Overcoming Overload: More Tips for Eliminating 'Decision Gridlock'Have you ever felt so stymied by your choices that every time you stared down at your 'chessboard of life,' you weren't sure where you could possibly make a move? Whether that feeling of being 'stuck' relates to your business, personal matters, or both, it can serve to encumber your progress. This article discusses three patterns of 'decision gridlock,' and what to do about them.
Tips on Managing Bottlenecks and ConstraintsAre you struggling with getting things done, but nothing you or your company does seems to increase your overall level of output? The problem may be caused by constraints in your operational workflows, or even limitations in your thinking processes. This article explores ways to identify and manage constraints in manufacturing, projects, and other business and personal situations.
Using Storytelling Techniques to Spice Up Your Project OutcomesWhat do business novels, 'personas,' case studies, and testimonials have in common? They're all examples of storytelling techniques that you and your team can use to spice up your project outcomes. Storytelling elements are potent tools for clarifying requirements; exploring new techniques and approaches; and ultimately engaging your audience's attention, interest, imagination, and satisfaction once your project is complete.
Tips on Using 'Extreme' Customer Risk-Reversal TechniquesWhat is a customer risk reversal, and what is it for? Risk reversals are promises, including warranties and 'money-back guarantees' that stipulate what customers can do if a product or service is defective or unsatisfying or doesn't live up to its advertised claims. This article describes the power of strong risk reversals, and suggests a way to protect yourself from the relatively few people who might be tempted to submit bogus claims.
Are You Locked in the Trunk of Your Professional Car?As we zoom around in the racecar of life, we sometimes fail to recognize in our excitement and enthusiasm -- or just plain nose-to-the-grindstone existence -- that our mindsets may not have kept pace with the rapid changes we are making. Yet, understanding the mindset shifts we tend to make over time helps us prepare more effectively for each stage, especially if we move into an entrepreneurial mode after many years of employment.
Ten Steps for Writing Articles that Inspire and TellHow can you set yourself apart from others in your profession or industry? One way to do this is using a systematic article-writing campaign. You may be surprised to learn that you don't need your own Web site or any funding whatsoever to start a viable article-publishing program. This article explains a step-by-step, foolproof formula for writing and publishing articles on the Web. The more articles you write and publish, the better!
10 Tips for Designing Extraordinary PresentationsWhat's the overarching formula for making the very best possible impression on your audience when you deliver a slide presentation? This article gives an overview of a powerful, 10-part formula for creating and delivering truly outstanding presentations. It embodies a set of artistic and story-telling principles derived from experimental research on how people best learn, remember, and apply information from multimedia presentations.
Promote Yourself Professionally with Information ProductsMany people wonder how to use self-published information products to boost their business accomplishments, expand their marketing reach, and attract new clients. You can use information products in myriad ways to propel your success, whether you're a CEO, manager, consultant, freelance service professional, entrepreneur, aspiring author, or instructor. This article explains what they are and offers case study examples of how to use them.
Reversing the Risks for Your Clients and Partners (Part 2)How do you reassure potential clients or partners that it's safe to proceed with projects they may have been considering, but have been putting off because of their concerns about the economy? This article, the second in a series, suggests more ways to reduce, remove, and even reverse the risks of doing business, making it far easier for prospective clients and partners to say 'yes.'
Reversing the Risks for Your Clients and Partners (Part 1)How do you encourage potential clients or partners to move forward with projects they might have been considering, yet are postponing because of the current economic climate? This article, the first in a series, suggests how you can reduce, remove, and even reverse the risks for others of doing business with you, easing their fears and worries and making it far easier for them to say 'yes!'
Steps Management Can Take to Ensure Training TransferTraining is a powerful improvement technique that offers tremendous benefits when it's judiciously used. This article discusses management's role in supporting the many factors that influence how well people transfer to their jobs any training they receive. Management's support is essential to assuring the long-term return on any training investment.
Should I Train or 'Tune up' My Organization?Is there a standard cure for every performance gap? When your organization detects areas it wants to improve, it's critical to prescribe the right remedy for each situation. This article explores two ways of many to close achievement gaps, using 1) training and 2) organizational tune-ups to remove 'burning hassles' and obstacles that hinder productivity.
A Best-Practice Blueprint for Banishing 'Burning Hassles'Your organization may be experiencing 'burning hassles' -- the sometimes hidden and sometimes obvious obstacles and sinkholes that keep people from performing ideally and dissolve morale, productivity, and customer satisfaction. This article provides the step-by-step, 'how-to' formula for detecting and resolving hassles once and for all.
Are 'Burning Hassles' Melting Your Morale and and#8232;Pulverizing Your Productivity?Your organization may be experiencing 'burning hassles' -- the sometimes hidden and sometimes obvious obstacles and sinkholes that keep people from performing ideally. This article explains how to recognize situations in which hassles may be dissolving productivity, morale, and profitability like corrosive acid.
Getting Unstuck: Tips for Overcoming 'Decision Gridlock'Have you ever felt so stymied by your choices that every time you stared down at your 'chessboard of life,' you weren't sure where you could possibly make a move? Whether that feeling of being 'stuck' relates to your business, personal matters, or both, it can serve to encumber your progress. This article discusses two patterns of 'decision gridlock,' and what to do about them.
Turning Breakthroughs and Mishaps into 'Best Practices'We can measure the success of our organizations to a large extent by how much we learn, absorb, and apply from experience. Such organizational learning can occur either intentionally or accidentally! This article offers tips on what to do with your breakthroughs and mishaps. The more data you can extract from them to create systems that everyone can follow, the more flexible, robust, and effective
How Can a White Paper Become a More Effective Persuasion Tool?The science of persuasion has moved to a new level of intrigue as researchers attempt to discover which kinds of arguments or information help buyers make purchasing decisions. This article focuses on recent findings in this area and suggests how the research could apply to the domain of white papers.
How Strategic Is Your Business Plan?If you currently have a business plan, how much of it taps your most creative strategic thinking processes? Many plans are static, formal documents designed to impress potential backers, but do not necessarily serve as dynamic, living visions. This article describes seven essential exercises to incorporate into a traditional business plan, or into a flexible slide presentation that powerfully comm
5 Ways to Finesse New Project Budget DiscussionsIf you have difficulty engaging in budget discussions for new projects -- particularly during initial client meetings when it can be tempting to make promises that might be difficult to keep -- this article explores five ways to help you gracefully avoid backing yourself into a corner.
The Treasure Trove in Your Suggestion BoxDo you have a suggestion box for your business? If so, how sincerely do you consider the recommendations and complaints you receive? If you haven't yet tapped this invaluable resource, this article offers several tips for using the input you collect to actually strengthen your business and bring in more revenue.
Tips for Prescribing a Future of Your ChoiceThroughout history, we humans have tried many ways to predict the future, from reading palms to stargazing. Once we understand what we would like the future to represent, we're better able to take the actions required to prescribe it, rather than simply predict it. Preferably, that future will resonate with our passions, gifts, and what we (or our companies) can truly excel at doing. This article
How Accurate Are Your Project Estimates?Projects typically involve many dynamic aspects, yet they're often constrained by finite conditions. These contradictory forces make it very difficult to determine with pinpoint accuracy the time and effort required. By using a set of proactive estimating techniques to scope, plan, and constrain your project conditions, you can dramatically improve your estimating practices, reduce and mitigate ri
Setting the Criteria for Business SuccessAligning our life passions with our business purpose can help us define a set of 'business success criteria.' Until that occurs, we might be unable to recognize the options that truly fuel and inspire us -- those that are best suited to our values and strengths. Once we develop these important criteria, we can select worthy endeavors with much deeper insight, as well as choose the best possible co
How to Turn '20:20 Hindsight' into '20:20 Foresight'By incrementally capturing 20:20 hindsight (lessons learned) and turning that hindsight into 20:20 foresight (best practices), you will achieve far greater long-term success than if you simply ignore or forget what occurred once a project ends. This approach can greatly reduce the negative effects of attrition on a company's intellectual assets when people leave because they quit, retire, are laid
Tips for Setting the Conditions for Business SuccessCreating a stellar organization involves setting the conditions to help people do their very best work, and your company's success depends on designing the circumstances under which people can function most effectively. Two areas that deserve attention in this regard are your ability to observe the results of cause-and-effect relationships, and how well your business can shift to becoming system-d
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