Browse Management Skills

People can initially be conce ed that live virtual training cannot be as interactive as the traditional face-to-face approach, but this isn’t necessarily true. The key is to design your program well by constantly keeping it moving and keeping participants engaged.

Published · 1,495 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Today, I want to talk to you about a topic that could be harming your business if you’re not doing it – I want to talk about how you can be more effective in business by DELEGATING and enjoy the process! Question: do you enjoy delegating or does the thought of it have you scurrying to hide under your desk? Hint: this applies whether you have an actual staff or a team who you outsource to! If hiding under the desk would be your preferred option, then Houston we have a problem!

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Today, I want to talk about how you come across and more importantly, how you want to come across. There are scores of articles on how effective some people are when interacting with others and one of the key ingredients that makes them so effective is their presence. What do I mean by presence? I mean the ‘wow’ factor – that something that makes people want to know you, work with you and spend time with you.

Published · 782 views

Have you ever wished you had a crystal ball that would tell you BEFORE you hired a candidate if they were actually going to be a good fit? Have you ever scratched your head AFTER you made a bad hiring decision, and wished you never even hired an employee in the first place? Making sure you have the right person, in the right position, at the right time, takes much more than a crystal ball. It takes knowledge of effective interviewing skills, and the ability to implement them. One of the most effective approaches for interviewing is called Behavioral Interviewing.

Published · 1,809 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

When it comes to maintaining loyal customers, one simple fact never changes: It's all about the relationship you have with them. They already know all about your company's products and services - and they've already become your customer. But in today's day and age, competition for that same customer is increasing. You've got to find a way to keep them for life. Once that relationship is developed, you want to keep it strong. Identify what your client needs and go the extra mile to provide it.

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Let's face it: Our current economy has put more pressure than ever on our managers. Not only do they need to do more with less, they have to keep everyone motivated and engaged at the same time. Managers can feel caught in the middle between what the organization needs, and what their employees need.If you are a manager, struggling with these challenges, your role is critical now. The following 5 key skills, when mastered effectively, can help you succeed even in today's tough economy. - Identify and Align with Key Organizational Priorities.

Published · 1,453 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of senior leaders about harnessing talent in an organization and as I was preparing for the session, it got me thinking. I have been presenting for a long time now and it’s something I love to do (though I still feel the butterflies before I go on stage!) yet standing in front of a group of people can make many utterly terrified and if they were asked to present, they would run screaming in the opposite direction! Is this you?

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Research shows that we filter out or change the intended message of what we hear in 70% of our communication. That's a lot of the time! If we filter out or change it that often it is REALLY important that we learn how to send and receive messages to make sure we are being heard and are hearing others! The reason we filter out or change the meaning so often is that we just don't get it - no matter how much someone else might want us to!

Published · 1,385 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Have you ever been in a situation where someone asked for your opinion and you lost your voice? Or you were itching to say something in a meeting because you knew you had something really important to say but it just wouldn’t come out? Today’s blog post is all about the power of finding your voice and speaking up. This is something that I struggled with for a long time and it wasn’t until I went to university and got involved with student politics that I really found my voice and truth be told, it’s hard to shut me up these days!! ;)

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One of the most difficult conversations most managers ever have is when they need to meet with an employee to discuss a performance problem. Most managers either put this discussion off altogether (just hoping against hope it will go away), or so clearly mismanage the discussion that the employee leaves feeling demoralized and unmotivated. However, the following three strategies can help you the next time you find yourself needing to coach an employee to improve. - Focus on specific performance issues, not personality. You may just know that the performance is

Published · 1,384 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Below you will learn more about the four behavioral styles: Dominance, Influencing, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. Learn the goals and fears of each style, what they tend to overuse and how each style can be more effective. DOMINANCE – Focuses on Controlling the Environment Goals - Wants to get results - Likes “do it and do it now” approaches - Wants to be in charge - Likes new opportunities and challenges - Wants opportunity for advancement - Likes initiating change and taking risks Fears/Avoids

Published · 1,309 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Why do some teams perform well while others struggle? How can you assess how effectively your team is working now, and identify methods for improvement? Research shows that 85% of the reasons that teams of people succeed or struggle has more to do with interpersonal issues, than technical ...

Published · 1,671 views

According to some research studies, the number one reason why managers and executives find themselves with a stalled or underperforming career is a lack of interpersonal skills. This might seem surprising, given the amount of training and attention given to technical skills and business ...

Published · 6,322 views · Rated 2.9/5 from 7 votes

People literacy is knowing how to read and understand the behavioral style differences of others. Every Manager has experienced the frustration of not understanding why one management approach that works beautifully with one employee is ineffective with another. That’s because what we think ...

Published · 2,294 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

People literacy is knowing how to read and understand the behavioral style differences of others. Every Manager has experienced the frustration of not understanding why one management approach that works beautifully with one employee is ineffective with another. That’s because what we think would be motivating isn’t always motivating to someone else. The same principle applies to client and co-worker relationships. We “click” or connect with some individuals and understand each other. But we also work with individuals who approach things differently.

Published · 1,473 views

One of the most effective ways to help your staff succeed is to provide regular, consistent coaching throughout the year. A Progress Review is a specific kind of coaching discussion, tied to the employee’s Annual Objectives and Standards. It is an informal discussion in which the manager ...

Published · 1,374 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Leadership in a competitive marketplace is extremely challenging. You must always be scanning the horizon, looking for the next critical trend, while still paying attention to the here and now. The challenge increases in difficulty exponentially when your marketplace is not only competitive, ...

Published · 1,638 views

For many people, there are not enough hours in the day. With full schedules, there are daily problems that will occur and will need immediate attention. This means that other tasks will have to be put to the side. Impromptu meetings, employee absences, employee issues, and other situations can ...

Published · 20,742 views · Rated 4.1/5 from 15 votes

Take these actions to heart … one a week for 10 weeks to create the well-living workplace. Eliminate ‘but’ from your conversations. Listen for the word and clarify what the person is saying when they use ‘but’. Have your meetings ‘but free’. Declare your office a ‘but free’ zone! Ask everyone to step up and eliminate ‘but’ from your conversations. Eliminate ‘that’ from all of your writing. In doing so, you strengthen your written presentation! You step up to demonstrate your authority. Stay alert to the use of the word in your conversations as well.

Published · 2,338 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

To mentor means to share trusted wisdom with the mentees during the mentor-mentee relationship. That is, mentors share the truth of their practical experience when the mentees are ready to listen. Sometimes, even when they are not ready to listen! Mentors have a vested interest in the success of their mentees. They share their insights in a friendly, conversational way to encourage their mentees to live their great lives and create well-living workplaces.

Published · 1,559 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

One of the most difficult conversations a manager must ever have with an employee is coaching them when a performance problem exists. Many managers put this discussion off altogether, or handle it ineffectively. As a result, the employee never gets the coaching needed, and performance does not improve.

Published · 1,332 views

Let’s face it. Information is coming at us faster than ever before. We are constantly receiving a steady flow of emails, text messages, phone calls and voice mails. The downside of communication technology is that it is making everything URGENT. It takes real discipline to determine the difference between what is really important from what is just urgent. But it’s this difference that gives you the ability to be really productive, as opposed to just really busy. The 5 key steps to gain control and mastery of your time include:

Published · 1,692 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

It has never been more important to build an engaged workforce who is passionate about helping your organization succeed in today's changing and challenging business climate. But there may be hidden symptoms of disengagement that can cause employees to "turnoff", just when you need them the most. The individual's immediate supervisor or manager is usually in the best position to create some of these unfortunate circumstances. Luckily, they are also in the best position to turn it around. Jim Haudan, in his book entitled "<a title="The Art of Engagement"

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The importance of developing the fundamental skills of a company’s managers has never been more important. In today’s economy, when organizations are struggling to positively differentiate themselves, an organization’s managers are the key individuals who inspire the workforce to perform at its highest. Research consistently indicates it’s the frontline managers who have the greatest impact on engaging staff and developing their capability to meet today’s challenges.

Published · 1,368 views

It seems the world is moving faster and faster these days. You constantly have information streaming to you from people in the office, meetings, email, voice messages, texts. You're trying to keep on top of it all and it can sometimes feel practically impossible. So what do you do? Begin by determining what's really important to get done. Separate what's important from what's just urgent. Don't Get Caught in the "Urgency Trap"

Published · 1,357 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

A major problem for employers today is attracting the best talent, and then retaining key employees. Research shows that the key ingredient for retention lies within the manager’s ability to understand what employees really want.

Published · 1,249 views

We all want to keep up. With today’s current unemployment rate, you especially want to hold onto your job. However, when so many companies are downsizing, those employees who remain are left to pick up the slack of the ones that are gone. This adds additional stress because the workload consistently gets heavier. All of this can take a very real toll on your self-esteem. You may not have recognized it. You may not have spoken about it. But it can be very real nonetheless. See if you identify with any of the symptoms below:

Published · 1,496 views

Before you call your next meeting, the FIRST step is to decide if it is really essential. To determine that, ask yourself the following: - Is this meeting essential? - Can we do without it? - Can we accomplish the task without a meeting? - Can it wait another week? - Can we get things done with few meetings? Then, if you have decided a meeting is the best way to accomplish your objective, the following tips can help you conduct more effective meetings:

Published · 1,161 views

If you gather 100 experienced leaders together to share with you their most important secrets for success, you probably wouldn't hear a lot of academic theory or jargon. Instead, this is a good idea of what you’d hear: - Put ethics first. If you make unethical decisions for short-term gain, you will lose in the end. Let your principles guide you in the many decisions you must make regarding business practices and people. You will regret it if you don’t.

Published · 1,209 views

This article describes how investments in many types of training programs are usually wasted, and how to implement the best available options for enhancing learner retention and increasing your organization's ROI. The Problem Do any of these challenges sound familiar to you? - We spent quite a bit of money to train our staff, and now 6 months later nobody is using it! - Everybody liked the program, and they were positive when they walked out the door, but nothing seems to have really changed….

Published · 1,171 views

When it comes to effective selling, one simple fact never changes: Selling is a relationship business. You already know all about your company’s products and services – and you’ve learned the fundamental aspects of the sales cycle. But have you ever asked yourself … What helps one salesperson develop immediate rapport with prospects, and not others? What is he or she doing that is leading to long-term client relationships? How can I learn to do the same thing?

Published · 1,314 views

In today's tough economy, with more and more people struggling to either find a job, hang on to the one they have, or make their businesses prosper, it's important to recognize everything we can do to help us be more productive. Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote an intriguing book called Learned Optimism. In his book, he offers many simple techniques to break an "I-give-up" habit and develop a more constructive explanatory style during challenging times.

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We're all faced with too much to do these days. But one person's challenge may not be someone else's. In order to really maximize the use of your time, you need to have a good understanding about what YOUR unique time management challenges are. As you review the following 12 time management competencies, ask yourself how well you think you are doing in each of them:

Published · 1,440 views

Preparing, Delivering and Reinforcing Your Live Virtual Training When conducting a live virtual training course, it is especially important to be organized during each step of the process. Below please find a checklist that may help you. Preparing

Published · 1,782 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 5 votes

One of the biggest challenges we face is the difficulty of managing individual priorities when working with other team members. Below please find 5 deadly traps that can really zap how effectively team members are able to get their work done. You may want to discuss these with team members during your next meeting. This discussion just might help you each get more done each day! The five deadly traps impacting team time are:

Published · 866 views

You've heard it said that "Successful People Do the Things Unsuccessful People Don't Want to Do." There's a great deal of truth in that statement and it demonstrates the value of accomplishing goals by overcoming procrastination. It's important to first understand why you are procrastinating and then take steps to overcome those tendencies. There are 5 important steps to take, as follows:

Published · 1,012 views

Learning how to deal with interruptions at work can be quite a challenge. The average person spends over 2 hours of each day just dealing with interruptions. In fact, the statistics showing how frequently interruptions at work occur is staggering. So how can you better keep them under control? Here are some helpful tips to remember: - First of all, accept that interruptions are a part of life. They are just going to occur. When they do, it is important to not let yourself feel thrown off track.

Published · 876 views

Have you ever wished your team could all be moving in the same direction? Could a lack of focus and alignment be preventing your team from accomplishing your most important priorities?

Published · 887 views

It seems the world is moving faster and faster these days. You constantly have information streaming to you from people in the office, meetings, email, voice message, texts. You’re trying to keep on top of it all and it can sometimes feel practically impossible. So what do you do? Begin by determining what's really important to get done. Separate what's important from what's just urgent. Don't Get Caught in the "Urgency Trap"

Published · 873 views

The Model and The Opportunity We learned about marketing. We learned about sales. We even understood a little about personal branding. We post on Facebook, advertise events, tell the world about our virtues and yet, big opportunities do not seem to present themselves. We go to a job interview, where there is an opportunity… And nothing happens. We meet someone "important" and another big opportunity seems to be in front of us… And still, nothing happens.

Published · 1,447 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Young adults have been leaving Facebook in droves in recent years; the mass exodus is somewhat reminiscent to what led to the extinction of MySpace. But Facebook's latest stock prices are going strong and with over 1-billion total users, a few million uses can't be hurting the budget too badly. That still leaves the question of where are these young people 20-something year olds going off to? Simple Is Better

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Shiny object syndrome is a disorder affecting millions of marketers around the world. The symptoms include an infatuation with using certain keywords, trends, or channels promising thousands of new conversions. Those suffering from this affliction may also experience a nagging feeling in their head to pull out the company credit card for the latest and greatest new software or services. If you feel that you or a co-worker you know might be suffering from shiny object syndrome, you're not alone. Shiny object syndrome doesn't have to be permanent; it can be treated and here's how.

Published · 1,124 views

I bet if you are just getting a new business going, or even giving an old business a major overhaul that you haven't even considered using press releases to get the word out about it. Now you may be thinking that press releases are reserved for the "big guns" in business like the big Corporations. The first thing you need is to adapt the proper mindset that what your business offers is just as important as any other business, and if you study your business close enough you are sure to come up with something about it that is newsworthy.

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Podcasts are a challenging form of marketing as they rely upon building a fan base through content that is both informative and interesting. These are sound recordings, so you don't have the benefit of showing pictures or allowing customers to read something at their leisurely pace. Instead, you and your company must develop an idea within the imagination of your listeners.

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Webinars have become used in a wide variety of fields from educational lectures to workplace negotiations. The great thing about automated webinars is that they can be used over and over again to achieve the same benefit. For instance, if you are trying to train new employees on the operations of your web management system, they'll be able to watch the same training material as everyone else in the office without requiring you to invest the time and energy of pulling someone else from their job to teach the new guy.

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Four simple marketing strategies for keeping your head above water: Can you remember back when we didn't have laptop computers, mobile phones and tablets? Yes, I may be giving away my age, but I'll ask the question anyway. Can you remember back to what your life was like without all this technology?

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Traditional marketing is about reach and frequency. Today marketing is all about making connections and building relationships and content marketing meets this criteria. Content marketing is any marketing that involves the creation and distribution of relevant and valuable content to attract and engage a specified target audience with the goal to convert prospects to take a desired action. This content can be delivered in a variety of ways to include whitepapers, articles, reports, eBooks, audio books, infographics, newsletters, videos, press releases, podcasts and more.

Published · 1,102 views

If you can remember way back to the beginning, you'd probably agree that websites have come a long way since their inception, and so has the technology being used to access them. Developing a website is an important marketing asset for your business, but you should know that customers have certain expectations that your site should meet. One such expectation is having a responsive website. What Is A Responsive Website?

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U.S. weekly reported that approximately 78% of all American Super Bowl viewers only watch the game for the advertisements; this data was compiled on a study done in 2014 from 1,000 research participants. The fact of the matter is that people enjoy watching videos. It doesn't matter if it's an advertisement or an infomercial; as long it's entertaining and has a purpose, people are willing to spend their time watching it.

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Contests can be one of the most lucrative marketing payoffs if done right. The idea of winning prizes has a tendency to draws crowd, and Facebook is the only true way to reach so many diverse demographics with such a limited budget. Make the most out of your online marketing by creating engaging Facebook contests that will pay off for you. Setting Up A Contest

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When I attend or speak at seminars or talks about marketing, I mingle around and ask the group of marketing executives, SMEs or entrepreneurs the same question. So what brings you here today and what do you hope to walk away with at the end of the session. The responses tend to a variation of these two comments; 'Our marketing budget has been cut, yet I have to exceed the number of leads from last year' or 'I am looking for one or two low cost tactics that I can go back and implement right away that will give me a huge reach.'

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So what's the big secret you ask? Did you know that it is possible for your company to land on page 1 of Google organic searches within 24 hours if done correctly with one simple element... a video. You may or may not be aware that back in 2006 Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 Billion dollars. Okay, so that may not be a secret, yet it is the implication of this knowledge that is the big secret. As an SME, business start-up or entrepreneur, everyone wants to be on page 1 and preferably listed in the top 3 places on the page. Video can get you found faster than your competition.

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Tradeshows continue to be one of the best investments to market your products or services to industry profes-sionals, potential partners, and customers. It provides a hands on approach to marketing that truly help busi-nesses break free from the initial barriers of entry and find their way into a competitive marketing. In order to make the most out of your time at these events, here are some of the do's and don'ts of attending a trade show. The Do's of Attending a Trade Show

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What comes to mind when you hear the term mobile marketing? Some may immediately think that this is about SMS marketing or that you need to have your own app. Not so. Mobile marketing is marketing on or with a mobile device such as a cell phone or defined as 'the use of the mobile medium as a means of marketing communication.' According to KPCB Internet Trends 2013, 15% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices. There is no doubt that this number will continue to grow with more consumers coming to your website from a mobile phone. As a business, are you ready?

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The New Year is here and with it comes hope and optimism for new business, new partnerships, increased profits and overall business success. Some people may ask, is it possible to be so optimistic when the global economy is still in recovery and companies remain in survival mode. My answer to that is yes it is possible. More importantly it's time for companies to shift gears from a business that is just surviving to one that is thriving. There is business out there to be had by all, but first both B2B and B2C clients and customers need to know you exist. It all starts with strategy.

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Getting new traffic to your site is one thing, but creating customers out of that traffic is an entirely new chal-lenge. In fact, only about 2% of traffic that visit a website will actually become a customer or take some sort of action (conversion). The goal of retargeting is to take advantage of these visitors and attempt to entice that re-maining 98% into becoming a customer at a later point.

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Business videos can be great advertising opportunities for you and your business. Customers like being able to see what you have to offer, and a video is a good way to showcase this much more effectively that you would otherwise achieve via print ad. Whether you are selling a product, promoting a service, or just looking to raise awareness, these are the top 5 places to distribute your business videos online. 1. YouTube

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Everyone dreams of creating the next big viral video, but only a proud few have had the opportunity to experience it. Every minute approximately 72 hours of YouTube footage is uploaded onto the streaming site, so if you haven't been discovered, don't give up your dream just yet. With enough persistence and determination, you're bound to come up with something viral-worthy eventually. To assist you in you in reaching your goals, here are the top 5 tips to help your chances for creating a viral video: 1. Capture Their Attention & Keep It

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In the interest of retaining relevant results and discouraging unethical techniques, search engines are continuously re-formulating their SEO formulas. Google has updated their SEO standards as recently as the end of March making it harder for online marketing consultants and business owners to keep up with the latest and greater SEO standards. Here's a look at some of the top SEO trends in 2014 as reported by some of the experts in the industry to help you to optimize your online resources and highlight your business. Mobile Optimization Matter

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This is nothing new. You've heard it before. A picture is worth a thousand words. When you think about, humans have been communicating with pictures for thousands of years in the form of pictograms on cave walls to Egyptian hieroglyphics to temple carvings. As marketers, we should be using visual information in our business on a regular basis.

Published · 1,107 views

Instagram is one of the most misunderstood social media applications in business marketing. Some companies have just don't see the importance in investing the time and energy into selling themselves through pictures. If you are one of those companies, or work for one of those companies, just remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. What Companies Should Use Instagram?

Published · 2,672 views

YouTube isn't just a service to showcase the funniest cat videos on the web or the top 10 greatest fails of all time. YouTube is home to over 1 billion active users and acts as the second largest social media website on the Internet. Businesses that are active on YouTube are already taking advantage of countless marketing outreach efforts to acquire new customers and revenue streams through low-cost media advertising. Creating a branded YouTube channel can help you to reap the benefits of this service and to translate those efforts into tangible financial assets.

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Do you ever wonder how it is that some small business owners seem to have both an off-line and online presence? They might even be the same size as you in terms of staff or perhaps even a soho-entrepreneur and yet it appears that they've got a marketing team equivalent to that of a ten people. You wonder how on earth are they pushing out all of that content in some many places and running their business at the same time.

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If you're just getting started with your business, then you probably know how critically important it is to get the word out about your products or services. After all, people can't support your business if they don't know you exist and what you do. It's no longer enough to have a good physical location; you need to have a strong online presence as well. Of course, there are many benefits to this because doing business online means that you can expand your potential market worldwide.

Published · 1,221 views

You most likely have head the cliché that a "picture is worth a thousand words". When it comes to slide presentations you have the advantage of combining pictures and words as a marketing tool for your business. It all begins by putting together a good slide presentation that gets the message out that you want to share with your potential clients. There are many excellent free programs to help you compile your slide presentation. Once you have completed this task then you need to begin to market your presentation in order to get it seen.

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There is a disturbing trend in American business today; non-recognition of what was once normal hours, (i.e. 8 to 4, 9 to 5 etc.) I am constantly bombarded with horror stories at my seminars with employees working a 60, 70 or more hour week. Now come on! I can understand working late hours to solve a problem or meet a deadline. I’ve even worked around the clock at times, but there was always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Published · 1,436 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Presenting to management is a great opportunity. It should allow you to be noticed and to impress your managers with your capabilities as both an individual employee and as a representative of your company or organisation. However, as you increasingly gain access to managers higher up the corporate ladder, the more important your public speaking skills will become, and the more pressure you may find yourself under. In order to progress in your career you really will need to sell yourself, your ideas, and your ability. Here are some presentation tips that will help you: Know your audiencer

Published · 1,304 views

If you have successfully built a Linked-In page, you will want to make sure that you monetize it as best as possible. There are a few techniques that many people do not know or use to their advantage as much as they should. One great method is to extract your Linked-In connections and use them in combination with your relevant tool, whether it is Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, or whatever else. You can use these connections as part of your mailing list for an e-mail marketing campaign.

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Here Are Some Recommendations For Developing Independent Business: 1. Discipline-Your best friend or your worst enemy - You choose. Put in regular hours. 2. Make sure people know what you do (e.g.Training, speaking, Consulting, etc.) 3. Get a mentor who has been successful in the business. 4. Prepare a 30 to 60 minute talk you can give to organizations and leave them wanting more. Follow up any leads within 48 hours. 5. Join organizations (like your local Business Chamber) and become active. This is one form of marking your services. 6. Write a newsletter.

Published · 1,227 views · Rated 3/5 from 4 votes

Any populated social network is a great source of targeted traffic. Users are divided up by specific demographics and interests with minimal effort by businesses. Some of these networks make it easier than others. Linked-In is a great example of a social network that is almost intentionally built with marketing in mind. This is a social network geared towards professional individuals and businesses, which means that the user profiles are characterized according to particular categories of interest. How Successful Is Linked-In Marketing?

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Chances are when you started your online business you had no idea just how much of an impact the "written word" was going to have on the success of your business. You may be one of those many people that find it difficult to put your thoughts to paper or in this case onto a screen, and have had to rely on professionals to take care of this part of your business. There is nothing wrong with this, but the problem is this can be an going expense as you must be constantly marketing your business to enjoy a steady growth rate and it takes written content to do this.

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Every day the world is introduced to new technologies, products and services; gadgets, websites and apps all designed to improve our lives and increase the efficiency of the small business owner. We are told by the 'latest marketing gurus' that we must do this and we must have that.

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I am a huge fan of working with entrepreneurs. I'm one myself. In fact, some close friends might venture to say that I'm a serial entrepreneur, but that's a totally different story. I often wonder what goes through people's mind when they make the decision to venture out on their own. Is being a business owner something that they always envisioned for themselves or were they forced into the role as a result of not being able to secure a position within a company?

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Branding: It's all about perception. You may have heard that phrase before. If you haven't heard that before, then read the first sentence again because the impact of perception on your business is huge.

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Making the decision to branch out on your own is not one to be taken lightly. Entrepreneurship is truly a personal journey like nothing you've experienced before. My first venture into entrepreneurship began in 1993 when I made the decision to leave the corporate world and set up my own boutique apparel sourcing agency. Like so many other people, I was convinced that it would be an easy task as I was going into the same line of work that I had just left. I knew the business like the back of my hand... or so I thought.

Published · 1,173 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Discover if you are up for the task. As we move into the new decade more people will venture into business on their own, either by choice or necessity as a result of unemployment. Regardless of how people arrive at this juncture, it is important they fully understand what lies ahead once they become entrepreneurs.

Published · 1,410 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

In the workplace, we make presentations all the time, be it to internal or exte al stakeholders. One of the reasons many people fear making presentations to the boss or clients is they are afraid of being the focal point of everyone's attention and don't want to risk making a fool of themselves. Put your best foot forward every time! There are several things you can do to "fool-proof" your speaking event or business presentation so that you deliver your message well every single time.

Published · 1,221 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Every day the media continues to spew the doom and gloom on the state of the slowing global economy. Sadly the reaction by some entrepreneurs and companies is to lay low; to avoid investing in marketing or in training their staff; to do nothing about improving their business. They are paralyzed by fear and therefore take no action at all. In essence they are acting like ostriches hiding their heads in the sand, waiting out the proverbial storm to pass. And who knows when that will be.

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Close your eyes and think back to the time when you first started your business. Remember the day when you sold your first product or service, or when you officially launched your website? Can you recall the time and effort you put in and how excited you were to finally get the business off the ground? You were giddy with great expectations and life was feeling pretty good. Maybe your start date wasn't all that long ago or maybe a few years have already passed.

Published · 1,304 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

A presentation is more than simply standing at a podium and running through a series of PowerPoint slides. It is about engaging the audience and presenting your ideas in a clear, concise and persuasive manner. A persuasive presentation should change the emotional state of the audience so they believe and feel a decision must be made... right now. Your role as presenter is to motivate and incite the audience to act, think and feel differently as a result of what you've said so they will take some form of action.

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Albert Einstein once said, “Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” How much money do you have in your bank account? And when was the last time you spent some quality time with your family? We tend to give ...

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Albert Einstein once said: “There are two ways to live - you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” You see, most people nowadays look only at the DARK side of life. For them, life is as black as coal. As a result, they ATTRACT negative events into ...

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Albert Einstein once said, “Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.” Do you love what you do? Are you satisfied with your life? If you are, then congratulations—you’re one of the few lucky people in the world. But if you are NOT, you must ask yourself why. ...

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Albert Einstein once said: “A perfection of means, and a confusion of aims, seems to be our main problem.” Look around you. Many people seem to be as busy as bees, working hard and striving to excel. There they are in their little hives, aspiring to succeed and seeking perfection in everything ...

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Yes, money can be a key measure of success! Barely a news bulletin goes by without more financial bad news or job losses. With so many negative issues of money in the news these days, it is not surprising that you are seriously worried about your financial future and the affect it may have on ...

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How to Build an Effective Business Networkr Givers are people that after learning as much as they can about you and your needs, will help you in the most natural and easygoing way and usually without even being asked. Their help could be translated into a good advice, an idea, a contact, or any other form that the giver could deliver on. The best giver you could have in your network is a proactive giver, one with high quality contacts who would have the wisdom to give you the highest value possible.

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Hats off to James Allen. In his book “As a Man Thinketh,” Allen wrote a phrase that I consider to be the grounding principle for anyone who wants to transform his reality and achieve great success. Here is what he said: "A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He ...

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You probably already know that negative thinking can harm your chances for success more than anything else. But how can you change your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones? Let me share with you a proven 4-step process for changing your negative thoughts: 1. Search In his ...

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Can you imagine your life without problems? Or to be more precise... Can you imagine having the capacity to absorb and overcome any problem or challenge you face, no matter how tough it is? Can you imagine wearing a tag on your lapel with a powerful statement – "Problems Don't Matter" – ...

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Are you determined to achieve massive success? Then this article will show you the simplest formula for reaching heights of success you've only dreamed about. Remember that simplicity is not the same thing as ineffectiveness, for true power lies in simplicity. As the saying goes, "Common sense ...

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Imagine that you have an unexpected meeting with success. What would you do? Now, you might ask, "What do you mean by a meeting with success? Is this a new fiction story?" But the better question might be, "How can I have a meeting with success?" You might also be thinking, "I'm working very ...

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If you are like most people, you might have already wasted countless hours and effort trying to change your reality, without success. The surprising truth is that when successful people want to change their reality, they focus their energy on only ONE thing - and before long, they get better ...

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Sometimes I really wish I could become deaf and blind to all the naysayers and negative people who seem to want to sabotage my dreams and stand in the way of my goals. Don't you? The people who surround you, even the closest ones, can often be the hardest obstacle to overcome on your way to ...

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The wisest man in history summarized success and achieving full potential in just two words - literally! Who was this man? He was an ancient Greek philosopher credited with exerting a powerful influence upon the founders of Western philosophy, particularly Plato and Aristotle. His name was ...

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Are you a perfectionist? Let me reveal to you this important fact… Perfectionism can hinder you from achieving excellence at anything you do. Usually, Perfectionists are procrastinators. They don’t start unless everything is just perfect. They don’t even finish a task. They keep on delaying ...

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Have you ever watched a blacksmith at work? You may be surprised to find out that the blacksmith offers one of the most precious lessons about success that you will ever learn - a lesson that will help you succeed in your own life. Look at the procedure for working with raw metal that every ...

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By the time you finish reading this short article, you'll discover the #1 secret to reaching your peak performance level. It has been proven again and again that all successful people have used this secret at some point in their lives, and that this secret is responsible for generating ...

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"I wish to be successful." "I wish to get promoted." "I wish to lose weight." "I wish to get rich." What is your wish? Unfortunately, wishing for something is not enough. Your wishes will never come true unless they are justly earned! Let me explain... In his masterpiece "As a Man Thinketh," ...

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Do you want to be a wise man? It is true that being wise is a blessing, but have you ever asked yourself what is the true meaning of wisdom? If you’re like me, I always pictured a wise man as a very old man with white hair and a long white beard - a pensive man of few words who offered ...

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Tell me... How are you living your life? Are you living it your family's way, your society's way, your friends' way - or your OWN way? Are you living an inherited life that has no taste or meaning for you? Are you living how other people expect you to? Are you giving other people full control ...

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I’m so excited today as I’m going to share with you one of the top success secrets that is going to change your life forever. Yes, I mean it. This secret is going to change your life on condition that you put it in action. First, let me ask you this question: In your opinion, why is Bill ...

Published · 1,063 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Asking whether chatbots are right for your business is like asking if social media marketing is right for you. If they haven’t made it to your industry yet, bots are well on their way. Messaging apps are becoming the next big thing in marketing. Social media is still king, but messaging apps are slowly taking over. The way to capitalize on this is through bots. Tread carefully, though. When a new channel starts to show promise, we tend to get overexcited and overwhelm our audience.

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It’s time for you to step up and step in. Around the globe we are witnessing businesses, cities and countries come to a complete standstill. Rewind the clock to end December, we would have never guessed that the world is in the state that it is today. This because of an invisible predator called COVID-19.

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Emerging Prepared with a Plan in a Post Pandemic Economy It’s April 2020 and as I wake up and start my day, there is always the nagging questions lingering in my head. What the heck will my business look like in three month or even six months from now? Will I still have a business to run or will the way in which I earn a living cease to exist and will I end up doing something entirely different?

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When it comes to meeting people and presenting in person, you are in a good position to ‘read the room’, to get a sense of how your information is or isn’t being accepted. You can see first-hand the nuances of body language, facial gestures and signs of disengagement of people looking at their mobile phones.

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If people know, like, and trust your content, they will want to do business with you. It doesn’t take an ace marketing team to figure that one out. And yet, many brands fail at one of these crucial elements all too often. You don’t have to put all your effort into all of them all the time. But if even you neglected one, it will show in your performance. It is easy and simple to say all that, but what does it mean practically? Let’s take a closer look at these terms. What Does It Mean to Know?r

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If baby boomers were the “Me Generation,” then it’s not too far-fetched to call Millennials the “Me, Me, Me Generation.” By every standard, we are all becoming more interested in extrinsic values. An increasing number of studies is showing narcissistic personality traits are on the rise.

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If you’re not using video marketing, you’re not maximizing your brand’s marketing potential. The great thing about it is that you can see results much faster than with SEO and other marketing channels. So what’s stopping you from boosting your sales by leveraging video? The truth is that there is one small problem.

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Creating a successful customer experience is a lot like being in a relationship. Your interactions throughout the relationship will determine its long-term success. Being aware of every step of your customer’s journey is essential in an effective marketing framework. From the moment your customer discovers your brand, they’re on a journey. The journey has several touch-points but it starts with awareness and ideally ends with a purchase. As a startup entrepreneur, your single most important task is to attract customers. The Journey Starts With Awareness

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Whether you are an entrepreneur or small business enterprise, one thing is for certain, we are all experiencing some form of disruption in our business as a result of Covid-19. For a very small handful of businesses, this unprecedented change is a positive one for their business, while a significantly greater number have not been so fortunate.

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When was the last time you heard or witnessed a great presentation? Of the presentations you’ve seen in the past few months, how many would you rate 8-10, 5-7, maybe less? Creating a great presentation takes time. You can’t expect to quickly throw some slides together and then roll through them without any practice on what you’re going to say expecting to convert a client.

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Depending on when your community, company or country issued a stay-at-home policy, it could now be weeks or months now since you began working from home. Not surprisingly, the way you ‘show up’ to the world has also changed. As work from home commenced and communication switched to virtual conversations, most people maintained a level of professionalism when showing up for online calls.

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Entrepreneurs are facing more challenges today than ever before. In a deeply connected world, it’s difficult to make any decision without a massive ripple effect. The Fourth Wave of industrial revolution has well and truly started to impact the world. It’s an impact that cannot be ignored if you hope to be successful as an entrepreneur. It’s hard to present a comprehensive overview of everything Industry 4.0 entails. However, even a cursory look at the relevant technologies will go a long way towards informing and preparing entrepreneurs. Four? What About the Others?r

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There are countless books and courses on marketing and how to do it properly. You’ve probably read or attended some yourself. But, do you feel like you have a good grasp of marketing? Do you fully understand all the processes involved and how to best apply them to your company? When all the cards are on the table, most small-to-medium businesses don’t. Or at the very least, they understand these concepts. What Is Business Marketing?r

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Many businesses get one very basic thing about social media engagement wrong. The average entrepreneur thinks about engagement in terms of single interactions. A post that gets a lot of shares and likes is not really engaging the audience. It’s only when there is a long-term relationship that you really start engaging. Think of it as a real-life engagement. Consider that every single interaction is a date with your customers.You get to know each other on these dates. You tell them what you’re about and they tell you what they like and what they don’t.

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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Nobody plans to fail, but many people fail to plan. Lack of planning eventually leads to failure. 33% of Americans have no financial plan, according to a report by CNBC. Success in life and business needs a roadmap to guide us towards financial growth and success.

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If something is a good idea, consider it, and then work out how to make it happen. No fear approach to life. Richard is an opportunist who has been able to amass great wealth as a result of his passion and drive. Often referred to by his staff as “Dr Yes” Richard do not acknowledge the word “Can't” as he is always eager to attempt and experiment with new stuff. His philosophy of taking on new challenges head on has led him to the successes beyond his own initial dreams.

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In the words of Saint Augustine, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." This implies that if you do not travel you will end up having a very narrow vision and in fact an incomplete knowledge of exactly what the entire world is like. In this period of globalization and liberalization, it is of major value to travel to different places to enhance your experience and knowledge in order to attain self-development and growth.

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Is there anything more important than visibility to the solo entrepreneur? Your first reaction might be… yeah, sales. That would be putting the cart before the horse. People can’t do business with you if they don’t know about you. It starts being visible. Solo entrepreneurs can’t afford to be the best kept secret in town. You need to be seen and be heard. It’s not that business owners don’t know that. There are just so many options, it can be hard to know where to start and how to stay focused. Here are 3 things you can do right now to increase your visibility:r

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Twice in as many weeks I have been referred to as the Queen of Operations. That’s a title I’ll take. Business Operations, as defined by www.businessdictionary.com, are the activities involved in the day to day functions of the business conducted for the purpose of generating profits. Operations is my sweet spot. I love to know how things work and I love finding ways to improve a process to make them work better and improve the bottom line.

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How far are you willing to go to get the word out about your business? How about 18 miles? That’s how many miles my client walked to distribute 1000 fliers to market her business. Impressive. She’s going to do it 7 more times. We built a marketing campaign that’s perfect for her business. She is a personal trainer in a community full of her ideal clients. She could have easily said she doesn’t have the time but she’s willing to make the time. Is it easy? No. It takes dedication and perseverance. It takes getting over the hang-ups most of us have about marketing.r

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When it comes to building a business, solo entrepreneurs face decisions every day. We need to decide if we want to take on a certain client, who we want to partner with for joint ventures, or if we want to take on a new marketing project. One reason businesses suffer from indecision or poor decisions is that they skipped over the foundational work that sets the stage for what the business stands for.

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For many business women pinpointing a target market can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. In reality it’s right there in plain sight. Smack in the middle of “everyone”. Your target market is, of course, the bullseye. It is the smallest point but has the biggest payoff. Sure, you can aim wide and hope you’ll hit your target but you’ll find out quickly that is not a winning strategy. Practice and focus will have you hitting the mark consistently resulting in sweet rewards . Here are some tips to get you there as quickly as possible:r

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Are you doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results? If so, that’s the definition of insanity. If you’re trying to improve something you need a plan that will get you out of the rut. Otherwise you could get stuck in an ongoing circle that goes nowhere.r

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I was recently asked to speak to a team of independent distributors for a health and wellness company to give them some step by step action steps to get them ready to tackle a 90-day challenge that will help them achieve their next level of success. The challenge involves giving away 90 magazines in 90 days. That seems easy to do, but without a committed action plan it's easier not to do.

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This is especially for women solo professionals and may be suffering from doubt and insecurity about their worth and ability to succeed. By definition a solo professional is someone who is alone in their business and that can be an unsettling place to be especially if you’re starting out. As I reflect on 2 years of business ownership, I remember what an emotional roller coaster I was on that first year. One minute I knew I was doing the right thing and the next minute I was full of doubt. I was on my knees praying a lot that first year.

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Key Performance Indicators, or KPI’s, are quantifiable measures that tell you how your business is doing. The numbers should measure your overall company goals and objectives which is one important element of a business plan. If you don’t know what you are working toward you have no way of knowing if you are on track. If you have an overall idea of what your goals are, then you can start putting together your KPI’s.

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How can I say that price has nothing to do with sales? There is a very simple way to test whether price is the biggest barrier to you selling your product or service. Sell your product or service on approval. Most software and many services are now sold with a thirty day trial, or on approval. You can get a free trial of Microsoft Project or Go to Meeting. Your PC, if you are unfortunate enough to use a PC and not a Mac, will probably come with a trial version of office.

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One reason many people go into business for themselves is that they have a strong independent streak and want to do things their way (or, is that just me?). However, that drive for independence can also be a detriment. One of the downfalls of being a solo entrepreneur can be not having other people to bounce your ideas off. If you are like me, you have a strong sense of independence but you also thrive in an environment where you have other people to share your ideas with. Collaborating with your peers can help take your business to a new level.

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One reason many people go into business for themselves is that they have a strong independent streak and want to do things their way (or, is that just me?). However, that drive for independence can also be a detriment. One of the downfalls of being a solo entrepreneur can be not having other people to bounce your ideas off. If you are like me, you have a strong sense of independence but you also thrive in an environment where you have other people to share your ideas with. Collaborating with your peers can help take your business to a new level.

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When marketing to younger generation context is everything; therefore most traditional marketers must learn how to position their products or services to fit the expectations, life experiences and perceptions of a younger consumer base. Here are the 6 mistakes most marketers make when marketing ...

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How many of you spend one hour or more in meetings each week? Two hours? Three hours? Four hours? More. How many of you have been in meetings that start late? Ten minutes late? Fifteen minutes late? How do you feel when that happens? What does it say when someone schedules a meeting and ...

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Barry came into my office and sat down in the chair. Barry was the last holdout. I needed Barry. He was the loyal leader of the opposition. He was a supervisor and his team produced. I knew, absolutely knew that we could break records and in this economy if I could get Barry to understand ...

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Every month the calendar seems to serve up a special occasion or holiday that provides a good excuse for eating a fantastic meal. After a big helping of caloric overload you may begin to strategize how to make up for it. Diet fads are constantly the rage. Consumers voraciously devour the ...

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One of the greatest challenges of leadership is the definition. There are literally thousands of books, documents, and lecturers that have each defined what their idea of leadership is. There are definitions for corporate leadership, civic leadership, home leadership, and more. We attempt to ...

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Have you wondered about the demise of our quality of relationships within the workplace? For the purposes of this blog, I am going to stick to the workplace for this writing as the state of relationships outside the workplace is way over my head. There are lots of challenges within today’s workplace environments – not enough time, frantic change, seemingly impossible and sometimes contradictory objectives….

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One of the biggest time wasters is being constantly interrupted by emergencies that turn out not to be emergencies at all. Even worse is not getting interrupted by someone when there was a genuine emergency that you could have done damage control on or, if informed early enough, prevented. In this article I will show you how to prioritize, communicate and manage so-called emergencies so you can start taking back control of your time and managing your desk more effectively. First, make a list of the problems that people have come to you with in the past. Examples:

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The Knowledge Era – “We Didn’t Know that We Didn’t Know That!”

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It was late one afte oon and I was on a conference call with an executive who had recently left his company. He was a good leader – competent, hardworking, with a solid track record. We were in the midst of completing a cultural analysis to determine the type of company culture for which he would be best suited. The executive wanted to be sure not to find himself in the same situation as his past job going forward.

Published · 1,288 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

“People with high levels of personal mastery cannot afford to choose between reason and intuition, or head and heart, any more than they would chose to walk on one leg or see with one eye.” – Peter Senge

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In today’s modern business world, I am consistently asked for new ways to motivate employees that will not cost the organization in additional expenses. While we all know that money talks, it is interesting to dig deeper and determine money is not always the answer when motivating your organization for higher performance. An article published by McKinsey & Company, Motivating People: Getting beyond Money, November 2009, cited their Quarterly Survey results based on 1,047 executives, managers and employees around the world. More than 25% were corporate directors or CEOs.

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Change happens. We either initiate it or are part of it. We will cover keys to lesson the impact of change. These keys are to communicate truthfully, early and often and to make as few unnecessary changes as possible. Imagine a car making too sudden of a turn and flipping over. This is how sudden change feels in an organization. If the driver would have planned ahead, approached the curve at the right angle and speed, the car wouldn't have tipped over. And even with all that planning everybody in the car is still wearing their seatbelts-just in case.

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Hearing the objection "I'm happy with my current vendor" from a prospective customer is a wonderful thing! Why? There are two reasons for a customer to tell you "I'm happy with my current vendor", and both are good. The first reason is that bad sales people out there have trained him to use "I'm happy with my current vendor" because is it gets rid of bad sales people. If this is the case, the objection is an auto response and we can handle it. We simply have to show him that we are not a bad salesperson, instead we are a vendor who has his best interests at heart.

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What does it mean to listen effectively? It means that you are in the moment and open to the message that is coming your way. When you are listening effectively you are receiving, interpreting, and responding appropriately to the message that is being given. The type of response required, or desired, depends on the situation. The more effectively you listen, the more likely it is you will be able to respond appropriately. Here are some tips for becoming an effective listener:r

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If you could reduce your staff’s wasted time by just five minutes every hour, productivity would jump 8.3 percent. Efficiency levels would also rise as staff members began to devote more time to completing critical tasks.

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For effective communication, check your messages for the 3 C’s – clear, concise, consistent. It is a waste of time to speak to an audience whose eyes are glazing over because they are overwhelmed with the amount and flow of information you are providing and meaningless to write communications that no one reads because the receiver has lost interest before you get to the point. One of the quickest ways to lose trust is by withholding information or by being inconsistent with your communications.

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A question was raised recently about what causes employee disengagement and what can be done about it. This is a broad subject and requires investigating the root cause of the disengagement before the best course of action can be determined. The danger of applying a one-size-fits-all approach is that only the symptoms are treated and the underlying problems persist. This may provide temporary relief but you will soon be dealing with the same problem again, and again, and again.r

Published · 3,226 views · Rated 2/5 from 3 votes

Tired of coming up with great ideas that never see the light of day? Have a great idea but no idea how to take it from concept to reality? Business objectives that need to be met but you don’t have a plan? Don’t give up! Learn how to achieve your goals the SMART way. It’s the time of year when everyone is thinking about goals for the coming year. Whether you are a business owner with objectives to meet, or you have personal goals you want to achieve, the SMART strategy will help keep you on track. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based.

Published · 1,465 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Expectations, Standards, Goals, Measures, Criteria, Benchmarks, Accountabilities. Whatever you call them, make sure you have them. Setting expectations is the foundation of good management skills. First, it shows that you are confident about what you want and you are able to make decisions. If you have no standards you have nothing to communicate, nothing to give feedback on and nothing to hold people accountable for.r

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Humans excel at solving complex problems. Unfortunately, humans are also prone to making simple errors without a reliable 'road map,' or operations checklist. In the digital age, we are amazed at the abilities of computers to solve problems. But the computer's capacity to solve problems is limited. Computers are fast and accurate. But they are still incapable of solving the tough problems that face us every day in our working lives. We humans need help. We need other humans to help us solve complex problems more effectively.

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When we believe fully in what we are offering our clients and have seen the results, it's natural to assume that potential customers in our target market would want to buy. It's risky, though, to make any assumption about whether we offer the right solution until we've done our due diligence with the prospect and have mutually agreed that we are a good fit together.

Published · 811 views

America's military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan's unconventional conflicts has resulted in an unintended consequence - elite military professionals that are experienced in independent and adaptive thinking and leadership. In a recent article, Time magazine charted how this war has created a new generation of elite military leaders, the same men and women who return ready to apply this knowledge to business situations.

Published · 1,347 views · Rated 1.8/5 from 5 votes

My friend and former colleague (UD 1996), Brooke Packard Blanchard, sent me this story. We don’t know the author. If you do, please let me know. I would love to give him or her the proper credit. The story may make you sad at first. But put the wise words to work and it will serve to boost morale and productivity. ***** This conversation was heard on a ham radio. A gentleman was speaking with a smooth voice like he belonged in the broadcasting business.

Published · 2,691 views · Rated 4/5 from 3 votes

Chances are good that you don’t know too many people who learned to run before they began to crawl. Likewise, you may not have met anyone who broke par while playing golf for the first time. As beginners, even people whose skill now causes us to marvel would more likely have produced laughter and grins rather than applause. Now, why is that?

Published · 1,803 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Regardless of ability and experience, most people wish they could accomplish more in doing whatever matters most to them. The struggling golfer dreams of breaking 100, a score that would be a nightmare for a good golfer. The solid B student fondly contemplates the satisfaction that a single A would bring. Top performers have different kinds of goals. They may seek to pass their best prior accomplishment on every attempt. Their eyes might even be fixed on surpassing all others, feeling intense disquiet until they do.

Published · 1,810 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

You've found yourself in the position of having to deal with an employee that has a negative attitude, difficult personality, performance issue or some combination of these traits. The issue is, what do you do next? How do you confront your difficult person without escalating the situation while getting the results you need? Here's what you need to think through before you meet with your employee. There are two specific steps that you need to take in order to set up your preferred outcome. Step one is simply to “Identify the issue”.

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Where can leaders find the next breakthrough business models and strategies that will delivery superior corporate performance? I believe that such innovations will come from having closer relationships with, greater mutual understanding of, and more meaningful interactions with all stakeholders (including end users, beneficiaries, customers, colleagues, colleagues’ families, partners, owners, lenders, suppliers, distributors, neighbors, communities in which the enterprise operates, those affected by the company, regulators, critics, and commentators).

Published · 1,468 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

When you watch most people working, you notice that they are doing many things at once: what is often described as multitasking. Recent research has shown that while such an approach seems to be highly efficient to the person using it, quality and quantity of results are actually less than when concentration focuses on one task at a time. A recent book, The One Thing: The Surprising Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, pays attention to the important implications of concentration by noting that in addition to such focus, you also need to: 1. Work toward the right goal.

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In 1900 few Americans finished high school. Those who did had a huge advantage over everyone else. By 1950 high school graduates were common, and gaining a career advantage from education required a college degree. By 1970 people with bachelor’s degrees often began adding master’s degrees to stand out from the crowd.

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Many children are shy, which can make them more dependent on their parents. If a shy child wants something, chances are good that the child will ask a parent to get it … even if the item is easily accessible and in plain sight. Since most parents understand the importance of encouraging independence, a frequently-heard response to such a request is, “Go and get it.” In reaction we’ve all seen a worried-looking child’s face shifting into a furrowed frown, flushed red with anxiety and near tears at the thought of possibly confronting a stranger or a situation that seems daunting.

Published · 1,609 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

When it comes to “making it” in business, many people feel as if they have more to hide than to display to impress employers, bosses, colleagues, and customers. To compensate for lacking credentials, skills, knowledge, and experiences some insecure businesspeople wish they had, some of them choose to adopt a “know-it-all” attitude.

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Give most executives the choice between some wild “blow-out” price-based promotion or taking time to first locate powerful new reasons to buy that are good for one and all, and the circus will soon be hired to tout the latest short-term deal. While such approaches can clearly add sales, doing so can also cause long-term damage that can more than offset the short-term gains. Here are three possible reasons for such contradictory results:

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We've all heard it, “negativity spreads like wildfire” or “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.” Most of us realize that a negative persons behavior spreads much more quickly than a person with a positive attitude, but very few people understand the mechanics of the process. Why is this so? How does it work? The process is quite simple really. There is one major reason why negativity spreads faster than anything else, one primary reason why when you get the proverbial “one bad apple”, you often wind up with two, than three and so on.

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Ever had to deal with an angry customer? In a workshop I facilitated on the subject of customer retention, a bank manager (let’s call her Betty), shared a story about a customer (let’s call her Ms. Maddy), who came in questioning whether she should continue to deposit money with the bank. Using language unfit for this page, Ms. Maddy expressed how upset she was and said, “It better not happen again!!!!” Then she said she didn’t want to talk about it any more. END OF STORY.

Published · 1,848 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Entrepreneurs are rarely indifferent to how others value their businesses, but their reasons vary in why they care. For some, valuation is a primary goal. For others, it’s a scorecard delivering a sense of what progress has been made. Still others like that increasing enterprise value can help attract and retain talented people.

Published · 1,493 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Many people dream of having their own successful business. Such dreams are much more likely to be filled with visions of innovative solutions for common problems that negatively affect and annoy people than with plans for effectively leading exercise classes, refilling vending machines, or assembling sandwiches, tasks that are core activities for so many small businesses.

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They were quite clear about it, weren’t they? IT’S NOT OUR FAULT! So — whose fault was it? And – what would you guess about the customer loyalty, productivity and morale ratings at this shop? On a 10 point scale (10 highest), I think most of us would put them at a zero. Let me know if you disagree. I had the good fortune to spend my early business years in a company that strived for a 10 in all three of these areas. Sometimes we made it. Sometimes we didn’t.

Published · 1,315 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

When I was in graduate school, my classmates didn’t always like the way that the courses were taught. After leaving such a class, they often quoted an old maxim: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” I didn’t take that saying literally until one day a law professor who was held in the highest esteem by scholars mentioned that he had lost every appellate case he had ever prosecuted before turning to full-time teaching. That was pretty a dismal performance considering how well he knew the law.

Published · 1,533 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Artists have long held a privileged role in society, allowing them to spend more time “seeing” what is going on than do most others. In addition, artists’ perspectives have often been sought by those who want to transcend the mundane to draw closer to the sublime. As a result, a greater artistic vision can open the door for ordinary viewers to experience a broader and more delightful world. What a wonderful gift! Such expansions occur today for fortunate viewers in these five ways:

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Hollywood often captures the downside of changing jobs and careers with dramatic tales about unexpectedly losing a long-held position and not being able to find a suitable replacement. If I asked you to describe what such an experience would be like, you might choose words like “traumatic,” “depressing,” and “difficult.”

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Meetings meetings everywhere! Great way to communicate. Great tool for propelling the way to goal. A great investment of time or a huge ZAP of it – and energy too. It’s a good idea to do a quick meeting review every now and then. Just to be sure that your team isn’t over-using this commucation tool. About each meeting you call or attend, ask yourself: 1. What is the purpose of this meeting? 2. What are the results or potential results? 3. How much does it cost to hold the meeting?

Published · 1,389 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

You know that big project (or presentation or proposal) that’s due in two weeks? The one you haven’t started yet? I know. I know. You’ve been meaning to do it. But it’s going to take HOURS and there are so many other things to do.

Published · 1,476 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

A couple of weeks ago, I raised the question about giving rewards for making mistakes. Some people thought I had gone mad. Too much exposure perhaps, to the dog days of summer. And – remember the invitatio I issued at the beginning of the month? The invitation to share your mistakes with us? Didn’t get much response from that at all. Honestly – I’m not surprised. I mean – why would anyone do that? Especially when they have no clue who is going to be reading it. It could be very bad for business. Even in a controlled environment.

Published · 1,615 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Some of today’s ordinary activities were seen as “impossible” dreams just a few years ago. For example, 20 years ago decoding the human genome was viewed as being one of the world’s most difficult yet-to-be-accomplished projects. Yet today, an individual’s genome can be decoded in a few weeks for about $1,000, a tiny fraction of what was spent for the first one.

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Many people have trouble deciding where to start when considering possibilities to establish a better business model. With these questions, you'll make more effective changes ... and faster. Let me start by describing what a business model is so that you'll better understand the questions. A business model incorporates all the ways that a company provides its goods and services, receives value for its efforts, and affects others. Consequently, a business model is the combined

Published · 2,099 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

Almost everyone would like to be more successful in earning a living. Yet many people report that putting forth greater effort leads to actually accomplishing less. How can that be? Well, it takes learning from experience to become more successful. If you seek experience just by trying things on your own, it takes a lot of mistakes before you learn enough lessons to avoid mistakes often enough to mark an improvement. By putting in more effort, you initially just increase the day-to-day frequency of mistakes. Oops!

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Want to boost productivity and morale? Save time and improve relationships? Stop sending emails. How did we ever survive without it? A real time saver. For some things. For others – a real time zapper. Just imagine….or maybe you don’t even have to imagine…it happens to many people every day. You have a question for your colleague, Jim. You type an email. Worried the tone is wrong, you re-do it. Then spell check it. Jim gets it.

Published · 1,388 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 5 votes

You know how you can have a stack of papers piling up on the corner of your desk? You see it there every day. You dread dealing with it. Maybe even try to ignore it, yet when you are on the phone, it distracts you. You can’t help but take a peak. Maybe even pick up a piece of it, thinking you can multi-task while on the phone. In miscellaneous ways, it gnaws at you for days or weeks – even months. And then it comes time to go out of town, perhaps headed for that much needed vacation and you kick into overdrive and PRESTO – that pile is done.

Published · 1,761 views · Rated 4/5 from 3 votes

Have you ever gone to a party and discovered that you had dressed quite differently from everyone else? How did that make you feel? For some people, this experience would be the height of embarrassment. For others, noting the differences might just draw a slight smile. No copycats need apply to these people! By just looking around most organizations you can quickly tell whether the norm is fitting in or standing out. Which work environment do you prefer?

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Note: This article is for you if you want to be a better manager and/or boost productivity and morale so that you can get 2 goal without quite so many nightmares. ***** Sometimes it’s fun to wander and explore with no schedules and assignments. Then – there are times we must “get ‘er done”! But – “‘er” – what is that? If you aren’t clear on that, you and each of your teammates is likely to be like one of those pin balls – ding ding bada dingadingding – all over the place.

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In today's turbulent business environments, every leader should be conce ed about how well his or her organization executes and how well it adapts to change. Execution has been on the list of top conce s of CEOs for years now. But the turbulent business environments of the past few years underscore the necessity for rapid adaptability and execution to survive and prosper in the new economy. What's the secret to executing in turbulent business environments and propelling an organization to the next level? There are many attributes that contribute to an organization's success.

Published · 1,528 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

What is your image of a graduate-school professor? Based on my student experiences, I think of an older person standing behind a raised lectern, well separated from the large number of students who are madly taking notes on the words that flow so composedly from the oracle’s lips. Such a scene feels a bit like being present at the fountain of all knowledge.

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If you want more customers, you’re probably spending lots of resources on sales and marketing. That’s good. But before you do too much more of that – pay attention to what experts say – that it costs 5 to 10 times more to get a new customer than it does to keep an old one. An important reminder to take care of our current customers first. Otherwise… …well…read on about Sally. It’s a true story. And believe it or not – the detail has been condensed. I hope you’ll read it – maybe even share with your service team.

Published · 1,389 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Ever leave a meeting and wonder why you met? Ever have a meeting and after much discussion, decide on a plan but then – nothing ever happens? Here are three questions can lead the leader to conducting more efficient, more effective and maybe even fewer meetings. Questions to ask and know the answers to before even calling the meeting: 1. What is the purpose of the meeting? Is it to inform, to get ideas, to problem solve, to make a decision, to build morale or…? It will help participants if you state the purpose at the start of the meeting.

Published · 1,810 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

The results of a Business Class poll asking customers what they appreciate? A smile, good eye contact, good manners, a respectful greeting. a thank you, being called by name, quick service, going beyond expectations. All great things to give to our customers. As much as we wish for perfection, there will be times that – we mess up.

Published · 1,310 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

Many people haven’t yet found a great opportunity. In some cases they don’t even know that they are missing one. What a shame! Just in case you know someone like that, let me describe what I mean by a great opportunity so you can pass along the information: A great opportunity lifts you and those around you to greater heights of accomplishment, connection, and satisfaction. In the abstract those characteristics may do little to inform you beyond increasing your interest. Let me share three personal experiences to explain what I mean.

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Due to recent cutbacks and until further notice, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. -- Unknown If you are over the age of 55, you may assume you won't be around in 2030. Keep reading. The odds favor you being here then … unless you are already over 70. Even so, you may want to know what your descendants will face. If you are under 55, you might see threats ahead and describe 2030 in pessimistic ways due to your sense of certain troubling and deteriorating trends:

Published · 2,971 views · Rated 4/5 from 2 votes

A few years ago, Mick Mixon was our guest during a Business Class interview. At the time, he was color commentator for football and basketball games for the University of North Carolina. Now he is the Voice of the Carolina Panthers. It was close to Father’s Day and so we talked about lessons he had learned from his father that had shaped his career. Here is one of them. He said his Dad emphasized the importance of work.

Published · 1,847 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

People who want to lift heavy weights usually start with light ones. After that they gradually increase how much they lift. When their muscles strengthen enough, heavy weights that were impossible to lift at first are then raised with ease. Similarly, those who want to improve other capabilities often start by learning how to better perform simple tasks. When doing these tasks is mastered, the improvers move on to enhancing their performance of more difficult activities. Eventually, these learners can accomplish much more in less time with fewer errors.

Published · 1,642 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Most people don’t realize how unique and valuable they are. How could personal characteristics seem to be unusual, or even rare, to oneself? After all, people are with themselves at every moment, view their own qualities as being normal, and cannot hope to perceive and understand others nearly as well. As a university professor, I am constantly astonished and filled with joy by the unusual, delightful qualities of my students. It’s as if God had convened a symposium of world-class learners about to accomplish amazing things just for my benefit.

Published · 1,680 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

I believe that you can make a huge contribution to your community through what you do. Let me describe how some individuals have greatly helped others. Can a single person make a big difference in society? Of course! Naturally, no one can do all that is required alone. Others will either decide they like what they see and follow, or the benefits will be so great that they will reach even those who never hear about the difference-maker.

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This is a true story – heard every day – from all walks of life.

Published · 1,569 views · Rated 4/5 from 3 votes

All kinds of things can stand between us and the accomplishment of our goals. We have little control - actually no control - over these obstacles. All we can control is how we deal with them. Here’s a story (I was told it’s true) about a creative approach to dealing with an obstacle - an actual bridge - that was standing in the way of goal. *** There’s a small Mexican town called Sabinas, situated on the slopes of the Sierra Madres with the Salado River running through.

Published · 1,617 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 4 votes

To say that the way we communicate in business today is undergoing major changes would be a wildly profound understatement. Many businesses simply feel overwhelmed by the advances of Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, not to mention the near total penetration of mobile devices like the iPhone and BlackBerry. The simple email and conference call, once the de facto standards, are now just two of the numerous tools in a crowded communications toolbox. Are these new tools bad, making effective business communication and Execution Rhythm impossible?

Published · 1,463 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Productivity and morale - so important these days. But we get set in our ways. So when someone tries to change things (hence, us) in the name of greater productivity, we often dig in our heels, drag our heels, mope around and/or engage in catty water cooler conversations. So a bit of passion, explanation and reinforcement from the manager is critical. And the likelihood of success is even greater if all of this is done in a fun, unique way. Here is a great example.

Published · 1,504 views · Rated 3.7/5 from 3 votes

As we all know the Golden Rule of life is to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Are we asking our sales team if they are approaching and treating prospects and customers the same way they want to be engaged - with respect and dignity?

Published · 2,887 views · Rated 3/5 from 5 votes

Are you feeling the pinch of the economic times? It's pretty hard to avoid the news; everywhere you look it is not encouraging. Having gone through a few economic downtu s in my career, it's easy to recall exactly what we did to revive relationships and activity in order to capture every conceivable order that was available. Here are Ten Immutable Sales Leadership Truths in Recessionary Times. You should make them part of every day ... from the moment you awake until turning out the lights at night.

Published · 1,649 views · Rated 3.1/5 from 7 votes

It’s easy to miss your most rewarding and satisfying career opportunities. Why? Most people assume that there are no better alte atives to whatever they are doing or planning. Such assumptions are almost always wrong. If people who are quick to assume they know about all the choices would just check and double check their assumptions about there being nothing better available, they would routinely find more interesting work to enrich their lives.

Published · 1,574 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

It’s amazing the difference a little four letter word can make. The right four letter word. Larry had a situation to tackle. We brainstormed all the possible approaches, weighed the pros and cons, reviewed a cost/benefit analysis and then Larry chose his path. Next he made an action plan and time table. Each time Larry and I met after that, he wanted to discuss a different approach. He had good reasons, was excited about the change and bolted out of each meeting, ready to take action.

Published · 1,569 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Many businesses have a strategic planning process that leads to objectives and goals that hopefully, in turn, lead to flawless execution. This process usually equates to some sort of far-off ideal and loose timeline for achievement. Few organizations have Mission Objectives that relate daily, weekly and monthly activities to these objectives and goals. And even fewer businesses have an identifiable common strategic planning process that eventually guarantees flawless execution outcomes.

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Created in the 1980s by Motorola and popularized in the '90s at GE, Six Sigma has been shown to improve processes and reduce error rates, but does it still stand up to today's fast-paced, hostile business environment? In comparison, Flawless Execution, a continuous improvement process perfected ...

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Two unique sources demonstrated a strong link between the use of a project checklist and effective team building in January 2009: the US Airways incident in New York and the release of a study on medical checklists. The January 2009 Special Article of the New England journal of Medicine ...

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By staying alert to career alte atives, you can nimbly move from one occupation to another in ways that are personally and professionally satisfying and profitable. This article provides guidance for how to do so. Some people know exactly what they want ... and how to get it. They move single-mindedly forward and gain what they seek. When they gain something gratifying and enjoyable, the straightforward approach can feel as if it's perfect.

Published · 2,350 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Executive Summary Does your sales force seem to be treading water on certain sales opportunities? Is the same information coming to you each month when you ask penetrating questions about prospects? Does it appear progress moving an account to closure is bogged down? You say ‘there must be a ...

Published · 1,290 views

When rules of a game change the player’s strategies and actions must also change so as to win in that game. The same goes for business. On the eve of the 21st century the nature of doing business has tremendously changed. Global competition, characteriest by networks that bind countries, the ...

Published · 9,573 views

Conflict is part and parcel of life and conflicts do occur in every organization or between and among organizations. To effectively and constructively deal with conflicts people need to understand the dynamics of conflicts and the strategies for effectively dealing with them. An understanding of ...

Published · 2,696 views

Each individual's perceptions of what's happening and why are unique. Never assume that others share your perspective unless you tell them what your perceptions are. This article contains seven rules for better communications and increased mutual understanding. It's natural to assume that others see what's going on in exactly the same ways that we do. I was reminded several times in the last 24 hours that such an assumption is often mistaken.

Published · 1,618 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

Unless you hold a mirror to your face each time you speak with someone, you really have no way of identifying what messages and signals the listener is receiving. This, by the way, applies not just to face-to-face sales calls, it applies to telephone conversations too. You see our face tells ...

Published · 1,224 views

There was a very poor man who was very hungry and desperate for help. Hearing about the generosity of Prophet Muhammad he approached him and asked for his help and charity. The Holy Prophet instead asked him to bring whatever he has from his home. The man returned with an old copper mug. The ...

Published · 1,597 views

There was a very poor man who was very hungry and desperate for help. Hearing about the generosity of Prophet Muhammad he approached him and asked for his help and charity. The Holy Prophet instead asked him to bring whatever he has from his home. The man returned with an old copper mug. The ...

Published · 2,785 views

OVERVIEW How would you like to leverage sales into a largely untapped market segment of potentially lucrative customers for your business that number in the millions and are convenient to target? The segment we recommend is the growing U.S. Hispanic market. According to the current U.S. Census, ...

Published · 1,895 views

dradalat@gmail.com MINA MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE-MALAYSIA Leadership is a great quality and every great organizational success besides other factors owes its credit to the leader who led it to glory. Small groups, families, organizations, states, empires and even the world at large need good ...

Published · 4,569 views

A number of years ago, Holiday Inn built an advertising campaign around the sloga "The best surprise is NO surprise!" That slogan would also make good advice today to managers when it comes to giving performance reviews. Few managers enjoy giving performance reviews. Why? There seems to be ...

Published · 3,748 views

Without question the most vital skills in sales management are recruiting, selecting and hiring the best sales representatives. If your goal is hire top sales performers, then you will want to read on. Recruiting Superb sales managers know the value of a solid plan to do the upfront work ...

Published · 1,586 views

As everyone knows when you first get going in any new job, much less a career, you are for better or worse, subject to the influence of your immediate supervisor. Yet, without one who pays attention in guiding your activities properly, you can develop undesirable traits, which if left unchecked ...

Published · 1,079 views

At one time there was a long-standing belief in many sales organizations that coaching of sales representatives was a fundamental sales management responsibility. Moreover, every professional sales trainer you spoke to, every textbook you read and every sales manager who had several years of ...

Published · 1,545 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Executive Summary How do you protect cash positions while balancing the seemingly contradictory problem of keeping cost of sales under control and your sales force intact while revenues decrease. Compensating sales efforts appropriately is one solution for protecting margins, profit and cash. ...

Published · 1,324 views

In the quest for achieving greater competitiveness and market share businesses use all sorts of strategies to win and defeat their competitors. These approaches may be classified into two categories. The first category is based on ethical practices. This include using innovation, better ...

Published · 6,684 views

The ability to motivate others well flows from the importance that we attach to the concept of today. What can we do TODAY? John Wooden was the most successful college basketball coach of all time. His UCLA teams won 10 national championships in a 12 year time span. Wooden created a major ...

Published · 1,277 views

No matter whose sales system you subscribe to and follow, everyone of them has a stage or step where you propose your goods and services to the prospect. Oftentimes, in our anxiousness to be responsive, and because we believe by submitting a proposal we are actually speeding the process along, ...

Published · 1,375 views

Unless you are in the top 2% of sales professionals worldwide it's pretty hard to create need. Only those who are able to ask questions which surface a subliminal need and then develop that need into want will be able to make that sale. Sales people should find other ways to identify need ...

Published · 1,840 views

As managers we need to make certain all the people we want to motivate understand the role of thought in life. There is nothing more important. Consider this exchange: A: I'm depressed B: You just think you're depressed A: Same thing... it feels like the same thing. B: It feels like the same ...

Published · 1,318 views

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH TOTAL COMMITMENT Excellence is an excellent word and excellent companies strive for achieving it. Many factors contribute to the excellence of companies chief among them is employee’s commitment. Without commitment no company can think of achieving excellence. ...

Published · 17,154 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

The cost of investments that benefit many stakeholders can unfairly fall more on one organization than on another. Amtrak, the American government-owned passenger rail corporation, is an example of this problem.

Published · 1,790 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

ADDING MORE VALUE TO CUSTOMERS Why do people buy a product or service? Or, for that matter, why do people do all the things they do? There is a very critical and one answer and that is people buy a product or service to get better value for their money. People also do all the other things ...

Published · 2,698 views

ADDING MORE VALUE TO CUSTOMERS Why do people buy a product or service? Or, for that matter, why do people do all the things they do? There is a very critical and one answer and that is people buy a product or service to get better value for their money. People also do all the other things ...

Published · 1,411 views

This article examines sponsorships and advertising as methods for making cost breakthroughs and generating extra revenues. Let's start with sponsorships.

Published · 2,345 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Let’s face it, selling is a communications business. How well you express your ideas and thoughts to prospects and customers is what ultimately determines success or failure in selling. If you are, or have been fortunate enough to be a member of a public speaking group, you have learned one of ...

Published · 1,055 views

Mr./Ms. CEO, here is a question for you. How many times have you hired a new sales manager and because he or she was experienced and successful somewhere else, they understand how to be successful in your organization? Moreover, did you take for granted that the new manager understood what was ...

Published · 1,518 views

Most business people use the same level of skepticism about everything they consider. Some are always optimistic that things will work out. Some are always pessimistic. Most people are somewhere in the middle. When a problem selecting the right choice is difficult enough, you will probably find that being very skeptical is the right route. How can you learn to be skeptical if that is not your usual way of thinking?

Published · 1,378 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

It's useful to want to build a major business by adding onto the base of your initial breakthrough. But what does that look like in practice? Let's examine the case history of Education Management to better understand the principle involved.

Published · 1,410 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 4 votes

Entrepreneurial focus is immeasurably helped by finding engaging problems - ones to which you and others are irresistibly drawn. Many people make a mistake by instead picking problems to solve that are of interest only because of the potential financial gain that might result from solutions. Others make a different mistake: picking problems that bore them.

Published · 1,715 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Don’t you get a little weary listening to all the experts trumpeting, then droning on-and-on that ‘it’s all about relationships’. It troubles me since no one has taken time to analyze what it takes in developing quality long-term relationships. It’s important because all of us in one degree or ...

Published · 4,914 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Don’t you get a little weary listening to all the experts trumpeting, then droning on-and-on that ‘it’s all about relationships’. It troubles me since no one has taken time to analyze what it takes in developing quality long-term relationships. It’s important because all of us in one degree or ...

Published · 927 views

Do you know how to provide collaborative leadership in a disciplined fashion? And how does one define disciplined collaboration? The current business and leadership literature touts the importance of collaborating in our turbulent world. Large and small businesses and teams struggle to wrap their heads around just what collaboration is.

Published · 1,298 views

This article explores three sources of cost-reducing help that most businesses ignore: strangers, volunteers, and unemployed people. Think of the unifying themes for this lesson as helping to overcome the unattractiveness and tradition stalls. Let's begin by considering what strangers can do to help your enterprise reduce costs for all stakeholders through applying zero-based analysis to providing the minimum core offering. How Can Strangers Contribute to Reducing Costs for all Stakeholders by 96 Percent?

Published · 1,626 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

We consider an older concept in this article, one that has often been applied to cost-reduction thinking: zero-based analysis. You may know this concept as "zero-based costing." Zero-based analysis reverses the usual way of thinking in which many people start by looking at how to remove costs from what is already being spent. Zero-based analysis starts, instead, by assuming that no costs need to be spent and grudgingly adds costs only after being convinced that they cannot be avoided.

Published · 1,738 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

While I'm driving on the highway, I often find my compact car hemmed in by high-powered sports cars proceeding at well below the speed limit, despite having engines that could easily speed up to 140 miles per hour. What's with that? Well, many people are more interested in putting on a show than in actually accomplishing more. These drivers probably want to have the fastest look at the curb, rather than on the road. Consider, instead, that in many business activities performance ultimately counts for much more than appearance.

Published · 1,344 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

What is an overhead cost? Definitions vary, but most people agree that any cost not directly used to produce or to supply an offering to a customer is an overhead cost.

Published · 1,568 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

This article's topic will be controversial with some people. Why? Many business thinkers advocate that suppliers should simply work at making life easy and pleasant for customers so that they receive more and more benefits while only making minimal efforts of their own.

Published · 1,399 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

Chances are that any small business either won’t still be operating or will have been sold to someone else within five years. Why? The reason for both results is the same. The business results have failed to satisfy its owners’ needs and objectives . . . or have exhausted the owners’ ...

Published · 1,292 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 7 votes

Now consider how to obtain one customer that changes the economic potential of your enterprise so much that it becomes practical to accomplish an overall 96 percent cost reduction after gaining just that one customer.

Published · 1,423 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

This article describes a new concept for creating and implementing 96 percent cost reductions: fast-expanding exponential solutions. This is a subject I'm very excited about, and I hope you will share my enthusiasm for and interest in this process. When I was a youngster, controlled atomic chain reactions were being developed as a source of electricity. To help children understand the difference between an atomic blast (an uncontrolled atomic chain reaction) and an atomic power plant (a controlled atomic chain reaction), scientists designed impressive demonstrations.

Published · 1,653 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

Many organizations seek to accomplish their purposes with so little effectiveness that it's as if they were literally chained to the past and to procrastination. Yet when away from work, and doing something they love, many of the same people act more like forces of nature... moving themselves and others with great emotion by drawing upon compassion and genuine conce to make needed improvements.

Published · 1,508 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Have you ever counted the minutes until the work day was over? If so, you are not alone. Business work can be stupefying, leaving you feeling dull while randomly musing about more pleasant activities and places. That's the bad news. But... wait! There is good news, as well. Your time at work can, instead, be fun, stimulating, and personally fulfilling. What makes the difference? Use your business work to learn more about what fascinates you and then apply what you learn to make improvements.

Published · 1,964 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

I was inspired to write this article after reading an essay arguing for becoming a salesperson, rather than a CEO ... claiming that a salesperson's hours are shorter, the stress is less, and moment-to-moment tasks are more enjoyable. That didn't make sense to me. While I certainly know some stressed-out, overwhelmed CEOs, I know many more hopelessly frustrated, discouraged salespeople. Yes, it's no fun to lead a failing organization. It's even less fun trying to sell offerings for such a faltering company.

Published · 1,590 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

If you ask most people how they are doing, they will respond by saying something like "Good." What does that mean? Well, for some people it could mean that they aren't suffering from any illnesses, they are still employed, not one of their children is in jail, and they still have a place to live. For them it would, perhaps, be more apt to say, "Not bad." For an entrepreneur who has launched a successful new business, "Good" might mean instead that the business is growing 128 percent a year and is comfortably meeting its commitments to customers and investors.

Published · 1,532 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

I was inspired to consider this question in 2008 when the two largest newspapers in Boston featured a headline that the larger of the two, The Boston Globe (which was owned by the same company that published The New York Times), had threatened to shut down the print version of the paper and to operate online only unless employees agreed to cut their salaries and benefits by over $20 million a year.

Published · 1,420 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

Unless you hold a mirror to your face each time you speak with someone, you really have no way of identifying what messages and signals the listener is receiving. This, by the way, applies not just to face-to-face sales calls, it applies to telephone conversations too. You see our face tells ...

Published · 1,014 views

Many business founders have encyclopedic knowledge about how their organizations work, as well as how to gain and to retain profitable customers. Why? Founders have probably either designed or done all of the major tasks at one time or another and may have played a role in attracting almost all of the key customers. Doing so was just part of what was required for their businesses to succeed.

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Unless you receive an offering as a gift and try it out, ignorance will keep you from using a superior choice. When such ignorance is widespread, the market will not develop to its full potential. Let's explore back surgery as an example. Until a few decades ago, patients who underwent back surgery were as likely to be worse off after the surgery as they were to enjoy any improvement. Harmful outcomes included increased pain, reduced mobility, and serious infections.

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In this article, we look at how simplifying management to develop the minimum business model reduces costs for an enterprise and its stakeholders. Consider Plentyoffish dot com and its founder, Markus Frind.

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With so much global competition, the customer is more in charge than ever. That doesn't mean that you need to offer services that cost you a fortune: Better designed pricing can be a great help. Let's consider an industrial example. A building materials manufacturer studied its customers in terms of how the mix of products they ordered affected profits.

Published · 1,631 views · Rated 3/5 from 3 votes

I recently watched a televised interview with John Scully, the CEO Steve Jobs recruited from PepsiCo in 1983 to lead Apple when Jobs was twenty-eight. Reflecting on what happened to Apple over the subsequent twenty-seven years, Scully commented that Apple's board made a mistake in hiring him.

Published · 1,680 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

Executive Overview Experienced sales managers are always on the lookout for new sales representatives who, among other attributes, possess good people skills and are pleasant to be around. There are two fundamental reasons they should select incoming sales representatives who have sound social ...

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How can you gain enjoyment and accomplish more in your business career? It's easy: Just search for more of what you like ... and then do more of what you find. Let me explain by starting with what I don't mean: I'm not suggesting that those who love to eat chocolate ice cream at work seek out jobs that involve hourly samplings of such frozen treats.

Published · 1,393 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 2 votes

Joe Girard was the champion vehicle salesman for many years in the United States, averaging more than five daily sales of cars and trucks. What were his secrets? According to Mr. Girard, it was simply due to offering a fair price and being someone customers liked to buy from. Mr. Girard made the car-buying experience pleasant; he asked for referrals from customers to family and friends by sending out preprinted holiday cards monthly to everyone who had ever bought from him that said on the front, "I Like You."

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Do you know what your business's core competencies are? Is there just one or are there many organizational attributes? If you answered that there are many, how would you describe them succinctly? Core competencies are one or a combination of a few unique or rare abilities; however, a description of core competencies is not simply a laundry list of various organizational attributes. It seems like a simple task, but naming your core competencies can be very difficult.

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I just started teaching a new class of aspiring entrepreneurs. One of them asked at the end of the first meeting, "Are you going to tell me what's the best business for me to start?" He was surprised when I said "no" and told him, instead, about places where he could find lots of statistics about profitability and growth for various kinds of businesses as a way to begin narrowing down the possibilities.

Published · 1,343 views · Rated 2.3/5 from 3 votes

Executive Overview Long before coaching became a recognized niche of and by itself, there was a long-standing belief in many sales organizations that coaching of employees was a fundamental management responsibility. Moreover, every professional sales trainer you spoke to, every textbook you ...

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In business, one skill rises above all others in determining how much success will occur: choosing the right task to work on next. Let me explain why I came to that conclusion. While working as director of strategic planning for a Fortune 200 company, I recall a time when my list of "official" assignments had 112 items on it. As you can imagine, I wasn't going to get around to doing most of those tasks, even if I just delegated them.

Published · 1,173 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

Eager business-evangelist customers are always telling others how wonderful your business is and encouraging potential customers to try your offerings. Most network marketing businesses are based on word-of-mouth promotion. You learn about a great product or service from a relative, friend, or neighbor who then helps you to experience the offering's benefits. Soon, you can't wait to share your happiness with others to improve their lives, too!

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If for no other reason than expanding your business model to include new types of offerings, you will probably add new suppliers from time to time. In addition, sometimes suppliers go out of business or are unwilling to make necessary changes to improve their and your business models. In other instances, your rapid expansion may outstrip the quantities that current suppliers can provide. Regardless of the reason, working with part-time and nonprofit suppliers can add breakthrough resources for reducing your and your stakeholders' investments. Let's start by looking at part-time suppliersr

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Teams and organizations are constantly plagued by project execution errors and failures. These failures create an execution gap -- a gap between what an individual and/or team plans to do and what they actually do instead. Just as retention rapidly degrades after learning, so does project execution after strategic planning. So what can be done?

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Most companies talk about "Positioning" but quite frankly they simply don't know what they are talking about. Here are two things that you should do if you truly want to understand what it is all about and how to do it right. First is to read the book "Positioning" by Jack Trout and Al Reis. Second: Well it could be first if you want: Go to Jack Sims - "How to create a "Positioning Statement" here's the link so that you can get it at NO Charge: http://www.jacksims.com/js_wordpress/positioning-statement

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In Part I of this series, I introduced the concept that, from the perspective of complexity, everything exists within a system. In Part II, I outlined a three-tiered framework of effects-based thinking (EBT) and planning that is critical to understanding how change propagates throughout these complex systems - the organizations, markets and communities in which we all live and work. In this final installment, I will explore how effects are planned and initiated within complex systems and how cognitive, adaptive leadership propels those effects.

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In 'Effects-Based Thinking - Part I', the definition of effects-based thinking, or EBT, was established as an approach to strategic planning which contributes to long-lasting organizational impacts. Expanding on this concept, let's look at what the differences between strategic planning with EBT and simply tracking progress with metrics are.

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In today's management environment, new forms of and tools for corporate leadership development programs have emerged. One of the most popular development tools is executive coaching. The number of executive coaches has more than doubled in the past decade and corporate leadership development programs are utilizing their services more frequently. However, the fundamentals of executive coaching have actually been around for many years in the form of debriefing.

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Gravity can be a wonderful thing. It is an irresistible force that keeps us grounded on this big, beautiful, floating blue marble. It is even applicable to organizations in the form of organizational gravity. For example, I worked with an organization that coined a catch phrase for a challenge beyond its scope of control, deeming the situation a "gravity issue." They explained that "the situation is out of our control, much like gravity - you can't do anything about it."

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As the name implies, effects-based thinking (EBT) is an approach to strategic planning and decision making where the effects of specific actions are assessed, not in a narrowly defined and time-limited way, but through a perspective that is sensitive to broad-ranging and lasting impacts. Effects-based thinking is the opposite of short-sightedness or myopia.

Published · 1,246 views · Rated 2/5 from 2 votes

The May 1, 2011 mission to find Osama Bin Laden has become one of the most celebrated military mission planning successes in recent memory due to the utilization of a little-known and seldom-used practice called the Red Team.

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All plans are not good plans. In fact, even good plans can fail. We cannot predict the future – we can only imagine it imperfectly. In our companies and organizations, effective planning is a social activity. Deciding on a strategic planning process as a group, rather than as an individual, adds even greater complexity to an already complex task. Collaborative and effective planning techniques, then, require 13 essential elements. 1. Effective and Strategic Planning Process

Published · 1,291 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

When you think of the word 'complex', do you ever think about what it has to do with project execution? Ask a management consulting firm to define 'complex' and you'll get a response like "well, it's a concept that can affect your life, your family, your team and your organization." That's because consultants understand that complexity lies in every aspect of strategic planning, whether at home or in the workplace, and that complexity is a concept that needs to be clearly understood in order to anticipate and overcome execution challenges.

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Organizations must possess both formal and informal learning structures to adapt and thrive, and safety debriefing skills learned from a qualified consulting firm is just such a structure that is a necessity in any rapidly changing environment. Anyone who has not recognized the need for continuous learning in modern business has missed out on one of the most significant lessons learned in recent decades. The forces of rapid global change can render limited professional skill sets obsolete almost ove ight.

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Some people say that numbers are just for sales guys. I say to them that if you’re in business then you’re in sales. Cold, hard measurements are central to Serious Business Growth and it’s usually the winners that know this instinctively. Here’s a game you can play that will show how focused you are on the numbers in your business. Play it now and keep playing it. Go into a room every three months with your management team and play it. As games go, it will be either terrifying or reassuring. It depends how well you’ve got the numbers going for you.

Published · 1,359 views · Rated 2.1/5 from 7 votes

I’ve been lucky enough to indulge two passions to forge my career: marketing and golf. I’ve come to notice some striking parallels between them: the same thought processes that make us winners in sport are the same ones that can help us win in business. Winning shots start with thinking

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Since you’re reading this you’re probably looking for ways to grow your business, right? Well let me save you some time by sharing a painful little truth I’ve come to know after 30 years’ developing the world’s top brands. For every 100 of you reading this sentence right now, there’s only one, maybe two, who really want business success enough to make it happen.

Published · 1,207 views · Rated 2.2/5 from 6 votes

After making careers out of all my passions: Business Growth, Branding, Marketing and golf, I’ve come to notice a lot of gob-smacking parallels between them. Whether you’re taking a crucial golf shot or an important business decision the same principles that make us winners in sport are the same ones that can help us win in business. The first winning principle you need to know

Published · 1,217 views · Rated 1/5 from 1 votes

Practicing successful leadership seems fairly simple - one acquires the positional authority to lead, and does so by influencing or guiding others. But too often, "leaders" assume that just because they've achieved total project execution under their guidance that they deserve the title. To be sure, leadership is a concept measured by benchmarked success and achievements, but it is also a long-term manifestation of your actions and influence upon others.

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What is the single biggest financial asset your business has? Every company has one, even if you don’t think you do. You won’t see it listed as an asset in your balance sheet but it underpins the value of your operations more than anything else you’ll find listed. What is it? Your Brand. Where did I leave my brand…?

Published · 1,156 views · Rated 2/5 from 4 votes

"Sales-y." Just the sound of the word is irritating. Yet if you don't get out and meet people to share what your business is all about, how will you generate customers and keep doing what you love? It all starts with YOUR beliefs and perspective. Are you selling or serving? What comes to mind when you hear the word "sales?" For many, it conjures up all those negative thoughts of someone whose main goal is to make that sale even if it isn't right for the customer. Though that's not necessarily true, most people share that perspective and it's difficult to change.

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Teachers have many things to think about; but an important aspect of the job is to create a positive learning environment. Here are a few tips on how to make sure your classroom is all it can be. When your students walk into your classroom at the beginning of the year (and every day thereafter), what do they see and feel? More directly, are you setting the tone for a positive learning environment?

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As humans living in a modern society, we’re susceptible to stress, anxiety, and unhappiness, but fear not. As Yoda has taught us, fear leads to the dark side. Though your mental state can be the biggest inhibitor to your success, it can also be the biggest contributor. Finding your inner peace is the secret to success, both in and out of your work boots.

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Simon Sinek, author of "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't" says leadership lies in placing others first. He believes it isn't about being the boss, or having all the answers, or even being the most qualified. True leaders accept the responsibility of how well their staff is doing, place their own needs second and help their employees, instead of throwing them under the bus, when performance isn't where it should be. I agree, and feel, especially when the chips are down, it's important for the leader to rise to the top and truly show support.

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Creating energy within a group is a responsibility of each member of the group. The leader of the group is in the best position to facilitate the proper environment and group dynamics for the team members to bring energy. "Am I an energizer or a demotivator?" is a question each one of us should be asking each day.

Published · 2,256 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

I spent a month in Europe after college (thanks Dad). I was 22 and had never been out of the country, barely able to speak my own language much less anyone else’s, with little more than a train pass, some traveler’s checks, and some dry shampoo. When I got home, I bragged most about how I’d avoided all the American tourists, how easy they were to spot, how loud they were, how stupidly they dressed, how embarrassing … like I wasn’t one of them. Big difference, of course: they were tourists, and I … I was a traveler.

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Many organizations and individuals focus on satisfying the customer, which is of course one of the basic rules of business. After all, no customer equals no business. However the majority of us do not have a comprehensive look at all stakeholders. Stakeholders include not only customers, but suppliers, partners, customers' suppliers, policy makers, our own management, investors and the list goes on.

Published · 3,281 views · Rated 2/5 from 9 votes

Best-selling author, John Grisham, was a practicing defense lawyer in 1984 when he began writing his first novel, A Time to Kill. Because his job demanded 60 to 70-hour weeks, he came to work several hours early for three years to work on the book. Some mornings it was the last thing he wanted to do, and no one was forcing him (only his wife knew about it). Still, he did it, and three years later he had a book that no one wanted to publish.

Published · 1,507 views · Rated 2.7/5 from 3 votes

So you’re not more powerful than a locomotive? Who cares? Just saw the superhero movie, Kick-Ass, and it raised an intriguing question: just because we’re not superhuman, can we lead superheroic lives? I believe the answer is yes, and I believe we can do it in five easy steps! (Okay, they’re not super easy, but anyone can do it.) No rippling muscles, awesome brain power, or fancy gadgets needed. 1.

Published · 2,297 views · Rated 2/5 from 1 votes

As we step into spring, I’ve been thinking about people stepping up. There’s a lot of it going on around us, it seems, positive signs that even in the toughest economic winters people are as resilient as ever. Of course, that’s the nature of “tough times,” isn’t it? We all have a greater opportunity to overcome, perhaps, to dig a little deeper, to find the heroes in ourselves. A recent example that sticks out to me is a woman in her mid 40s who graduated at the top of her 2009 class from a college in Califo ia. She was valedictorian.

Published · 1,218 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 8 votes

“Paradigm shift.” “Value-add.” “Win-win.” “Customer-centric.” “Outside-the-box.” “Leverage our core competencies.” Clichéd terms like these buzz around the office like flies at a hot summer picnic … and they’re just as annoying. Language is alive, and when it’s not, it’s time to liven things up. Here are some fresh examples (just for fun): 1. Hallway Trapprehension The anxiety we feel at the approach of a coworker we’ve already passed multiple times in the hall in a single day (as we fret over something new and witty to say). 2.

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I’ve been lucky with bosses over the years. No real bad ones. A couple of great ones. None of them perfect. (They’d say the same of me, I’m sure.) These days, my bosses are the managers and leaders in our classes every week. To all my bosses, I offer these top 12 to-dos for the new year. Focus on just one a month—building momentum as you go—, and you’ll be much closer to perfect this time next year. 1. Walk (Jan) It’s hard to lead from an office chair. Your team wants to see you (believe it or not), and they expect you to be available and accessible.

Published · 1,173 views · Rated 3.3/5 from 3 votes

Even with today’s high unemployment rates, companies can’t take new employees for granted. It’s not enough to put good people into good jobs. We have to excite, engage, and prepare them or they might say goodbye ... wasting lots of time and money.

Published · 1,330 views · Rated 3.4/5 from 5 votes

Developing people is one of the important ways in which managers add value, but the process must be focused. Specifically, what combination of skills and experience does your operation need to fulfil its objectives? By now you’ll have a clear picture of your objectives and the job descriptions required to carry them out. You’ll be able to derive the skills and experience base you need from those descriptions. What combination do you currently have?

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Motivating employees to do the best job they can is a perennial conce for managers at companies of all sizes. As an entrepreneur, you have an even bigger stake in keeping your employees motivated. Fortunately, motivation in the workplace isn’t about what you do for your employees; it’s about the work you empower your employees to do for you.

Published · 1,162 views · Rated 3.6/5 from 14 votes

Here’s the nightmare scenario: You’re in a meeting with another manager and several employees. An employee asks you to explain a potential product liability issue that came up the previous week. The other manager nods knowingly, but you have no clue. What do you say? A.“Ah, yes, good question… Is that my phone?” B.“I could tell you the answer, but I’d first like to hear what the team thinks.” C.“I should be able to answer that question, but I don’t understand it either.

Published · 1,173 views · Rated 3.5/5 from 6 votes

When our communications are good, our relationships are strengthened. Once you improve your communications, you will find others to be more open to communications with you. To communicate effectively, you must be able to do two things: Listen and Sell. When Listening… Listen with a true desire to understand. rn·Set aside time, close your papers and put your phone on hold when talking with others.

Published · 805 views · Rated 3.8/5 from 4 votes

We use two prepositions with the verb ‘communicate’ - ‘with’ and ‘to’. ‘With’ implies dialogue and involvement between communicator and recipient. rn‘To’ implies the one way process of informing and has no place here. The involvement of communicating with someone may have an outward or inward starting point. Outward communication is about conveying a message and then making sure it has been understood as you intended. You can only be sure the process has been successful by testing the recipient’s understanding. That means inviting feedback.

Published · 1,235 views · Rated 3.2/5 from 5 votes

Have you heard the expression that "life is a journey, not a destination"? Well, when it comes to setting goals for your organization life is a journey on the way to a destination. Destination goals (such as revenue and staffing targets and other specific outcomes) are important, but you're not going to reach them without specific stepping stones. Journey goals (such as improving your leadership skills and relationships) are those steps that will get you there.

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In my last article, "Have You Uncovered Your Theme for 2013?" I gave you six steps you can take to uncover your theme for the year ahead. You can take these steps as an individual and also as a company or team. Let me tell you about something very powerful that happened to me just a few weeks ago, while creating my own theme for 2013.

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Many leaders experience an accountability gap between what they want/expect to happen and what their people actually deliver. One way to close this gap is to recognize whether you as a leader are an NG. NG stands for "natural guy/gal" and it's someone who gets things done without knowing exactly how they've done it. You're a natural, drawing on pure instinct and ability. You've never thought much about how you do things, because you've never had to. You rarely or never get stuck or feel confused about what to do next.

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As we enter into the new year it's an excellent time to reflect on where you've been and where you're going. I recently went through this process with two different firms when I facilitated their offsite retreats. They had both asked me to help them create a theme for this year. For one of the companies, it was a matter of revisiting an older strategic plan they were already happy with, but had put on the back burner when the economic landscape changed. Their theme became "Resetting the Plan in 2013."

Published · 1,066 views · Rated 2.5/5 from 2 votes

Do these statements sound familiar? "I tell my people what to do, they don't do it and I don't understand why." "If only my people would be accountable and do what I tell them." I've heard this in conversation after conversation, the problem is "telling" does not help create much of an accountable culture... "asking" does!

Published · 1,108 views

In my last article, "What's the Difference betwee Empowering and Enabling?" we laid out the story of "Jeff" and the line at his door, everyday. And, everyday, Jeff was working until way into the evening while his people left at 5 or 5:30 and waved goodbye to Jeff. Imagine how that must feel?

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I don't remember his real name but I do remember that he had a big laugh and a huge passion for baseball and for kids. Maybe he was a house painter, or a plumber, or a bus driver. I don't know what he did when he wasn't with us. All I knew - and all I cared about - was that when someone asked for a volunteer to coach a group of eight year old boys, a big man with a big laugh stepped forward. We called him Mr. G. Mr. G. inspired me. He was the kind of person who would have made a great managing partner or CEO.

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As a leader in your business, your job is to help each team member take personal responsibility for his or her behaviors, actions and results. Your responsibility is to guide and assist them in working toward their professional goals, and to help them eliminate the barriers to achieving those goals. You're there to empower them. You're not there to do it for them. The essence of my approach is empowerment. To empower is to give people power and authority, or remind them of their power and authority.

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I have a problem with the term ‘work/life balance’. It implies that life begins when work finishes. The words we use are critical to our self-awareness, our situation-reading and to our learning and development, and yet we pick up phrases like jackets in a wardrobe, trying them on for size and ...

Published · 1,255 views

Much of the press focus over the election of Barack Obama to US president, has rightly, been the “hope for change” that his new policies will bring. But for managers, there has also been a great lesson in the lead up to the inauguration – the smooth transition of power from the outgoing to the ...

Published · 1,476 views

What's the opposite of command and control leadership? Caring. We're talking about simple human caring, and it's something all your people need if they're going to achieve the goals you want them to achieve. In a Fast Company article ("The CEO's New Clothes"), Linda Tischler maintains that Morgan Stanley's Philip Purcell, Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina, and Disney's Michael Eisner all lost their jobs because their management styles tripped them up. But not because of the ostensible reasons of "failed strategies, shareholder lawsuits, and missed earnings."

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I recently came across the phrase, "Leave it, change it or accept it," and I've been using it successfully with my clients ever since. Let me tell you, I really get people's attention when I bring this up. In any situation in life, any situation, you always have three choices: 1. You can leave it. Get out. Walk away. Let it go. 2. You can change it. The catch? You can only change what's in your control. 3. You can accept it. Unconditionally. As it is. It's a simple choice, but not necessarily easy to implement. Each choice will have its own set of consequences.

Published · 2,347 views

Years ago, in his book, The Pursuit of Wow!, Tom Peters talked about the “bump-into factor.” He said that the objects and ideas we find ourselves surrounded by and bombarded with regularly are what get our attention. I know the bump factor is my excuse for a messy desk. I have no intention of ...

Published · 1,703 views

Productive employees have proven to themselves that they are capable and worthy of success. You will recognize them by their positive outlook, their sense of responsibility, and their honesty. They will be your most loyal and productive employees. They will be the employees that seem to manage ...

Published · 1,293 views

If you are feeling unmotivated at work lately, you're not alone. Managers and team leaders have less time to worry about motivating the people who work with them. Anxiety levels are high, tempers are short, and few people are as focused and productive as they want to be. Layoffs, overstated ...

Published · 1,369 views

People who know me, say that I am a very positive person. I’ve worked hard over the years at trying to find the positive in most situations and pass it on to others. I was recently sent an email by a friend who passed on one of the nicest stories I have heard. So in this season of giving, I’d ...

Published · 2,295 views

I well remember as a young bank clerk sitting at my desk one morning. Around me were the sounds of hustle and bustle of a busy office – people were sipping their coffee (in those days it was instant!) opening the mail (ah, for the days before email!) and telling of the events of last ...

Published · 1,422 views

Why is it so difficult to hold people accountable for their results in today's workplace? Because it requires follow-through and tough talk. Confrontation can be challenging, and some leaders avoid it at all costs. And it could be costing you plenty - in lost revenue, high turnover and people problems. With most hard-to-have conversations, it's the anticipation that gets you. You may worry about it all night, maybe even lose some sleep. Your mouth may feel dry as the person approaches. You may need to clear your throat a few times.

Published · 1,213 views

As a child, I grew up loving computers. I was the first kid I knew who was into BBS's (Bulletin Board Services). These electronic bulletin boards were hosted on a local computer and connected by modem to the rest of the world. A BBS could only provide for text and only one connection at a time: back in the day if a BBS had more than one line at a time it was way ahead. The idea of being able to download a file, much less a workable program, was there, but at 1200 baud, it would have taken days.

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Scheduling regular accountability meetings is an important tool for helping your people meet their business development goals and ensuring perpetual results for your firm. To make the most of these meetings, I suggest a step-by-step process called the C.L.E.A.R. Accountability Meeting Model, which is part of the Get More Clients NOW and ForeverTM program. Let's recap the first two elements of the model: C - Clarify goals for the accountability meeting - Key question: "What's on your mind?"

Published · 1,363 views

Counseling Coaching Coping Cure - which to choose? A therapist, a coach, a doctor or self-reliance. I believe that there are six energies that each provide us with our daily source of motivation: the energy of music, movement, meditation, humour, learning & conversation. What I have learned with regards to my own issues is that conversation is an energy source that I need several times a day, every single day.

Published · 1,150 views

As a managing partner or leader in a professional services firm, your role is to encourage, develop and coach people towards reaching the business development goals you've decided on together. A crucial part of that process is scheduling regular accountability meetings and using a system to ensure follow-through between meetings. For maximum effectiveness, these conversations must be both intentional and structured. The following is a step-by-step process you can use to guide these conversations:

Published · 1,703 views

Let's say the financial goal of a professional services firm, such as a CPA firm or a law firm, is to bring in $1 million in new business. So the managing partner calls in those responsible for business development and says, "Okay, go get that $1 million!" Occasionally, the managing partner gets everyone together to ask, "Has the $1 million come in yet? No? Why not?" What's wrong with this picture? A few things. While the financial target is the ultimate goal, what's missing are the specific activities that are going to make that goal happen.

Published · 1,119 views

Accountants sometimes tell me that I know them better than they know themselves. Well, I should! I spent five years working inside the consulting division of a regional accounting firm, experiencing firsthand how accountants handle business development. Many service professionals have at least two jobs. Aside from being accountants or lawyers, partners or managers, they also have the job of bringing new business into the firm. And unless someone happens to be a natural salesperson, that can create a problem.

Published · 1,021 views

Five times a week I go to the trail to walk, hike and bike. It's my "third place" - the place where I go to think, reflect, plan and get my ideas flowing. In all the time I've been doing this, I've passed by a local business and noticed a sign outside announcing how long they've been in business. I've watched the sign change from 23 years to 24 years, 25, 26 and all the way up to 27 years in business. 27 years is pretty impressive, yet in all this time I never even noticed what the business was. Until last month.

Published · 1,117 views

Up until 2007 and 2008, it was raining clients in professional services firms like public accounting and legal firms. Then with the great recession of 2008, everything changed. All of a sudden we were seeing layoffs in law firms - something that was completely unheard of in the past. Law students were suing their universities because they couldn't find work.

Published · 1,374 views

Are you blaming the economy for your business's lack of performance? I've got news for you: The economy has only exposed the real problems in your business, i.e., poor business development habits and lack of accountability. Here are the top 10 habits that could be responsible for the business development results you've been blaming on the economy:

Published · 1,294 views · Rated 3/5 from 2 votes

When you're sitting down for a regularly scheduled accountability meeting with the people on your team, it helps to have some questions and phrases ready. Most of your questions will be open-ended, giving the other person plenty of time to express their conce s and opinions. Open-ended questions also give YOU plenty of opportunities to practice active listening. (How's your active listening? Test yourself and validate the other person by recapping what you've heard.)

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Keith was in his mid-50s, and was a managing partner in a large CPA firm. He'd gotten to that level because he was very good at business development - specifically, bringing in brand new clients. His partner group, on the other hand, were mainly in the 40s. They were all highly competent in their technical abilities, but not very good at bringing in new business. Up until then, they hadn't needed to conce themselves with that - it was raining clients. And they also saw plenty of growth just from adding on new services to existing client accounts.

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Have you ever felt like your problems at work were a mountain you'd never be able to climb? What if that mountain was as easy to scale as a flat path? My recent experience on the hiking trail reminded me just how much power there is in the mindset we're in when we approach our challenges.

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Should the managing partner, CEO or leader set goals for the people on his or her team? Or should team members set their own goals? Your answer could tell me a lot about your leadership style. I could probably accurately predict how people respond to you, and even how accountable they are.

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Josh was standing in the middle of a group of people at a networking function, when all of a sudden a light bulb of awareness went off. He saw how he always had to get a word in - his ego was out of control. He knew this was how he was behaving at work, also, where he was a managing partner. He knew that he'd gotten complacent as a leader, and was dropping the ball on developing his people and keeping them accountable to him, themselves and the firm.

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When an organization is going through change, its people must be supported, developed and coached through the process. When my client Dan contacted me, big changes were on the way for his company, including his department of 250 people and nine direct reports. There were going to be two big differences for Dan's team: First, many people would be in a managerial role that had never been managers before. Second, many of the current managers' roles and responsibilities would be changing considerably.

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When you're creating an Upfront Agreement to design how you and your team members will work together, one item you may choose to include is "Making Requests." First, make sure you each have the same definition of the word: a request is just a request; it's not an order, dictate or command. There are no request police.

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The role of a leader or managing partner is often to ask enough questions that people finally begin to listen to themselves and find their own solutions. While it's not technically a question, the phrase "say more about that" is just as evocative. It's an invitation that's almost impossible to decline, and often leads to a deeper and more meaningful discussion. Say more about that... Say more about those plans and next steps... Say more about how that might work...

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When you're the leader, CEO, managing partner or owner of an organization, I suggest making time in your schedule for regularly scheduled accountability meetings with your people. To really hold people accountable, you need to be in touch with them routinely and frequently. Regular meetings give you the structure to do that. So here you are, sitting across the desk or conference table, and your team member is staring back at you waiting for you to say something brilliant. No pressure there, right?

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When you're holding regular accountability meetings with your people, it's natural for personal issues to come up. If you're still stuck in "leave your personal life at the door," thinking, get over it - that's old school, and will keep you stuck where you are now. If you want better results, face the fact that personal and professional issues are bound to intermingle at work, and taking care of the personal stuff WILL take care of the business stuff.

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As I was reviewing my clients' progress from 2011, several sayings jumped to mind. Together, they sum up the important mindset shifts my clients had to make in order to move forward, improve their leadership skills and get better results from their people. Along with the essential principles of accountable leadership I identified previously, these mantras will help you snap out of the negative behaviors that get so many leaders into trouble. So find a quiet place, take a deep breath and repeat after me:

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If you want your people to be more accountable, start with making changes to your own behavior. When you care for and support the people who report to you, they will thrive and you will see more of results you're looking for. At the end of every quarter, I sit down with my clients for a review. We discuss the benefits they've seen from us working together, and the value they get out of the relationship. We also look at what changes they've made, and the behaviors they still need to change.

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In The Beginning In the beginning of credit cards, at least as I remember, it was the old slide machine. You know, place the card in the platform and then place a receipt slip with carbon paper insert on top of the card and then slide the roller over and a copy of the vitals is imprinted on the receipt. As a kid, we never could have imagined where our technologies would be today and the way in which people would complete transactions. My How Far We’ve Come

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Preventing Property Managers from Committing to Wasteful Time Sinks? As a full-time property manager in charge of approximately 500+ condominium units and working in an office where there are over 35 properties and 2800+ doors I know a little something about repetition. The job of the property manager is to help manage property not regurgitate information that the members of the association should already have. Here is a short list gleamed from a rather large list of reoccurring themes: Rules & Regulations Violations

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One of my executive coaching clients had successfully instituted regularly scheduled accountability meetings, but was struggling to keep track of all the details he discussed with his team members. That's when I introduced him to the Accountability Meeting Binder - one binder (or section of a binder) that you turn into a handy place to store everything from a person's job description to a list of actions that person has committed to take. You each have a copy of this binder.

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I was coaching an executive in a $4-billion company. He had read my book and now I was working with him one-on-on to teach him the accountability system. He told me that as a result of our work, he had started scheduling regular accountability meetings with all of his direct reports, but he was having a hard time keeping track of everything they'd talked about. And that made it difficult to follow up on what he had asked people to do.

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Do you ever let yourself daydream about how much better things could be at work? For example, let's look at what's behind Door Number One: Imagine that you come to work one day and there's nothing on your desk. There's nothing in your Inbox. No new emails. No one has made any new demands on your time. All of your employees are in their offices, contentedly doing their jobs. When they see you, they don't avoid you. They smile, deliver the results you're looking for, and return to work. When you check the budget, you notice you're in the black, and well above projections.

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As one year winds down and another lies ahead, it's an excellent time to reflect on where you've been and where you're going. I recently went through this process with two different firms when I facilitated their offsite retreats. They had both asked me to help them create a theme for 2012. For one of the companies, it was a matter of revisiting an older strategic plan they were already happy with, but had put on the back burner when the economic landscape changed. Their theme became "Resetting the Plan in 2012."

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It's amazing how often we let simple things stop or block us from doing what we want to accomplish. But with some basic accountability practices, we can blast those obstacles right out of the way and make things happen. Even though it's been years since I worked with Bill, we had lunch the other week and he told me that he still tells this story about how I helped him get past his stumbling block and stay accountable for his goal.

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Now that it's a New Year, I've been thinking about how managing partners and leaders of organizations are so busy, busy, busy, doing, doing, doing, they don't take the time to think, plan and then act, which is my mantra for overbooked leaders.

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Leaders often ask me how to keep people accountable. The first thing we usually need to discuss is what accountability actually means - and it's usually different from what they think. Accountability is not about looking for someone to blame when things go wrong, or nailing that person to the wall. That is a very controlling approach to leadership. When I think of controlling leaders, my client Sally always pops into my mind.

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People often ask me questions about workplace accountability. I figure if one person asks, more people are wondering, so I’ll be answering the questions on my blog so everyone can benefit. This time I’ll be answering two questions:

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Too often, in our business lives and our personal lives, people talk of love but do not even show respect. But the fact is that you do not have to love - or even like - someone to show them loving respect and hold them accountable. I wrote recently about how workplace accountability isn't about leaders looking for someone to blame or nailing someone to the wall when they have made a mistake. It is a process based on a foundation of respect and love.

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I often receive questions about accountability in the workplace. I figure if one person asks, several more are wondering the same thing. So I'll be addressing some of these questions in this and future articles. Question: "Alan, how can leaders hold employees accountable for their mistakes, but promote innovation at the same time (which requires failure to some extent)?"

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If you're not satisfied with how your people are performing, maybe it's time to back up and check whether your expectations are clear. The fact is that even though you may assume your people are clear about their roles and responsibilities, often that's not the case. And if you, as the managing partner or CEO, never raise the issue, your people are likely to stay in the dark fumbling around ineffectively.

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Last month was a good month - great clients, fantastic engagements, excellent results. My business is thriving and I feel like I'm on top of the world. I would even say it was my best month ever. You're probably wondering what I did differently. Did I change my brand of coffee? Start a new exercise regime? Or is this twinkle in my eye from spending time with a new love interest? Nope! None of these results happened from what I did last month. They're the culmination of many months of effort and accountability, using three key elements that I'm going to lay out for you today.

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Question: What's the # 1 reason great people leave organizations? Answer: They don't leave organizations. They leave the managers who aren't showing appreciation for their contributions. That makes the art of acknowledgement one of the most important things you can do to retain and motivate your talented people to stay and do well.

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A few weeks ago, a friend and I were biking on a trail. Beautiful day, great ride, and then all of a sudde I heard this huge “pop!” - it sounded like a gun going off! Now, I’ve been biking trails for 15 years and I’ve never had a flat tire, never mind a blowout. I had no idea what it would sound like, but that’s exactly what it was. Thankfully, I knew the trail well, and was able to borrow my friend’s bike, ride back to the car, and bring the car back to pick her up. But it got me thinking, what if? What if I’d been alone? What if I’d forgotten my cell phone?r

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Meetings get a bad rap in the workplace these days, and rightfully so. Too often, meetings are unproductive, boring and a general waste of time. What’s the problem? The biggest issue is time. With executives and managers being so overbooked, meetings get cut short when they rush in from the last thing they were trying to get done. As a result, people have all these great ideas but there’s no accountability for follow-up and no carry-over from one meeting to the next. Ground rules for meetings

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Each time I end a stretch of accountability work with a client, I ask what they're taking away. For example, I ask about the most memorable things they learned, and where they saw the most growth. I recently had a final session with a client who's been with me for two years. He easily came up with 10+ things that he'd gained from our work. We went through the list and discussed the ways his life was better and easier.

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From the minute you come in the door, your workday calendar is filled - there are internal meetings, client meetings, project lists and other commitments. One leads right into the next, with no break in between. Sound familiar? You're overbooked! In today's culture, if you're not doing something at all times, you're perceived - by others as well as yourself - as being unproductive. So you schedule back-to-back-to-back meetings that have you doing, running, running, running, doing, doing, doing, from one activity to the next. Here are three major consequences of being overbooked:

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People often ask me why regularly scheduled accountability meetings are so important. They struggle with the thought of adding one more thing to their crowded schedules. Although the meetings do take time, it's clear that skipping them costs even more because of the extra time needed to hire, train and retrain new staff, or to do projects yourself because your people are not accountable. "Can't we just chat for a few minutes in the hallway?" is something else I hear quite a bit. And these hallway meetings are a big part of the culture in many organizations. But they don't always work.

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Leo was a sales rep for a furniture company. Every day, he would visit different stores to offer his products. He covered a huge geographical distance, but always visited the same places - as regular as clockwork. There was one particular store that always said, "No." They already had a furniture distributor and there was no need to even have a meeting with Leo. The floor staff would always sent him away before he could even meet the buyer to describe how his service and products were different.

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Hospitals and funerals are two places we rarely want to go. Even when we feel genuine love and conce for the person involved or his/her family, we're distracted by how going to those places makes us feel - awkward, afraid for our own health or mortality, guilty, sad or a whole host of other emotions that may come up. This situation has come up for two of my clients - both leaders in their organization. In Jim's case, a former employee died and Jim was the only one at the company who didn't attend the funeral.

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Instead of focusing only on a task - "When will the ABC project be completed?" - an accountable leader also focuses on the person: "How are you doing with the ABC project? What sort of resources do you need? How can I support you?" Do you see the difference? Can you imagine how it feels to hear a question about a project, versus a question about you? This is a big change for many leaders, who protest: "I don't have time to ask how people are doing, I just need them to get things done!" I understand. Regularly scheduled accountability meetings do take time. But so does:

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My client Joe is in the real estate business. During one of our meetings, he mentioned that he had some unsold properties "in the drawer," as he called it. "How many unsold properties are you sitting on?" I asked. "Three," he said. "And how much are they worth to you?" I asked. Meaning his profit. "You mean, how much money would I make if I sold them?" "I guess I'd make about $220,000 altogether," he said. "I just need to make a few repairs and get them on the market. Even in this market, I think they'd sell pretty quickly."

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So why am I having to scour the Web-verse to see if ‘my big puffy bed’ needs a comma? I’ve been a ‘professional’ writer since my first real job in 1990. A master’s degree in Literature (Or is it a Master’s Degree in Literature?). A writing tutor in grad school. I’m just finishing a 120,000-word novel. I should know this, right? It’s just a simple double adjective (not a simple, double adjective) in the same vein as: A long hard road The thin red line Her jagged little pill Our ugly vinyl house

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It’s that time of year … again. The bustling. The caroling. The tinseling. The wrapping. The chestnut roasting. The mistletoeing. The parties … If you’re new to holiday parties (office parties, family parties, friend parties, friend of a friend of someone else parties), or if you’ve been to plenty of them but are still just not very good at it, here are some tips, in the spirit of giving, to help you knock `em dead and, for better or worse, maybe get invited back next year. #1 – Spruce up

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Most people familiar with my organization know that Future Trust's professionals have always addressed issues from a cause and not a symptom perspective. This relentless pursuit of excellence brought inevitable success and a deep understanding of how people, groups, teams, and organizations work.

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We all know that one of my favorite topics revolve around trust. I often ask people and myself if I really trust God. Almost invariably the answer is Yes. However…. There is a gap between what we say and what we do. Sometimes a big gap. We are not alone in this as there are numerous verses in the Bible where this topic is discussed (James 2:14-17, 1 John 3:18, James 4:17), but these are the ones that I use to drive me: James 1:22 (NIV) – Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

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How many times have you prayed for a better job, relief from financial struggle, a good car, enough food, a secure environment, relief from pain, healing of a disease, a life-partner, clients for your business, and a change in the behavior of your spouse, parents, children or friends? How many times have you prayed for other people who are asking God for one of these things? How many times have you reminded God of his promises throughout the Bible where He promised that He would provide abundantly?

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If you are reading this, my inside is smiling and I want to welcome you to the battle. What battle would that be? You ask… Flesh against Spirit!!! Yup – the big one! God Created man! And the earth, and the universe, and… Genesis 2:7 – Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Please notice – NOT Rock, diamond, steel, gold, thunder, water, or air, but dust… If you want to understand why…

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What makes the forgiveness that Jesus brought to earth unique, different and why is it so important? Forgiveness is a fundamental building block of Christianity and every major religion in the world places a lot of value, esteem, and honor on forgiveness. This is well known and could seem like we have all heard this before except if we look a little deeper.

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As Christians, we are called to faith, Hebrews 11:1 (AMP) – Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

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As Christians, we are aware of sin. We have sinned, we are sinning and we will continue to sin. These are realities of life, inescapable and undeniable. We all know that Jesus came to earth to overcome the burden of sin for all humans, but as believers, we often end up in a position where we feel guilt because of the sin we continually commit. 1 John 1:8 (AMP) – If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.]

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If there is any doubt in your mind about the divinity of Jesus, you only have to look at scripture that quotes what He said. He has an extraordinary economy with words, that cut right to the core of the matter. The simplicity and mostly hidden complexity of statements speak of someone with intimate knowledge of the matter at hand, even though evidence suggests that He received no special education within the existing Jewish “school” system.

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I am one of those fortunate fathers who were present at the birth of my children. At that moment, a bond that is beyond description is formed and I would freely recommend this to any prospective father. In an instant, you become ferociously protective, unrelentingly giving, and unconditionally loving. I believe that when any parent holds their baby in their arms for the first time, they realize that they would die for that child. They move beyond themselves and subjugate their personal desires to the welfare of a defenseless, helpless and dependent being.

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Freedom of choice is a right that we fight for, it is something that we cherish, and it is something that we believe defines us as human, differentiates us from animals and it is something that we have been told is our right. I’m a father and as my children were growing up, I had to modify the amounts of freedom to choose I granted my children. As I became aware that they were capable of more responsibility, I tried to grant as much as I thought was “safe”. Just because a 3-year-old has taste preference, does not mean that he or she can design their own diet.

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We live lives that are overwhelming us by screaming for attention. We all have to do so much – Work, partners, children, friends, family, social activities, finances, acceptance, success – We each have these internal personal struggles in growth, acceptance, self-worth, self-acceptance, self-forgiveness, self-realization – all competing for our time, attention, money, dedication and commitment. O and God must be in there somewhere – Right?

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1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. This simple text is an invitation to transform your life, belief system, moral compass, social reference and simply everything you think you understand. It requires us to attempt something that is impossible to achieve – yet noble and good to strive for. But most importantly, it is a journey. This journey singular in purpose, intentionally moving you closer and closer to God Almighty. For this post to work we have to agree on some elements:

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We see a very clear-cut request coming from Jesus on many occasions. The message is always the same – “Follow me”. We also notice many objections and answers to this simple request, and with it His response. We will look at this request today and the various responses, and find out where we are… Firstly the people that listened.

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Genesis 1: 27 – 30 (NIV) So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

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On this beautiful day, let us try to understand what project management really is. Some definitions: Project management, then, is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. It’s a strategic competency for organizations, enabling them to tie project results to business goals — and thus, better compete in their markets. – PMI.org

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I don’t know if it is just in my specific environment but I see a lot of people that are suffering. Everybody does not suffer the same way; some are old, some are sick, some are lonely and others are financially crippled. As a Christian my heart bleeds for these people and I want to jump in and help, but I have to be honest, there is only so much I can do. I can only do so much… But my Father in Heaven… James 5:16 (NIV) – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

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Very few people on earth live unconstrained, free, prosperous and fulfilled lives. It is one of the most fundamental promises that Christianity makes to those that we approach to adopt our faith, yet some Christians are not free. It is a fascinating situation where we sometimes believe that our earthly constraints hold us back. Oddly enough, when we talk about God setting us free, we “see” this picture:

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Ok, so someone that you know knows someone that did a project once and you have just inherited something that everybody calls a project… What do you do, where do you start? This post is aimed at addressing the most basic elements of project management. These topics are: What is a project? What are the most important things to know? What are the most important things to do? Whoooooo… slow down… Let’s make sure you are busy with a project… NOTE: I have included project speak (terminology) in brackets and italics. What is a project?

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You should already know that you have a project and you can do some planning to get things done – From the previous post – Project Management 101. Now moving swiftly along… There are many standards and approaches available to manage projects: (From Wikipedia) APPROACHES 1. Phased approach 2. Lean project management 3. Iterative and incremental project management 4. Critical chain project management 5. Product-based planning 6. Process-based management 7. Project production management 8. Benefits realization management 9. Earned value management INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

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As researchers have dug deeper into the roots of rejection, they’ve found surprising evidence that the pain of being excluded is not so different from the pain of physical injury… Being on the receiving end of a social snub causes a cascade of emotional and cognitive consequences, researchers have found. Social rejection increases anger, anxiety, depression, jealousy, and sadness. – The pain of social rejection, American Psychological Association

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As I sat there listening to the resurrection message, the strangest thought occurred to me. We are all familiar with the life of Jesus. We know about the prophesies foretelling His coming, His immaculate conception, His birth, we know some portions of His life, His ministry, His message, His teachings, His temptation, His betrayal and His crucifixion. We know that He rose on the third day and we know that He appeared to multiple people before His assentation.r

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For most of us, our faith is on a level where we evaluate our behavior, we consider our relationship with God, we remain humble and grateful for the grace and blessings we receive, one breath at a time. We seem to lose the everyday realities - until we face a crisis, or loss, or deep emotional anguish. It is when we feel most vulnerable that God becomes the absolute center of our lives. It is then, when we have no choice left, that we BELIEVE. It is when we cry out in desperation, tears flowing and knocked to the ground that God finds himself at the center of our attention.

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As we move through lent, it is a time of reflection, introspection, self-evaluation and a moment of truth with the person in the mirror. This is my spiritual highlight of the year. I live in the southern hemisphere and now it is autumn. To experience lent in a time where the earth is “going to rest” must be different from experiencing it in spring. To us the loss of leaves, colour, fruit, ado ment and a return to absolute basics is evident wherever we look.r

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It is something that I cannot begin to understand. Not of myself, or anyone that I have ever met. The profound truth contained withi “I’ve never met a strong person with an easy past” (some attribute it to the poet Atticus). Why do we as humans persist to learn only when we are in pain? Why couldn’t we observe others and learn from that? Why do we have to have our hearts torn out, our lives derailed, our livelihood threatened before we pay attention?

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Recently I became aware of a specific concept. A Christian missionary commented that they could not “introduce” God Almighty to the people that they encountered as God was already there. He just chose to reveal Himself to them in a different way until the missionaries showed up to share the message of salvation through Jesus. Genesis 2:7 (NIV) Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

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This week’s post has two parts. In the first part I will explain why we need to struggle, and in the second part, I will use a piece from another online site to focus on our attitude during this struggle. We are sent to this world by God as a unique expression of His existence. We come here to experience life and to learn and grow.

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Have you noticed how everyone is getting busier and busier? Every year seems shorter than the last, days are packed with activities and tasks to the brim, and then the stress hits... If I could show you how to start winning in both your personal life and profession in just a few simple steps (that you can learn in 5 minutes), would you please not buy the product I’m not selling? My aim is to help - you - today! Management is not a profession but a skill. If you breathe, you are human and have to complete anything by a certain time, you are already doing management.

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In times of a bad economy, when raises aren’t as high as employees would like, and job growth opportunities might be temporarily “frozen”, having a strong, effective recognition program in place can go a long way toward “tiding over” your most valuable employees. ...

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There are few things in your career that will cause as much anxiety as the notion of asking for more money from your boss. However, most of us will find it necessary at one time or another, and it's a good idea to have a firm game plan going into it so that you can maximize the effect of your ...

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When you have an employee who is underperforming for any reason, you must quickly and honestly discuss this with that employee. This discussion will be more easily directed if you have a solid, up-to-date “Job Description” document for this employee’s position, which has been ...

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There are hundreds of people who flock to network marketing businesses as if it were manna from the heavens. As in any business, getting quality leads is likely to affect the extent to which such businesses are successful. Most of the wannabe network marketers are ill equipped to get quality ...

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There are over 50 million internet marketers. Everyone one of them has a product or service he/ she is selling and he/ she makes it sound like it is the best opportunity on the web. Proceed with caution before you act. Do not fall for the big money sales pitch. They make it sound so easy. Make ...

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A SHORTCUT TO PROJECT SUCCESS Speak to an experienced project manager, and they can give you a wealth of good advice on the do's and don'ts to successfully manage any project. All this advice, in a nutshell, would be about how to manage the people doing the work (that includes you too), to ...

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Do you dread public speaking? Do you avoid situations where you might have to stand up in front of others? You are not alone. Research once found that people feared public speaking even more than death! If like many people, you are filled with apprehension about presenting to groups, you can turn this around. Here are three steps to help you on your way to being a confident, successful presenter: Step 1: Tune in to WII FM Radio You will be presenting to a group of people. Why should they listen to you? They will be thinking:"Whats In It For Me?" Put yourself in their shoes.

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When you meet someone for the first time in a business setting, you may only have one chance to make a connection that lasts. So how can you make the most of the opportunity? Here are three steps to help you make a good impression and build strong business relationships. Use these to make better connections in your personal life as well. Step 1: Connect using Language Research in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) shows that we communicate with others on a subconscious level. What is your predominant style of communicating? Visual You think in pictures.

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What is the difference between a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process that makes a modest difference in a company's operational and financial performance and an S&OP process that, year after year, enables a company to achieve its operational, business, and strategic goals? You don't have to look beyond the senior leadership team for the answer. Sales and Operations Planning (also known as Integrated Business Planning) is an executive management process for running the business.

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If you are a manager, strong workplace relationships built on good communication will help you achieve success. Here are three practical steps you can take to make you a better communicator at work. We all know people who seem to be natural communicators at work. They communicate confidently and well with others. People respect them and help them achieve their goals. So what is their secret? Is it possible to become a better one-to-one communicator if it doesn't come naturally? Most definitely! I have seen people transform into great communicators, once they set their mind to it.

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There is no way around it – you are what you believe and what you believe dictates your behaviour. Language is a part of that behaviour and will reflect those beliefs. Some of you may already think that this is ‘wishy washy’ stuff and doesn’t apply to you but it’s what drives you – it’s personally important and in business it’s absolutely critical.

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‘Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.’ Napoleon Hill Procrastination is perhaps one of the biggest issues that business owners and professionals experience on a day-to-day basis. In this article, we are going to establish what procrastination is, identify why you do it, and then look at three ways of tackling the issue. WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION? Wikipedia Encyclopaedia defines it as follows:

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Why didn’t the Skeleton go to the party? Because he didn’t have any body to go with. Okay joke over and now down to business. Skeleton didn’t realise that he was the most important aspect of the physiology of coaching.

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Coaching is now being adopted by far more UK Companies and is one of the most effective ways to develop the ‘business,’ the business leaders and managers. Coaching service provision includes helping businesses to be more creative in their financial management systems, improving poor performance across the business or with specific individuals or groups of managers, improving the effectiveness of decision making and increasing the levels of confidence and esteem of the company and/or individuals.

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If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there - Lewis Carroll It doesn’t matter whether I’m working with Entrepreneurs, Executives or Business Owners the questio WHY always comes up at some stage. The context normally arises when we begin to look at what drives the individual or company to do what they do, or don’t do. Without knowing WHY you do, or don’t do something can have disastrous results, yet the situation can be easily resolved by using such a small but powerful word – WHY. To get to the root of the reason of using WHY I want to explore what WHY means.

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An Intro to 7 Steps to Removing the Blocks to Writing Your First Book So many of us have struggled with procrastination and continue to procrastinate on projects we would like to complete. There would be many more authors in the world if it wasn’t for the inner struggles to get it done. Yet, some people are able to get things done.

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If you were to conduct the research, you would find that there is a lot of information out there on New Age thinking, New Thought Spirituality, New Consciousness, New Energy, and Metaphysics in general. However, you will find that most of the information points to how to apply its principles to everyday life for spiritual or personal development. Hardly any points to incorporating these practices in organizations or business in general. The closest thing to it is the incorporation of a ‘green’ consciousness in companies.

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LAYOFF FEARS QUESTION I am nervous about today’s financial challenges. I think my company is going to start layoffs soon. There are lots of meetings and whispering going on among executives. I can’t afford to get laid off right now because my husband hasn’t been getting consistent work, so there is a lot of pressure on me to keep up with our bills. Do you think there is anything I can do to avoid being laid off if my company is considering it? ANSWER Yes! There are several things you can do that will help to avoid getting laid off.

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As human beings, this question is never far from the center of our minds, especially when faced with challenges. In the face of diversity, it is natural to question our existence. Life can seem senseless at times given the confusion about the meaning of many of life’s experiences. Consequently, there is an ongoing attempt to make sense of it all by many, including me. It is my contention, as it is many others, that we are spiritual beings manifested on earth for the purpose of having human experiences.

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Where should you start as a leader and manager? Everything in the universe has a beginning 1. Your beginning was the fusing of 23 chromosomes from your dad with 23 chromosomes from your mum. And, hey presto you sprang into existence! 2. The Honda Corporation began when Soichiro Honda decided to attach a small motor to his push bike. 3. Geometry began when a chap called Euclid wrote down five self evident statements that he thought would be the starting point of the science of geometric maths. They were simple statements of truth that included the following:

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Some people are more successful than others.

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The only one who will ever truly put your financialnwell-being first is you. When you arm yourself with facts,nand you develop your money-making strategies, you'll seenthat it is much less of a chore (and much more fun) to takencontrol of your finances than you might think. You can makenyourself ...

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Majority of the email messages we receive today either endsnup in our saved messages folder or goes straight to thentrash can. The more dominate and familiar messages arenusually associated with past business or personal contactsnis why we save so many emails in so many folders that itncreates ...

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Since the headline is the first contact your readers have with your message, it must reach out to them. Promise them a benefit. Tell them how they will be better off if they read the rest of the ad. Use action verbs. Save ten dollars is a stronger heading than Savings of ten dollars because ...

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A common cause of frustration in communicating with others is the difference between logical and values-based decision makers. Logical decision makers (like Mr Spock in the original Star Trek series) need sound reasoning to be the basis of their well thought through decisions. They remain distant from the impact of their decisions and take a helicopter view of the situation. It makes sense to them that each topic and decision is treated as a black box with inputs and outputs. Events create data which is then fed into the black box for the decision making process.

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Several of my coaching clients have requested support with either time management or work life balance When we have a discovery conversation on their challenge there is generally much more to discuss on the topic of insufficient delegation. They're keeping excessive responsibilities, authority and duty to their and their company's detriment. Consequently they under perform at their own level. They hold themselves back or suffer from a lack of balance in their lives with too many hours at work.

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Last week I was coaching with a highly focused and talented leader. He asked me if he was using the “right” leadership style. What a great question! The conversation proceeded and we worked through what was appropriate to his goals, his personality, his long term outcomes and the situation at hand. Do you have a leadership style, or do you stumble through each day hoping not to make too many mistakes. Have you through about how you want to lead? Do you adapt your style for different people and different situations or do you adopt a one size fits all.

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My business gives me the opportunity to work with many wonderful people as a client and as a supplier of services. Some time back however, I found myself doubting. I have been doubting other people and their integrity. I found myself in the position where I was filtering all my interactions through the polarising lens of a few souring experiences. In this space and sense of doubting others I had felt unable to create words or metaphors which could possibly be of service to you. So what changed? Frankly, Brett Godfrey did.

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In the last week I have worked with 2 different people who are struggling to get their message across. They each have an idea and are being blocked by another persons’ apparent stubbornness. In each case when they analysed what was happening they discovered that the other person was not in fact being stubborn, but they were reacting emotionally to an inexpertly delivered message. What to do if you are being blocked.

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When you delegate effectively the person you delegate to is both willing and able to take on your task. Being able to shift someone else’s mood up a notch is a useful life skill and is especially useful for leaders and influencers. Being able to shift others moods is a core part of Emotional Intelligence.

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Have you ever set a goal, or had one set for you, and you really believed deep down that you couldn't do it? What happened? You were right weren't you? Conversely have you ever had a goal where you knew for sure that this was a piece of cake? Yes, and you were right again, weren't you? Each News Year some of you will set "Resolutions" that you will; improve business revenue, rnhave a better sales quarter, rncut costs; spend more time with staff and less on paperwork; go to the gym, rnlose weight, rnstop smoking; drink more (water) and so on....

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We cover the topic of Locus of Control in our Leadership programs, so it is 2nd nature for me to take full ownership for whatever outcomes I am creating in my life. After all why teach it if I am not living it? REcently I have had some events seemingly “happen to me” which rocked my belief in my own control over the results I get. Before I get on with that part of the story a short discussion on what exactly is Locus of Control and how can we use it…rnr

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