In Business, As In Life, There’s A Big Difference Between Having A Sense Of Humor And Not Taking Anything Seriously
I used to employ a young copy editor, MB, who was bright and talented and doomed to failure in the corporate world. This was clear to me from the very first moment I met him. We had just been introduced when he said something like “So I guess you’re the…
READ MOREHow To Make Meetings Work, Part 2
“For the most part, our leaders are merely following out in front; they do but marshal us the way that we are going.” – Bergen Evans (The Spoor of Spooks and Other Nonsense, 1954) Dave Barry says the reason the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its…
READ MOREHow to Make Your Business Profitable in the First Year
“The key to success isn’t much good until one discovers the right lock to insert it in.” – Tehyi Hsieh (Chinese Epigrams Inside Out and Proverbs, 1948) Four things to know about success: 1. It has almost nothing to do with luck. 2. It very seldom happens “overnight.” 3. If…
READ MOREBusiness Idea: Psychological Counseling For Business People And Investors
I have been thinking recently about some of the failures I’ve had in business (product launches and investments). I was trying to figure out if there was one common element, one mistake that was common to all of them. And I realized that for most of them, there was. The…
READ MOREWhat To Do If You Get Blindsided By A Bad Customer Service Report
“Criticism is prejudice made plausible.” – H.L Mencken Sooner or later, one way or another, you will find yourself being criticized publicly and unfairly for some breach of customer service etiquette.Your natural action will be defensive. You are a good manger who cares about how your customers are treated. In…
READ MOREYou Can Learn Alot About Your Company From Your Employees
“All inquiries carry with them some element of risk.” – Carl Sagan (Broca’s Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science, 1979) Every time I take a walk around a company that I own and talk to an employee I hardly know, I discover something interesting about my business. More often…
READ MORE“Inward” Vs “Outward” Business Management
“Everything which is properly ‘business’ we must keep carefully separate from ‘life.’ Business requires earnestness and method; life must have a freer handling.” – Goethe (Elective Affinities, 1809) According to Inc. magazine, Ed Ossie built MTW Corp. (a consultant to web-based businesses) into a very successful company by creating a…
READ MOREGetting It: Understanding The “Basic Selling Dynamic” Of Your Business
There comes a time in your career when the lights come on and you feel like you truly understand your business. This is not likely to happen right away. For some of us, it takes years and years. But when that moment comes, it brings with it a sense of…
READ MOREWhy Focus Groups Are Mostly A Waste Of Time
“It is only about things that do not interest one that one can give a really unbiased opinion, which is no doubt the reason why an unbiased opinion is always absolutely valueless.” – Oscar Wilde (Intentions, 1891) Before I knew something about marketing, I was a big fan of focus…
READ MOREDon’t Let Perfect Ruin Good
There are all kinds of ways to give in to the fear of failure. But of those I’ve known, the cleverest is to desire perfection.
READ MOREDoes Your Business Have A “Mission Statement”?
“A show of a certain amount of honesty is in any profession or business the surest way of growing rich.” – La Bruyere (Characters, 1688) Mission statements are de rigeur among the feel-good management crowd. They express to outsiders and employees alike the noble purpose of the business. Most mission…
READ MOREIs Your Product/Service Good? Don’t Ask, At Least Not Directly
What do you say when, after suffering through a very mediocre meal, the restaurant owner or manager comes over to your table, puts his hand on your shoulder, and says, “Was everything OK?” Do you ever say, “Glad you asked. Actually, everything sucked”? Or do you assure the nice man…
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