Purpose
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR WHEN YOU NO LONGER OWN YOUR BUSINESS?
To be prepared for when you no longer own your business, you need clear answers to two questions. What will I DO when I step away from the business? What will I NEED when I step away from the business? The question of DO is the most important. DO has to do with fulfilling your…
Read MoreTHE PURPOSE OF YOUR BUSINESS
As a business owner, the purpose of your business is straightforward. The purpose of the business is to help you accomplish your personal purpose. I know too many business owners who behave (or believe) as if the opposite is true. They run their businesses as if the business is their life. This way of thinking…
Read MoreSOME 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…
Read MoreWHEN 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…
Read MoreHAVE MORE FUN AND MAKE MORE MONEY – PART I
Do you want to have more fun and make more money? Here’s the first step I use with CEOs and business owners. It all starts with purpose. The raison d’être. The reason for existence. There’s a lot of talk these days about purpose and purpose-driven companies. Purpose-driven companies can acquire and retain more customers, employees…
Read MoreDEALING WITH INSANITY
I saw someone wearing a t-shirt the other day with the kind of snarky comment that I appreciate with my sense of humor. It read: “I don’t suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.” After a chuckle, I wanted to buy this t-shirt to give it to the owners and CEOs of companies…
Read MoreCAN YOU PICTURE YOUR BONSAI TREE?
The original Karate Kid movie was released in 1984, a coming of age story of Daniel, a young man, whose mentor and best friend is an elderly Japanese maintenance man, Mr. Miyagi. The movie is an excellent blend of teen angst, Asian wisdom, and martial arts. One of my favorite scenes is when Mr. Miyagi…
Read MoreTHE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR KIND LEADERSHIP
In my last email, I explained how being “nice” is self-focused and short-term. Mastering kindness develops many skills that are an essential part of leadership like choosing long-term results over short-term. Giving honest feedback versus spin. Communicating, not just talking numbers. If you didn’t receive my comments about nice vs. kind leadership, you can read…
Read MoreIS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE “NICE” OR “KIND”?
The commercial message for the KIND® protein bar was a smart play on words, “Nice tells you what you want to hear, but kind is honest.” It brought me back to a time long ago that taught me to be kind, instead of nice. I was at a software company, and we were having difficulties finding new…
Read MoreYOU 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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