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12 Mar, 2012

Performance Reviews Would Be Great If…

By |2016-10-29T15:29:51+00:00March 12th, 2012|Accountability, Business Strategy, Corporate Culture, Leadership, Personal Development, Results|

Complete this sentence: Performance Reviews would be great if …. I asked participants in a series of workshops that question last week, and their answers were surprising and inspiring. There were the usual responses thrown in for comedic effect such as performance reviews would be if I always received top reviews and the maximum pay raise. But, most of the responses suggest that performance reviews could be valuable tools to provide feedback, encourage improvement, and enable results.

12 Feb, 2012

Right Number – Wrong Measure

By |2014-10-19T22:25:01+00:00February 12th, 2012|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Government & Politics, Leadership, Personal Development, Results|

What if the unemployment rate is the wrong measure? The U.S. economy added 243,000 jobs in January 2012, and the unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 percent to 8.3 percent. That’s huge, and everyone should be excited regardless of their political affiliation. This is the type of employment gain that solidifies the economic recovery. But, what if the right number turns out to be the wrong measure?

23 Jan, 2012

Corporate Paralysis

By |2016-10-29T15:29:51+00:00January 23rd, 2012|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Communication, Leadership, Results|

Once in a while someone comes along with the unique ability to blend life’s circumstance with solid business advice. And in the case of Chad Hymas, he’s also an incredibly good person. As you are about to find out, there is much to learn from Chad. I recommend that you purchase Doing What Must Be Done right now. Its lessons are important for your life and your business.

23 Dec, 2011

Act Now To Earn Trust

By |2016-10-29T15:29:51+00:00December 23rd, 2011|Accountability, Business Strategy, Communication, Corporate Culture, Integrity & Ethics, Leadership, Personal Development|

People trust you, right? Most people won’t look you in the eye and say, “I don’t trust you.” That is especially true if you are in a position of power. But, the symptoms of mistrust are there. It is up to us to see them. You could be experiencing a lack of trust if you are seeing any of the following:

10 Dec, 2011

Delivering Results in the New Abnormal

By |2016-10-29T15:29:51+00:00December 10th, 2011|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Corporate Culture, Leadership, Results|

So here’s a scary thought: What if the turbulence that we’ve seen in the past three years is the new normal? This is an exciting time to be in the business of building a team, a department, and an entire organization. It is not for the faint of heart, however. The legendary brands of the future are being created today by leaders and organizations who relish the opportunity to compete and master life in the new abnormal.

31 Oct, 2011

The Only Culture That Matters

By |2016-10-29T15:29:52+00:00October 31st, 2011|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Corporate Culture, Leadership, Results|

“Culture” is becoming the catch word for virtually every new business book, training program, or speech. There are people out there who want to help you develop a culture of accountability, service, innovation, celebration, learning, listening, sustainability, trust, recognition, teamwork, engagement, and change. The only culture that matters is the one that helps you and your organization achieve your desired results.

22 Oct, 2011

Three Questions Determine Your Value

By |2016-10-29T15:29:52+00:00October 22nd, 2011|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Leadership, Results|

The reality of today’s market-driven world is brutal. We are all better at some things than others. Most of us are actually excellent – or at least better than average – at some aspects of our business or personal performance. And, that doesn’t matter unless what we do well adds value to the customer.

11 Oct, 2011

It’s the Culture, Stupid!

By |2016-10-29T15:29:52+00:00October 11th, 2011|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Corporate Culture, Innovation, Leadership, Results|

What separates the marketplace heroes in every industry from the has-beens and wanna-bes? It can’t be just products, services, or price. Your competitors don’t hire all geniuses and leave you with the dunces. Their computer systems, compensation, and operational processes are not dramatically better than yours. When they discuss strategy, the words on their flip charts are not significantly more insightful than yours. The difference is an intangible. It is a culture where every person at every level is focused on and committed to delivering results that are critical for success.

30 Sep, 2011

Want Growth? Part IV: Try Some Confidence

By |2016-10-29T15:29:53+00:00September 30th, 2011|Business Growth, Business Strategy, Government & Politics, Leadership, Personal Development|

The numbers are in, and people lack confidence. Not all people, but enough of them to slow consumer spending and business investment. Lack of confidence changes behavior. Confident consumers spend more money because they believe the future will be positive. Confident sales people make more sales because they trust their ability and the value of their product. Confident companies invest in innovation, talent development, and new equipment because they believe that they will be rewarded for their investment.

22 Sep, 2011

Want Growth? Part III: Raise the Talent Level

By |2016-10-29T15:29:53+00:00September 22nd, 2011|Business Growth, Business Strategy, Government & Politics, Leadership, Personal Development|

Your value in the marketplace is in direct proportion to the importance and complexity of the problems you can solve and solutions you can provide to your customers. Put another way, you can’t earn a brain surgeon’s salary with a talent level that qualifies you to be a convenience store clerk.

6 Sep, 2011

Want Growth? Part I: Start With Trust

By |2016-10-29T15:29:53+00:00September 6th, 2011|Business Growth, Business Strategy, Government & Politics, Integrity & Ethics, Leadership, Personal Development|

The U.S. economy is in a self-fulfilling death spiral propelled by mistrust. There is a good chance that the same thing can be said of your industry, your employer, and your career. Growth requires investment, and that requires confidence. You can’t cut your way to sustainable growth. When trust is absent, people naturally protect their immediate self-interest. This will occur even if it leads to their long-term individual and collective undoing.

17 Aug, 2011

Let’s Be Honest About Dishonesty

By |2016-10-29T15:29:53+00:00August 17th, 2011|Accountability, Business Growth, Business Strategy, Corporate Culture, Integrity & Ethics, Leadership, Personal Development|

Dishonesty is not new, but let’s be honest—our society has raised the rationalization of dishonesty to an art form. When it comes to the truth, we embellish, expand, enrich, soften, shave, stretch, and withhold. We misspeak, pretend, bend, and improve. We are guilty of mistakes, misjudgment, and truthful hyperbole. We exaggerate, spin, filter, and inflate. However, we rarely—or perhaps even never—believe that we are guilty of dishonesty.

17 Aug, 2011

Leadership & The Tea Party

By |2016-10-29T15:29:53+00:00August 17th, 2011|Accountability, Government & Politics, Integrity & Ethics, Leadership, Personal Development|

What’s not to like? Millions of like-minded people promoting limited federal government, individual freedoms, personal responsibility, free markets, and a return of political power to the states and the people. How could anyone argue that the Tea Party is a bad thing? Oh wait! That can’t be right. The Tea Party is actually millions of small-minded people who engage in racist behaviors and want to take away the power of the federal government to set policy and help society by cutting the funding to every social program that they don’t like. So which is it? The answer is, “It depends on your point of view.”

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