by Andrea Howe | Apr 23, 2012 | Sales and BD Mastery, Trusted advisorship
Our Story Time series brings you real, personal examples from business life that shed light on specific ways to lead with trust. Our last story proved that trust is personal. But what does it take to really close a deal?
by Shawn Westfall | Apr 20, 2012 | Improvisation
Written by Shawn Westfall, The Get Real Project’s Improv Guru
Why should organizational leaders care about why improv scenes succeed or fail? Because what plays out on an improv stage is a lot like what happens in the organizational arena. Read on to discover exactly what it takes to demonstrate resiliency in either setting.
by Andrea Howe | Apr 17, 2012 | Leading with trust
I don’t pretend to know everything it takes to be a great leader. I do know that I have tremendous respect for business people who are calm, decisive, energized, and really present for the people they interact with. I also know that I’m at my professional best when I exhibit these traits and that the opposite is true: I’m far less effective when I’m frenzied, unfocused, tired, distracted. And I’ve noticed that I often get bogged down by a most curious phenomenon: clutter. Clutter appears in my life in various forms—in my file cabinets, my hall closet, my mind, my heart. The messier things are, the more my leadership suffers.
by Andrea Howe | Apr 17, 2012 | Client relationships, Consulting
Our Story Time series brings you real, personal examples from business life that shed light on specific ways to lead with trust. Our last story told a tale of
risky business. Today’s anecdote zeroes in on the importance of being willing to interrupt the status quo.
by Andrea Howe | Apr 16, 2012 | Client relationships
It’s an age-old challenge in the consulting industry: how to get your delivery people to develop more business. After all, who’s in a better position to bring in more work than the people who labor side-by-side with the client? But first there are barriers to break through. Read on for four specific strategies that will help your delivery people execute on both project plansand business development plans.
by Andrea Howe | Mar 20, 2012 | Client relationships
When did financial advisors become telemarketers? Here’s a transcript of a voicemail I received a few weeks ago from a financial advisor named RW—someone I don’t know who represents a major company. It wasn’t technically a cold call, I suppose, because I had a relationship with the company about a decade ago through my former financial advisor. But it certainly wasn’t a warm call. And while RW said nothing whatsoever offensive on her voicemail, it was a perfect example of how the choice to be robotic instead of real kills trust and loses business.
by Barry Edwards | Mar 16, 2012 | Improvisation
This month’s improv tip is from Barry Edwards, Improv Contributor
Schedule a meeting in your conference room then let the games begin!Plato once said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” While he probably wasn’t referring to creating a more engaged and productive work team, it still applies. Facilitated play makes it possible for your team to learn more about each other. Plus a shared fun experience creates team cohesiveness.
by Andrea Howe | Feb 29, 2012 | Trusted advisorship
Our Story Time series brings you real, personal examples from business life that shed light on ways to lead with trust. Our last story illustrated
how one conversation changed everything. Today’s selection highlights the value of making a personal connection.
by Cary Paul | Feb 22, 2012 | Improvisation
This post was written by Cary Paul, our Chief Improv Officer (CIO)
On that hot, Washington DC day of August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was delivering a well-prepared speech. The American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement was—and still is—considered one of America’s great orators. And with good reasons: his legacy is marked by a world-changing mission, intelligent writing, and the distinctive cadence with which he enthralled listeners.
by Andrea Howe | Feb 21, 2012 | Client relationships
I messed up a few weeks ago. I sent a not-so-nice email to a colleague I’ll call Randy. I did it after I got a fervent complaint from a new client about him. Randy was negotiating something on my behalf and, from the client’s perspective, took a firm stand in a way that did not go over well. The client said the one thing that escalates my blood pressure in a matter of seconds: “Randy could stand to learn a lesson or two from you about doing business in a trustworthy way.” For me, this cued the entrance of the high horse and I immediately climbed aboard.
