I had lunch with a friend this week who’s been attending to his father, whose health is failing. During lunch, he told me that his father’s big advice to him during this time has been to “not wait.” If there’s something you’ve been meaning to do, something that you want to accomplish, do it now! What do you want to accomplish? Earlier in the week, we talked about the importance of saying no and knowing what your focus needs to be so that you can make the most of the few chances you have to say yes! We can't pursue everything. The fewer things we set our sights on, the more likely we are to succeed. One of the keys to that is knowing what’s burning within you! What is it that you … [Read more...]

The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say “no” to almost everything. ~ Warren Buffet If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about being really successful it’s Warren Buffet. He was a millionaire by 30 (in 1940, when there were a lot fewer millionaires), he’s made some incredible deals, so much so that his current net worth is over $70B! So when he gives me advice about how to be successful, I listen. Just say no As an individual or as a company, the only way to make progress is to say no. It’s hard to say no because it means having a clear opinion about what the best use of your time, talent, and money will be. You … [Read more...]

When you put together a proposal for a piece of work you’d be perfect for, how long is the document you are creating? Do you wax poetic about your "proprietary process? Do you include bios of your key people? Have you added case studies of similar projects? Or do you create a one-page summary that states clearly the results the client can expect from engaging with you, the price you are charging, and go with that? Your client doesn’t need 20 pages of reasons why they should hire you; they need one reason. They will hire you because you can help them to get closer to their desired future state. That’s it. If you can’t tell them that in one page, they will not see it in 20 … [Read more...]

Our workplaces are changing; whether you are planning to be fully remote or partially remote, there will be more of your team working away from the office in the future than there was in the past. One of the fears leaders have is how this shift will impact company culture over the long term. Is culture “caught” or “taught”? There are lots of cues to company culture in an office. The colors used, what’s on the wall, how space is allocated, and even how the public spaces are maintained all communicate our values to our team. Further, there are opportunities for the leaders to model the company culture in small ways every day in the office. When we’re together physically, culture can be … [Read more...]

You and your team may have different ideas about what coming "back to the office" should mean, but I think we can all agree that our offices will be different going forward! The new office rules If we’re bringing folks back into the office, there are some ground rules that I’d propose for making the most out of the situation. If one is remote, all are remote. We’ve all been the one person on the phone when our colleagues are all around a conference table in the office. It’s a terrible experience for everyone! Now that we’ve learned to work remotely, I propose that if one person in a meeting is remote, then we’re having a remote meeting! The folks in the office should Zoom in to use … [Read more...]

I’ve been taking the temperature of agency owners about coming back to the office, and it’s clear, most leaders want their people back. In one Newsweek survey, 83% of CEOs want employees to return to the office. In some ways, this is unsurprising; most of the benefits of being in the office accrue to the leaders! It’s easier to “keep tabs on everyone.” We can maintain the company culture. There’s more opportunity for collaboration and spontaneous meetings. It allows us to see who’s working! Not to mention that leaders are invested in a lease that they can’t get out of – and paying that rent feels like a waste if people aren’t coming in! Here’s the view from your … [Read more...]

When I talk to a prospect, the second best thing I can hear is “no”. No is much better than hearing, “Not yet.” Or “What if we could do it this way…” As one of my mentors taught me, “No means next!” When I get a “no,” I can move on. I can let that prospect go and spend my time and energy serving someone who’s more ready for the transformation I’m offering. How good are you at hearing no? What happens when the story I’m telling myself is, “I really need this deal?” Or worse yet, when we decide that “this deal will be perfect for us”? When we become invested in a particular outcome, in this case, we’re invested in a “Yes” from the prospect; it can be hard to hear other … [Read more...]