Plot twists ahead I read that this photo is one of a kind: the only surviving Civil War portrait of a black soldier with his family. As of 2010, it belongs in the Library of Congress archives. And, according to Rockcastle’s Mount Vernon Signal, the soldier has now been identified as Sergeant Samuel Smith, United States Colored Troops. The grave …
Are you growing or just changing?
Business trends How many trends have you participated in since you started your career? Here’s an example: In the olden days, companies strove for good customer service. When I was young, J.D. Power pushed statistically driven customer satisfaction efforts. Social media brought customer engagement to the fore … and now we talk about CX, customer experience. There were things to …
The simplest feedback method around
Our latest podcast discusses how important it can be to give frequent “Just-in-Time” feedback. We mention the AID method as a way to do that JIT feedback. It takes 60 seconds and can be used for positive or negative feedback. For those new to the tool, here is AID in a nutshell. You share three things: Action observed: “Tom, did …
Podcast 61: Three things you need for your coaching to succeed: Commitment
Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple … or watch below. There are many coaching methods out there … but what do you need for any of those methods to work? Mike and Mark discuss how commitment takes coaching from an interesting conversation to a surefire way to make progress–and how to use your calendar to make that happen. Questions or …
Podcast 60: Three things you need for your coaching to succeed: Care
Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple … or watch below. There are many coaching methods out there … but what do you need for any of those methods to work? Mike and Mark discuss why care unlocks coaching opportunities. They share the big question to ask and the key mindset to use. Questions or ideas for the podcast? Email Mike and …
Employees who THINK! (like Lincoln did: thanks to geometry)
“They just don’t THINK!” Almost every manager and business owner I’ve served has, at some point, complained that employees are just not thinking clearly. They are going through the motions. Or acting emotionally. Or making bad assumptions. Or just not considering consequences. If there is one U.S. president who kept himself free of such problems, it has to be Abraham …
Podcast 59: Three things you need for your coaching to succeed: Trustworthiness
Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple … or watch below. There are many coaching methods out there … but what do you need for any of those methods to work? The first of three things: trustworthiness. Tune in to learn the elements of trust–and, more importantly, how to demonstrate them. Questions or ideas for the podcast? Email Mike and Mark.
What getting scammed taught me about trust
“Mr. Ramsay, this is American Express. Did you just spend $600 at the Levi’s outlet store in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania?” In case you are wondering, that was NOT what I wanted to hear while standing in a client’s conference room getting ready to start a meeting. Here is how it happened: The night before, I arrived at a hotel …
Podcast 58: When do you need a coach–and what kind do you need?
Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple … or watch below. “A sage on the stage or a guide on the side?” After decades of experience helping clients, Mike and Mark reflect on when individuals and organizations are ready for a coach–and what kind of coach to look for. Questions or ideas for the podcast? Email Mike and Mark.
You must adapt! Where should you focus?
I majored in public relations. Many of that discipline’s skills transfer to my current work coaching and consulting. For instance, the humble SWOT analysis: brainstorming an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In our age, often the external part of that analysis (Opportunities and Threats) has revealed what we are all up against: globalization, rapidly changing markets, industry disruptions, etc. …