Posted: December 10, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

When I was in my late 30’s, I was attending a 6-week leadership seminar and learned a valuable lesson:  Be careful when you tease.  The subject was teamwork, and the instructor brought up the topic of teasing.  He said, “Teasing can be one of the most subtle forms of cruelty.”  He went on to say, “Have any of you ever been in situation where someone said something to you in jest, you chuckled, and then later had second thoughts?”  “You may have thought to yourself, “I wonder what he meant by that”.Read More…

Posted: December 4, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Management

Have you ever worked for a boss where you felt you couldn’t do anything right?  Then there is the other extreme:  The boss who never says anything.  You don’t know if what you are doing is right or wrong.Read More…

Posted: December 1, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Networking, Self-Improvement

“Did you ever feel like the world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?”  – George Goebel

Picture this:  You just started a new job or joined an organization.  You don’t know anyone.  It is time for you to attend your first social event.  As you walk in, you hear talking and laughter.  Folks are clustered in groups engaged in conversation.  You want to be a part of your new group, but you can’t figure out how to get started.  Just when you are starting feel completely invisible, an energetic, radiant individual springs from one of the groups.  She approaches you smiling, extends her hand, and introduces herself.  She then starts asking questions.  She wants to know what you do and why you enjoy it.  She then says, “C’mon, I want to introduce you to some folks.” Read More…

Posted: October 29, 2015 | Categories: Leadership

A few months ago I was reading an article in an industry trade magazine.  It was about top-down communication in organizations.  Here were the survey results:

When top management was asked if their front-line team members clearly knew what was expected of them, over 80% said yes.  Then the group asked the front-line people if they were clear on exactly what was expected of them.  Only 40% said yes.  That is quite a gap, isn’t it?  It can also be costly.  As leaders, we need to clearly communicate our expectations.Read More…

Posted: September 25, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Sales

“Don’t start what you can’t finish”  – The Sorcerer in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

Several months ago I read a news story about a large national  fast food chain and their perceived quality of customer service.  They were in 5th place.  That wasn’t where they wanted to be, and it bothered them.Read More…