As CEO of a (very small) business, I now understand the incredible challenges associated with having to allocate limited resources and communicate effectively to my colleagues and clients. It’s a lot. Sometimes I blush when I think of how hard I was on some of my managers. I assumed they should know everything and became …
This summer my family went on a 45+ hour road trip. (Here we are at Niagara Falls). I know, I know, a great opportunity for quality family time. But one or two books on tape while the kids watched a video. C’mon, it’s OK, right? Somewhere between mile 1700 and mile 1850, on the road …
My cousin in France is really good at windsurfing. So much so that he spent his military service teaching windsurfing to soldiers on R&R. Pretty nice deal, for him and for the soldiers. Soldiers get R&R. Farmers let fields lay fallow. And yet the grinding rhythm of work and life makes us keep pushing even …
As a small business owner, no one is leaning over you generating your To Do list. It seems like a dream, but being in charge of your own time takes more discipline. In my first years of business, I would say to friends, “I can’t talk. My boss is breathing down my neck.” They would …
A client recently asked for help with a 5-year career plan and I realized it might be a good thing to share. My approach goes from the inside out. We have to get clear on who we are and what we want, then turn to the job/career market and see what is possible. Here goes: …
The Ethics Column for BBC Capital recently approached me about a dilemma many small business owners face: what do you do when the hours you have spent on a project run over the estimated time you promised the client? Do you pad hours? No. Swallow the loss? Hopefully not. Ideally, you have cultivated a relationship …
I understand innovation in a cutting-edge industry like Computing, but it took me a while to figure it out in a mature, saturated industry like Cosmetics. During my 18 years in Cosmetics, I heard people talking about innovation all the time. Eventually, I understood: half of innovation is finding ingredients, delivery systems and product forms …
The Nike slogan “Just Do It” is a very powerful call to action. It’s simple: “just” tells us to forget about all the excuses, and “do it” is meant to get us off the couch and moving. Yet how many times have I heard this, looked outside to see that it’s cold and raining, and …
“Don’t worry so much what people think” is something I’ve heard for much of my life. I am one of those people who cares a lot what others think, and I would love it if everyone liked me, all the time. With age comes wisdom and I have learned that my “weakness” is coupled with …
Using listening skills and focus on others can increase influence, and confidence New clients often ask me about my background. I have learned to respond with, “Well, I can tell so many versions. What is most interesting to you?” It may seem odd to start a communication by asking the audience what they want to …
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