I came across a recent article from a person who is a sales trainer (no names to avoid embarrassments and conflicts) and who seemed to have suddenly awoken to discover that consumers and businesses are no longer buying the way they used to buy. “Gosh,” I thought, “where the heck have you been?” On the other hand, the comments made the point that I and others have been making for over a year now – maybe close to two years, namely that things have changed and they aren’t coming back.
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Communication, Growing Edges, Leadership, Management, Sales
I admit to feeling inadequate. It seems as though I’m supposed to be able to multi-task, according to what I’m told by many people and according to what I observe others doing. But I can’t really. I try sometimes, but it just doesn’t work for me. I am not interested in “chatting” if I’m watching a television show (I rarely watch TV, it’s got to be something of immediate interest to me). I get annoyed if I’m deep in the middle of a spreadsheet, writing a blog post or wrestling a PC problem to the ground and the phone rings. I can’t read and also listen to music or radio or podcast.
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Communication, Growing Edges, Leadership, Management, Multi-tasking
I wish I had a buck for every time I’ve been told “Yes, but, my business is different.” There are other similar statements that try to make the same point. People seem to have a desire to be unique. We also want to excuse ourselves from admitting that others may have come up with a solution to a challenge we have yet to solve. So we comfort ourselves by saying, “Yes, but my business or company or industry is different.”
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Growing Edges, Leadership, Management, Unique
By now we’re used to it. The self-righteous politician who loudly preaches the dire consequences for the country’s failure at family values and then is caught in extramarital affairs; and who none-the-less believe they should still hold their office. Or the politicians and government officials who scream about government waste while feeding themselves at the public trough. And of course, the “fat cat” bankers who (even though their jobs exist today only because the taxpayers bailed them out) believe they are somehow entitled to obscene bonuses. Power, it seems, does in fact corrupt. Worse, the perpetrators are so damned hypocritical and arrogant!
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Culture, Ethical Corporation, Ethics, Growing Edges, Leadership, Management
One of the blogs I frequent recently had a post about the trials and tribulations over hiring a “star” versus hiring someone who is a “team player.” There were lots of different views in the comments and of course an abundance of sports metaphors. Being a non-sports fan, I was more inclined to remember a first season episode from “The Big Bang Theory” in which Sheldon’s team lost a physics competition because Sheldon insisted on answering all the questions on his own. He was the brightest and didn’t hesitate to tell you so. The outcome hinged on the last question and even though a teammate had the correct last answer, Sheldon wouldn’t agree to let someone else’s answer be the official one; they lost.
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Communication, Growing Edges, Leadership, Management
The “habit” developed from my early years working at large corporations. They shut down the whole week between December 25th and January 2nd. One reason was that maintenance had to be performed on the manufacturing machines. Another reason was that customers were shut down for factory maintenance. It was a great week even if I had to go into work, because almost no one else was there. Peace. Quiet. Concentration. A wonderful chance to reflect on the year past and the year to come.
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Communication, Growing Edges, Work ethic
How do we “balance” work hours, career advancement, family and relationship needs? This seems to be a perennial topic of discussion. We want it all. Despite our technology, things don’t seem to be getting any better on the time management front. Now, instead of one partner trying to balance demanding activities, we have both partners in a family struggling with time management.
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Balance, Communication, Growing Edges, Management, Retirement, Work ethic
Lawrence M. Krauss is a theoretical physicist, commentator and book author. Some dozen years ago he wrote in one of his commentaries that, “The increasingly blatant nature of the nonsense uttered with impunity in public discourse is chilling. Our democratic society is imperiled as much by this as any other single threat, regardless of whether the origin of the nonsense are religious fanaticism, simple ignorance or personal gain.” He recently noted that things “seem to have only gotten worse in the years since I first wrote those words.”
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Communication, Education, Growing Edges, Management, Political Climate
I pretty much ignore the monologue from the flight crew before the plane takes off. I do note the nearest exit. The rest I kind of tune out. You know the part where they talk about unexpected turbulence and the masks falling down from the ceiling. Well, I got to thinking about that today; especially the part about “if you are traveling with a child or seated next to someone who may need assistance, make sure you put your own mask on first then assist the person next to you.”
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Growing Edges, Leadership, Management
I’ve mentioned in several posts that the world of sales (for non-commodity products) has changed. The consumption minded market is not going to return any time soon. We need to build trust, and so the title for this post. Demonstrate that you are willing to work to generate new money or save me money before you gain from our relationship. Otherwise, it smells like “BS” and I’m not buying.
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Growing Edges, Leadership, Management, Sales
