Building a business is hard work. There’s lots to do and lots to learn. But if it was just “work hard,” most of us could handle that. I gave “working all the time” a try, but I learned that growing a business is more than just putting in the hours. As my business grew, I…
On Tuesday, we talked about the frustrated owner who had set herself up to be the problem solver, the person that everyone brought all the crises to so that she could solve them. I find that when folks set themselves up with that (very overwhelming) job in the office, they also set themselves up in…
Well, now is the time to give your team some feedback! Why now? Let’s see… If your team is like the ones I’m working with, they’ve been working hard lately, pumping out lots of work that’s making 2021 a pretty good year for your company! What you might not know (but that your team members…
My client and I had been talking about how to get her free from the day-to-day so that she could tackle more long-term, strategic projects. Right in the middle of the conversation, she blurts out, “Why am I the only one solving problems around here?” Woah! That’s a big statement. “What do you mean?” I…
First off, in case you didn’t see it earlier in the week, Happy Bosses Day! Take a minute today and celebrate the difference you make in the world through your leadership, courage, and hard work. Seriously, it deserves celebration. One of the things I see consistently among my clients is that they don’t celebrate their…
No, I don’t think that offices should celebrate Bosses Day. I always think it’s problematic for subordinates to be buying gifts or throwing parties for their bosses. How can that not feel like butt-kissing? But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate! Without Bosses, nothing happens. For the last 25 years, I’ve been working alongside bosses!…
I was first put in charge of a company when I was 33. I’d been out of college for 11 years, and for 8 of them, I was an engineer – hooking wires together to make motors turn. I had no practical experience in leading a company! So when I gathered my staff together for my…
On Thursday I confessed that I’ve given up on goals as a tool for motivation and direction setting. Though goal setting had worked for me for a long time, I found myself getting over-invested in my goals – to the point where it drove unhealthy behaviors. But, if I got less invested, I’d set goals…
I love setting ambitious goals: I lived a lot of my life chasing goals, and it helped me make progress in my business. AND I’m now more cautious about investing myself too fully in chasing arbitrary numbers, achievements, and outcomes. I see them more as self-imposed goal posts that I move on myself more often…
We know that desperation has a “stench.” When we need to close a deal, the prospect can smell it, and it’s not attractive. So how do we approach prospects in a way where we can remain professional, where we keep our desperation and even excitement in check? How professionals sell You don’t see your doctor get…