There she sat across the table from me. Frazzled, frustrated, and utterly exhausted. This gifted, passionate leader had been the CEO of her company for only a few months, but she was already running on empty. And wondering … Wondering if the role was right for her. Wondering if she had what it takes to […]
Read MoreIt’s not enough to just be in business. There may have been a time when that was enough (maybe), but not anymore. To just be in business means that you just provide a job to your employees, just provide a product to your customers, and just provide shelf space to your vendors. The problem is, […]
Read MoreClassic sales dogma says this: ABC. Always be closing. If you’re still following that acronym, please stop. Now. You’re ruining sales for the rest of us. Replace it with this: ABG. Always be giving. ABG Versus ABC Here are four critical differences between ABG and ABC: Always be giving starts by providing important, valuable information […]
Read MoreThere it is: the blank screen. Staring at you. Mocking you. Daring you to write something that will actually be read. Daring you to write something that will be taken seriously and acted upon. It may be an email, a report, a letter, a blog post, or any one of a dozen forms of written […]
Read MoreI’m standing atop a tall building. We walked past the “Danger” and “No Public Access” signs—written in red with big, bold letters—ignoring them like playground children. My feet feel the hard edge of the rooftop line, below me open air. “Trust me, just jump,” words whisper in my ear. “Trust me …” And then I […]
Read MoreWe’re sitting in the third waiting room of the day. The first was not like a waiting room at all. Its high ceilings, ceramic tile floor, and overstuffed chairs felt more like the foyer of a fancy hotel than the entranceway of a hospital. The second waiting room, with a sign marked “Radiology” hanging above […]
Read MoreI just unwrapped the cellophane from a brand new Moleskine journal. I get a thrill every time I break open a new notebook, move the tassel to page one, and embark on filling its 240 acid-free pages. This is Moleskine journal Volume 21, the other 20 five-inch by eight-inch volumes line my shelf like soldiers […]
Read MoreI know it’s a disgusting image, but it’s an apt metaphor for effective leadership. Sneezing. If you’ve ever been sneezed on with the full force of spittle in your face, you may not be able to keep reading this post. But please–trust me–the point is powerful. This sudden expulsion of air, traveling at a rate […]
Read MoreIt’s the technology we love to hate, but can’t live without: our smartphone. That’s the conclusion an MIT research study reached about the personal impact of inventions in the last century. The smartphone handily beat out the alarm clock, the television, and email. Do you agree? As amazing as our smartphones are—with apps for doing […]
Read MoreI’ve never met a business leader who’d actually say, “Oh no, metrics don’t matter to me.” Have you? I didn’t think so. So why ask the question, “Do your metrics matter?” Because I’ve found the way most business leaders operate is like they’re practical atheists when it comes to metrics. I know, I know that’s […]
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