“Could I buy you lunch? I’d like to bounce a few ideas off you.” It’s a question that frequently throws successful entrepreneurs, executives, and salespeople into a tailspin of indecision. On the one hand, these people stand at the top of their game because they make productive use of their day, often foregoing leisurely lunches [...]
I had a conversation with Tom, a seasoned CEO of a Houston engineering firm, 30 years ago as I started my training and consulting business. In response to my request for advice as a neophyte, he said, “Your biggest challenge will never be technical know-how, marketing, or the competition. It will always be finding good [...]
They did it to me again. The sponsor for one of my upcoming keynotes sent out a slide master template, asking all their speakers to use it for their slides to give the conference program “consistency.” I have no complaint about consistency—and usually such templates are flexible and harmless enough. But this one looked pathetic: [...]
In the months since the Great Recession, while stalled between the two viewpoints “we’re rebounding” and “we’re heading for a double-dip recession,” organizations have learned that they can get along with fewer employees. After downsizing, survivors find themselves now filling the roles of two colleagues laid off or outsourced as a part-time contractor. The result: [...]
A client recently called with this leadership challenge: “Our accounting team is located in the U.S. We crunch numbers, interpret them, draw conclusions, and recommend. Our headquarters is in Germany. The Germans are precise. “They gather mounds of data—but resist drawing conclusions. They are very literal. They want someone to tell them what to do about the data—precisely—with nothing [...]
At a recent speaking engagement, the agent who’d booked the event attended my keynote. Afterward, we chatted as we headed across a skywalk for lunch. She was texting as we walked. “Sorry, but I’m trying one more time to get ahold of this speaker. I’ve got a client wanting to book him, and I’ve sent him six text [...]
A fifty-something CEO recently complained to his colleagues around the conference table, “I hardly ever hear from my kids anymore.” The other colleagues at the table—all CEOs—chimed in. Max added this tidbit from the conversation he’d had with his own son the previous weekend: “Son, your mother and I would like you to call occasionally. We [...]
Whether blogging or tweeting, think tour guide. Consider past situations when you’ve been fortunate enough to have an experienced tour guide—possibly through the Smithsonian, the Louvre, or a historic center of interest. A guide doesn’t just function as a sign post: “Here’s an eighteenth century military uniform.” “There’s the kitchen.” “Turn left and then walk straight ahead and you’ll [...]
Learn how to use social media for business advantage from the big guys. Rather than shouting at the top of their lungs, “We’re the best!” to anyone who’s nearby, many Fortune 500 companies have representatives listening to what’s said about them. They search for questions about their products or services and provide helpful answers. They listen to complainers [...]
