Please log in to view this content
Retention – Surprise and Delight
GWBC Radio: Ann Herrmann-Nehdi with Herrmann, Inc.
/
RSS Feed
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi is Chief Thought Leader and Chair of Herrmann, the originators of Whole Brain® Thinking and the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®). Author, researcher and keynoter, Ann’s work is specialized on the practical application of neuroscience and cognitive diversity to human and organization development and improvement, continuing the firm’s 35+ years of research with a database of over 2 million thinkers from around the globe.
Herrmann’s research has been featured in an array of media outlets including Business Week, The Harvard Business Review, Business News Daily, Scientific American, Chief Executive Magazine, Chief Learning Officer Magazine, Investor’s Business Daily, Management Today, T+D Magazine and O (The Oprah Magazine.) Clients include 9 out of 10 of the Fortune 100, and many universities (e.g. MIT, Stanford, INSEAD), government agencies (e.g. NASA, US Dept of Energy) and professional services firms (e.g PwC, EY, BCG).
Ann’s passion and focus is on helping individuals, managers, teams and leaders drive growth and improve their impact by leveraging their untapped thinking potential: making better decisions, effectively managing change and being more agile.
Ann has worked with many hundreds of organizations around the world of all sizes and industries, helping them improve profitability, leadership, productivity, innovation, and overall business results. Her widely viewed TedX talks ( The One Thing You Need to Know About Your Brain That Will Change Your Life, and Think Like Your Future Depends On It, Because it Does) have influenced the way people approach their work and their lives and continue to capture the attention of thousands of viewers across the globe. An engaging and in-demand speaker, she has presented keynote addresses for a wide array of Fortune 100 corporations, major conferences and global associations.
The co-author of The Whole Brain Business Book–Second Edition (McGraw-Hill), current research includes the impact of AI on the future of work and how women leaders bring unique value to the workplace.
Follow Hermann on Facebook.
Show Transcript
Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC Open for Business. And this will be a fun one. I have with me today Ann Herrmann-Nehdi.. And she is with Herrmann Incorporated. Welcome, Ann.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:00:31] Hello. Great to be here.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:33] Well, I appreciate you coming on. Before we get too far into things, tell us about your work at Herrmann. How are you serving folks?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:00:41] Well, basically, what we do is we provide managers a much better way of understanding how they can leverage the thinking and the diversity, especially the cognitive diversity in their company. So, we have lots of tools that we use, but we have a platform that provides people with data about their thinking, and then what they can do once they understand how they think. So, we make life easier, reduce frustrations, and help managers be more effective.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:09] Now, if a manager is managing a team without this kind of intelligence, how are they doing it? Are they just kind of winging it based on … like what’s kind of the methodology they’re using if they’re not using kind of a system?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:01:25] Lots of times, they’re just winging it. They’re, actually, in many instances, following the old adage, treat people like you would like to be treated, which doesn’t really work when people are different. So, they’ll often go with what they think is the best way to communicate, to interact, to engage those that they work with on their team. And if somebody is thinking and looking at the world very differently, that creates confusion, miscommunication, and so on, and so forth.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:01:56] So, one of the things that I think works really well with what we provide is that we give people a common language around which to talk about those differences, and then really kind of a compass or a roadmap around, how do I behave as a manager, so that I can engage with this person, who I really appreciate because they are so different from who I am, but I don’t necessarily know how to get the best yield out of the thinking that they bring because I just think so differently, right? So, we give people an easy way to kind of decode all that and get beyond what is often kind of our own natural bias, because we think about how we think, and that’s usually kind of what we go with.
Lee Kantor: [00:02:38] Now, when you’re working with a group that isn’t familiar with this, is their instinct to think, “Well, this is how I’ve always communicated,” or does it occur to them that people might learn differently, or they might react differently when I say certain things? Is it kind of an eye-opening aha moment? Like how much kind of friction is there when you’re trying to explain this and for them to execute it?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:03:06] Actually, I think the aha is really an interesting thing because we all have differences in our lives, right? Lots of times that’s true at home. And a lot of people in today’s environment are experiencing a lot of those differences in their families, right, that maybe they were quite aware of, but they’re kind of feeling them more. So, most people know that there are differences out there, but they don’t necessarily proactively say, “Okay, how do I reduce the frustration and the friction?” So, they just kind of react and try to do the best they can.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:03:47] So, one of the biggest ahas that people have, believe it or not, is to say to themselves, “Oh, that person wasn’t doing that on purpose to drive me crazy. They’re just different,” right? And this can be true for spouses and partners, as well as colleagues. And that’s often a common reaction that people will have.
Lee Kantor: [00:04:07] So, instinctively they had thought that that person was bugging them on purpose, when in actuality, it was just they were communicating to each other maybe differently or using different language that they each liked the other to use?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:04:23] Yeah, absolutely. I remember a working with a large group, and in the middle of a program that we were running, one of the direct reports to the leader, after discovering the model, and they were looking at whether our model, very simply, are you more of an analytical thinker? Are you more of a practical thinker, relational thinker, or experimental thinker? There’s a lot more to it. But this individual is very practical, very detail-oriented, loving to provide as many details as he possibly could. And his leader is a big picture thinker, more experimental, didn’t really want the details. And he looked at a leader and said, “So, that’s why it looks like you’re falling asleep every time I come in to present you with information. Like you tell me.”
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:05:08] So, I think lots of times, people don’t bring this up because they don’t exactly know how to explain it, they don’t know how to ask for what they need. And we kind of put it all out there in the forefront to sort of say, “Look, everybody’s different. Let’s kind of acknowledge that. Let’s talk about those differences. And then, let’s feel comfortable asking for what we need and being really clear when we’re not getting what that is, so that we can accelerate what it is that we’re trying to do and reduce the amount of frustration we might have.”
Lee Kantor: [00:05:39] Now, you used the phrase earlier, cognitive diversity. People understand diversity and maybe cultural diversity. And they understand if I’m in a different country, maybe I have to behave differently to acclimate myself there. It sounds like there’s also a cognitive side of that, so that the person might look like you and come from a similar background of you and similar town as you, but there could be cognitive diversity in the respect that you’re not communicating effectively with that person.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:06:11] Absolutely. And I think cognitive diversity, which we’ve been talking about and looking at for close to 40 years, it’s interesting because, now, we’re seeing this become actually a term that’s pretty widely used. And it helps us understand that diversity isn’t just skin-deep. There are major differences in ruthlessness, ethnicity, gender, et cetera that we kind of commonly think of as diversity. But indeed, exactly as you just described, you can have somebody who kind of, on paper, looks very similar to you but thinks in totally different ways.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:06:48] So, what cognitive diversity does is it allows you to kind of bridge the gap in different ways and find that those that you think may be similar to you actually may not be, and those that you think may be totally different from a traditional diversity perspective may actually think in similar ways. So, it provides you with a whole new platform for exploring the diversity question, which doesn’t replace the need to appreciate all of those other differences and the natural biases, but this feels very much nonjudgmental, it’s easy to use, and it explains a lot of what happens every single day in our interaction. So, it’s a great place to start when you’re having that diversity conversation is with cognitive diversity.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:35] Now, in order for an organization to take advantage of this kind of thinking, what is required of them? Is this an assessment, they take a test, or it requires someone to kind of watch them? Like how does it work in order to implement this?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:07:50] Right. So, we actually have a platform that provides people with a diagnostic. And basically, our model is diagnostic insight and application. So, what we do is, typically, this happens through some kind of an experience that they’ve had, often, online and also with somebody else that might be their manager. It might be someone in learning development. It might be a facilitator. And they have an online learning experience that helps them get those ahas. And then, it it goes beyond that to sort of say, “Okay. What are the tools I need as a manager?”
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:08:26] So, yeah, typically, this is part of some kind of a learning initiative of some kind, but much of what we offer in the initial phases is provided to people in a sort of super friendly, easy access online experience. And then, we’ve trained people in organizations to, then, help them execute this across the world. So, we work with 9 out of 10 of the Fortune 100 organizations, and they typically want internal experts. So, we’ll train folks and certify them, so that they can help scale this and make it very relevant to what it is they’re doing in that company.
Lee Kantor: [00:09:06] Now, the companies that-
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:09:06] So, lots of different ways to access. Sorry.
Lee Kantor: [00:09:08] The companies that have access to this kind of platform and this intelligence, do they have maybe an advantage during these uncertain times? Maybe they have some tools in their tool belt that can help relieve some stress or pressure that their team is facing during this coronavirus.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:09:29] Absolutely. It’s really interesting, we’ve been talking to many of our clients right now about how they’re leveraging their ability, especially with a rapid shift to remote, for example. And already, that’s a big change for many, many people that the manager finds themselves with a team that is no longer face-to-face. And if they have been using what we call whole brain thinking, the application of cognitive diversity, they already have improved their ability to communicate, understand, and interact with each other, so they can deal with some of the other changes that come up, and they’re not trying to figure that out at the same time as they’re dealing with some of these other changes.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:10:13] It also really has helped organizations that we work with. One organization, [A451], I was talking to our contact there the other day, and she said, “Our managers are much more effectively able to communicate in a way that’s going to reach everybody’s needs,” because communication is so critical right now, so that people understand what’s going on. And they’ve already got that arsenal in their tool kit rather than sort of stumbling around, and getting that communication out, and maybe not really reaching everybody in a way that they understand what’s trying to be communicated.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:10:50] And it also helps with innovation. And so, many organizations right now are being asked to completely rethink how they go to business. And so, putting together a whole brain team when you know how to do that can really help you bring together people, so that they can think quite differently. And our research has shown that whole brain teams significantly increase the amount of innovation that you can get out of a team. So, other organizations that we’re working with are using that right now to help them sort of rethink what is it we can do, how do we solve our customers’ problems today in a way that we never even thought was possible before?
Lee Kantor: [00:11:34] Now, we’re talking a lot about using the platform for leaders. How does the platform work for the employee? Is it having that same intelligence? Does that help them become more effective when they’re trying to communicate? Like you mentioned earlier, their style of communication, it helps them have their leaders understand it more effectively.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:11:58] Absolutely. The example I gave earlier of a direct report speaking to his manager and kind of going, “Oh gosh, now, I realize that what I was doing wasn’t serving your needs,” it really helped everybody at not only interacting with others and communicating, but also how an employee might solve a problem, make a decision. Even if we all have access to this thinking in our own head, we just tend to prefer some of the strategies more than others.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:12:29] So, one of the things that we teach our thinkers, as we like to call them, as part of the process is how they access that cognitive diversity within themselves, so that when they’re looking at a given problem or situation, they can actually shift their thinking and be more agile as they’re solving a problem or making a decision. So, it really, really works for everybody, not only managers who have very specific things that they need to do and working with their team, but individual contributors can get great value just in terms of thinking about how they get their work done, and how they can better navigate, and be more flexible in their thinking, which in today’s environment is kind of number one on the list for everybody because they’re just being asked to change so many things in terms of how they think about their work.
Lee Kantor: [00:13:21] Now, how does empathy kind of play into this? It sounds like it would play an important role because it’s kind of requiring a view to look at things through other people’s kind of lens in order to be effective as part of the way that you’re dealing with them.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:13:39] Oh, absolutely. You’re spot on with this notion of empathy, which I think is … I heard somebody say the other day that they’re referring to CEOs as the chief empathy officer in today’s environment because there’s such a demand for empathy. But empathy, one of the things that this does is it gives people a roadmap to understand and not only just sort of have that … many people will say, “Well, I have empathy for that person,” but they don’t know actually how to show it. They don’t necessarily understand what the other person needs.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:14:14] So, what this does is it allows somebody to begin to make actionable that empathy, and step into the shoes of the other person, see the world as they might see it, but also be able to say, “Okay, this is what’s going to be most helpful,” right? And so, as I’ve looked at a lot of people are struggling today with just, “How do I make changes in my work productivity?” for example, “How do I structure my day?” and managers can get really frustrated with the fact that people are maybe not approaching their workday the way they would approach it, especially in a remote environment. So, just having enough empathy to understand, “Well, okay, maybe what this person needs is a way to serve time box their day. And let me see if I can help them do that because that’s what’s going to allow them. That structure is going to free them up to feel much less overwhelmed,” right? So, by having a roadmap to understand how they’re thinking, that allows you to take that empathy and actually do something with it.
Lee Kantor: [00:15:17] Now, let’s talk a little bit about the GWBC. How has that organization helped you in your business?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:15:26] Well, I think it’s wonderful. First of all, just being really proud to be a woman-owed business for me is terrific. And it gives us a way to tell the world that we are a woman-owned business because otherwise, many people would not know that. So, actually having access to the certification gives us a very simple, and clear, and validated way to say that’s who we are. And of course, we’re in a business that talks about diversity and appreciating differences. So, we think that’s really important. It’s also helped us as we work with large corporations to allow them to recognize that that is something that they can take advantage of in terms of their procurement processes. And many instances, they have specific quotas and things like that that they need to meet.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:16:18] And so, it makes it much easier for us to position ourselves as a value-added partner for them because we do fit that that qualification. And I know that they pay attention to that because every year, as we’re getting closer to the recertification process, we get notes from them saying, “Hey, we noticed that your certification’s expiring soon. We’re looking forward to seeing that.” So, it’s clearly been an advantage for us, especially in working with very large organizations.
Lee Kantor: [00:16:50] Now, for the listener out there that wants to learn more about this, I know you have a TEDx talk that you’ve done that talks about cognitive diversity. Are there any other resources that you have available to share some insight and to to explain some of the reasons why someone should kind of learn more about this?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:17:11] Sure, absolutely. So, I do highly recommend the TEDx talk, which is The One Thing You Want to Know About Your Brain that will Change Your Life. And that kind of teaches you the model, gives you some insight. And so, that’s kind of a very quick 15-minute way to get an overview. But if you go to our website, which is thinkherrmann.com, and that’s just think, and then H-E-R-R-M-A-N-N dot com, we’ve got resources there. And recently, we have actually published quite a few resources that are specific to what’s going on right now. We’ve got a great e-book on The Shift to Remote Work and How to be Most Effective, because we actually shifted to remote two years ago. So, we learned a lot in that process and are sharing some of those insights.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:18:03] And then, we just launched a new whitepaper on how you will adapt and how you can be more agile. And that’s a great tool to just think about, “Okay, how do I deal with all this uncertainty? And how do I function more like that tennis player who’s waiting for the serve and is ready to kind of move as needed versus just sort of standing there frozen and wondering how do I deal with it? And many people are kind of struggling with that uncertainty. So, that particular whitepaper we wrote to address what I think is a very relevant issue. But our website has got all of that info available. And you can also follow me on LinkedIn at Ann Herrmann-Nehdi. Just put me in there and a lot of those resources I talk much about, and I’d be delighted to connect with people on LinkedIn. I’m also on Twitter, @annherrmann. All of it, Herrmann is always with double R and double N, right? H-E, double R, double N.
Lee Kantor: [00:19:01] And then, you have a webinar coming up that is actually going to include the assessment. Can you talk about that?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:19:07] Absolutely. So, we’ve got a webinar that will be on May 27th. And we’re really looking at a way to help people who feel like they need a fresh perspective on their career and their professional development based on all the things that are going on right now. This is our way of giving back, really. We’re going to offer a full HBDI Assessment, which is our assessment tool, the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument as pre-work to the webinar.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:19:41] And then, I’ll be we’ll be co facilitating with Bev Kaye, who’s an author and a specialist in career development and talking to people about, “Okay. What do I do if I’ve been furloughed, and I don’t know what’s going to happen, if I have now realized that, actually, I’m not sure I want to go back,” or “I’m looking for a job, how do I best position myself?” So, we will be very specifically addressing that and as our giveback, providing people with a full assessment experience, which is worth about $400. So, it’s our way to sort of give back. And that information will be available on our website. I’ll be promoting it on my LinkedIn profile. So, that’s another great way to get access. And if people will attend. I think it’ll be great.
Lee Kantor: [00:20:27] Now, for a person that goes through this and takes a assessment, that’s going to give them an idea of like their quadrants that their strengths are, that they lean towards. Is that what you’re going to get at the end of that assessment?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:20:42] So, what the assessment actually does. So, one of the things that differentiates us from some of the other models, because many people, there are a lot of models out there, right, is that when the research was initiated some years ago looking at the brain and trying to understand what was going on in our heads, what that revealed is that, actually, we have access to all four quadrants in our model but we have degrees of preference for each. And what that means is that we can actually go to those areas of lesser preference. So, what the assessment allows you to do is, first and foremost, begin to understand, “Okay, where are my preferences? Where might my blindspots be? And then, what do I do with that? How do I become more effective at interacting with others? What’s my roadmap as I think about better dealing with my team members, my family, my manager?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:21:37] And then, specifically, we will add additional context to that in the webinar around thinking about your career, and your own personal development and growth, and what you can do with that. So, it gives you kind of that beginning compass that you can use to understand where your preferences are, how you might tap into those areas that you haven’t really taken full advantage of. Maybe it makes you a little uncomfortable to go there, but with some understanding of how to access that thinking, you can become much more effective and really leverage your whole brain.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:22:17] And it’s just really what we teach is, how do you take advantage of all of that thinking that you have inside yourself, that you have in your team, or that you have in your organization? So, the first step is understanding that through the assessment, but all the experiences that you have on the platform, and then following that are really what continues to make it come alive. So, the assessment is just a means to that application end.
Lee Kantor: [00:22:45] Now, before we wrap, can you maybe give some tips or advice for people that are going through this and maybe struggling a little bit about the uncertainty and about, it seems like, this disruption that we’re in right now. Any advice to keep people staying positive and productive?
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:23:06] Sure. Okay. Well, one of the things that our research has shown, what people tend to want to do in times of uncertainty is try to predict the future, right? And they worry about it. What our brains tend to do is they will just start imagining all sorts of things. And I like to say that worrying is a terrible waste of imagination because we often imagine the worst. So, what really can help mind hack that is to just focus on your end goal. So, where do you think you want to be? And let go of the how because in many instances, you can’t figure out the how right now, and you’re probably not going to be able to figure that all out. So, if you just focus on where you think you want to land, and where you want to be, and work backwards from that, that will help you get out of all the kind of noise and talk track in your head about, “Well, we can’t do this,” or “I can’t do that.” Just focus on where you want to be. Start with the end in mind.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:24:07] Ask yourself, what if this happens or that happens if you’re trying to kind of do a little bit of scenario planning, especially as it relates to your business, so that you can start looking at those different stories and begin to start planning against those eventualities, again, without getting too bogged down in negativity.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:24:31] And I often invite people to tap into their own curiosity. One of the things that we know from our brain research is that the brain does really well with things that are new, and novel, and interesting. So, I would focus on the things that bring that level of interest in energy to you at this time and get more curious about those. Give your brain that breathing room to have fun with that and engage with that.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:24:59] And finally, there’s a lot of research out there that talks about humor. And there’s a lot of humor floating out there, but just taking 5-10 minutes today to find some humor, to have some fun really gives us a breath of fresh air in terms of our thinking and helps take some of the stress away. So, those are some of the things that I would recommend that I think can be most helpful.
Lee Kantor: [00:25:24] Well, Ann, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing important work, and we appreciate you.
Ann Herrmann-Nehdi: [00:25:30] Well, thank you. Love your organization. And again, very proud to be a woman-owned business and be part of it.
Lee Kantor: [00:25:37] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Open for Business.
About Your Host
Roz Lewis is President & CEO – Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and a member of the WBENC Board of Directors.
Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.
During her career she has received numerous awards and accolades. Most notable: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion award; 2017 inducted into the WBE Hall of Fame by the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce and 2010 – Women Out Front Award from Georgia Tech University.
She has written and been featured in articles on GWBC® and supplier diversity for Forbes Magazine SE, Minority Business Enterprise, The Atlanta Tribune, WE- USA, Minorities and Women in Business magazines. Her quotes are published in The Girls Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business book by Susan Wilson Solovic and Guide Coaching by Ellen M. Dotts, Monique A. Honaman and Stacy L. Sollenberger. Recently, she appeared on Atlanta Business Chronicle’s BIZ on 11Alive, WXIA to talk about the importance of mentoring for women.
In 2010, Lewis was invited to the White House for Council on Women and Girls Entrepreneur Conference for the announcement of the Small Business Administration (SBA) new Women Owned Small Business Rule approved by Congress. In 2014, she was invited to the White House to participate in sessions on small business priorities and the Affordable Care Act.
Roz Lewis received her BS degree from Florida International University, Miami, FL and has the following training/certifications: Certified Purchasing Managers (CPM); Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD), Institute for Supply Management (ISM)of Supplier Diversity and Procurement: Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta (DLAA), Negotiations, Supply Management Strategies and Analytical Purchasing.
Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.
About GWBC
The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®) is at the forefront of redefining women business enterprises (WBEs). An increasing focus on supplier diversity means major corporations are viewing our WBEs as innovative, flexible and competitive solutions. The number of women-owned businesses is rising to reflect an increasingly diverse consumer base of women making a majority of buying decision for herself, her family and her business. 
GWBC® has partnered with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation through our guiding principles to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Ben Atkinson with Baseballism
/
RSS Feed
Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.
Ben Atkinson is the Retail Operations Manager for Baseballism. His core responsibility is to oversee the company retail management team to ensure that their stores are successful.
Their goal is to show the world how great baseball can be by having great products, awesome stores, and a customer experience that is second to none.
Ben also assists the COO in forging the path toward new retail opportunities as the brand continues to grow.
Follow Baseballism on Facebook and Twitter.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- What is Baseballism and how did it start?
- What do you do for Baseballism?
- Where are your stores located?
- What is Baseballism doing to create content during this pandemic?
- What is Baseballism doing to maintain website sales?
- Are there any sales or promotions coming up?
About Our Sponsor
OnPay’s
payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.
Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.
Dayton Business Radio: Heather Salazar with Pink Ribbon Girls
/
RSS Feed
Heather Salazar is the CEO and President of Pink Ribbon Girls, a grassroots nonprofit organization that balances the fear and uncertainty that breast and other women’s reproductive cancers bring to individuals and families by providing direct services, education, and support.
She grew up in the Miami Valley and lives in Troy, Ohio with her husband, Steve, and her four amazing children. Heather graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Wright State University in Communication and Social Work. As a survivor of breast cancer herself, Heather strives every day to ensure that No One Travels This Road Alone.
BRX Pro Tip: Managing Change
/
RSS Feed
BRX Pro Tip: Managing Change
Stone Payton: [00:00:00] Welcome back to BRX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, in our rules as studio partners, in our rules as client host, we do manage change. But let’s talk a little bit about managing change from a selling perspective, from a hosting perspective. Let’s just talk about the roles, and responsibilities, and the mindset associated with managing change effectively.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:27] Right. I guess I don’t know if this speaks more to our selling style or change management managing style. But for me, I always find when you’re asking someone to have a mental shift like it is when they’re working with us, because a lot of people have bought ads, or they bought some side of marketing before, and they’ve usually had to work hard in prospecting and selling. And our method doesn’t require a lot of that. And that’s a mental shift for a lot of people to really kind of grasp, but this doesn’t have to be a hard sell to ask someone to be a guest on a show. Like you don’t have to work super hard to do that. You just have to make it available to them and let them know what’s available and educate them that it’s available. Not, “Please, baby, please. Be a guest on my show.”
Lee Kantor: [00:01:21] And we’ve found that in order to make that change, they don’t have to be the hard salesperson maybe they’ve had to be historically. And it’s got to really kind of work with them and educate them in baby steps that adding all the reasons why it would be great to be a show, or how many listeners the show has, or all this information about why, why, why this show is great for them isn’t really necessary. It’s easier just to remove barriers, relieve pressure, reduce friction, lower hurdles and get them to act that way, and you’ll get more guests, and your client will be more successful. But Stone, you’re the change management guru. So, you tell me how this fits into change management.
Stone Payton: [00:02:11] Well, it’s interesting to me that you used the word removing barriers. I did back when I had something much closer to a real job, I worked for a high-end, premium-fee change management consulting firm, the last of three such firms that I worked with. And in every case, one of their primary strategies for planning and executing even large scale transformational change was all about reducing the friction and shrinking the timeline by educating people, and removing barriers, and equipping them to remove barriers. The last thing that they wanted you to do that they would recommend that you would do is try to “sell the change.”
Stone Payton: [00:02:52] And so, it’s interesting. You didn’t have to have all that education or an ankle in the business to arrive at the same point. I think you’ve hit it spot on. It’s all about removing barriers, educating, removing the friction and just kind of naturally letting it unfold. Almost creating that environment, the opportunity for what I call mutual self-discovery. And maybe there’s a little more guiding and nurturing going on on the edges than a prospective client or an existing client realizes, but you’re still kind of letting them find their own way with a little expert guidance from yourself.
Rome Floyd Chamber Small Business Spotlight – Doug’s Deli, Mel and Mimi’s, and the Rabbit’s Nest
/
RSS Feed
We are joined by Lisa Smith of The Rabbit’s Nest of Rome, Ben and Doug Bowling of Doug’s Deli, Mimi Weed of Mel and Mimi’s, and Thomas Kislat and Jeanne Krueger of the Rome-Floyd Chamber of Commerce in this Small Business Spotlight show. We discuss many things related to the pandemic, specifically adjusting business models to the new reality and how to engage customers across digital platforms.
GWBC Radio: Nancy Williams with ASAP Solutions Group and WeFresh
/
RSS Feed
Nancy Williams is a Technology Industry Executive with years of progressive experience in business development and large-scale account management with organizations such as IBM, Unisys and Comforce. Skilled in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Project Management Office (PMO), Recruiting, Technical Recruiting, and Change Management. She is also a strong educated professional with a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) focused in BBA, CIS from Georgia State University.
With a passion for entrepreneurship, Nancy leveraged her previous IT experience to partner with Roz Alford in 1995 as a Principal with ASAP Solutions Group, LLC. Under Nancy’s leadership, ASAP experienced significant growth, expansion and diversification. She was very instrumental in launching branch offices in New Jersey/New York, Chicago, Dallas and Hyderabad, India and enabling ASAP to provide comprehensive Talent Management Solutions across 46 states and beyond.
As the current CEO, Nancy provides active hands-on leadership and direction to the company’s four business units of Staffing, Consulting, Workforce Compliance and Managed Services. Nancy and her team work hard to ensure ASAP’s continued and sustained growth by developing and implementing business strategies that are customer-centric and addressing our clients’ most common and complex contingent workforce challenges.
Nancy has recently been named in the Staffing Industry Analysts 2018 Global Power 150 – Women in Staffing, a list of the 150 most influential women in North America, Europe and around the globe. Nancy was also named to the Staffing Industry Analysts 2018 Americas 100 list.
Nancy has also been recently become a member of the prominent International Women’s Forum. The International Women’s Forum builds better global leadership across careers, continents and cultures by connecting the world’s most preeminent women of significant and diverse achievement.
Nancy has been inducted into the prestigious group of Women of Distinction. This honorable group is comprised of WBE’s (Women Business Enterprises) that have given countless hours, held distinguished positions within the organization and support to the WBENC organization. She is known as a thought leader and advisor within WBENC and the 14 Regional Partnership Organizations.
In addition to her leadership at ASAP, Nancy reaches out to the community through various avenues of professional and non-profit organizations. She has been a Board Member with the C5 Youth Foundation of Georgia as well as an Executive Committee Officer for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (GCAPP). Nancy played a pivotal role in the establishment of a jobs program for youth supporting Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV). She actively participates in the promotion and growth of women-owned businesses. She is a founding member of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a founding member of WeConnect (Certification of Women Business Across Many Countries Worldwide) and champions the cause of several organizations including: Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), Technology Associations of Georgia (TAG), TechBridge and the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC). Nancy graduated from Georgia State University with a BBA in Computer Systems.
WeFresh is exclusively distributed in the U.S. for a product sold worldwide as Micro-Fresh®. The technology was originally developed and crafted in 2006 in the UK to prevent the growth of mold on products in transit from the far corners of the world. It also has additional properties that prevent odor causing and pathogenic bacteria.
Today, the brand is used as an ‘added value’ by over 50 retailers and manufacturers. It now serves as the ‘go to’ brand for innovation-conscious retailers that want to promote the freshness of their products.
In addition to preventing the growth of odor causing microorganisms, WeFresh products can be washed at low temperatures, decreasing the need for frequent washing which prolongs the life of the product, as well as reduces energy costs and carbon footprint. WeFresh maintains freshness over 99 percent beyond 50 washes, essentially, providing a lifetime of freshness for WeFresh products.
Manufacturers, retailers and consumers can be confident in WeFresh because it is free from restricted substances and SVHCs, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 approved in all 4 classes I-IV, and Certified DMF free. The result is a Nano-free technology that is tough on harmful bacteria but kind to the human skin. WeFresh has been tested and approved for safety in baby bedding and has been featured in children’s footwear for nine years.
Not surprisingly, the technology behind WeFresh has been honored with a number of awards including the Cisco Systems National Innovation Award 2010, Ernst & Young Sustainable Business Growth Finalist 2014, Cummins Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, Goldman Sachs Business Growth Award 2015 and more.
Follow ASAP Solutions on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Show Transcript
Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:19] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC’s Open for Business. And this is going to be a fun one. We have with us today Nancy Williams. And she’s with ASAP Solutions Group and WeFresh. Welcome, Nancy.
Nancy Williams: [00:00:32] Good morning, Lee. How are you? First of all, are you surviving?
Lee Kantor: [00:00:38] I am surviving. I am hanging in there. I’m excited to talk to you about your work. It sounds like you’ve got a lot of things going. But before we get too far into things, tell us a little bit about both of your ventures – ASAP Solutions Group and WeFresh.
Nancy Williams: [00:00:54] Oh, absolutely. ASAP Solutions Group has been in business since 1989. We are a total talent management company specializing throughout the US with technology and professional services. And then, we also have a company in India too in which we support US-based clients in India, as well as a fairly large recruiting delivery team too over there. And WeFresh is a antimicrobial – that is what everybody talked about today – that prohibits the growth of bacteria, mold, E. coli, MRSA, salmonella while promoting freshness.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:39] Now, did you find out about WeFresh through your work with ASAP solutions? Like how’d they get on your radar?
Nancy Williams: [00:01:47] Oh, yes. I always say, clients become your friends, become your supporters, then everything. And one of the two foundation clients that we had when I started my partnership back in 1998 with ASAP was Andersen Consulting and Accenture. And Accenture actually is the one that introduced me to the founder chemist of the product. And he was out of the UK actually participating in their supplier development program. So, through their encouragement, they were like, “He wants to come to North America. You all have a great brand. You’re collaborative. We think you guys should talk.” So, they kind of match-make us. So, that’s how we connected. And we have all that distribution right for North America. And we actually just signed the deal with Kathy Ireland Worldwide. And she is our global brand ambassador, as well as one of the members to our board of advisors. And I’m very excited to have a relationship and partnership with with Kathy and her team. They’re spectacular.
Lee Kantor: [00:03:00] And that’s a good lesson for our listeners about the importance of relationships and really getting to know your partners, so that there might be kind of tangential ways you can work together and help each other that may not be kind of on the menu items of things that you do or don’t do, right?
Nancy Williams: [00:03:19] Correct, absolutely.
Lee Kantor: [00:03:21] So, now, how are you and your teams in your various ventures handling this kind of new world order that we have regarding the pandemic and a lot of remote work and things like that?
Nancy Williams: [00:03:33] Well, I have to give kudos to my leadership team. I believe that in business, you surround yourself with incredibly smart people. And I always look at it as, what’s your weakness? Go find your strength and someone else. And they put together the plan truly before even the virus hit about what would happen if something caused us to have to shut down. How would we go into a remote world? And was our technology system in alignment? And oh, my gosh. We have India, which is a different world within itself in telecommunications and so forth. And would they be situated?
Nancy Williams: [00:04:21] So, they integrated and implemented the plan first in the US, and then in India on a Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. We had literally three hours to get everybody situated, all equipment, everything that they need to have, so that when we went live on Monday, they were 100% engaged, effective, that they had everything that they needed to be successful, that they were safe, their families were safe. And I can’t say enough about it. So, we actually forecast it. And every business should do this. What happens in a situation like this?
Nancy Williams: [00:05:11] This is so unprecedented because we never lived through this. And everybody is going through those challenges. I think we’ve all adapted. But I also think, again, you’ve got to be able to pivot, pivot to the new world. I don’t think we will be going back to what it used to be. I have the same saying like that it’s not a matter of when it’s going to change or if it’s going to change, I should say. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when. And the when is now. And I mean, if you look at what’s going on within the retail industry, e-commerce is going, I mean, crazy that our brick and mortar stores aren’t because they’re shut down. Also, some of those did not have the right distribution systems. So, even their e-commerce just shut down. So, it’s going to be an interesting world as we continue on to this next phase.
Lee Kantor: [00:06:19] Now, when you’re working with your team regarding … maybe your team has already been doing this remote work, so it’s not new to you, but maybe some of your clients haven’t kind of managed remote workers before. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to keep the team motivated and going? I know a lot of people are doing kind of morning kind of huddles over Zoom, or some something like that, or maybe they’re communicating more frequently than they had been in the past. Are you doing some things with your team to keep them fired up, as fired up as you are?
Nancy Williams: [00:06:54] Yeah. Yeah, we are. We do a a morning meeting every morning across both worlds where we all get together, we talk about current demand, what’s going on with our clients, what are we seeing and so forth. And I tell you, I think with the clients, it’s been so different than 2008. This 2008, especially in my world, in the technology world, everything shut down. We haven’t really seen it shut down. We’ve seen demand slow down. But I mean, people have done incredibly well with the remote work. I also come from that you must inspect what you expect. And this is where we get to accountable results, measurable, accountable results. And that’s how we we really drive that business is, can we measure it? Because if you can’t measure it, it’s really not going to be actionable. So, you’ve got to really be in tune to let everyone know what the expectations are, how you’re going to measure them, how you’re going to expect it, and are you there to coach and mentor in care at the end of the day, right?
Lee Kantor: [00:08:22] Right. Now, regarding the measuring, I’m sure when people started 2020, they had some projections, and some numbers, and revenue target, and things like that that they were looking to hit. And then, maybe they were on their way or weren’t on their way, but wherever they were, when this thing started, it’s a new world. So, those numbers are kind of out the window. And in some cases, dramatically. And in some cases, like you said, maybe not so dramatically. Maybe in some cases, it’s better. But how do you help them kind of look at those numbers in a different way or maybe reset expectations?
Nancy Williams: [00:09:03] Well, when we’re looking at numbers and so forth, I have a philosophy that you always have to be planting seeds for a new client and so forth. And those seeds, some might die, not bloom into a flower. Then, some might become the most beautiful flower you’ve ever seen, but it takes time and it takes persistence. And I call it having a pleasant persistence around engaging with your clients. So, when we’re looking at members, we don’t believe in giving expectations, revenue expectations to our team that are not achievable. That would be literally setting them up for failure. So, it’s surprisingly enough, most of all are pretty well on their way to achieving the results that is needed.
Nancy Williams: [00:10:08] So, it’s, again, investing in relationships. People, at the end of the day, are still going to deal with people that they trust. And how do you get into that inner circle of trust with your clients and so forth? And that is one thing when we go and we do all these studies from a market research, and we say to our clients, “What do you think of them?” And almost always, they say, “Trusted partner.” So, that’s what we’re saying. I think we’ll go back some. I know some of my competitors have come back significantly. And that’s mainly not because they don’t do a great job. It’s just unfortunately, the industries that they were heavy in got hit the most, like airlines, right? And we know it’s-
Lee Kantor: [00:11:03] Right, travel, sure.
Nancy Williams: [00:11:03] Right, travel, hospitality. We were little in that, but not a ton. So, blessing as it is, we didn’t really see the hit like some of the others have.
Lee Kantor: [00:11:22] Now, you’re active with the GWBC. How has that organization and organizations like that helped you through this crisis in terms of maybe giving you information that you didn’t have, or maybe made you aware of some things you weren’t aware of, as well as just the support of kind of like-minded people all kind of in there together, and maybe even some business opportunities?
Nancy Williams: [00:11:49] Yeah. I’ve had the pleasure of being on the board of directors for a number of years both for GWBC, and then prior to WBENC, as well as part of the leadership committee and so forth as one of the Chair Emeritus to the National Forum. The information that’s coming out to all small businesses, medium-sized businesses, diverse businesses, it’s a lot. I mean, I probably get – I don’t know – 20 miles a day about the PPP, and what you need to know, what you need to do. And with WBENC, I’m part of the Women at Distinction. And that’s a group of ladies – it’s about 18 of us – that have really invested a great deal in building the organization to what it is now. So, we’re on WhatsApp. And it ranges from several million to a couple billion in revenue dollars and stuff. And we’re all there to support each other. And we wouldn’t have that support if we all hadn’t been engaged with WBENC and our local RPOs, and gotten to know each other, and thought leadership around it.
Nancy Williams: [00:13:18] So, it’s like I tell WBEs and NBEs too is if you want to build your brand, get engaged. I’m a big football person. And I believe business is like football four quarters. And you have your team, and you have your fans. Well, you can stay on the sideline and just watch the game being played, or you could be in the game and be part of the team that drives it. WBENC and GWBC, they give a lot of information to the WBEs. Very, very incredible, insightful information. And I’ll give you a perfect example in why you need to be engaged because I got a message for the Leadership Forum, the Women’s Leadership Forum. And Toyota came across the bank, and it went out to all of us that were part of the forum that said they have money if anybody needs to apply. Call this person. Toyota, you would never heard that in the paper. So, it’s a community. It’s a community that supports. You have to still earn the business, but it supports you and how do you earn that business. And that’s what that organization is all about.
Lee Kantor: [00:14:48] And I think you said it at the beginning that it’s all about relationships and the way that you make relationships work are you show up, you do the work, you’re trustworthy. You’re watching other people’s back. It’s not all about you. It’s how you can serve. And if you demonstrate those behaviors over time, then you’re going to bear the fruits of those relationships over time. And it’s not an instant solution. It isn’t like, “I join in, and then I win.” It’s, “I join, and I show up, and I do the work, and then maybe I win.”
Nancy Williams: [00:15:20] I mean, I have a client I was just on a Zoom meeting with. And I participated. We were the first in their supplier development program. And I’ve known them trying to position a solution to them – I am not joking for six years. Six years has taken me to get to where I am now with them. And that’s the hardest thing is I keep going back. You gotta plant those seeds. You gotta water the seeds and the plant. So, you’ve got to nurture and give them the right fertilizer, so they continue to grow. And then, eventually, if you do everything right, they’re going to be beautiful flowers for you. But if you don’t take those steps, it’s not going to happen. And you might be lucky and land something because it’s all in timing too. Everything is timing in business and luck. I’d rather be lucky than good. I want to be both, but I need luck that helps us propel and so forth. So, you’ve got to be pleasantly persistent.
Nancy Williams: [00:16:44] And here’s the thing with now is everybody, I think , we all went through this shock. I mean, I had a client, “I can’t do anything. I can’t talk. I can’t…” I’m like, “Okay, calm down. Number one, are you okay? How’s your family? How are you? How are you holding up?” And this is a time where you’re going to either build wonderful relationships or just casual relationships. And I always say invest in those that you really enjoy being around, you believe in that client’s product and brand, you believe in their core values. And I call them dream clients that you want to continually delight with the experience of life. And when you delight your client, they will delight you back.
Lee Kantor: [00:17:40] Amen to that. Great advice, Nancy. Thank you so much for sharing your story today. If somebody wants to learn more about your work, whether it’s at ASAP Solution Group or WeFresh, what are the websites of both of those please?
Nancy Williams: [00:17:53] Very easy. One is www.myasap.com. And the other is www.mywefresh.com.
Lee Kantor: [00:18:05] Good stuff. Well, once again, thank you for sharing your story. You’re doing important work, and you’re really making a difference.
Nancy Williams: [00:18:12] Thank you. And hope that all the listeners, please stay safe, please stay healthy, please wash those hands, and be strong. We will get through this.
Lee Kantor: [00:18:24] You’re right. We will. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Radio.
About Your Host
Roz Lewis is President & CEO – Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and a member of the WBENC Board of Directors.
Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.
During her career she has received numerous awards and accolades. Most notable: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion award; 2017 inducted into the WBE Hall of Fame by the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce and 2010 – Women Out Front Award from Georgia Tech University.
She has written and been featured in articles on GWBC® and supplier diversity for Forbes Magazine SE, Minority Business Enterprise, The Atlanta Tribune, WE- USA, Minorities and Women in Business magazines. Her quotes are published in The Girls Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business book by Susan Wilson Solovic and Guide Coaching by Ellen M. Dotts, Monique A. Honaman and Stacy L. Sollenberger. Recently, she appeared on Atlanta Business Chronicle’s BIZ on 11Alive, WXIA to talk about the importance of mentoring for women.
In 2010, Lewis was invited to the White House for Council on Women and Girls Entrepreneur Conference for the announcement of the Small Business Administration (SBA) new Women Owned Small Business Rule approved by Congress. In 2014, she was invited to the White House to participate in sessions on small business priorities and the Affordable Care Act.
Roz Lewis received her BS degree from Florida International University, Miami, FL and has the following training/certifications: Certified Purchasing Managers (CPM); Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD), Institute for Supply Management (ISM)of Supplier Diversity and Procurement: Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta (DLAA), Negotiations, Supply Management Strategies and Analytical Purchasing.
Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.
About GWBC
The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®) is at the forefront of redefining women business enterprises (WBEs). An increasing focus on supplier diversity means major corporations are viewing our WBEs as innovative, flexible and competitive solutions. The number of women-owned businesses is rising to reflect an increasingly diverse consumer base of women making a majority of buying decision for herself, her family and her business.
GWBC® has partnered with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation through our guiding principles to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Christy Brown with LaunchPad2x
/
RSS Feed
Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.
Christy Brown is President of Launchpad2X with a vast amount of previous experience in scaling and growing companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 turnaround business units. In these roles, she has held executive leadership roles over the past 20 years but in 2019, she became the Managing Executive Partner a venture capital firm focused on pairing venture capital with shared services in a studio environment to scale rapidly with services to support early-stage startups.
Prior to assuming the executive investment role, Christy was the Executive Vice President at a Fortune 100 human capital management software company where she lead the business transformation & client success organization globally. However, Christy is a rabid founder and has scaled three service-based companies focused on digital marketing and human capital services which she exited across a 12-year interval.
Following the last exit, she became a consummate innovator, futurist, and angel investor and is aligned to multiple startup incubators as a mentor and advisor focused on scaling and growing the founders alongside the business. She has also served as a board member across the Atlanta ecosystem including as a Venture Partner with Republic.co, Entrepreneur’s Organization, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, American Cancer Society, Technology Association of Georgia, and various across early and series stage startups in technology.
Connect with Christy on LinkedIn and follow Launchpad2X on Facebook and Twitter.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The partnership between Launchpad2X and TIE Atlanta
- Access to the Capital for women
About Our Sponsor
OnPay’s payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.
Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.
