Enterprise skills session 6

• What’s your T Shirt ?

Review of self study from last session

• Word cloud • Your metaphor (construct a metaphor describing you when

you are working/acting at your most enterprising).– In groups of three review each person’s metaphor. Explore their

answers to the following questions?

– How deeply do they/you genuinely believe they can apply this metaphor to their life/work?

– Do they/you foresee any potential situations where it may be difficult to apply the metaphor?

– Congruency how congruent is the metaphor with their work/life?

Empowering beliefs ?

• There is always a way• I can make this happen• I can be whatever I want to be• There always opportunities everywhere• I love the challenge of doing new things• I believe I can make a contribution to world• No matter what the problem I can turn it around

and get something positive from it• There is no failure, only feedback

Empowering beliefs ?

• Money and opportunity are attracted to me• I am lucky, very lucky• I can do it• I am a winner• I believe and succeed• I can make a difference• I always have more resources than I think I have• Based on material in ‘The streetwise guide to being enterprising’ by David A

Gibson 2009

The opposite of empowering beliefs

Are Idea Killers:– Other people’s negativity– Your own negativityUseful to have a list of people’s negative reactions to

enterprising activity so that:1. You can be aware when others are killing

enterprising activity and perhaps have a plan.2. You can be aware of when you yourself are,

perhaps subconsciously, killing enterprising activity.

Idea KilIers – the opposite of empowering beliefs

• Sometimes whole organisations or sections or department of an organisation can regularly use idea killers.

• Sometimes known as ‘excuses’ or “the way we do things are around here” or “that’s the way its always been done”.

Idea KilIers – the opposite of empowering beliefs

• We tried it last year and it didn’t work • It would take too long• It’s not my job to…• You may be right, but...• Our organisation is too big• Our organisation is too small• We don’t do it that way• We have always done it this way

Idea KilIers – the opposite of empowering beliefs

• It sounds ok I theory, but.... In practice• It would cost too much• Something that cheap obviously won’t work• That company down the road tried it and they

wasted a lot of time and money and scrapped it in the end

• It’s impossible• It’s too simple• It’s too complex

Idea KilIers – the opposite of empowering beliefs

• It’s obviously not going to work• We need more time to research the implications• We need more time…• Why should I bother• My staff are too busy• We are all suffering from stress• Our budget has been cut• Our team has its own way of working• Maybe next year we’ll consider it• We don’t have time

Idea KilIers – the opposite of empowering beliefs

• We need more …………. before we can implement it• It seems like a good idea; but…..• I need more information before I can make a

decision• I need others to make a decision before I can make

a decision• We need head office to make a decision• I can appreciate that there is a problem, but…• I can’t; because….

The idea killers can be turned around

• For example:• We don’t have time – turned around.– We don’t have the time not to do this. – Or We don’t have the time to ignore it. – Or When exactly will we have the time time?

The idea killers can be turned around

• Another example:• Why should I bother & My staff are too busy & We

are all suffering from stress – turned around.– Because other organisations ARE bothering and if we

don’t they will overtake us.– Because we will have plenty of time when we are out

of work if the company goes bankrupt– A small amount of stress is healthy, this new initiative

will involve short term stress but long term benefit and stress reduction

Exercise – turning the idea killers around

Step 1, individually• Identify and list idea killers that apply to your

organisation, then categorise them as:– Applying regularly– Applying occasionally

Step 2, In groupsChoose 3 regular ones and 1 occasional one, think of

specific situations where/when they apply. Think of strategies to turn them around.

Exercise – turning the idea killers around

• You may want to consider repeating the previous exercise in your own time for your own personal idea killers?

Toyota organisation

• “Work is a place where we learn and grow”

• Staff formally encouraged to be innovative and enterprising and generate new ideas.

• Creativity training is provided for staff at all levels in the organisation

Metaphors exercise

• Think back to the metaphors exercise we did last session.

• Are there any people you know who use idea killers as their main, or one of their main, metaphors whilst at work?

• Perhaps you (inadvertently?) use one?

Use of debate• Why ? - Values, Attitudes, Behaviours:• Strategic thinking• Negotiation capacity• Selling and persuasion • Imagination• Need for achievement• Belief that you can make things happen• Motivation to succeed• Motivation to make a difference• Ability to cope with doing something different to others

Use of Debate

• Debate is used to provide a forum for delivery of argument for and against an issue. It provides a platform for exploring all relevant issues. It also is a vehicle for practicing delivery skills and ‘thinking on one’s feet’ and delivering something in a flexible perhaps innovative manner.

• It also has to have audience appeal as the aim is to win their vote i.e. Convince them but also involve them.

Debating Exercise• The Motion: ‘This house believes that charisma can be defined and learnt”

or “This house believes that the government should give substantial tax breaks to new business ventures”.

• Group 1 Proposer of the motion• Group 2 Opposer to the motion• Group 3 Seconder to Proposer• Group 4 Seconder to Opposer• Group 5 Summariser for motion• Group 6 Summariser against motion• Each group will discuss the anticipated arguments and the key points.

They will appoint and brief a spokesperson• I will act as Chair Introducing the motion and the teams. Keep control, call

for votes for and against, manage time.

Debating Exercise – your roles• Proposer sets out the main arguments for the motion• Opposer sets out main arguments against the motion –

anticipating arguments for• Seconder For – anticipates opposer’s points and refutes them

and supports the proposer • Seconder Against, anticipates proposer and seconder for

arguments, listens and refutes them• Summariser For – listens to the floor debate and summarises

and concludes with appeal• Summariser Against – listens to debate and summarises

against with appeal

The speakers - Guide

• Minimal or no reading from notes!• Amusing and engaging & persuasive• Make major points – not too many• Seconders take up live points raised• All of you should participate in the debate.• Summarisers should appeal to the floor giving

them reasons why to support or oppose

The floor - guide

• Listens to the debate• Makes points rather than asking questions• Take up points from others on the floor• Every one of you must speak at some point• VOTE FOR THE BEST SPEAKER• When you vote it is for the group that has put forwards

and argued the best case, NOT what you as an individual or what your group thinks about the motion. You are voting on the best, most coherently presented and convincing argument.

The Debate

• See the briefing sheet• Split into 4 or 6 groups

• A circle of chairs for the debate ?

Debate – the sequence• My chairperson’s Introduction of the Motion, Speakers and any rules

TIMING actual debate• First Speaker for the Motion G1 up to 6 minutes• First Speaker against the Motion G2 up to 6 minutes• Group thinking/discussion time up to 5 minutes• Seconder for the Motion G3 up to 5 minutes• Seconder against the Motion G4 up to 5 minutes• Floor opened to the audience All of you up to 30 min• Group thinking/discussion time G1&3=G5, G2&4=G6 up to 20 min• Final Summary for the motion G5 up to 3 minutes• Final Summary against G6 up to 3 minutes• Vote by all of you

Reflections?

• What was most important?– The argument itself?– The way it was presented?– Both equally important?

– Comments and thoughts– Individually after today – your learning log, what

would you do differently next time? What did you thik but not say?

Another Exercise - Creativity?• Whilst doing this exercise be aware of any idea killer people use.• Uncle Pedro’s llamas• Exercise is about being creative – coming up with ideas under

pressure, could use with SCAMPER or brainstorm it?• The scenario is this – that a distant relative Mexican Uncle Pedro

has died and left you 12 llamas in his will. The llamas are being shipped over to you and will arrive in six weeks time. Uncle Pedro’s will stated you should use the 12 llamas wisely.

• Unfortunately the message has arrived six weeks late and the llamas will arrive tomorrow morning.

• What ideas can you come up with in a group for using the llamas to generate income?

Another exercise? – Speed Networking

• This is about initiative, communication, thinking on your feet, being flexible, working under pressure, being proactive.

• You have to network and make as many contacts as possible with other people in the room, you have to do a pitch of your business to the other people. You have only 6 minutes to do this

• Then review see how many different contacts people managed to network with. Show of hands – who got the most names?

Speed Networking – Part 2 the £100K pitch

• Now you have to form a group with 2, 3, or 4 with the aim of setting up a new venture company.

• You have 6 minutes for this!• Then be ready for 1 of you to make pitch (elevator pitch) on behalf of

your group for 90 seconds to a venture capitalist (me!) for a cheque for £100k. one person has to do the pitch or two of them for a cheque for £100K pitch an idea.

• This means that you have to meet with people you have already met and/or meet with new people and come up with some I’m kind of idea for a company very, very quickly.

• You must look at possible synergies, opportunities connections between your business and the other ones.

• BE CREATIVE !

Speed Networking – Part 3 the recession

• The recession lands with a heavy clunk, the venture capitalist needs his cash back soon, you need to lose 1 member of your company.

• How do you decide?

Your own individual networking exercise after today?

• Alternative networking exercise• Review where your existing networks came from:

friends, family, school, university, business etc where and how you got them.

• Another alternative networking exercise• Imagine that they are website – which other

websites are you linked to by one click? Which other websites would you like to be linked to or should you be linked to?

Finally

Where do we (you) go from here?

• So where do you go from here?• What are you going to do differently?• Or are you just going to have the new

knowledge and ‘skills in your head’ but not do anything with it or change?

• It is up to you..........

AssessmentThe Learning outcomes for the course:• 1. Knowledge and Understanding:• 1i. Of the key specified values, attributes and characteristics of an

enterprising person & aspects of successful enterprise activity. (You specify what these are)

• 2. Intellectual / Thinking Skills:• 2i. Reflect on own skills, knowledge base, attitudes and values and

set achievable goals for enhancing and developing these. (Skills & Knowledge audits plus learning logs)

• 3. Practical / Professional Skills:• 3i Develop specific skills for enterprise, as appropriate to the

individual learner. ((Skills & Knowledge audits plus learning logs).

Assessment

What you need to produce.• A reflective learning journal summary of key points

learnt and areas for development Including your: skills, knowledge and attitudes, values and characteristics – you have 3,500 words for this! Include your Skills Audits, Knowledge audits and a plan for you future learning and development. Make reference top the learning outcomes!

• 500 word summary of your learning journal with brief summary of planned learning and development

Assessed work • Hand in date ?• Where to send it: Either email it me or post to CLL, 49

Salmon Grove, Hull, HI6 7SZ• Remember to include your name and address so I can

return it to you after marking it• Please also complete a yellow course evaluation

questionnaire – for University quality assurance purposes. Don’t worry – your feedback , positive or negative will not affect whether or not you pass the course.

• Please also complete an evaluation report – this is for my own research and possibly for University statistics

Website with resources

• My email A.G.Holmes@hull.ac.uk

• The wiki website for the course• http://enterpriseskillsuniversityofhull.wikispac

es.com/