About two years ago I was asked to evaluate some up and coming executives for a client. One of the people was destined to be international sales manager on a fast track. After meeting with individual and discovering her background and career aspirations we completed a more formal assessment process including personality and intellectual testing [...]
For many employees, seeking higher rungs on the corporate ladder is a strong goal. The perceived control of being a manager and a leader however is often not well thought through. Today I interviewed a young woman who was in hot pursuit of her bosses job. However, upon using a personality test and carefully interviewing [...]
Can you hear the clock ticking? By the time you finish reading this sentence, a baby boomer business owner will have turned 65. By the time you finish reading this column, five more will have reached the traditional age of retirement. Those business owners probably have big dreams for retirement, such as moving to a [...]
Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations. ~ Peter F. Drucker When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality. ~ Joe Paterno Last month I took aim at [...]
Having recently been with a company that is doing a major plant expansion, I have been thinking about one of the differentiators between market leaders and market laggards. I am wondering if the leaders, in addition to the slow and steady incremental changes necessary of any long-lived company, also focus on doing big things and [...]
There are no easy exits. There is no reason to think that, after building a successful business with that never-say-die attitude, you can effortlessly detach yourself through a sale or transfer. If you were learning a new skill or sport it would be prudent to take a few lessons. Exit Planning is no different. Have [...]
"My success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things." – Bill Gates "We wanted Nike to be the world's best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don't end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour." – [...]
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." – John Quincy Adams "View life as a continuous learning experience." – David Gergen If you asked a dozen business leaders to list their goals for the year, chances are you’d hear about increasing sales, improving [...]
"You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there." – Unknown "View life as a continuous learning experience." – Denis Waitley For the last several months, I’ve been talking about the tidal wave heading toward the shores of American business. The Baby Boom generation is reaching retirement age and more than [...]
"Our only security is our ability to change." – John Lilly As I said in last week's article, there’s a tidal wave heading toward the shores of American business. The Baby Boom generation is reaching retirement age and more than 20 million workers – including the executive management team in many businesses -- will retire [...]