Posts Tagged ‘goal setting’
How to be specific and not too specific at the same time
Tell your employees exactly what is expected of them. But don’t tell them what to do. A client recently asked me how to balance these two instructions. We were building role descriptions and she wanted to know how to be specific enough that people knew what to do but also open enough that she wasn’t…
Read MoreThe three pillars of a sustainable business
When you search for images of an ancient Greek temple, most of what you see will have at least a foundation and columns remaining. This image springs to mind when I think of a sustainable business. The foundation is the mission. The columns are the business pillars of happy employees, loyal clients, and business goals. …
Read MoreHow to make your business pass the So What test?
New year, new you, new resolutions, new goals. But all in the service of what, exactly? As you start the new year – or any new day – make sure you know why you do the things you do and why others should take interest. Make sure your business passes the so what test. What…
Read MoreTo find success, define success
A few weeks ago we established that “failure” is not a moment in time, an ending, or an event. But what about success? Success, it turns out, is also not final. It isn’t like a movie we are watching, with a defined endpoint, when success has been achieved, the music begins, and we fade off…
Read MoreThe formula for happy employees
One of the top three challenges that new employees have is unmet expectations: the job is not what they expected it to be. That means difficult conversations where they are telling you that they expected something different, and what are you going to do about it. Or even worse: they quit. One simple fix will…
Read MoreHow To Be (and not be) Innovative in Business
Your clients like what you offer. And you want to keep it that way. But then, suddenly, your competitor metaphorically drives by in a shiny new vehicle with apps and features you had never considered. And now you also want that metaphorical new car. How not to be innovative So you start developing your product…
Read MoreWhere do you get your best ideas?
A global pandemic is a rare and unusual form of disruption. Although the whole point is that we never see it coming. Disruption comes from unexpected places, and even hindsight is often short-sighted on learning its lessons. Let’s walk through three lessons from three highly disruptive episodes of recent business generations. Disruption story one: Uber…
Read MoreThe Glue Your Business Needs Every Day
What has to happen in your business? When people think of business functions, they tend to list marketing, sales, finance, human resources, maybe production as well. However you make your list, there is one fundamental business function that ties all the rest together; the glue that makes it work, if you will. Management. Collaborate more…
Read MoreThe Formula to Balance Your Business
Opportunity & risk. Gains & losses. Promotion & Prevention. These are all ways to describe the balance a business needs to succeed. You can’t avoid risk, and you – hopefully – have plenty of opportunities. Making these two things coexist is important, but one of the hardest things to do. Business potential Back in 2017,…
Read MoreHow to plan to be spontaneous
“The last thing I want for my business is a plan or a process. I need my people to be spontaneous and adaptable”. This is an actual quote from a business owner who is terrified of turning his employees into automatons. His fear is valid: at what point is too much instruction removing any capability…
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