Hiring is more of an art than science. There isn’t a way of knowing with 100% certainty that someone will be a great fit. But there are a few things that can help with the decision.
A team is more powerful than an individual. It’s a lesson you learn during little league or any other sport as a kid. And it’s an important one as you grow into a leader later in your professional life.
Thomas Edison once remarked that “genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” Genius that Edison was, his statement encourages leaders to seriously undervalue inspiration’s importance to business outcomes. Recent research into the science and psychology of inspiration reveals it’s a critical component of creative and productive output. Yet, inspiration is notoriously difficult to come by. Inspiration is evoked, rather than willed into existence. We’re all familiar with the trope of an anguished artist searching for his muse. And, to a certain extent, the tendency to be swept away by inspiration seems to be written into our DNA. Those of us who can regularly reach dizzying heights of inspiration are more productive. Inventors holding multiple patents tend to score
In a leadership role, you’re expected to, well… lead. But there is way more to being a leader, and there are complex layers of understanding, empathy, and respect that separate the good from the great. And what really distinguishes a great leader from a poor one are challenges. Anyone can be a monumental leader when times are good. When everyone’s happy, clients and teams included, and there aren’t any issues at hand, you can sometimes see the glittery glow of a unicorn nearby. In the real business world, unicorn happiness doesn’t exist. If your business is growing, you’ll likely experience growing pains. If a competitor outpaces you, you’ll feel the pressure to get ahead. Employees will turnover. Products will fail.
And How It Can Deliciously Transform Your Sales Process When it comes to improving your sales game, there’s no shortage of anecdotes and expert advice out there. But it can be challenging to assimilate every suggestion or remember every rebuttal, especially for business development reps who may be newer to sales. To overcome these sales training and learning obstacles, managers and business leaders will often look to more real-life analogies to help bridge gaps in understanding and application best practices. Some of the best sales leadership I encountered in my 20 years of pounding pavement came from managers who made the sales process relatable in a memorable way. And some of the greatest gurus will always find a way to
Actions matter at work. People pay attention to what you’re doing, not necessarily what you’re saying. That includes your body language.
When most people hear the word “dictator,” they think of some outrageous characters. Darth Vader, Dr. Evil, certain psychopaths in the headlines. No one thinks of themselves as a dictator. But dictators in business are a common bunch. They’re just not so easy to spot because they don’t wear a pitch-black exoskeleton. If you’re a leader in business looking to avoid the dark side, you need to know these 3 key differences between a leader and a dictator. Leaders Inspire, Not Intimidate Telling an employee, if they don’t get a certain task done on Friday, to not bother coming in on Monday is a classic dictator move. Dictators use intimidation and fear to ply their employees into getting the job
There are plenty of different types of leadership styles out there. And leadership trends over the years have certainly shifted. From “Who Moved My Cheese” to the “One-Minute Manager,” there are hordes of sound ideas for leaders to leverage. And the goal is to lead in such a manner that employees, colleagues, and subordinates all feel inspired to do their best, be more productive, and become loyal to the company mission. But what about leading with a servant’s heart? Have you heard of this concept? It’s a respect-based leadership method whereby those who are led by someone actively practicing the servant leadership approach perform at a higher level. On its surface, servant leadership may sound like you’re giving up control,
Most companies go through seasons. That’s how life works. Prepare for it to avoid some of the stress.
The world balances on the edge of order and chaos. It’s true globally and also in our own little worlds. Even in business.