Some board members think their position gives them extra power and privileges
Jenny was in tears. As the executive director of her organization, she was at her wit’s end and said she was ready to quit. She confided in me that one of the directors was going directly to one of her staff members, telling him he would be fired unless he complied with the director’s request,…
Performing at our best all the time can seem like a challenge unless we move the goal posts and focus on learning, fun and clarity
There were only three days left before I had to have the program ready for my team. I had been putting off working on the project until it seemed like the last minute. I could feel the pressure building internally and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to deliver. Working to deliver…
Many companies are trying to figure out how to sail into a brighter future as 2021 begins. Unfortunately, most businesses simply ride the tide of the prevailing economy, rising or dropping depending on that wave. They float with the current and put little effort into changing their direction when they’re off course. And many leaders…
In the midst of the pandemic, a great deal of pressure has fallen on managers. Here are some tips to help deal with the increased stress
Lucy is a manager who oversees a large team of sales reps. Like many other organizations, hers quickly made the transition to work-from-home. It was a new experience for a team used to working from their downtown office. Lucy used to be able to monitor her team with regular walk-arounds and check-ins. She had a…
Our mistakes in judgment help us learn and hopefully grow
When I was a brash and self-assured 21-year-old, I announced at a family dinner with my aunt and cousin that I would be a millionaire by the time I was 30. I had found investors and had just started a business. I thought I was invincible, living in the big city, and figured I could…
I was humbled this week – and that’s not a bad thing. I was informed by a prospect that they were going to choose between our firm and another business coach. They chose the other business coach for a reason that made sense to them. They said that the other firm was smaller and they…
It’s not the headlines that kill, it’s the many burdens caused by lockdowns that render small businesses unprofitable
Across Canada, as COVID-19 cases surge, there’s talk of locking down again or of tightening second lockdowns. Of course, we haven’t even settled whether lockdowns were the proper solution in the first place, given the enormous collateral damage in unemployment, bankruptcies, and the physical and mental health of millions, amid a virus that overwhelmingly targets…
Without the right tools, people and plans, your business will suffer. You’re going to have to work harder and that will affect your bottom line
It was almost the final straw. I was laying on the ground after falling off the roof of the house and the carpenter, John, was standing over me yelling. He was mad because his sawhorses had been broken in half because of my stupidity, while I was just wondering if I had broken anything in…
When looking for opportunities to fill needs and create value, start by looking close to home
There was a lot of excited yelling at our house on Saturday morning when I cut down the tree in front of the house. My morning started when my wife asked me six times in a row if I was getting a Christmas tree. I had told her all week that I was going to…
Leaders who make quick, smart decisions in times of difficulty and follow through are significantly more successful than owners who waffle
It was an especially nice Irish day, which means it wasn’t raining. Emily, Isabel and Aisling had just been dropped off by their uncle at a train station in the middle of the country. The girls proceeded to the ticket counter, where they realized they were 10 euros short of what they needed to get…
Guiding researchers and scientists to commercialize their intellectual property
A little more than 20 years ago, MIT developed a mentorship program that challenged notions about competition in the world of business. They called on local titans of business to volunteer to guide the school’s researchers and scientists in commercializing their intellectual property. Within a decade, this in-house service was drawing so much praise from schools around…
When presented with a difficult conversation, have that conversation. That’s it. Then have another. And another. Again and again, and again. In the near decade of my business, I’ve had to end three major business relationships for business to move forward. The one thing I wasn’t prepared for when I signed up to be an…
When RunWithIt Synthetics set out to apply synthetic modelling to predict the impact future disruptions might have on energy grids – such as uptake in electric vehicles, greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, energy efficiency, better battery storage, cybersecurity threats, photovoltaics and even disasters – they turned to the University of Alberta. More specifically, they turned to electrical…
No one just buys stuff. You need a concrete sales model based on what the product does, what its advantages are and the values it brings to the marketplace
My first sales experience was in high school, selling chocolate bars door to door as a fundraiser for a school club. Not much interested in the club but interested in the prizes for top sellers, I hit the pavement. Each day after school, I knocked on doors and sold chocolates to starving mothers and their…
To be successful, you need to determine what causes your fear and figure out whether that fear is holding you back or pushing you forward
The day I got married was the scariest day of my life. I walked up to the altar shaking like a leaf. At 31, I would have thought I was too old to be afraid of getting married. But I was afraid. Each month, I talk to a business owner who expresses their fears to…
It was all fun and games, with a class of kids having an outdoor adventure while playing a game of trust when the accident happened. The game involved one child leading the other, who was blindfolded, around the campground, letting the blindfolded one try to figure out what they were encountering while avoiding danger. Unfortunately,…
Setting a pricing policy and regularly reviewing those prices and strategies allows you to price for profit and success
Have you ever bought something and thought that there’s something not right about the price? Maybe it seemed too cheap or you felt you were getting ripped off. Pricing is tricky and a stressor for many business people. Are we too high and scaring away customers? Our competitors are priced lower than us, should we…
Taking a breath allows us to be more resilient when chaos looms
The circle on the screen kept spinning. I stared, slowly feeling my heart rate rise as my mind raced with anxious thoughts: “How do I undo this update? What if I’ve been hacked? I’m not a tech genius!” With deadlines looming in the morning, 9:30 p.m. was not the time for my laptop to stop…
Puppies have been at a premium since the start of COVID-19. This has driven the prices for dogs way up, yet there’s a whole new breed of dog owners and dog parks are filled with young pups. COVID-19 has changed the business landscape as well. We’ve had to adapt our traditional business models or fail.…
Some people are extraordinary salespeople. But it's not because they have an innate knack
How many times have you heard someone say, "He's a born salesman"? Or, "She has a gift for sales"? Unquestionably, some people are extraordinary salespeople. But it's not because they have an innate knack, or because there is a genetic component behind the skill. It's simply because they worked hard at honing their skill. At…
Create mini-cultures to make your group feel safe, valued, important and needed
I once spoke on “The Power of Collaborative Leadership" to business audiences in The United Arab Emirates, Scotland, England, The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and four states of the U.S. Audience members represented industries including engineering, manufacturing, retailing, construction, shipping, technology, energy, utilities, printing, pharmaceuticals and consulting – plus a range of government agencies. After my…
It’s all about making a connection with your customers and building a relationship by giving them what they need in that moment
I recently gave a customer service session to the employees of a store called Great White Toys. Having seen in the news that Toys ‘R’ Us has filed for bankruptcy protection and that many other retailers are also in trouble as a result of online competition, I was surprised to hear from store owner Cameron…
Leaders must understand how nonverbal skills can help them develop positive business relationships
Many executives in my audiences are initially skeptical about hearing a speaker on "body language" because they suspect that the topic might be interesting, but not very practical. By the end of my program, they know better. Here's what they learn ... 1) Science has validated the impact of body language Body language is the…
Map out your strategy, use a scheduling platform to post content and build an ideal customer avatar
Most business people I meet stall out with their social media efforts about six months in if they haven’t seen the results they were hoping for. It feels like you’re posting to no one and it’s not working. You don’t have as much engagement as you had hoped and now you wonder if you should…
Being born with talent, riches or a good name doesn’t make you a great leader. Leadership skills can be learned if you open your mind
Think about the best leader you’ve ever worked for or been associated with. If you considered the qualities that make that person so fantastic as a leader, what would you say those qualities are? It might be a coach or a team member. It might be your first boss or your current boss. It could…
Businesses that adapted during the pandemic while allowing their people to be people are now better equipped to respond rather than react
In conversation recently with women business leaders, authors, mental health advocates and corporate management leaders across Canada, there was a common thread: 2020 was a hard year. It was also a year of innovation. A year of seeing business being done differently. From transitioning from already-booked in-person galas to online events to learning how to…
Look at your income statement and your balance sheet closely every month. Consider the questions those figures raise and then seek out the necessary answers
I enjoy reading my kids’ report cards and making them sweat like I did when my mom and dad went through my report card. The truth is, their report cards are, for the most part, better than mine. The comments from the teachers are certainly much nicer. But why tell my kids that? If you’re…
Motivated employees are the lifeblood of every great business. Understanding what you can do to motivate your workers is essential
It’s true that people don’t quit a job, they quit a boss. A great boss can change the dynamics of an organization and inspire people to create a culture where work doesn’t feel like a chore. Motivated staff are key to having an operation that’s well functioning and takes care of customers in a way…
The cost of isolation and fear caused by our response to the pandemic might be much higher and even more deadly than the illness
I feel old. For the second time in a month, I’ve pulled a muscle in my back. It’s left me sore, stiff and walking like an old man. Yet I’m truly blessed that my life has been filled with good health – with the exception of injuries and concussions derived from my life of activity,…
It started by registering for a “build your confidence course.” The very first assignment was to list 100 things I liked about myself. Corny? Yes. Insightful? You bet. It was a simple exercise, yet it showed where real business opportunity could be found. What 2020 gave business owners was a gift. This isn’t to ignore…