I've had the pleasure and honor to meet some of the world's greatest leaders and leadership gurus. From Sir Richard Branson, General Tommy Franks, and Captain Mike Abrashoff to Dr. Warren Bennis, Dr. Henry Mintzberg, and Tom Peters. And I get paid to do it! Through our work with Linkage Inc., we help support their broadcasts of these famous people by designing and developing participant and facilitator guides that many clients use to turn a...more
It's time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I'm sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to the sermon I've preached before: bad customer service is the bane of business. If the Almighty smote down every business that dispenses bad customer service the...more
If there is not enough diversity in your employee base or there is high turnover with certain groups of employees, your organization will not be able to leverage the power of diversity. Building diversity in a company through recruiting and retention is an important step to creating an inclusive workplace. Are your recruiting efforts doing the following? Here are some tips to help build diversity in your organization through recruitment: - Begin to recruit from middle and high schools. Attend career days and come prepared to discuss the benefits of working for your organization and your industry. - Identify stereotypes of people who work in your industry and develop strategies for changing perceptions i.e. Firefighting should only be a male occupation.- Use more inclusive language and visuals in rule books, orientation, and recruiting materials. - Create cross-cultural and cross gender mentoring programs and provide training for mentors. - Develop relationships with associations and organizations that are geared toward underrepresented groups. - Be aware of your own biases and stereotypes and their impact on the environment. - Create processes to make people who are different from...more
Abstract: Delegation is art and science. Effective leaders know when and how to delegate in order to 1) get more done and 2) develop people. This article provides tips for effective delegation.As a project leader, manager, or business owner, you may suffer from a fatal disease - one that can suck the very life force from not only you but from...more
Real estate success? It happens by way of the many things you repeatedly do right, and it is your habits that ensure they get done. Here are some habits to develop for your real estate investing success.Ask for people's names, and tell them yours. People are your most valuable resource in real estate investing. The more you know, the more likely...more
It's true, You can make a lot of money by investing in real estate. Yet, many investors are not. And when you look at their real estate investment strategy, it's no surprise.The problem is that they have been brainwashed by the so called real estate investment gurus. You know the ones that I am talking about. The ones that tell you that for a few of your hard earned dollars they will teach you all their ultimate short-cut secrets to successfully making millions.They will tell you that you don't need a job, money or credit. All you need to do is pay them and they will show you the exact way to invest in real estate. Do what they say, follow their real estate investment strategy and your life will changed forever.Well I have some bad news for you. In most cases, it's the worst real estate investment strategy you could ever follow.Don't get me wrong, Its' OK to go to seminars, buy books and audio products if you are using this information to learn certain techniques, financing options, tax laws and other ways to invest. In fact, you should do this, because it will make you more creative and you will become a smarter real estate investor, however it's not the most important thing that...more
A Business Necessity - CommunicationThis business necessity is often something we tend to NOT think about since we feel it's something that is always there. What is this necessity? Communication. Communication happens every day. We talk to people....more
The beginning of a new year is a time when many of us make resolutions, some resolutions are intended to improve aspects of our personal life and some are professional life-based resolutions to achieve certain goals. Among the personal and...more
Successful business relationships are based on Value, Competence, Trust, and Propriety.ValueValue: The customer's perception of your worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance. Value addresses the customer's question, "What can this person or...more
Judgment is the process of forming an opinion of something by making a comparison. While judgment can play an important role in decisions we must make to live productively, sometimes the thoughts we hold are what prevent us from having what we most...more
Support functions like training often are the first to feel the impact of difficult times. Ironically, the crunch comes at a time when many businesses may benefit from their services.Let me be clear at the outset, during lean times especially,...more
Proper Funding is a pre-requisite for the successful operation of a Home Based Business. The fact is that without sufficient funds even the best planned Home Based Business whether it is big or small is bound to fail. Cash is an important ingredient...more