Defending Profit Margins
In the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to work with three companies that are each leaders in their respective industries. In each case, the products and services they offer, the people who work for them and the way they conduct business are all first rate. And yet they all are facing […]
MoreCheck Mark Thinking
Achievers can fall into the trap of check-mark thinking. They view corporate change as a to-do list. Mission statement – check, Vision – check, Told them what I expect – check, Metrics in place – check. The busy executive then moves on the other things because he or she thought they had “done” everything on […]
MoreSelf Deception
What do people really think of you? Do you even care? Do you care too much? Many of the managers and executives I coach and train start off by being surprised and maybe even slightly insulted to think that they need to improve their leadership skills. After all, they wouldn’t have been promoted if […]
MoreDelayed Gratification
A lot of money is made in the “self-help” industry from promising people “quick and easy” ways to achieve success. In fact I challenge you to pick up a business book or “how to” book that doesn’t have the words quick and easy on it. They wouldn’t sell as well with the words “difficult and […]
MoreWhat Employees Wish Santa Would Bring Them For Christmas
Dear Santa, I have been a good employee all year and wish that you could help my manager bring me the following gifts this season. They would help me become happier and more productive next year. Give me the gift of clear expectations – help my manager become more clear in what he or she […]
MoreDon’t Blame the Customer
I had the pleasure of attending a social event connected to a convention I was attending in Calgary. The organizers had planned an entertainment-packed evening at a “cowboy ranch” with gun slinging cowboys, a comedian, a live auction, and for those who were brave enough, a mechanical bull. All the proceeds were to go to […]
MoreLeadership Malpractice
I was teaching a session to front line leaders this past week on how to coach, confront and correct employees when there is a gap between expected behavior and performance and the actual behavior and performance. Understandably, confronting and correcting conversations are not easy on the leader or the employee which can result in procrastination, […]
MoreDetoxing Your Corporate Culture
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure to meet lots of great people who have survived working in a toxic corporate culture. A toxic company culture takes its toll on individuals and bottom line results. Just like with environmental toxins, some work place toxins get to you quickly, others take more time to cause […]
MoreManaging Prima Donnas at Work
Do you have some employees or co-workers who think of themselves as extra special, indispensible and untouchable? Their superior attitude often ticks off the people who work with them. So today we look at the right and wrong way to deal with prima donnas in the workplace. Dealing With Prima Donnas at Work […]
MoreHow to Combat Being a Commodity
Do your customers keep pressuring you to reduce prices by saying that they are getting more favourable terms from your competitor? It is in the buyer’s best interest to convince you that what you provide is a commodity. That way, they transfer more profit margin from your company to their’s. Is what you provide really […]
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