Insights

In business, and in life, a lack of goals leads to sloppy work. Likewise, goals that are unattainable, poorly thought out or misaligned have the impact of demotivating people or causing people to not trust the process.

I’ve learned that when you effectively and consistently communicate your core values, and tie your core values to employees’ everyday work, they really can drive bottom line results for your business. That’s why core values matter.

Rewards and recognition are like religion. If you practice your beliefs once or twice a year, it doesn’t impact your behavior. It’s the same with reward systems for employees. If the only raise your employees receive is tied to company performance metrics that are reported on once a year, you’ve done nothing but mask a cost-of-living adjustment in merit-based pay.

A mentor is someone who shortens your professional learning curve by sharing advice based on their experience facing situations you are facing or will face down the road. The right mentor can help you become a seasoned leader, faster.

People often forget about the experience a customer has with their brand or business after they’ve left the office or completed a sale. But acquisition is just the beginning. Successful businesses keep in touch with their customers and continue to provide value after the first transaction is over.

In uncertain times, the most important thing you can do for your personal brand is to be consistent. Consistency breeds certainty, which builds a foundation of trust between you and your customers.

There’s a lot of social upheaval right now and a lot of room for businesses to step up and demonstrate corporate social responsibility in a way they haven’t been challenged to before. And that can create a difficult situation for businesses to navigate successfully.

Attitude reflects leadership. As you practice patience with your team, they will be inspired to extend grace to each other, and your whole business will benefit as a result. It will flow out to your interactions with customers and will be reflected in your performance as a company.

Five months ago, if you would have told me that we’d be looking at a fall with no college football, virtual education, and an entirely remote workforce, I’d have thought you were crazy. But that’s our new, strange reality.

These two factors will help you prospect, sell and nurture relationships effectively over the span of your career. They’re also the key to discussing retirement savings with millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers.