Posts Tagged With ‘ Performance ’

As businesses across the globe begin to ponder their choices for reopening in a post-COVID-19 world, people will be faced with choices. While governmental restrictions dictate some of those choices, it appears all other choices will be left up to the owner/manager. Are you ready to take a chance? The choices will involve taking chances. How are you set for taking a chance? Here are just a few of the situations I am seeing among the businesses I serve.  Continue Reading

  In learning how to fly an airplane, one of the first lessons has to do with understanding winds. Winds come in basically three types; Head winds – those hit you right in the face Tail winds – those from behind Cross winds – those at angles from the side I believe the challenges we face in life and in business model these three types of wind as well. If we consider all the forms of challenge we face, we can boil it down into these three categories. However, it might be interesting to compare the pilot’s concern with each of these winds as we think about our daily responses to life’s... Continue Reading

There’s an old saying in the sales world. “The confused mind says NO.” Clearly that has big implications when trying to sell a product or service. A prospect who gets confused by your sales pitch will revert to a NO answer all the time. On the other hand, a clear, concise explanation of the thing you are trying to sell will help close the deal. The same is true of leadership responsibility. A confused mind says NO. If you confuse the people around you, the overall performance will be greatly reduced or even eliminated. An employee’s willingness to perform is centered on their ability... Continue Reading

Company culture. It’s a buzzword thrown around in boardrooms and plastered across job postings. But what exactly is it, and how do you achieve it? There seems to be a common misconception: culture is something you build, a foundation laid from scratch. But a thriving company culture is more akin to a garden – something nurtured and encouraged to grow organically. This post dives into the difference between building and growing a company culture, exploring the benefits of the latter and offering tips for cultivating a positive and thriving work environment. Building vs. Growing: A Tale of Two... Continue Reading

People talk about charismatic leaders having “big” personalities. Powerful leaders are often known as “Type A” personalities. We know about introverts and extroverts. But how does personality really impact your effectiveness as a manager or owner of a business? If we take away celebrity status from high paid CEOs and public figures, what else does personality have to do with how you run a business? For starters, I will argue LOTS! Anyone choosing to start a business or get promoted into management must face the challenge of influencing the people around them. Before you open your mouth... Continue Reading

The Wizard of Oz may have been pulling levers and projecting smoke and mirrors, but that wouldn’t make him a very effective leader. In today’s dynamic world, the “man behind the curtain” approach simply doesn’t work. True leaders understand that inspiration stems from visibility, trust from approachability, and connection from relatability. Just like Dorothy needed to see the Wizard face-to-face to gain courage, your team needs to experience you as a real, accessible human to truly follow and be motivated. So, how do you shed the illusion and step out from the shadows? Here are 5 ways... Continue Reading

We often imagine leadership as a grand production. Spotlight moments, heroic decisions, and sweeping pronouncements come to mind. But what if the key to building a truly impactful reputation isn’t found in these blockbuster scenes? What if it lies in the quiet, seemingly insignificant interactions that fill our daily lives? The truth is, leadership isn’t a one-time performance; it’s an ongoing narrative woven from countless threads. Each conversation, each decision, each gesture contributes to the tapestry of how you’re perceived by those around you. These small moments, not the big events,... Continue Reading

Don’t love your work? Can’t wait to get the heck out of there when your shift is done? It’s up to you to find some part of your job to enjoy. Let’s get real: You signed on for this work. You agreed to their terms and conditions. Even if you felt you had no choice but to take this job, at some point you must have been relieved when you got the opportunity.  Why aren’t you pleased that the option came your way? Gratitude for what you have is the beginning of enjoyment. Every person in the workplace has found themselves in this situation at one time or another. I have been in it more than... Continue Reading

Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey have written a thought-provoking book together. It’s called Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier. Yep. There are other books on how to get happy. Why is this one different? One of the many things I enjoy about this content is that Brooks and Winfrey share that happiness isn’t a feeling, it’s a direction. They invite us to consider getting happier as a process we can activate each day. That changes the game. They also invoke the power of three and discuss what research has determined as the three powerful factors that contribute... Continue Reading

In the grand theatre of leadership, there’s a delicate dance playing out on the main stage: the display of expertise. On one hand, we have the confident captains, radiating knowledge like beacons, guiding their teams through uncharted waters. On the other, lurk the know-it-alls, tripping over their own pronouncements, leaving trails of deflated egos and resentful whispers in their wake. The key, then, lies not in shunning expertise, but in mastering a crucial art form: leading with humility. Humility in leadership isn’t about shrinking your brilliance or dimming your light. It’s about harnessing... Continue Reading