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The world really is divided in business. There are those that see business as a winner-take-all and shed their humanity in the pursuit of cash. They look out for themselves. I know a lot of these people. Then there are the people who see and understand business is about people.
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We love the fancy new gadgets and all the news of Google and Apple on the airwaves. It's part fashion and slight advantage if we can know and use the new technology coming out. At least it feels that way. I know my gadgets have their place, but
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I received a call out of the blue recently and uncharacteristically took the call. I was waiting on another call from a number outside of my area code in Austin, TX. It was a mistake. A smooth and fast-talking salesman was on the other end. I had signed up for
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When you are a customer, isn't it easy to pick up the gaps? You can read the mission statement behind the counter of a department store and see the mismatch with the lax service you are experiencing. You can hear how much a company values service in the
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Here's the problem when you have been doing what you do for a long time - it becomes mediocre. Mundane. Nothing interesting. I can tell you don't care. Here's the opportunity if you do something for a long time and treat it like art
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Leadership can get tricky when we are presented with noise. A lot of knowing how to lead others and ourselves well is to understand what are exceptions and to what degree we should address them. Perhaps you have a customer that is completely dissatisfied with a feature in your product.
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Marketing is an arena filled with amateurs and professionals. It's hard to distinguish to the untrained eye. A person can whimsically put out a sign claiming they are an SEO expert or social media guru. It is hard to decipher between the salesman's claims and the
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I like keeping things simple. Tools which get out of the way and allow me to execute are attractive and communicate well-thought out design. For project management, Basecamp by 37signals, is a remarkably simple system that is effective for getting things done project by project. I have used basecamp extensively
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I was disheartened to see the Harvard Business Review's article, "For Those Who Want To Lead, Read," and the declining rates of readership and scholarship in the world. However, I could identify with Petraeus' intrigue with Doris Kearns Goodwin, the author of Team of Rivals,
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One of the most difficult decisions a business leader or entrepreneur faces is when to pivot, or change course. This is especially difficult when you are invested heavily in a business, process or way of doing things. After all, there was a lot of learning and price to pay to
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The Olympics are over but there are plenty of stories that captured our imaginations and hearts. One of the closely scrutinized people by the media was Lolo Jones, a favorite in the Olympic 100 meter hurdles. She had a heartbreaking loss in the last Olympics in Beijing. She struggled through
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Each day, your time and priorities can get away from you. I have been working hard to get distractions out of my life and focus on the things that allow me to lead well, serve my clients and bring the highest value to my audience. It's been an