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It’s officially spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Typically, spring is a season associated with rebirth and renewal. It’s a chance to look at the world through fresh eyes. So today, let’s use spring as an opportunity to look at your business through fresh eyes.
Sometimes, though, it’s difficult to look at things that we’re close to (like our business) through fresh eyes because—well, because we’re so close to them! It’s hard ...
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Let’s start with a 2-part quiz:
Question 1 — Which would you pay more for: an original Van Gogh, or a copy (even a very good copy) done by a third-year art student?
Question 2 — Switching now to your own business: are you an original, or a copy (even a very good copy) of what somebody else did first?
Question 3 (okay, so it’s a 3-part quiz) — Regarding Question 2: Which would you rather be?
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Most teams that I work with claim that they would like to be more innovative. And all of them would like to see better bottom line results, such as growth in market share, and better client communication and loyalty.
So how can you get these results with your team? One word: diversity.
When I was producing my sketch comedy TV show, I took some heat because the show was perceived as being too white and too male. And you know what? That ...
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In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek contends that the foundational, underlying question you must answer in order for your business to thrive is “Why?” Why are you in business? Why are you called to this business? Why, why, why? Sinek claims that the answer to this question will unlock the intangible appeal that draws customers to your door (or website).
I’m not as sold as Sinek is that your customers are all that interested in why you do what ...
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Do you ever wonder why your team isn’t as excited about that bold, new project as you are? Have you ever been disappointed when your motivating pep talk (the one you practiced for hours) falls on deaf ears? It may be that you’re trying to sell them on features and benefits about which they care not a whit.
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I shouldn’t be writing this. Really. If I had any sense, I wouldn’t be writing this. I wouldn’t be writing anything. Why? Because it’s late at night on Sunday, and I have an early flight tomorrow morning. So I shouldn’t be writing. I should be in bed asleep.
So why am I writing this article, and what does it mean to you?
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Smart people are lazy. (No, not all smart people. I understand that you are different. It’s the others.) Now, this can be a good thing, which is why Bill Gates once said, “I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job…because he will find an easy way to do it.” But it can also be a bad thing, because there are few things sadder than unfulfilled potential.
Some time ago I wrote that a truly successful person wouldn’t take the afternoon off to go see a movie. A colleague of mine countered that that person might, if they were celebrating a personal or business success. She makes a good point. (And she’s a Ph.D., which, although no guarantee, lends a certain magnitude to her thoughts.) I’ve been thinking about the distinction today, and it comes down to this: there’s a difference between rewarding your work and avoiding ...
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What does award-winning performance mean to you?
I mean specifically.
In your business, in your work, what does award-winning performance look like, sound like, feel like? How do you recognize it in yourself?
It’s been said that what gets measured gets done. Others have said that what gets measured gets managed.
I disagree with both of those statements.
The truth is this: What gets measured gets measured. Nothing more, nothing less.
What gets measured gets measured.
What happens next is entirely up to you.
Measuring is just a ...
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A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I used to write monolog jokes for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. One day after the show I happened to be sitting with Jay (no doubt having pizza; with Jay, it’s always pizza), and the conversation turned to fame. Specifically, the double-edged sword that is fame. At one ...
