Executive Coaching

• Most Topular Stories

• The Art of Giving Feedback

  Content for Coaches and Consultants

  Patsi Krakoff

  12 Apr 2012 | 3:24 pm

  “Getting people to welcome feedback was the hardest thing I ever had to do as an educator.”  ― Professor Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture Everything is connected today. We need to collaborate with others to succeed in our relationships, life and work. For that, we need to develop the art of giving feedback and critiques.  In its original sense, feedback is the exchange of information about how one part of a system is working, with the understanding that it affects everyone else within the system. If any part veers off course, prompt remediation is critical. Feedback is every…

• Financial Freedom

  Small Business Blog

  14 May 2012 | 11:07 am

  By Allen Fishman, TAB Founder & Chairman Do you have a long-term plan for financial growth? Without a plan, you will have stress.  If your plan is high risk, you will have stress.  Financial growth should be built on a long-term plan. Most of those who gamble for the quick riches in the stock market or other places live with a stress that makes it hard for them to focus on their business. A plan that looks many years in the future is the way to achieve freedom from financial concern so that decisions are not impacted by current financial needs.  As a business owner, is…

• Rapid Iteration — Indulge Your Five Senses! Silicon Valley Innovation Institute Program for May 2, 2012

  creativesage.com

  admin

  30 Apr 2012 | 10:56 pm

  At Creative Sage™, we often use dynamic, interactive arts processes, along with other innovation methods, to engage our clients and members of their work teams in meeting their business goals by enhancing their creativity, communication, and collaboration skills. The arts can be very powerful in reaching people’s emotions in a positive way, and making the workplace a more vibrant, engaging environment. If you would like to find out more about why and how we use the arts — “analog” and digital — integrated with other processes in our innovation programs for a variety of…

• #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-10-12

  Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach

  Madalyn Sklar

  11 May 2012 | 11:45 am

  Read this week’s GoGirls Twitter Chat, compiled by Deborah E of @socialwebcafe [View the story "#ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 2012-05-10" on Storify] You're reading #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-10-12 by Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Madalyn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

• Why do we think other people know what they are talking about?

  business-coaching « WordPress.com Tag Feed

  Madeline Paterson

  25 Apr 2012 | 3:15 am

  “The only way out of most situations is forwards.” In this video, Why do we think other

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  Small Business Blog

• Financial Freedom

  14 May 2012 | 11:07 am

  By Allen Fishman, TAB Founder & Chairman Do you have a long-term plan for financial growth? Without a plan, you will have stress.  If your plan is high risk, you will have stress.  Financial growth should be built on a long-term plan. Most of those who gamble for the quick riches in the stock market or other places live with a stress that makes it hard for them to focus on their business. A plan that looks many years in the future is the way to achieve freedom from financial concern so that decisions are not impacted by current financial needs.  As a business owner, is…

• Create a Planning Team for Decision-Making

  7 May 2012 | 4:25 pm

  Jason P. Zickerman In a small or medium-sized business, it’s common to be the only one making decisions about every aspect of your company—thus the saying, “it’s lonely at the top.” No matter how large or small your business is, being the sole decision-maker for the company can be difficult and may impede your company’s success. It can become challenging for one person to constantly think of better ways to improve the business or make sure he or she has the most innovative ideas. Having the contributions of a planning team will help your company grow and become more successful.

• Developing Your Company's USP

  27 Apr 2012 | 5:00 pm

  The most basic element of every successful company’s marketing message is their Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. In running any successful business, it’s important to clearly differentiate the business in the eyes of potential customers and to continually focus on the unique need that is provided by the business’s products or services. A well-defined USP constructs a memorable message of these unique qualities and very clearly answers the question, “Why should I do business with you instead of one of your many direct competitors? Many business owners, including a significant…

• A Gathering of Captains

  10 Apr 2012 | 4:20 pm

  Donald Scellato, CMC Jack Byrnes, CMC The captain of a ship, like a small business owner, holds a lofty and lonely position. His decisions about strategic and tactical issues impact the financial results of each voyage along with safety and security of the people and freight on his ship. While the Captain has resources at his disposal on the ship and on shore to participate in important decisions, he ultimately bears the responsibility for every decision his crew makes. He must be in control and use his resources well in situations that are often grave. He may have doubts and even be fearful…

• Clarity Essential to Achieving Success Through Accountability

  3 Apr 2012 | 3:38 pm

  by: Kent Gregoire, CEO & President of The Alternative Board-TAB Metro Atlanta A business benefits in many different ways when each member of the organization exhibits a high degree of personal accountability. Overall results improve when each member of the team takes personal responsibility for the organization’s success. Employees derive greater satisfaction from their work, feel less stress, and perform better. Managers make better decisions faster by having the ability to confidently tap into the collective knowledge of their teams.Yet cultivating an environment characterized by…

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  creativesage.com

• Rapid Iteration — Indulge Your Five Senses! Silicon Valley Innovation Institute Program for May 2, 2012

  admin

  30 Apr 2012 | 10:56 pm

  At Creative Sage™, we often use dynamic, interactive arts processes, along with other innovation methods, to engage our clients and members of their work teams in meeting their business goals by enhancing their creativity, communication, and collaboration skills. The arts can be very powerful in reaching people’s emotions in a positive way, and making the workplace a more vibrant, engaging environment. If you would like to find out more about why and how we use the arts — “analog” and digital — integrated with other processes in our innovation programs for a variety of…

• Silicon Valley Innovation Institute, April 4: Data Visualizations of the Mobile Innovation Ecosystem

  admin

  2 Apr 2012 | 4:43 pm

  What are the transformational forces in the innovation ecosystems of the mobile computing industry? How have strategic value creation networks become vital to technology development and economic growth? Co-creation relies on the relationship infrastructure of people, organizations and policies. Though complex and intangible, these assets can be observed through network analysis of small, medium and large enterprises. Visual insights toward a shared vision can be created by mapping the relationships through which talent, information and financial resources flow. These relationship patterns…

• Silicon Valley Innovation Institute, March 7, 2012: Innovation in American Politics

  admin

  5 Mar 2012 | 4:13 pm

  Is the internet destroying the current leadership models? How is innovation affecting politics? And what effect do politics have on innovation? Do anti-innovation bills like SOPA make your blood boil? The disconnect between the innovation community and policy makers is a serious issue. Most would agree that our livelihoods depend on a healthy, dynamic and innovative economy. What opportunities are there for the innovation community to inform the political process? Join host Seth Resler, Internet radio host and founder of The Polylogue, and a diverse panel of innovators and activists for an…

• A Guide to Open Innovation and Crowd Sourcing: Advice from Leading Experts (Kogan Page, 2011) Makes the Amazon UK Best Seller List!

  admin

  1 Feb 2012 | 1:12 pm

  Part of our company’s 30th Anniversary Year Series. (You can start by reading Part 1 here.) In the video clip above, Paul Sloane, Editor of the recently published book, A Guide to Open Innovation and Crowd Sourcing: Advice from Leading Experts — with a foreword by Henry Chesbrough — describes the book in this video clip on YouTube, and tells you why you or your organization would find value in it. I’m honored to be a contributing author to this book, along with some of my innovation colleagues from #Innochat (a Twitter Innovation chat and web site). I co-wrote the chapter,…

• Silicon Valley Innovation Institute, 2/1/12 Event: High Tech Compost=Anaerobic Digestion + Biochar

  admin

  30 Jan 2012 | 1:40 pm

  The City of Palo Alto, California is currently considering options for how to manage its organic waste stream. An anaerobic digester is being proposed to replace the current incinerator. The methane producing bacteria living inside anaerobic digesters do break down a lot organic material, but not cellulose (the compound that makes up the cell walls of plants) Yet cellulose is the ideal feedstock for making biochar via pyrolysis. The integration of biochar production with AD facilities holds the promise of producing a rich, dark, carbon sequestering soil amendment, full of nutrients from the…

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  Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach

• #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-10-12

  Madalyn Sklar

  11 May 2012 | 11:45 am

  Read this week’s GoGirls Twitter Chat, compiled by Deborah E of @socialwebcafe [View the story "#ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 2012-05-10" on Storify] You're reading #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-10-12 by Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Madalyn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

• #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-3-12

  Madalyn Sklar

  5 May 2012 | 10:19 am

  Read this week’s GoGirls Twitter Chat, compiled by Deborah E of @socialwebcafe [View the story "#ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 2012-05-03" on Storify] You're reading #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 5-3-12 by Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Madalyn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

• GoGirls Interview with Jenny Stamper

  Madalyn Sklar

  1 May 2012 | 7:06 pm

  Each month GoGirlsMusic.com spotlights an artist or band from its community, asking a series of questions. This month we feature singer/songwriter Jenny Stamper, best known as half the Kentucky acoustic duo JUSTUS. She took the time to tell us about her music and new release, ”Diamonds on the Water.” Enjoy! What drives your music? When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust? Wow! I think the music drives me! I started writing poetry as a teenager and began adding music to my “scribble” when I met my bandmate in the early 90’s. The first time…

• #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 4-26-12

  Madalyn Sklar

  27 Apr 2012 | 7:07 pm

  Read this week’s GoGirls Twitter Chat, compiled by Deborah E of @socialwebcafe [View the story "#ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 2012-04-26" on Storify] You're reading #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 4-26-12 by Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Madalyn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

• #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 4-19-12

  Madalyn Sklar

  20 Apr 2012 | 9:00 am

  Read this week’s GoGirls Twitter Chat, compiled by Deborah E of @socialwebcafe [View the story "#ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 2012-04-19" on Storify] You're reading #ggchat Twitter Chat Archive : 4-19-12 by Madalyn Sklar's Blog - social media + business coach. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Madalyn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

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  business-coaching « WordPress.com Tag Feed

• Why do we think other people know what they are talking about?

  Madeline Paterson

  25 Apr 2012 | 3:15 am

  “The only way out of most situations is forwards.” In this video, Why do we think other

• My Vistage Member Blogs About His Experience (40% Increase in Revenue)

  mtaylortec

  24 Apr 2012 | 6:34 pm

  April 19th, 2012 My Vistage Experience Michael Feldman As many of you all know, once a month, both Sheril and I each attend an entire day Vistage meeting.  Vistage is an organization with the specific purpose of helping individuals grow professionally and personally.  Sheril and I are each in separate groups that meet on separate days, about 12 people for each of our groups plus our Vistage chair, Mark Taylor who organizes and moderates each meeting.  Vistage meetings are hosted each month by a different member of the group, typically at their office in a conference room.  The day is…

• I asked, YOU answered

  kellymeerbott

  24 Apr 2012 | 5:32 pm

  Reader responses to Disconnect to RE-Connect: I agree 100%! Technology is certainly driving us all apart. I had not got on the technology bandwagon until this year, I really didn’t feel the need to be ‘plugged’ in all the time. Yet my friends kept telling me that we could connect more if I were on facebook, or if I did this or that (technically speaking) and so I did all those things and now I barely hear from them. People don’t want to use the phone, they rarely text you back and when they do, things are so miss-communicated! I love this article, I hope everyone…

• Direct v Digital Mail Comaprison

  Martin Parry

  24 Apr 2012 | 1:04 pm

  Here is an interesting blog from Marketscan that compares the benefits and options between using direct and digital marketing techniques. Of course Marketscan are a direct mail house so they are, perforce somewhat partial in their views. But interesting nevertheless. Article link MGBA martin.parry@mgba.co.uk  

• Accountability

  Getting Business Results

  24 Apr 2012 | 11:48 am

  On April 10th Bobby Petrino, still red-faced from road rash and embarrassment, was fired as head football coach at the University of Arkansas. Ten days earlier Petrino had wrecked both his motorcycle and his career while on a drive with his mistress and co-worker, Jessica Dorrell. Petrino, a married father of four, had failed to disclose his affair with Dorrell when she applied for, and later accepted, a job working on his staff. In addition, Petrino had circumvented university policies to fast-track hiring her. He had requested and received a waiver to bypass a stipulation that open jobs…

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  thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

• Why Product Simplicity Always Wins

  Mike Figliuolo

  14 May 2012 | 6:02 am

  We humans love to complicate things.  The more crap we hang off of a product, the better we think it is.  The more engineering that goes into it, the more we can sell, right? Wrong. Simplicity wins.  Every time. (iPod, anyone?) As an entrepreneur, I get to hang out with other entrepreneurs (and we act [...] This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog for more.

• The Road to Value – Part 2

  Mike Figliuolo

  9 May 2012 | 12:02 pm

  Today’s post is by Thomas Butta, Founder and CEO of 21 Weeks. You can read more about him at the end of the post. Here’s Thomas: In The Road to Value (Part 1) I revealed a powerful way to lead a changing or emerging industry by developing a roadmap that delineates the way to create and [...] This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog for more.

• The 7 Deadly Sins of Leadership

  Mike Figliuolo

  7 May 2012 | 6:02 am

  Yes, I recently wrote about the 7 deadly sins of entrepreneurship.  This is the same construct but instead on the topic of leadership.  Hey, don’t judge me – if Hollywood can take a good concept and reuse it with a different angle, so can I. Leadership is perilous territory.  People’s lives are at stake (sometimes [...] This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog for more.

• The Balancing Act – Self versus Collective Leadership

  Mike Figliuolo

  2 May 2012 | 12:02 pm

  Today’s post is by Jan Rutherford – author of The Littlest Green Beret. You can learn more about Jan at the end of the post. The thing about leadership development is that it all starts with everyone’s favorite subject – themselves.  Self awareness is the starting point for effective leadership, and it’s always interesting to [...] This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog for more.

• Authentic Leadership Means Eliminating Buzzwords and BS

  Mike Figliuolo

  30 Apr 2012 | 6:01 am

  The following is an excerpt from my book One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership (you can get your copy here).  This post focuses on the importance of eliminating buzzwords and instead simply speaking from your heart.  If you have been in the professional world for more than a year, you [...] This is only the beginning of the thought... Please click the article headline above or go to http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog for more.

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  Professional Development

• Olympic Pressure

  Izzy Justice

  14 May 2012 | 3:35 pm

  I spent part of last week with a small group of athletes trying to qualify for the Summer Olympics in London. These are the final days of competition, often with current training partners and future teammates. My topic was “The Role of Emotions in Performance” and I got to talk to many athletes for several hours prior to my presentation. Everyone seemed to be looking for that one nugget that might help shape their thinking in these last few days before knowing whether they’ve made the team or not. I often throw out these questions in the early part of discussions: What will be different…

• Where Do Ideas Come From?

  Izzy Justice

  30 Apr 2012 | 3:41 pm

  At a session with a management team recently, I responded to this question from one of the executives, “Where do ideas come from?” She prefaced the question with “not looking for the philosophical response.” I chose to honor the parameter of question by responding using some of the latest research of the neuroscience of how thinking occurs. Not the kind of routine cognitive functions like recognizing colors, the weather outside, or deciphering traffic signals on your drive, but instead the cognitive function that creates something that actually does not exist. Some folks refer…

• Before and After Pictures

  Izzy Justice

  23 Apr 2012 | 4:13 pm

  I facilitated a session last week discussing Action Learning Projects that a group of leaders were embarking on. They had to pick a problem to solve that was in their immediate circle of influence. The problems are often easy to identify and in many cases, so are some of the solutions. What is very challenging is the change management association with going from “current” to “future” state; to sell the solution to peers, bosses, and the organization in a way that actually allows the solutions an opportunity to be realized. One of the more effective ways of doing this, I offered the…

• Bottom 10%

  Izzy Justice

  16 Apr 2012 | 1:01 pm

  I was with a group of folks a few weeks ago who had a healthy debate on Jack Welch’s “remove the bottom 10% of your organization every year” policy from a couple of decades ago. Some of the folks who run large corporations said this would never happen in their company. Not only were they too big, but also they would have no idea how to identify the bottom 10%. Is it 10% across the board, or 10% in a department, or 10% of a level? Is the bottom 10% in one high performing business unit the same as another 10% of a low performing business unit? Would force-ranking be subjective thereby…

• Make Your Own Mistakes

  Izzy Justice

  10 Apr 2012 | 11:36 am

  Last week, I had a delightful lunch with a client I will call John. I asked him afterwards if I could share our conversation in my weekly blog, and he graciously approved. John is a senior executive with direct responsibility for the largest of six business units at his company. He has done a remarkable job over the years building relationships, making good business decisions, and has done so being very healthy (runs 20 miles every week) and having a wonderful family.  John is an avid reader. He reads 2-3 books a week. John has an intelligent opinion and grounded perspective on just about…

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  The Invisible Mentor

• Book Review – Peter Pan by JM Barrie

  Avil Beckford

  15 May 2012 | 4:24 am

  Why Peter Pan by JM Barrie Matters TodayPeter Pan and similar stories matter today, more than ever, because we do not take enough time to dream, and step into the world of make believe because we are too busy. Peter Pan allows us to think that we can make the impossible possible. Michael, John and Wendy Darling tried to fly and they kept at it until they became good at it. We can conceive and believe something, but until we take action, nothing will become of our idea. The book also highlights the fundamental differences between adults and children.Cover via AmazonThe children’s drama…

• Why You Must Read Broadly – Tip 4

  Avil Beckford

  14 May 2012 | 6:33 am

  Reading broadly introduces diversity into your life.Have you ever read an intriguing article and wondered how the writer came up with the idea? Have you ever read a book that connects two very different subject matters in a unique way? Have you ever transported one idea from one industry to another to resolve a pesky challenge? Have you ever read something that was so incredulous or even whimsical that it gave you the courage to try to do something that once seemed impossible?Reading broadly introduces diverse types of information into your life. It helps you to become bolder in your work and…

• The Invisible Mentor Week in Review

  Avil Beckford

  12 May 2012 | 4:30 am

  This is what we talked about on The Invisible Mentor Blog this week: Edith Nesbit’s The Railway Children, Seneca the Younger, Stoic Philosopher, Playwright and Tutor to Neroand Shannon Moroney, Author, Advocate and SpeakerSeneca (Photo credit: tonynetone)Adventures in LearningWhat you read is more important that how much you read. Ensure that your reading material is diverse, and vary in the level of difficultly to read. The “menu” of books should include a selection of not just bestsellers, but also books that are off the beaten tracks. In fact, the great thinkers who have transformed…

• Mentor Yourself: An Interview With Shannon Moroney, Author, Advocate & Speaker, Part II

  Avil Beckford

  11 May 2012 | 6:29 am

  Invisible Mentor: Shannon Moroney, Author, Advocate & SpeakerWebsite: http://www.shannonmoroney.com/Avil Beckford: Tell me a little bit about yourself.Shannon Moroney:  I’m the author of a book that just came out titled Through the Glass. It’s my memoir of a personal experience as a victim of crime but moreover of the spouse of an offender and the journey through the justice system. I’m based in Toronto, and I travel all over the place doing public speaking and putting some of my efforts into restorative justice.Avil Beckford: How do you integrate your personal and professional…

• Mentor Yourself: An Interview With Shannon Moroney, Author, Advocate & Speaker

  Avil Beckford

  10 May 2012 | 6:35 am

  What if your husband committed a sex crime, how would you react? Read Shannon Moroney’s story.Invisible Mentor: Shannon Moroney, Author, Advocate & SpeakerWebsite: http://www.shannonmoroney.com/Avil Beckford: Tell me a little bit about yourself.Shannon Moroney:  I’m the author of a book that just came out titled Through the Glass. It’s my memoir of a personal experience as a victim of crime but moreover of the spouse of an offender and the journey through the justice system. I’m based in Toronto, and I travel all over the place doing public speaking and putting some of my…

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  Rebelations Blog

• Whose Got the Power?

  Rebel Brown

  14 May 2012 | 2:00 pm

  79% of the buying cycle is now completed without a vendor directly involved.If you're still thinking like a funnel or a pipeline - I'd strongly suggest you step beyond your gravity thinking and shift into the 21st century reality.

• Conversation is the New Campaign

  Rebel Brown

  5 May 2012 | 11:52 am

  Our buyers no longer need us to get the information they need to make purchasing decisions. Today's buyers can research, compare and select products without our ever even knowing they were looking. In fact - buyers spend over 79% of their purchasing cycle without ever engaging us... only if we make the cut during their research do they invite us into their process. That's a huge shift that puts buyers in control - and it means that we need to shift our thinking about how we engage with our audiences. That's why I believe that conversations are the new campaigns.

• The Marketing Reality Gap

  Rebel Brown

  23 Apr 2012 | 6:04 am

  Having a great handle on your buyers' reality is one of the most important aspects of great marketing. When we remain objective, seeing our markets in the truth of the present, we focus on customers' perceptions today. The problem is, staying objective and in reality isn't a natural thing for many of us. Human nature gets in our way. For example...

• Your Story has Two Faces

  Rebel Brown

  14 Apr 2012 | 12:47 pm

  Every story has multiple faces....some enticing, some threatening. When we choose the threatening aspect of a story, we risk alienating our audience. Who wants to hear about scary things they're doing? Would you???

• ReName, ReBrand or ReSign?

  Rebel Brown

  2 Apr 2012 | 5:04 am

  How about you? Do you own your brand? How are you feeling right now? Are you passing the test? Have you googled yourself and your brand lately? Are you listening into brand and product mentions? Owning a brand comes with some big responsibilities. Are you ready?

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  Personal and Professional Coaching by

• Coaching Tool – The Art of Challenge by Pam Solberg-Tapper

  Pam Solberg-Tapper

  22 Apr 2012 | 10:27 am

  In coaching, a challenge is a powerful request that asks the client to extend themselves beyond their self-imposed limits. A challenge can shift the way the client sees and thinks of themselves for years to come.   The elements of a challenge include a specific action and the date/time of completion. Here are some examples of challenges: For a client that is overwhelmed with demands: “I challenge you to say “no” to anything that is not a priority this week.”  For a client that procrastinates: “I challenge you to finish your project by tomorrow morning.”  For the client that…

• When Do You “Tell the Truth” During Coaching? by Carter McNamara

  Carter McNamara

  20 Mar 2012 | 12:50 pm

  A hallmark of coaching, whether coaching oneself or others, is to ask generative questions — questions to help clarify a current priority, to address the priority and learn at the same time. However, are there times when a coach should “tell the truth” — to assert the coach’s perspective without the use of questions? In his seminal book “The Road Less Traveled,” M. Scott Peck writes: “… the act of withholding the truth is always potentially a lie,” … (p. 62) “… the decision to withhold the truth must always be based…

• How to Avoid “Toxic” Coaching by Carter McNamara

  Carter McNamara

  10 Feb 2012 | 11:11 am

  This is a guest post from coach and consultant, Dean Middlebrook of Management Development & Marketing at Canon Europe Ltd. (Although the following blog post mentions therapists and clnicians, the guidelines are useful to anyone who is interested in using coaching for themselves, even if they aren’t interested in seeking professional levels of competence in coaching.) In a clinical setting the terms ‘shadow of the therapist’ and ‘wounded healer’ are often used synonymously to describe an unhelpful and un-therapeutic relationship where the clinician misuses…

• Basic Guidelines to Reframing — to Seeing Things Differently by Carter McNamara

  Carter McNamara

  2 Feb 2012 | 12:43 pm

  Reframing is seeing the current situation from a different perspective, which can be tremendously helpful in problem solving, decision making and learning. Reframing is helping you or another person to more constructively move on from a situation in which you or the other person feels stuck or confused. The aim of reframing is to shift one’s perspective to be more empowered to act – and hopefully to learn at the same time. Many times, merely reframing one’s perspective on a situation can also help people change how they feel about the situation, as well. Many fields regularly use…

• Useful Communications Skills — How to Paraphrase and Summarize by Carter McNamara

  Carter McNamara

  26 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm

  Two very useful skills in communicating with others, including when coaching and facilitating, are paraphrasing and summarizing the thoughts of others. How to Paraphrase When Communicating and Coaching With Others Paraphrasing is repeating in your words what you interpreted someone else to be saying.  Paraphrasing is powerful means to further the understanding of the other person and yourself, and can greatly increase the impact of another’s comments.  It can translate comments so that even more people can understand them.  When paraphrasing: Put the focus of the paraphrase on what the…

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  Recovering Leader

• Land Critical Conversations Right the First Time

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  7 May 2012 | 4:32 pm

  Many key discussions end with one or more people in a holding pattern.  Unfortunately, it's often after the fact that we realize something was missed or left unaddressed. Whether an interview, tough discussion, sales opportunity, executive team or board meeting—the many variables in the room (personalities, agendas, politics, etc.) can take you off course, diverting you from your main objective(s). Near the end of such important meetings, I’ve found that asking one of the following questions is a surpsingly simple and powerful way to arrive at the right destination in a timely way,…

• 3 Powerful Practices for Aloof or Distant Leaders

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  4 May 2012 | 4:52 pm

  If you tend to be introverted, shy, too busy to be responsive, or intentionally aloof / distant, as I posted recently, approachability’s pragmatic leadership value is likely eluding you. That wall you’ve built around you, whether intentionally or not, alienates you from critical ideas, feedback, input, and your people’s higher-level motivation / engagement—needed for them to do their best work. So what to do about it? I realized in my recent post I talked about the “what” and the “so what,” but not the “now what?” What's the coaching suggestion I'm making here, in the real…

• Over-thinking Challenging Situations

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  19 Apr 2012 | 2:59 pm

  The outcome you achieve after facing a challenging situation—for better or worse—is limited by your assumptions or “story” going into it. In fact, walking into almost any potentially difficult conversation, our understanding is at best incomplete, no matter how much forethought we’ve given it. It’s human nature to prepare for what may be difficult, particularly if we are under normal stress. We tend to rehearse in our minds what we will say and do, so as not to get caught off guard, which, while understandable, causes its own problems. For example, an executive client was…

• Listening to Your Struggle’s Message

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  16 Apr 2012 | 9:31 pm

  In Western culture we tend to think anything worthwhile should be difficult. Along those lines, it’s easy to miss when a struggle is trying to tell you that it’s time for a change. Fixated on our goal, we soldier on, trying ever harder. Then, exhausted, we see in hindsight that the signs were reading, “I need a change” all along. Thinking about you during times of struggle, let’s consider two scenarios, both with different outcomes. Think back to a job or time when you were truly fulfilled with something you did: a problem you solved, a project, a company you ran, or even a game of…

• Recovering Leader More User-Friendly

  david@leadershipunleashed.com

  16 Apr 2012 | 9:30 am

  Over the last few weeks I've updated 300 of my posts here by adding them to a large category index, directly accessible with a click from the category list in the right column.  My hope is that doing so will now make my content easier to find, and quicker to access for readers and subscribers like you. Because this process entailed re-posting many items, your feed or subscriber notificaitons may be wonky this week.  So my apologies in advance if your feed from Recovering Leader suddenly looks odd, or you get a bunch of items.  This should be a one-time thing. Meantime, feel free to give me…

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  The Practical Leader

• We Need to Apply Quality Improvement Lessons to Safety

  Jim Clemmer

  15 May 2012 | 12:02 am

  As I fine tune next week’s Leadership and Culture Development for Higher Health and Safety  webcast presentation, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons learned from the quality movement and the widespread failure to apply those to workplace safety. Starting in the late eighties and eventually morphing into Lean/Six Sigma, the quality movement completely revolutionized management thinking throughout much of the western world. That’s led to exponential increases in quality and productivity – especially in manufacturing, logistics, and other process industries. My second…

• Vision, Values, and Mission: Well Lived Trumps Well Written

  Jim Clemmer

  10 May 2012 | 12:00 am

  In preparation for an offsite executive team retreat, the executive organizing the session sent me a draft of the mission and vision statements “we’ve been struggling with.” She included earlier versions and iterations of each statement. She was especially frustrated and confused by the overlap of the two. She was looking for my help to “get it right.” This is a big trap. There is no “right statement.” Vision, values, and mission statements have a wide variety of styles and approaches. What works best for an organization is highly dependent on the…

• When Smart and Fast Leaders Leave Their Teams Behind

  Jim Clemmer

  8 May 2012 | 12:00 am

  I recently ran a Moose-on-the-Table workshop for a major division of a large company going through the wrenching change of a wholesale restructuring and totally refocusing their business. Our session centered on fostering Courageous Conversations because their history of not addressing tough issues with each other was a major reason this division ran itself into a manufacturing quality and financial crisis. They were just too nice to each other. Part of our discussion with this management group was how really bright people can come across as not wanting to hear other ideas. A participant sent…

• We Need Less Generational Nonsense and More Leadership

  Jim Clemmer

  3 May 2012 | 12:00 am

  There’s a lot of mumbo jumbo being sold by “generational experts” that today’s young workers are very different from previous generations and need to be managed differently. Clearly there are differences between groups of people who grew up in different times, circumstances, and cultures. But people are people. And what we’re looking for from our work and in our workplaces is remarkably universal. Jennifer Deal is a senior research scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership and author of Retiring the Generation Gap. For 12 years she’s been studying…

• May You Plant the Seeds of Growth This Month

  Jim Clemmer

  1 May 2012 | 12:00 am

  The month of May is thought to have been named for the Greek goddess Maia. In ancient Roman lore she was identified with fertility, considered an earth goddess, and embodied the concept of growth. On the farm where I grew up, May was an extremely busy month in the fields. There was a short window to get the crops planted so they’ve had enough time to grow during the summer before the killing frosts of fall. I now maintain my earth connection through my perennial gardens. May’s a very busy month of clean up, planting, and fertilizing. In King Henry IV, Shakespeare recognizes this…

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  Christian Life Coach - Quentin McCall - Knowledge 4 Life

• 10 Things My Grandmother Taught Me About Love

  Quentin McCall

  12 May 2012 | 4:44 am

  Many of you know I lost my grandmother on March 2, 2012. Some of you are aware of the closeness and love we shared. My grandmother was my mother and father. Like some of you reading this, I grew up without my mother and father. My granny filled in the gap and raised me. We had some very challenging times, but my granny sacrificed everything to make sure I was OK. She went without, so I could have. I can still recall all the beautiful things she did for me, but the greatest thing she showed me was unconditional love.     My grandmother was always meek, humble, gentle, loving, nurturing and…

• 6 Reasons Selfishness Will Destroy Your Relationship

  Quentin McCall

  8 May 2012 | 6:30 am

  The relationship ended. No great reason, no explanation. Things just took a hard turn and fell apart. So, maybe looking back, there were some warning signs of problems. Communication was difficult (maybe non-existent, at times) or emotions would flare for no apparent reason. However, there was nothing significant enough to justify such a negative end to a relationship that started so well. Nothing justified actions that would cause so much hurt! This scenario is all too common. When it happens… we want answers. Why did they cheat? Why did they change? Why did we stop moving forward? Why did…

• Why Can’t I Find Anyone To Love Me? A Story of Singleness

  Quentin McCall

  10 Apr 2012 | 6:30 am

  Guest Post: “I just don’t understand what’s wrong with me. Why can’t I find anyone to love me? I’m funny. I have hobbies and interests. I’m not ugly. I’m relatively intelligent. I’m a good mother. I have a job… So, why is it so hard to find someone to share my life with?!?!” This is just a small piece of a conversation I had with a friend regarding her state of singleness. Can you identify with anything she said? How many times have you quietly wondered to yourself, “What is wrong with me?”,” Am I going to be alone forever?”, “All of my friends are married and…

• For the Ladies: Single, Content, and Courageous

  Quentin McCall

  22 Mar 2012 | 7:00 am

  Waiting for the man we believe God for can feel as if there is not much sand left in the hourglass. Getting older, all of one’s accomplishments and the personal dragons we have slain can falsely serve as a notice that it is time to get a husband, in order to complete “the dream.” Those lonely moments keep creeping in from time to time, and desire for companionship is only getting stronger. The fear of being single longer than planned can disrupt internal peace, unless we make a purposeful choice to, not only wait for God’s timing, but to wait with courage. Then we will not…

• How to Date a Single Mother

  Quentin McCall

  20 Mar 2012 | 7:00 am

  Loving a woman can be a beautiful life experience for a man. A woman can be nurturing, loving, selfless, warm, friendly, uplifting, spiritual and virtuous. However, what happens when it is a woman along with her children? The stigma of being a single mother is powerful in society, but it is based in stereotypes. Many people have various assumptions, but how often do they seek to understand or learn the story of the single mother? Rarely does it happen; which is why I feel men have to approach dating single mothers differently.     Some men already know they will not marry a woman with…

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  Negotiate, Influence, Achieve! » cma-blog

• How to be assertive without being aggressive

  kate

  6 May 2012 | 9:12 pm

  The problem: “I’m coordinating an office-remodeling project with an assertive colleague. I’m the opposite; I usually give in. The problem is that I disagree with her approach. How can I stand my ground?” During a recent negotiation skills workshop, a participant asked us to help them deal with a colleague who was more assertive than themselves. Here’s a summary of our advice.. Good question. But to answer it, we must go back to a more fundamental question: What’s your negotiation mindset? In CMA’s negotiation skills workshop, we discuss the importance of meeting your…

• 6 tips for managing non-face-to-face communications

  kate

  9 Apr 2012 | 7:05 pm

  Whether managing teams across borders, cities or offices, or because we simply don’t have time to meet face-to-face, the reality is that much of our communication now occurs remotely. While phones provides audio, we lose the visual cues and context afforded in a face-to-face meeting. One may think that putting the other on mute while responding to e-mails and otherwise saving the world is a great way to maximize efficiency by multitasking, but the reality is that non-face-to-face communication creates a greater risk for miscommunication by allowing greater scope for distraction and…

• The key to gaining buy-in

  kate

  18 Mar 2012 | 7:29 pm

  It can be a real trick to gain cooperation or buy-in from others. If you’re bringing a new project to someone, asking a request, or asking for new resources, one of the factors that is going to go through their mind is, “How much extra work is this going to mean for me?”  Today, the expectations are higher than ever before – we are trying to do more with less. So how can we effectively get initial levels of engagement? Start with the heart The advice is to start with the heart!  What does this mean? Essentially, this is about being clear in your mind as to what you’re…

• Why it pays to have principles when negotiating

  kate

  26 Feb 2012 | 11:10 pm

  Recently I was facilitating a two-day negotiation skills program for one of our clients. During the afternoon on the first day, one of the participants asked me the following question: “Can I be a principled negotiator even if they’re not?” This is a great question and one I often get asked. When we talk about principled negotiation with our clients, we’re talking about the principled negotiation method, described in Getting to Yes[1] as being based on four propositions: Separating people from the problem Focus on interests, not positions Seek options which create mutual gain Use…

• Cross-cultural communication

  kate

  18 Sep 2011 | 8:51 pm

  “He’s just coming back from having a fag” – reflections on cross-cultural communication As an American living and working in Australia, the question of cross-cultural communication has been unavoidable. And this day was no different. It was the end of our morning tea break, and I noticed that one of the participants in the negotiation workshop I was facilitating was still missing. In an effort to discover his whereabouts, I asked unsuspectingly, “Where’s John?” Trying to be helpful, his colleague replied, “Oh, he’s just coming back from having a fag.” Now, that response…

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  Global NLP Training Blog

• NLP Spatial Anchoring

  Jason

  7 May 2012 | 8:35 am

  NLP Spatial anchoring is one of the most overlooked, and powerful forms of anchoring available. In changing your spatial location you change your whole perspective! You see things from a different perspective, you hear sounds from a different perspective, and even subtle differences in the air pressure and movement change in different spatial locations! How awesome! This means that in just changing your spatial location, hundreds, perhaps thousands of smaller anchors change as well. How powerful of a difference it can make to just change your seat, as it changes all of the other anchors in…

• Global NLP Radio: Kelly King :: Singer & Entertainment Life Coach

  admin

  3 May 2012 | 11:29 am

  Kelly King, top 20 billboard recording artist and powerhouse performer (with a spectacular 5.5 octave range), was kind enough to sit down with Global NLP Radio for a podcast interview. She knows the entertainment business like no other, as a child star prodigy, she became a professional artist aged 10! She had the opportunity, to work with singers like Michael Bolton, Baby Face and Dolly Parton. And currently performs weekly in NYC. But where she truly shines, is being a woman who can sing from the heart. Kelly moved our NLP Training room to tears several times, performing! She started her…

• Self Talk, Positive Intentions and the Leap for Change Part 2

  admin

  23 Apr 2012 | 9:59 am

  Read: “Self Talk, Positive Intentions and the Leap for Change Part 1.” It is important that in all coaching or NLP work you do, that the positive intention is honored. The positive intention needs to be met, and worked with. A client may not move towards change, if it means moving away from the positive intention. It is important, to help the client change AND meeting the positive intentions. Shifting positive intentions in conscious awareness, task and goal set around this can make all the difference. Or a simple awareness that the old situation, may actually meet the positive…

• Global NLP Radio: Aaron Cornett :: NLP for PTSD in the US Military

  admin

  16 Apr 2012 | 3:10 pm

  PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in returning soldiers requires an NLP coach hero much like Aaron Cornett to bring treatment and resolution! He works as an occupational therapist with the soldiers and their family members for the US Military, and is stationed in Fort Campbell.  He treats individuals to get them back to what they were used to be able doing, which is not a small task for an active duty soldier coming back from the war. Since Aaron learned NLP, that’s all that he has pretty much been doing. And the good news is…..he did it with NLP Practitioner techniques…

• Self Talk, Positive Intentions and the Leap for Change Part 1

  admin

  9 Apr 2012 | 10:00 am

  Self Talk  is something that Claire Naber-Matalqa mentions in her Global NLP Radio interview. Listen to the Podcast with Claire on phobias, self talk and following your dreams. Claire says about the voices inside our heads that tells us to follow our dreams: “The way that we live in the world today, with so much going on, and so much stimulis going on. What’s happened is, in my opinion, the voice inside our head more often than not doesn’t say that. The voice inside our head is actually in the way of that. When we wake up in the morning, go t0 work, see our friends,…

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  Corporate Class Inc.

• Dressing for Success, Not for the Beach: Professional Summer Attire

  Jennifer

  14 May 2012 | 7:43 pm

  Summer is just around the corner, and cities across the country have already benefitted from a preview of what’s to come: sunny skies, blooming flowers, and unusually warm days. Once the temperatures start to climb, many of us are inclined to bring out our favourite sandals and sundresses, in preparation for spending as much time as possible outdoors. Caution: while breezy tank tops and flip-flops are appropriate for the beach and the park, they should not be worn to the office. Business attire is still the protocol for corporate and professional settings, even when the heat is on and we…

• What Can You Learn by Looking at the Body Language of Obama, Romney, Warren and Brown?

  Tazneem

  14 May 2012 | 5:45 am

  Bookmark this on Delicious We all know how important body language is when appearing for an interview or communicating in the corporate world. But here’s something to think about: can you predict the outcome of a political race by looking at candidates’ body language? A recent video interview on CBS of body language expert, Don Khoury by political analyst, John Keller revealed that body language and non-verbal communication says A LOT more about politicians than what they actually say in words. The way they’re dressed, the way they move and carry themselves speaks volumes.

• Corporate Dining Etiquette for Global Business Travelers

  Tazneem

  11 May 2012 | 6:37 am

  Bookmark this on Delicious Do you travel to exotic lands for business? With the increase of globalization, outsourcing, and foreign investments – international travel has become a must these days for the corporate executive. Being sensitive to the traditions and customs of other nations and accepting the corporate dining etiquette of foreign cultures is key when it comes to building global business relationships. Dining out and sampling the foods of other countries is always exciting but as an article from the Economic Times explains, many a times, “Business persons have horror…

• UTSA’s Career Closet – Helping New Grads Dress for Success.

  Tazneem

  9 May 2012 | 11:16 pm

  Bookmark this on Delicious In your university years you may be used to shorts, a T-shirt and sporting a pair of flip-flops – but what happens when you’re close to graduating and want to land a job that you’re interviewing for? A professional-looking business suit is a must for selling yourself, as the pitch to get the job starts with the first impression. Recognizing that dressing for success is crucial, UTSA (The University of Texas at San Antonio) has come up with a new initiative called the Career Closet where panicked students can borrow a business suit for 2 weeks for…

• Business Networking: 10 Top Tips on How To Work a Room

  Tazneem

  9 May 2012 | 11:10 pm

  Bookmark this on Delicious Do you get nervous when you walk into a room full of people you don’t know? Sure, we’re all used to networking via social media – tweeting, posting to LinkendIn and sharing on Facebook- those don’t seem to intimidate us much, do they? But when it comes to a one-on-one business networking event, professional meeting, workshop or seminar, why do some of us end up with sweaty palms and an uncomfortable feeling in the gut? Agreed, attending an event without any familiar faces can be scary, but NOT if you go with a goal in mind BEFORE you arrive.

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  Team Building Blog - Corporate Team Building

• Companies Still Substituting Extreme Activites for Real Team Building

  Anne Thornley-Brown, M.B.A. @executiveoasis

  22 Apr 2012 | 12:00 pm

  I was sure that, in the aftermath of the economic downturn and the "AIG Effect", we could finally say good riddance to companies using extreme activities as a substitute for real team building. Based on recent CNN report, this is not the case. I hope that some executives will come by and share their perspective.

• Effective Team Building: 8 Essential Elements for Executives

  Anne Thornley-Brown, M.B.A. @executiveoasis

  13 Feb 2012 | 12:45 pm

  When certain elements are missing, team building is less than effective. Definitely, an effort is made to include each and every one of these elements for every team building initiative. Unfortunately, many clients are totally resistant to including some or all of these elements. Including these elements will require a total of 40 - 60 minutes from the CEO (i.e. about 20 - 30 minutes with the CEO before the session, 10 - 15 minutes during the session and 10 - 15 minutes immediately after). Any CEO who is not prepared to invest this much time to ensure that team building is effective is simply…

• LinkedIn Groups: International Business Team Building Network for Executives

  Anne Thornley-Brown, M.B.A. @executiveoasis

  10 Feb 2012 | 9:43 am

  It's no secret that a lot of companies simply aren't getting a lot of bang for their team building buck. To help executives have instant access to information to create effective team building, the International Business Team Building Network for Executives was formed almos 3 years ago. It's a growing network of over 225 executives from 30 countries on just about every continent.

• Corporate Politics: 10 Sure-Fire Strategies to Reduce Turf Wars and Power Struggles

  Anne Thornley-Brown, M.B.A. @executiveoasis

  12 Jan 2012 | 9:52 am

  In large corporations, corporate politics (with its accompanying turf wars and power struggles) seems to be inevitable. These dynamics are not limited to large profit-making corporations. Unfortunately, I don't have a magic bullet that will eliminate turf wars but I do have some ideas about what is behind some of the in-fighting and a few ideas for leadership practices that can reduce it. The following suggestions will help executives and senior team leaders avoid practices that foster a climate of fear, insecurity and mistrust that fuels in-fighting.

• Corporate Team Building Blog – 2011 in review

  Anne Thornley-Brown, M.B.A. @executiveoasis

  5 Jan 2012 | 6:36 pm

  The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 15,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

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  Content for Coaches and Consultants

• The Amazing Power of Habits

  Patsi Krakoff

  8 May 2012 | 2:27 pm

  Any act often repeated soon forms a habit; and habit allowed, steadily gains in strength. At first it may be but as a spider’s web, easily broken through, but if not resisted it soon binds us with chains of steel. ~ American theologian Tryon Edwards (1809–1894) How much of what you do is wise? Most of the choices we make each day feel like well-considered decisions. In reality, ingrained habits drive us to act. (Image from The Power of Habit.) Research has shown that the average person has approximately 40,000 thoughts per day, but 95% are the same ones experienced the day before.

• The New Groupthink: The Problem with Teams

  Patsi Krakoff

  24 Apr 2012 | 8:04 am

  Teamwork demands shared responsibility, but it also demands individual contributions. It fails if team members shelter behind the consensus. ~ Robert Heller, Founding Editor, Management Today A recent survey found that 91 percent of high-level managers believe teams are the key to success. But the evidence doesn’t always support this assertion. Many teamwork-related problems remain hidden from view. Every team thinks it does its best work when the stakes are highest. On the contrary, pressures to perform drive people toward safe solutions that are justifiable, rather than innovative.

• The Art of Giving Feedback

  Patsi Krakoff

  12 Apr 2012 | 3:24 pm

  “Getting people to welcome feedback was the hardest thing I ever had to do as an educator.”  ― Professor Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture Everything is connected today. We need to collaborate with others to succeed in our relationships, life and work. For that, we need to develop the art of giving feedback and critiques.  In its original sense, feedback is the exchange of information about how one part of a system is working, with the understanding that it affects everyone else within the system. If any part veers off course, prompt remediation is critical. Feedback is every…

• Leadership’s Link to Emotional Intelligence

  Patsi Krakoff

  27 Mar 2012 | 9:12 am

   More than anyone else, the boss creates the conditions that directly determine people’s ability to work well.~ Daniel Goleman, Primal Leadership Ever wonder why some of the most brilliant, well-educated people aren’t promoted, while those with fewer obvious skills climb the professional ladder? Chalk it up to emotional intelligence (EI).  (photo courtesy Salvatore Vuono) When the concept first emerged in 1995, EI helped explain why people with average IQs outperform those with the highest IQs more than two-thirds of the time. In the United States, experts had assumed that high IQ was…

• What Successful People Do Differently

  Patsi Krakoff

  27 Feb 2012 | 3:59 pm

  Why do some people succeed and others fail? How do they set the stage for the next promotion, highest sales, most votes or stellar performance?  (photo courtesy Stuart Miles) Does it take:   A high IQ? Personality? Good looks? Talent? Research shows that measures of innate ability (like IQ) poorly predict who succeeds or stumbles. A recent book by Columbia Business School Professor Heidi Grant Halvorson summarizes Nine Things Successful People Do Differently. “Being successful is not about winning the DNA lottery; it’s about reaching goals,” she writes. “It’s about making…

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  Innovative Influence (Suzi Pomerantz's Blog)

• Great article on women and what ambition looks like for us!

  Suzi

  10 May 2012 | 11:08 am

  My friend Marcia Reynolds wrote this great article for Huffington Post and I had to share an excerpt!  You can read the full article here: WHAT AMBITION IN WOMEN LOOKS LIKE Why do women quit fighting for higher positions or quit their jobs altogether, moving on to something else? 1. Women are not motivated by the traditional “carrot and stick” approaches that business counts on. From my experience and research, many women are not motivated to achieve because they want money and titles. They are motivated by “motion and meaning.” They want frequent, new and significant…

• Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg on the Ambition Gap in the world regarding women

  Suzi

  9 May 2012 | 5:28 pm

  This is a brilliant series of comments by Sheryl Sandberg speaking in Davos Switzerland recently at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting; her comments are particularly interesting on the likeability and success correlation between men and women…fascinating:   I’d love your thoughts!

• Another Free Webinar from Mari Smith, Facebook Expert: 10 tips for making money on new Facebook Business Timelines

  Suzi

  8 May 2012 | 3:08 pm

  I just got a big-news announcement from my friend Mari Smith that I had to share with you! Here’s the scoop – Mari is super-excited to tell you about her great big FREE webinar: “10 ESSENTIAL Facebook Money-Making ‘Techie’ Tips” you need to be using today, to extract the dollars your own growing Facebook community wants to send you!  May 15th at 3pm Eastern… On this 75-minute webinar, Mari will be showing you exactly how she has created the Facebook “sales funnel” she uses in her own business. Of course, as the “Queen of…

• Juicy Free Learning for Leaders & Coaches this week!

  Suzi

  7 May 2012 | 8:26 am

  THIS WEEK! My WBECS talk and lots of other great complimentary sessions for you to choose from! As an official partner of WBECS 2012 I am delighted to be able to invite you to attend the second week of complimentary sessions from many of the industries true thought leaders. Last week’s sessions were exceptionally high value with 100% content and no pitches being made by those presenting them and this will continue to be the case this week. Feedback from the first week’s taster sessions was fantastic and there is a new theme this week so be sure to come and enjoy as many as you can…

• A society of leaders who are heads-down, alone, together?

  Suzi

  1 May 2012 | 2:05 pm

  This article in the NY Times by Sherry Turkle from MIT is too juicy not to share.  She writes about how technology has turned us into a society of people who are avoiding real conversations for the false connection available through our handheld devices and computer screens. She posits that being alone is a problem that technology has solved… We live in a technological universe in which we are always communicating. And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection. We expect more from technology and less from one another and seem increasingly drawn to technologies that…

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  Patty Azzarello's Business Leadership Blog

• Don’t confuse networking with selling

  Patty Azzarello

  14 May 2012 | 8:45 pm

  Authentic Networking I have written many articles about Authentic Networking, that are about using a genuine, generous approach to building your “extra team”. We all need this type of network. The basic premise of Authentic Networking is: * Meet new people because they genuinely interest you * Build and put value into your network by giving. * Network with the people you already know — before you need anything. * Give more than you take, always. I often say that even if you never meet another person in your whole life, you should still be putting value into the network of people you…

• What happened last night?

  Patty Azzarello

  4 May 2012 | 5:20 pm

  Thank You! Thank you to everyone who came out last night to make the RISE book launch such a success. The store SOLD OUT of all their copies of RISE! It meant so much to me to see long time friends and meet new ones. And it was a fantastic networking event. And there was Champagne. Enjoy the photos and have a good weekend… Get your copy now! RISE: 3 Practical Steps for Advancing Your Career, Standing Out as a Leader (and Liking Your Life) Free eBook Download (chapter) RISE is available now online (hardcopy and e-versions) and in bookstores in the US, Canada, the UK, India, Singpore and…

• The Answers…

  Patty Azzarello

  30 Apr 2012 | 9:59 pm

  Confused and stuck When I was in college studying electronic engineering I did OK in most of the classes, but some were truly baffling. There was one class in particular where I really struggled. I sat through all the lectures, copied down all the equations that the teacher wrote on the board and took copious notes about what he was saying – to no avail… My study partner/friend and I would spend hours on end slogging through the homework questions in the textbook trying to learn the material. We would fill notebooks with equations, never being sure if we were doing the right thing or not.

• Punished for being too smart

  Patty Azzarello

  24 Apr 2012 | 1:05 pm

  Being the smartest one in the room is not easy.  Really smart people who get to the answer before everyone else get frustrated because: No one wants to listen to you No one gets why you are right Everyone seems to WANT to go slower (and it is infuriating) You resent having to make the effort of “bringing people along” Good guy or bad guy? I have met and coached many talented and genuinely kind people throughout my career that want to do positive things for the business in an unselfish way — but they get stuck because they are so smart that they piss people off. If you are one of…

• Leading People in Business

  Patty Azzarello

  16 Apr 2012 | 4:05 pm

  The Webinar: This month’s Business Leaders’ webinar was on Leading People in Business. If you missed it you can download the podcast or the whole webinar which includes the presentation, and useful worksheets and templates. (more information below) Here is what we talked about: Business Results Driving business results, leading change, innovating, and generally moving a business forward requires leading people. An organization will not automatically self optimize so that all the people do what the business needs them to do. That’s the job of a leader. As a leader, you need…

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  Raising the Bar Blog

• Is there a business development season?

  Robin Hensley

  15 May 2012 | 12:08 am

  Have you been waiting for the right time to start building your book? Hoping for things to slow down enough to focus on it? Is there a right time of year for business development? If you’re an accountant or CPA, then you know there is one season that is definitely NOT business development season and that’s Tax Season. Business development is definitely not a seasonal game but you can make it one. Using the concept of Periodization, you can turn a year-long hurdle into 12-week sprints. Here’s how it works in this excerpt from my new book, The World Class Rainmaker’s…

• Administrative Professionals Week is April 22 - 28. Start Planning Now!

  Robin Hensley

  10 Apr 2012 | 8:45 am

  Contrary to what you might believe, your administrative professionals are not panting for flowers, candy and a nice lunch. What they really want is to be a recognized part of the firm’s success.  Where would you be right now without the organization, dedication and know-how of the administrative staff that supports your success? What are you doing to support their success? In my Super Rainmaker Coaching Programs, I talk about ways to increase bandwidth to achieve world class rainmaking goals. One of the best ways to increase your efficiency and productivity is to look for ways…

• For Managing Partners, Choosing the Right Admin is Crucial to Achieving Your Rainmaking Goals (and Everything Else!)

  Robin Hensley

  13 Mar 2012 | 8:45 am

  When the conversation turns to rainmaking, this is an issue that does not get talked about enough. The right admin can make the difference between soaring and just getting by (or perhaps not even doing that.) Marry in haste. Repent at leisure. I was speaking to a Managing Partner client recently. He was covered over with new and old business and breaking in a new assistant. He was worried, though. In a hurry to replace his last admin, he jumped at the chance to hire an experienced replacement. Now he was wondering if he had made the right decision.  The price of a bad hire is…

• What Happens When Life Interrupts Your Business Development Plans?

  Robin Hensley

  21 Feb 2012 | 7:45 am

  We are so busy being busy that sometimes life sneaks up on us, knocks us flat and makes us take stock of what’s really important. Two clients have recently and suddenly lost a parent and I am very sorry for their loss. Life's unexpectedness can be a great shock but may be a great gift, too, coming to remind us of what is really important. While work can become a refuge from the pain of loss, don’t make it the only work you do. There is time enough to get back in the saddle.  Life is short. Take time to enjoy it with the people you care most about. It will make you better at…

• OMPs, Are Your Rainmaking Skills Ready For A Re-boot?

  Robin Hensley

  31 Jan 2012 | 7:45 am

  We talk alot here about the value of a written plan for achieving business development goals. If you are part of your firm's management team and just beginning your 2012 plan, then here's another dimension to add to the planning process. As an Office Managing Partner, you may feel far removed from the day-to-day requirements of making rain. It's often much easier to put that part of your responsibilities at the bottom of your to-do list, assuming it even makes the list. But you are the leader and leading by example will help your whole team meet its individual and collective goals. It's never…

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  aliciadunams.com

• Alicia Dunams to Present at Keynote Mastery LIVE!

  Alicia

  15 May 2012 | 2:39 pm

      Patrick Schwerdtfeger announced today that Alicia Dunams will be one of the eight speakers participating in the much-anticipated Keynote Mastery LIVE event that will take place on June 13, 2012, beginning at 6:30 PM at the Oakland Scottish Rite near Lake Merritt.   Over 400 attendees are expected to attend, mostly self-employed professionals and small business owners.   Continue reading here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/keynote-mastery/alicia-dunams/prweb9480248.htm

• How You Can Easily Self-Publish A Book To Build Your Brand and Grow Your Business

  Alicia

  9 May 2012 | 11:45 am

  Article by Michele Ruiz Written on May 2, 2012 by Michele Ruiz in Blog, Bootstrapping, Branding, How To, Marketing, Strategy It’s a gorgeous day in Napa Valley, California and I’ve joined some amazing women entrepreneurs who are authors or are publishing books. And I’ve learned that with self-publishing tools on the market and turn-key solutions, it’s easy to build your brand, enhance your position as an expert and increase your business by writing a book. Continue reading here.

• Ricki Lake Talks Women Writing Books

  Alicia

  3 May 2012 | 8:18 pm

  Ricki Lake discusses why more women should write books with “Friends of Ricki” founding member @AliciaDunams, founder of Bestseller in a Weekend! Ricki Lake returns to TV this September will her all-new daytime talk show, The Ricki Lake Show. Join Ricki on her journey back to daytime by visiting Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheRickiLakeShow or following @RickiLakeShow on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/rickilakeshow. Website: http://www.rickilaketvshow.com/ If you would like to join the “Friends of Ricki” community, the first social TV community of its kind,…

• [Case Studies] 3 authors profiting from writing a book

  Alicia

  2 May 2012 | 9:37 pm

  At the Bestseller Profit Mastermind, authors Ana Maria Sanchez (author of Girl from The Hood Gone Good), Joy Reichard (author of Celebrate the Divine Feminine), and Julie Gleeson and Sherry Berman (co-authors of Inside Job) discuss how writing a book has increased confidence and profits in their business.

• [Guest Post by Ana Maria Sanchez] How my book given me incredible credibility and visibility

  Alicia

  30 Apr 2012 | 12:28 pm

  My debut book, Girl from the Hood Gone Good, One Woman’s Mission to Help Others Overcome a Pain Filled Past, delves deeply into the trials and tribulations I’ve undergone in a life filled with childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, drinking and drugs. Revisiting my past had a profound impact on me, and I was uncertain about the reception that my book would receive. However, it has been liberating to be able to release my past, knowing that I’m connecting with readers in such a way that they can be certain I understand their obstacles, while helping them overcome them.

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  thejewishmothercoach.com

• You Just Wouldn’t Understand

  Michele McDonough

  2 May 2012 | 11:59 am

  This is a guest post from Michele McDonough. At some point in our lives, we’ve probably all experienced a situation in which we asked a question and were answered with, “You just wouldn’t understand.” And, if we’re completely honest with ourselves, haven’t there also been times when we’ve given that response to someone else? I admit to having my share of pet peeves, but this is definitely one of my biggest. Why does it bother me so much? Well, frankly, it’s degrading. It’s insulting. You might as well say, “I think you’re dumber than me.” On top of all that, most of…

• Have You Scared Yourself Today?

  Tricia Goss

  18 Apr 2012 | 9:07 am

  Connect with Tricia on Linked In and Twitter I have always been the stuff-holder. You know, the person who holds everyone else’s wallets, purses and car keys while they ride rollercoasters at an amusement park, dive into the ocean in September or line up to sing at a karaoke bar. In short, I try to avoid scary stuff if at all possible. However, if I am honest with myself –and with you—a majority of the most rewarding and positive life changes I have experienced included doing something scary at one point. If I never did anything scary, I wouldn’t be married or be a mom. I would not…

• Work-Life Balance

  Tricia Goss

  10 Apr 2012 | 9:40 am

  Who Thought Up That Crazy Phrase? Connect with Tricia on Linked In and Twitter It’s a catchphrase that has been tossed around by everyone from Oprah to Forbes, but what is this work-life balance everyone is pushing? If you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur or otherwise self-employed, it might seem like the one thing that is always just out of reach, since your work and personal lives are so interwoven. Let’s look at a handful of definitions of the word balance, courtesy of Merriam Webster: to arrange so that one set of elements exactly equals another; to equal or equalize in…

• A Memory Champ? Who Knew?

  Ruth Mott

  4 Apr 2012 | 8:58 am

  I’m so sorry – I remember your face, but I’m terrible with names! Do you say this when you run into someone you really don’t remember? I do, and I’m always embarrassed by it. I’ve tried several tricks like associating the person with something else – an animal, a movie character, and a piece of furniture, whatever! And that works some of the time but not all of the time. Memorizing a speech is easier for me because I associate one fact with the next and it’s the connections that I remember. I may not say it the same way twice, but I don’t forget the particular point I…

• Three Little Questions to Rock Your World

  Ruth Mott

  27 Mar 2012 | 12:43 pm

  I always like to take the short on-line quizzes that companies offer to see if I’m smarter than everyone else, or dumber, for that matter; or to see if I have the best memory, etc. So I’m offering this little quiz to help you see yourself. Who Are You? ( This is not about your accomplishments, this is about your core values – what is important to you in life?) What Do You Do? (Think Big. Think about the positive Outcome of what you do, for example, you’re not an architect, you make someone’s dream space a real place to dream.) Why Do You Do It? (What do you Love about what you do?

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  Coaches Training Blog

• Ode to a Certified Personal Coach

  Fred Phillips

  14 May 2012 | 9:03 am

  Here’s a poem for all those thinking of hiring a certified personal coach. In ragged, mostly non-rhyming middle-school level poetry, the benefits of using the services of a coach are extolled. If you are thinking of becoming a certified personal coach, this poem may give you an idea of the influence you can have on [...]

• Why You Should Get Your Wellness Coaching Certification Now

  Fred Phillips

  12 May 2012 | 9:03 am

  Think a wellness coaching certification would be the right choice for your career? It’s a great career choice because you get to help people, work in a healthy and dynamic field, and you have the opportunity to make some damn good money. Being a wellness coach requires a unique set of skills that may not [...]

• What is a Life Coach Career Coach?

  Fred Phillips

  10 May 2012 | 9:03 am

  Here is a new niche for coaching – life coach career coach. Usually when you look for a niche in the coaching world, you attempt to narrow down the market. For example, weight loss coach for working woman, financial coach for seniors, life coach for the disabled, sleep coach for insomniacs, weight loss coach for [...]

• What Degree Do You Need to Become a Life Coach?

  Jeannine Yoder

  8 May 2012 | 9:03 am

  You want to know “What degree do you need to become a life coach?”. I’m going to tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What Degree Do You Mean? Be Very Clear! For starters you must learn to be specific when you ask a question. You must choose your questions wisely and [...]

• Quotes for a New Certified Personal Coach

  Fred Phillips

  7 May 2012 | 9:03 am

  Are you a new certified personal coach? Just received your certification and ready to head out into the world of certified personal coaching? If so, you have made a wise choice. Coaching is a profession where you can help others while helping yourself. A career doesn’t get any better than that! However, it can be [...]

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  The CEO Challenge

• Why good luck is the enemy!

  Rick McPartlin

  7 May 2012 | 11:00 am

  At least of long-term profitable revenue Sales are up, more employees every month, profits are growing, my bank likes me – how can things get any better?  This is the business equivalent of being 22 years old, feeling great, being able to eat or drink anything, looking trim, feeling healthy, having a great job and a full social life. Fast forward and the story changes: being in the right place at the right time does not a future make or more accurately not a great future make. We all know classmates who were on top of the world at 22, but at the 20 year reunion have physical challenges and…

• What’s Your “Cost Per Sales Hour” & What Can You Do About It?

  Rick McPartlin

  23 Apr 2012 | 10:44 am

  Does $525,000.00 per month seem high for 8 hours of selling per day? Who knows what their attorney costs per hour — or their accountant, or plumber, or their receptionist? Almost everyone knows what these services cost per hour. How about products? Does anyone know what a gallon of gas costs? A cup of coffee at Starbucks? Those in business who manufacture goods almost always know what it costs to produce the goods, so they can price them and improve their profits. So please tell me what it costs for a company to generate 40 hours of selling to get someone to buy those products. If I said…

• When Do You Say NO in Order to Sell More?

  Rick McPartlin

  7 Mar 2012 | 10:00 am

  You need to say more NO so you can create more profits. A strong brand promise (or what your company stands for) makes it clear what to say NO to – saying YES to everything means you stand for nothing, with high costs. You just presented your prospect with a proposal. Now they have read it, asked you some questions and seem to be ready to decide. The first words out of their mouth are, “Well your price is too high,” and, “We need to change the start to next Monday and be done in 3 weeks not 5.” Now is the time to say NO! The prospect just tried to change the engagement and the…

• Accurately Forecasting in 2012

  Rick McPartlin

  22 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  This post was first developed for the CEO membership of VistageConnect.com, Vistage International revolutionary new online community built for the express purpose of developing executives using virtual peer advisory sessions. Scenario 1:  Small business will focus on the fear of going under Scenario 2:  Small business will focus on growing So which is it?   Forecasting revenue is always tough, but since 2008 it has been the most taxing in over 50 years.  To get it right in 2012 you need to “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change”   Try a new set of…

• Sales Is a Relationship Business – Right???

  Rick McPartlin

  23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am

  This post was first developed for the CEO membership of VistageConnect.com, Vistage International revolutionary new online community built for the express purpose of developing executives using virtual peer advisory sessions. TV’s hottest show is Mad Men. “Viewers see Mad Men as a polished reflection of their own -- and their parents' -- life and times.” I grew up in that world of the ‘50s and ‘60s where “a relationship” was born from and measured by  booze, lunches, expensive Christmas gifts, trips and other benefits. My grandfather was a purchasing agent for General Motors,…

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  CMI

• Building a G.R.E.A.T. Company

  Bruce Hodes and CMI

  15 May 2012 | 2:30 am

  Components of Great Companies IIR: Revenue and Reflection. Revenues are central to any business. The reason great companies stand out is they generate a lot more revenue than their competition. Revenue can also mean (although not necessarily) that they generate profit. For many growing companies, profit can be elusive during the times when revenue must be put back into infrastructure and additional resources in order to grow. In great companies, revenue is understood by everyone, not just the top executives. All employees understand how revenue is generated and consumed. More important, each…

• You're Invited

  Bruce Hodes and CMI

  10 May 2012 | 2:00 am

• Building a G.R.E.A.T. Company

  Bruce Hodes and CMI

  8 May 2012 | 2:30 am

  Components of Great Companies Now that we have defined a great middle market company, what components make up greatness? They can simply be found in the acronym G.R.E.A.T. G: Generous and Growth. The dictionary defines generous as “liberal in giving or sharing; not petty or mean; magnanimous; abundant and ample”. These are also apt descriptions of a great company’s culture. Great companies provide space for people to grow and develop. They accept human foibles and allow mistakes to be made. Great companies are not mean-spirited or punitive. They have rules, but only a few. They are…

• Building a G.R.E.A.T. Company

  Bruce Hodes and CMI

  1 May 2012 | 2:30 am

  Defining a Great CompanyIn the article “Good to Great,” Jim Collins defined a great company in the following manner: "The good-to-great examples that made the final cut into the study attained extraordinary results; averaging cumulative stock returns 6.9 times the general market in the fifteen years following their transition points. These are remarkable numbers, made all the more remarkable when you consider the fact that they came from companies that had previously been so utterly unremarkable.”This is a fine definition for companies which are large enough for you and me to know about…

• Building a G.R.E.A.T. Company

  Bruce Hodes and CMI

  24 Apr 2012 | 2:30 am

  Over the past 30 years of working with CEOs, business owners and senior executive teams, I have learned the key components to design and grow great small- to mid-sized companies. Follow my posts over the next couple weeks to learn all about how to make your company a G.R.E.A.T. one.

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  Balanced WorkLife

• The Happy Secret to Better Work

  Lori Dryburgh

  14 May 2012 | 11:45 am

  Well, things are looking up: We have an economy in recovery: housing starts are up, the price of used homes in the greater Phoenix area recently rose 20%, foreclosures have slowed, and U.S. mortgage applications rose for the third week in a row. Now that we have a Republican Presidential nominee, all the backstabbing comments from other GOP candidate wannabes have pretty much stopped. Bank of America announced they’re forgiving over 200,000 mortgages up to $150,000. And Fannie Mae posted a $2.7 billion profit for the first three months of the year and will not require taxpayer aid for…

• 50 Touching Lessons From Nature’s Greatest Moms

  Bryce Christiansen

  12 May 2012 | 7:00 am

  The world would be out of balance if it weren’t for the Moms that keep us together. In honor of these wonderful women, we put together a presentation I hope you will all enjoy. 50 Touching Lessons From Nature’s Greatest Moms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.

• 4 Communication Lessons From The Internet Trolls

  Michelle Agner

  11 May 2012 | 7:00 am

  You may have seen Anne Kreamer’s post at HBR.org, about the potential career impact of using headphones in the office. After outlining a number of pros and cons about headphone use in today’s changing workplace, Kreamer offered her opinion: But organizations need to develop protocols that avoid making isolation the universal default office norm, and that encourage face-to-face interaction. Some personal-bubbledom is necessary. But too much creates a lonely crowd. I found the article thoughtful, well researched, and enlightening. But even more interesting were the reader comments…

• 4 Social Experiments That Show Why Your Willpower Fails You

  Bryce Christiansen

  9 May 2012 | 7:00 am

  Quality managers have always searched after “willpower” as a needed trait in their teams, but what if “willpower” wasn’t as much a quality someone possesses, but more of a resource people draw from? A recent article by David McRaney at You Are Not So Smart shows that this may be the case. So how could this new point of view affect your productivity? Quite a bit actually. For example, one experiment will show you how to have a 40% higher chance of getting parole just by changing the time of your hearing. Now I’m not implying this only applies to those of you…

• How To Have A Successful Office Romance

  Guest Author

  5 May 2012 | 8:50 am

  Editor’s NoteToday’s guest post comes from career blogger Al Turner, the managing editor of Campuses to Careers. So, you’ve fallen for the guy or gal in the next cubicle over and you’re not sure how to proceed. Well, human resources managers see office romances bloom (and go bust) more times than they can count. At the beginning of your new inter-office relationship, you may be too blinded by infatuation to see the pitfalls.  Before committing yourself to a new relationship and blurring the lines between your personal and professional lives, consider these possible…

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  Rebelations Blog

• Whose Got the Power?

  Rebel Brown

  14 May 2012 | 2:00 pm

  79% of the buying cycle is now completed without a vendor directly involved.If you're still thinking like a funnel or a pipeline - I'd strongly suggest you step beyond your gravity thinking and shift into the 21st century reality.

• Conversation is the New Campaign

  Rebel Brown

  5 May 2012 | 11:52 am

  Our buyers no longer need us to get the information they need to make purchasing decisions. Today's buyers can research, compare and select products without our ever even knowing they were looking. In fact - buyers spend over 79% of their purchasing cycle without ever engaging us... only if we make the cut during their research do they invite us into their process. That's a huge shift that puts buyers in control - and it means that we need to shift our thinking about how we engage with our audiences. That's why I believe that conversations are the new campaigns.

• The Marketing Reality Gap

  Rebel Brown

  23 Apr 2012 | 6:04 am

  Having a great handle on your buyers' reality is one of the most important aspects of great marketing. When we remain objective, seeing our markets in the truth of the present, we focus on customers' perceptions today. The problem is, staying objective and in reality isn't a natural thing for many of us. Human nature gets in our way. For example...

• Your Story has Two Faces

  Rebel Brown

  14 Apr 2012 | 12:47 pm

  Every story has multiple faces....some enticing, some threatening. When we choose the threatening aspect of a story, we risk alienating our audience. Who wants to hear about scary things they're doing? Would you???

• ReName, ReBrand or ReSign?

  Rebel Brown

  2 Apr 2012 | 5:04 am

  How about you? Do you own your brand? How are you feeling right now? Are you passing the test? Have you googled yourself and your brand lately? Are you listening into brand and product mentions? Owning a brand comes with some big responsibilities. Are you ready?

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  Executive Velocity Blog

• How Using MBTI Results Can Help Leaders Build Better Teams

  Beth Miller

  13 May 2012 | 10:36 pm

  Team members who seek to understand one another will likely improve their overall team effectiveness because their communication is better. And one tool that can help teams understand their members is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, also known as the MBTI, or simply the Myers Briggs. The MBTI helps teams because it helps individuals see the differences in their innate personalities: how they perceive the world and how they prefer to act. And when used with teams, it helps team members to understand each other better. As a business leader looking to place employees in roles that match their…

• 20 Signs You’re Team Members Aren’t Trusting You

  Beth Miller

  11 May 2012 | 10:02 am

  Successful teams trust one another. Trust is one of three things—along with credibility and respect—that need to be established by leaders for teams to be successful. How can you (as the leader) tell if your team members are losing faith in you? People have defined trust in many ways. The Oxford English Dictionary says it is, “the firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.” When you think about it, trust is more something that can be felt, something that is intangible, rather than something that can be defined. In our culture overall, trust seems to be…

• 7 Team Types That Make Business Possible

  Beth Miller

  10 May 2012 | 2:10 pm

  Teams work together to accomplish a common goal. Teams are a part of business. They make things, accomplish tasks, provide services, offer advice and seek to meet other goals. While people have used teams to come together and accomplish tasks since we were hunters and gatherers, the concept is always evolving. And, today, more and more companies are incorporating teams—of a variety of sizes and types—into their workflows. It’s a good idea for any business leader to understand the types of teams and the distinctions among them. Different ways to break teams into categories exist, but the…

• Five Qualities to Identify High Potentials

  Beth Miller

  3 Apr 2012 | 4:18 pm

  As business leaders, it is important to be able to see and cultivate the employees who will be the future of the company—and direct its present course. These high potentials, as they are known, can be identified in a number of ways, but are you identifying them in your business? Or are these emerging leaders slipping through the cracks—maybe to another company that will identify their ability to rise through the company ranks? Quite a few different metrics exist among companies and the support systems companies use, and the methods they use to identify high potentials. But a review of…

• Freeing Yourself From The Irreplaceable Employee Trap

  Beth Miller

  2 Apr 2012 | 12:57 pm

  So you have been wringing your hands over the fear of losing a key employee.  Your top performers have read all the articles about how to become irreplaceable and they have executed the plan. They now own key client relationships or are in the critical path of a product development project. The problem with the irreplaceable employee is that she probably knows she is key to your success and you helped put her in the driver’s seat. How did you help? You helped to create this irreplaceable employee by allowing her to develop such strong client relationships that your company became…

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  consultantgrowth.com

• The Goldilocks Principle

  Jay Niblick

  15 May 2012 | 9:36 pm

  Killer proposals – The Goldilocks Principle Another valuable lesson I’ve learned from those consultants who do very well growing their practices is to always give the prospect multiple options in any proposal they write. Not giving options usually means you just increased your chances of not getting their business. Know any stores that sell one thing and one thing only? Even specialty shops sell multiple varieties of the same thing. Giving people options allows them to be in control and empowers them. As you put your proposal together, give some thought to how you could create at least…

• RULE #3: EDUCATION-BASED CONSULTANT MARKETING

  Jay Niblick

  19 Apr 2012 | 4:51 am

  In this three-part series we’ll dig into the top three most important rules of education-based marketing for business consultants and coaches. Rule #1: Seek to Educate, Not to Sell. Rule #2: Give everything away. Rule #3 of Education-based marketing: Own the Blood Bank There’s an old, albeit morbid, quote that says, “I just want to own the blood bank in a time of crisis.” What’s meant by this is that you want to control the supply when demand is at its highest. Your objective in your lecture is to create a significant demand for something you control. Examples can be for a very…

• Education-based Consultant Marketing: Rule #2

  Jay Niblick

  14 Apr 2012 | 6:55 am

  In this three-part series we’ll dig into the top three most important rules of education-based marketing for business consultants and coaches. Rule #1: Seek to Educate, Not to Sell. Rule #2 of Education-based marketing: Give everything away. You don’t get paid for telling someone what to do. You get paid for actually showing them how to do it. Tell them what to do, but make an obvious link to your ability to show them how to actually do it. While you want to truly educate your market, the whole purpose is to get them to pay you to help them do what you are telling them to do. Here’s the…

• The 3 Golden Rules of Education-based Consultant Marketing

  Jay Niblick

  13 Apr 2012 | 8:46 am

  In this three-part series we’ll dig into the top three most important rules of education-based marketing for business consultants and coaches. Rule #1: Seek to Educate, Not to Sell Fair warning. Educating rather than selling is easier said than done. You will have to undo years of programming that has taught you that you must close the prospect; pitch your wares and sell them. Simply put, the moment you do this, you have moved from education-based marketing to sales-based marketing. Doing so will close the door on that prospect forever because nothing reinforces the image of the slick sales…

• Article Marketing For Consultants

  Jay Niblick

  9 Apr 2012 | 6:55 am

  Writing short articles (like this blog for example) is a terrific way to grow your practice. It doesn’t require you to become the next Hemingway; just write honestly from your heart on a topic that you’re an authority in. The key to doing this effectively is to repurpose everything you write. Your writings should be roughly 500 words in length, and you can post them in your own newsletter, your own blog or even out all over the internet for potential prospects to find, and be lead back to your site. Once you’ve selected your topic, and written 500 words on it, make sure you get maximum…