I had a conversation this morning with a potential investor who reminded me what it takes to grow (and asked me point-blank if that was what I really wanted). He reminded me that it’s really, really, really hard. And not for everyone. In fact, it’s not for most entrepreneurs. As a “get it done” person, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

First time writer Kerri Twigg wrote a great summary this week on the importance of finding “your authentic voice” as a leader; on the value found in striking a balance between directive and supportive tones.  The authors of the book were literally referring to your voice – how you speak and interact with others – but the message resonated with me on a different level; namely, how to maintain a clear tone (or “voice”) as you scale. We’ve been growing at a […]

Engagement is (understandably) one of the big focuses for 21st century businesses and teams.  When customers are demanding, competition is fierce and innovation is an essential part of “business as usual”, teams can only thrive (and survive, really), when they consist of a collection of dedicated, motivated individuals. From what I’ve seen with our clients, there are really four simple steps to building and maintaining that desired high level of engagement.  Here we go: 1.  Paint the picture People are […]

… or, you know, your way could work, too. If we claim we want, “self motivated employees who innovate proactively”, do we honestly believe that scripting / micro-managing / doing-all-the-thinking is the best path to get there? Paint the picture of what’s possible.  Clearly communicate the “out of bounds” behaviors.  By all means, be available to answer questions and provide direction, when asked and when they’re stuck.  But by-and-large, get out of the way. Sure, it could be easier (short term) […]