SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT TODAY

I’ve been stuck in the house for the past couple of weeks. Like most people, my purchases have decreased, but I am trying to buy from local businesses when I have the chance. Most of my experiences have been great. Here are a few examples of experiences that weren’t. “I Don’t Care.” I drove to…

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WHEN YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN

Covid-19 has hit us in a way that was scarcely imaginable.  It also has humbled us to know how little control we have over our businesses and in life. You’ve been knocked down by this situation.  You are not alone. Step 1: Get Up.  Don’t lay there overanalyzing what hit you.  If you don’t get…

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HOW TO HAVE MORE FUN AND MAKE MORE MONEY – PART 2

The first step to having more fun and making more money is to align your business’ purpose with your personal purpose. The second step is to create and execute business goals that progress the business’s purpose. This might sound easy, but it’s not.  And more important, it’s not common. According to research done by the…

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YOU ARE WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS SAY YOU ARE

Years ago I joined a company just as they were preparing to launch a new (and expensive) marketing campaign. A focus group comprised of a dozen customers was invited to preview the campaign. As the new executive, I was asked to attend. The central message of the campaign was “innovation.” Its focus centered upon all…

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THE ONE THING YOU CAN’T DO FOR YOURSELF

The one thing you can’t do for yourself… is to coach yourself. Here’s why. You can’t see what you can’t see. Everyone has blind spots. A coach can be an extra set of eyes to assist you in “seeing” and understanding things going on in your organization, marketplace, or even within your leadership team, that…

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Managing The Two “Black Holes” of Business

Marketing and Customer Service are the two “black holes” of business. Both are critical, but neither is ever complete. Unlike more tangible areas of work there is no “quota” to exceed, there is no “inventory” to manage, there is no “work order” to complete. But no matter how much is invested in Marketing and Customer…

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The Best Non-Profits Have Much In Common With For-Profits

Over the years I’ve had the blessing of serving non-profits as a volunteer, board member, leadership coach, and as a strategy and performance evaluator. And one big thing has jumped out at me. The best non-profits have much in common with for-profits. Especially in terms of goal setting and strategies. They don’t mistake good works…

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A Crisis in Business Identity

A company who hit a business downturn contacted me, seeking my help with improving their alignment and efficiency. The deeper I dug I realized this was not an alignment issue. It was an identity crisis. The company had grown quickly. Their rapid success had the company running to keep up, and the inflow of money…

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The Elephant and the Brown Fur Seals (An Elephant Tale)

The Elephant decides it’s time to start a new employee recognition program by doing this he can personally recognize the staff. He calls this program the Frequent Incentive for Staff Happiness or F.I.S.H. His HR Director quickly puts it in place and has F.I.S.H certificates printed up allowing him to hand them out. Each time…

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Books, Peer Groups, and Mentors

It takes time and experience for CEOs to gain the knowledge and wisdom needed to grow their businesses and leadership teams. Three tools that can accelerate the process are books, peer groups and mentors. BOOKS. I love books and am an avid reader. I typically read about eight titles at a time ranging from business and…

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