Why Business Teams Fail & How to Avoid It : Strong Leadership Skills For Employee Engagement & High Performance

The Line of Choice

Do You and Your Team Live “Above the Line” or “Below the Line”?

I titled this episode “The Line of Choice” because each day, each hour, and each encounter we have with our team, our customers, our suppliers, or our community at large, we have a “choice” on how we are going to “show up”.

Taking Pride In Our Work

Do Your Team Members Take Pride in the Work They Do for Your Customers?

This week's question is a key indicator of how “radically engaged” your team members are.

Over Delivering

How Often Do You Over-Deliver On the Promise To Your Customers?

It’s an interesting question that often leads to some interesting discussion about their job responsibilities and the authority they have been given, but mostly, the responses tell me a lot about the mindset of the business owners.

Business Math

How Good Are You at Math – Not Just ANY Math – Business Math?

You see, I believe that ANYONE can be successful in business – whether you think logically or are more feeling-based – whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert – whether you like things or you like people.

But there is one thing you MUST be good at – and that is understanding the MATH of business.

Strategic Time Outs

How Often Do You Call Strategic Time Outs?

This week I want to reflect a bit on the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament that just finished.  In basketball, just like in business, there are teams that seem to be unstoppable – until some unknown team steps up and puts a stop to them! 

But what should we do about it and how can you keep it from happening to YOUR business?  By calling more “strategic time outs!”

What Sets You Apart from Your Toughest Competition

What Truly Sets You Apart from Your Toughest Competition?

You may have heard this referred to as your value proposition or your unique differentiation.  No matter what you call it, it is important that you purposely and intentionally answer the fundamental question – how can you separate yourself, in a meaningful way, from any other competitor in your industry?

Poke Yoke

What Progress Have You Made in Making Positive Changes to Your Most Critical Processes?

This week, your assignment is to do just that!  Identify 2 or 3 critical processes that could use a good "tune up", get a few of your team members together, and brainstorm ways you could “mistake-proof” those processes.

Strategies to Increase Customer Loyalty

What Strategies are you using to Increase Customer Loyalty?

It is far easier and far less expensive to KEEP an existing customer than it is to find a new customer.  This is why I believe there are two very specific metrics you should be tracking in your business on a regular basis to confirm and validate that you are building customer loyalty the right way.

Today, we're going to explore these metrics and I'll give you 3 specific strategies to improve customer loyalty for your business.

Creating Internal Mentors and Coaches

How Well are You and Your Key Leaders Doing at Pacesetting?

You’ve heard it said that you’re only a leader to the extent that others will follow you.  Well, today I want to put a slight twist on that saying and phrase it this way – “You’re only a leader to the extent that others are ABLE to follow you”.

To be a great leader you’ve got to be a great mentor and coach.  This means you need to set the pace for your business and your team.  You’ve got to bring them along with you by involving them in the big decisions of the business.

Process Flowcharts and Checklists

How Robust are your Execution and Delivery Processes?

If you’re following along with my “bike as a business” metaphor, then you will recognize that today we’re focusing on the BACK WHEEL of your bike – Serving Your Customers.

Once you make a commitment to deliver a certain level of quality or fill the order with an agreed-upon speed, or achieve a specific level of benefit or respond in a defined timeframe, you now must DELIVER on your promise.