Game, what game? This is serious stuff and not some kid’s game. You’re right, it is serious. Your employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders are all counting on you and your team to get it right. Being a student of the game is crucial for business leaders, as it fosters continuous learning, adaptability, and strategic thinking.…
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Three true stories… No. 1 A car salesman is working at the Cadillac dealership on a Saturday afternoon. In walks a man who looks like he just fell off a turnip truck: The man is older, diminutive at about 5’5” and both his overalls and hands are filthy, caked with dirt. The rep thinks, “Well, Pigpen is here. Where are the rest of the Peanuts characters?” before going back to his newspaper. The man circles a few Caddies, looks around, and leaves the showroom. The sales rep watches as he…
Read MoreIn her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” author Marie Kondo identifies high levels of clarity and focus that result from eliminating unnecessary items from our personal and professional lives. Removing “clutter” brings with it an almost overwhelming sense of relief and an ability to spend more time and attention on the things that matter most. The same principal can be applied to our quest to make more efficient use of our time. To “de-clutter,” we must first identify and yes, write down how we spend our time…
Read MoreThey come in weekly, even daily during certain times of year: “Is there any way we could convince you to donate the printing/signage/promo? We are a nonprofit.” The natural, snarky response, of course is, “Well, we’re not.” But I advise against that. Instead, try this: “Every year, we budget a certain amount of money to provide work to nonprofits like yours. If you would like an application for next year, I’d be happy to send you one.” Then, create and send out a document which allows you to learn more…
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Most psychology experts agree that there are only two primary emotions: love and fear. All positive emotions are derived from love. All negative emotions are derived from fear. For business owners and sales professionals, success starts with making the right choice. Choice 1. Love When we love what we do, everything brings us joy, excitement,…
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Momentum in business is the force that enables increasingly stronger and faster success. The key to creating momentum in your business is contained in the word itself: moment-um. How we spend our moments in our business is the key to creating momentum in our business. Your to-do list and your calendar are how we plan…
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Now that I have your attention, let me explain. In life we take in a great deal to nourish us — food, water, and air. Once we have used up the nourishment in that food, water, and air, our bodies eliminate the waste each of these creates. The fact is that if we retain the…
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A few years ago, I worked with a life coach. We met once a month and talked about various business and life issues. At the beginning of one meeting, the coach asked me if I was still going to the gym and working out. It’s never good when someone has to ask that question. I…
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I just hung up on a sales rep. Originally, I reached out to his firm to learn more about their services. We had to reschedule a few times over the last few weeks. Finally, we were about to connect. He starts out asking lots of questions about Proforma and the project on which I was working. I asked him what he knew about Proforma, to which he replied, “not a ton.” That’s when I hung up…
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Many years ago, I was in an appointment with a new prospective customer. I gave my spiel. She told me some of the challenges the company was having, and asked what solutions we could offer. My response: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” She politely told me that the sales call was over and I needed to leave…
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