Means to an End
Once a decision is made to take action, it’s crucial to consider how to approach the work. There are often multiple means to an end, but they are not all created equal. The methods chosen will greatly influence the lasting value that is created, or not. Three crucial questions will help a leader and team […]
No Pencil-Whipping, Please!
I heard a new expression this week at our annual Safety Symposium; it was new to me, at least, but the euphemism “Pencil-Whipping” is common enough that Google instantly returns multiple results, including definitions in the Urban Dictionary and Wiktionary. It conjures up an image for me of a Number 2 Pencil being worked feverishly, […]
The Hard Way
Building lasting client relationships depends heavily on how they start out. Otherwise, you’re forced to do things “The Hard Way”. This doesn’t mean that a business relationship that begins out of sync can’t be corrected, because sometimes it can. But why handicap yourself at the outset? Much better is to spend the time making sure […]
Winning Recipe
What is it that makes one meal preparation taste better than another? Similarly, what is it that makes one business thrive when another struggles or fails? Could the answer be in the winning recipe? Are there unique ingredients that the successful chef or business leader uses, which others don’t know? It’s certainly possible, but much […]
Fresh Look
I’m commenting on landscapes here, because that’s a natural focus of my professional work, but taking a fresh look can and should apply to any service situation. Complacency dulls the senses and, if that happens, leads to declines in quality over time. The changes can be so subtle that you don’t even notice them until […]
To Assume
It requires conscious effort, plus some prep time, if you want to truly figure out what’s on your client’s mind. To assume is to set yourself up for unwelcome surprises and, in the worst case, for failure. There’s a very literal expression that suggests how “to assume” can make you both look. Fortunately, there’s a […]
The Seven P’s
Here they are: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Piss- Poor Performance. The British Army is given credit for this powerful expression, but it was offered up just this week by one of our own talented financial analysts – in a Sales Training workshop of all places! I think his version may have been the softened […]
Create Something!
Ideas are wonderful things. They come about in all sorts of ways and take many forms; sometimes they emerge from reflection, other times through problem-solving, yet others from divine inspiration, or even seemingly “out of the blue”! How they come about doesn’t determine their value. The ultimate value of an idea only develops when you […]
2,581 Miles
How many miles can you drive in 24 hours straight? A three driver team managed to travel 2,581 miles in that time-frame during last weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, at an average clip of roughly 108 miles per hour. That includes shifting up to nearly 200 mph on the brief straightaways and then down-shifting to […]
Guesswork?
If you’re a contestant in a game show, guesswork might be acceptable. After all, part of the objective of the TV producers is to prey upon surprise, disappointment and occasionally exuberance. Since the outcome is simply a matter of chance, who can possibly be responsible for what happens? When it comes to the world of […]