Would you recommend working for you?

Even better: would you want to work for you? I want you to be very careful when you answer this question, and make sure you are thinking of your business as it really is, not as you want it to be. Your employees work in the reality that exists today, tomorrow, and every day. Not…

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Does everybody know your mission statement?

If I ask ten of your employees what your mission statement is, how many different answers will I receive? And how different will they be from your answer? Use your mission statement Your mission statement is a tool. Use it.  I am aware that many people see it as a form of PR, a “nice…

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Are you living by your guiding principles?

Leading by example is one of the main points of leadership.  You may have noticed: it’s in the word.  To get the behavior you want from your employees is to be the person you want them to be.  They can see you We don’t live in an episode of Big Brother, but we are being…

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The most important line in your job descriptions

There’s one sentence in your job description that matters the most.  If you were only allowed to share one line from your job description, this would be the line to share.  It’s the line that tells people what to do. And it goes like this: “The purpose of this role is…” A job adds value…

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Innovation happens when you think inside the box

Innovation happens when you are good at something you do… and then you do it a little bit better.  Innovation matters because it ensures that you are always doing things in the best possible way. “Innovation is about tweaking systems that are already faring well”, according to Business News Daily. It’s the little changes you…

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The 4 stages of a new hire (but only use 3)

Congratulations: you hired someone new!  And of course, they are the right person. Probably. Almost definitely. But, still, we need to have a conversation.  New hire journey First of all: of course you do. It will take everyone time to learn the job, the business, the culture, and even what to do when the coffee…

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3 simple ways to destroy your work life balance

“40 hours is enough”. So Jason Fried tells us when he is telling us about a work week.  40 hours of work each week is enough. Because your life is not just work. Your life is also life, and everything that goes into it.  It’s important to make time for other activities and responsibilities so…

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How to give the people what they want: hr edition

“Organizations… are nothing more than the collective goodwill and aspirations of the people involved”. – Sergio Marchionne As a business owner, you are responsible for the collective goodwill, you are the vehicle for people to achieve those aspirations. You are, in short, responsible for a positive working environment.  The workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup did the…

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The 5 best ways to alienate your clients

Learn from your mistakes, examine your failures, and begin with your blunders.  We all know the importance of doing things incorrectly, as a way to learn to do them correctly. Thomas Edison is credited with saying: “I didn’t fail. I just found 2,000 ways not to make a lightbulb”.  Let’s embrace the value of finding…

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Hire the right person the first time

Hiring is difficult.  It’s complicated, and confusing, and will take a long time.  Here’s one way to simplify your hiring: start with essential skills.  What are essential skills?  Essential skills are the skills you need for the job but don’t have time to teach.  You can teach somebody how to use a hammer to hang…

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