running a business Archives - Page 19 of 23

Where Will You Be In 5 Years?

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” That’s a pretty common job interview question. The answer, of course, is “Someplace better than the pathetic job I’m applying for right now.” I was talking about this question recently with a friend of mine who works in Human Resources, and she said that most applicants respond to this question with what she called “lofty, unrealistic goals.” She went on to say, “The truth is, five years really isn’t all that much ...

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25
AUG
2009

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Change, Producing Results, The Beatles, Work Ethic

Beatles, Bill Stainton, change, goal setting, goals, keynote speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business success, time management, work ethic

A Great Excuse, Ruined

Posted by: Bill Stainton

You know how, when you have a cold, you just don’t feel like doing anything? There’s the coughing, the sniffling, the sore throat—and they all combine to create a mood of general lethargy. Well, welcome to my world! That’s where I’ve been for the past week. And you know what I found out? Having a cold makes a great excuse! “No, I can’t go to that party…I have a cold.” “Sorry, can’t talk on the phone now…I have a cold.” ...

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24
AUG
2009

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Creativity, Producing Results, The Beatles, Work Ethic

attitude, Beatles, Bill Stainton, competition, keynote speaker, productivity, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, work ethic

Are You Playing to Your Strengths?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Why do we spend so much time focusing on the things we don’t do well? Honestly, we beat ourselves up all the time. It seems that no matter how many things we’re good at, we choose to dwell on the weaknesses:

Alan (despondently): I just can’t hang pictures. Look at these. They’re all crooked. I’m going to kill myself.

Kari: Are you crazy? You’ve won a Nobel Peace Prize, cured swine flu, and you’re currently starring in the ...

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10
AUG
2009

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Creativity, Leadership, Teams, The Beatles

attitude, Beatles, Bill Stainton, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, play to your strengths, playing to your strengths, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, team building, teambuilding, teamwork

Why You Need More Pain in Your Life

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I attended a workshop yesterday at my local Mac store, and the conversation turned to iPhones. This was pretty inevitable, because we were surrounded by the bloody things; still, it turned out that one attendee, whom I’ll call Cheswick because it’s a funny name, had not yet made the switch. He fully intended to, but said, “I guess I just haven’t reached my pain point with my current provider yet.”

I’ve been thinking about that, and it occurs to me that ...

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8
AUG
2009

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Change, Producing Results, Sales, The Beatles

Beatles, Bill Stainton, change, competition, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, leading through change, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Why You Need to See Other People

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I think you need to see other people.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with your current relationship, or your current colleagues, or your current friends. I just think you need to see other people. We all do. Because if we keep interacting with the same people—just the same people—we’re going to keep hearing the same points of view, and sameness is the mortal enemy of innovation. Just this morning in Indiana, President Obama said, “The United States led the world’s ...

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5
AUG
2009

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Change, Creativity, Producing Results, The Beatles

Beatles, Bill Stainton, creativity, innovation, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Back in the Saddle Again

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I haven’t blogged in over a week. Nor have I Tweeted, Facebooked, or LinkedIn. I’ve fallen off my self-imposed schedule. Part of this is for good reason: I’ve been meeting with colleagues face-to-face, in Phoenix, Denver, and Breckenridge. Social media is great, but nothing will ever beat getting together with colleagues over a glass of wine or a couple of beers and talking shop. So that’s the good reason. The bad reason is that I got lazy. I got used ...

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3
AUG
2009

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Communication, Producing Results, The Beatles, Work Ethic

attitude, Beatles, Bill Stainton, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, productivity, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, work ethic

Why This Business Made the Sale

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I guess I’m getting a new roof. I don’t want to get a new roof, but I guess I’m getting one. I mean, I know I’ve needed a new roof. My neighborhood, and therefore my house, is 20 years old, and most of my neighbors have already replaced their roofs. I’ve been holding out because I’d rather spend my money on candy and ice cream. Still, in the past two or three years I’ve received dozens, possibly hundreds, of flyers ...

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23
JUL
2009

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Communication, Customer Service, Sales, The Beatles

Beatles, Bill Stainton, business sales, competition, customer service, exceeding expectations, keynote speaker, leadership, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, sales, small business, small business success

How to Create Fiercely Loyal Customers

Posted by: Bill Stainton

A colleague and I were comparing cell phones yesterday. Mine is an iPhone and hers is, well, not an iPhone. I asked her how she liked her phone, and she said, “It’s fine, I guess. No complaints. It gets the job done.” Then she asked me how I liked my iPhone, and I practically yelled out, “I love my iPhone!” If you’re an iPhone user, you know what I mean. iPhone users love their phones, and they’re fiercely loyal. It’s ...

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20
JUL
2009

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Creativity, Customer Service, The Beatles, Work Ethic

Beatles, Bill Stainton, customer loyalty, customer service, fiercely loyal customers, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Ask the Magic Question

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I have a confession to make: this has been a lazy week for me. Because of a combination of the holiday, travel, and some other nice diversions, I haven’t been as focused on business as I should have been. My guess is that you’ve been there too. Maybe not this week, but at some point you’ve been there. You’ve mentally “checked out,” and just like that, the momentum was lost. It’s like when you stop going to the gym for ...

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8
JUL
2009

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Creativity, Producing Results, The Beatles, Work Ethic

attitude, Beatles, Bill Stainton, business integrity, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, making decisions, productivity, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, time management, work ethic

Why Team Infighting is a Good Thing

Posted by: Bill Stainton

The audience never saw the fights, but I remember them vividly. As the producer of Seattle’s long-running (15 years!), legendary comedy TV show, Almost Live!, I saw the fights almost every week. They would happen in the editing room, at the writer’s table, in the rehearsal studio. Sometimes they’d be happening downstairs in the Almost Live! offices while the studio audience was being seated in the studio upstairs. They varied from mild to intense—and I loved them! As a leader, ...

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30
JUN
2009

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Producing Results, Teams, The Beatles, Work Ethic

almost live, attitude, Beatles, Bill Stainton, creative ideas, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, team building, teambuilding, teamwork