Product website gatekeepers might be better off allowing some profanity on their platforms
Profanity in online reviews can pack a powerful punch, says a University of Alberta business researcher. According to Katherine Lafreniere, an expletive or two in a review can enhance an evaluation of a service or product, especially when qualifying descriptions of a given attribute. That means a dishwasher described as “damn quiet,” for example, is…
Employees with concrete goals improve their performance by 18 per cent in output
For many years my company floated along without concrete goals, and then one day I came across a sign that said, “Double your Sales.” I posted it above the door in the office that was used by all the staff. I did not actually think much about it, but every day I would see the…
Are you suffering burnout?
Like many people, I was facing significant challenges and burnout last year. It was so bad that I told my team in September that I was going to take a three- to six-month sabbatical starting in December. However, by the time January rolled around, and after just a few weeks of holidays, I was ready…
People look for two sets of cues in leaders: one signals warmth and caring, the other power and status. Both are necessary
During a break in a seminar I was conducting on collaborative leadership, a man from the audience told this story: “My wife is an attorney and I’ve always been a supporter of women in the workplace. I also believe in collaboration and try to make everyone feel included and appreciated. So I was taken aback…
Learning from the pros Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Amplify Your Business, produced by Amplomedia in partnership with Troy Media, will interview professional entrepreneurs who are currently in the trenches growing their businesses. Through insightful conversations, we will be unpacking their common business challenges and identifying the lessons every business owner needs to learn so…
Reaching out to wayward customers will reinvigorate your sales and allow you to do a lot of market research
Grant was on the ground yelling as I came around the corner at high speed on my mountain bike at dusk. He had flown off his bike instead of hitting a moose standing on the trail. I skidded to avoid him. I could still see two moose, a cow and her year-old calf, on the…
Creative hiring strategies can be the big difference between success and failure
Hiring employees has been difficult for many employers in the current job market. This is a result of a number of factors, including an aging workforce, the "great resignation," and a booming economy. While this will change in time, here are five things you might consider that will improve your chances of success if you…
Ottawa does not fully understand the consequences of its policy
By Nathalie Elgrably-Levy and Valentin Petkantchin The federal government’s new luxury goods tax, which took effect on September 1, targets luxury cars, private jets and yachts. Without originality, it is part of the traditional logic of taxation which aims to “make the rich pay.” However, we often forget the economic, indirect and longer-term effects, which…
Learning from the pros Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Amplify Your Business, produced by Amplomedia in partnership with Troy Media, will interview professional entrepreneurs who are currently in the trenches growing their businesses. Through insightful conversations, we will be unpacking their common business challenges and identifying the lessons every business owner needs to learn so…
It’s hard to be successful if you can’t survive the crashes
I’ve been head over heels in love a couple of times – but in cycling and business, I’ve been head over heels many times. Once, for example, I was on an early-morning ride on my road bike. I was doing hill repeats to get into shape to be able to keep up with the “fast…