Business I executive tips
CAPI
The mainstay of an effective, results-driven meeting.
D
o you have CAPI?
painters? It is the painters;
No, not the kind
they have all the "power."
you wear on your
The influencer is the crew
head, but the kind you use
chief, who strives to keep the
to know if you have the
painters happy and encour-
right people at the table to
ages them to get the job done
make major decisions in
on time or early. This will
your company or business.
influence the painters to work
What is CAPI?
harder or to get done faster.
Coalescence of Authority,
Business is not so differ-
F. Kevin Browett
Power and Influence.
ent.
How often will one sit in
Colu mnist
In each meeting or ses-
a meeting, feeling in control
sion, step back and say,
of the proceedings and of the
`Who is here? What is the purpose of
anticipated outcome? Then the meet-
this meeting?" Then ask, "Who has the
ing ends. A few weeks will pass, or even
ultimate authority to say yes or no to
months. The reality is that nothing
whatever we discuss? Are they here? Or
happens even though the ".N' made a
is the designate here? If not, how can
decision at the meeting. The fact is that
this be an effective meeting?"
the true "p:' the power group, did not
Power? This is very tricky. Who has
buy in. So all decisions must be thought
the real power? Often it's not the per-
through to assure there is CAPI.
son or group that has the authority.
Perhaps worse is how many meetings
This is why many decisions fail and go
you have sat through, time and again,
nowhere. So let's take a little journey
and it seems nothing ever gets decided.
and explore how this happens before we Many of us would say that we have
move on to the influencers.
wasted 50 percent of our worklife in
The roles in a business or family can
such meetings. The core reason is that
be, at best, confusing. If one assumes
the meeting lacks CAPI. When you look
that just because the role carries a title
around, who can make the real decision
— president, head of household or
to execute what is discussed? Is there
homeowner — it seems to imply that
someone there who holds that power or
the holder has the authority to okay a
who has been delegated that decision-
decision or sign off for approval; and
making power?
most often, they do just that. Now the
Then, who will have the real power
tricky part: Who has the real power?
to implement? And last, what group,
This means once a decision is made
person or team needs to buy in, or be
or the okay is given to proceed, who is
influenced? If you do not have all this
really in the position of power?
in place, you will waste time each and
Let's take a simple example of get-
every meeting.
ting your home painted. You have a
CAPI is the simplest and most effec-
salesperson call on you and you receive
tive way to think about a team and to
an estimate. You review the estimate,
move fast in pursuit of executing the
then based on your "authority' the "A' in best decisions.
CAPI, you say, "Okay, paint the house."
You sign the contract, then the salesper-
F Kevin Browett is c00 of Jewish
son sets a date.
Renaissance Media, parent company of the
Now, who really has the power (P) to
Detroit Jewish News. He is a former vice
get the job done? You? The sales repre-
president of Kmart Corp. and a past small-
sentative? The crew chief? Or the actual
business founder and officer
MT'
MP HUSE
9 restaurants with an
array of fine dining, casual
and deli style to serve you
Michigan's largest privately
owned caterer with 5
SHIRAZ
varieties of facilities
accommodating every type
of event from small gather-
ings to several hundred guests
including kosher catering
Gourmet carry-out for
working lunches
delivery available
Deli Deli
West Bloomfield Bloomfield Hills
- CATERING FOR -
71,
Sparkle Time from page 58
Michigan has grown steadily to 98
commercial accounts with sales projec-
tions for 2007 at $300,000. Customers
include Quicken Loans, Panera
Bread, Applebee's, Chili's, Cameron's
Steakhouse, Red Coat Tavern and TGI
Friday's.
Another deep-cleaning client is 24
Seconds Bar & Grill in Berkley, a popu-
lar sports bar run by Robert Bronstein
and Alan Bakst. "Bathrooms are such
an important part of the restaurant
R
111
THE CENTER
experience," Bronstein said. "Ever since
Eric talked with me a year ago about
his service, Sparkling-Image has been
deep cleaning and detailing our rest-
rooms once a month."
Bronstein added, "One of our staff
cleans the restrooms every day, but
Eric's team does a thorough job from
top to bottom. Customers have actually
told me, 'Your bathroom is really clean!'
You like to hear that since it's good for
business!"
-
LE sHIR
N-
Re_tAlAritty
HOTEL DARONCTTC
DARONCTTC
ESTAURANT
GROUP
- KINGSLEY
HOTEL
2+8.6 + 6.0570
WWW.MATTPRENTICERG.COM
JN
September 13 • 2007
63