1. Presentation by: Peter Byrne MSc Business Mgnt (Organisational Behaviour) BSc, Dip Mkt, Dip Finance. Chief Executive Officer South Dublin Chamber Skills Ability and Mindset to Lead in a Recession Session 2 London – 22 nd March, 2010

2. In this seminar we will address:  Your role as a CEO in Making the Chamber successful  The value of Strategic Thinking  How you Communicate  Your Financial systems and how they serve you  Role and Function of the Leader  Relationship with President and Board

3. Understanding the Finances Budget realistic and adaptable Profit and Loss for each Quarter, monthly for staff Balance Sheet Cash Flow

4. Reading accounts and understand what they are telling you. Do not be a hostage to your accounts package. Obtain the information in the most useful format that you can get.

5. Share information in a form people can understand and contribute too. The treasurer is most valuable when they understand business as well as accounts.

6. Plan your financial route then follow it. Cut cut cut is an old mantra and normally only offers short term benefits. Maximise your resources cut in some places leave others alone and add resources to your potential growth areas is the way to succeed.

7. Paralysis by Analysis Consensus Dependency Lead and they shall follow Trust your instinct and what you have learned, Use your experience and ask for help when needed

8. Timescale and Cash flow are critical when planning a recovery and more so when staying afloat

9. Implementing Your Strategic Plan, preparing one if you don’t have one.

10. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis Vision (the end result – the outcome) Mission (your purpose) Values (how you behave as an organisation) Strategies (plans) Goals (targets) Programmes (implementation) Plan Components

11. You need to offer a Vision of how and why the Chamber is going to add value to your members organisation and how you are shaping a future where your member will grow Vision

12. The role of the OB 1 Chamber of Commerce in achieving its vision is to: Build and strengthen the business culture through supporting and working together: Advocacy - The Voice of Business, forging solutions to the recession Networking - Bringing Business Together Leadership - Shaping the Business Environment and offering a Vision of a better business future Mission

13. Have your Chamber got them Why should you have them?? Do you subscribe to them. Do you help make them a reality in your work Values

14. How has the Chamber been managed? How has the Chamber been funded? How has the Chamber sought to increase membership or broaden the scope of services? How have productivity/costs moved? SWOT – Look Back … Diagnostic

15. "What stopped the Chamber from?" "What caused such a result?" "Why didn't the Chamber achieve a 10% growth rate?" Go underneath obvious causes… Find the Cause

16. Membership – marketing, promotion; Management – systems, expertise; Operations – staff, efficiency, capacity; Services – quality, pricing, range, competitiveness; Representation – quality, effectiveness; Finances – resources, cost performance; Research – effort, direction, resources; Systems – organization, structures. Strengths / Weaknesses

17. The Recession - Global and National How local business is competing in the economy. Changes in the marketplace due to economic or social factors. Local economy or social and environmental issues Government laws and regulations. Impact of new technologies. Downsizing, consolidation in the marketplace Opportunities / Trends

18. Economic Slow Down – Opportunity to show value or disaster for income / participation Members More Demanding – want better quality services, at the same price or cheaper Service Needs Changing – less information needed, more localised interpretation. Trends Affecting Chambers

19. Direct Commercial benefits – business development services for members are more important Chambers Role no longer clear, financial pressure forcing chambers to adopt new roles and strategies Need to innovate or disintegrate [ Trends Affecting Chambers

20. We must get closer to the customer – develop new contact mechanisms Economies of scale are important - mergers and greater regionalisation of Chambers Engage with new partnership and leadership models in the community Trends Affecting Chambers

21. Are broad plans for implementing the mission They are not specific or detailed Example: “Implement our representation role by building alliances with key organisations in the community” Strategies

22. Time and Measurement (Result) The Chamber will achieve a 5% increase in membership by the end of 2011. The Chamber will increase its income from member events by 10% by the end of 2010. The Chamber will reduce its operating costs by 6% in 2010. Goals - Objectives

23. Implementation plans for the key strategies. 2. These should cover resources, objectives, time- scales, deadlines, budgets and performance targets. Programmes – Action Plans

24. Broad Based - Concerned with membership and business development and actively engaged in representation activities, but also involved with local economic development, provides education and training, and extensive information management services. Strong financial position -mix of income from members, products, projects and services and access to funds for investment in new projects, and a contingency fund. 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

25. Has all the key businesses in the area in membership. Membership expanding annually. Has a strong local brand image and exercises real influence. Devotes substantial resources to innovation (new services, new ideas for local development). 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

26. Very close to its members and responsive to their needs. Seeks a leadership role in the local community. Well managed with high-grade staff and good people-management. 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

27. 1) Executive Summary 2) Chamber Description - Diagnostic 3) Mission, Vision and Values Statements 4) Strategies 5) Goals-Objectives 6) Action Plans-Programmes Format of Plan

28. Budget 8) Description of Process Used 9) Monitoring and Evaluation of Plan 10) Communication of Plan Format of Plan

29. Adequate resources (staff, office, program budget, etc), Partnerships with companies, other organizations, agencies, government, Support from member companies, Commitment of chamber officers/ committee members - (this may imply innovative ways of getting people involved) Realistic targets and review mechanisms Critical Success Factors

30. Involve those responsible for implementation – Senior Commitment is vital Be realistic – divide into smaller plans Decide who does what, when Regular reviews Appoint one person for implementation Implementation

31. Are goals being achieved or not? If they are, then acknowledge, reward and communicate the progress. If not, why? Deviating from Plan It’s OK to deviate from the plan. The plan is only a guideline, not a strict roadmap which must be followed. Monitoring, Evaluation, Changes

32. Changing the Plan Be sure some mechanism is identified for changing the plan, if necessary. Celebration Celebration is as important as accomplishing objectives -- maybe more. Without a sense of closure, acknowledgement and fulfillment from a job well done, the next planning cycle becomes a boring grind. Changes – Celebration!

33. Governance Your Relationship with your President/Chair/Board can be more challenging when everyone is under pressure in a recession

34. Strong Bedrock is Essential 1.Role and function of President/Chair/ Job description Code of Conduct 2.Role and function of Officers/Board/Executive Job description Code of Conduct 3.Constitution Memorandum & Articles of Association 4.Practice and Precedent Organisational norms Custom Culture 5. Relationships – President/CEO/Executive/Board/Members/Staff

35. Being Assertive Means: Taking rights for yourself but acknowledging and respecting the rights of others. Communicating directly with honesty. Being confident enough to ask for what you need or want. Setting limits on your time and setting boundaries and standards concerning how you expect to be treated by others.

36. Quality is not something that can be ignored in the rush to reduce costs. If we don’t place a value on what we do and how we do it, why should others ?

37. “The battle for quality is one of the pre-requisites for the success of your company and for our competitive success” Jacques Delors “Quality – Success”

38. Name 3 words that come to mind when you hear the Word “Quality”: Efficiency Cost Speed Satisfaction Results Service Customer Relations Management Team Excellence Performance People Product Recognition Public Relations “Quality Image”

39. Benchmarking A systematic and continuous measurement process; a process of continuously comparing and measuring an organisation’s business process against the leaders in your industry in order to gain information to improve your organisation’s performance. “Quality – Measured”

40. Knowledge Management Knowledge Management is the systematic process of identifying, capturing and transferring information and knowledge that people can use to create, compete and improve. “Quality Information”

41. The linkage of four key components forms my B.R.O.’s current mission. These are our purpose, our strategy, our behavioral standards and the values of our Chamber. This is best illustrated using the Ashridge Mission Model as shown below. Why Does and organisation exist? Purpose The Competitive Position and Distinctive Competence Strategy ValuesWhat the Organisation Believes in. Behavioural Studies “The Policies & Behavioural Patterns that underpin the Distinctive Competence & the Value System En Route to Quality Service “Quality Organisation”

42. “Quality – Standards” Quality standards must exist throughout the organisation, poor quality in one area effects the perception in all areas.

43. Communications Tell them what you are going to say Say It Tell them what you said

44. Are they cohesive Do they communicate Do they promote Do they inform Are they cost effective Are they directed at the right audience 6 Key Questions

45. Regularity - Consistency Simple - Clear message Relevant, up-to-date, information Promote the Chamber - Praise the members It’s all about people - Include Names Professional Presentation Core Principles

46. Secondary Question: Key Question For Communication: How should you communicate it? What is the message?

47. Is your message clear? Is your message clear? “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here? Asked Alice. That depends a good deal on where you want to get to said the cat. I don’t much care where said Alice. Then it doesn’t matter which way you go said the Cat” “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here? Asked Alice. That depends a good deal on where you want to get to said the cat. I don’t much care where said Alice. Then it doesn’t matter which way you go said the Cat” (Lewis Carroll –Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”)

48. Perception Perception How others see us influences greatly how they deal with us. “All our Knowledge has its Origins in our Perceptions” Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” George Bernard Shaw

49. Perception If we look at elections we see clearly the power of image. We also see how much is given in terms of resources. The focus in any fast moving society is more image than Issues

50. Monitor all contacts (Personal, Phone, Letters, Fax, E Mail) – CRM/MIS system Enter RELEVANT information in Database Surveys Focus Groups Fax-back Blogs - Wikis Feedback from Members

51. Integrate Feedback into everything everybody does ----------------------------- Consistently record, analyse, and act on relevant feedback Feedback

52. Good Information in Good Time to enable them to make Good Decisions Communicating with Elected Officers

53. Listen and Hear Personal Contacts Fax-back on specific queries Officer specific E Mail loops Feedback from Officers

54. Monitor the media Be informed about what key people and key organisations are doing - recognise, appreciate, congratulate. Communicating with the External Environment

55. COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Agree key objectives every 3-6 months: Who do we want to reach, what message do we want to get across 2-3 target groups - 1-2 messages Plan weekly action (Press Release, Events, Newsletter, Letters, Meetings)

56. Determine your media targets Info - deadlines, reporters, editors Meet the media people Create news - press statements, publish research, comment, press conferences Piggy-back on topical stories Chamber Press Kit Dealing with the Media

57. Regular column/radio program Letters to the Editor Soft News - Chamber helps unemployed group Hard news - Substance and controversy Dealing with the Media

58. Press “If one morning, I walked across the Potomac River, the headline would read ‘President can’t swim” Lyndon B Johnson

59. Public Relations “Some are born great, Some achieve greatness and some hire public relations officers” Daniel. J. Boorstin Public Relations is of concern to everyone in the Chamber, because everyone is an ambassador for the Chamber.

60. Public Relations Rests With Everyone  At reception – friendly and professional  Delegations – effective / coherent  Local Chambers – Business focused and community orientated  National Representative Chambers – Key Business / Economic Spokesperson The image all along the line must be consistent, have a commonality and be understood. and be understood.

61. negative story pending - take the initiative early One spokesperson only Get ALL the facts before speaking Never lie or mislead Don’t take it personally - maintain relationships with the press Dealing with the Media - Crisis Control

62. Always correct factual errors for the reporters but don’t always insist on a retraction Don’t make bad news worse by - losing your temper threaten management or threaten to withhold advertising file a legal action Dealing with the Media

63. Communication & Representation Communication & Representation COMMUNICATION A good image opens doors Positive proactive to representation. Communication creates a a good image Image

64. Presentation by: Peter Byrne MSc Business Mgnt (Organisational Behaviour) BSc, Dip Mkt, Dip Finance. Chief Executive Officer South Dublin Chamber Email:peter@sdchamber.ie Thank you for your attention…..