Get More Done – Interrupt Your Interruptions
Constant interruptions reduce focus and effectiveness. Learn how the human brain handles interruptions (poorly) and how to work more effectively by stemming their flow.
Holly Green
Holly's Blogs
Sponsored Posts
Image source Hey pals! Let’s have a conversation about how our classrooms are getting super smart with DEEPBRAIN AI avatars. These avatars are like super-smart computer buddies who are making our learning time way better! DEEP BRAIN AI avatars are like magical friends in our class. They help our teachers teach in a super cool…
Effective leadership is the cornerstone of any thriving business. A leader’s role is multifaceted, requiring a diverse set of skills to navigate the challenges of today’s dynamic business environment. This article delves into five critical competencies that are indispensable for any business leader, shedding light on their importance and offering insights into how they can…
The battlefield for top-tier talent is no place for the faint-hearted. It demands enticing perks and brand prestige and a deep, demonstrable commitment to employee rights. Companies at the forefront know this secret: the brightest candidates seek a workplace where rights aren’t merely respected—they are celebrated. This realisation isn’t a light bulb moment; it’s a strategy…
Launching and scaling a small business comes with no shortage of questions and uncertainties. Here we tackle some of the most frequent queries entrepreneurs have relating to legalities, marketing, technology, hiring, accounting and more. How Do I Choose The Right Business Structure? Factors like tax treatment, liability, investment needs and record-keeping determine ideal structures. Most…
image source Expanding your business’s product offering is more than adding items to your inventory. It’s a strategic move that requires careful planning, market understanding, and customer-centricity. This comprehensive guide will explore the top tips for successfully expanding your business’s product offering. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, these insights will pave the…
Image Source Imagine walking into your office first thing in the morning, the sight of stacked papers, overflowing waste bins, and coffee stains on your desk meets your eyes. For most of us, this visual clutter creates an unconscious distraction that sets a negative tone for the day. In contrast, entering an organised, clean workspace…
Are You a Helicopter Manager?
There’s been a lot of talk in the media lately about the dangers of over-protective parenting. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that psychologists have coined a new phrase — “helicopter parents” — for the moms and dads who get over-involved in their kids’ lives. These are the parents who yell at the soccer coach…
Are You A Wand Waver?
Imagine if Hogwarts, the mythical school of magic and sorcery in the Harry Potter books, taught strategic planning. You could use enchanted mirrors to gaze into the future with unerring accuracy. You could conjure up potions for warding off evil competitors, recite charms for turning lousy products into perennial moneymakers, and chant incantations for rendering…
Don’t Be A Rule Fool
Wait your turn. No pushing in line. Yield to pedestrians. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Certain timeless rules are better obeyed than broken. But in today’s topsy-turvy business world, many of the rules that informed and guided previous generations of business leaders no longer apply. If you’re not breaking rules…
Is there a monster living under your bed? We make up even better stuff at work these days
Remember all the things as a young child that you knew to be fact but later on found out weren’t quite so true? Things like, every night a monster lives under my bed. When I grow up, I’m going to be a movie star. If I wish upon a star all my dreams will come…
Are You in Denial?
They say that denial is a river in Egypt. Maybe so, but I contend that denial is also running rampant in the conference rooms and corridors of most of today’s companies. I’m not talking about the stuff you need to see a psychiatrist for. I’m referring to something far more subtle and insidious, a kind…
Flex Your Leadership Muscles with Workplace Flexibility
It takes many different qualities to make a great leader. Vision. Honesty. Integrity. Passion. Commitment. Communication skills. The ability to build relationships. And in today’s world of rapid-fire change, I also put flexibility at the top of the leadership attribute list. The dictionary defines flexibility as “a ready capability to adapt to new, different, or…
Part 3: Lessons Learned – Taking Action
Setting a new course for your organization may generate some anxiety for you since there are no guarantees when an economic turnaround will be firmly in place. You may feel like it’s time to turn right… but the economy might make a few more left turns along the way and leave you as road kill….
Part 2: Did you learn much as a leader or manager from the past year?
Identify Key Lessons from Troubled Times Signs of an economic recovery are starting to come into view. Are you prepared to seize the momentum? Or is your organization still in a holding pattern as you ride out the storm? Those companies that act carefully, but swiftly, will have an unfair advantage in re-building as the…
Did you learn much as a leader or manager the past year?
There’s a new normal for today’s businesses Part 1 of a 3-Part Series All great leaders are constant learners and unlearners. They study, analyze and question everything regardless of the economic situation. They shift when the need arises, not depending on those things they have always done the same way. Effective leaders don’t take anything…
The New Inside Track to Connecting with Customers
It’s no secret that more and more companies are using Twitter and other social media to connect with their customer base. But just who are they Tweeting and what kinds of results are they getting? Socialmediatoday recently published a fascinating survey report entitled “The Coming Change in Social Media Business Applications: Separating the Biz from…
Labor Day: A Tribute to the American Worker
To most Americans, Labor Day represents just another three-day weekend that signals the end of summer and a return to school for the kids. But as with all holidays, there’s more to it than the barbeques, beach bashes and family get-togethers. Created by the Central Labor Union of New York, a forerunner of various trade…
Social Media: The New Competitive Advantage
To Twitter or not to Twitter, that is the question. Obviously, Shakespeare didn’t write it quite like that. But if he lived in today’s world, he might have. And more important, if he ran a business or had P&L responsibility for a product line, the answer to his question would be an unqualified yes! Most…
The Return of Prudence?
At last, some evidence that suggests the economy is about to escape the doldrums. In its June 2009 Investment Outlook, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney pointed to a number of important economic signposts that have charted upward since the beginning of the year. And while many economists and financial experts have been predicting the demise of…
Thriving in a New and Uncertain Economy
Finally, some evidence that the economy is starting to show signs of life! In its June 2009 Investment Outlook, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney reported that eight of their nine economic signposts for 2009, which represent a varied mix of indicators from consumer sentiment to U.S. leading economic indicators, have posted an upward trend since the…
The Five “Must-Have” Elements of a Strategic Plan
Strategic planning methodologies are like shoes – one size does not fit all. Some companies use a top-down, autocratic approach, where the plan gets created by a small group of senior managers and handed down to the rest of the organization. Some prefer a more democratic approach, with employees at all levels contributing their ideas…
Your Own Personal Development Scorecard
Today’s business leaders understand the importance of growing their people. They know that with so many demands on everyone’s time, employees won’t acquire the knowledge and skills needed to move the company forward unless management makes people development a strategic priority. Accordingly, smart leaders take the time to set clear performance expectations with each person…
Using Performance Management to Create a Culture of Excellence
Have you ever attended a meeting where people promised important deliverables but never followed through? Conversely, have you ever committed to a deadline knowing full well that you couldn’t meet it but that no one would hold you accountable for it? According to recent research, 78% of all company leaders identify “getting the right things…
On Saying No
We are pleased to have another guest blog, this time by Amy Rasdal, founder of Rasdal Associates, Inc. and Billable at the BeachTM. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to say “no”? Some people find it nearly impossible and end up with too many commitments. We’ve all done it at one time or…
