Predix Blog

What motivates your employees?

by Kim Gillcoat | on Feb 17, 2012

Earlier this week, I spotted this question on LinkedIn:

What are those intrinsic factors that maintain the enthusiasm of an employee and ensure his motivation at work?

Imagine how powerful the answer could be – not only for you as an employer, but for your employee as well!  Everyday, we help individuals drill down and define their motivators, what touches their core, what drives them to perform at a higher level.  Through our Know Your Talents™ Behavioral System, we can quickly identify a list of unique motivators based on a person’s individual behaviors and talents.  Through a Motivation Review, we can help an individual define and set goals based on these unique motivators.

So, to answer this question is easy, but the answer is different for each and every person.  We are all motivated by different environments, rewards and opportunities.  It is critical to an employee’s success to identify and confirm that your company will be able to provide opportunities that drive their unique motivators.

Imagine that you are hiring a new sales representative.  The role will require a high percentage of out of town travel, long working days and the availability to be on call.  You have two top candidates with great experience and both seem to be a great fit.

In going through a Motivation Review, you identify that Candidate #1’s top motivator is Family.  He is motivated to provide for his family, spend time with them, help coach his son’s little league team and be at dinner with them every night.  This is a great motivator, but NOT a great fit for your work environment.  It won’t be long before Candidate #1 feels de-motivated and unhappy, traveling and working long hours.  Something will break, he will turn over or won’t produce.

Then, in going though a Motivation Review, you identify that Candidate #2’s top motivators are opportunity and freedom from routine.  He loves new challenges and experiencing new places.  He will thrive with the opportunity to travel and promote his career.  He will be a great fit for your company culture, you can easily provide an environment where Candidate #2 will be motivated!

So, what are the intrinsic factors that maintain the enthusiasm of an employee?  There isn’t a blanket answer or factor that applies to your ‘employees’ in general.  Each employee is motivated by something different, and as soon as you are able to identify and tap into that, imagine the power and performance you can expect from that motivated employee!

Can you teach someone how to sell?

by Lori Coruccini | on Feb 08, 2012

Earlier this month, I ran across this question on LinkedIn: Can sales be taught?

We hear this question from customers all the time so I wanted to share my response here:

Yes, sales skills can certainly be taught to anyone, however, identifying someone’s behavior is key to remove barriers during the sales process. Being a seasoned sales professional for 30 years, a sales trainer and publisher of Know Your Talents™ – Sales Process for Champions, I observe over and over again how enlightened individuals become when they begin to understand why their own behaviors may be the barrier to their success in sales.

At times, there may be parts of the selling process that can be painful to individuals because of their behavior stopping them. Let me give you an example: if a person has a natural behavior which includes patience, typically folks with patience do not want to ask for the business! Of course, with training, they understand that they have to ‘ask’ for the business. However, in order for this person with patience to feel comfortable and be able to give themselves permission ‘to go there’,they need to learn their own trial closes that feel comfortable. The person with patience feels as if they need to ‘earn’ business, not ‘win’ it. When they understand their own transition statements and trial closes, only then they will ask for the business and feel great about doing so.

No matter what type of sales it is, whether it be products or service, more and more companies today are first considering what behaviors are needed when hiring into the sales role. Once the right behavior is identified….then let the training begin!

Predix Merges with LearnKey and LearnCast to create Better Learning Systems!

by Lori Coruccini | on Feb 01, 2012

It is with great pleasure that I announce a strategic merger making Predix a part of one of the most powerful learning solutions worldwide. You can read the entire press release about our merger and the new company Better Learning Systems here. Over the past six months my team has been working jointly with elearning brands LearnKey, Inc. and LearnCast. These companies follow the same mission and vision as I do for Predix which is to drive the ultimate learning experience. This could not have been accomplished without the hard work of my team and new board of directors- as this places Predix and our “Know Your Talents™ system” in the drivers seat with learning.

Many of you who know me understand my true passion for allowing learners and students to learn the most important thing they can, their own talents. This merger allows my team to do that with a much broader audience. Thank you valued clients, friends and family members – as I am thrilled to be a part of this new organization. For more information visit: www.betterlearningsystems.com.

Predix PDP Client Administrator Certification

by marketing | on Feb 01, 2012

Hampton Inn and Suites Scottsdale
10101 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, Arizona
Wednesday, March 21st and Thursday, March 22nd

Know Your Talents and LearnCast at the Insights Conference

by Kim Gillcoat | on Jan 31, 2012

Last week, Sarah and I exhibited at the DKI Insights Conference in Austin, TX, we had a great time!  We gave our booth a ‘face lift’, check out the new banners.  It was so fun to integrate Know Your Talents™ into the innovative technology of LearnCast®.   Our banners now have QR codes for two awesome LearnCast® courses – one including a free demo ProScan survey, one showing a course created on how to manage and motivate an individual employee, a quick reference tool for managers on the go.

Sarah and Kim with the new Know Your Talents Booth

People had a blast pulling up the courses, we received great feedback on the new look and the new offerings of Better Learning Systems.  With our new QR code to the demo survey, participants could pull up the survey on their personal iPads and tablets, no need to wait in line to take the survey!  Then, the reports were instantaneously emailed to them.  We were able to service so many more people, and so much quicker.

As always, it was great to reconnect with so many clients!  And this time, with our new offerings through Better Learning Systems, we were able to take our support to the next level, I look forward to integrating LearnCast® and LearnKey® further!!

Predix PDP Client Administrator Certification

by marketing | on Jan 10, 2012

Hampton Inn and Suites Scottsdale
10101 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, Arizona
Wednesday, February 16th and Thursday, February 17th

DKI Insights Conference

by Kim Gillcoat | on Jan 10, 2012

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa
Lost Pines, TX
Sunday, January 22nd through Tuesday, January 24th

Predix Supports Breast Cancer Awareness

by Kim Gillcoat | on Oct 19, 2011

Predix announces that our Sales Consultant, Sarah Blik, will be participating in this year’s 60 mile 3 Day for the Cure to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation! Sarah wanted to share the following:

“This will be my 6^th year walking to help find a cure for breast cancer. When we all look at our circle of family and friends, unfortunately we have all have been touched by this horrific disease in one form or fashion. Cancer has no boundaries. Each year I carry with me the names of those that I am walking for, whether in memory, in honor or support we walk for them. This 3 day event is a very inspirational, emotional, and physical challenge. I truly feel humbled knowing that some ladies who I am walking next to have just undergone some of the most aggressive treatments out there and they have physically and emotionally been tapped. Thank you for your support, whether in thoughts and prayers and/or financially, it is much appreciated!!”

Startling facts about breast cancer:

• Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide.
• Nearly 1.4 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer globally each year.
• More than 458,000 people worldwide die from breast cancer each year.
• Somewhere in the world, a woman dies from breast cancer every 69 seconds.

This year Sarah is part of a 5 person team and they are getting their feet ready to go!! If you would like to support Sarah in this event please consider donating via Sarah’s personal page here.

Layoff Blues – Pay attention to those who stay!

by Lori Coruccini | on Aug 21, 2011

Employee morale, productivity and effectiveness in a “downsizing world” For over twenty five (25) years of I had the opportunity to learn and observe how companies and organizations deal with the good times and bad. Sure when profit margins are in the 60% range and revenue is double digit growth year over year, its easy to do team building and performance management to make sure your people are motivated, creative, happy and productive. But how they handle adversity, so called “tough times and rough road” really shows a companies true colors.

Unfortunately, what becomes a very common symptom to a companies right sizing efforts is forgetting how to deal with their number #1 asset- the employee’s who stay. Now more than ever effective workplace conflict resolution becomes important and an integral part of a companies retention strategy as does the ability to understand and work through the challenges those employee’s who are staying will face day in and day out. They will become distracted, de-motivated, less productive and create conflict. This will lead to disaster.The good news is you can avoid this by one simple rule- Over Communicate as much as possible.

That’s right when was the last time you worked somewhere that “over communicated” the companies goals, priorities, profit & loss status, new customer pipeline and bonded through the process? A new trend is for employee’s to require that as part of their “stay on” package. They want to be first to know and in the know, not on the sidelines. Early results from several companies who made the promise to be open and forthright with communications on job status to their employee’s are reaping the rewards. It can work and does very effectively if you do it right. It does not have to be over the top as an example one company simply implemented “Pizza Friday’s” where all the employees could get an update from the executive team on where things could and ask questions. Granted, it was not easy at first but its coming along and people can deal with the truth. As the legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said “Never confuse activity with achievement” and when it comes to communication that means keep it simple and honest.

Predix is a “Rising Star” – Top International Sales Award from PDP

by Lori Coruccini | on Aug 21, 2011

I’m pleased to announce that Predix has won the 2011 Rising Star Award, recognizing Predix as a Top International Sales licensee of PDP for the fifth straight year. We are very excited and honored to receive this recognition as it aligns with our strategy to become one of the top management consulting firms focused on leveraging behavior to outperform. Now more than ever behavior is such an integral part of any company’s people development strategy.