Do you feel as if you are slogging along instead of buzzing? It is business as usual but things are just not clicking? Sales are okay but not great. If this scenario resonates with you, then it is time to tap your strategic reserves. You need to drill deep, though, if you seek to isolate [...]
Do you know who made the china you are drinking your tea from as you read this column? Your great grandfather would not only have known the artisan who made his cup but also would have gone into his shop, admired his work and thanked him for his fine craftsmanship. The mass production society has [...]
According to a recent study by the Ken Blanchard companies, the costs associated with ineffective leadership run approximately 7% of gross revenues per year. Think about it; if the company has revenues of $3 million per year but they are not being lead and managed well they are losing approximately $210,000 per year of gross [...]
In my work with Jim Horan, founder and chief architect of The One Page Business Plan (tm), I have become enamored with his question, "Who does the best thinking in your organization?" This question not only makes leaders think, but often act very differently. Good leaders recognize that if they are the best thinkers then [...]
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 [...]
The mess our politicians are making of our economy through their inability to lead together is a great reminder for business leaders. "Leader" is more than a title, it is a massive responsibility to those who you expect to follow you. Good leaders are "servant leaders." Great leaders... Have a clear and actionable vision Communicate [...]
A study by the Aberdeen group reported some fascinating findings that should lead proactive business leaders to look more deeply at the satisfaction and engagement levels of their employees. The top 20% of the companies in the study improved emoployee satisfaction by 22% and employee performance by 21%. The median companies improved satisfaction by 1.5% [...]
Companies are oftentimes concerned with protecting their assets, and rightfully so! The problem is, a company's most important assets are often overlooked and many times neglected. While your technologies, products and structures are definitely important to the success of your business, these things can be easily copied by your competitors. What your competitors can't copy, [...]
In the business world, each and every employee must take some accountability for his or her own engagement. However, it is important to remember that there is a direct correlation between the level of your employees' engagement and the level of your company's employee retention. Which brings up the question, just how engaged are your [...]
It has long been a standard tradition that a professional must possess certain business skills to succeed in the workplace and that businesses should offer continuing education opportunities to help their employees succeed, thereby helping the business flourish and grow. It seems, however, that reading, writing and arithmetic are no longer the sole basis of [...]