A chuckle was the first reaction when I saw Ann Handley’s (@marketingprofs) retweet of Ted Minnini’s post – For Sale: Business Culture – on the retailing of the Zappos culture. Zappos founder and CEO Tony Hseih – whose company was recently sold to Amazon – has been offering 2 days seminars for people to learn how to replicate the Zappos (success) story.… Read the rest
[Coaching Tips] Good Luck or Bad Fortune?
In his book Zen Shorts, author Jon J Muth introduces us to a wise Panda named Stillwater who has both wisdom and the patience to impart it on three young children who live next door.
Muth, who has also written some other really special books geared toward children such as Zen Ties, The Three Questions, and I Will Hold You ’till You Go to Sleep tells the tale in Zen Shorts of The Farmer’s Luck:
There was once an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years.… Read the rest
[True Stories] Facts – and Fiction – of the Effective Use of Virtual Teams
Virtual teams continue to be popular but the reality is that not all virtual teams are created equal – nor are many even “teams.” The news from recent research is hardly comforting; “1 in 3 executives believe virtual teams are badly managed.”
The post below, first published as a white paper by Dr. M. J. “Jo” Whitehouse and me in late 2007 is based on our direct experience with several start-ups in the challenging biotech drug development world, provides a clear roadmap to the steps to take – as well as the steps to avoid – in using the potential and leverage of virtual teams effectively.… Read the rest
[The Job Hunt] What 6 Things Should You Know About a Company’s Reputation?
The year’s started, and the job hunt scramble (see a piece from the NY Times here) looks as if it’s begun. Like high school boys at the singles dance eying prospective eligibles, people have targeted the places to work that are cool and hot, and which places are not unless you’re really desperate for a job – or a dance.… Read the rest
[Coaching Tips] It’s the New Year: Now What?
Like sprinters accelerating after the blast of a starter’s gun, this week marks for some a rush to get things going toward a new job, a new employer, and/or a new career. The New York Times, for example, has a piece yesterday called Getting Back in Shape for the Job Chase. There is a reason the we feel this way: it’s a New Year and that implies a new start.… Read the rest
4 Simple To-Do’s to Give You a Great Start to 2010
This is my favorite time at the office. Phones are slow, emails are fewer and less urgent, people many times are away, and most everyone runs to a slower cadence than usual. Unless you’re in retail, the temptation is to also slow down (I”m all for that) and get little done (no way – heck I’m performance coach – I’m mostly about accomplishment).… Read the rest