The business environment has changed and will not "return to normal"; instead, a "new normal" is emerging. The U.S. and the world economy have been in a recession for at least a year, and the media is starting to discuss a slow recovery. Whether the recovery is weak or [...]
In a society of over-communication, you'll stand out through continuous education and committment to learning. In today's business climate, those who stand out in a crowd will succeed. One of the keys to success is to never stop learning. Read: Especially in the information age, it is even more [...]
As it so happens that I've recently experienced a stockpile of travels, vacations, birthday celebrations and life experiences such as attending my nephew's piano recital, I imagine you'd suspect my answer is YES! It's quite normal for people to work harder and longer in recessions - after all, everyone [...]
Not only is marketing essential during the recession, it will remain so during the "new normal". Be one of the few to stand out in the crowd and leapfrog the competition by focusing on marketing. Sales and marketing are not identical: Often, I hear confusion about this topic. Marketing [...]
Since it's the summer and many folks are taking vacations and enjoying the summer while others are struggling to fill in "back at the office", I thought it was appropriate to discuss life balance. My consulting mentor, Alan Weiss, talks quite a bit about this subject and has a [...]
A significant percentage of my trusted and valued friends and business colleagues have gone through some sort of job transition or search in the last 3 years, and I've picked up a few tips I thought I'd share. Stand out in the crowd - if you are one of [...]
Business success relies on the extent and effectiveness of your network. Developing quality relationships can take your personal and professional life to the next level. I've always seen the power of networks; however, there is a heightened sense of urgency surrounding the topic for those executives who would like [...]
No matter how much you plan, you’re going to face challenges. But learning to hurdle obstacles effectively will save you valuable time and a lot of grief. As I've yet to run across an executive without obstacles, learning how to effectively deal with them has to be a top [...]
As a business consultant and speaker, I interact with more companies, trade associations, and people than the average person. One of my passions and advantages in the workplace has been that I tend to see trends in people, situations, etc, and so I thought as 2006 closes, it would [...]
Expand globally - expand your thinking of your customer base to GLOBAL. For example, as China and India expand in purchasing power, your customer base can expand exponentially. If you don't go after it, your competition will. Value add - think about your value add. Even though it's likely [...]
