This post was encouraged by a conversation I had today with a wonderful young professional who reached out to me via Twitter. She is, like many today, searching for a job. Luckily she is in a position where time is slightly more on her side than others. She has a few months before her company relocates. She came to me asking for help with her resume. I was so impressed with her courage, how could I refuse. As I reviewed her resume and compiled my thoughts and comments, it dawned on me. This needed to be a blog post. Once again it may seem that I am giving away the secrets of management as I did with, “Acing the Interview”. I disagree. The information in this blog can work for the internal resume as well.
Feb 04
Feb 03
The title I am sure upsets a lot of vendors who provide customer service programs. Let’s give it some thought. Exceptional customer service is a value. Have you ever trained someone successfully on changing their values. If you have, you are one in very elite group of miracle workers capable of touching the inner soul of man. We use training to change behaviors not ideals and values. This blog entry will help you put customer service in the right perspective and create a culture conducive to that vision.
Feb 01
Difficult people can range from a speed bump to Armageddon when it comes to progress. They can interrupt meetings, cause mutiny, raise your anxiety and in some cases make you think the unthinkable. Lucky for you and us, you haven’t acted on the latter (we hope). Difficult people are a challenge. This is true whether managing or simply falling in the rank and file. This blog entry will help you de-code their behavior and perhaps even turn those difficult people into one of your top performers or advocates.
Jan 31
Although I have Gen Y in mind when writing this blog, it applies to everyone (as most of my blogs typically do). It was actually sparked by a chat with R. Stavros Bezas (@stavrosbezas on twitter). He was looking for feedback for his blog (www.Bezas.com) on how to navigate negative individuals when you are trying to get ahead. I encourage you to view his video blog for some great tips. Ambition is something that has to be nurtured but at the same time managed, as it can destroy a career as much as help it. Following are some tips to consider to guide this mighty power and come out on top. Continue reading »
Jan 29
ASTD Techknowledge presented a great crowdsourcing opportunity. One of the challenges we have as trainers / learning facilitators, is getting the learner engaged. Twitter is not the be all solution to our workforce problems but it does offer great value. The challenge is its value is limited to the willingness of the learner to participate.
Jan 20
This may perhaps be one of my most timely posts. I don’t have to tell any reader about the rising unemployment rates, the job shortages, and the state of the global economy. What is more useful is not a declaration of the state of business but a map or tactic to navigate the turbulent waters of our time. This post will focus on getting you the job.
Jan 18
With the new year approaching I am focusing the next few blog entries on potential “Resolutions” that any of us can proclaim. As a Generational Enthusiast (I have no idea what that means but some people like titles), I will focus this entry on Generation Y. Like a previous blog entry, “Tips for Managing Generation Y”, I will once again stress that if you are looking for rampant proclamations about negative perceptions about this generation or any for that matter, you are reading the wrong blog. I want to help build the bridge connecting the generational gaps, not push them further apart.
Jan 18
I was talking to a gentlemen at dinner last night. He was the CEO of a mulit national media company. We started to discuss some of the challenges that we all are faced with in modern business. Being management-centric, I voiced my opinions about how we are faced with a dilemma of performance malaise. Of course he wouldn’t settle for such a broad statement so he asked for deeper clarity. Being the extrovert I am, I happily obliged.
Jan 18
Often during training a question is asked or a scenario is shared that has great value to share with others. During one of my public seminars, while discussing progressive discipline, an attendee asked, “How should I handle counseling an employee whom I don’t want to use formal discipline (for various reasons)? The question created a great discussion around standards.
Jan 18
This isn’t a movie review of my recent screening of George Clooney’s newest movie, “Up in the Air”, but more of a surgical dissection of a few of the leadership lessons I took away from it. Fear not, there are no spoilers so you still can see the movie, which by the way I did thoroughly enjoy. George Clooneys character and the situations presented were fairly realistic reflections of the anxiety that plagues much of today’s business world. Allow me to briefly set up the movie.
