running your business Archives - Page 11 of 23

How Bruce Springsteen Can Make You a Better Boss

There’s nothing quite like seeing a world-class team operating at the highest level, is there? For example, let’s take Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The video below shows Bruce (“The Boss”) and his team working out an audience-requested song—not one of Bruce’s—live, in front of 45,000 people. Watch the entire video (it’s about 8 minutes—and turn it up as loud as you can!), and then read on for my thoughts on how what “The Boss” does with his ...

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22
MAR
2017

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Leadership, Producing Results, Teams, Videos

attitude, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business communication, change, communication, communication skills, competition, creative ideas, creativity, exceeding expectations, innovation, innovative thinking, leadership speaker, leading through change, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running your business, small business, small business success, success, team building, teambuilding, teams, teamwork, thought leader, work ethic

Try This Simple Trick to Solve Your Next Problem

Posted by: Bill Stainton

How often have you gotten stuck while looking for a new idea, or seeking the solution to a problem? Want to know a cool way to get unstuck?

When I was writing television sketch comedy, I used to have a lot of trouble coming up with endings to my sketches (endings are notoriously difficult). I’d work out a nice premise, ...

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8
JUL
2015

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Creativity, Producing Results

Beatles, Bill Stainton, competition, creative ideas, creativity, innovation, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership training, leading through change, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success, teamwork

How to Find Great Ideas Today

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (now, for example): good ideas are everywhere. The problem is that most of us don’t know how to look for them. We don’t see them, because many times good ideas come disguised as something else. Sometimes we have to work a little to see the application to our own lives and ...

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1
MAY
2015

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Creativity, Producing Results

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

Are You Making This Mistake When Leading Your Team Through Change?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

[Tweet “Are you making this mistake when leading your team through change?”]

You may have seen the clip; it was all over the news—and not just the sports news. In a November 2014 football game between Utah and Oregon, Utah wide receiver Kaelin Clay runs the ball for what appears to be an easy touchdown. Just one ... Continue Reading →

30
DEC
2014

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Change, Leadership, Producing Results, Teams

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, change, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, leading change, leading through change, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, teamwork

Are You Getting the Best From Your Team?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I remember my first performance appraisal. This was back in the days when companies still made this an annual event. (Some companies are still back in those days.) It went something like this:

BOSS: Here’s the stuff you’re good at. [reads small list]

ME: Thank you.

BOSS: Here’s the stuff you suck at. [reads much longer list]

ME: Um…okay.

BOSS: So for the next year, I need you to focus most of your energy on ...

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27
AUG
2014

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Leadership, Producing Results, Teams

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, productivity, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, success, team building, teambuilding, teamwork, thought leader

Are You Really Focusing on Your “A” Clients?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I was talking to my friend and colleague Lewin Williams yesterday. Lewin is a financial services consultant who helps other financial services consultants improve their business. Lewin’s philosophy—the one that has made a big difference for his clients—is simply this:

Focus on your “A” clients.

Now that sounds simple and obvious, doesn’t it? Focus on the 20% of your clients who bring in 80% of the results. Obvious, right?

Except that it isn’t.

If it were really that obvious, everyone would be doing it, ...

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23
JUL
2014

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Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Why Good Magicians–and Good Leaders–Have a Plan B

Posted by: Bill Stainton

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In card magic, there are a number of secret moves, or “sleights,” that all self-respecting magicians must master. I still remember spending hours, days, and weeks practicing maneuvers like the side pass, the Elmsley count, the glide, and many others. I got fairly good, although my professional magician friends can run circles around me. I was a pretty good amateur, but I was never a master.

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18
JUN
2014

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Leadership, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, customer service, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, magic, magician, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, seattle motivational speaker

Stop Treating Your Stars Like Crap!

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I’ll always remember the first time I met Jay Leno. It was around 1986, and I was the executive producer of Seattle’s legendary comedy TV show Almost Live! Jay was coming into town for some corporate event, and he had agreed to do a guest spot on our show. We’d arranged to pick Jay up at the airport, so at the appointed time I, along with our show host Ross Shafer (who already knew Jay), and a pre-“Science Guy” Bill ...

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4
JUN
2014

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Customer Service, Producing Results, Teams

almost live, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business integrity, customer service, Jay Leno, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, success, teambuilding

You Are NOT Your Customer’s Responsibility

Posted by: Bill Stainton

You do a great job for a customer, and you’re set! That customer will never forget you! Right? Wrong! As it turns out, it is NOT your customer’s job to remember you!

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1
JUN
2014

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Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, competition, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success