Let’s be clear. Doing things right is all about being efficient. Doing the right things is about being effective. So it isn’t an either/or situation, is it? We want both, don’t we? We want to do the right things and do them right. After all, why would we want to be very efficient at doing
To-do’s Before Year End
January is a time of renewal. It marks a new beginning, a fresh start. But there are things you should be doing now, before December 31, to get you out of the blocks fast when the year turns over. If you’re on a roll, you need to think about how to keep that roll going.
Be a “winning workplace”
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s signature standup bit is, “You might be a redneck.” It’s a whole series of if/then jokes aimed at helping you discover if you could possibly be a redneck. For instance, “If you’ve been married three times and still have the same in-laws, you might be a redneck.” Or, “If you own a
WIIFM? Huh?
As human beings, we are all creatures of motivated self-interest. That’s right, we are all egocentric. Sounds pretty cynical, doesn’t it? But it’s not. It’s just the way we’re wired and the way we make decisions. Should I do this or that? Should I pick A or B? Should I turn left or right, or
Price is an Evil Mistress
Price is an Evil Mistress Setting our price is a conundrum, isn’t it? If we set our price too high, customers go elsewhere. If we set it too low, we leave money on the table. So it’s a tough line to walk, but we all have to walk it. Wait a minute though, is price
“Time kills deals.”
“The longer it takes to close a deal, the less likely it is to happen; time kills deals.” – Marisa Pensa During the “Great Recession,” a lot of merger and acquisition work came to a screeching halt, particularly where small businesses were concerned. In an uncertain business climate, buyers stopped buying, and sellers, fearful that
eHarmony in the recruiting business? Really?
An article in the September 16, 2013 issue of Time magazine noted that eHarmony, the dating service, will begin offering a job-recruiting service sometime in 2014. Seriously?? Apparently so. Not only that, but the article goes on to say that in addition to eHarmony, there are a bunch of startups who hope to use matchmaking
“OK, but let’s look on the bright side . . . .”
In their best-selling book, “Switch,” brothers Chip and Dan Heath discuss why it’s so difficult for us to change, whether we’re trying to change the way we eat or change the way we do business. The culprit is a fundamental conflict that’s hardwired into our brains. But once you understand the conflict, you can find
“Trust is the glue of life.”
Trust is the bedrock of leadership. While there are many other important aspects of sound leadership, trust is foundational. Without it, nothing else matters. Regardless of how charismatic a leader may be, without trust, he or she will have no followers. And the reality is this: trust is very fragile. It must be carefully built
Learn to delegate
I’ve written about delegation before, but I continue to think about it because so many small business owners don’t do it very well. Entrepreneurs often like to pull all the significant levers in the business and push all the important buttons. They built the business and know the critical parts of it better than anyone,
