Consumers today are the savviest generation of purchasers in the history of American commerce. They have been taught to seek value, price-shop and force companies to go after their loyalty, sometimes to the detriment of the business. The “Buy 9, get the 10th free” type of programs create customer traffic, but they do not create loyalty. These programs turn your…
One method for stopping a fire is to smother it. Whether with a blanket, dirt or high tech system that removes oxygen from the area on fire, a fire can be extinguished when you remove what is feeding the fire. A bad work culture can do the same thing. A smothering workplace culture also works to stop the fire that…
The world is full of recording devices and leaders can be judged on a single sound bite. Self-awareness is a trait with growing importance. How am I defining being self-aware? Being alert and aware of your emotions, thoughts and behaviors. In the 24/7 news cycle and with virtually every human being in possession of a recording device, leaders must be…
To cut to the chase…Is it you, or is it them? Micromanagement has no place in the current business environment. So why do I still witness so many leaders who are resistant to delegate? Here’s how to create the right environment for successful delegation: Develop trust When a leader doesn’t trust the team to accept the responsibility for important tasks…
Great leaders frequently have a wonderful vision, but how well that vision is articulated will determine the success of that vision. When looking to make your vision a reality, be sure to first eliminate your own speed bumps to creating the success you see in front of you. Don’t skip the details. Soundbites may be good for media but they…
How many times have we heard the motivational method of using a carrot and a stick? First of all, the proverbial stick was never a motivator and only caused fear in the workplace. Today, a long-term incentive of the carrot dangled in front of you only causes frustration and a quick loss of interest. We are in an instant…
In this country we love to nitpick decisions. In fact, with social media, we have become experts at finding the negative and make it a trending topic. Frankly, I think we spend too much time focusing on what went wrong instead of what went right. As a leader, when you focus on weaknesses, you force people to look for excuses,…
Customers are all looking for transparency in a world filled with distrust. Hiding information is immediately taken as a negative in today’s world; therefore, to build any loyalty you must use transparency to build their trust in you. Entire industries are looked at with a negative eye by consumers because of the fee games being played. (Airline industry, can…
Most executives recognize the importance of customer relationships and they invest plenty of resources to maintain those. I think there is a step missing in this equation for success. Make time to invest in your staff. Lost in the focus of pleasing stockholders and customers are the people who make a business sustain success: the staff. When executives spend…
I hear managers tell me they don’t have enough time in the day to do what they need to do while running from fire to fire, fires frequently of their own making. When you run from one crisis to another, you never make time for the important until it becomes the urgent. When you find yourself dealing predominantly with…