Posted: November 16, 2015 | Categories: Management

As I was concluding a team-building meeting today, one of the participants ask about “Confrontational Leadership”.  I ask him to explain.  He defined it as the habit of clearly defining roles and expectations paired with consistent reinforcement and re-direction.

If the most important aspect of leadership is trust, the backbone of management skills seems to be clarity supported by ownership and accountability.  As team members, we like to know where we stand with the boss.  A good boss is in there with us and is providing constant feedback.Read More…

Posted: November 11, 2015 | Categories: Management

“Success is more than doing things right…it is doing the right things” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

Whenever I hear a story that displays exceptional character, I like to share it.  Here’s one for you:

The owner of a successful car repair business got some bad news:  One of his customers was not happy.  Their had recently had repair work done at the shop, and the car wasn’t sounding right.  They brought it in, and had it checked out.  The mechanic found a blown head gasket.  They also learned that the likely reason for the damage stemmed from an earlier repair the shop did replacing radiator hoses.  They didn’t get the clamps tight, the coolant leaked out, and the engine overheated and blew the gasket.Read More…

Posted: October 29, 2015 | Categories: Leadership

A few months ago I was reading an article in an industry trade magazine.  It was about top-down communication in organizations.  Here were the survey results:

When top management was asked if their front-line team members clearly knew what was expected of them, over 80% said yes.  Then the group asked the front-line people if they were clear on exactly what was expected of them.  Only 40% said yes.  That is quite a gap, isn’t it?  It can also be costly.  As leaders, we need to clearly communicate our expectations.Read More…

Posted: October 9, 2015 | Categories: Sales, Self-Improvement

“Successful people form the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do”                                    – Albert Gray: “The Common Denominator of Success”

What does the word “integrity” mean to you?  Here is the most common answer I hear to this question:

“It means doing what you say you will do, when you say you will do it.”

Of course, it is also assumed that you will do your best quality work.Read More…

Posted: September 25, 2015 | Categories: Leadership, Sales

“Don’t start what you can’t finish”  – The Sorcerer in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

Several months ago I read a news story about a large national  fast food chain and their perceived quality of customer service.  They were in 5th place.  That wasn’t where they wanted to be, and it bothered them.Read More…