A CNBC Survey reported that 30% of small business owners shut down during the pandemic, 10% of those have yet to reopen. Some businesses run in circles shouting, “The sky is falling!”, while others hunker down, adapt, modify, and update their organizations to this new world.
It’s Hard Out There. Really Hard.
Walking by Sean’s cubicle, his supervisor noticed his shoulders were shaking as if he was crying. She paused, uncertain if she should speak to him, then walked on.
Respect the Value of Hitting Brick Walls
Years ago, Lucy’s vehicle was broadsided by another car, slamming her into a brick wall. Lucy’s head bounced against hard surfaces. Although she didn’t know it at the time, her life as a driven, passionate, 4th Degree Black Belt instructor was over.
What is “important” work?
Michael Mason was fourth from the top at the FBI; half of all 35,000 people employed by the agency reported to him. When he retired, he went to work as a CEO for a Fortune 500 company. He was doing “important” work. Retiring yet again, he wasn’t sure what he would do next. Then he heard about a widespread school
Customer Conversations Every CEO Needs to Have Part II
Last week was about preparing for a thorough and honest face-to-face with your customers. We talked about the importance of doing a comprehensive customer evaluation prior to a visit. It’s important to know the good, the bad, and the ugly before sitting down with them.
Customer Conversations Every CEO Needs to Have
How often do you speak directly with customers about their needs/wants/concerns? Q4 is here. It’s the season to deepen customer relationships and move into 2022 with momentum.
The power of relationships
The keynote speaker at our Raven Retreat was Chris Fitzgerald Sheriff of Barron County Wisconsin. His office was the center of operations during the search for Jayme Closs; the 13-year-old who was abducted from her home after her parents were fatally shot. Sheriff Fitzgerald told the gripping story which as everyone knows ended with Jayme breaking out and running for help after 88
Murphy’s Law isn’t always bad
Does the phone seem to always ring just when you’re dashing out the door? Does your PC freeze when you’re in the middle of an important task, leaving you frantically trying to replace your work? Do you put your holiday tree up at the last minute expecting none of the lights will work? Welcome to the aggravating world of Murphy’s
When will things go back to “normal”?
Last week, two family members traveled to England and Wales. There was a lot of up-front work; the UK makes visitors submit information into a Locator Form (validation of vaccinations including a negative test result within 72 hours of arriving in England). However, their arrival in England was the fastest, most painless arrival ever to a foreign country! Scan your
Do You Use a Sledgehammer or a Velvet Hammer?
When it comes to leadership and management styles, most people fall into two categories: sledgehammer or velvet hammer leaders.