I was a bit of a late bloomer. I accepted my first "real job" five years after graduating from college. Sure, I made a living, but I bounced around jobs that, at least for my goals, were not career-track endeavors. Finally, I landed what I considered to be a “real job” – working for a law firm. Although I majored in advertising & marketing at Boston University, my lack … [Read more...]
If You Want Everything Done Right – Delegate!
I know this is nothing new. We are all aware delegation is necessary. “If you want something done right, Do it yourself.” Raise your hand if you can relate to this quote by Charles-Guillaume Étienne. That’s me, jumping up and down waving my hand in the air. I have been known to fall victim to that mantra every now and again. That's not terrible advice. The truth is if you … [Read more...]
3 Key Areas to Improve Your Business
The small percentage of entrepreneurs who succeed know this: If your business is going to succeed, you must focus on constant improvements. Small incremental changes in your business are the key to succeeding in business. Following are three key areas every business should focus on: 1. Customer Acquisition Getting new customers is tough for most businesses. Getting new … [Read more...]
5 Psychological Barriers Keeping You from Delegating
Last week, I shared five things entrepreneurs must understand about delegation to be successful, but even after you've accepted how important delegation is to build your career and/or your business, you might not be able to do it. I get it. I've been there. I'm still there on a lot of days. Delegating is hard for many of us, but if you don't delegate, you'll suffer from too … [Read more...]
5 Critical Things Entrepreneurs Must Understand about Delegation to be Successful
If you have dreams of building a wildly successful business that brings in millions of dollars per year, it's unlikely that you'll be able to do it alone. You can only grow so much by yourself, and no, it's not because you're not capable. It's because there simply aren't enough hours in the day. Work-life balance is hard enough (if not impossible) for entrepreneurs to achieve … [Read more...]
There’s No “I” in Team, But There Should Be
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Being a team player is passé. Long the mantra of the corporate world, all employers babble about hiring a team player; every employee wants to be a team player (or feels like they have to say they’re a team player on paper). Well, I’m throwing it out there and saying the one thing you’re not supposed to say in the office. I’m done … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Deal with Negative Employees
A typical work environment doesn’t always bring out the best in people. An angry boss, spiteful colleagues, stubborn subordinates---these characters create the everyday drama at work. The thought of it is pretty exhausting but it’s a reality for most people, especially managers. Destructive employee behavior, intentional or otherwise, can leave anyone reeling or demotivated. … [Read more...]
Handling Conflict on Your Team
It is inevitable that discord among team members will arise from time to time, and stepping in to tackle and resolve conflict ranks pretty low on most managers’ list of enjoyable activities. But unhandled friction erodes morale and productivity, and can turn even top performers into stressed out B-team players. When disharmony is affecting your group, you may be tempted to … [Read more...]
Establishing a Leadership Brand Within Your Organization
The term, leadership brand, was first used by David Ulrich and Norm Smallwood in 2007. Not only were these university professors describing---in their book with the same name---a way to assess the competencies that individual leaders must possess, but also to address the importance of leadership within the organization. In other words a company needs both individual leaders to … [Read more...]
Is Your Leadership Style Riddled with Blind Spots?
As a business leader, do you know if your leadership style has blind spots? At work, to accomplish what needs to get done in a timely manner and to hit established deadlines, employees and leaders create policies and procedures that can be consistently followed. The ways we do things become habits, and we become comfortable following the day-to-day routines, thinking that such … [Read more...]