One of the neglected skills that many managers ovrerlook is to confront reality, confirm "truths," and objectively address the needs of the business in a way that productively meets requirement

1. Mokita Training
ZAHN Consulting, LLC
2012
“Know-How is not Enough”

2. Presentation Agenda
• Concept of Mokita
• How did we get here?
• Expectations
• What To Do
– Importance of “Story”
– Return to Conversations

3. “The truth we all know, and agree not to talk about”
CONCEPT OF MOKITA
Mokita is a Papua New Guinean word in the Kivila language,
spoken on the largest of the Trobriand Islands Kiriwina,

4. How Much Longer?
• Will we ignore what is obvious?
• Can we pretend the smell does
not exist?
• Can we continue to spend on
“peanuts” before we add up the
cost?
• Until we stop having to carry a
shovel and mop with us?

5. Break the Cycle

6. Examples
1. Much of our marketing doesn't work (we just don’t know which – or
CHOOSE not to find out).
2. Most departments have people who have retired on the job and at
least one or two who have lost their usefulness (or are crazy).
3. The impact of training programs vanish before a week has passed.
4. Senior Management says they want to hear from subordinates – and
then keep their door closed or debate the feedback they receive.
5. People who are inept are rewarded with less work.

7. Examples
6. The first-line supervisors are the most under-valued resource and
often the most-blamed.
7. The HR Department is frequently regarded as more of a hindrance
than a help.
8. Middle managers are afraid of those above and those below.
9. Frequent reorganizations are used to disguise poor management.
10. And yet; Despite all of the hassles, most of us love our jobs.

8. We Meant Well, Didn’t We?
HOW DID WE GET HERE?

9. The Road to Hell is Paved with
Good Intentions
• Management techniques
• Data ubiquity
• Perception of professionalism
• Drinking the Kool-Aid

10. Management Techniques
Vs.

11. Data Ubiquity
• Fact-based Selling
• Objectivity
• Data-driven decision-making
• Rationality
• Fair and equitable
“Drowning in a sea of data, thirsty for insight.”

12. Perception of Professionalism
We believe we should take the “High Road” as circuitous as it may be; as if
that is preferable to the “Direct Road” that gets us where we want to go.

13. Drinking the Kool-Aid
• Accept what we are told • Challenge assumptions
• Stop critically analyzing • Question beliefs
• Believe our own press • Ask questions
• Rely on what once was, Vs. • Verify sources
not what currently is • Seek confirmation rather
than “it has always been
that way.”

14. Cyrano de Bergerac x
Organization Size
• We have become
replicas Cyrano de
Bergerac
– Regurgitating data, facts,
trends, report findings
– So busy with our Excel,
pivot tables, charts, and
graphs, but -
– We are missing the
business opportunities!

15. How We Spend Our Days
• We spend our days arguing about TRUTH,
when we need to recognize truths
• We defend our point of view because we
would rather BE right, than DO right

16. If Not Careful
• Our reliance on data for data sake
becomes a pornographic pursuit
• We have lost the
“art” in pursuit of
“science”
• We suffer from
“paralysis by
analysis”

17. What is it we seek?
EXPECTATIONS

18. What We Seek
• Corporate culture
• Organizational Change Management
• Business Transformation
• Management/Leadership Initiatives
• Training on Skill Development
• And, importantly – the establishment of
DIFFERENTIATED relationships with
customers/suppliers/associates to drive
performance

19. Time to Pause
• 80/20 83/17
• Yet we have:
– Better training
– Improved tools and resources
– Focus on compensation and
incentives
– BUT, we are getting worse@
• Why? What prevents the
company from having better
success?
• How do you
introduce/reinforce those
efforts?
• How do you “institutionalize”
success?

20. Why It Won’t Work
• You Can’t There From Here

21. “Classic” Organizational
Hurdles
Pragmatic Concerns
No time nor budget to develop skills – need people to
be productive!
Training viewed as “X” day(s) program (and done).
Skills are not reinforced “on the job” (and thus are
extinguished).
Management does not embrace/coach/
monitor/enforce/ counsel based on trained concepts.
Performance rarely changes dramatically.
Varying levels of competence (and selection of
trainees and training initiatives frequently fails to
account for differences).
Needs are “assumed,” not known.

22. “Classic” Organizational
Hurdles (Continued)
Pragmatic Concerns
Increased pressure to reduce time away
from field.
Unsure of how to justify training expense
(but want to ensure “value-received”).
Shifting responsibilities (cross-
functional/business management/
financial/etc.).
Greater embedded base of technology
users (laptops, software applications, etc.)
and ever increasing complexity of
applications.

23. But Here is the Biggest Issue
• We are focused on the WRONG things –
but do them better and better!

24. Not Always Sane in the Brain
Reptilian Brain – Fight or Flight Limbic System –
Emotions NeoCortex – Thoughts and logic
Thalamus – Gateway to other parts of brain
Amygdala – Regulates emotions and memories

25. So, What Do We Do?
• We expect our Managers/Salespeople to:
– Know more than the subordinate/prospect
– Control the relationship (all the while talking
about engagement and collaboration)
– Emphasize facts, logic, data, objectivity
• We believe in:
– Cover up weakness, emphasize strengths
– Follow the “script”
– Hide/remove our “humanness”

26. Reap What You Sow
• How would any of us react to being
interrogated/discovered/profiled?
• How comfortable are you with a manager who is
interested in your quantifiable scores over your
qualitative concerns?
• When offered “logic” and “factual proof,” we ALL
look to refute, debate, discount, or explain
• Can anyone be “that smart” and care so little?

27. Do Different Things to Get Different Results
WHAT TO DO

28. Back to the Future
• What is a key role of a Manager/
Salesperson – manage relationships!
– Do we interrogate people we want to form
relationships with?
– Do we propose marriage on a first date?
– Do we act as if “we know it all?”
– Do we hide our weaknesses, vulnerabilities,
dreams, hopes, and aspirations?
• A story as old as time…

29. Have We Forgotten?
• The importance of trust
– Caring
– Communication
– Competence
– Character
– Commitment
– Clarity
• Removing barriers

30. Stop, Continue, Start
• Filling out templates, • Understanding me/my • Speak WITH me, not
forms, reports business TO me
• Focusing on your needs • Helping me solve my • Listening to me
• Leading with issues • Share your mistakes
data/facts/science/ • Appreciating how I • Tell me the story
features/ reach decisions (Harvard uses business
• Being overly logical • Follow protocol (but cases to teach
differently) concepts)

31. The Steps
Alignment

32. Power of Story
• Once upon a time…
• Caveman drawings
• Music
• Art
• Novels
• Movies

33. Story Components
• Goal
• Setting
• Crossroads
• Conflict
• Resolution/Outcome

34. How to Have a Conversation
• Confirm/Challenge Reality
• Be Genuine
• Be Present
• Tackle the Tough Stuff
• Don’t Deny Instincts
• Accept Ownership
• Allow Silence a Turn

35. Alignment
*Buyer may be employee or anyone being communicated with about a solution

36. Who I Am
• How do you react when someone is smug,
a know-it-all, and seems too perfect?
• How do you react when someone is
imperfect, hurt, or shows “fallibilities?”

37. How I Help – Creating the
Vision
• Recognizing WHO is to do the
task
• Identifying the WHAT people
are to do
• Designing the HOW they are to
do it
• Determining the WHEN they
are to do it
• Explaining the WHY it needs to
be done

38. Assembly Lines are for Cars!
• Kick Henry Ford to the curb!
• The “one experience fits all” mentality is a
death knell!

39. What is a Mokita Mirror?
• A chance for employees to REFLECT
back on what they know professionally
• Begin where they are
and build from there to
the objective.
• Use Workshop360SM
to assess current performance
level
http://www.zahnconsulting.com/preworkshop.htm

40. What is a Mokita Mirror?
• An opportunity to OBSERVE who
they are now
http://www.zahnconsulting.com/classroom.htm

41. What is a Mokita Mirror?
• A time to PEER into who they will
become http://www.zahnconsulting.com/postworkshop.htm

42. When We See A Mirror
• What do we do?
– Assess and analyze ourselves
– Make self-corrections
– Seek advice from experts to improve
• Our Mokita Mirror allows for the same
– Identify current processes, skills, styles,
approaches, etc.
– Focus attention towards strengths and
performance opportunities
– Provide CONTINUAL reinforcement, direction,
and insight.

43. Mokita Mirror Has Five
Components
• Organizational Assessment
• Department/Function/Assessment
• Review of Available Tools
• Workshop360SM
– Individual Assessment
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
– Training
• Classroom
• Self-paced/Web-based
– Follow-Up/Reinforcement
• Coaching and mentoring
• Evaluation and ROI

44. What Are the Goals?
• Educate
• Excite
• Explain
• Entice
• Reinforce
• Motivate

45. What Are the Goals?
• Form a Community
– Don’t emphasize it is a place you work, but
rather as a place you belong
– Legacy, heritage, history
– Demonstrations
– Sharing of examples, testimonials, case
studies
– Advice or benefit discussions – what we stand
for/who we work with (and who we do not),
etc.

46. What Are the Goals?
• Tell A Story (and then LIVE it)
– What is it about you/your company that compels
others to WANT to work with you?
– How are you/your company better than others?
– How are your products/employees better than others?
– How is the person better for having interacted with
you/your company?

47. Change Acceleration Process

48. Initiating Mokita Training Will
Lead From Yawns to
Unbridled Enthusiasm
“Know-How is not Enough”

49. Who is ZAHN Consulting, LLC
• David Zahn
– Instructional Designer
– 20 years corporate and consulting experience (Symbol
Technologies, IRI/Neo, Inc., and now ZAHN Consulting, LLC.)
– Published author of two books (“How To Succeed As An
Independent Consultant” and “The Quintessential Guide To
Using Consultants”), syndicated weekly columnist for
Connecticut MediaGgroup and frequent contributor to trade
publications and e-zines (T&D, Grocery Headquarters,
Brandweek, Airline Revenue News, Kenosia Report, IRI
Publications, www.connpost.com, www.businessweek.com,
www.entrepreneur.com, www.retailwire.com,
www.morningnewsbeat.com)
– Interviewed on many business radio shows addressing CPG
issues, Consulting Skills, and Entrepreneurship
– Co-moderator of Category Management Share Group
– Adjunct faculty member at University of New Haven
• ZAHN Consulting, LLC Consultants
– ZAHN Consulting, LLC maintains relationships with specialists
in Brand Marketing, Retailing, Information Systems, Sales,
Operations and other functional areas.
– Consultants have a combined 110 years of industry experience
across multiple channels, manufacturers, categories and
initiatives.

50. We have collaborated with many of the best resources driving
innovation within the industry to complement our expertise
• Primary source for client training (Data Detective, Category Management, New Item
Launch, and other programs)
• Frequently asked to contribute to strategy sessions for new product training, curriculum
development, and training delivery options.
• Combines ZAHN Consulting, LLC’s extensive category management training
expertise with Interactive Edge’s decision support tools to enable Retailers/Mfrs. to
identify opportunities through analysis of price, promotion, assortment, demographic,
clusters, shopper segments, and store specific data variables.
• Winston Weber & Associates, Inc. provides strategic overlay to accomplishing many
of the initiatives within the industry and relies upon ZAHN Consulting, LLC in
collaboration to develop appropriate competency enhancement programs and
training prescriptions.
• David Zahn is the developer and facilitator for conducting all Apollo Designer
Workstation optimization workshops as part of Aldata Apollo curriculum
• Working in conjunction with Coogan Partners, ZAHN Consulting, LLC often co-
facilitates industry share groups of SMEs and CPG/Retail professionals addressing
common issues and initiatives.

51. Our client roster includes recognizable
CPG companies and retailers

52. For Additional Information
• ZAHN Consulting, LLC can be reached at
203.269.9290 or at
www.zahnconsulting.com to discuss how
to make it happen!