Getting out in front of your fires

Too many problems, not enough time, not enough resources, and no time to think. These issues plague small and medium sized organizations of every sector in society. Bouncing from one fire to the next leads to feeling overwhelmed and frustration.

There is a way forward …

Ask your people, “Do our meetings suck? … … lessons for every sector from retail to charities

At the risk of being flippant, this topic is very important. Too many meetings and training sessions for organizations are ineffective. This post is just a start, but it is a good place to start thinking about make changes in your approach to meetings. Leading innovative, interesting, and effective meetings and training sessions can make the difference between engagement and failure.

PRICE IS NOT THE ONLY IMPORTANT QUESTION

As a former furniture and appliance store manager I am frequently asked for recommendations by friends and colleagues. Too frequently people only look at price when deciding which retailer or merchant to patronize. Price is important, but not the only factor in making a good choice.

Take a few minutes and read this post and the next time you are making a furniture or appliance purchase, consider these questions.

Turning the page on price focused marketing

Marketing and advertising is all about us; however, the vast majority is just “noise,” and too many small and medium-sized merchants get caught up in that noise. Today’s post is about “turning the page on price” to focus on those things that add value for your customers and clients.

For students of all ages, from teenagers to senior citizens

Recently, I listened to a story about how an entire generation of students are writing exams for the first time and that inspired me to write this post about how to prepare and write an exam. Whether you are one of those students; a high school or college student, or a professional preparing for a course exam; there should be something in this post to help you.

Mind the gap.

Many organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of “On-Boarding” new people to their teams. Taking the time to introduce “Team Charters” and developing “living processes” that help nurture and develop people are vital to increase staff retention. Managing “off-boarding” is also important. It is a process that should not be ignored, to gain valuable insights and feedback but also to ensure the organizational relationship is ended properly.

Common Sense, the least common of all senses, and Lesson’s Learned.

Learning from mistakes, encouraging feedback, and applying lesson’s learned should be common sense … you would think. Unfortunately this is not always the case. One of the most important “Tools Everyone Can Use,” is incorporating some method of applying “Lesson’s Learned” to things you or your organization do.

Tools Everyone Can Use to Handle Pressure

A friend asked for a post on pressure. I wrote this with them in mind using tools other have shared with me. I hope that it might help other people as well. Handling pressure is a learned skill and sharing skills and stories is a great way to help friends and family.

Success is often found in small details

Often lost in everything that is written or said about great leadership are small, but very important attributes. Leadership is about building relationships with people, gaining willing cooperation, consistency, and thoughtfulness. Please take a few minutes, read this post, share the points, and add anything that you think is missing.