Innovation happens when you think inside the box: start with the everyday

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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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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The single best business tool you can ever use

Adapt tools to your needs, not your needs to the tools.  When you turn to the tools, start with the best one. The one tool that will solve problems and get you started on every project. The tool from which any other tool can be built.  A list.  Why lists are the single best business…

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Why does a small business need a business plan?

…  It’s just that… It seems like a lot of work. Especially for a small business.  To spend all this time writing out a detailed plan for the next five years when you can’t even predict the next 5 months, let alone stop working for 2 weeks to complete a plan that will live at…

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The risks of bad management

Last week we established that management is happening in your business right now, tomorrow, and every day, whether you acknowledge it or not.  This also means that somebody is managing the business, whether they acknowledge it or not.  And that someone is probably you.  But what happens when you don’t acknowledge it? Does any of…

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The things in your business that you can’t control

In business, you have to focus on the things you can control.  Things like knowing how to pass the so what test, and creating systems for your three business pillars.  In part because your business will always be open to things that you can’t control.  Those sudden surprises, whether good or bad.  External surprises There…

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How 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…

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The 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…

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How to talk to problem employees

Happy employees

Nothing you tell your employees should ever come as a surprise.  This is especially important with bad news.  If you are telling an employee that they are at risk of being fired, and they had no idea, then you are the one who made a mistake, not them.  But don’t tell your employees about their…

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Which work should you delegate?

Delegation: it’s a chore.  Don’t you sometimes wish you could delegate the task of delegating? After all, it takes just as much time to have to explain something as it does to do it yourself.  Here’s a trick to make delegation easier and last longer: Don’t delegate tasks: delegate responsibility.  Start by deciding what you…

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