual, Mental, Vocational, Financial, Familial/Home, Social and Physical, as well as a summary. It made sense to me when he showed us his own. Here is the Summary element of mine. By reading the whole series through each day, I keep my mind focused.
I Richard Winfield hereby declare before myself, others and God that my primary purpose in life is to become whole, to make sense of the world and to be a resource to others.
Be: A seeker after the truth in at least the fields of management and director development, making sense of the world and interpreting it for others.
Do: Bring joy into the world and help people grow; discover, integrate and disseminate ideas and processes that help individuals and teams in organisations achieve their potential in a congruent and ethical manner; prepared to challenge and confront received wisdom, established ideas and opinions; leveraging my value; travelling to places and cultures, both to learn and to spread appropriate knowledge and wisdom; congruent with my emotions and relationships; able to heal myself easily and naturally, aligned and balanced, healthy and fit.
Have: Be well rewarded for my contribution and live a privileged and highly cultured life for the sake of the fulfilment of this life long quest.
One of our new associates is Stefan Powell, who contributes the first of a series of articles on sales and leadership in this issue of CorporateCoach. Stefan is an Executive Coach, Trainer and Facilitator, with a 10 year track record of success in developing sales leaders, teams and individuals within the financial services industry.
Richard Winfield is founder of Brefi Group.
An international facilitator, he coaches and
facilitates directors and boards in transition:
helping them to make progress by
bringing structure and clarity
to their thinking.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 21st, 2009
 You may know that I am the UK’s Wealth Dynamics Master Practitioner for business coaching. Wealth Dynamics is a really powerful profiling system for entrepreneurs and businesses – and there is much more to it if you use it as a coaching tool.
My colleague Nick Haines, who has 30 years experience of Chinese medicine, is running a one day workshop on “Uncovering the Power of your Wealth Dynamics Profile”.
- Have you struggled to extract the very best from your Wealth Dynamics profile?
- Is something missing and if you could ‘get it’ you could move forward?
- Is there a gap between the Wealth Dynamics theory and the application?
- Have you gone round in circles and ended back in the same place?
You are not alone.
However insightful, the Wealth Dynamics profile only gives to you a snapshot of your value and how you create wealth. There is far more behind your profile, your value and your challenges. Without knowing this you may just observe others moving into ‘flow’ and be left wondering why you are stuck in the same place. This might sound harsh but the reality is you probably are unaware of how to monetise your greatest assets and strengths.
I attended Nick’s first workshop and have signed up for this one too. You will get a unique insight into this powerful coaching resource.
Date: Sat 8th August 2009
Time: (Registration 9.30) start 10am – finish 5pm
Venue: Columbia Hotel
95-99 Lancaster Gate
London W2 3NS
United Kingdom
Numbers on this workshop are limited to 10 participants.
If you would like to be one of these, you need to act now, so book here.
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July 20th, 2009
What is inspirational leadership? – asks Stefan Powell.
If we accept that leadership is about “influencing people to make big things happen” where does this start?
A vision should be inspirational, compelling and should describe a positive and successful future, drawing on all of the senses to bring it to life and to make others want to follow. All too often, however, we receive anything but a truly outstanding vision of future success. Often, we are only told half of what needs to be included to make it truly compelling.
A vision is so much more than getting people to feel, hear or see your positive future; it’s more about connecting them to a joint future of shared emotion and thoughts.
So, what’s missing and how do we convert that most misused of terms “Vision” to truly connect to our teams.
For me, the key to delivering a compelling vision is to identify a positive future that fits with your team’s ideal self, beliefs, values and expectations to stir them into action, the right behaviours to bring about the results you and your organisations need and the confidence to take this forward and meet the ever changing demands of modern society and business.
I have found that in helping leaders develop visions the following model has worked time and time again.
Visioning
Visioning for me is all about identifying your team’s map of the world and how you can meet those maps to inspire and motivate.
The above triangle shows the layers that must be considered when putting a vision together. They are the building blocks and foundations of an inspirational and compelling call to action that we need to bring about success.
Experiences
The first step is to review the team’s current experiences to identify what they would like in a positive future. Here you need to identify what are the team’s positive and negative experiences now? What do they want to keep and what would they like to change?
For example – Do the team feel that there is little or no development taking place? If so, within the vision you might choose to say “all people feel developed and truly supported”.
Remember, however, that you have you can decide whether they can have what they have asked for and, indeed, whether it will make for organisational success.
Interests
Where does the team feel the focus of the organisation should be? Should it be on people, development, support, for example? What is their key message? Find out what has truly made them passionate about what they do? Have they focused on business outputs? Have they focused on people issues? Have they focused on process issues?
For example, a team member might say they “feel that the organisation has moved away from people, and that the caring side has gone – all the organisation cares about is the results”. Here, why not consider stating within your vision that “the whole team feels supported in achieving their goals and their manager cares about them” and as a result customers comment on “how well” they have been served and their “needs met”.
Views and opinions
What does the team currently think of the situation? What do they like? What don’t they like? How would they like the situation to look, feel or sound? Once this has been identified, you can then include the positives in your vision and reframe the items they would change in positive language. Later you can include in a business plan what is required to ensure that the will team, see, hear and feel that what they want in your vision and positive future.
Values and beliefs
This section is crucial and is about identifying, what the team would like their manager, the customer, and the organisation to say about them? What is important to them? What enabling beliefs do you want to encourage and what limiting beliefs do you want to reframe? You might want to consider statements such as “Imagine that each person arrives for their day smiling and happy, believing that they will achieve what they need and want to achieve and will be supported in taking those steps and feeling that they will make a true difference to their customers today.
The Vision
Now you have drawn all of the information together that you need to truly inspire and motivate your team into action, you are ready to write that truly compelling vision. Like the greatest stories, legends and novels you must begin with a compelling start, drawing the listener in, you must have a powerful middle that gets people to believe what you say and you must create a flourishing energetic end to energise and motivate your team to want to say “we want to start now”.
Within your vision you must weave what will be seen, heard and felt and show that the values, beliefs, hopes and desires of the team are recognised, such that they commit to supporting you in achieving that positive future.
All of these elements can then be included within the final vision and, if possible, captured in a single statement or strap line, encompassing what you want to achieve – “The People’s Organisation – Where our customers and employees are…” for example.
In September, I shall cover how to write a business plan in support of your vision that will ensure that you meet the demands of your organisation and fulfil the promise of your vision.
Stefan Powell is an executive coach, trainer and facilitator
specialising in leadership, sales and customer service,
who has recently joined Brefi Group as an associate.
USEFUL LINKS
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July 14th, 2009
I have been watching a programme called Mary Queen of Shops.
It is about a project by Mary Portas to turn a charity shop into a successful business. She comes up with a variety of strategies to change both the image of the shop and the business model.
However, what was interesting to me was that the volunteers, some of whom appeared to have worked there for 40 years, had never had any training.
This is the core of the problem of charity shops, that they are there to recycle gifts and return revenue to the charity. Totally passive and reactive, even though they normally occupy expensive retail premises.
Mary Portas believed that, nonetheless, charity shops are businesses and have a moral duty to make the best of their potential, just as commercial shops have a duty to maximise their profits.
However, there is another aspect to it. If people are prepared to give up their time, surely they are due something in return. Whether you are being paid or not, work is a major opportunity for personal growth. People have more to give than just their time and part of the appeal of the programme was the obvious love and determination with which Mary Portas worked on the individuals.
The charity had been negligent in not training its volunteers, because once trained, they were able to transform the performance of the shop.
I believe that they were also being negligent in that they were taking advantage of people’s goodwill and doing nothing in return.
For many people, particularly after they leave the paid workforce, charity work is a means of fulfilling a need to contribute and a means of structuring their time. Surely, it should also have a role in contributing to their personal development.
I was pleased to note a few weeks ago that Bob Proctor had reached the age of 75 years. Here is a wonderful role model of how you can remain active and involved well past traditional retirement age. As well as travelling around the world training large audiences, he plays a major role in the new DVD “Beyond the Secret” and has launched a new training series “Six Minutes to Success“.
I have been investing some of my time in developing an affirmation and visualisation folder. Recommendation is that if you work through it morning and evening it will be more than twice as effective. The next stage is to increase the impact by creating a movie, with music pictures and dictation.
There is a short cut you might be interested in. Have you heard of MindMovies? They have a special offer this week.
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July 14th, 2009
 I am sure that many of you are aware that I specialise in working with directors and boards.
So, when the Institute of Directors published another book on directorship, I obtained a copy for review – actually I bought one.
‘The Effective Director”, by Neville Bain, the current chairman of the IoD. It is an excellent and worthy book; it is easy to read and covers the subject matter comprehensively.
As I read through it, I realised that actually it is very much more than a book. Throughout the book there is a series of case studies, tables and check lists that turn the text into a practical kit.
I am a great enthusiast for the IoD publication “Standards for the Board”. The Effective Director incorporates some of the content from Standards for the Board and adds much more. I strongly recommend that any chairman, company secretary or development director should obtain a copy of each. Alternatively, of course, they could ask Brefi Group to undertake a board performance evaluation and director appraisal exercise!
The Effective Director is a guide to best practice that includes: -
- The role of the board, the duties and liabilities of directors, governance and the key board committees
- Building effectiveness and value through leadership and people
- The special issues facing small and medium-sized companies, charities and the not-for-profit sector
- Ethics and values
I am particularly interested in board effectiveness reviews. Here are the headings from Figure 4.2, Board Effectiveness Review – The Key Elements: -
- Corporate Strategy
- Business Principles
- Internal Controls and Risk Management
- Shareholders and Stakeholders
- Communications
- Organisation and Culture
- Succession, Development and Reward
- Board Composition
- Board Induction and Training
- Delegation and Accountabilities
- Board Meetings
- Secretariat Service
USEFUL LINKS
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July 13th, 2009
 Stefan Powell and I have been writing a proposal that includes training sales teams.
This is a good reminder to refer back to Sharon Drewn Morgen’s book: Buying Facilitation®: The New Way to Sell that Influences & Expands Decisions. I believe that this is one of the best texts on sales that is available.
If you visit her web site, you can download two chapters free.
I first found Sharon Drew through her first book, Sales on the Line, which is about telephone selling. again, I think it is one of the best resources around.
Sales on the Line: Meeting the Business Demands of the 90s Through Phone Partnering Amazon.co.uk
Sales on the Line: Meeting the Business Demands of the ’90s Through Phone Partnering Amazon.com
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July 13th, 2009
Do You Know Any Experts Looking For a Non-Fiction Publisher That Pays Up to 40%?
Some of the foundation work for the current Brefi Group website was done by Joe Gregory. Since then he has established his own very successful Internet business, the Lean Marketing Press.
Joe’s goal for 2009 is to publish 60 new books. He got seven to print last month so the pace is there but he is running short on good non-fiction authors. If you’ve written a book and are looking to get published or if you know someone then you can send them to http://leanmarketingpress.com/authors/ to find out more about how they work.
He is especially interested in “saving” authors from the clutches of the growing number of vanity presses masquerading as real publishers. Although these companies might call themselves something like book coaches, subsidiary publishers, self-publishers etc. they’re easy to spot as vanity publishers because they try to charge authors (usually a lot!) for the stuff a proper publisher does as part of the deal.
I can confidently recommend Joe’s company; they have proved themselves really able to publish and sell books. If August is a quiet time for you, why not use it to plan your next book?
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June 9th, 2009
This is an unusual newsletter, so I hope that you will bear with me.
You might have noticed that it is some time since I last produced a CorporateCoach newsletter. My excuse is that we have been working very hard on several launches associated with the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY), which was last Thursday.
Damien Deighan wins the Entrepreneurial category
First, I must congratulate Damien Deighan, of Altruist Medical, who won the entrepreneur category of BYPY. Damien is the city manager of XL World in Birmingham. He has been responsible for building two monthly mastermind groups here in the city.
I am a director of Birmingham Forward, and it is our sister organisation for under 35s, Birmingham Future, which runs BYPY.
BYPY is one of the main events in the Birmingham professional year. It is held as the International Convention Centre and this year more than 630 leading professionals attended. There are six categories from the various professional sectors such as property, legal, financial etc. And the entrepreneurial category is relatively new, but is nonetheless highly sought after.
I encouraged Damien to enter and coached him through the process, so was particularly delighted when he was selected for the shortlist of three. Altruist and Brefi took a table of 10, so were really excited when the announcement came that Damien was the winner.
Brefi Group sponsored the BYPY supplement for the Birmingham Post, which enabled us to include a couple of advertisements and three articles.
Brefi Group sponsors Birmingham Post
The three articles comprise the articles in this issue of CorporateCoach. That explains that the slightly unusual tone of the content.
May I take this opportunity to remind you of the various initiatives that we have taken recently, including some that you might not yet have come across.
Brefi Group is an integrated management development consultancy providing strategic consultancy, executive coaching, facilitation, and training, directed at the mid-corporate market. We operate internationally. For much of my career I have worked with senior management teams, directors and boards. Last year I launched the Director Development Centre to specialise in this section of the market. As part of the launch, I prepared a 16 page report “Board Performance Evaluation and Director Appraisal”, which is available in both printed and a downloadable form.
We designed and offered special promotional products based upon this at BYPY.
The Director Development Centre offering features two other components. The main focus is on an appraisal of board and director behaviour against standard benchmarks.
Wealth Dynamics web site and descriptions
However, I am also very keen on the Wealth Dynamics profiling system, which we use for career coaching, individual development, and in team building. We have built a brand new website to promote this, called KnowYourProfile.com. Again, we produced special offers on this for the BYPY visitors.
Although we adopted wealth dynamics for use by coaches and consultants, we have found it very effective and popular in the property investment community for which we shall shortly be running the third workshop.
Modelling experience
Another reason for the absence of CorporateCoach is that I have recently been on holiday. I have spent a week trail riding in Portugal. This included at least three active canters each day. I have been learning to ride in a riding school, which is basically a small fenced off field. Even if I succeed in getting my horse to cancer in this restricted area, it can only be for a relatively few strides. As a result I am not very experienced at cantering.
On the first night of our holiday we were taken to see some bullfighting. I don’t know what your views on bullfighting might be, but I found it surprisingly useful. Focusing on the rider and the horse, rather than the bull, I spent about two hours absorbing the style and motion of cantering. There is no question but that the sight of the horse and rider ‘dancing’ around the ring was very impressive.
I am quite convinced that I learned more about how to canter successfully through absorbing what I saw than I ever have in a specific lesson.
This was a great lesson demonstrating that there are different ways to learn and that watching and imagining can be practical ways of absorbing a physical skill.
Next issue
I am currently reading “Niche Marketing for Coaches” by Hannah McNamara. I hope to be able to include a review of this excellent book in the next issue of CorporateCoach.
I am also experimenting with Bob Proctor’s Six Minutes to Success programme, details of which are shown below. So far it has been very impressive.
I look forward to the next, more traditional newsletter. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter.
Richard Winfield is founder of Brefi Group.
An international facilitator, he coaches and
facilitates directors and boards in transition:
helping them to make progress by
bringing structure and clarity
to their thinking.
USEFUL LINKS
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June 8th, 2009
 I find that I am focusing on a few teachers who have spent many years researching and developing practical programmes.
Whereas in the past I studied under the original developers of NLP and other disciplines – and still do, when relevant – I now favour those who are able to combine and integrate the great learnings that have passed the test of time. The first to state this specifically was Stephen Covey in his introduction to Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Also, people like Jim Collins, whose work is based on thorough research.
This year I am studying with Roger Hamilton, John Demartini and T Harv Ecker.
Repeatedly I am reminded of how much goes back to “Think and grow Rich”.
One of the great proponents of Napoleon Hill’s work is Bob Proctor. I have just received a short video from Bob that has really impressed me.
He is launching a series of daily six minute lessons and exercises.
As you might appreciate, I study with many people. But, as a result, I have a huge backlog of personal follow-up work to do. Bob’s approach means that you do a short exercise every weekday.
Just click here to find out how Six Minutes Can Change Your Life! and receive the first five videos completely free on approval. And if you are as inspired as I am, and tell your friends, you can get the rest of the programme paid for.
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June 8th, 2009
 The current economic crisis has highlighted a vacuum of mistrust that affects all business and will ensure the behaviour of Boards and their directors remain in the spotlight for some time to come. Richard Winfield, managing director at Brefi Group and head of the recently launched Director Development Centre looks at the importance of corporate governance and the role good practice can play to help weather the storm.
“The Combined Code on Corporate Governance is a set of principles surrounding good corporate governance and provides a code of best practice for all companies listed on the London Stock Exchange; it is overseen by the Financial Reporting Council and requires all quoted companies carry out an annual performance evaluation of their board.
It can be understood, why in times of pressure, companies may feel that the code is yet another time-consuming duty detracting from the day to day running of the business. However, good corporate governance is more critical than ever as companies must focus efforts to capitalise on ways in which shareholder value can be increased, other than the bottom-line.
An effective board must be able to react quickly to changing and challenging environments. In order to make decisions effectively the business needs proper procedures and a thorough understanding by all the directors of the role they play.
Right now boards should be planning for the upturn and will be taking tough strategic decisions. Those companies that have enjoyed regular, well conducted evaluations will be reaping the rewards and witnessing first hand how powerful a truly effective board can be. Individual directors that have been nurtured through evaluation along with their board will be performing to their maximum capabilities. Other companies that have in the past paid lip service to the code may well be suffering under the weight of the challenges and are likely to take longer to recover.
The tools for such evaluations are readily available, and Brefi Group has published a free 16-page report ‘Board Performance Evaluation and Director Appraisal’, which describes how the introduction of simple processes at board level can radically improve the corporate performance of organisations of any size.
The report includes a review of corporate governance and performance evaluation. It includes quick checklists for board and director performance. It then addresses how to improve board performance, and discusses corporate retreats and the use of profiling to build a truly effective board of directors.
Copies are available from Brefi Group on 0845 0678 222, or can be downloaded at www.corporatedirector.co.uk.
USEFUL LINKS
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June 8th, 2009
 With redundancies at an all time high jobs are not as safe as we would like them to be. What once seemed like a safe and secure career path suddenly appears more competitive than ever. With this in mind, Brefi Group has launched a new Director Development Centre.
The centre provides a variety of services for professionals and can help ensure they stay ahead of the game in the toughest of economic climates. It aims to support and guide aspiring directors and partners as well as helping newly appointed directors and partners achieve their true potential.
The centre offers access to a unique psychometric testing system that defines eight distinct paths to success assessed by an individual’s personality. The system assesses personality, strengths, productivity, values and group behaviour to determine the most natural path to success.
Unlike other profiling systems, Wealth Dynamics relates directly to business roles and the stages of business. Organisations are using it to balance teams whilst individuals are using to unlock their true potential and give themselves an edge.
Richard Winfield, managing director at Brefi Group and Head of the Director Development Centre says, “Success is not something you learn; it is something you accomplish. Some may be destined to succeed but most do so because they are determined. At the Director Development Centre we offer a range of services that can help an individual achieve their full potential. In the current market sensible people and sensible businesses will be prepared to invest in themselves, so as to ensure they are positioned as strongly as they can be to weather the storm.”
The Wealth Dynamics profiling system was created by serial entrepreneur Roger Hamilton. Roger studied a wide range of successful people and discovered the eight distinct paths to success. He then developed the unique system for understanding a personal profile and how to leverage it to realise full potential.
Richard Winfield, head of Brefi Group’s Director Development Centre, has studied extensively under Roger Hamilton in Bali and his team now provides training and personal coaching in Wealth Dynamics.
You can obtain your own profile on-line at www.knowyourprofile.com
USEFUL LINKS
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June 8th, 2009
A promotion to a senior level such as director or partner brings with it new legal responsibilities, and the importance of understanding these should not be ignored. However, there are other, more subtle, things to consider.
If you are appointed from within, there needs to be a change of identity as well as of role. It is better if this is managed, rather than gradually evolving. If you are appointed from outside (a non-executive directorship is an important stage of many successful people’s career development) there are additional issues of relationship building and access to information.
Richard Winfield, managing director of Brefi Group and head of the new Director Development Centre, recommends a formal induction process for all new appointments. This process should follow a similar structure to the induction for any new role, but pay particular attention to managing the change in relationships.
He says, “It is surprising how many directors are still thinking like managers, even after two years on the board.”
Here are five questions that he recommends you should ask yourself, even if there is no formal induction process.
- Have you discussed your new role with your chairman? Are you both clear about your role and responsibilities? Do you understand the culture and operating procedures of the board?
- What does it mean to you to be a director? How do you perceive other directors? Are you comfortable with your new identity?
- Have you discussed your new role with your staff and colleagues? What are their expectations of you now?
- How should you change the way that you trawl for information? What radio, television, newspapers and magazines should you access? What sorts of things should you notice?
- How and where should you network and how should you represent your organisation? Have you defined your new public identity and are you comfortable with it?
USEFUL LINKS
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March 20th, 2009
Hello!
I am very excited to share this special announcement with you.
In my last newsletter, I mentioned that I am collaborating on a book about wealth dynamics. It is to be called “The Wealth Garden” and is being published in conjunction with two others, “The Law of Business Attraction” and “How did You Do That!”. All three books are being published by Alive! Networks, and we are collaborating to get all three Amazon top ten best seller status.
I am hoping that my readers will help us in this.
The first book is published on Saturday 21 March, and we are asking you to purchase it on Saturday USA time. As an encouragement, we have packaged a fantastic collection of special offers from the authors of all three books, and I have provided a report on corporate governance.
The full details about this new book are below, along with some very exciting offers, worth thousands of dollars. The offer is good for one day – Saturday, March 21st — so I encourage you to read the details and act quickly.
This book is about how doing business in a new, cooperative model yields tremendous success and happiness. And that is something we all want!
Please read on …
Best wishes
Richard
 Cooperation is the NEW secret in business and life
Success in business today requires a new ethic and a new perspective. The old competitive model is outdated. Cooperative Business is your new model to soar in today’s new economy.
Introducing …
The Law of Business Attraction: Secrets of Cooperative Success.
Releasing Soon! It’s an innovative book that you will proclaim to be a “must-read.” Presented by the publisher of Alive! Networks, The Law of Business Attraction answers this powerful question:
What would happen if you stopped worrying about your competitors – real and imagined – and focused your energy on your own vision and your passion?
When you buy just one copy on Saturday 21 March, we have a special bonus gift package for you, worth thousands of dollars. In addition to this bonus package with over 20 gifts, you will receive – at absolutely no cost – one free chapter of the multi-media version of this fantastic book when it is released. If you have never experienced this remarkable multi-media format, prepare to be delighted!
CLICK Here to See the Exciting Bonuses.
Are you burnt out from the old competitive business model? Looking for a different method that truly works? You will love this book! It’s dedicated to enlighten each of us about this new ethic, this new business style. The result? Accelerated manifestation for your business and your life.
Berny Dohrmann, Founder of CEO Space and Best Selling Author, writes in the foreword to explain his view of this new model. “Working cooperatively allows people to bring in master manifestations: realizing truly remarkable visions and creating astounding successes that others would surely deem impossible.”
You will be moved and inspired as the authors reveal how this new business ethic leads to impressive results and joyous success. It will work for you also.
Click Here to see the Great Bonuses.
In her chapter, “The Miracle of Co-Creating,” Lisa Nichols teaches that when you finally get that there really is enough in the Universe – and stop competing from a belief in scarcity — you will experience the miracle of co-creating for yourself.
Harv Eker reveals that the Law of Attraction is actually the Law of Energy, in his chapter “How Big is Your Playground?” Read with fascination about how collaborative energy allows you to move energy toward a specific focus more powerfully. You need massive amounts of energy to play in the world in a big way!
In his chapter, “Unite and Take Flight,” Dave Austin guides you to a fuller understanding of the exponential power of collaborating, which creates momentum that is awe-inspiring.
And there are many, many more authors whom you will identify with and whose stories you will embrace. Written by a range of entrepreneurs and CEOs in various stages of success—some just beginning their company, some on their way up, and some at the top already.
Are you someone who wants to get ahead by getting along? You will see yourself in their examples, and be freshly inspired to create your own success story.
PLUS – We have an enticing collection of bonus gifts for you – at no cost. You will immediately receive our special bonus gift package – at no cost to you – when you buy just one copy of Law of Business Attraction. HURRY – this offer expires fast!
- Catapult your business with Kimber Lim and her Transformational Team of Experts
- Develop superb networking skills from Best Selling Author & PR Expert Jill Lublin
- Become a visual energizer using Law of Attraction taught by Dr. Melissa Andersson
- Review of corporate governance for Boards of Directors with Richard Winfield
- Cultivate the skill of easy online products from the Queen of Online Products, Maritza Parra
- Learn how to be truly yourself in business by David Tyreman, Brand Identity Specialist
- Polish your business etiquette by using Syndi Seid’s expert tips for the new media
- Design your life legacy with Wealth Dynamics and Deb Taman
- Support a positive lifestyle for Seniors based on the wisdom of Ken Ng
- Access and focus your whole mind for a life of affluence in a webinar by Kathie Bobbitt
- Discover the secret methods of lead generation with Gil Ortega
- Learn how to earn money online from Greg Writer
- Help loved ones recover from home loss using Lorie Nicholas’ expert advice
- AND many more!
Join the Law of Business Attraction authors in their quest for a better business, a better life, and a better planet.
Click here to see bonuses and to buy your copy now.
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March 10th, 2009
I shall be writing to you in a couple of weeks about a three book marketing campaign to establish me as an Amazon top ten business author. I am sure that you will be pleased to participate when you hear of the fantastic package of goodies that will support the promotion.
As part of the campaign, each author involved is receiving some marketing coaching. One of the examples that we been given of a successful campaign in the past relates to a book called “Happy For No Reason” by Marci Shimoff.
I have noticed quite a lot of talk about happiness in the last few weeks. It occurs to me, that there is a hierarchy in happiness.
It is one thing to be generally happy. Another, is a sense of joy. It seems to me that perhaps the highest form is to experience bliss.
So I have been thinking, what is bliss?
When I recall specific examples, I note that they are all peaceful. Does that mean that it is a quality of bliss? Can we only experience bliss during a peaceful moment – or can we experience bliss when we recall a special time?
I have a subscription to all the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s performances this year. Last week I attended an evening with three short ballets. Two were enjoyable, but the third was on a different level – I was transported. Just like I feel when I am designing a management game or solving a problem for a proposal. Is this ecstasy? Perhaps ecstacy is the active form of bliss.
I wonder about these forms of personal fulfilment because I have a client who has retired. Or, rather, he hasn’t retired. After 50 years in his family business, he cannot break away. So, the question is: “How can he fulfil his personal needs without continuing to visit the office?” This is something he has never experienced, or had to think about.
Many people have a similar problem adjusting to retirement. And, if they fail to solve it, they tend to die young.
A lot of my current life is devoted to work related activities. However, I do not consider myself a workaholic. My work is an expression of who I am. I love the creativity, the problem solving, the involvement with current affairs, the interaction with other people, the travel.
Because I know what I need for personal fulfilment, I know different ways in which I can find it. Indeed, my varied career has involved many different ways already – and launching the Director Development Centre has been a case in point.
Maslow has a well known hierarchy of needs; the highest of which is “self actualisation”, which means realising one’s potential.
Learning how to achieve this is clearly relevant for people facing retirement, but it is also the role of a coach to help people address this at any stage of their life.
We use Wealth Dynamics profiling to help us with this. My profile is high in ‘dynamo’ energy. This means that I am creative and active, but, since I am low in ‘tempo’ energy, I might well neglect the nourishment I need.
For me, it is the quiet ‘blissful’ things that nourish. Fortunately, they mostly tend to be free!
Richard Winfield is founder of Brefi Group.
An international facilitator, he coaches and
facilitates directors and boards in transition:
helping them to make progress by
bringing structure and clarity
to their thinking.
USEFUL LINKS
Posted in Editorial | Comments Off
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