To get back to Kansas, Dorothy never had to jump through all the death-defying hoops the Wizard put her through. She had everything she needed (ruby shoes) from the very beginning. All she lacked was the understanding of how to unlock their magical powers. Since they began making their way into the workforce in the late 90’s, business leaders, owners, and…
Every manager has been told that it’s important to acknowledge, recognize, and reward their top performing employees. Unfortunately, most haven’t been coached on how to do this effectively. And if one of the goals is to get the performer to continue performing at a high level, the why has to be linked to the what. “You’ve done a good job…
The burn out rate among business consultants is sky high. Although firms pay big starting salaries to young MBA’s, accountants, and engineers, the excessive travel demands that come with the paycheck can get real old…real fast. That’s precisely why Vynamic, an 80+person healthcare consultancy based in Philadelphia, stands out among its competitors. Ranked the #1 most prestigious…
Imagine that you are walking alone across a vacant parking lot on a breezy day, when out of the corner of your eye you notice a crumpled-up bill blowing at your feet. You immediately step on it to keep it from escaping, and then reach down to discover that it’s a $100 bill. No one…
Leni and Lou are fraternal twins. They were born 3 minutes apart, eat the same food every meal, and sleep in the same room. But aside from their DNA, they are as different as night is from day. While Lou yearns to be outdoors with a ball in her hand, Leni would walk past five balls, two…
The world of franchising is exploding as more and more franchised brands and concepts emerge each year. Sadly, in many of those organizations, there exists a wide chasm separating disenfranchised franchisees from the brand’s franchisor usually stemming from broken promises and unfulfilled expectations. In those franchised brands that are thriving, however, harmony reigns supreme as both parties…
When rules are broken in situations that don’t call for immediate termination, gain your composure and think “Open The Front Door Now.” This is the acronym for a simple formula that helps you address—and correct—many of the annoying small issues and problematic behaviors of your employees. Treating these problems according to the OTFDN formula will get them…
Every employee who works for you will eventually arrive at a crucial intersection, if they haven’t already. At that point, you hope they turn right and buy-in to your leadership and the vision and values of your company. Turning that direction means that they see a future for themselves with your organization so they’ll invest themselves fully…
I’ve been writing and speaking about millennials since they first made their way into the workplace as teenagers in 1998. Since then, I’ve interacted with thousands of mature business owners and leaders who’ve confessed their struggles and frustrations in managing this enigmatic generation. Today, more than half of all millennials (born 1980-2000) are 25 and older, and the part-time teen workers of 1998 are…
Is it just me, or have you noticed an outbreak in the number of flaky people out there? I’m not talking about liars, cheaters, and thieves. Flakes aren’t bad people who intentionally do bad things. Flakes are the irresponsible ‘me first’ knuckleheads who are lacking in the simple social graces. To assure we’re on the same page, allow me to share…