Five Things I’ve Learned About Business from Boating
If you have ever gone boating you know there are a lot of things that need to be checked and double checked. From the obvious things like making sure everyone has a life jacket to the not so obvious, but equally important, things like making sure the safety kit is on-board and easily accessible. Too …
How to use Your OBT to Create Success
Every day we wake up. And every day we are inevitably supposed to do something. Whether it’s to write a report, make a phone call, book an order, meet with a new client, or whatever that something is. There is always something that needs to be done. That something has a high priority and value …
Accountability Matters
At work we hear a lot about responsibilities and commitments. These terms are usually applied to tactical and specific actions and deliverables. They are not typically indicative or definitive of who we are and what we perceive ourselves to be. Our personal Level of Accountability (LOA) is something we assign, define and measure ourselves…about ourselves.…
Your LOI May Vary, But Should Never Waver
Have you ever blindly and blithely said “yeah sure” to a question that was being asked of you?
Were you really listening to the person asking the question or really just hoping they would go away?
In this conversation did you commit to deliver or do something? Did you really understand what you were being …
What is your LOT in Life?
Last week I attended the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Houston. One point was brought home during one of our evening events by a friend I had only known in Social Media circles. We had never met in person. Yet we run in the same circles. We work with a lot of the same …
What’s your Strategic Narrative?
Storytelling has been around since humans began communicating. Whether it was in the form of cave drawings or primitive grunts. The earliest stories were developed as a way to help current and future generations survive. As speech evolved, stories evolved too. Stories were developed to help share values, beliefs and even hopes and dreams. The …
Can You Spare 40 Minutes to Learn a New Trick?
They say an old dog cannot learn a new trick. I think that is categorically false.
If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
5 years or 20 hours?
Would you be willing to spend 20 hours to acquire a new skill? That’s only …
Responding Well is an Art Form
When you are faced with a decision do you make a Snap Decision or a calculated and Measured Response?
Different situations can call for one or the other. If you are driving and someone steps into the street or a car veers your direction you will need to implement a quick response. If your customer …
Listen to the Stories, but Heed the Actions
Listen for the stories.
Believe the actionsA lot of companies tell great stories. Listen to them. They may include great folklore and mythology. However, pay special attention to what companies actually do. What they do is who they ARE.
This is another way of saying – Actions Speak Louder than Words
Some companies get …
Don’t Pave the Cow Paths
One of my favorite lines from a book I read many years ago is about cows. Well, not literally about cows, but uses a metaphor about a perception of cows. The perception is that cows will do the same thing over and over again because well … they will. They’ll follow the same trail to …