Mike Hohnen

Coaching for personal growth, change and development

Leadership/Management

“We are the last generation that grew up in a dumb society”

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Internet has only been around seriously for the past 15 years – but it has evolved enormously from the time I was linking up to CompuServe with an acoustic modem and dismantling phone plugs in hotel rooms to get my crocodile grips to connect with the raw wires in order to get a connection…

We don’t yet know what is next – but we do know it will be different. One thing you can be sure of is that in the next 5 years you will see more innovation than you have experienced the past 15 years – what will that mean for your business?

https://youtu.be/R7cuatm_bqw

Now is the time to be bold

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The future will belong to the bold. The world of business is now so crowded that only those who have a significant and dramatically different story to tell will grab the attention of consumers.

In a world of ‘green wash’ and PR spin, authenticity will shine through. In the face of unprecedented levels of marketing spend an increasing consumer cynicism, simple recommendations from ‘consumers like us’ will carry the day. In an age when we have come to expect good levels of service and product quality as a given, only in exceptional and memorable experience will earn customer loyalty. At a time when legal loopholes and corporate caveats allow companies to wriggle out of their responsibilities, those who stand by their promises will stand out from the herd. It requires courage, conviction and imagination to be bold but the rewards can be immense.

The first paragraph from:

“BOLD – How to be brave in Business and Win”
by Shaun Smith & Andy Milligan

Need I say more ?

Hotel room of the future…in your dreams

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When guests need to stay in hotels in 2030, they will still want a good night’s sleep in comfortable surroundings. The key difference is that the experience will be personalised to their individual needs and taste via virtually invisible technology. This technology will monitor and anticipate physical, emotional and mental needs and desires for a healthier and happier state of being.

Almost any surface or fabric in the 2030 hotel room will be capable of electronic enhancement, whether it is scent production, acting as a visual display or speaker, or as a source of ambient sound.

Read the full article her

Employees care about three things…

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In his new book Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders author Rajeev Pershawaria describes how managers can motivate people by appealing to the three things that really matter to them.

Most employees care about the same three things–the nature of their Role, their work Environment, and their professional Development (RED)

Asa manager, you need to talk regularly with employees about the three buckets, and as you keep the dialogue going, listen for information about their preferences and aspirations. Armed with this information, you can label and link day-to-day work with their expectations.

Fascinating – and very simple.
Read an extract from the book here

How to reach the mobile guest

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Mobile ready websites are no longer emerging trends in the travel industry. They are now a force to stay and have forever changed the way travel shoppers search, book and interact with properties. With millions of travelers connected to the Internet via smartphones, your hotel needs to consider how to reach potential guests at each phase of the buying cycle via the mobile web.

Ensure your property can be reached in the fastest growing sales channel, with a revenue-driving mobile website. With more than 15 million people projected to book hotel rooms on their mobile devices in 2012, the time is now.

Read the full article on Hospitalitynet

Find that magic spot

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Ken Robinson on Passion from The School of Life on Vimeo.

Ken Robinson believes that everyone is born with extraordinary capability. So what happens to all that talent as we bump through life, getting by, but never realizing our true potential?

For most of us the problem isn’t that we aim too high and fail – it’s just the opposite – we aim too low and succeed.

We need to find that magic spot where our natural talent meets our personal passion. This means we need to know ourselves better. Whilst we content ourselves with doing what we’re competent at, but don’t truly love, we’ll never excel. And, according to Ken, finding purpose in our work is essentially to knowing who we really are.

Get ready to unleash your inner fervor as Ken takes to our pulpit to inspire you to follow your passion.

Sir Ken Robinson is a leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources, working with governments and the world’s leading cultural organizations. Born in Liverpool, he was Director of The Arts Project (1985-89), and is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Warwick. He was knighted in 2003 for his contribution to education and the arts. Recent publications include Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (2001) and The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009).

This secular sermon took place at Conway Hall on Sunday 13 March 2011

CEO -> Chief Emotions Officer

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Chip Conly writes in the Huffington Post:

In this knowledge era, execution is all about people: how to harness and inspire the potential of those we work with. And, at the heart of people are our emotions, the mysterious internal weather that either propels or penalizes us. After 24 years of being a CEO, I’ve come to realize that the best amongst us are truly Chief Emotions Officers as we are the “emotional thermostats” for our organizations with studies showing that a typical leader has 50-70% influence over the work climate of their team.

Read the full post here