By Wayne O'Neill
Nike says, get out there and “just do it.” Sounds easy. So, you think up great plans for your business, creative ideas for new products or services, and a marketing strategy that is sure to succeed. But, for some reason, you do not put any of them into action. Why? Is it “lack of time” or “distractions” or “higher priorities” or is it that your willpower is depleted which prevents you from sticking to your goals and making them reality?
By Kevin Cray
Everyone knows that social media use is booming right now, but how do you know whether you are spending your time wisely and producing provocative information that people actually pay attention to? We have found 2 amazing companies that have created tools (that are free as well) to help you measure the value of your brand in social media: HootSuite and Klout…
By Wayne O'Neill
Building a cohesive, productive team is challenging. Even the best teams struggle to improve effectiveness. Some teams have individual team members who are excellent in their own silos, but are not that interested in working as a team or achieving team goals. How do you get them to look to the forest beyond the trees? Other teams have weak team members who don’t pull their fair share for the team and lack genuine teamwork. How do you move a team from dysfunctional to productive?
By Wayne O'Neill
When things aren’t working, change needs to happen. For change to happen, someone has to act differently. That sounds simple. The challenge is first to figure out what to change and then to motivate people to want to start behaving in a new way or to move in the new direction that you want them to go. You can announce changes. You can explain how the changes will take place and why they are important, but if you can’t motivate people to actually change, you will meet resistance or failure. By applying the change management concepts similar to what is presented in the book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, we have found counterintuitive ways to help our clients make transformative changes successfully.
By Wayne O'Neill
Have you ever unknowingly sabotaged your own ability to build trust and loyalty? You are not alone. This happens in relationships and in business. Left untouched, these failures can lead to losing your business or your relationship. Implementing these powerful practices at pivotal moments can transform fears into triumphs, trust and loyalty.
By Kevin Cray
Our clients are always asking us how we seem to know so much information. The answer is quite simple…we like to read…A LOT! Managing all of this intelligence was difficult until we jumped into “the cloud”. We are always coming across newspaper and magazine articles that provide information on specific client targets, market segments and insights into “thinking outside the box.”
Here are a few things we look for while reading:
• What specific problems are being faced in the industry? How can they be avoided or solved?
• What are the best in class companies doing to differentiate themselves from their competitors?
One tool we use to manage all this information is ….
By Wayne O'Neill
You only get one chance at a first impression. How do you craft that first impression to make it impactful? Coaching and preparation are the keys. Knowing your target client’s style can make all the difference.
By Wayne O'Neill
Each of us has attended tedious, boring or ineffective meetings that we dreaded and couldn’t wait to finish. Each leader knows the importance of meetings and wants them to make an impact. But how do you do that? The powerful and thought-provoking book, Death by Meeting, by Patrick Lencioni centers itself around solving one of the most painful problems in business. It offers a blueprint for how to eliminate waste and frustration among your teams and create environments of dynamic, passionate, and focused engagement.
By Kevin Cray
Do you remember participating in the best meeting of your life, but once everyone left the room, it was as if nothing ever happened? One of the biggest commonalities that we see happening in the marketplace is lack of follow up after meetings. The most successful meetings in business development are the ones that have action items when all is said and done…
By Kevin Cray
Qualities to Look for in “Friends” Do you remember your best friend in high school that swore they would never tell your deepest secret, only to turn around and tell someone else five minutes later? Not only did they tell one person, but by the end of the day, the whole school knew about it. […]
