Marketing Hall of Shame-Bludgeoning Your Customers is a Bad Idea

Imagine my surprise when in a fit of insanity, I picked up the phone the other night….right after dinner (well, I answered because the caller i.d. indicated the Hotel Chain’s name, and because the troops had the dishes will in hand), and I ended up on the receiving end of an old-fashioned marketing bludgeoning. Seriously, Hotel Chain! You think so highly of the relationships with your clients that you’re engaging in tactics like this to reward them for years of business.

Leadership Caffeine™: Frame Carefully to Improve Discussion Quality

Decisions propel people, teams and organizations forward. Get more right than wrong…especially the big ones, and the only thing standing in the way of success is the critical issue of execution. And of course, most decisions start with a discussion. One of your important jobs as a leader is to ensure that your team is [...]

Have Space Ship Will Travel-In Celebration and In Memoriam

The last Space Shuttle of this era has returned and the program is officially grounded for good. There are a remarkable number of leadership and management lessons as well as a fierce debate about importance and economics that all swirl around the space program. Just for today, let's put those aside and remember and wonder and give thanks to those who served and to remember those who perished. The debates can continue another day.

Podcast: Helping Cancer Patients by Running 100 Miles for Life

A few weeks ago, I shared a guest post from a good friend, Ted Friedman, who started: 100 Miles for Life, an ultra-marathon event and charitable campaign in support of The Gathering Place, in Cleveland, Ohio. This podcast is a follow-on, and offers you a chance to hear personally from Ted about this great cause and about this ultra-marathon race. While we're here for the fundraiser, those of you interested in running...especially crazy distances like 100 miles at a time, will enjoy Ted's commentary on training his body and mind for the event.

Leadership Caffeine™: Assessing the View on You

Understanding how big your “perception gap” is and working to close this gap is an important part of your professional development program, regardless of your role. And like everything else in life worth pursuing, measuring and managing your “perception gap” takes time, effort and the willingness to do something about the problem-areas. Here are 11 Actions that will help you measure and manage your perception gap.

July Leadership Development Round Table Challenge

It's time for the July Leadership Development Round Table Challenge! You may recall from last month's inaugural event, this is where we put forth a vexing situation and a number of regular contributors plus one guest take the opportunity to share their best thoughts on how to handle it... in 200 words or less. You vote with your comments and with your actual vote, and after one week of fierce but professional debate, a winner is announced.

Introducing: Professional Development Sprints

Note from Art: today's post is promotional in nature. Back to our regularly scheduled programming soon! Professional Development Sprints: Practical, powerful coaching guidance and skills development plus a series of activities to apply immediately in the workplace, delivered on-line in 4 modules of 15 minutes or less. Review the programs as often as you desire during the 30-day subscription period, and use the suggestions in the downloadable Action Guide to keep on improving beyond the program.

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