Listening is good, hearing is better. A foundational element to every relationship is communication. Often, we think of communication as projecting our message – through voice, written word, gestures, or signs. More important than talking is listening. And more important than listening is hearing. Hearing… Read More »Listening
Nudges change our behavior, but what behavior are we changing and why? My Apple Watch has daily, weekly, and monthly fitness goals built in. I wish it had “Vacation Mode” or “Rest Day.” My Kindle rewards me with a digital badge for reading daily. I… Read More »Carrots and Sticks, Streaks and Nudges
What got you to where you are will not get you to where you’re going. On most employee evaluations, we can be categorized in three standards: Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Needs Improvement. Those who excel or consistently exceed expectations are often promoted. However, the… Read More »Meets Expectations
Have you ever received a message from a business associate, brand, or vendor that started with, “It’s been a while, but …” where they then launch into a pitch of their new product or service offering? How does that make you feel? The, “It’s been… Read More »It’s been a while … But
How we frame the question opens up the conversation with our client How we – as the expert – frame our opening statements sets the stage for the interaction with the client. If you’ve ever walked into a retail store and were greeted with, “Let… Read More »Open-Ended Solutions
Finding the alignment in different perspectives will lead to a stronger team Simon Sinek popularized the concept of identifying the Why – the internal motivation that drives you and defines your purpose. But what about your team? How do they respond to your Why? It… Read More »Beyond Your Why
How we track wrongdoings dramatically impacts our team “He will write your name in pencil if you don’t meet his expectations or he perceives you crossed him; if it happens again, he writes your name in Sharpie and you never recover.” These words were said… Read More »Pencil vs The Sharpie
As leaders and entrepreneurs, we must choose not to hide behind a faceless brand, but value the trust our customers have placed in us This week, Facebook released a “Widely Viewed Content” report. They claim it is to increase transparency and allow the public to… Read More »The Value of Trust
At what point does a long list of tasks become counterproductive? In economics, there is a concept called the point of diminishing returns. My Econ teacher explained it using the classroom as an example: if the 30 students were tasked with placing 60 chairs and… Read More »The Diminishing Return of Tasks
One of the greatest parts of my job is the opportunity to connect with special entrepreneurs who have cracked the code on something great. They each have their own story, their own passion, their own reason for being in existence. When I meet them, they… Read More »Everything About Everything