Frictionless

The most successful companies today are doing everything they can to satisfy their customers. So, the global consulting management firm, Bain & Company, did a study on how those top companies were REALLY doing in satisfying their customers. They found out 80% of the companies thought their service level set them apart from their competition. But when Bain & Company queried their customers, they found an alarming fact … only 8% of the customers believed the company actually exhibited a higher level of service than their competitor. OUCH!

Soft Skills are in High Demand

The #1 skill lacking in the U.S. workforce is Interpersonal Skills, also known as People Skills, Soft Skills or Emotional Intelligence Skills; all are related to the way we communicate and interact with others. Strong Interpersonal Skills are essential for succeeding in today's workplace. The only problem is they are difficult to find in employees. In a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn of 291 hiring managers in the U.S., it was revealed that 59% of managers believe that soft skills are the most difficult to find.

Expect, Inspect, Correct

There are so many ways to say we made a MISTAKE: Botched, Bungled, Flubbed, Mishandled, Bumbled, Misjudged, Mucked-up, Fouled-up, Messed-up, Slipped-up, Goofed-up and Screwed-Up … which all say, in simple terms, that an error has been made.

Powerful Meaningless Words

Most companies have them in some shape or form: Guiding Principles, Mission Statements, Vision Statements, Company Values, Company Affirmations, Statement of Purpose, Company Goals, Company Philosophy. I saw where one company had broken their mission statement into three segments, identifying them for Product Mission, Economic Mission and Social Mission.

Being 'HIP' Isn’t Always Necessary

Several years ago, I received a call from my agent telling me I had lost a speaking engagement to another speaker because of a word I used in my video demo tape. In the opinion of the client’s meeting planner, the word I had spoken was an “out dated” term. I guess by using this supposedly out-of-date word, I wasn’t on the cutting edge of the latest and greatest "fad" in management.

Great Advice Has No Value - Unless Followed

I try and look on advice this way; why experience the pain or frustration of doing something wrong, when someone can “ADVISE” me as to the best, quickest, and easiest way to do it. I am all for taking advantage of those who have done it before and I am happy to “go to school” on what they have learned. Following good advice is a great way to shorten your learning curve. It should also be noted: the best advice usually comes from those who have been through the most.