August 20, 2013

What Is World Class Customer Service?

10 “Must Haves” That Buyer’s Expect From Your Sales Force

Professional sellers know that it’s both easy to do and imperative not to do. Taking a customer for granted and assuming current customers will always be customers is short-sighted and irresponsible in selling. When customers begin to feel unappreciated, as if they are just one of many and only as valuable as their last order… It’s then that customer dissatisfaction can lead to customer attrition.   Keeping customers starts with keeping customers satisfied.   But top...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on August 20, 2013

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August 18, 2013

7 Things Very Effective People STOP Doing

Productivity At Work - Are You A Fast Hamster?

Do you feel fulfilled and accomplished at the end of the day? Or are you more often frustrated over what you did not get done? When no matter how much you do still feels like you haven’t done enough, it can become overwhelming and sometimes physically exhausting, a little like a hamster on a wheel. Well, we know there is much more to you than that, however this is a common feeling shared by many business leaders.   It’s not productive and doesn't make the most of our time and...Continue reading

By Jayne JenkinsPosted in Professional Development on August 18, 2013

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August 15, 2013

How to Prevent Cultural Conflict In International Organizations

3 Mechanisms International Managers Can Use To Strengthen Their Teams

Conflict and difference can separate or strengthen corporate teams, depending on how they are handled.    When handled poorly Separateness can fester into fears and incorrect judgments, all taking focus and energy off the very reason the organization exists, whereas when handled well, diverse approaches, insights and opinions have the potential to foster unity, increase teamwork and productivity.     When any conflict is not managed well, and the difference that exists is...Continue reading

By Debbie NicolPosted in International Management on August 15, 2013

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August 13, 2013

5 Elements of an Engaged Culture & Integrated Human Resource Strategy

The Importance of People, How Does Your Company Compare?

"Companies have a hard time distinguishing between the cost of paying people and the value of investing in them" -Thomas A Stewart 1997 I think this quote from Thomas Stewart captures one of the most significant issues that organizations still face almost 200 years after the Industrial Revolution, the idea that the acquisition and deployment of talent typically determines the long-term success and sustainability of organizations.   A recent poll of CEO’s regarding what they perceived as the...Continue reading

By Mark HerbertPosted in Human Resources on August 13, 2013

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August 11, 2013

Leadership Presence: 3 Behaviors People Gravitate Toward

Do You Show Up As a Leader?

When people ask me how they can make others see them as a leader, I think of the classic children’s story The Emperor’s New Clothes. That’s the one where the vain emperor is duped into believing his clothing has been woven from the finest (invisible!) fabrics and threads. He proudly parades through town wearing these elegant new (invisible!) clothes, unaware that he is wearing absolutely nothing.   Being a leader is often misunderstood in this same way. People mistakenly believe if...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 11, 2013

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August 9, 2013

How True Leaders Demonstrate Unwavering Integrity

Checklist & Action Plan for Making Decisions With Integrity

The dictionary defines integrity as a firm adherence to a code of especially moral and ethical principles demonstrating a soundness of character and honesty. The question: are these the first words that come to mind when thinking of corporate, business or political leaders? Ken Stinson, former CEO, private equity principal and member of multiple corporate boards had the following to say at a corporate meeting several years ago,   “Real life temptations are not always so clear-cut. They more...Continue reading

By David ShafferPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 9, 2013

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August 7, 2013

The Web Changes Everything – Or Does It?

4 Things You Need To Know About Your Web Presence!

The Internet has changed our lives in more ways than we can imagine – and some we’re not aware of!  Every business owner or principal understands that they need to have a presence on the web and there are thousands of tools that will help you - from providing hosting for a site you design to designing, hosting and managing all aspects of your site.    But as we move forward in this ‘cloud’-based business environment, there are a few key things you need to keep in...Continue reading

By Robert WaltersPosted in Small Business on August 7, 2013

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August 5, 2013

Strategic Leadership-How Strategic Are You?

Three Key Components To Transform Strategy Into Results

When we talk about being strategic we focus more on thinking and planning, than on leading and achieving.  The reality is that “being strategic” requires both; it’s the full transformation from dream to result.  It’s not that we forget to transform our vision, but often our approach to leading that change is not effective enough to generate our desired results.  Here is a model for strategic transformation-how to make your vision real.     Thinking &...Continue reading

By Lisa WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 5, 2013

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August 1, 2013

User Stories – Simple, But Not Easy

Define your needs so that Agile Software Developers will act.

User stories are used in agile software development to provide concise descriptions of desired system functionality.  They are written from the perspective of the person who will use the functionality and they utilize the following structure:   “As a (list the type of user), I want to (identify the desired outcome) so that (identify the user’s intent).”  An example would be “As an investor, I want to see the unit value of my mutual fund so that I can see if I am...Continue reading

By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on August 1, 2013

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July 30, 2013

Market Share: Getting (and Keeping) Your Piece of the Pie

What will you do when faced with new competition?

For any type of product in any given market area, there’s a limit to how much business there is to go around. That total number is the “whole pie.” It’s determined by the buyers in your market area, by the demand for the product you sell.    Let’s say you sell haircuts. You and every other salon, barber shop and beauty parlor in your zip code are competing for the limited number of customers who will get haircuts each week. That number of total haircuts represents...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on July 30, 2013

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