How to facilitate a meeting that gets things done

Have you ever felt like you were imprisoned in a meeting? Many people have. Most meetings in corporate America gather great minds around the table. The challenge is getting everyone’s ideas to surface in order to move to consensus and take action! Read more

How to change people’s behavior

I have been traveling the past week while also preparing to present at the 2011 Senior Sales Executive Conference. My topic is, “Driving Collaboration and Effective Change Initiatives.” I have been using Tom Kelley’s Advice and thinking like a traveler. When we travel, we open our eyes and see things we may not usually see. I was looking for signs of people driving change. Read more

Top five practices of exemplary leadership

“Describe a time when you were at your best as a leader.” That was the first assignment we received from Barry Possner, co-author of The Leadership Challenge, at a recent leadership workshop. It set the foundation for a rich conversation about how leadership is personal and reinforced the need to create a relationship if you want to entice others to want to follow you. Read more

How to introduce humor in public speaking, part 2

In the last post, I shared some tips to help you get your presentation off to a good start via humor. When your audience laughs, they may have a tendency to see things your way. At the very least, if you can keep them amused, they won’t fall asleep! In this post, tips #5 – 10! Read more

How to introduce humor in public speaking, part 1

President Barack Obama exacted his revenge last weekend after weeks of attacks from his would-be Republican challenger Donald Trump, joking that the billionaire businessman could bring change to the White House, transforming it from a stately mansion into a tacky casino with a whirlpool in the garden. Read more

How to find the right sales coach

The Sales Playbook is one of my favorite topics. So, when the Corporate Executive Board and their Sales Executive Council (SEC) announced their most recent research was entitled Rewriting the Playbook, How High Performers Win the Consensus-Based Sale, I was one of the first to register for the event highlighting their findings. Read more

What leadership has to do with love

Last time, I wrote about hearing Howard Schultz speak during his book tour for launching Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. It was an eye-opening interview. He spoke about the word “love” and what it means for someone to love what they do, to love the company they work for and to love a brand and what it stands for. Read more

Don’t serve the founder of Starbucks Peet’s Coffee

I had a chance to attend the Los Angeles leg of Howard Schultz’s national book tour launching Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. I’m a big admirer of Schultz’s leadership style and corporate vision. Read more