In our quest to find the key to building great companies we look for the easiest and fastest solutions. The “solution du jour” seems to be CEOs trying to make employees happy by providing all sorts of perks. The not so surprising result is that … Read more
As I was preparing a talk for the Washington State Biz Fair this Saturday, I realized that the idea of networking can be intimidating to a lot of people. When the topic of networking comes up generally there are long sighs. It can be people’s … Read more
There was an interesting section in the Wall Street Journal this weekend about the Top Employers in the US. The section was paid advertising, so I don’t give the rankings much credence as it’s one of those pay to play “awards.” However, there was a … Read more
As we get back to work after the long Labor Day weekend, and a glorious summer, (at least here in Seattle), I got to thinking about why we don’t always see what’s right in front of us. I had two similar conversations with clients this … Read more
At the end of the day, the successful companies have one thing in common, an outstanding business culture that promotes the success of the individuals working there. When this is in place a company can create great products and provide excellent service to its customers. … Read more
I had a conversation this weekend with my son who is currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Guyana in the Amazon rain forest. He lives in a small village in the north of the country and works at the only health clinic serving the mining … Read more
I saw this post today with alarm as it’s completely counter to what I have always believed. As I read more of the article, I realized the author, Lou Adler, and I are actually probably in agreement, just using different ways and words to describe … Read more
Look no further than your daily paper to be reminded of leadership missteps, especially in the form of an offhand comment or email. Recently in The Seattle Times Boeing CEO James McNerney said he won’t retire because “the heart will still be beating, the employees will … Read more
I have worked with so many entrepreneurs who had trouble hiring salespeople that I had difficulty picking which example to use for the puzzler! I decided to use the one that most everyone can relate to. This was a services company that had struggled for … Read more
This could be, (and in many ways already has been), a never ending debate, but in my mind, it comes down to a few critical characteristics. First, the person must be a great conversationalist. This means the salesperson, (likely an extrovert), is: Comfortable engaging … Read more