Authenticity in your foundation

June 22, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | 2 comments

THIS WEEK I had the opportunity to participate in a very interesting discussion around the topic of brand-building.  This was an EntreprenerdsEntrepreNerds meeting focused on the books Unlabel: Selling You Without Selling Out by Marc Ecko and Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger.  Both were worth the read and had some good lessons.

What struck me most profoundly was digging into the topic of authenticity.  There’s actually a number of interesting dimensions to this concept: Read the rest of this entry »

What collaboration really looks like

June 15, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

THE CollaborationWORD “COLLABORATION” has shown up for me multiple times this week.  It must be a message!

I totally understand the reluctance to put your future in the hands of someone else.  No doubt many of us learned the lesson in school that a “team project” would sometimes turn into all the work being done by the one kid who cared about grades the most.  The others would let things slide a bit, letting the dedicated one pick up the slack.

Instead, let’s look at this from the standpoint of collaborations which work well.

My first example might surprise you:  Read the rest of this entry »

Getting grounded again

June 8, 2014 in Christianity, Success in business | Tags: , , , | 2 comments

MY How to hear godSPIRITUAL LIFE can feel a bit dry at times.  I know this happens to most people, and it seems to be a part of the human experience that God needs us to learn from.

This time, I decided to try something new.  I’m reading a new book called How to Hear God by Lynne Lee.  It’s a challenge for me, so I’m taking it slowly, pondering and praying as I go along.

After reading the chapter on journaling, I decided to finally give it a try.  Read the rest of this entry »

Are shareholders your purpose?

June 1, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

ASPEN INSTITUTE just came out with a new report entitled Unpacking Corporate Purpose: A Report on the Beliefs of Executives, Investors and Scholars. It’s an interesting read, especially for those who are thinking about how investors change the landscape of their company’s purpose.

Aspen InstituteFor me, the most thought-provoking idea was that there are distinctly different philosophies about the concept of a corporation – and they’re all valid.

You’d think that traditional wisdom holds that the purpose of a corporation is to serve its shareholders.  But is it?  Read the rest of this entry »

Is it generational?

May 25, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

THIS WEEK was an exciting time in the city: FCSWFort Collins Startup Week.  There were a tremendous number of activities, presentations, competitions – and face-to-face connections.  I was honored to be a startup mentor, meeting with people who are launching their creative ventures.

It’s awe-inspiring what some of these folks are coming up with.

But there’s a general perception that this is a young person’s game.  Older folks don’t have the energy and inspiration to go out there and so something that’s risky and edgy.  Right?

Read the rest of this entry »

They’re not values until you take action

May 18, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

MICHAEL HYATT Michael Hyattis a powerful speaker and leader in the area of values-based companies.  I was listening to a recent podcast on this topic this week where he reinforced one of my key messages:

Stated values are fine, but they don’t make a difference until you take action.

It’s a simple concept, really, and should be blindingly obvious.  After all, when your favorite cable company states that they’re “customer oriented,” do you believe it when they’re also not showing up for appointments?  When they don’t answer your questions over the phone?

Read the rest of this entry »

Authenticity: Your most powerful marketing tool

May 11, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

MOST COACHES I’ve met entered this field because they have a deep and abiding passion for helping others to succeed. Often this is based on a deep appreciation for the support that they’ve received from others during their lifetime.

Then you start a coaching business.

This can be a startling experience for new coaches, because you quickly find that your job is now marketing and sales. If people don’t know about you and the value coaching can provide, they won’t hire you. And you got into this profession because you wanted to help people.

Coaching and marketing are different skills, and you need to master both.

Read the rest of this entry »

The power of positive messaging

May 4, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

WHEN A CHILD Handprintsneeds to go wash her hands, it’s best not to say, “don’t touch the walls!”  That’s the surest way to ensure that you’ll get handprints all over the place.

Instead, you give them the positive instruction, “keep your hands together until you get to the bathroom!”

The idea is that the word “not” tends to be filtered out, and you’re firmly planting the unconscious message, “touch the walls!”  This has been verified through experimentation, and I’ve seen it work in practice.

The same works for adults.

Read the rest of this entry »

Rant: “Our employees are our most valuable resource”

April 27, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

YOU HEAR THIS all the time: “Our employees are our most valuable resource!”

It’s supposed to make you feel better as an employee.  You know what?  I don’t see that it works.  But to figure out why, we need to tear apart that word “resource.”

re·source
noun \ˈrē-ˌsȯrs, -ˌzȯrs, ri-ˈ\
: something that a country has and can use to increase its wealth
: a supply of something (such as money) that someone has and can use when it is needed
: a place or thing that provides something useful
— Merriam-Webster online

What’s missing from this definition?  Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you!

April 20, 2014 in Christianity, Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

CeasterHRISTUS RESURREXIT!  Christ is risen!

This last year has been just amazing, and I’m blessed to be working with such talented and generous people.  This blog has been going for less than 16 months, yet it’s generated a level of interest and enthusiasm that I never expected.

I want to offer my sincere thanks for all your support and engagement.  I continue to get personal emails, connections, and encouragement every week.

Please take this opportunity to thank all those who are YOUR support – especially in your times of greatest need.

We’re all in this together, after all.

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