Start the New Year and the Conference off with a bang. This is the time of the year when companies make a fresh start and industries organise business conferences. Those conferences can cover a multitude of subjects from pharmaceuticals to environmental matters and a million topics in between. Whatever the subject matter though it is critical that they should start well. That means that delegates should be made to feel both welcome and involved. It means that they should have a clear idea of what is going to happen at the conference. Above all the speaker should make them realise how they can benefit by their involvement in that particular conference. A good speaker then will sell the idea that their attendance was a very clever move on their behalf. He will speak of the advantages of meeting others in the particular industry and sharing ideas with them. A good speaker will ensure that delegates literally sit up and take notice.

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The start of the New Year is an ideal time for a business opening. It’s a time for fresh starts and new ideas. When times are tough you have to make an effort, try something different. The New Year is the perfect opportunity to do something completely different with your life. Whatever your trade or your profession a New Year gives you a chance to think outside the box and to consider new options. It’s a time to be brave and a time to start afresh. Your new business can be anything from selling widgets to starting a new insurance brokerage. Whatever it is you should launch it with a party at which you should speak of your hopes and dreams for the future of the business. Invite those who have helped you and thank them for their support. Speak of your plans. Ask them to spread the word about what you are doing. Then raise a toast to your new and exciting business; wishing it every success.

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In tough times benevolent societies really come into their own. That’s why they have so many functions at this time of the year. They know that members of their own profession or trade need their help and dinners, dances and shows are ways of raising the funds necessary to assist them. They know only too well that but by the grace of God they too could be struck down with illness or disability. So they are sympathetic and understanding and very discreet about the problems people face. Someone will speak at such functions mentioning the necessity for funds without specifying who is in need. Most of us like to help those with whom we have worked or who were associated with our work. We enjoy a good night out and the fact that we are helping others gives it the plus factor. The word benevolent conjures up a picture of a Santa like figure bestowing largesse. Whatever he or she may look like we can be sure that those in need are very grateful for his or her kindness and understanding. As the saying goes “It could happen to anyone.”

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Black Friday is becoming, quite literally a really black day for retail employees. They are not getting a chance to finish celebrating Thanksgiving because so many stories are opening from midnight on Thanksgiving or earlier. It’s time to get the Christmas shopping season off to a start but will a few hours really make that much difference to retail sales? When bosses are giving their Christmas office party speeches will they mention the fact that employees had to leave the Thanksgiving table to mann the tills in many sales outlets? You can bet they won’t. All that seems to matter is to make those tills ring and that has nothing at all to do with the church bells that ring out to spread the real Christmas message of love and peace.

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Your company’s annual dinner is more than a social occasion. It’s an opportunity to motivate your staff. It’s your chance to tell them how well they have done and what needs to be done in the future. It’s your opportunity to reach out to them and get them on your side. That does not mean that you have to give a long winded speech giving facts and figures. That’s not appropriate at a social function. Some of the most memorable words in the world were short. Think of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” or President Kennedy’s, “Ask not what your country can do for you.” It’s the message that counts. What you are trying to say is, “Company profit means jobs, YOUR jobs.” It’s about telling them that that better production means better salaries. It’s about motivating them to make their company more successful thus giving them better promotional opportunities. It’s using the words “Us” and “Ours.” The company’s annual dinner is about your people and their pride in what they do.

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Managers need to motivate, especially in these recessionary time. The cheapest most effective way to do this is actually speak to the staff. Far too often they are not involved in matters that will affect their own livelihoods and that’s a wasted opportunity to motivate. That is not to say that you have to disclose sensitive information. I t is merely to say that you have to communicate what needs to be done to help make the company successful. It is to say that you should express your appreciation of what has been done to date. It is to stress the importance you place on their suggestions and their ideas. “If you cannot use such suggestions explain that it is too expensive or too much like a competitor’s idea. Explain why you cannot use the ideas rather than let them believe their ideas is being ignored. Say that you would welcome any other ideas they may have in the future. Show them that you understand their concerns. Speak about success and how they have an important role to play in it. Speak to your staff as equals. You may be the hub of the wheel and they may be the spokes but always remember that that makes you dependent on one another. Show them you that you recognise their importance and motivate them by sharing your own enthusiasm with them. Above all speak of “We” rather than just “You.”

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It’s difficult to reply to the toast to the ladies. After all you cannot prepare your speech in advance because you don’t know what the speaker will actually say. Nonetheless you can assume that his speech will be complimentary in tone. So while you don’t actually say that the speaker said you were charming and gracious you mention the fact that the speaker made out ladies to be charming and gracious and all things wonderful. You mention too what a wonderful privilege it is for you to respond to such a toast. You speak of your delight in the occasion and in the fact that the speaker made the ladies feel so special. You hint that he has done wonderful things for the morale of the ladies present and you say that certainly you are delighted that he recognised their talents and skills and all they do to make the world a better place. You may even, tongue in cheek, admit that the ladies mirror the gentlemen present in that they are complimentary to each other.

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Let them know you are grateful. That’s very important if they are your clients. After all there is stiff competition in the world of business and somebody else could offer your clients the same product or service. They might even offer it more cheaply. Obviously you do provide a good service or else the clients would not be using your company. You probably make sure goods or services are delivered on time or advise the client of any unforeseen delays. Naturally too you ensure that the goods or services are top class in themselves. That’s not enough these days. You need the personal touch. You need to establish a good rapport with those clients. You need to stress how important they are to you. You have to tell them how much you appreciate their business. It’s all about good communications and everyone likes to be appreciated and thanked. Your clients are no exception.

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Sales are critically important in these recessionary times. Every company that sells a product or a service needs to increase their sales. They have to get that message across to their sales staff. Salespeople though are quite likely to be discouraged recently. Who can blame them? After all all they see in the newspapers and on TV is bad news about the economy. All they hear about is job losses and plummeting figures. Sales staff need to be encouraged and one of the best ways of doing this is to have a coveted prize for the salesperson of the year. It may be a bonus or a cruise or shares in the company. Whatever it is though it has to be something staff will work hard to win. The presentation of that salesperson of the year award should be public and what is said in the presentation speech is very important. The winner has to feel convinced that he or she is valued, that he or she has done well in very difficult times. Put simply, your speech has to give them the feel good factor and encourage them to do even better in the future.

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Leadership is an acquired skill. Yet unfortunately most people think leaders are different and that they cannot aspire to be anything more than mere followers. Obviously leaders need followers but equally obviously more people could develop their leadership qualities if they tried. The world needs many more leaders. That is not to say that we can all become Presidents or run armies but we need leaders in all sorts of other spheres too. Every office needs one. So does every team and every community group. In times of recession we badly need leaders to work at providing more jobs. Lots of people have good ideas they would like to put in action but don’t because they don’t believe they have the necessary skills. The fact is that they could, with a little thought and effort, actually persuade, or lead others to do as they wanted. So remember you don’t have to be born with it. Leadership is an acquired skill.

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