Professionalisms
Inside Job: Why Dealing with “Difficult” Colleagues Will Lead to Happier Customers
When an organization’s employees aren’t happy, it’s unlikely they’ll be providing the kind of quality service that leads to happy customers. One of the fastest ways to create internal strife is to let “difficult” people go unchecked. Ron Kaufman teaches that the best way to handle these personalities is to help resolve the difficult situations they’re experiencing so that everyone at the organization has the positive energy needed to provide uplifting service to customers.
10 Reasons Your Facebook Ads Aren’t Working
If you’re using Facebook for your business, you may have noticed that your marketing attempts aren’t performing to the level you’d originally hoped. Here are 10 reasons why that might be the case.
8 Things You Should Never Do At The Office
In the workplace, there are many things you will do right. But suck it up and recognize: there are many, many things that you will do wrong. Check out these eight things you should never do at the office.
The ‘Moneyball’ Approach To Business Hiring
J. Allan McCarthy, entrepreneur and author of "Beyond Genius, Innovation & Luck: The "Rocket Science" of Building High-Performance Corporations" offers tips for creating championship teams in the business world.
17 Unspoken Rules Of LinkedIn Etiquette
Things are a little more loose on Facebook and Twitter, but LinkedIn is strictly professional, giving it a different kind of status when it comes to etiquette. Read on to learn about 17 unspoken rules of LinkedIn etiquette.
13 Habits That May Be Sabotaging Your Career
Some of your bad habits may actually be sabotaging your career. Whether it’s office gossip or playing around on Facebook, it’s time to kick these bad habits to the curb. Read on, and discover which bad work habits may be getting in the way of your next promotion.
8 Ways To Deal With A Boss You Don’t Get Along With
Not every boss in your career will see eye to eye with you on work issues, and some might have a management style that clashes with your personality. If you’re stuck in this position, try some of these tips for dealing with a difficult boss.
Accountability, Frugality Driving Pay For Performance Trend In PR
The recession has fueled a growing trend in the public relations industry – and not everyone’s happy about it. Penny Carnathan looks at how businesses try to save by avoiding monthly PR retainer fees.
The Rewired Workplace: Establishing Success Systems Right From The Start
As we navigate more information, more relationships, and more choices we need systems that help us be productive and successful to “rewire” the workplace to stay in control and improve productivity. Camille Preston, author of "Rewired: How to Work Smarter, Live Better, and Be Purposefully Productive in an Overwired World" offers some suggestions to lay the groundwork for success.
Creating Teams
Performance within groups typically does not just happen. Bruce Hodes, author of "Front Line Heroes", shares some basic truths about building teams.
Ten Tips To Keep The Season’s Distractions From Lowering Your Employees’ Productivity
It’s a phenomenon that employers dread: As the temperature rises in the summer, employees’ motivation levels tend to drop. Chip Averwater provides real-world insight on how to keep enthusiasm and productivity high, not only throughout the summer but all year long.
When Your Website Powers Your Business
Do yourself a favor, when you've made the decision to open your business or sell your product online, make sure you have ALL the tools to make it successful. And for Pete's sake, make sure you hire the right developer, says Joe Thomas of Left Brain Digital.
Sixteen Signs You May Be Practicing Cowardly Leadership
You might be shocked to find just how much of a stranglehold the “F” word has on your employees, your organization, and your entire life. Mike Staver, author of "Leadership Isn’t for Cowards", unmasks the many faces of fear… and explains how to drag it into the daylight where you can vanquish it once and for all.
Creating A Sustainable Workplace
You can build a sustainable business that's environmentally sound, argues Peter A. Soyka, author of "Creating a Sustainable Organization: Approaches for Enhancing Corporate Value Through Sustainability". He says companies can create the conditions needed to support meaningful performance improvement over time, without investing significant human or financial capital.
The Secrets Of Creating A Powerful Company Culture
Just about any business advantage that you pride yourself on can be copied by a competitor. Micah Solomon, author of "High-Tech, High-Touch Customer Service", argues that the culture of your company is the exception to this rule.
Seven Ways to Take Advantage of the Social Power of Your Customers
As individuals, consumers frequently use social media to tell their networks of fans, friends, and followers what products they are using, what businesses they like, and so on. Unfortunately, says Ron Kaufman, few companies are successfully capitalizing on this social behavior. He offers tips on how to make it happen.
How Businesses Can Successfully Brand Themselves On Social Media
That profile picture of you on your social media sites say a lot about you, says Serban Enache, CEO of Dreamstime.
How To Ask Your Way Through Ten Of The Toughest Conversations You’ll Ever Have
At work, at home, with friends, and even with perfect strangers, it isn’t uncommon to find yourself suddenly entrenched in a tough, tense conversation. Instead of trying to stutter and mutter your way out of it, and risk permanently damaging an important relationship,
Andrew Sobel suggests you ask your way through it using key Power Questions.
8 Ways To Become A Better Co-worker
You might be the most diligent and hardest working person in the office, but if your co-workers don’t know you or don’t really like you, then you’re going to have problems down the road. Here are eight ways to become a better, more well-rounded co-worker.
Seven Truths About Customers No Retailer Wants To Admit
Every retailer spends a good portion of his day trying to figure out how best to serve his customers. But frankly, customers and their motivations can throw even the best retailers for a loop. Retail expert Chip Averwater lays out a few customer truths that retailers don’t want to admit.
Eight Ways To Be A Better Customer — And Get Better Service In Return
Customers wait on hold for an eternity. Complaints go unanswered. Smiles and a little extra help seem like too much to ask for these days. If you think customer service has taken a nosedive, you’re right, says Ron Kaufman — but there’s a lot you can do to change that. Read on for his tips for being a better customer.
10 Hidden Reasons Why You Might Hate Your Job
There are often more subtle factors at work that make going to work a miserable experience. Here, we share some of the often hidden reasons your job seems like torture even when it shouldn't.
Five Sites Reputation Management Experts Fear
They’re here. The sites that even your genius SEO guy and tech savvy PR team are often powerless against. Unmanaged, these sites can sink your company online, says Kent Campbell, SEO expert and founder of Internet Reputation Management.
Practical HR Solutions For Today’s Workplace
As a small business owner you are likely to ask why and when you should invest in Human Resources for your company. Consider the value HR can bring by taking an informed look at what is going on in your workplace today.
Eight Ways To Reignite Your Passion So You Can Reignite Your Company
You know your people are struggling and—not coincidentally—so is your company. And if you’re trying to harass them into productivity, you’re fighting a losing battle. If they’re to compete in the global economy, you’ll have to light a fire under them — but first, says Mohan Nair, you must light one under yourself.
Why Small Businesses Fail
Business can fail for a lot of other reasons, and some are completely out of the owner's control. Most failures boil down to one thing, however - a lack of business knowledge is the primary culprit.
20 Counter-Intuitive Company Policies That Actually Work
Here are 20 ways how mind-boggling company policies are making a difference and leading some companies to incredible success.
Eight Ways To Fight Entrepreneurial Fires And Constantly Improve In The Process
Entrepreneurs spend a healthy portion of their day putting out customer-, employee-, and money-related fires. Ed Hess explains how to capitalize on these flames by using them to constantly improve your business.
How To Design Your Own Logo
When you want to make sure that your small business gets the attention it deserves, you need to make sure that you are considering every aspect of your logo. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Say What? Five Quick Scripts For Responding To Customer Complaints
The last thing a customer with a complaint wants to hear you say is: “You’re wrong”. Ron Kaufman, author of "Uplifting Service", offers a few quick scripts to use when responding to customer complaints.