People are an organization’s single greatest asset and resource. Every leader should know and leverage the most valuable skills of each employee they manage. A key part of translating those abilities into action for the success of the organization depends on the employee’s ongoing growth and level of engagement. Not only should tasks that each employee performs for a company involve the most valuable skills they possess, managers are responsible to help employees flourish and manage the factors that influence individual and team performance. So what are the factors that affect performance and maximize utility? Continue reading →

‘Highest and best use’ — a phrase initially used by the real estate industry – communicates how the highest value for a property is based on what a property’s highest and best use can be, regardless of its actual current use. It looks at the idea of utility. But, can ‘highest and best use’ be applied to human resources as well? Ideally, all employees should work on tasks that are the highest and best use of their time based on their talents. Can a leader or manager make that happen all the time with every employee? Continue reading →

Dealing with life’s every day demands seems to require a constant output of energy. This constant outpouring of energy can cause a feeling of exhaustion, stress, fatigue and/or lack of focus. The way to overcome this involves creating a buffer to filter out the external ‘noise’. It is achieved by doing the exact opposite: being still. There are a number of major career and health benefits that come from stillness. Here are five benefits of stillness that will stop you in your tracks! Continue reading →

Business people are perpetually busy. But what if the road to success requires frequent stops at Stillville and Nothingtown? Can ‘doing nothing’ breed motivation? Does the act of “not talking and not doing” augment inspiration and creativity? Is the art of stillness actually a powerful rocket fuel for success? As counterintuitive as it sounds, scientists are finding ample professional and physical benefits in being still. Doesn’t sound logical? Here’s how it works.
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A company’s slogan or tagline is supposed to be sticky… an unforgettable rallying cry for the brand. Is yours? When brand messaging isn’t clear, memorable, and impactful, chances are good that the brand is not connecting with existing clients and the brand message probably sounds like noise to prospective ones.
If a company’s slogan or tagline isn’t clever or catchy, it’s time to create one that is! Here’s how. Continue reading →

The greatest brand messages are impactful and memorable. What do you think when you hear someone say “Good to the last drop”? Maxwell House coffee? What about “Don’t leave home without it”? Did you think of American Express? Or “We bring good things to life.” General Electric? Most likely, the brand name immediately popped to mind after hearing each message.
But are those messages Taglines, Slogans, Mottos or Straplines? Are they synonymous? And why do brand messages even matter for your company’s success? Continue reading →

It has been said that there are two constants on which you can depend: death and taxes. There is one more item to add to the short list of things that never fail: death, taxes and change. As sure as day follows night, it is absolutely certain that nothing stays the same. Change is certain. And not only is it inevitable, but the pace of change is accelerating, especially in business. Technology. Business models. Economic systems. Marketing strategies. Compliance rules. HR policies. Changes to tools, processes and practices are constantly evolving in every industry, sector, and business, and those changes are coming fast and furious. The ‘Change Train’ waits for no one. People can either accept changes or get left behind. For companies, it is imperative to at least keep pace with change. But for most people, change is scary. So how do companies get employees to not just board, but enjoy, the ride on the approaching 2019 high-speed Change Express? Continue reading →

Most people have, at one time or another, worked with a colleague or coworker who often had a negative outlook. You know the type. These people seldom had kind things to say about anyone or anything or always seemed to see the glass half empty. Certainly, customer service departments have all dealt with pessimistic customers who were disapproving and quick to find fault. Such sour attitudes can be contagious, spreading and driving down morale. So how should a business handle the Cheerless Chief, Woeful Worker or Critical Consumer? Here’s how. Continue reading →

Confidence is a term that is generally associated with individuals. It is a trait that some have but many others lack. Without a doubt, it is a quality most everyone desires to have both professionally and personally. The most common formula cited for professional success is: “performance + confidence = power and influence.” Thus, individual confidence is a key ingredient to success. But what about organizational confidence? Can a company or organization have or lack confidence? What happens to companies that have a confidence deficiency? And can organizational confidence be acquired or increased? Continue reading →

Ever feel like your success is a product of luck or chance rather than talent or skill? Do you secretly think you’re really just a fraud or that you’re just not that good? Or have you ever met a person who is brilliant but doesn’t know it? Ever tried to compliment a colleague who could not accept credit or praise? That’s not modesty or even false modesty. For many super successful people, this is Imposter Syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome and who is most vulnerable to it? What causes it and is there a way to overcome it? Continue reading →