Articles
The Price of Ignorance
Before getting into the meat of this white paper, let me be clear in my use of the word, “ignorance.” It is a lack of knowledge, a state in which we just don’t have the necessary facts, or information, to even know that there is a decision which can, and should be, made. The world…
Read MoreFaith and Risk – They Go Hand and Hand
We all consider Hebrews 11 as the “faith chapter”. However, it is also the “risk chapter”. By faith, Noah risked scorn, ridicule and his possessions in building the ark. Unaware of where he was going, Abraham stepped out in faith and took the risk to live as a stranger in a foreign country. By faith,…
Read MoreMeeting Makers
COMMUNICATIONS 6—MEETING MAKERS Good meeting bring good results. Bad meetings are a total waste and at times a total reverse. So what makes a meeting good. The previous post outlined some helpful ideas that really work. We’ll finish rounding out that picture here. Assign Clear Roles A rugby scrum looks like total confusion but it’s…
Read MoreIf You Have to Have a Meeting at Least Make it a Good One
OK. So you have to have a meeting. I get it. I’m no “meeting prude” and I certainly don’t think that ALL meetings are evil. Only most. But if you have to have one then make it matter. Don’t waste your time. Don’t waste your teammates’ time. Here are some commonly accepted but rarely practiced…
Read MoreReally? More Meetings?
In the last post, we clearly established that meetings can consume an enormous amount of time and produce very little if anything. It is my hope that you will join me in having a healthy disdain for most meetings. That being said, how can we make them work for us rather than against us. Here…
Read MoreMeeting Mania
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that meetings are one of the most useless and wasteful activities of business. Studies show that at the average manager spends about 40% of their time in meetings and that at least 50% of that time is totally wasted. That equates to roughly 1 day per week in which…
Read MoreDoes Your Technology Work for You or Vice Versa?
Do you ever feel that your technology is ruling you? That you have become a slave to the constant barrage of emails, texts, phone calls, voicemails, etc.? Duh! The other day a high level executive confided to me that he had already received over 1000 emails that week and it was only Wednesday. Here are…
Read MoreTwo Incredible Little Words
In his fast-read book, The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence, management guru Tom Peters devotes at least 15 of the 163 slots to the same thing—saying, “Thank you.” These words are free and very powerful. Consider: All the money and time we spend on contests and rewards when most people just want…
Read MoreGrowth Ideas #7: Why?
Many times, I think people get tired of hearing about the “need to grow.” I understand that and have felt that way myself at times. But then I think of the “Why,” “The Cause,” “The Purpose.” For some people, the “Why” behind growing is to make more money. Pure and simple. And, let’s be honest,…
Read MoreYou Business Rhythm
Every business has a particular rhythm or cadence and the wise leader is quick to figure these out, reinforce them and manage to them. However, they aren’t all the same. Often, due to the rhythm of accounting practices and GAAP, many companies fall into a monthly, quarterly, or annual rhythm. Yet many businesses are actually…
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