While working with a client on raising employee engagement recently, I encountered the following trend: Out of 250 days of work, employees always mentioned their problem shifts that resulted in write ups and rarely mentioned all the shifts where they either did their job or did their job well. We all respond this way and the impact explains why engagement consulting is still needed. Negative feedback always leaves a more lasting memory. Yet, it represents such a small portion

How would someone describe your act? These questions came to me after discussing some clients with a colleague. He is a successful investor/consultant who also is a lead guitar player. Very decisive, clear-headed, and can take over a meeting. My forte is behind the scene business coaching focused on solving teamwork issues. I just happen to play the bass guitar. And it occurs to me that you need both. Businesses need lead guitarist and singers who deliver the song in a way th

Our team won the low gross prize with 16 birdies and two pars. We also won low net (the ringer team had  a scratch golfer, yet got more strokes than we did),  and I won second in the putting contest. What is truly amazing is that none of us played well enough on our own shots to break 80. That’s where the “tee” in teamwork comes in. We put a tee down to mark our first putt.  I putted first after Tommy , my client, gave us a read. My neighbor, Bob , putted second, and Tommy pu

Here’s a few random thoughts I have seen already that apply to my business. 1) Fear the early lead. One of those teams I can’t remember jumped out to a 14 point lead in the first 10 minutes of the game only to lose. You see it in business too when company’s enjoy early success. Coaches preach 60 minutes and staying aggressive. Coasting is natural and remember when you start coasting only one direction is available, down. Follow the Dos Equis XX rule and “Stay Hungry.” 2) Whe

My wife Laura has the rare combination of vision and “get’er done” work ethic. I benefit from both as her teammate. #teamwork #vision #workethic

For all its wonderful attributes, optimism has its risks. Whether its running a business or a 10k, you need more than just fuel to succeed. This idea surfaced in my entrepreneurship course in a discussion of business success and failure and networking. We talked about the power of word of mouth referrals creating lifetime customers if you present your business remarkably. We also talked about the dark side of referrals. Fail to deliver on your customer expectation and a dissa