Many business people have confided that they often feel uncomfortable starting a conversation, especially with a stranger, at networking events. Strangers are, of course, the most important people to talk with at these gatherings. That’s the whole point, right? – to meet new people and establish new…Read More
Communication
Emotional Intelligence
Business leaders who pay attention to their own and their associates’ emotional reactions to things they say and other stimuli in the workplace have…Read More
Customer Service
Great customer service by Duluth Trading Company! Read on to hear the rest of that story.
Call me old-fashioned if you like – I believe it’s impossible to have a conversation by electronic data exchange, that is, by email or…Read More
Employee Poaching
In many industries, especially the high-tech industries, employee “poaching” is regarded as an effective way of finding talent. After all, hiring someone who has already demonstrated the skills, ingenuity, and work ethic you are seeking seems to make sense, right? Why take a chance on…Read More
My Move to Argentina
This message marks a significant change in my life and business.
On the personal side of things, many of you who have talked with me recently know that, beginning in October this year, my primary residence and office will be in Cafayate, Argentina. For those who haven’t heard me on the subject of the delights…Read More
Teamwork and Communication
TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION – PART 1
This week I’ve been thinking a lot about communication. We form teams to do more than the sum of what the individual members could accomplish if they worked independently. What makes teams (at least some of them) more effective than individuals working independently? The short answer is…relationships among the…
TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION – PART 2
You Can Read Part 1 Here. In order for people to be productive, it is vital that they know what to do. Seems like a simple concept, right? Well, it is. However, in many organizations there is confusion about this, which leads to unclear communication on many levels and frustrated employees, neither of which is…
OPPORTUNITIES ARE EVERYWHERE
One of my favorite little diversions is playing Free Cell on my computer. For those of you who are not familiar with Free Cell, it is a form of solitaire in which nearly every, if not every, game is winnable. An important lesson it has taught me, or more correctly, highlighted for me, is this.…
LOOK AHEAD… AROUND THE CURVES… PAST THE OBSTACLES
One of my favorite activities is sports car autocrossing. We set up a tight serpentine course, marked by traffic cones, on a large expanse of pavement such as an airport ramp or parking lot. Participants drive all sorts of cars through the course, one at a time, and compete for the lowest time through the…
LAUGHING IS WONDERFUL THERAPY FOR THE BODY AND MIND
But what – or whom – to laugh at, or with Many studies by recognized medical experts have concluded that laughter is one of the best therapies for improving one’s health, even in such dire circumstances as terminal cancer. Apparently the endorphins produced during laughter are among the best medicines for strengthening the immune system…
DON’T PUSH – LET IT FLY
Since I became a check airman early this year, I’ve tried to learn things from each checkride that will help me and allow me to help other pilots as I work with them in training, checkrides and other interaction. Here are a few observations from life and flying that may be helpful to you –…
COMMUNICATION
Whenever several people work toward a common objective, it is important that they understand each others “sent” communication, whether it be verbal, written, or by some other means. Most of us are familiar with the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where chaos reigned because the people working on the tower all spoke different…
ALL MUST PULL IN SAME DIRECTION
Once the mission of an organization is established, it’s important to look carefully at the efforts of each unit of the organization. The mission of each unit should be evaluated as to its fit with the mission of the organization as a whole. When all agree that the missions of all the units are in…
“FIXING” OR “CREATING?”
Here’s a little anecdote about “fixing” a problem: Recently I noted some symptoms of “problems” in my truck. The apparent “problem” was uneven and excessive tire wear. The most simplistic approach is to replace the worn tire(s). Digging a little deeper, we discovered that the wheel alignment was considerably out of tolerance, despite having been…