Growing up in a marketing agency working for clients, I added exactly how a business makes money to my knowledge base. I leaned in to really learn how to sell something for above market value, to comprehend product or service gross margin, what business expenses you easily see and those which are...
Nicolas Vandenberghe’s company has 42 staffers scattered among 36 cities in 15 countries. As technology makes it possible for people to be in constant touch while working remotely, businesses like Chili Piper are becoming the norm. “We have Zoom, Slack, and a myriad of other collaborative tools —...
I can remember my first job like it was yesterday (and not more than 25 years ago). They gave me an assignment that they said would take 3 months. I finished it in 2 weeks. What’s next? Every assignment they gave me took far less time than they estimated and soon I became a key part of the team I...
Getting sued is irritating and frustrating, to say the least. You literally have, in most cases, 21 days from the time you are served to make many of the most critical decisions about the case. Is there any merit? Do you settle it? If needed, who do you hire for defense counsel? Do you have to...
In an era of endless disruption, the word feels increasingly dated. Every year, the professional wordsmiths and gatekeepers of various dictionaries announce their lists of new words deemed to be in sufficiently wide use as to warrant their blessing and inclusion. Among Merriam-Webster’s new...
In last week’s article, I wrote about how automation will come into its own in 2020. We will learn more about the ways automation could make us better managers and how it might affect jobs held by humans like you and me. This week’s topic is an offshoot of the automation/tech theme, and it’s on...
If you’ve decided it’s time to part ways with an employee, how do you execute that decision? For many small employers, this is an issue you’ve rarely faced. Follow these five critical tips to make the termination (and its potential aftermath) go more smoothly. 1. Have All Documents In Order...
What should you do for your end-of-the-year review with an employee? Use this one-on-one meeting template. With December upon us (already!), many managers have been asking me if I have a one-on-one meeting template for their end-of-the year review with a direct report. Yes, I do have one. ???? The...
Introversion has been a popular topic online for years, with many claiming to be misunderstood by their employers, peers, and friends due to their heightened need for solitude. Brie Larson, who portrays Captain Marvel in the film of the same name, summed up much of the challenge, and opportunity,...
There are millions of millennials around the U.S. Despite their tainted reputation, it's time we realize the facts of what it really means to be Generation Y. Want to succeed in growing your business? Then one skill you’d be wise to learn is how to manage and motivate millennials. After all,...
There is a dark side to behavioral questions and personality tests. It’s very rare these days to get a job without going through some sort of interview process, whether it be over the phone or in a boardroom with two or three panelists grilling you about your skills and expertise. It’s a process...
Few things are more frustrating for recruiters than discovering late in the interview process that the candidate they thought was a superstar has been exaggerating their skills. Not only do you lose out on that candidate in particular — but you also have wasted valuable time that could have been...