Planning Tips for 2014Ah, the first week of January – the week the world returns to work. As you settle into your office still slightly aglow from the holidays, you’ll most likely hear the question: “What are your goals for 2014?”
If you’ve read my blog (which of course you have, right?!?), you’ll know I’m a fan of goals and planning. However, this question during this week drives me nuts! (Bet you weren’t expecting that!) Continue reading
Last week I met with a CEO, Mike, who asked for help with one of his senior managers. The manager, Henry, was a new hire, had an impressive resume and by all accounts was performing well in his new role. When I sat down with Mike, he complained that Henry had ‘Pollyanna Syndrome.’ Mike said, “Henry is just excited about the company and doesn’t see all the problems around here. He just doesn’t get it!”
Hmmmm….
This conversation hit close to home for me. As the holidays are upon us, I will admit I sometimes dread (gasp! Yes, I said it!) the hustle and bustle that accompanies the season – the overcrowded stores, the decorating, the holiday cards, the endless to-do lists, etc. Continue reading
The Impact of Avoidance on a Company.Denial. And no, I’m not talking about the river in Egypt.
The word denial tends to bring to mind personal issues. Yet, denial is alive and well in the workplace. Chances are denial brought its good friend avoidance and they could be camping out in offices and cubicles in your company. Do you know what they cost your company? Continue reading
Three Tips to Define Your Target Market.A few weeks ago, I met with a prospect, who wanted consulting to increase sales. “Bill” ran a boutique service business, which had grown from one (him) to a staff of 35. His company had solid infrastructure and delivered a quality service to clients. As we started to discuss his current sales volumes, I inquired how he sourced clients. He sheepishly admitted he didn’t know. I then asked him to describe his target client. He replied, “Anyone who will needs my services.”
And therein was the source of the sales problem – Bill did not have a defined target market. Continue reading
The Difference between Strategies, Goals and Tactics in Your Business.“Should I be doing social media?” “Should I be investing in ads on Google?” “Should I hire a new staff member?”
It seems everywhere I go lately that I’ve been inundated with these types of business questions. As soon as people hear what I do, they start asking for advice. Now, I absolutely adore a good business conversation and clearly I have no shortage of opinions. However, my response has been largely unsatisfying to my inquisitors.
My response: “It depends.”
Then, I ask them questions like “What are you trying to achieve? How does [insert said action here] get you to your end game?” “Who is your target audience?” “What is driving the need to hire?”
Their response: Blank looks. Continue reading
