It appears the infamous “coffee meeting” is one hot topic – no pun intended. Since we posted our take on manners relative to the casual coffee meeting, we have been bombarded with emails and comments about the relevance of the topic. We also have done considerable online research on blogs covering similar perspectives which differ dramatically, yet have one common denominator to ours.
To be in greatest service to our clients, we must listen and heed to their needs and wants. Thus, we want to thank our clients who participated in our annual Alignment, Inc. client satisfaction feedback survey. Your feedback is valued and will factor into our approach and ongoing services this year. In the spirit of transparency, we want to share the high-level results with each of you. We welcome additional feedback by simply commenting to this post.
Recently, a client and friend of mine shared something she read online. It reflected a topic she and I had discussed numerous times, revolving around the increasingly prevalent requests by anyone and everyone to “meet for coffee.” Sometimes I may know the person; most often I don’t. Yet, I have found it amazing and am often incredulous how these conversations actually take place, especially for a “first impression” meeting.
A few years ago I offered a similar article, and due to multiple client requests, I am reposting it. In this day and age, we are constantly being tested and challenged with every decision and judgment call. Doing the right thing is often the first casualty. When do we “go to the funeral,” even though the person we are honoring will never even know we are there?
As we fully embrace the arrival of 2012, many of us are revisiting our 2011 business approaches and outcomes. As a result, we may be considering integrating changes, improvements or different disciplines and habits. A friend of mind shared a great link from Inc.com which highlights a few simple, yet salient, tactical tips on how to improve our sales results. We can all benefit from these smart suggestions, which are easy to implement – if we just make it a practice. I, for one, am going to discipline myself as we fully enter 2012:
As we enter 2012, many of us engage in individual (and collective) plans for continued growth and ongoing improvement. This ritual of writing New Year’s resolutions – from my experience – can quickly turn into depressing, heavy albatrosses hanging around our necks by the second week…or even the second day of the new year!!
Bull & Bear Essentials offers an excellent list of top ten tips for success in life. These tips were consolidated from a series of interviews which Barbara Walters conducted with four billionaires. Those who have heard me speak over the past few years and/or read my blogs will recognize some familiar themes. I have highlighted those which resonate with a few key points from my recently published book, “Is This Seat Taken?”
A recent article in Forbes draws a relevant correlation between the recent movie on baseball and business. In a nutshell: what truly matters to the endeavor of baseball, and how can we measure what truly matters in business?
The article is worth reading, as we begin our 2011 recap and 2012 business planning and strategic discussions. Two key takeaways for me:
Many of you are currently interviewing for a new position/promotion within your existing company or in some cases other positions outside your current employer. You are likely a seasoned veteran who has not had to formally interview in quite some time. So – how can you get noticed and stand out when so many of the individuals you are up against are equally qualified?
This is an art – not a science – as we all know. Yet, there are a few easy tips to keep in mind…
As many of you know, my first book, “Is This Seat Taken?” was released this week on 11/1/11. This story book is a collection of highly personal vignettes from my life as a global traveler over the years. My intention in remembering and sharing these stories is simply to highlight the wisdom of the many virtually invisible people who cross our paths each and every day. The only prerequisite to benefit from these individuals is for us to be awake in the present moment to hear and see what is right in front of us. These insights helped me on my own individual road to alignment.
But writing a book is not for the faint of heart.