Lessons from life I arrived at a nice hotel in Edinburgh on a cold evening in December many years ago. I walked inside to find it five people deep and four people wide at the check-in desk. I joined the queue and waited patiently. The desk was well staffed, but while I waited I noticed a hotel employee standing off to the left doing nothing. He was observing us all in the queue. I drifted off back to my thoughts. A few minutes later, that same employee arrived with a tray full of free … [Read more...] about Do You Want a 2-star or a 5-star Business?
Standards of Performance
Serving Aces: 2 keys to perfect customer service
Customer service counts Ever had a poor customer service experience? It can leave you feeling a bit miffed and unappreciated as a customer or potential customer. I seem to be highly attuned to my own customer service interactions, as a business consultant, for two reasons: a.) These interactions often provide great real-world examples of how to do, or not do things in a business. That can be useful when I’m trying to convey a message to clients I’m working with. b.) They hold up a … [Read more...] about Serving Aces: 2 keys to perfect customer service
Curiouser and Curiouser: Why lifelong learning means success
Have you stopped wondering? As one gets older it’s easy to lose the curiosity and enthusiasm you had earlier in life and start to rest on your laurels. This fading thirst for knowledge is the death knell for performance. It can make you feel less enthused about your business and life in general. I have to be honest, a few years back I myself was feeling a bit flat, a bit stuck, and I didn’t know what to do about. I was discussing the issue with my life coach at the time, Kerri Richardson. … [Read more...] about Curiouser and Curiouser: Why lifelong learning means success
Culture is King: 6 Benefits of Knowing your Business Culture
The secret of success You don’t become successful and then institute a great culture - the culture has to come first. Your business culture is at the core of what you do and how you operate. It sets attitudes and expectations. Managed correctly it determines your direction and drives your performance. What is culture? I’ve heard it defined in two ways: The way we do things around here or What happens when you’re not around What is your culture? How would you … [Read more...] about Culture is King: 6 Benefits of Knowing your Business Culture
Some Assembly Required: building the perfect team
There’s no I in ‘team’ No one achieves anything in this life on their own. We’re social animals built for co-operation. So it’s no surprise that if you want to achieve your business goals, and have fun along the way, you’re going to have to assemble a great team. I know you know this, but let me get into the nitty gritty of why this is so important. When I think about the types of people I need on my team I think of this simple story: The Parable of the Three Children A couple want to … [Read more...] about Some Assembly Required: building the perfect team