Most small business leaders have no defined goals, they’re unsure what to keep track of and they’re floating from year to year
“How do we win?” I asked. “We need to score baskets,” they answered. “How do we score baskets?” Donncha asked. “We need to pass and we need to shoot,” they answered. Our questions went on and on. The scoreboard told the story. It was halftime and our team was down by six points. The girls…
The fastest way to the end result is often the most expensive. When we slow down, look for options and think creatively, we can save money, time and energy
It was my lucky day when Emile told me he had some road kill in his freezer that he would give me in trade for a couple of cases of beer. Not so lucky for the cow that had been hit by the semi truck, I guess. Emile told me there were lots of steaks in…
If you want to work in a place that’s fun, start making it fun. If you want to work in a place that’s excellent, start making it excellent
Rock, paper, scissors is a game we all played as children in the playground. And in a company department nearby, they hold a weekly Rock, Paper Scissors Championship. On Thursday of every week, the people in the department gather on their lunch break for a few minutes to play rock, paper, scissors to determine who…
How many times do your customers leave your business because you’ve trained your staff to guard your products but not sell them?
I had just climbed the steepest part of the hill and was out of breath when out of the corner of my eye I saw the dog sprinting out of the driveway towards me. My heart was already racing and I was doing my best to stay on my bike when I felt its teeth…
We’re fooled into thinking that there’s a direct relationship between being busy and success. In truth, we need to find a life balance
A business owner reached out to me to schedule a strategy session. First he emailed me and then he called me. I figured he must be serious. As we were talking on the phone, he told me that he was overwhelmed, he wanted to take his business to the next level but he needed to…
When we get into a downhill spiral of negativity, it’s often hard to change. And negativity can sink a business very quickly
I recently worked with a company to solve a long-standing problem in one of their departments. The stressed owner of the company was frustrated at the lack of positive results. The company had brought in professionals over the years but to no avail. In fact, things were getting worse. Shortly after I came on-board to…
Most of the world religions are based on love. What would happen if there was more love in our business relationships and functions?
The pastor was clear: “When you have God within you, the business you’re working with will thrive!” The words caught my wandering mind off guard and I tried to focus on what I’d just heard. I’d never heard anyone say from a pulpit that God could make a difference in business. In today’s world, the…
Fifty-five per cent of businesses are going to transition to new owners or close in the next decade
I recently gave a talk to a commercial real estate association. They asked me to talk about how they could sell more listed businesses. During the presentation, I asked them what percentage of businesses that are listed are actually sold. The response was “very few.” I wasn’t surprised. Not only is it hard to sell…Leadership isn’t always as glamorous as it seems and the wounds suffered in the pursuit of dreams don’t always heal
I froze during my speech as I looked out at the faces of the members of that chamber of commerce. It was a temporary block that hopefully went unnoticed by my audience. Yet clearly, I was unfocused for a second. I had been asked to be the guest speaker at their awards celebration. I had…
Good leaders provide a clarity of vision, decision-making structure and communication systems
It was 6 a.m. on a Monday morning and the instructor for the spin class didn’t show up. Lost without leadership, half a dozen women and a sprinkling of middle-aged men were sitting on their bikes pedalling aimlessly. Disappointed that there wasn’t going to be a fitness class, I considered what I should do for…