The first quarter of the 2025 calendar year is now complete. These first three months of the year saw the transition of the federal administration and many changes that accompany that sequence of events. Independent of views on one administration approach to the next, business still goes forward. It could be viewed as a very long, winding, hilly road or possibly through the perspective of a carousel going round and round and up and down.
When you hear the word “Trust,” you might experience a wide variety of emotional and physical reactions. Some might be very positive, while others might cause negative sensations that you would rather dismiss quickly. Trust is one of those elements in business that leaders want to believe exists in their organization but are sometimes too nervous to test the waters to determine just what the team believes actually exists. If they dive in and confirm that…
Our world operates at breakneck speeds. It seems that every day the rate and pace of change and getting things done moves faster and faster. In some situations, this rate of progress has been very beneficial to business and society in general. It affords us more time to accomplish other essential items, thus we accomplish more with less time.
Urgent does not necessarily mean effective or efficientRead More »
Yes, it is an old cliché that has been spoken about and written about many times and has even been used in commercials. Apparently, it has not sunk into our minds or daily lives. In today’s world of ever-expanding social media, technology, texting, and other varieties of communication, there are more and more platforms for people to talk, and talk, and even more talk. There are lots of opinions to be shared.
Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.
Gerald R. Ford – 38th President of the United States of America
Communication in all formats is imperative for successRead More »
When a customer, employee, or vendor conducts a transaction with your business, they arrive with a predefined set of expectations about how that event will occur. These expectations are shaped by any number of prior experiences they might have had, either with your business or other businesses or people interactions. They can even be things totally out of both your and their control, such as the weather or personal items going on in their lives.
Speak with just about any business leader about their team, and you will get some disconcerting dialogue about their impression of how some of their employees don’t seem to be as engaged as they used to be. Some will tie it back to the pandemic and how once staff returned from working at home, they just don’t appear to have the same interest in their job. Others will associate it with the generational differences between this group or that group. Still, others try to look past it and push forward, hoping it will somehow magically disappear if they don’t acknowledge it.
In a marketplace bombarded with product and service offerings, differentiating your organization’s items can be very daunting. Years ago, it was all about identifying the unique difference your products or services had in the marketplace compared to the competition. Some of this is still needed, but…
Most leaders have heard the framework of “Plan—Do—Check—Act.” It has been around for many years and has been reworded to fit into a variety of approaches to helping organizations be more successful. It has been used and applied over the years because it is straightforward at its core.
As we wrap up the fall and winter football season, there are many business lessons leaders can take away to help them build their organizations to the next level of success. These lessons include everything from how to celebrate amazing wins to graciously accepting tough losses. They also include…