Owners of successful business enterprises will be the first one to tell you that you need to invest in your people. When you are running a business, you need to rely on the efficiency of each person involved in the organization, whether that person is a front liner or is working in the back office. Being an owner of a …
Resolutions Already Broken? Here’s How to Reach Them
Did you make any resolutions this year? Did you resolve to go to the gym, lose weight, make more money, save more money, or be less stressed? How well are you doing so far? If your resolutions have already fallen by the wayside or never started. You’re not alone. A FranklinCovey survey found that more than 75 percent of people break their New …
Personal-Branding Tips From ‘Shark Tank’
Ah, the great American dream! Quit your day job, roll up your sleeves and build a multi-million dollar business. Who wouldn’t want that, right? Below, sharks from the ABC hit show, “Shark Tank,” contestants who’ve been there, done that (and lived to tell) as well as a prime-time TV host share their career advice. It turns out their lessons about personal branding ring …
Success is Built on Exceptional Professional Relationships
Professional success is important to everyone, but still, success can and does (and definitely should) mean different things to different people. But one fact is universal. Real success, the kind that exists on multiple levels, is impossible without building great relationships. Real success is impossible unless you treat other people with kindness, regard, and respect. After all, you can be a …
Effective Performance Reviews – They Matter!
It’s performance review season, and you know the drill. Drag each of your direct reports into a conference room for a one-on-one, hand them an official-looking document, and then start in with the same, tired conversation. Say some positive things about what the employee is good at, then some unpleasant things about what he’s not good at, and end — …
Why Your Employees Think They’d Be a Better Boss
A new survey offers some surprising insight into what goes on in your employees’ minds. Ever wonder what’s really going on in your employees’ heads? A new University of Phoenix survey of more than 1,000 working adults may provide some insight into what those who work for you are thinking–but not saying out loud. The results are surprising. You might guess that …
A Launch Manual for Innovation – HBR
Innovation, The First Mile: That first mile—where innovation moves from an idea into the market—is often plagued by failure. In fact, less than 1% of ideas launched inside organizations have any real impact on the bottom line. The ideas aren’t the problem. It’s the process. In his new book, The First Mile: A Launch Manual for Getting Great Ideas Into the Market, …
Earning Employee’s Trust
Fostering trust doesn’t have to be daunting. Employees are often suspicious and don’t trust management. Everyone has had a bad boss in the past, and that experience can taint future interactions, unless good bosses are sensitive to this baggage. You can’t take suspicion personally, but you do need to address it. Distrust can drain employee productivity and motivation. It can …
Active Executive Listening on the Front-Line
The higher up you go in an organization, the harder it is to stay in touch with what’s really happening on the front lines. And the bad news—if you hear it at all—is presented only in the best possible light. How do you get the real truth about what’s happening out in the field? How do you stay connected to …