I remember going on an important job interview decades ago. The person interviewing me asked, “In this company, we like to hire strategic thinkers. How much time per week do you spend on strategic thinking?” I had been on a number of different job interviews by that...
If you are like most people, you probably believe you are a great listener. The problem is that everyone else that you have to deal with needs to improve their listening skills, right? The truth is that this often-used term has two parts — “Listening” and “Skills.” We...
Can team-building activities increase productivity in a recession? When the economy slows, company leaders have to be cautious with every expense. They often put off hiring new employees until more certainty develops. When we do this, though, team members end up...
Want potential customers to flock to you? Create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that customers can’t get anywhere else. You should have one single unique selling point that sets you apart from your direct competitors. Then, design marketing messages that outline...
Do Managers Need to Develop Good Coaching Skills? And If So, Why Do Managers Need Coaching Skills? Several months ago, I flew home from a management-leadership program I was teaching for a company in Phoenix. One of the benefits of being a frequent flier is that... on...
Small Businesses are always looking for new lead generation ideas, but many of the things that entrepreneurs do before they even make their first cold call or before they attend their first business card exchange practicaly ensure that they actually fail in the Lead Generation department. Folks say that “Experience is the best teacher,” but that is really only about half right. In fact, “Someone ELSE’S experience is the best teacher,” because they have already made those mistakes. Learn from their mistakes, and you get to a higher level of success in a much faster time frame.