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…