http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:01:46 GMT Articles and information from The Coropreate Tool-box http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1200 Sydney, December 15th 2011: McCrindle Research’s study on goodwill around Christmas, conducted in December 2011 and released today, establishes Australians as a generous bunch. The festive season in Australia is about what we give over what we receive; with 64% likely to make a donation specifically targeted at cheering up someone else’s Christmas, and 81% indicating they have previously offere... Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1200 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1196 Based on the work of Bradford D Smart Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1196 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1197 Based on the work of Bradford D Smart Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1197 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1198 Carnival Cruise Lines has provided many people some of their favorite vacation memories. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1198 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1199 Do you know ( or have) the top 10 skills needed for project managers and leaders? Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1199 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1194 Another year, another day, another moment. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1194 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1195 Recall a time when you had a client come to you with a particular problem. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1195 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1193 The other day I had the pleasure of interviewing Ed Gordon, a futurist specializing in career and technical education. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1193 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1187 For all Australians everywhere, we take this (belated) opportunity to hope you had a Happy Australia Day (26 January), and congratulate all those who were awarded Australia Day Honours by the Australian Government. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1187 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1188 When you plan your Web site, give careful thought to your site navigation - in other words, the menu "buttons" available on every page of the site to help site visitors find their way around. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1188 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1189 Just about every business owner I know is a hostage to his or her business. How do we break free? By first becoming a willing prisoner in your business. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1189 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1190 Just about every business owner I know is a hostage to his or her business. How do we break free? By first becoming a willing prisoner in your business. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1190 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1191 This week I was asked a question about how to stop following someone on Twitter without upsetting them. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1191 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1192 Why and what could this colour do to you and for you? Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1192 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1174 The concept of lean is often primarily associated with the hands-on manufacturing processes. However, the extension of lean into "The Big Five" - transportation, design, procurement warehousing as well as maufacturing is just as, if not more important. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1174 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1175 The most important thing about your Web site is targeting the right market. If you don't get this right, nothing else matters. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1175 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1176 I believe we all have a natural desire to be significant and to be contributing members of society. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1176 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1181 The "About Us" page is frequently seen as a requirement these days for a business website. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1181 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1182 The "About Us" page is frequently seen as a requirement these days for a business website. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1182 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1183 Just what more can you do when you've done EVERYTHING possible? Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1183 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1184 Just what more can you do when you've done EVERYTHING possible? Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1184 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1185 If I could highlight the biggest idea that has made the biggest difference to the clients business's I have worked with in the last 10 years it would be this... Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1185 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1186 Flashback 1991: I had won a company sales contest that included a two hour one on one breakfast with a businessman whom millions considered one of the greatest speakers, philosophers and authors of our modern times – Mr James E. Rohn. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1186 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1173 Over 140 million people (and this number is growing) have a profile on LinkedIn and also a few Connections. However, the question that most people ask is: what does this website have that I can use to my advantage? Another question that keeps popping up is: why use LinkedIn when there is Facebook, MySpace and many other social networking websites? And last but not least: how to use LinkedIn in ... Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1173 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1171 Technological advances mean diagnostic services can move into community settings, say Lisa Hollins and colleagues. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1171 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1172 Seven Tactics for Turbulent Times Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1172 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1170 No one knows exactly how many people the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has decided are "no longer looking for work". Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1170 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1167 Your recipe for health and contentment during 2012. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1167 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1168 Travel, both domestic and global, will see some curious developments in the coming year. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1168 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1165 The makers of the movie Happy Feet Two spent significant effort on the facial expressions of the animated penguins. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1165 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1166 There is a new area of interest in the study of intellect and decision making processes. This is the study of the Adaptive Unconscious. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1166 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1157 For almost 200 years we were in the Industrial Age, followed by four “Ages” in less than 40 years: The Post-Industrial/Service Age. The Technology Age, the very short 5-10 year Information Age, and what some including me are now calling the Participation Age. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1157 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1158 For almost 200 years we were in the Industrial Age, followed by four “Ages” in less than 40 years: The Post-Industrial/Service Age. The Technology Age, the very short 5-10 year Information Age, and what some including me are now calling the Participation Age. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1158 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1159 Amazon.com is selling more Kindle books than paperbacks, and its Kindle Fire tablet is a huge best-seller, selling over one million per week over the Christmas period. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1159 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1160 So, we're off and running headfirst into 2012. The first week is over and now the fun begins. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1160 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1156 Mark Eaton explores the pressures faced by leaders in community and acute heathcare organisations and looks at the key organisational issues that need to be addressed if they are to successfully lead transformational change during difficult times Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1156 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1155 What to strip off to help you succeed! With less than a week before Christmas, I had the opportunity to spend some considerable time in a high profile retail store. Whilst I was there, I invested time observing people, stressed out to the max – both customers and staff alike. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1155 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1154 You open the manual for a leadership training program. On page 1 you read: “The authors of this training program assume that people think alike, and think in the same way as the authors. The models and tools we recommend work well for us. As such, these ideas will work for you.” Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1154 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1153 Simple vs. Complex Annual planning, the way we’ve been taught, is largely fortune telling and a waste of time. Plan more effectively by doing less of it. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1153 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1137 One of the most challenging parts of a presentation is the question and answer session (Q&A). Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1137 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1138 The questions and answers about happiness are alive and well. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1138 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1139 Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi said something in his presentation at a National Speakers’ conference I attended last year which I still remember: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1139 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1140 One of my favorite quotes (although I didn't come up with it) is "Always do your best because you never know who might be watching" Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1140 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1141 He who makes the rules wins. The problem is your business is probably making all the rules for you and beating you up at every turn. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1141 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1142 Move Quickly Very few business owners expect their business to support them right out of the gate. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1142 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1146 The most important marketing tactic ever devised is also the simplest. And it wasn’t invented by marketing people, but by business owners and sales people looking to grow their business the best, fastest, least expensive way possible. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1146 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1133 "Hope is not a plan." - 2,873 Motivational Speakers Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1133 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1134 These Passion Points to Ponder are sent to inspire you, to provoke you, to motivate you, to help you, and to liberate you from the ponderous, negative and doom-threatening news from most media sources. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1134 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1135 I was asked this question the other day at a meeting when I said that I contact local newspapers when I am due to speak in a particular town or city. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1135 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1136 What would you do if you had to use social media every day, but weren't allowed to do any marketing? Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1136 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1126 I once coached a sales professional who was in a horrible mess. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1126 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1127 On-line communications and statistics should be, and are, the friends of those in business. However, one needs to look behind the statistics for understanding, value and worth. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1127 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1121 Every year at about this time, The Herman Group issues its annual forecast. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1121 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1122 One of my hobbies is triathlon racing. I enjoy the mix of swimming, biking and running as it keeps training interesting and you meet a great bunch of people at triathlon races. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1122 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1124 Christmas is traditionally the season of goodwill. It's also the season of the spectacular social and professional blunder, when too much of a good time - alcohol, relaxation and momentary flippancy - can have disastrous, and long-lasting, consequences, both personally and professionally. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1124 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1120 Here is your usual dose of new business ideas from around the world and, of course, this week's Wise Words interview: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1120 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1117 Two pieces of research have been published recently which show that focusing on the positives, rather like children do, may actually work against us in later life. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1117 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1118 ‘Good To Great’ author Jim Collins identifies three primary employee demotivators. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1118 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1119 When Neil Armstrong placed man's first footprint on the moon in 1969, his words echoed across the world: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1119 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1109 Believe it or not I'm writing to you from a cafe in the Midland gate shopping center while I wait to see a client here in the center. Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1109 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1111 Just as loyalty towards green products and services has fallen victim to the continuing economic woes around the world, so has customer loyalty---both internal and external to organizations. Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1111 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1115 When we wrote our book "Out Of Office", my co-author Chris and I included a goal-setting process in the Conclusion, so you could actively plan the steps to creating your ideal working environment. Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1115 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1095 To remain ahead of your competitors you need to stay at least one step ahead of them and you can do this through continual improvement of your team and yourself… doing so will result in improvements to your business. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1095 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1099 The cardinal rule in compensation is, "Tie your compensation to your expectations", and every company violates that rule. Including mine! Here are some additional ideas. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1099 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1100 This is a question that I get asked EVERY week and I know I have dealt with this before in this newsletter, but it is worth revisiting the subject every now and then. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1100 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1101 I remember a conversation I had a couple of years ago with a copy writer mate of mine. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1101 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1102 I would like to share with you five ideas around how you can build a quality list. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it gives you some ideas on how to get started. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1102 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1098 To remain ahead of your competitors you need to stay at least one step ahead of them and you can do this through continual improvement of your team and yourself… doing so will result in improvements to your business. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1098 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1089 Having invested in making improvements to the processes and systems within your organization is it likely that there will be problems ensuring those same improvements remain in place? With 83 percent of organizations reporting that they face substantial change in the near future and only 61 percent of organizations reporting that they have successfully introduced improvements that have lasted, ... Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1089 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1090 18 steps to producing a video for online access Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1090 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1091 Can you believe it – just as we were getting the hang of Gen Y (1983 – 1994) THEIR kids are about to come into the workplace…..though Gen Z kids are more likely to be the children of Gen X (1965-1980’s) parents. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1091 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1094 Since 1995, the percentage of Johnson & Johnson employees who smoke has dropped by more than two-thirds. The number who have high blood pressure or who are physically inactive also has declined—by more than half. That’s great, obviously, but should it matter to managers? Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1094 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1086 When it comes to employing new people within your team, knowing what you need them to do and how that work is aligned to your overall business goals is essential. One method for doing this is through the method of job analysis. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1086 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1087 Speeding Up Admission and Smoothing Discharge Has Reaped Rewards in Reducing Length of Stays. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1087 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1088 Moody's is the largest of the Big Three rating agencies. It employs 4500 people worldwide and has reported a revenue of $2 billion in 2010. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1088 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1085 Recently there has been increased interest by mangers and leadership commentators in the area of ‘Social Intelligence’. Our own ‘Emotional and Social Intelligence’ model and 360 profile (as depicted above) includes feedback on this topic. Typically a manager and around six key interface relationships will each provide numeric and written feedback via an on-line questionnaire (anonymous except s... Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1085 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1064 If you are selling products and services online, it is good to know where those sales come from so you can generate more of them. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1064 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1065 Characterized as the new “Big Spenders”, youths, 8 to 24 year-olds, are “extremely engaged in all aspects of technology and media”. They exert a tremendous influence on their families’ purchases---211 billion dollars, to be exact. Moreover, they have huge spending power of their own. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1065 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1069 Within a few weeks of the birth of our first child, Diane and I were already imagining and anticipating how it would be when he was all grown up, had graduated from college and was out on his own. We had these same conversations after the birth of all three kids. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1069 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1070 I have just finished reading a groundbreaking book written by a guy that has synthesized the latest brain science research as it relates to the sales process. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1070 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1071 In the beginning of this year I asked my husband to make me a vegetable box where I can plant my own salads, capsicums, brocolli etc. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1071 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1072 Create simple systems so you can process incoming information later rather than being interrupted by it now or filing it away to be forgotten forever. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1072 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1063 Several recent studies have reinforced our belief that employee loyalty is declining around the world. The most recent evidence comes from the well-respected consultancy Mercer in their 2011 "What's Working" survey released just last week. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1063 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1052 "The only way things are going to change for you is when you change." Jim Rohn Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1052 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1053 We love to know exactly what the near-term process is we’re supposed to be doing, we’re almost obsessed with it, to the point that at least in business, we’re too often okay with knowing exactly which direction we’re going without any idea where it’s leading us. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1053 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1054 When was the last time you used your phone to actually speak to someone? Chances are it won't be anything like it used to be even just a few years ago, which is a shame because voice-to-voice, in-person communication is one of the most powerful tools we can use to build trust and rapport, and enhance our reputation. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1054 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1055 Two weekends ago, I went surfing down in my old home Margaret River. (I actually missed last weekend's surf which was EPIC but i won't go into that). Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1055 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1056 “It’s not personal, it’s business”, is in my opinion a line best suited to a Tui Billboard…”It’s not personal, it’s just business” - Yeah Right. When you have your house on the line, when a customer makes a large purchase and then goes into liquidation, when you have to dismiss someone because you are over resourced it feels very personal. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1056 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1060 Over 80 percent of clinical decisions involve some form of pathology investigation. How pathology requests are managed directly affects the timeliness of treatment Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1060 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1061 Here is your usual dose of new business ideas from around the world: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1061 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1051 If your business doesn’t practice effective staff communication, then it’s always at risk of losing profits, diminishing employee morale and experiencing poor performance. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1051 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1062 18 Tips on How To Conduct an Engaging Webinar Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1062 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1048 I'm writing from my home office in Safety Bay on the eve of the "40th Birthday Festival" I have planned over the next few days... AND I’m about to run my first ever webinar based on “The Inevitability Principal" an idea I got from one of my mentors - Eben Pagan. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1048 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1049 Most people struggle with e-mail, but if you change your mindset about it, it can become a benefit rather than a burden. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1049 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1050 This was a question I was asked this week when one of the delegates in a workshop said he got to "number one" on Google without any money being spent on "search engine optimisation" (SEO). Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1050 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1046 As more of us get used to sharing our opinions online and off, handling negative feedback and complaints effectively has become increasingly important. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1046 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1033 “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” ~Albert Einstein Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1033 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1034 They want us to do one whenever we buy something, complain about something, go anywhere near the internet, join anything or even try anything! So why would we want to do one at work! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1034 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1036 I met a business owner just recently who has a sales to client conversion rate of 2%. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1036 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1038 When you're winning, nothing hurts! A few weeks ago we celebrated the All Blacks lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy. For those of you who are not in the know - that is the Rugby World Cup. The last time we were World Champions was in 1987 - 24 long years ago when the competition was inaugurated. As the saying goes... it's been a long time between drinks! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1038 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1039 No doubt you thought long and hard about your domain name - the "URL" which people type into their web browser, or which appears as your link to your website. Most people, of course, will not type your domain name in - they will click on a link, either in a search result or on someone else's web page or via a social network. The only people who will type your domain name in will be those who ha... Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1039 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1043 After a recent bad experience of chasing money (everyone’s least favourite task) I thought what a great topic to talk about from a systems perspective. If you are in the service industry you are often expected to deliver work to new clients before getting paid. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1043 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1045 Businesses big and small would struggle to operate without proper procedures and courses of action in place. They are completely indispensable in businesses of any sort. Conducting regular upgrades of staff knowledge and skills through training courses are equally important to finding ways of producing greater business profits. In the ever competitive marketplace one key to staying ahead of ... Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1045 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1032 The rising price of gold and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Long before the beginning of recorded history, gold has been a valuable and highly sought-after precious metal, so valuable, that many alchemists have tried to reproduce it. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1032 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1028 Traditionally, marketers have targeted affluent consumers, because they control so much of the spending power. Not surprisingly, you will find them online. They spend an average of 20 percent more time online weekly, compared to the general population. They watch about half as much television and listen to the radio less than half as much as well. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1028 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1029 The other day I was in a meeting during which all sorts of fancy, technical ways of establishing some facts about customers were being discussed. There were advantages and disadvantages to each of them and the debate centered around which was the best system to use. Then some bright spark simply said: "Alternatively, we could just ask our customers." Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1029 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1024 When building a team in your business it’s important to demonstrate and model positive leadership traits. Simply having the leadership ability is not enough; you must make your staff aware that you’re a confident, approachable and focused leader. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1024 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1025 When I asked for the bill at a restaurant we dined at last weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to see them include a contact form for us to fill out: Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1025 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1019 Once a year I run a workshop with an employment lawyer - I teach attendees how to PREVENT ending up with personal grievances and he takes over when things go pear shaped for employers..... Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1019 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1020 In the "real world" people generally engage with a business in terms of minutes. If they call you up, the phone conversation - even a brief one - may last a couple of minutes. If you have a shop and they walk in, they will wander around for a minute or two, even if they buy nothing. But online, the engagement is generally measured in seconds, not minutes. Typically, the average engagement with ... Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1020 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1022 Today I have something to share with you that is a bit off topic but there is a good message for you in there as well. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1022 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1023 My brother Tom is a gifted engineer and software developer. He was also my partner in the business we started. One day he said, “I’ve been trying to figure out how you make decisions. I can’t figure it out, but I have to admit that you’re almost always right. So what’s the secret?” Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1023 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1015 New business ideas from around the world for 12 October 2011 Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1015 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1016 Not surprisingly, the insecurity about of the future of the global economy is affecting employers' benefits offerings. According to a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), uneven economic growth and related uncertainties about the nation's fiscal health are having an impact on benefits offerings. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1016 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1017 Do you want to grow your business but have unmotivated staff who deliver poor performance and promote unproductiveness? Do you need to push your staff to do their job? Do your employees find it difficult performing their tasks no matter how hard they try? Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1017 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1018 When I published my book "Fast, Flat and Free" recently, my brother-in-law Neil described it as "Gihan's Greatest Hits". That's a pretty good description, because the book brings together a lot of what I've been teaching over the last 15 years. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1018 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1014 Is your website bringing in at least five new enquiries per day? If not, you need to look at its functionality. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1014 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1007 Affiliate marketing is extremely popular online - except for one thing: most affiliates make no money from the activity...! Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1007 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1008 After six weeks of Rugby World Cup mania life seems to be calmer, or is it? I find it interesting that there are some people who are so judgmental about our team, the All Blacks. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1008 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1009 The Big Motivator – or The Big Why – Lifetime Goals Boss #1 – A simple Strategic Plan that runs my daily business Boss #2 – Process Maps and Process Descriptions to create freedom and a reproducible business (and make it worth a lot more money) Boss #3 – Outside Eyes on my Business to catch the blind spots and bring balance and completeness to my leadership. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1009 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1010 Building a business is a lot like my trip to Tanzania. I was supposed to be there for seven hours just to meet a Congolese Chief. Five days later I was still trying to get across the finish line and get home. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1010 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1011 A client was talking to me yesterday about the Google Analytics on her Web site, which had given her some extremely valuable information about what people were clicking on after they had arrived at the home page. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1011 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1012 The American singer/songwriter Bob Dylan never wrote or performed a song called "Age of Destruction” yet is often quoted as doing so. Barry McGuire's 1965 Dylanesque sounding million seller "Eve of Destruction" is responsible for the confusion. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1012 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1013 Well, the flippant answer to this question is to buy in the services of a video professional. Job done..! Of course, the person who actually asked me this the other day was really talking about the best way to do video "D.I.Y.". They actually wanted a complete process. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1013 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1006 "In the world today, we have millions of people who are perfectly trained and very competent to handle jobs that no longer exist"! Finally, governments around the world and in the United States are wising up; they are becoming aware of the desperate need for workforce development---and we are not exaggerating. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1006 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1001 When I published my book "Fast, Flat and Free" recently, my brother-in-law Neil described it as "Gihan's Greatest Hits". That's a pretty good description, because the book brings together a lot of what I've been teaching over the last 15 years. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1001 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1004 I’m not at all opposed to online networking – I use it all the time to build relationships, but no matter what medium you use to connect with people, it’s not about CONTACTS, but meaningful and lasting CONNECTIONS. It’s ALWAYS about being social. So maybe I do. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1004 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1005 You might be fishing or lounging on the beach, when suddenly a great idea pops into your mind….why didn’t I think of this before, you might think…. well maybe your mind was just too busy!! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1005 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1000 In the "real world" people generally engage with a business in terms of minutes. If they call you up, the phone conversation - even a brief one - may last a couple of minutes. If you have a shop and they walk in, they will wander around for a minute or two, even if they buy nothing. But online, the engagement is generally measured in seconds, not minutes. Typically, the average engagement with ... Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/1000 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/996 You aspire to be a leader in your organisation, your field and your community. You have the vision and the courage, the creativity, the integrity and you inspire and motivate others. Your create your own roadmap Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/996 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/997 While I’ve been building my own online business, various people have asked me how I am doing it – particularly as the people who know me well, also know I’m a totally techno-phobe. Others asked me to mentor them to get their own e-commerce business set up and functioning, which was interesting, because I guess I didn’t realize how much I had learned as I took on this web thing in my own business. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/997 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/998 I'm sure you've heard the phrase "in the zone". We have seen some of the players in the Rugby World Cup 2011 demonstrate this in action with some brilliant passing of the ball or a drop goal as we saw All Blacks player Dan Carter kick successfully last Saturday. That is 'being in the moment'. The focus of this article is on not letting the past get in the way of the future. You can't change... Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/998 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/999 In a previous article Three Keys to Getting and Staying Inspired, I suggested that real change is more often spurred by desperation than inspiration. Back in the 1990s my golf game was in such desperate straits that I turned to lessons. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/999 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/975 The digital world in which we now exist is making people question whether physical delivery of information is necessary in the future. After all you can get books on a Kindle, you can get marketing materials as a PDF and you can get your favourite magazines in flip-over digital format. Besides which, printing and distribution is costly, compared with sending something via email, or making it av... Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/975 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/976 When I was Sales Manager at Arnette I had a really weird sales experience that I want to share with you. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/976 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/977 “Success is the result of meeting your goals,” now you would have heard this many times from the mouths of many different people. But the scope of this statement is not only relevant to personal goals but also those in business. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/977 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/978 Once long ago and far, far away in a land that time forgot, a storyteller wove tales of magic that captured our hearts. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/978 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/979 I doubt I will ever lose my enthusiasm and excitement for the “privilege of the platform”. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to travel the world and share my ideas and insights with willing people. When clients/organizers agree I always end my 30, 45 and 60 minute presentations with a question and answer time. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/979 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/980 Everyone has a past. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/980 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/982 No doubt you have heard of the concept of the "marketing funnel". Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/982 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/983 Digitisation is revolutionising the world. Its impact on technology and communications in particular is resounding, if you’ll pardon the pun. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/983 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/984 On occasion, we have discussed the increasing percentages of women graduates---and what these trends mean for society. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/984 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/985 Some speakers, trainers and facilitators say a webinar can't ever be as powerful as a face-to-face presentation. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/985 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/986 I ran a marathon 30 years ago. While training, my wife, Diane, started casually jogging with me at the end or beginning of my runs. A few weeks before the marathon she ran a half-marathon with me. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/986 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/987 Purpose Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/987 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/988 While I’ve been building my own online business, various people have asked me how I am doing it – particularly as the people who know me well, also know I’m a totally techno-phobe. Others asked me to mentor them to get their own e-commerce business set up and functioning, which was interesting, because I guess I didn’t realize how much I had learned as I took on this web thing in my own business. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/988 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/989 Goal setting is something we all know we ‘should’ do, but rarely get around to doing. Goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, have a Timeframe and should always be designed to Stretch You: Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/989 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/990 Goal setting is something we all know we ‘should’ do, but rarely get around to doing. Goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, have a Timeframe and should always be designed to Stretch You: Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/990 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/991 A big complaint about web meetings and online presentations is that they aren't as effective as "real meetings". The fact is, there's a lot those meetings can do to be effective, but most people don't use all the features available to them. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/991 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/992 Every now and again something comes across my desk that I feel is worthy of passing on. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/992 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/993 Small businesses with the fastest growing revenue know exactly where they are going. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/993 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/994 The language barrier is a serious problem for physicians worldwide. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/994 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/995 “Webinars are sucking the life out of the speaking business.” “Webinars are boring.” “I’m not comfortable presenting via webinar (when the technology works at all).” “They’re not interactive or effective and everyone hates them, participants and speakers alike.” Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/995 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/971 Bob Parsons of GoDaddy says simply “get and stay out of your comfort zone”. I agree and would add that adults don’t learn unless we are disoriented. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/971 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/972 In preparation for a webinar I'm doing this week about planning a membership site, I asked my networks on Facebook and Google+ the question: "If you're thinking about building a membership site, what's your biggest question about it?" Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/972 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/973 The leadership challenge is essentially concerned with the extent to which a leader can influence the factors driving performance. Everyday we see articles with examples suggesting leaders can make a difference to the success of businesses. So what do we mean by the term ‘leader’? Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/973 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/970 New business ideas from around the world - 14 September 2011 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/970 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/960 One of the most exciting global developments is the emergence of a new age of high-growth women entrepreneurs. This trend has the potential to transform economies around the world, creating literally millions of jobs. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/960 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/961 Just make sure that you are not distracted by the squirrels! Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/961 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/962 What do you do to ensure that you are getting the best from your team? I’ve spoken with a number of business owners of late, trying to help focus on that exact question. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/962 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/963 This article encapsulates two modes of thinking; one is the practice of the Virtues and the second is the 30 areas of workplace operation most subject to misperception and at the root of all workplace disharmony. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/963 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/964 Wherever you have people and traditionally-structured organisations, you find a Parent/Child culture. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/964 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/965 So you’re still making bad hires, and admit that with some employees you just got lucky! Whether you’re a novice, out of practice, or as experienced interviewer whose hiring decisions haven’t got any better. I’ll demystify why interviewing is so rife with problems. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/965 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/966 My son Lachlan took his first steps yesterday. He's been climbing things for weeks (including the top of the television cabinet) but yesterday he took his first steps - so he's now cooking on a different planet entirely. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/966 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/967 Do you want more money in your life to pay the rent or mortgage, go on holiday, buy a new car or save for retirement? If you’re like me then your answer is yes! However now you’ve got to decide how you are going to make your money. Is it in your business if you are self-employed or if you’re employed is it into your pay packet. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/967 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/968 Traditions, established mores and long-held beliefs and practices should not be forgotten. However, in many instances, they should be discarded. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/968 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/969 We are beginning to understand that the major challenges that businesses face are complex – that is they comprise myriad interconnected parts. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/969 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/958 In the big picture there are really only three things we need to grow a Mature Business. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/958 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/959 Everywhere you look these days online you can get some kind of free gift. "Just leave your email address and I'll send you my dazzling report" - you know the kind of thing. Oh, of course you do - you fell for that line by signing up for this newsletter...! But it does seem that everyone is using this idea, which begs the question I asked yesterday, have they lost value? Is the "get this free" ... Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/959 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/957 Last year I ran a workshop called - MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU. Can They Find You? And I was blown away at the response. So much so, that I actually set up some mentoring sessions to help people get started with this strange, online world. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/957 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/951 The whole point of the saying, "Be in the moment", is because we only have this moment. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/951 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/952 Social Media has a tremendous power to create business, and it has the potential for creating public relations havoc. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/952 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/953 "The golden goose is satisfaction because if a customer is satisfied they'll come back and, better yet, tell all their friends". Although this quote by Melbourne University researcher Brent Coker relates specifically to websites, it touches all businesses. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/953 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/954 More often than not, we catch what we pursue, not what we envision. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/954 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/944 Are you wandering through your business wondering what it could be like when/if…? Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/944 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/945 Presenters mainly want to use webinars as another way of delivering some of their educational material. Great! But today I want to show you some interesting stuff about the value of webinars for marketing your business. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/945 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/946 One of the biggest problems companies face online these days is getting people to stick around on their website. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/946 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/947 The mind is an amazing part of we humans. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/947 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/942 The Base Chakra Opened In the years (and decades) after World War II and the great Depression, people became focused on surviving. Just getting enough to eat having somewhere to live became their primary objective. At a societal level in the UK it lead to new houses and flats being built. The National Health Service was created and the welfare state developed. Agriculture changed and the foo... Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/942 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/943 Norwegian Food for The Future Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/943 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/939 With the launch - and continued growth - of Google+, I could almost hear the collective groan from business owners saying, "Not another social media site! How many do I need???" Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/939 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/940 Guess Who Does? If you’re spending a lot of money to develop your brand through advertising or a nifty website, you might want to rethink that. You don’t control your brand anymore, so trying to create or enhance it with slick images and thought-provoking tag lines could just be a waste of valuable time and money resources. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/940 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/941 Being lukewarm is a cop out. As we endure another cold and wet winter, I often hear people claim that they either prefer the extreme of the arctic cold or profess an affiliation to the heat of the tropics. I've yet to hear someone confess to "Preferring it lukewarm!" Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/941 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/936 Providing ‘freemium’ products and services alongside your existing price-driven offerings can significantly increase your attractiveness as a provider, build trust and enhance your reputation. Clients and consumers are more critical than ever before, more cynical than ever before, and there’s significantly more competition than ever before. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/936 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/937 The inevitable happened at the end of July. I turned into an adult. Oh gosh. It was horrible – seriously. I woke up, ready to take on the world as an adult and guess what?? I didn’t feel any different! Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/937 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/933 Sticks & stones may break my bone, but it turns out that words might actually kill me... What we are saying, might, after-all, be killing us! Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/933 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/934 The Time, Money, and Energy Conundrum – When I was just starting out, a creepy old guy (about my age – mid-50s) told me life had a built in problem. He said “The problem with life is this. Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/934 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/935 Would you make a long term commitment to a complete stranger, someone that you’ve just met and only known for an hour and a half? Would you then invite them to live in your house, share your secrets with them and expect your closest friends and family to trust them as well? Chances are, you’d have a more robust process in place before considering such a proposition. However, while the context d... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/935 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/929 Retirement is a really bad, bankrupt, industrial age idea that was never a good idea in the first place. It was invented by big businesses to steal the best 40 years of our lives so they could discard us when our good years were all behind us. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/929 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/930 There's an independent book shop called The Bodhi Tree, a few minutes' walk from my home. It's away from the main shopping areas, so it needs to be good to survive. And yet, at a time when large chains like Borders and Angus & Robertson are closing, and readers are buying more e-books than books, The Bodhi Tree is thriving. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/930 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/931 If you’ve ever spent hours trying to work out what price or rate to charge, or come away from a negotiation thinking ‘I’ve undersold myself – again!’ you’re not alone. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/931 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/924 The whole point of the saying," Be in the moment," is only because we only have this moment. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/924 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/925 What has the bottom-line got to do with the culture of your organization? Maybe more than you think. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/925 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/926 From time-to-time, we have covered the importance of creativity in the corporate arena. Recently, we discovered the fascinating results of IBM's last Global CEO Study. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/926 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/927 You want the best people in your team, because with the right leadership, these are the team members that will help you achieve your business goals. Finding the best people for your business is seldom achieved through good luck alone. What can you do to ensure that your HR processes will help you get the right people, with the right skills, at the right time? Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/927 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/928 No one expects the Spanish Inquisition first thing on a Monday morning. Think of this as a surprise visit! I'm sorry I can't be more thorough because I'm still reading Brené Brown's book "I Thought It Was Just Me". Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/928 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/920 Why do people keep writing books about what’s going to happen in the near and far future, asks iconoclast Dan Gardner, when these ‘experts’ have an appalling track record on the accuracy of their predictions? In his recent book Future Babble, he also asks why the rest of us in droves keep buying these books! His explanation is that we cannot tolerate uncertainty, and demand to know what’s comi... Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/920 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/921 Aromatherapy was first used by the ancient Egyptians, who used essential oils to heal maladies. Scents can also boost confidence, ease stress, activate fond memories, and even arouse us sexually. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/921 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/922 What is Workforce Planning? Simply put, workforce planning is about forecasting your current and future staffing needs in relation to your strategic business objectives, then addressing matters relating to the supply of labour, for example are there candidates with the skills you require available? The final step is to get the right balance between labour demand and supply, so that you have... Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/922 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/923 Fear of rejection. Three words. Highly emotional, insightful and reflecting a pervading reality in global, national and local marketplaces. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/923 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/916 Before you put yourself under pressure to come up with something ‘new’ based on a notion that your clients or customers might tire of the products or services you provide, take a moment to check that ‘new’ is, in fact, what they want. Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/916 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/918 The truth about mental breakdowns and how they are often a breakthrough in disguise. Having a so-called 'nervous breakdown' can carry a lot of negative stigma: losing your marbles is usually seen as detrimental (damaging to the mental) rather than positive event. But what if it were actually a good thing? A greater understanding of what a mental breakdown often is could change your perspec... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/918 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/919 The funniest things go through your mind when riding a bike on switchbacks up a mountain. It came to me today while slogging up the hill that something a client of mine and I had talked about last week riding up the same mountain together was pretty important. Sales people and business owners really don’t get it. Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/919 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/906 If you are "doing it right" you will be adding content to your website on a regular basis. If you are not adding content to your website, preferably several times a week, you are missing out. All of the research shows that websites which are constantly and regularly updated are the ones that get the most interest from people and search engines. Double Whammy..! Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/906 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/907 Google recently launched its own social network, Google+, and it quickly grew to over 20 million users in its first month. Some people think it will be a "Facebook killer", others predict it will be a "Twitter killer", and I've even seen one pundit suggest it will be a "LinkedIn killer". Personally, I don't think it will "kill" any of these established platforms. But I do think it's more than j... Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/907 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/908 Now more than ever when you are dealing with prospects you need to be mindful of the parts of your customer sales experience that are choke points or disconnects. Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/908 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/913 What if getting well required you to give up wanting to get well? In my experience, one of the biggest blocks to getting better is trying to get better without learning the lesson the illness or health condition is trying to teach us. Symptoms are not random events, the body has not made a mistake in ANY of the symptoms it is sending. They all have a meaning, the question is, do you know how... Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/913 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/902 Sound is coming to the Internet, and it will be a major competitive differentiator for those who use it well. The web will find its voice: the parallels with the development of sound in other dynamic media are clear. Cinemas started silent, then developed low-bandwidth analogue sound on small speakers; then there was the exciting discovery of stereo sound through big speakers; then Dolby 5.1... Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/902 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/903 Typically, people lose a considerable amount of money when they take time from their jobs to care for their aging parents; they also spend a great deal of their own funds to do so. According to a recent study from The MetLife Mature Market Institute, the 10 million employed caregivers in the United States together lose an estimated $3 trillion. Employees would have received these funds in the f... Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/903 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/904 Let me ask you a very direct and blunt question. Why do you need help on how to motivate yourself - why can't you just decide to do something and then just do it? What's stopping you? Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/904 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/905 If you’ve ever wanted to stand out from the crowd and create a competitive edge no doubt a well-meaning advisor may have said ‘be different!’ Whilst this may be useful advice for some, in terms of reputation branding, it’s not necessarily a smart strategy to follow. Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/905 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/886 We often fail to realise that the sound over the telephone is a strong communicator of a brand and its features. The quality of information transmitted can have a major positive as well as negative impact on our perception of the brand and loyalty. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/886 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/887 If you think the people you deal with have unrealistic expectations the chances are you're likely to be responsible in some way. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/887 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/890 Performance Issues Survey Results No.2 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/890 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/891 If you want, you can go to my LinkedIn profile and read several recommendations from people saying I'm a wonderful chap. I'm sure I could visit your LinkedIn profile and read glowing reports of your work too. But we both know that unsaid secret - neither of us publish the bad recommendations. We simply don't want to publish the people who say our work was mediocre at best. Hence we all know tha... Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/891 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/892 If disease is a random mistake, that would mean the body hasn’t got a clue what it’s doing…. For the past few years I have been working with the core philosophy that symptoms are intelligent communication from the body intelligence, helping people to decipher the message beneath their symptoms. So here’s an interesting question to ask yourself if you believe that symptoms are a mistake: Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/892 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/893 Exercise to stop the 'right-wrong' story Often when we find ourselves in a mind-spin of a 'right-wrong' story, there is something much bigger going on underneath. Are you ready to get the lesson? Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/893 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/894 Ever seen a kangaroo with a cigarette in its mouth? If you stop and think about it, human beings are the only animals that smoke! So why do we and why is it so difficult to quit? Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/894 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/896 It's easy to get confused by all the things you hear people say about making money with the Internet. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/896 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/897 Ann Andrews requested me to write an article for the users of The Corporate Toolbox on the subject of the 8 rules of money when she read my blog on the subject. so here are my thoughts – remember these are taken from a series of blogs so I apologise if I repeat myself in places. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/897 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/898 If you are a store based retailer then you have many, many generations of knowledge and experience to draw on and certain principle are well known. For example: Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/898 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/899 Recently, the United States received some very good news: manufacturing technology orders are up. . .way up. The American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) jointly compile the United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/899 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/900 A while ago my fortunes changed and I was not working and experiencing a very hard time financially with all the obvious pressures associated with that. I became exhausted and completely run down. I found it hard to control my thoughts. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/900 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/885 Project management can be stressful at the best of times. Poor communication, low team motivation and unclarified objectives are just a few of the problems that can thwart you. Following the steps explained below, however, can smooth the way to Project Management perfection. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/885 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/874 The recently cancelled network TV series "Lie to Me" featured Dr. Cal Lightman, who applied psychology to read micro-expressions and body language to determine if people were telling the truth. Now, thanks to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, this assessment will soon be within the reach of all of us. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/874 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/876 "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players, They have their exits and entrances," Shakespeare's words also apply to the workplace. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/876 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/875 Business ideas from around the world from Springwise - 13 July 2011 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/875 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/882 According to the Harris Interactive Trend research findings, Americans have experienced good and bad from social media, and also believe bad can be countered with privacy settings. In NY, in January 18, 2011, it went on to say that "Social media has opened the door to increasingly numerous ways for people to interact with others, customize their online experiences and receive positive, enrichin... Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/882 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/872 Does your company pay enough attention to the sound dimension of your brand promise? Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/872 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/877 Google recently rolled out its "Google +1" service - indeed you may have seen the little icons on various websites and blogs, including my own. So what is it? And, should we worry about it? Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/877 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/873 Research indicates it’s 6-7 times more expensive to gain one new customer than it is to retain one, and that a 5 percent increase in customer retention can increase profits by between 25% and 95%. It makes sense, therefore, to retain as many clients and customers as you can, and saying thank you in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them can be one way of doing so. Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/873 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/871 Fast Future’s 100 Predictions for 2011-2012 – Part 1 – Inevitable Surprises Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/871 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/867 After a 2-month stay in Europe, where I was teaching the Colour Comfort Method in The Netherlands and Germany. It was the first time that I rented a furnished apartment because I did not want to stay with friends or family for such a long period of time. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/867 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/868 Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, understood that to have his business grow up and run itself, he would need to pay attention to all of the Seven Elements of a Business – so he did. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/868 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/869 Lives can unravel in almost a minute when something is discovered that is unethical. It is a reminder for leaders to do a check-in with their ethics and integrity. This particularly applies to leaders with influence, whether in a large or small organisation, a school, a tertiary institution, or government department. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/869 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/870 Soundscapes describe either the totality of sound in a commercial space like a corporate reception, or more specifically a designed stream of sound intended to create a particular effect on the people in such a space. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/870 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/863 There are still only a handful of companies who fully appreciate and successfully explore the impact of music in strengthening their brands, and increasing the effectiveness of corporate marketing communications. Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/863 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/864 Fight, Flight, Fright or Quiet? Your response to that question says something about you - to yourself and to others. Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/864 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/865 Two bits of news have dominated the tech world in the last couple of weeks: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/865 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/862 Most leaders still don’t take into account the fact that when businesses or companies encourage their employees to do some exercise it is only for the health care aspect rather than to achieve peak performance. Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/862 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/858 Leveraging your expertise is easy when you know how - and it's important to have a strategic plan for this, but where do you start? Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/858 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/859 Though many well-respected futurists and organizations, including Forrester Research (and us), had forecast that by now, we would see high percentages of people telecommuting. The numbers were clearly trending upward. All of us were wrong. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/859 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/860 Simple vs. Complex Occam’s Razor says that given two possible answers to a problem, the simpler one is usually right. If we applied this ancient idea to business, we’d make a lot more money. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/860 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/861 As a starting point, every brand should have what we call BrandSound™ Guidelines (BGs) in place as part of its brand book. BGs will list all the practical rules that define the brand in sound. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/861 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/857 Opportunity is staring you in the face. Are you looking? More importantly, are you comprehending and identifying the boundless scope for development right now? Look no further than your main competitor. It is he, she or they who provide insights on how best to formulate and implement new initiatives into uncontested and attractive areas. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/857 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/851 Counting down is needed before a lift-off The other day, I heard a great presentation that taught me that sometime we have to go backwards before we can proceed forwards. "What!" I hear you cry, "You are suggesting that I go backwards first?" Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/851 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/852 Niche marketing is all the rage online. Everywhere you look people are telling you to make sure you have a niche. But what exactly is a niche, I was asked this week. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/852 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/853 Target marketing is one of the predominant behaviours required to succeed in business, and in sales. Sales people, like business owners and many other professionals, are required to be constantly targeting prospects for new business. This new business is what keeps you, and everyone else in your organization, employed. Without new business, you will not survive as existing business does dimi... Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/853 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/847 Application of sound in advertising should be planned and carefully implemented in accordance with brand image and the campaign message. It should reflect brand values and appeal to the target audience; its concept should be thought through in line with Brand Guidelines (BGs) to maintain consistency and support the effectiveness of brand communications. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/847 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/848 45 Reasons To Enjoy Life Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/848 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/849 Seven Words a Business Owner Can Never Afford to Use Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/849 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/850 I recently attended the NSAA (National Speakers Association of Australia’s) annual convention in Melbourne. One of the speakers was Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and Creator of Lovemarks. What he had to say was music to my ears. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/850 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/841 Several of my Human Resources clients in the last week have come to me with nightmare redundancies, where the employee being made redundant has lashed out and filed a Personal Grievance against their employer. Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/841 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/842 Kill procrastination, before it kills you. With an action-oriented, do-it-now attitude you get more out of your day. When you complete the unpleasant or hard jobs first and act on the big tasks, little bites at a time, you trim anxiety and stress while gaining self-respect and self-confidence. Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/842 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/843 The other day I was speaking at an event where one of the questions at the end of my talk was about the possible future of the internet. What was likely to happen online in the coming years and how should we plan for it? It is an interesting question because there are all sorts of possibilities, including the ability to direct your online activity using your eyes (coming next year), as well as ... Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/843 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/845 Many of us will have experienced a time when we consciously caught ourselves thinking ‘I shouldn't be saying this’ . As the words left our lips we wished we could take them back and rephrase them in a more context-appropriate way. Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/845 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/846 How much time is spent, in your workplace, with people complaining about all sorts of things? If you are not sure, you may like to take a walk around to the coffee station, water cooler or lunch room. Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/846 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/832 Sources suggest that the full cost of employing someone is about 50% more than their actual salary. For someone on $40,000, the business may have to find over $60,000! Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/832 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/833 Guiding Principles of a business are necessary (honesty, integrity, customer service, etc.), but there is another set of principles that help the Business Owner in particular: decision-making principles. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/833 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/834 A planning workshop held last week was a reminder about the value, or otherwise, of experience. We’ve all heard the idioms: Experience is the best teacher. Experience is the father (or mother) of wisdom. The more that happens to you, the more you will learn. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/834 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/835 Maintaining a motivated staff is not always the easiest of tasks, but it does pay off for you, your customers and the employee. This article focuses on closing off periods, or events, with employee recognition. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/835 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/837 Although I’m a huge advocate for Social Media, but at the end of the day, it’s merely a marketing platform, and just like you, as a business, don’t visit every business networking event, your business also doesn’t need to be on every social networking site, so here’s a few tips to help you be as productive as possible in your online ventures: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/837 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/839 "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" - a famous quote by Franklin D Roosevelt The leader's state of mind really does matter as it can affect the tone and culture of any organisation whether large or small. It starts with the CEO but also extends to other leaders. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/839 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/840 Last month Dr Goodall and I spoke with business audiences and she shared (as she did in 2008) an observation about chimpanzee leaders. Good leaders tend to survive as leaders for around 8-10 years, whereas the tyrants last for only about two years. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/840 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/826 Yesterday I was at a meeting of Fellows of the Professional Speaking Association where the whole topic of newsletters was discussed and it reminded me that a couple of weeks back I was asked at a meeting whether or not there was any point in sending out newsletters, now that there are so many blogs and other ways of publishing business news and information. Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/826 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/827 Bullying is repeated unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. In most cases this behaviour is persistent and happens over a period of time. Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/827 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/828 There is economic pain on the near-term horizon for taxpayers, small business owners and corporations. This is a key finding of an extensive and intensive strategic analysis undertaken by Barry Urquhart, Managing Director of Marketing Focus, who will deliver a keynote address on the analysis at the forthcoming annual national conference for the Australian Mining and Exploration Companies As... Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/828 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/829 During the course of a lifetime we have many ideas and thoughts as to how we would like to express ourselves in the world; in our immediate community and in our environment. Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/829 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/822 Google.com is probably the best known domain name in the world, yet it is a mis-spelling; the correct spelling of this word is "googol" which is a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. Mon, 04 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/822 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/816 Here's some new business ideas from around the world Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/816 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/817 If you’ve had a website built, you’ve probably encountered the little acronym ‘SEO’ before. But chances are, you didn’t really understand what it meant or how it directly impacted your website’s ability to do what it’s supposed to – generate your business new customers. Let’s take a quick look at the basics and benefits of Search Engine Optimisation. Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/817 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/819 Once we have identified the key drivers of a particular buyer of our product, services or offer we need then to then see how these drivers combine to make up the buyer's identity. Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/819 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/823 At the beginning of April, the landmark case of Brodie Panlock, who was subjected to ‘extremely aggressive and intimidating’ treatment at the hands of her boss and co-workers at a cafe in Melbourne (Australia), before committing suicide, forced changes to legislation in the state of Victoria. Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/823 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/818 Why is it that even when many people and organisations think that something is an excellent idea, that will genuinely contribute to the greater, good, a lot of these people have their own ready good reasons why they or their organisation cannot actively support the collaboration Sat, 02 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/818 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/811 You might not think we're going to be okay if you only listened to the news reports. Some pundits and politicians would have us believe the end of life as we know it is just around the corner. The truth is not what we are hearing; it is what we are not hearing. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/811 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/812 As you travel around the web at the moment you may be coming across downloads in formats that are relatively strange and new. One is called "ePub" another is "mobi" and then there is "LRF". Confusing isn't it? Just when you'd got used to PDFs, along come another bunch of file formats to upset things. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/812 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/813 A website is doomed to failure without catchy content. Content that sticks, content that sells. Here are a few quick tips for creating effective website content: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/813 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/814 Sharing information has become a huge part of society of late and its imperative you are seen as the expert in your field/niche, so sharing the best information with your network is imperil. Of course doing this is time consuming, well how about automating it? You can do this using RSS feeds, by subscribing to the best websites with the best information. There is an app called RSS Graffiti ... Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/814 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/815 Ann Andrews from The Corporate Tool Box sharing about the stories about "The End of the World" and tips from her Ebook What's Next 2011/12 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/815 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/803 One question I get over and over again from the business's I work with is "Where can I find a decent Sales Manager?" It's an interesting one because the structure of a sales managers role often makes it very hard to succeed in that role - especially if they are required to sell. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/803 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/804 Courtesy is not an out-dated idea. How many times have you seen someone else fall at the last hurdle at an athletics meet or, worse still, at the Olympics? There is often only one reason why they fell - they mis-judged their rhythm and caught their trailing leg on the hurdle to inflict a self-imposed loss in the race. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/804 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/805 Employees have changed. Rules don’t cut it anymore. The newer generation isn’t sure it even wants to go to work and has in some ways decided to retire BEFORE working. They’re out there “gigging” instead of working. How do you as a Business Owner respond to this new world? Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/805 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/806 Show The Right Face On-Line Last week saw the resignation of U.S. congressman Anthony Weiner, who initially denied - and then confessed to - sending lewd photographs of himself to women on Twitter. After the so-called "Weinergate" affair, tweets from other U.S. congress members dropped 30%, as they evidently became far more cautious of what they were saying and doing on-line. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/806 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/807 (Article contains explicit language) I cannot describe how many clients do not ask for help until it is almost to late, it is like they have stuck their head in the sand, pulled it out, realised how bad it has gotten financially and stuck it up their (excuse me) backside! Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/807 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/808 A Summary of Sun Tzu's Art of War Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/808 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/809 It’s everywhere and seemingly everyone is using it. Your employees, your clients, your friends, and maybe even your Mum! All busy blogging, posting tweets, updating their status, and uploading videos ... Social Media has given people more ways to interact online than we’ve ever experienced before. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/809 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/810 In spite of persistently high unemployment levels, employers around the world are having increasing difficulty recruiting the people they need. Just last week, ManpowerGroup released the results of its sixth-annual Talent Shortage Survey. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/810 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/801 Employers everywhere want to engage workers. When you can build business at the same time that you drive employee engagement, then you have a win-win. Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/801 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/802 Don’t kid yourself. The market doesn’t determine our prices; our prices determine our market. It’s our fault, not theirs. Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/802 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/798 My friend Melvin Yeo is a lawyer. And he's an amateur. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/798 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/799 Reputation branding isn’t rocket-science; it’s largely common-sense. But for some reason common-sense isn’t common! Only rarely do we take the time to step back and apply a reputation lens to our lives and businesses and think through the consequences of our words and actions in terms of reputation branding. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/799 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/800 Last week we talked about why processes are so much more important to small businesses than even big business. This week we’ll cover just how simple it is to put together a good process that will actually have a significant impact on your business. What we don’t need is more stuff sitting on a shelf – Process Mapping is designed to make us more money and free us up to enjoy the business we’ve c... Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/800 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/796 Once in a while Mom would tell me on the way out the door to school that we were having hamburgers that night. But when I came in from playing to eat dinner, I found chicken on the table. I was disappointed by the switch, which was completely irrational because I like chicken just as much as hamburgers. But she had set one expectation and fulfilled it with another. I was an irrationally unhappy... Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/796 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/797 We’ve all heard the story about the tortoise and the hare (in NZ that’d be the turtle and the rabbit, but we’ll stick to the original version). The story of how the hare’s arrogance loses him the race when he becomes so cocky and complacent that he smugly lies down for a nap, only to oversleep and have the tortoise beat him to the end and win the race. Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/797 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/790 Good question. What do Sir Michael Parkinson and Sir David Frost have to offer those in business, marketing and sales? In a word, lots. Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/790 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/791 As a speaker or presenter you spend time and energy preparing the content of your subject you are about to present, and you want to make sure that your presentation is well received. To assist you with this, you can use the psychology of colour to influence the behaviour of your audience as well as the effectiveness of the communication of your message. Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/791 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/792 Have you ever stopped to think about how you think? Specifically, about the thoughts cycle that generates the emotions, actions and outcomes that determine your life? What is exciting about this concept is that once you grasp the cyclical nature of how we all think, feel and do; then you are in a prime position to tweak the process so it works better for you and those around you. Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/792 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/789 (Article contains explicit language) I cannot describe how many clients do not ask for help until it is almost to late, it is like they have stuck their head in the sand, pulled it out, realised how bad it has gotten financially and stuck it up their (excuse me) backside! Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/789 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/787 Do You Produce Information For Your Product? The effort and expense involved in producing promotional and information material is a huge commitment for your company. Don’t allow it to fail at the 'coal-face’ after you have spent all that effort on it! Mon, 30 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/787 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/783 Here is this week's Wise Words interview and, of course, your usual weekly dose of new business ideas: Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/783 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/784 Most of us work hard to be successful and where does this 'success' take us? What is the end result of all our hard labour? I heard Dave Chappelle, a comedian who WALKED AWAY from a $50,000,000 USD contract say, 'Success takes us where character cannot sustain us.' Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/784 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/785 Business IS picking up for sure, but during those two very hard years, lots of small businesses had to resort to using credit cards to stay in business. The challenge with credit card debt (as we all know) is the interest we have to pay; the fact that they are too easy to use - and the fact that a lot of people are just not good at managing finances. Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/785 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/786 Every business school teaches the value of managing cash. This is appropriately called cashflow Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/786 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/777 The world didn’t end this weekend as predicted by some, and I’m sure the majority of us are pleased about that. Like most things in life, whether good or bad, right or wrong, there is always a lesson for us to learn. Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/777 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/778 As you can imagine, everybody wants to know the rules Google uses to rank Web sites. But - as you can also imagine - Google is very careful not to disclose these rules, because it makes it easier for unscrupulous Web site owners to unfairly exploit them. So it's always been a matter of marketers trying to guess what Google wants. Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/778 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/779 The Sausage Vendor said he bought his sausages for a buck, and sells them for $.95. When challenged as to how he would make money, he said, “No problem, I’ll make it up in volume.” Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/779 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/780 I am moving office shortly, and I’m having one of those massive clean outs we should have every year and rarely do. Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/780 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/781 When I ask people in my network: "What's the biggest challenge you have about making more money from your Web site?" By far the biggest question that comes up is, "How do I get more traffic to my web site?" Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/781 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/782 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Systems Focused owners are great business builders but aren’t such great business starters. This week we want to see why Product Focused owners start the most businesses, but are the most likely to end up on the treadmill. Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/782 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/775 Think of people who, through their work, have made a difference to your life. It could have been an encouraging teacher, a boss who believed in you or a colleague who willingly helped on a project outside their job description. Sun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/775 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/776 Unscheduled absences cost employers a lot of money. There are many causes for those absences, including the employees' being ill themselves, needing to take care of a sick child or parent, or even their inability to face their commutes. According to Mercer and Kronos, these unscheduled absences (including extended absences) cost organizations about 9.2 percent of payroll each year. Sun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/776 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/771 The Economist magazine argues retirement age should be raised to 70 - is this viable? Is it too little too late? What are the potential psychological impacts on society and the workplace of raising retirement age to 70 or beyond? Do we have the appetite or capacity to work beyond 70? Will societal prejudice toward older people decrease as more ‘pensioners’ remain in the workforce? Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/771 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/772 Have you ever stopped to consider the nature and power of the words you use? If you have, you too may have noticed that the words ‘I shouldn’t’ are most commonly uttered during or just before you go on to do the very thing that you (apparently) ‘should not’ have done? The sampling of the chocolate again (in case the 5th piece tasted different to the first four. Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/772 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/773 For some reason non sales people seem to think that ‘selling’ is difficult; that it is a personality thing, or that people who are good sales people have some kind of gift of the gab or Midas touch. Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/773 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/774 Few of us will ever set as tough a challenge as conquering Mt. Everest but most leaders do indeed set more modest-but still stretching- goals for ourselves along life’s path. Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/774 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/768 In todays’ economy, no leader-whether in the private or public sector-is immune from fluctuations in financial circumstances. Post GFC, many remain nervous about cost but can eco-friendly also be eco-nomic? Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/768 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/769 I seem to be working an awful lot these days, with managers who just don’t ‘get’ Gen Y kids. They are different that’s for sure. However, I have a few that work for me, and I’ve found that if I don’t expect any respect, I’m not disappointed. They show respect in different ways – mainly by continuing to work for me! Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/769 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/770 For ambitious women in business who have clear goals that they want to achieve, having someone to offer support and clarity on crucial career-defining decisions, is simply invaluable. Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/770 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/767 Contrary to popular opinion, Entrepreneurs are easily the worst at building successful businesses. Entrepreneur – Wikipedia: “willing to accept a high level of personal, professional or financial risk to pursue opportunity. …in possession of an enterprise or venture.” Wed, 18 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/767 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/764 We face them every day in some way, shape or form. It could be an irritable bus driver when you are trying to find the right change. It could be a co-worker who seems to take everything you say the wrong way. It could be a manager who doesn’t seem to have time to listen when you are trying to tell them something really important. It could be a family member who flies off the handle when you ... Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/764 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/765 My grandpa Anton was a brusk man with little finesse. He migrated to the USA by himself at age 16 so he had no adult role model from mid teens until he died at age 87. Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/765 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/752 Thanks to Jason who asked me this question at a meeting at the start of this week. He heard me talk about some new developments in the social media space, particularly "Hashable" - a new way of letting your contacts know who you are meeting and what you are doing (see: http://hashable.com). Jason said that there were so many new things being introduced and that the internet was advancing so fas... Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/752 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/753 In previous articles and in our podcasts we’ve examined the thoughts-outcomes cycle that governs our behaviour each day and in doing so, the results we get; and we’ve started to consider the empowering implications of what’s possible when we harness this new awareness, and change our illicit beliefs and limits-focused thinking. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/753 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/754 I was driving home from work the other day when something happened that really made me think about the lines that define us. Of the significance of even the smallest decision we make, because we make them in the moment, without the safety net of hindsight and often without the benefit of clear foresight! Yet our lives can be changed in an instant. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/754 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/755 I was asked this at a meeting I spoke at during the week, when someone said there was so much to do online these days, keeping track of it all is nigh on impossible. After all, they said, there is all the usual work of a business, but now there is content generation, social media, online research and a whole host of additional activities which need doing. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/755 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/759 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Market Focused entrepreneur isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This week we’re looking at why Systems Focused managers are great business builders but aren’t such great business starters. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/759 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/747 Here are the new business ideas that caught our attention this week: Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/747 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/748 This week's most promising new business ideas from around the world: Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/748 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/751 If you could do one thing today that would make you happier, that would allow you to improve your relationships and free your thinking, would you do it? Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/751 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/741 He was literally doubled up. First he coughed, then he spluttered then he erupted into a staccato yuk, yuk, yuk, that sounded like a machine gun firing. At one point he was gasping for breath and could hardly breathe. Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/741 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/742 Not long ago, the Indian government announced the results of its USD$490 million investment to conduct a census. At 1.21 billion, India's people now represent 17 percent of the world's population. That is more than the populations of the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh combined. The increase between 2001 and 2011 was 181 million, roughly equivalent to the entire popul... Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/742 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/743 One of my passions is public speaking - it’s why I keynote, why I love to facilitate workshops and it’s also why I’m an avid Toastmaster. Give me the chance to get in front of a group of people and through my words, through my energy and through sharing my stories and unique perspective, and I’m there. Yet for many people, the very idea of getting up and talking to a crowd is the stuff nigh... Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/743 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/744 Are you truly present when dealing with people? If not, it's a skill worth cultivating. As a client or colleague, nothing is more off-putting than knowing the person you’re dealing with is thinking about something else rather than focusing on you. They might outwardly seem present, but their body language and facial expressions betray any depth of interest in you. Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/744 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/745 There’s no beating around the bush here today, as I want to share three things you really will want to STOP doing, so that your business can move to the next level. Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/745 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/746 Your Web site might be so full of pages, links, graphics and interaction that you forget why you built it in the first place! Here's the most important question to ask: What is the single most important action you want a Web site visitor to take? Sun, 08 May 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/746 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/738 2+2+2 Last week two audiences brought up "increasing prices" in the Q&A sessions following my presentation. Last week two clients called almost panicked because their pricing agreements will soon have them underwater. Last week reporters for two publications contacted me for material on articles they are writing on - you guessed it - raising prices. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/738 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/739 Bounce rates are a good indicator of the impact your site is having on your visitors. An acceptable bounce rate depends on the type of site you have i.e. information or e-commerce. Anything from 25 to 50% may be quite acceptable, over 50% would probably warrant some effort spent on the site layout, content or structure. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/739 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/740 Our business trains us to focus on the wrong thing. And we buy into the lie. There are Seven Stages in the Maturity of a business. Today we’ll focus on the first four, because they tell us what happened that screwed up our understanding of how to grow a business and why we can’t get off the treadmill. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/740 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/733 Business ideas from around the world - 13 April 2011 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/733 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/734 Simple survival is difficult enough for construction companies in these challenging times, let alone increasing profits Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/734 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/737 Did you know that Phyto-nutrients (Phytochemicals) are powerful antioxidants (not vitamins) indicated by the colors of different fruits and vegetables? Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/737 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/731 Empathy is one of those character traits parents hope they foster in their children. That’s why a new study published in the "Journal of Children and Media" is so troubling. Simmons College communications professor Edward Vieira, Jr., PhD has confirmed, what many parents have long suspected---that children's prolonged exposure to violent video games can affect their ability to develop empathy a... Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/731 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/732 Your blog is one of the "Big Three" platforms for your on-line presence (the other two are your Web site and e-mail newsletter). I was just putting the finishing touches today on a webinar presentation I'm giving tomorrow about blogging, and one of the slides covers one of the most common questions people ask me: "How do I promote my blog?" Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/732 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/726 The senior manager was about to accept an assignment in India, and eagerly approached her human resources department for information about the specific do's and don'ts of her future life overseas. They had heard this request before, for dozens of countries and from hundreds of transferees. HR was well prepared with briefing books, websites, and a pre-departure program that would assure the mana... Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/726 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/728 The French are SO arrogant! Les Américains sont arrogants ! We've heard it over and over as fingers point across the Atlantic: THEY are so arrogant! When the topic comes up in intercultural trainings, people from other countries usually laugh and say: Both French and Americans are arrogant! What's there to talk about? Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/728 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/729 Tata Motors has introduced the world’s smallest, cheapest car—beyond great gas mileage and affordability, it’s stylish! Not to mention safer than a scooter. Six years in the making, the new Nano is the result of Tata’s engineers and suppliers rethinking every component with an eye to minimizing cost and weight without sacrificing performance or style. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/729 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/730 John Caples - head of the third largest advertising agency in the USA for 40 years - analysed the most commonly used words in one hundred successful headlines. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/730 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/725 During the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980, I listened to an expert describe why being a hostage for a short period of time was exponentially worse than being sentenced to prison for many years. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/725 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/722 This is the first of three short articles on finding and defining the specific sales KPIs for your business that will create competitive advantage. Today: The problem with sales KPIs, and a way to find the solution. Nest week: Defining Sales KPIs and setting an acceptable range or target. Final article: Managing the sales process using KPIs. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/722 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/723 There are so many factors to consider when measuring revenue generated from social media marketing. Social media is primarily about relationship building and networking, a wholly different function to Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Therefore, looking to value the level of traffic is not always easy - and many have different opinions on this subject. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/723 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/724 Ever feel like you’ve got 11 ping pong balls to hold under the water and only 10 fingers? There is a solution. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/724 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/721 Article marketing is where you write an article, submit it to an article distribution site and thereby allow other website owners to copy your content onto their website. The deal is they must include your links and biography - they get content, you get reputation and a useful link back to your website. Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/721 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/720 New business ideas from around the world from Springwise for 30 March 2011 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/720 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/714 “It was (is) the best of times, it was (is) the worst of times” As suggested by the creatively adapted quote above, the current marketplace has many of the elements and characteristics of a Charles Dickens novel. Only in this instance it is not a “Tale of Two Cities”, but rather a tale of two paradigms. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/714 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/715 The biggest problem in trying to grow a business is that we’re too busy making money. It’s not a play on words – it’s a serious problem. You’re too busy making money. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/715 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/716 Facebook has over 600 million users; Twitter has over 200 million; and just last week, LinkedIn announced that it had reached 100 million. These are the Big Three social media platforms, and you might be excused for despairing that you don't have time to be active on them all. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/716 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/717 Almost without exception, one of the biggest concerns people have about their personal or professional reputation is the impact the people they work with have on it. ‘I can guarantee to deliver on the promises I make’, they say ‘but I have less confidence they’ll deliver on theirs?’ Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/717 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/718 We may be feeling some relief from the GFC, but do not be tricked into thinking candidates are in abundance. When budgets are tight it can be very appealing for Hiring Managers to recruit for themselves as there are a number of good ways to attract candidates like referral bonuses and Social Media. However, when this fails there are some compelling reasons to work with a third party recruitment... Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/718 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/719 As a recruitment consultant I usually request a well written cover letter when I place an advertisement for a position I am recruiting for. There is a reason for this, it will tell me if the candidate has good communication, can spell, is accurate, takes pride in their work, really read the job advertisement, demonstrates why they are qualified for the position and how keen they are on the job. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/719 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/712 I can’t count the number of times that I have waited for candidates to turn up for an interview and were a ‘no show’. This was especially the case prior to the GFC, however that event certainly stopped this happening as often. I understand why candidates might have no respect for recruiters, I also understand how frustrating it can be to apply for job after job and not get a reply or an intervi... Sun, 03 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/712 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/713 Last week I wrote about the need to have much more focused websites so that your specific, target audiences can easily see what they want in a small fraction of time. For many businesses, however, this poses a couple of problems. Firstly, there is the cost of the domain names and the hosting. Secondly, there is how you manage all the sites you may need and maintain them all. Sun, 03 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/713 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/708 We have just witnessed the terrible earthquakes in Christchurch and Japan which costs many lives. Watching the news, I saw that nearly everyone was in shock and despair. People have not only lost loved ones but also their homes, jobs and future. Where to start rebuilding lives from there? Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/708 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/709 The world is full of serious situations - and your focus DOES make a difference. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/709 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/710 Have you lived in several cultures during your lifetime? Are you life partners with someone of a different culture? Are you an immigrant, a refugee, or maybe a child of parents with different nationalities? Do you work with people who have had any of the above life experiences? These are just a few of the pathways that may lead to a Blended Culture persona. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/710 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/711 Kids these days. Surely there’s never been a generation quite so headstrong, self-centred, clever and so demanding? How are you supposed to manage them, anyway? Three Kiwi researchers have some ideas—and they can help you with your other staff, too. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/711 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/705 'Oh my goodness she was amazing... so smart... so sophisticated... so current' Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/705 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/706 This article is written for business owners/hiring managers who may not have a background in sales and want to ensure they are making a good hiring decision. To ensure that the person you are hiring will help grow your business rather than leading to a disastrous and costly mistake, conducting a thorough interview with good reference and background checks is crucial. Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/706 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/707 Here are the the new business ideas that caught our attention this week Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/707 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/701 Last Saturday I took my nephew and niece to see the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition at our local Cottesloe Beach. This is an annual exhibition, which started in Sydney in 1997, and has been in Perth since 2005. I remember visiting it in its early days in Perth, and it's certainly grown a lot bigger and better since then. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/701 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/702 The Jerry Lewis annual telethon was first broadcast in 1955. 54 years later it is broadcast on 180 stations in the United States. Pretty impressive. But wait until you hear this. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/702 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/703 We are all the sum of many parts and, hopefully, there is much more depth to us than the initial impression we give out. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/703 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/704 This blog is about a Day in the Life of Recruiter. I was inspired to write about it due to the number of gripes I read about Recruiters on various blogs and Social Media as well as, the number of complaints my own candidates tell me about the experiences they have with other recruiters. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/704 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/694 Webinars are definitely becoming more popular, and not just with infopreneurs. I'm seeing many businesses use webinars, not only for training and education, but also for marketing. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/694 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/695 As a recruitment consultant I take a lot of care to build good relationships with my candidates. Treating candidates with respect and valuing their time is a major consideration of mine. The common feedback I get is very positive. So what is it I do? Firstly, I ensure the candidate feels relaxed and comfortable and that we are really just having a chat about them and what it is that they are lo... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/695 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/696 Tips on entering the challenging world as a recruitment consultant. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/696 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/697 How do people in your business network know you exist? Are you visible? And, if you run a business, is your company as visible as you would like it to be within your particular arena? If you are visible are you getting the results you want or has business slowed to a crawl? Could it be perhaps that something in your business, without your realisation, is beginning to slip out of your control?... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/697 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/698 If you haven’t started networking yet – shame on you! Every new business must develop a network of influencers who can guide people to your door, and the most economic and fruitful way of doing that is through joining online and offline networks. There are several common reasons why people don’t bother with networking, e.g., they hate going into rooms full of strangers and trying to join grou... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/698 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/699 This summary highlights the findings from the BlessingWhite 2010 Employee Engagement Study. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/699 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/700 Too many people stay in certain jobs for far too long. Not because they love them but simply because they’re good at them. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/700 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/693 I read hundreds of CV‘s a week. It becomes tedious and at times frustrating. Other times I get a good laugh because of the blatant mistakes or dreadful grammar. Most CV’s I read have literally a few seconds to grab my attention. So what does grab my attention? Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/693 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/686 The opening of The King’s Speech, starts with the King stammering his way through a speech in front of 120,000 people. While you may not face that level of pressure, having the ability to deliver effective presentations is an important skill to fast track your career, especially into senior ranks. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/686 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/687 We hear that Edison had hundreds of attempts at creating the light bulb, and just kept going until he created one that worked. Colonel Sanders was the same with his secret herbs and spices. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/687 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/688 Corporate learning appears to be in a fast-moving transformation, embracing new technologies and applications to increase the "fidelity", convenience, collaboration, and specificity of experience. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/688 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/689 PRECIOUS LITTLE OF WHAT WE DO REALLY MATTERS! You read that right. Think of the deadline you dreaded 5 years ago and gave up time with your family and friends and perhaps even your health suffered to complete. Who remembers? Who still cares? Think of your entire adult life after you left school. How much of it has been recorded in the history books? I'll bet precious little. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/689 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/690 Here’s my three cents. I believe people refer to me most when 1) they like me, 2) like what I’ve done for them, and most importantly, 3) when I’ve asked them to refer to me (and taught them how). Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/690 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/679 Happy employees make for better profits. Here are my tips for helping to get the team engaged and become advocates for your business. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/679 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/680 “What is your PVP” = Personal Value Proposition? If you don’t know this now is the time to find out, because this is what will set you apart from other candidates. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/680 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/681 Warren Buffett said “Lose dollars for the firm and I will be understanding, lose reputation and I will be ruthless”, and recently when asked what was most important to him, Richard Branson answered “My reputation!” Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/681 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/668 It's been a couple of hard years for those of us in business or performance orientated careers. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/668 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/669 Here at The Corporate Toolbox we pride ourselves on uploading material by reputable authors, professional speakers, coaches, trainers and consultants. We also pride ourselves on always knowing the source of our material. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/669 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/670 Tasks to perform each day, week and month to enjoy online success Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/670 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/671 This is an interesting question because the person who asked it was concerned about someone who had been upset by what they had said on their blog. The questioner didn't like to feel that they had lost a reader or that they had annoyed someone. So, just how do you go about writing interesting material on your website, on your blog or in your newsletter and not annoy people? Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/671 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/672 Okay, you make a great product or provide a very unique service. You’re in love with it and so are your customers. It’s a wonderful product/service. I get it. Now get over it. Because your customers aren’t buying it. They’re buying things you aren’t even selling. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/672 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/673 When I first read through C.H. Douglas’s Social Credit (and a few of his other articles and essays), my first thoughts were: “BRILLIANT, BUT…”. They made sense; yet there seemed to be no way of the system being implemented. My conclusion, at the time, was that the whole paradigm was unworkable, even if it was accurate. So, I “forgot” about it. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/673 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/674 I watched a terrific movie last week: “Food, Inc”. When it comes to “big business conspiracy cover-ups” I confess to some cynicism. However even if this movie is presenting only one side of the corporate food story, that one half is darned scary. I recommend you watch it before you bite into some chicken or a steak or even a biscuit. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/674 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/678 New Business Ideas Spotted From Around The World Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/678 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/666 This is a question I was asked several years ago and which I now have pinned right above my head in my office so that I never forget my aim now that I am building an online business. My aim is to make as much money as I can so I can give it all back to people who need it more than me. Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/666 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/667 When SME’s are facing change or rapid growth and don’t have a budget to hire a full time executive a viable alternative is to utilize the expertise of an Interim Manager. With growth and change in business, also comes added pressures which often can’t be dealt with due to under resourcing. Forward thinking organizations utilize the skills of Interim Managers as the ideal solution to the problem... Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/667 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/664 Most good coaching sessions produce change. Hopefully this will be change for the better, as the individual is guided towards making realizations and discoveries about their life and situation. Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/664 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/665 Sometimes when people think about coaching they imagine the coach to be sitting in a relaxed office or similar space, talking to the client who is sitting opposite them. Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/665 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/657 Confidence. It is the aphrodisiac of business. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/657 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/658 I've recently been re-reading Seth Godin's 2007 book "Meatball Sundae". Although the book is now a few years old (2007, which is a lifetime ago in Internet years! ), its main message is relevant more than ever today: You can't use modern marketing techniques to sell "old" products and services. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/658 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/659 The basic concept of coaching is to assist people in achieving more than they are able to at the moment. But for the best end result to be achieved – indeed for anything at all to be achieved – the coachee needs to have the motivation to achieve it. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/659 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/662 Coaching is a highly valuable process that can change people’s lives for the better. But often people think that the coaching session on its own is the only important part of the process. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/662 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/663 There’s a problem with my brain. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/663 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/653 There is an old saying that you are insane if you consistently try to do the same thing and expect different results. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/653 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/655 Coaching can be an enormously rewarding profession to enter. Not everyone will be cut out for it. But if you enjoy interacting with other people and helping them find solutions for the problems and situations they face in life, you may enjoy it profoundly. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/655 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/656 Put simply, there are two ways an individual can discover something during a coaching session. The first way is for the coach to point something out to them, such as “You no longer have any interest in your job” or “You don’t seem to enjoy serving your customers”. The second way is for the coach to ask a series of questions that lead the individual to discover something on their own. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/656 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/646 We were in Auckland when it happened. Everyone there knows someone in Christchurch and felt the impact, if only emotionally. Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/646 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/647 It intrigues me that businesses survive paying people for their title – what they ARE – rather than what they DO. Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/647 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/648 Jürgen is a good friend of mine. He’s also German which is a fact that’s relevant to this article. Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/648 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/643 Here are 5 formulas for becoming a millionaire. Choose any one that suits you. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/643 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/644 All good coaching must have a purpose. If no firm purpose is evident in your coaching sessions, they will simply be a string of sessions that may or may not help the coachee. A purpose will give you a goal to shoot for, an aim that the coachee will ideally be able to fulfill once the series of coaching sessions have ended. Individual purposes may also be used for individual sessions, acting as ... Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/644 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/645 When working with entrepreneurs’ one area that many seem to get stuck on is the area of delegation. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/645 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/640 It probably won’t come as a huge surprise to learn that questions are a big part of a successful coaching session. Quite often a coachee will ask the coach a question about some aspect of the situation they are in. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/640 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/641 Feedback can be something of a double edged sword. If used correctly it can spur a person on to improve their performance and achieve better things in the future. If used without forethought however, it can lead to a defensive response that does not bode well for the person on the receiving end of the feedback. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/641 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/642 Within the last two weeks two respected organizations have released reports that confirm our forecast: employers will be hiring more people in the coming year. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/642 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/637 There are many facets that all good coaches have in common. One of the most important ones is to be a good listener. Part of the process of being coached by someone is to find the answers to problems and road blocks through self discovery. This means that instead of the coach suggesting why a problem may exist, they guide the coachee to discover the reason for the problem themselves. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/637 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/638 In business, as well as in everyday life, we are aware of the importance of being “on the same wavelength” with others, but few people realise the literal truth of this. Sound plays an important role in creating successful relationships. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/638 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/639 On a recent holiday in Northern Italy, three experiences reminded me of the importance of silence. Most people would say that silence is the opposite of sound, but I take a different view. Silence is a sound, as well as being a context for all other sounds. To understand this it is necessary to experience it. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/639 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/633 We experience sound from 12 weeks after our conception to our death, 24 hours a day, every day. Our ears are at work even while we sleep – they have no choice; we have no ear lids. What we are hearing has changed greatly over the last 200 years. In the modern world, and particularly in cities, most of the sound around us is man-made, and its quantity is increasing every year. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/633 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/634 We often do not appreciate the importance of sound as a brand asset and that it should be recognised and managed in accordance with its value as a brand attribute. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/634 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/635 Many people appear concerned about their two "lives" - their business life and their personal one. Often, people in business try to separate their business profile from their personal social network identities. For instance, some people use Facebook purely for personal stuff and LinkedIn solely for business. The reason usually given for doing so is: "I don't want my business contacts knowing ev... Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/635 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/636 Your Guiding Principles are more important to your business than anything you sell. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/636 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/627 Many religions have sound wrapped up with the moment of creation – and now physics is proving them right. Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/627 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/628 Whenever sounds are applied to enhance customer experiences and wherever a soundscape is designed and deployed, I recommend that it should always be created in accordance with the following four Golden Rules of sound. Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/628 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/629 Why do we take what others think and turn it against ourselves? It is what we think about ourselves that matters. Not what we think others think about us.The essence of self esteem is when you feel really small and you allow other people make you feel small. Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/629 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/630 Tracking complexity allows you to anticipate crisis. Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/630 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/623 All businesses are making sound; most just aren’t controlling it – and the effects of this random noise are lost sales, undermined brands and lost customers. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/623 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/624 In the book that I am currently writing I lead readers through five phase of new business evolution. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/624 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/625 Technology when used well can enhance your message and credentials, but the problem is that most presenters are lazy and make the technology the message. Technology,while a great tool, does not necessarily lead to better presentations. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/625 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/626 The highly acclaimed King's Speech has been attracting a lot of attention recently. It was an entertaining film, especially for some of the bizarre treatments used to treat stutterers in the 1930s. It reminded me of the elocution lessons I took when I was about five years old to fix a slight problem I had in speaking certain words. Luckily I didn't need to fill my mouth with marbles. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/626 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/618 Are you experiencing difficulty getting the support you need to make changes in your workplace? If people appear to be going slow or pushing back irrationally, there may be a valid reason. This article reveals two powerful ways of looking at the resistance to your change initiative that will help you move forward. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/618 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/619 Our world is made up from vibrations, and these affect our mood,health, love, business, and consequently our whole lives. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/619 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/620 Have you visited Facebook today? And what about Twitter - have you been Tweeting all morning? Of course, you are bound to have been discussing things on LinkedIn. And then when you finished that I suppose you went on to your favourite clubs on Ecademy before trawling through all your messages on Plaxo, Fastpitch and Friends Reunited. Hang on a minute...aren't you doing any work...? Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/620 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/621 This was my Marine Corps soccer team’s motto 30 years ago. It has since become a key business practice for me. It’s also the title of a book I’m writing and the basis for Carrie’s great story below. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/621 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/622 Using a video approach to learning, Herndon, Virginia-based K12 Inc. is an organization providing online learning which operates online public schools in 25 states. K12's online learning supports struggling, advanced, home schooled, and homebound students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, plus athletes, performers, Expats, and people in the Foreign Service and Overseas. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/622 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/617 Some new business ideas and products that have caught our eye from around the world Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/617 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/613 Do you think that business will be done the same way in 2011 and beyond? We are in the last stages of the current economic correction; it is time to plan for the future. Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/613 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/614 A recent global study found that only 26 percent of Information Technology (IT) employees in North America were fully engaged at work. Nearly as many, 22 percent, are actually disengaged. Those findings are substantially worse than the workforce overall, of which 33 percent were engaged and 18 percent disengaged. Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/614 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/615 Process maps are a well recognized device for sharing a common understanding of business processes and enabling ongoing business improvement. Mapping processes effectively, though, is an acquired skill. Learn from an expert as he crystallizes ten key pointers for getting the most out of your process mapping exercise. Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/615 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/605 Just recently, CBS News commentator Bob Schieffer said, "Technology has changed the American dialogue". Though he was speaking about the Representative Giffords' shooting, nonetheless the quotation applies here as well. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/605 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/606 Managing change in today’s organizations is not easy. Those companies that get it right win a significant strategic advantage over their struggling competitors. Leslie Allan shows how you can apply a practical change management process that will help you gain success on your next change initiative. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/606 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/607 Did you make any New Year resolutions this year? Perhaps you don't make resolutions, or if you did they may be fading fast? Either way, as we start the new decade I encourage you to consider the ‘Reputation Resolutions’ below and put one or more of them into practice throughout 2011 and beyond. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/607 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/608 Poorly conducted meetings bore participants, reduce profits, and demotivate staff. A well-facilitated meeting enables the leader to get team members to open up and share, drawing upon the minds, backgrounds and experiences of the entire team. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/608 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/609 Top salespeople are smart enough to beat your reporting system for their own purposes Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/609 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/610 You trust complete strangers It is true that every day, people trust complete strangers in fast cars to abide by the road rules and stay on their side of the road. Yet, when it comes to listening to what their partner says and playing by the rules of good relationships, the same people throw trust out the window and 'mind read' bad intentions. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/610 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/611 The single most important question in business is the one we ask least often. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/611 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/612 Everywhere you look these days online there is advice on adding "content" to your website. Meanwhile, internet marketing gurus will tell you that you need to blog. But is a blog separate to your website? Is a blog something different to "content"? Can a blog also be "content"? The problem is, these terms have grown up online side-by-side and there is the impression that they are different. But ... Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/612 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/598 Strengthen your influence factor by using these tips to have more leverage with your colleagues, boss, children, friends or anyone else Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/598 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/599 Why Lifetime Goals are so important to what I do tomorrow, and why tomorrow is so important to my Lifetime Goals. Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/599 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/600 More than two years ago, Australian retail boss Gerry Harvey predicted that on-line retailing would be a flop Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/600 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/601 Whatever your role in your organization, here are seven practices to avoid if you want your next PowerPoint presentation to be a success. Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/601 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/602 Some people seem to have an innate ability to achieve their goals. Others are in a perpetual struggle to reach their objectives. Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/602 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/603 “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/603 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/604 The 10 Most Powerful Questions To Ask In My Lifetime Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/604 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/595 There are very few things that can make or break a deal, a relationship a job interview than first and last impressions. Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/595 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/596 The actions of businesses, retailers in particular, have pushed consumers and clients to a tipping point. Sales and discount fatigue is in evidence everywhere. That is a new phenomenon. Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/596 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/597 In the gulf war, before an F15 pilot friend of mine went into a dogfight, he would turn off all but a couple of his heads up warning and information systems . Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/597 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/594 Adults in the United States are now less likely to demonstrate "green" attitudes and engage in various environmentally friendly activities, than they were in the summer of 2009. According to a new Harris Poll, these folks are now less likely to engage in green behaviors in their daily life. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/594 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/587 Sales and finance are finally able to interconnect, sharing data online and sharing communication. Prior to now, these two were completely separate departments. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/587 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/588 In numerous previous Herman Trend Alerts, we have discussed the tremendous influence small- and medium-size companies have on the job market in the United States. Economists tell us that up to 80 percent of job growth worldwide takes place in these types of organizations. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/588 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/589 What sets you apart? It’s amazing how people seem to become flustered when asked this question directly. Yet choosing a specialism or niche, is one of the most efficient ways to raise your profile and get recognised for the work you do. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/589 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/590 Self-Promotion has understandably earned a bad reputation –it’s much maligned image conjures up rapid fire business card exchanges and inauthentic pump-action handshakes at networking events while looking for a “better” person to speak to. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/590 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/591 Executive coaching, while using some of the skills employed by gifted leaders for generations, is fast gaining recognition for its dramatic utility both by employers as well as by individual women themselves. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/591 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/592 The executive coaching clients with whom I work are all ambitious professional women. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/592 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/593 Women accountants across the globe are joining the profession in increasing numbers, yet like their sisters in many other sectors, are not reaching the top levels within many organisations. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/593 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/586 I’d hazard a guess you, or someone you know, will have uttered the words “I wish I hadn’t ....” at least once over the past 12 months. Every one of us will probably be able to pinpoint incidents and actions that make us wince and that we’d rather forget. Most of them will be of our own doing. Sun, 23 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/586 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/583 I remember when one of my books was picked up by a publisher I was so grateful that I signed over everything and anything - even my unborn grandchildren (only joking)....just to get my book published. And don’t get me wrong, they did a great job. They took my book to the German Book Fair and an English publishing company bought the rights to publish an English version. So I was very happy with ... Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/583 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/584 Banwari Mittal of Northern Kentucky University has identified six lenses through which buyers judge us. They are: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/584 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/585 148.7 – The maximum number of social relationships any average human being can handle, according to research by anthropologist Robin Dunbar (1998) and others. Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/585 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/580 There is a misconception running around that we are more productive when we multitask. In fact, more studies are coming forward that prove just the opposite. Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/580 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/581 It is not that times have always been easy: far from it. Working in the marketplace has always been a challenge and still is a challenge as things never ever go according to our tiny plans. However it does seem that we do need to have some idea of where we are heading, at least in the material world. Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/581 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/582 New business ideas spotted around the world Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/582 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/573 After all the fuss with Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms over the last couple of years (and it hasn't stopped; look out for Groupon this year), it's interesting to see that the humble Web site is making a comeback. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/573 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/574 Believe it or Not The AIDA-principle still works: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/574 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/575 10 Reasons to Embrace Conflict Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/575 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/576 A recent study indicated that 733 Multi- Millionaires had certain characteristics that contributed to their success. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/576 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/577 The new normal in leadership Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/577 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/578 A questionnaire by Caterina Rando on how to grow your business with ease Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/578 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/579 Many marketing experts may say “yes”, however, for me marketing (in this context - for investment-goods and long-lasting consumer goods) is simply the result of persistent dealing with the markets/partial markets, which are supplied by the respective enterprise with its products. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/579 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/565 They are alternately referred to as the "Three Kings" and the "Three Wise Men". They had each achieved a position of power and were respected for their wisdom. Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/565 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/566 The U.S. government had written off a $50 million weather satellite. It had tumbled out of orbit and could not be controlled. It could only receive signals when it was in the correct position and, because of the tumbling, that was rare and unpredictable. Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/566 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/567 The question was asked with eyes wide and a voice of incredulity. The person asking was Antonio Waldez Góes da Silva, the governor of the Amazonian state of Amapá, which has the biggest national park in the world. I had just shared with Gov. Waldez Góes a recent news article in The Hill, the Congressional newspaper, which said the total cost of stationing one U.S. soldier in Afghanistan for one... Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/567 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/568 In a sense, a “paradigm” is a fancy word for “model”. It’s a model of how you expect the world to behave, and how you expect to behave in the world around you. It’s a world view that you use to understand how the world functions. Change your paradigm, and you literally change YOUR world! Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/568 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/569 One of the opportunities each New Year brings is the chance to resolve to do things differently in future by way of New Year resolutions. Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/569 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/570 Making a difference by really delivering those key projects Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/570 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/571 You are a part of a group of four people charged with the onerous task of deciding who should be selected to restart the human reace on another planet in another galaxy. Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/571 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/572 Wikipedia is ten years old today; Happy Birthday Wikipedia. This amazing online encyclopedia can be of significant help to your business. It is, after all, the 8th most visited website in the world with almost 400m visitors every week. It is more popular than Twitter and Amazon added together. This is a massively important site and as a result can help your online business succeed. Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/572 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/558 Two Saturday mornings spent with a large group of young Somali men and women has filled me with hope and confidence for the multicultural future of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/558 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/559 Myth: You sell more by helping your customers buy more. Truth: You sell more by helping your customers sell more Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/559 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/560 Sales is simple; it's just not easy. If it was easy, we wouldn't need salespeople Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/560 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/556 I have yet to meet an under-worked coordinator of volunteers. Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/556 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/553 I was at the supermarket the other day and watched as a youngster, aged about five, walked down the aisle behind his mum. Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/553 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/554 Funerals are rarely easy. Most of us don’t enjoy going to them, but we do so to support families and friends in memory of a loved one. Each service has its own special character, with that fine balance between sadness and treasured memory. Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/554 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/555 It was easy for me to choose Christmas gifts for my seven-year-old nephew Riley and his five-year-old sister Abbey, because they had the foresight (or rather, my sister did!) to go through a department store catalogue and circle the gifts they wanted. In fact, they did more than just circle them - they marked their favourites as "really, really, really want": Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/555 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/543 For me, the best part of going away is coming home. The minute I catch a glimpse of Mt Kakepuku, whether driving or flying, I know that I'm home. That small cone, southwest of Te Awamutu links me to the land, reminds me of my roots, shows me where I belong. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/543 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/544 Volunteer management is about people, not services, and forgetting that can spell your downfall. It’s not just a matter of recruiting to get tasks done. It’s not just a matter of meeting funder accountability requirements or service delivery outputs. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/544 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/545 As we journey through life I’m sure we’ve all wished that we had the benefit of Hindsight. We would not have made the same mistakes or we would have avoided doing or saying things that now we may regret. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/545 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/547 Talent is the growth within us all, Its rise, its fall, its call Is ours, to hear and understand, For we are the one whose helping hand, Gives birth to the worth That we, and we alone, expand. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/547 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/549 We’re told that the true cost to business of employing staff is up to 50% more than the actual salary. (Source: www.asmartbusiness.co.nz.) Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/549 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/550 Analysis from NIWA’s ozone research shows that the Antarctic ozone hole is smaller this year than any of the previous five years. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/550 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/551 Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich" is still amazing even after all these years. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/551 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/552 The differences, according to Warren Bennis in his book “On becoming a leader” are as follows: Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/552 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/546 Is conflict a ‘dirty’ word in your organisation? Is it the ‘elephant in the room’ that no-one wants to talk about? Or is it something to be explored and understood? I invite you to take 20 seconds to write down all the words or phrases you associate with the word ‘conflict’. Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/546 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/537 Here's a quick run-down of the new products and services that caught our attention this month Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/537 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/538 Highly unlikely! But that was the concern of healthcare professional, Diane. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/538 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/539 Your culture teaches you what is right and wrong, good and bad, even beautiful and ugly. It provides a set of inner rules to live by. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/539 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/548 When I began life as an athlete I spent a significant amount of my time finishing at the back of the field. Even when it became evident that I might have the ability to achieve something I found myself held back by the self imposed belief, born out of repeated experience, that I would fail. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/548 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/532 I recently conducted a survey on how technical experts – like finance executives – can better present themselves to senior management. Here are some of the insights from the survey, the common problems faced by presenters and some solutions on making sure your next presentation to senior executives is received in a positive light. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/532 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/533 In the last six weeks I've done quite a lot of mentoring for clients to help them plan their on-line strategy for 2011. One of the common problems for many people is that there seems to be so much they need to do, and they feel overwhelmed. Should they be blogging, podcasting, tweeting, connecting on Facebook or LinkedIn, contributing to every forum in their area of expertise ... or all of the ... Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/533 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/534 Aha - the perennial question - more money please...! The financial wizards would argue, for instance, that you pay more for a luxury car - such as a Rolls Royce - than a standard vehicle like a Ford Focus because of all the luxurious refinements and added "value" in the Rolls. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/534 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/535 Most goal-setting programs are hard. The system might sound easy, but achieving the goals is difficult. It usually takes discipline, willpower, a strong mindset, hard work, sacrifice and struggle. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/535 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/536 The Whale... you may have read about a female humpback whale that had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines offshore near San Francisco. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/536 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/531 Don't you just hate it when people are late! Yet what if your version of 'late' is someone else's 'on-time'? Next time you notice lateness, spare a thought for cultural background - theirs and yours. Sun, 19 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/531 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/528 If you haven’t started networking yet – shame on you! Every new business must develop a network of influencers who can guide people to your door, and the most economic and fruitful way of doing that is through joining online and offline networks. There are several common reasons why people don’t bother with networking, e.g., they hate going into rooms full of strangers and trying to join grou... Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/528 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/529 Occasionally, a study is so important that we devote two weeks and extend the length of The Herman Trend Alert to cover these results. This week, we offer you part one of the highlights from the 2010 Towers Watson Global Workforce Study. Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/529 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/530 Technology is a wonderful tool but it is just a waste of space if we don’t know how to use it. Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/530 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/524 Successful enterprises actively avoid repeating the mistakes of others. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/524 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/526 Hopefully you will have now read the last 4 of the 5 articles I have written this year, and now I’m finishing with these final few words on manners and behaviours. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/526 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/527 Did you know that by using specific colours you can influence your presentation and the message you want to communicate to others in meetings? Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/527 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/512 The number one reason (30 percent) why executives invest in philanthropic and socially responsible activities is to have an impact on what they consider to be "critical issues". Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/512 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/513 Why do large, well-established businesses experience setbacks? Why do half of new businesses fail within two years? Why do less than 20% survive five years? The information communications technology revolution has brought countless benefits, yet the survival rate for business has shown little, if any improvement. In aviation or medicine, this level of attrition would be unimaginable! Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/513 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/514 How do people in your business network know you exist? Are you visible? And, if you run a business, is your company as visible as you would like it to be within your particular arena? If you are visible are you getting the results you want or has business slowed to a crawl? Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/514 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/515 Warren Buffett said “Lose dollars for the firm and I will be understanding, lose reputation and I will be ruthless”, and recently when asked what was most important to him, Richard Branson answered “My reputation!” Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/515 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/507 The traditional view of teamwork – the one you are all familiar with. I have read countless philosophies on the ideal of teamwork and heard them spoken of at conferences on many occasions. The traditional view of how a team should work that we are all familiar with has one central strand running through it – the concept that we should be ready to give up just a little part of ourselves in favo... Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/507 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/508 A motivated set of employees can prove transformational in terms of maximising their output. Do you seek to identify strategies that can motivate your people and guarantee performance improvement? Here are 7 key ideas that can help you on your way. Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/508 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/504 We are living in a time era where the computer is a big part of everyone’s life. Most businesses have an online presence, a website that promotes their products and / or services and are selling their products online. Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/504 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/505 The high street is changing, there was once a time that we all visited our local high street to pick up a new top, some new shoes, maybe a CD. Recent times have seen high street stores close, overall shop vacancies in the UK currently stands at around 14%. Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/505 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/506 Building your confidence from the ground up is one thing, but if you are going to replace its erroneous predecessor on a permanent basis then you will need to find a way of ditching your former thinking in pursuit of performance improvement. Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/506 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/501 It sounded like a huge argument. The room was full of people waving arms, with voices raised and everyone talking at once. No-one seemed to be listening to each other. Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/501 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/502 Ghostwriting is where someone else writes material for you, but you publish it under your name, as though you had written it yourself. Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/502 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/498 Children's blood sugar level cycles about every 45 minutes. In adults, it's every 90 minutes and in teenagers, about every 60 minutes. Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/498 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/499 ‘Hi, how are you?’ Now watch the eyes glaze over when the reply is anything other than ‘Fine thanks’. Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/499 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/500 When I was a kid, we had a locked cabinet where the best family china was kept. They were delicate plates and cups, many of which were Mum and Dad’s wedding presents or had been passed down from grandparents. Some of these treasures only ever saw the light of day when used in honour of special visitors. Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/500 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/494 Here's a deceptively simple but extremely effective marketing idea: Work with the people who want what you've got. Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/494 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/495 If you’re not getting any ROI (Return On Investment), then you’ve never experienced the measurable effect an HR programme or marketing campaign can have on your business bottom line. Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/495 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/496 E-learning is a means to provide consistency, save on travel costs, downtime of groups and provide options for pre-training, pre-employment, inductions, qualifications and methods for delivering information and training across geographical boundaries. Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/496 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/497 This is the most vital part of your resume. We will use this information to sell you to potential employers. Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/497 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/486 The first or second question discussed with any half-decent bankers, advisors, potential investors or board members is "What is the exit strategy?" Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/486 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/488 I've just come back from a most depressing two days in North Wales (Bangor and Wrexham) - the area and the people were great: real warm hospitality. Special thanks go to the Welsh Assembly and Wrexham Business Week! The problem was the subject I was discussing... succession planning. Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/488 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/489 Approximately 40% of New Zealand SME business owners are looking for an exit strategy in the next 5 years. Given that the process to exit your business successfully takes on average 3 to 5 years, it is vital to start the Business Evolution process as soon as possible. Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/489 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/490 So you reference checked your new employee and they're struggling on the job, so what went wrong? How can you ensure your reference check is a true prediction of performance when recruiting? Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/490 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/491 The words you use have real impact. Forget all that nonsense you hear about words being unimportant and that body language and tone of voice are the most important features of communications. It's tosh. After all, you have no real idea of my body language or my tone as you read this. You only have the words to go on. Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/491 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/493 Very recently, Loyalty 360, The Loyalty Marketers' Association in Cincinnati, Ohio issued its 2011 list of key trends. In this Herman Trend Alert, we highlight four we believe will be most important for the coming year. Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/493 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/483 A Fourth Turning (crisis period) has 4 parts - Catalyst, Regeneracy, Climax and Resolution. From this perspective - we are clearly in the Regeneracy Phase of the Fourth Turning. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/483 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/484 In an era of cuts, rationalizations and restructures, the following article cuts to the core. Figuratively, it speaks about the unspeakable. The issue need to be brought onto business agendas. Therefore, we invite you to share it with those in your network. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/484 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/485 After another year trying to impress, and putting your best foot forward with clients and colleagues, Christmas can be a welcome opportunity to really let your hair down and have some fun. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/485 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/482 In the last few years, more and more software is available on the Internet, rather than you having to install it on your computer or phone. This is what's called "Cloud Computing" - the act or service of providing software, IT resources and data via the Internet. Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/482 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/480 We're all on the same playing field....right? If that’s so, then what makes one business owner more successful than another? I was thinking about this today, after speaking with one of my mentor clients – let's call her Liz. During our call today, she was reflecting on the difference that our work together had made on her business the past three months. For me, it was very humbling to ... Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/480 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/481 New Business Ideas Spotted Around The World - 24 November 2010 Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/481 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/479 Time for performance appraisals/reviews again? Take heart – here are some guidelines Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/479 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/478 Learn what type of presenter you are and five methods to hold your audience's attention throughout your presentation. Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/478 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/476 This week I have given two presentations where I emphasised the need to put material onto your website EVERY DAY. If you don't update your site daily, you are not in the same territory as successful companies. Sun, 21 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/476 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/477 Learn how to turn your technical presentations into engaging message-based presentations that get your boss' attention and will cut your presentation time in half Sun, 21 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/477 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/473 What do you think about climate change – and what does that mean for your business? Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/473 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/474 What is it, and why do we need to talk about it? Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/474 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/475 Forgiveness Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/475 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/469 Copywriting is much more than joined-up writing. It’s the skill of persuasion in print. Whether you do your own copywriting or get someone else to do it for you, here are 18 things you need to know. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/469 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/470 We have watched as the US has fallen further and further behind its peer developed nations. According to The World Economic Forum's "Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010", the US now ranks 48th in the quality of its mathematics and science education. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/470 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/471 The other day I was talking to someone who was concerned that the domain name they wanted had already "gone". Someone, it seemed, had already registered the dot com version and the .co.uk was in use too. "Why not get the .biz?" I asked. That then led to a conversation about the relative value of all the various domain "extensions" such as .com, .co.uk, .net, .biz and so on. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/471 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/472 The Legatum Prosperity Index is the world's only global assessment of wealth and wellbeing; unlike other studies that rank countries by actual levels of wealth, life satisfaction or development, the Prosperity Index produces rankings based upon the very foundations of prosperity those factors that will help drive economic growth and produce happy citizens over the long term. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/472 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/466 To consistently perform at our best- reliably applying our experience and skills to the best of our ability - in any arena, depends on understanding and managing our focus and optimum state of mind – success is a mind game. Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/466 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/467 You can quickly and powerfully learn how to express your opinions to important stakeholders - even when under pressure. Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/467 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/468 Why work hard to make money and die young? Why work long hours only to grow old and be so feeble you cannot enjoy the fruits of your labour? Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/468 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/465 Here's a quick run-down of the new products and services that caught our attention this week: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/465 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/456 When you first started your business, did you make the same mistake that I made? Did you feel you had to take on every new client who approached you? I did! Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/456 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/457 Whenever people think of revamping their website, or starting a new one, they tend to focus first on what it will look like. Even if people set up their own site by using something like WordPress, they generally first of all go to the "themes" section so they can choose a template design. And if you talk to web designers, they will tell you that their clients frequently come in with a website p... Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/457 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/462 First things first. Establishing, refining and maintaining a marketing focus requires discipline. It has as much to do with how we think, as what we think. Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/462 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/463 According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, the global mobile phone market grew by an impressive 14.6 percent in the third quarter of 2010 (3Q10). Driven in part by the fast-growing smartphone category, 3Q10 was the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth for the industry. Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/463 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/452 How good are you at listening? Is it something you really think about? Is listening really that important to running a successful business? I think so! You spend time developing clear messages for your prospective clients to read and hear, how often do you stop and really listen to what they have to say? Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/452 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/453 Shocked, stunned, speechless – the emotions I’m experiencing when I hear that banks are again posting massive profits and still plan on paying out obscene bonuses, even though their recovery is based on money loaned to them by various governments to keep them afloat and even though the rest of the world is in the deepest recession since The Great Depression. Come on guys! Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/453 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/454 Thank you to Matthew from Chippenham who asked this question, which is a real source of frustration for many other people I meet. Just when you should you send out your newsletters or post your blogs to get maximum impact? Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/454 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/455 This week's question comes from Andy in Bristol who reckons he heard that being third or fourth on Google is better than being "Number One". I think what he is referring to is research on the click-through rate for Google AdWords - the sponsored listings which appear on the right hand side of a Google search results page (and occasionally at the top of the left hand column). Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/455 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/451 So you reference checked your new employee and they’re struggling on the job, so what went wrong? How can you ensure your reference check is a true prediction of performance when recruiting? Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/451 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/444 The resources listed below come from my webinar ‘It ain’t easy going green – but it sure is profitable!’ They will help you explore the productivity opportunities the environment can offer your organization. There is a wealth of information out there – this is only a start. Good luck! Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/444 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/449 Here's a quick run-down of the new products and services that caught our attention this week. Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/449 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/450 Recently, ACT, an international organization involved in educational and workplace skills assessment, issued a new report that should leave some employers very concerned about their future. Not only are a majority of recent high school graduates unprepared for the jobs that will be the most prevalent, but they lack the desire to go into those particular occupations as well. Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/450 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/442 If you find yourself under pressure to provide a multitude of products and services to a vast array of clients be aware you may find yourself run-ragged, and do both yourself and your clients an injustice. Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/442 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/439 The common measures of sales productivity focus on the end result - the customer order, and of course, the value of the orders. This the most critical measure for every business because it is the driver on which everything else depends, but it does not tell enough of the story to guide management action. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/439 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/440 Though increasing obesity is a global problem, from George Washington University comes more evidence that the high level of obesity in the United States population is affecting the bottom line for employers. Its study details the high costs of added benefits and absenteeism---especially for women employees. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/440 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/441 Why don’t some people listen and learn? The lessons of life and business can be hard. Consequences can be brutal, swift and widespread. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/441 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/429 Chris from Maidenhead contacted me this week and asked "how long should a blog post be?" He wanted to know if there was any set word count people should work to, or was there any research on the subject pointing people in the right direction as to how much to write. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/429 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/430 I learnt a long time ago in business that conversion of sales and leads is all in the follow-up. A good follow-up is critical to building strong relationships with your prospective clients. Unless you are offering them an immediate fix to an issue they have right now, a prospective client will not normally buy from you on your first contact. It takes time. In most cases, buying is an emotion... Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/430 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/435 It would not be overly dramatic to say that times like these make unprecedented demands on individuals. Read the Financial Times and every week there are tragic consequences reported e.g. “(former) multibillionaire has committed suicide”. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/435 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/436 Last week we saw history being made. Luis Urzua, the shift leader of the 33 Chilean miners was the last man to be hoisted to the surface after being trapped for 69 days underground. He used all his talents and skills to help the miners stay calm and in control but also most importantly he had the energy needed to ensure his men didn’t give up. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/436 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/437 Smart business owners know that content is king for Internet marketing. This has always been true, but never more so than now, when you need to prove you're an expert before people visit your Web site. But how do you write great content that compels readers to keep reading? Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/437 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/438 Americans seem destined to keep on working into what would have been their retirement years. A new MetLife study shows Americans will continue working out of financial necessity, beginning with the "Early Boomers". Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/438 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/428 Danke, merci, grazie, gracias, vinaka. However we say it, saying Thank You is one of the most effective ways of making clients and customers feel both valued, and valuable. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/428 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/425 Inconsistencies have consequences. Globally, businesses from a broad spectrum of sectors are suffering from a trend to commoditisation and the inherent consequences of heightened price sensitivity, squeezed margins and lack of client and customer loyalty. Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/425 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/427 According to Beloit College's 'Mindset' list many young Americans heading to university this year may think Germany has always been one country, Beethoven is a dog rather than a composer and Banana Republic is a fashion store rather than a politically unstable South American dictatorship. Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/427 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/426 Being green can actually get you out of the red. Being green isn’t about ‘tree hugging’ it’s a serious business strategy which will not only save massive amounts of waste in your business but also elevate your business reputation. Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/426 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/418 This week my new assistant Alex began working with me. As I began thinking about her first week, I looked at what I could share with her that would quickly bring her up to speed in relation to what DebPilgrim.com stood for. There’s the usual focus on the description of her position, desired competencies, and how we would work together, but for her to have a strong understanding of who we are, I... Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/418 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/419 One of the recent discussions in the eGurus Community has been about whether e-books need as much pre-publishing work - editing, proofing, layout, and so on - as printed books. The topic was raised by one of my clients, Maria Carlton, who runs an excellent membership site of her own, "Idea to Author-Ity". Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/419 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/420 According to a recent study from Pew Research, 97 percent of teens and more than half of all adults play video games. Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/420 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/407 In this article we will work through a real example of an operational soft KPI that changed the relationship of a business with its customers. After reading it you will be able to apply a similar thought process to your own business. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/407 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/408 Defining your target market is one of the most important steps you can do to build your marketing plan and increase your bottom line. So when asked, who is your target market - please - don't say everyone! Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/408 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/409 When working with entrepreneurs' one area that many seem to get stuck on is the area of delegation. It can be the hardest job an entrepreneur learns, in fact some never do. They insist on handling the work themselves and running themselves ragged in the meantime. Others think they are delegating but in fact are only paying lip service to the word! SO to help you let go, here are some steps y... Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/409 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/410 What effect will raising the price have on demand and sales? What will be impact on profitability? How will my market share be affected? Will I start a price war if I reduce prices? If you have ever worried about these questions, read on. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/410 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/415 No one can dispute the success of Telepresence* and the impressive increase in virtual meetings. Now, a surprising new study finds that over the next 10 to 15 years these virtual meetings media could replace up to 70 percent of internal travel and 10 percent of external travel. According to Bernstein Research, the result could lead to an aggregate reduction of 21 percent in corporate travel spe... Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/415 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/416 Funerals are rarely easy. Most of us don't enjoy going to them, but we do so to support families and friends in memory of a loved one. Each service has its own special character, with that fine balance between sadness and treasured memory. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/416 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/417 Here's a quick run-down of the new products and services that caught our attention this week: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/417 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/404 Will 'business as usual' ever return? I doubt it. Although business owners and operators may yearn for the 'good old days' before the Global Financial Crisis, the chances of 'business as usual' ever returning are diminishing by the day, which in my opinion, is probably no bad thing. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/404 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/405 Selling online is the hardest way to sell. It’s not like selling face-to-face or even selling over the phone. You’re just another webpage on an internet filled with scams and dodgy people. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/405 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/403 Buying something online is usually a very scary experience. We’ve already had our visitors ask the question “Why should I trust you?” and now it’s time to make sure they follow through. You’d be amazed at the strange things that go through a person’s head when they’re about to make a payment. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/403 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/402 Should I 'fake it till I make it?' is a question I'm regularly asked. No doubt many individuals and businesses have got ahead and been given the opportunity to prove they can,indeed, deliver on their promises by doing exactly this. For others, however, following this advice can be extremely risky and create enormous reputational damage. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/402 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/401 Yet most attendees say the webmeetings are not very successful. So if you are an organization that uses webmeeting technology – well done – but don’t be too surprised to hear that you don’t do good webmeetings! Read on to learn how to do them well…… Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/401 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/388 I recently received an email from a senior GSF member regarding apparently unethical and unprofessional behaviour from a professional CSP speaker based overseas. The email was to give a 'heads-up', so to speak, and let me, and know doubt many others, know of this speaker's run in with an event-organiser. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/388 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/389 This will not be an easy article to read but bear with me because if you have found this article, or it has found you, then treat it as a gift. Reading it will probably be painful, but if you are willing to stick it out to the end, then the changes it can bring to your life will astound you. Be brave. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/389 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/390 How do you measure your sales team productivity? The common measures I find in dealing with my clients focus on the end result – the customer order, and of course, the value of the orders. This the most critical measure for every business because it is the driver on which everything else depends. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/390 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/391 The last part of this series I wish to devote to what I regard as the most insidious and venal aspect of the Game –that being what I refer to as the ‘knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing’ syndrome. The gigantic marketing machine of the Game, pumps out an endless stream of images of the good life – beautiful, svelte, youngish people, bearing their teeth in the midst of orgasm... Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/391 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/392 Over the years, we have covered numerous high-tech medical advances in that allow us to better understand brain function, treat disease, and capitalize on human ability. For years now, we have known about a low-tech method of increasing human ability called Brain GymR, but only recently has one of its most effective spokespersons, Jerry Teplitz, JD, PhD, released a book detailing business appli... Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/392 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/393 As promised I am back today with a blog on the second new rule of money: Learn to deal with debt. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/393 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/394 One of the biggest frustrations for any website owner is getting traffic to your pages, only to find that people disappear quickly, having spent only a few seconds taking a look around. All that effort in getting people to web pages is being wasted because once they are there, they disappear more rapidly than you can even think about it. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/394 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/385 According to a recent study from The Corporate Executive Board, that may well happen to you! Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/385 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/386 Thinking strategically inherently involves thinking about the future. Strategic thinkers can make linkages between decisions today and the future impacts. If you are unable to envisage how the future may be different to the present, then you are unlikely to understand how to start changing products, services and processes to be successful over time. But envisaging how the future may be differe... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/386 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/387 According to the late economic guru Drucker the miracles of industrialization and capitalism created the possibility of abundance. What was once the domain of the artist, or the artisan, now could be executed more quickly, efficiently and above all inexpensively, by the semi-skilled worker. Of course that, which made all this possible, was the precise operationalization of the production proces... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/387 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/384 Abstract: Nothing gets sold without someone making an offer. However most people don't understand how offers work or how creating them properly will increase their sales. So let's take a look at some quick tips to create truly irresistible offers. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/384 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/379 Numerous studies have shown that job-related stress is associated with reduced productivity, impaired mental well-being, and physical problems, including increased illness and obesity. Needless to say, The Great Recession has only made the problem worse. Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/379 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/380 Talk to any financial trader, investor, or guru, and they will tell you that markets run on fear and greed – success depends upon banking on the fear and greed of others, while managing to keep your own in check. Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/380 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/381 I was reading Jeff Davidson’s blog a couple of weeks ago and he shared a New York Times article on how people could no longer appreciate each other’s company and even at a wedding dinner, were texting constantly instead of enjoying the meal, the wine and chatting with the other guests. Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/381 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/382 A newcomer to a group affects the team’s dynamic. We’ve all noticed team members sizing up a newcomer and the new person working out where they fit in. Even the power of the boss can be affected, for better or worse, by a new arrival. With social animals, things can get pretty tricky when introducing a new member into the group. Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/382 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/383 One of the reasons why people are often put off from revealing too much information online is they are afraid of "theft". They worry, for instance, that if they put their knowledge online, other people will steal it, plagiarise it and use it as their own. If it's not knowledge, but actual products, such as audio or video items, anyone, anywhere in the world can make copies within moments and ri... Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/383 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/378 Let’s face it. No matter how positive we intend to be and how focused we are on attracting positive people into our lives, there are times when we will come into contact with negative people. You know the type: They love to talk about all the things that are going wrong in their life. Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/378 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/377 Working out how well your website is doing can be tricky. There are lots of different ways you can consider it . For instance, you can think about the traffic you receive. Or you can consider the income you generate. Or you could work out the impact you have on your visitors. There is no right or wrong way to analyse website success. Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/377 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/373 Web copywriting is the art of expressing your message in words so you attract and excite your website visitors. Then once you’ve got their attention and built desire they’re much more likely to buy your products or services. The problem is most websites read like a boring corporate brochure and do none of the things I just mentioned. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/373 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/374 Headlines about social networks and the supposed dangers of social networking appear in newspapers daily. Recently I was asked to comment on the story that "Facebook causes syphilis"...! Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/374 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/375 Good organisations exist in a state of constant change. They adapt to changing circumstances to survive. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/375 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/376 Even presenters who recognise the opportunity in paid webinars sometimes think the only way to make money from webinars is by selling individual tickets to attendees. In other words, it's like running a public seminar: You plan the event, promote it as widely as possible, offer incentives for early registration, take bookings by credit card, and then run the event. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/376 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/372 Out of the following 5 countries, which would you think is the one most likely to follow the hierarchy, and all the rules and regulations without question? (A state called High PDI = Power Distance Index). Sun, 25 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/372 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/370 To control cash flow we first need to know what cash flow actually is, how it works.What is cash flow? Why is it important to control your cash flow? Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/370 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/371 For the last 20 years I’ve watched a crop of young people identified in the late 1980s as ‘high potential leaders’ in IBM Australia develop into top business leaders. One of the crop became a global executive with Microsoft, one is currently the CEO of IBM Australia and one is the CEO of Australia’s largest telco. Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/371 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/366 We work hard to make money and then two words (one a contraction) squander our hard earned money and burn our future. The two words: “It’s only” Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/366 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/367 According to the ‘Social Media Revolution’ video from Socialnomics, 96% of Generation Y or Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000 or thereabouts) are part of an online social network and yet the fastest growing segment of Facebook is females aged 55-65 years old. Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/367 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/368 June 2010 - A recent survey of 345 Australian franchisees found that 20% of respondents admitted that they had no idea of what they were getting into when they bought a franchise. The survey also came up with some other headline-grabbing statistics. Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/368 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/369 Your website needs a system to be able to sell your products and services and collect the cash. The problem is, the myriad of services and options is hugely confusing. Indeed, type in the phrase "best shopping cart" into Google and you end up with more than 44,000 results. Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/369 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/365 All businesses using computers rely on them to a greater or lesser extent. Would you and your staff be able to deal with customers, sales, process orders etc without them? If not how long could you cope with such an interruption? Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/365 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/364 I have just finished working on a new Sales KPI model, trying to capture what I have learned about the numbers that really count when you are trying to improve sales performance. After a lifetime of selling for a living, am surprised by what it revealed Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/364 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/361 The interpretation of the Profiles is based on the original DISC Theories and the Extended DISC Theory. To understand fully the role of the different questions in forming the profiles would require understanding of the calculation rules for the Profiles. Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/361 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/362 For anyone in the business to business sector, lead generation is fundamental. True, working for existing clients is more profitable, but there always comes a time when you need new customers. Finding potential leads is, of course, not easy and can be costly. That's why so many B2B companies want to maximise their use of the web to get more leads. Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/362 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/360 In early 2008 I attended a workshop in Cape Town presented by an American presenter and trainer, Nancy Kline, who had written a book called, “Time To Think, listening to ignite the human mind”. As a firm believer in ongoing learning I have attended many training courses over the years but it was unexpected that learning to listen, as I did that day, would stand out as one of the most powerful. Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/360 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/358 If you're a presenter, thought leader or infopreneur, I'm sure you've already heard about "e-learning", and you might even be doing some of it already. Unfortunately, I find many people are intimidated by the idea, even if they know they "should" be doing something about it. Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/358 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/359 This is a pre course survey run in readiness for a ‘bullying’ workshop a small group of us planned to run. We wanted to know if all the bullying we were reading about in schools and the workplace were for real or just media hype. Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/359 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/357 The Cloud is the name given to a collection of computers and storage devices that are shared amongst many organisations. Essentially, it is a massive data centre spanning the planet. Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/357 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/355 This is something I ask businesses all the time - and the response I get is:- “what do you mean by marbles?”. It’s really easy - marbles are your people - the people you work with and who work for you every day. They are also your customers, and your friends and family. Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/355 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/356 A few weeks ago I spent a couple of hours with a client. He recruits about 100 people a year for his Insurance business. He goes through a laborious one month process to recruit people, puts them through a 12 week training process (during which time he pays them a small retainer) and then over the following 12 months, watches to see who will make the grade (or not). Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/356 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/349 When I talk to some presenters about the webinars I conduct, their first response is: "There's no way we could do our training courses by webinar, because the people really have to be in the room." The truth is: They are probably right! Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/349 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/350 I’ve just been involved in a very interesting blog. The question asked in the blog was along the lines of ‘can people make a choice about happiness?’ And there were some interesting responses. Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/350 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/351 As much as we like to think we are fully conscious rational beings who char their own destiny, at best we are co-creators of our reality. Most of our waking hours are spent in one trance or another. Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/351 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/352 In his book The Conspiracy Of The Rich, The Eight New Rules Of Money, Robert T. Kiyosaki lists them as follows: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/352 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/353 There is an attitudinal shift happening in today's labor marketplace, and it is not good news for employers. As we have said in previous Herman Trend Alerts, increases in consumer confidence result in churning in the labor marketplace. More people are able to find jobs; others feel confident enough to quit them without firm offers. They are seeing more hiring and a strengthening economy. Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/353 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/354 June 2010 - A recent survey of 345 Australian franchisees found that 20% of respondents admitted that they had no idea of what they were getting into when they bought a franchise. The survey also came up with some other headline-grabbing statistics. Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/354 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/348 Is this what happened in the pharmaceutical industry to make profits more important than healing and curing and is this what happened at BP as we watch the horror that is hundreds of gallons of oil gushing into The Gulf Of Mexico? Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/348 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/347 I spent all day on Thursday at the Social Media Marketing UK conference in London. There were about 200 people there and we were treated to the latest thinking in social media marketing - including some very useful case studies. Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/347 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/344 I was asked recently, what made a memorable presenter. Here are my thoughts: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/344 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/345 Giving and receiving feedback are skills that can be learned and once practiced, are extremely useful. Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/345 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/346 Can you imagine a performance development approach which can not only be used to motivate and engage individuals; help with career development and succession planning, but will also have a positive impact on their performance? Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/346 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/342 A huge step in developing your most successful path forward is to understand the power of your associations with others and to recognize the cost of bad ones. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/342 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/343 The impact of personality in communication cannot be ignored. It is extremely helpful to develop a technique that will give you a quick understanding of what your communicating partner sees as important; what his or her `hot buttons’ are, so that you can understand what drives their behavior and what they will value as a `win-win’ outcome. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/343 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/341 I was fortunate to attend a national speakers conference in Sydney a few months back and as with all such conferences there was a lot new information, old information, old information presented in new ways etc etc, but lots to think about either way and an awesome experience of excellent people and excellent food. I am still convinced that the air in the hotel cupboards shrunk all my clothes. Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/341 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/334 14 June 2010 – Corruption and human rights issues continue to be neglected by companies despite ongoing interest in United Nations-led efforts to ensure ethical corporate conduct, according to the findings of a new survey by a global initiative that seeks to foster responsible business practices. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/334 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/335 The War for Talent was a copy of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution that started 44 years ago with the Chinese talents from all the Chinese universities, called the Red Guards, who took over all the power from the former members and leaders of the Communist party of the People's Republic of China. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/335 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/336 A business plan provides an essential map to get you to your business destination. This guide from The National Bank outlines the benefits of having a business plan, the key elements, and how you can prepare a simple but effective plan that will function as an 'action template' for your business. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/336 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/337 When you buy a business, you need to know if it will make money and when. David Weusten offers a guide to three vital financial reports Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/337 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/338 What have the Romans done for us? That's one of the classic lines from Monty Python's "Life of Brian" - but it will sound familiar to any franchisor, too. Simon Lord has been imagining how things might sound 2000 years on. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/338 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/339 Wondering how to make your business grow? Franchising could be the answer, according to David Pearson. Here he offers some advice to potential franchisors. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/339 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/340 What do you need to know before you buy a franchise? Here's a comprehensive list of over 200 vital questions to ask the franchisor that will help you make the right decision. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/340 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/331 Ever wondered how some people manage to always come up with different or creative ideas, while you seem to keep coming back to the same old ones? Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/331 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/332 There’s an old saying that "It's not what you say, but how you say it.” It's one of the things an actor will spend time on when learning a script. Experimenting with a range of ways to say the same line, trying to find the one that fits best for that character in that situation. The same holds true for engaging clients, managers, staff and others in strategic conversations. Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/332 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/333 By our own personal understanding the unifying principle common to every living human is: “Thought is a divine gift through which we create our reality.” Sydney Banks. Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/333 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/326 In 1875 a young man wrote a poem from his hospital bed, not a long poem, just four verses totalling sixteen lines; one hundred and three words in all. Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/326 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/327 It is a sobering realisation that we are each, potentially, just six contact points away from personal conversations or private audiences with the likes of Nelson Mandela, The Pope and President Barack Obama. Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/327 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/328 When I talk to people about getting involved with social media - such as Twitter, blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the like - they often say they don't know how to behave in these environments. This is a genuine and valid concern. After all, your mum might have told you which cutlery goes with which course, but you probably didn't have anybody telling you the etiquette of communicatin... Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/328 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/329 To succeed ... You need to find something to hold onto, something to motivate you and something to inspire you." Tony Dorsett. What a great quote in an era when the world has changed and will again in the future. No successful person has arrived at their destination without some challenges, so although you may have experienced past and ongoing challenges, it is a time of onwards and upwards. Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/329 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/330 What can Baby Boomers and Gen X pass onto Gen Y and Z to help improve workplace safety and are they listening? And what can Gen Y teach baby boomers? Sometimes it’s a challenge to decide which generation you slot into and where your co-workers slot into the workforce as well. Baby Boomers post war babies are now middle age and entering senior years. In the economy, many are now retiring and ... Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/330 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/324 Here's a quick run-down of the new products and services that caught our attention this week: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/324 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/325 Some of the most important questions you will ever ask yourself are "Who am I? - Who do I want to be?" Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/325 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/321 If the universal goal is a high performance, why is performance management so difficult. In this newsletter I will explore the influence of two drivers, FEAR and GREED, and the way they have corrupted the idea of performance management. Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/321 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/316 There are many ways to create, and maintain, a winning reputation, some of which are industry, or even business or individual, specific. However, the seven reputation branding essentials below apply across the board and can help you develop and maintain a reputation that will open doors rather than slam them shut! Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/316 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/317 Over the last month two events have dominated the economic news: the Gulf oil spill caused by the mechanical failure on a British Petroleum offshore drilling rig, and the insolvency of the Greek Federal government. It seems on both sides of the Atlantic we’re beset with scandal and crisis. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/317 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/318 Is there a way of determining a break–even point for promotion of a business? I’ve come across at least one. It’s a complex function, using “quadratics”. For those not mathematically inclined, that’s a function that looks like “r = -as2 + bs + c”, where r is the revenue generated, s is the “spend” on advertising and promotion (in tens of thousands of dollars), and the a, b, c are constants. ... Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/318 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/319 This might seem a strange question, but it is not too daft. After all, you can profile yourself on LinkedIn, you can use Facebook pages to promote your products and services and you can use blogs to keep people up-to-date with what is going on. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/319 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/320 To think strategically about any organisation, you must first understand the vision, strategies and values its owners have for it. Without a thorough understanding of these, it’s impossible to make linkages to your role, make better day-to-day decisions and give effective advice. You are also unlikely to be seen as a strategic thinker by others if you have not grasped the organisation’s key str... Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/320 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/314 Your website needs more links - it exists after all in a "web". The more connected you are, the more Google likes you AND the more important and visible you seem to human beings. If you are not connected, you are isolated. And on the Internet that means "invisible". However, simply having links on a "links page" is not good enough. Mon, 31 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/314 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/313 I had just written my first hard copy book ‘Shift Your But' when a professional speaking colleague of mine asked how much I was selling the book for. When I told him proudly $30, his reaction was, ‘Do you realize that every time you sell a book you leave anything from $300 to $3000 or more lying on the table?' Wed, 26 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/313 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/312 There are 6 stages of being a franchisee Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/312 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/310 Many people still think that Twitter is just that - people twittering on and on about the sandwiches they have just eaten or the fact they are just watching their favourite TV programme. Who cares? Well, to be frank, no-one...! However, Twitter is an immensely powerful business tool and there are three powerful reasons why you should be using it. Sun, 23 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/310 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/311 Several years ago I was a personal chef to the rich and famous. This may be news to you but it is true! Over a period of fourteen years I had many different experiences cooking for interesting people. I learned some big lessons especially about egos and humility. Sun, 23 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/311 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/309 A quick run-down of the new business ideas that caught the attention of springwise.com this week Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/309 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/308 "Article Marketing" is the fancy name given to getting articles you have written published on other websites. It is a name dreamt up by "Internet Marketing Gurus" and I have to say, there is no such thing as "Article Marketing". Anyone in the service business sector - and many in the product selling game - knows that you can only sell when people think your company, products and services off... Sun, 16 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/308 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/306 Somewhere between a third and at half of all of the mortgages in the U.S. today are on properties with negative equity. This means that the mortgages are greater in value than the home itself. Despite the fact that the liability to the homeowner is limited to the home, and on a pure cost benefit basis there is no reason to keep servicing the mortgage each month, the vast majority of people co... Thu, 13 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/306 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/307 I am constantly amazed that one of the biggest keys to success is so simple, yet so powerful. I truly believe that one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is the power to 'just ask'... Thu, 13 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/307 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/304 "How do we find the time to stay on top of Twitter, Facebook, blogging and every other Internet tool?" It's a fair question, and an important one. My answer is: Don't try and stay on top of them all. There are three that will do 80% of what you need, and that's good enough. Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/304 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/305 "I don't want to live in vain like most people." These words were written in the 1944 diary of a 15 year old girl who never had the chance to live her full life. Less than one year after recording these words she was dead. The girl was Anne Frank. Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/305 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/300 SME owners find they get too involved in the daily grind of business to dedicate required time to market their company. Whilst owners have the professional or trade skills and knowledge to conduct their own business, their marketing skills are low and they have little or no resources to help with marketing activities. Most SMEs think they have insufficient funds for marketing budgets, so the... Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/300 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/302 Sources suggest that the full cost of employing someone is about 50% more than their actual salary. For someone on $40,000, the business may have to find over $60,000! Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/302 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/303 A quick run-down of the new business ideas that caught the attention of springwise.com this week Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/303 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/295 "To succeed ... You need to find something to hold onto, something to motivate you and something to inspire you." Tony Dorsett What a great quote in an era when the world has been through such massive trauma since the financial melt-down. Sun, 02 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/295 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/296 Over the years I’ve experimented with calling meetings by other names, simply because the very word ‘meetings’ conjures up all manner of reactions – usually of the negative kind. Sun, 02 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/296 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/297 Webinars are certainly a hot new technology; and if you're a speaker, trainer, thought leader or other infopreneur, they are a "must know" skill rather than a "nice to know" skill. Sun, 02 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/297 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/298 The issue of getting people to read your web content is vexing. Earlier this week I was at a meeting where a couple of people complained they keep adding content to their website and still they can't get enough readers. These complaints were quickly followed by concerns over the open rates of emails - in some cases only a handful of emails are opened that are sent in newsletter campaigns, for i... Sun, 02 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/298 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/293 Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/293 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/294 People often remark that there is a preponderance of the number 7 on prices you see online. Books are sold for £9.97 or there are membership sites for $27 a month. You can even get online coaching programmes for $997. Why is "Number Seven" so magic? Or is it just that everyone copies each other? Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/294 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/291 In December of 2009 I went to a number of conferences where I heard people say; “Oh I’ll be glad when this year is over and we can start afresh next year”. Hey, what is this? Is there a reset button on life? Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/291 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/292 Productivity reduction of 25% can be experienced after layoffs as people go into a ‘grief’ process. This is not the only one thing that can hurt a company; the loss of the networks of experienced older employees is much more dangerous for companies that fire their employees as layoffs relate inversly to Metcalfe's and Reed's laws: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/292 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/289 Today’s business environment is fast paced, chaotic, and unpredictable. The one constant confronting the senior management of any organization in the world today is continuous, unrelenting change. Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/289 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/290 One of the few growth industries these days, aside from bankruptcy consulting, is Change Management. It stands to reason that when what you are doing is not working, do something different. Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/290 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/286 I've been reading Toby Marshall's excellent book "Small Business Internet Marketing", and he says something that I completely agree with: "If you don't have a niche, don't even think about SEO [search engine optimisation]. Complete waste of time unless you are a giant corporation. How can you optimize for everything? Dumb to even think it's possible." Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/286 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/288 When I was a teenager, I went to work in a large department store as a trainee manager. It sounded good: a whole career path was opening up. And none of it in the dirty, slave-labour tasks that my father and mother had had to follow. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/288 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/284 The fact that the government had to commission a study into training needs for UK plc seems to fly in the face of the apparent rising educational standards. At all levels – whether first year undergraduates or first time employees – universities and employers are having to provide basic numeracy and literacy training. Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/284 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/285 Even with employers that are willing to narrow the skills gaps, can the aims of this report really be achieved given the considerations that employers face when assessing the true cost of training and development? Organisations very often don’t have training expertise in-house, which means that employers will need to consider some, if not all, of the following issues when reviewing their train... Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/285 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/283 What do "The Wages of Fear" mean to you? For some it may mean the title of a 1953 Award winning French film, for others it may mean nothing, but for some it may well be a job description. Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/283 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/280 My multicultural team has two Chinese, one Indian, two Tongans, one South African and two European New Zealanders. I dread every team meeting. The New Zealanders complain after the meeting about the brash South Africans. The South Africans complain in the meeting about the lack of direct communication. The Indians get flowery and we all get lost in the detail. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/280 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/281 Yesterday I received an email from a client asking me to review and comment on some marketing material she had been working on. I replied to her saying it looked good, except I couldn't see anything about the benefits & results her clients receive when working with her. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/281 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/282 Want to know the fastest way to build your business? Get out from behind your computer and meet people! I am surprised at how many business owners will stay in their office trying to build their business, rather than getting out and building strong one-on-one relationships. Taking the time to meet with people face-to-face will have the greatest impact in attracting more clients and b... Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/282 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/277 I have an approach to life that I call "moment making". During study towards my degree in Psychology, I noticed that people remember their life in "highlights". They remember a special birthday, a trip away, or a unique moment that came about randomly. What they don't remember is the 180 Friday nights at the local bar, the 2126 hours playing Playstation or the 10,000 hours of TV they watched ... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/277 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/278 One of the best pieces of advice I ever gained was from a poster at my old church when I was 22 or so years of age. We all know the type - one of those traditional motivational posters with some well meaning phrase designed to get us all excited… While I have seen and enjoyed many of these, this one INSTANTLY changed my perspective about life! Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/278 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/279 The key to a successful sales pitch for a product, mirror what should happen when a senior executive applies for a new position. Its all about the sell, brand and pitch! Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/279 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/275 As professional speakers we can get onto the hours-for-dollars treadmill very easily which is not a good long term business strategy. Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/275 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/276 It’s curious how something ‘normal’ in one culture is considered offensive in another. Recruitment and selection processes are no exception. Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/276 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/274 Alvin Toffler’s book, "Power Shift", describes the need for a new approach to business. In place of the traditional, linear, power paradigm prevalent in the past, he advocates a more fluid, flexible model which stresses cooperation over conflict. This is achieved by superimposing an informal network of communication over the horizontal structure of the firm. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/274 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/265 At first sight, Twitter appears to be nonsense. There are people telling you they have just fed the cat or they are in a meeting. Who cares? Not me - and not you either I guess. However, Twitter is already making some businesses millions. And you too can make money directly from Twitter, if you use it appropriately. There are three main ways in which Twitter can provide your business with real ... Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/265 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/266 Blogging was originally invented as a project management system - the word is derived from "web log", a page which was a log of what was being looked at online. That was shortened to "weblog" and then corrupted to "we blog". In turn, it has been taken to mean some kind of online diary, but actually blogging software is nothing more than a database. You enter information into it and the software... Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/266 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/267 Google Analytics is set to become somewhat useless. Google has announced the introduction of "opt outs" from their Analytics service, used by millions of websites. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/267 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/272 A key to successfully attaining our professional and personal outcomes and goals is to remember that: Realizing our own desired outcomes and goals, while creating and sustaining strong relationships, comes from considering the views of everyone involved and through the creation of mutually acceptable and beneficial outcomes and goals for all concerned. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/272 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/268 There are the 3 things you need to STOP doing if you want to move your business to the next level. 1. STOP doing everything yourself and being a lone ranger. 2. STOP doing the things that don't generate you an income. 3. STOP thinking that because you are brilliant at what you do, your business will be successful. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/268 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/269 Defining your target market is one of the most important steps you can do to build your marketing plan and increase your bottom line. So when asked, who is your target market - please - don't say everyone! Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/269 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/270 When working with entrepreneurs' one area that many seem to get stuck on is the area of delegation. It can be the hardest job an entrepreneur learns, in fact some never do. They insist on handling the work themselves and running themselves ragged in the meantime. Others think they are delegating but in fact are only paying lip service to the word! SO to help you let go, here are some steps y... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/270 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/271 Coaching has its roots in the area of sports dating as far back as ancient Greece and the Olympic games. Workplace coaching is much more contemporary. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/271 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/273 We are living in what some call unprecedented times. However, that doesn’t mean that what characterizes great leadership is unprecedented. There is a great plethora of advice on how to survive in the current economic climate. However,whether the economy is progressing, recessing or trundling along at zero percent growth effective leadership and management should look, feel and sound the same... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/273 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/264 Life is for purposefully and consistently growing into the best and truest version of ourselves. It is for creating a life that is meaningful, filled with passion and a feeling of fulfilment. The good news is that if you do not already have the life you desire and want you can create it. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/264 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/263 Perched in the midst of the undulating Tuscan landscape, lies the walled town of Volterra. Today it is a priceless museum of renaissance and Etruscan culture. However its immense fortifications bear witness to the fact that in days of yore it was a powerful city state. Life in the town has a beautiful, even tempo. People are dressed elegantly, but not ostentatiously.. All have their own style, ... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/263 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/262 Recruitment can be a headache for franchisees and franchisors alike. Ann Andrews offers some suggestions on finding the right person for the job. This article highlights simple tips for uncovering the potential bad apples, and will help you to ensure you recruit the great franchisees by using a simple interview questioning process. Take your time to read this and then take your time with yo... Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/262 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/261 Most employers now use social networking sites to screen candidates, with almost half claiming that what they had seen on such sites had caused them to hesitate over hiring a candidate. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/261 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/258 Don’t shoot short! Losses of customers and business do occur because of awful customer service. Too many business leaders, it seems, address these leakages with limited allocations of time, people and resources. Some rationalise with reference to the Global Financial Crisis and its fallout. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/258 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/260 In today's corporate world the unthinkable has become the commonplace. The nightmare scenario for any outside stakeholder in a corporation - pervasive collusion extending to include the executive and board levels - has become the elephant in the room. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/260 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/256 When I was born, in 1931, the “Great Depression” gripped the world.Where we lived, in the Catlins sawmilling district of South Otago, not one home had electric light. Tap water trickled from a corrugated-iron tank. We bathed once a week in an out-house copper tub. Our sole outside long-drop toilet teetered over a sawmill creek. We had no movies, no television, no night clubs. My family never ow... Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/256 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/255 If you’re in business you need to understand the nature of the people born between the early 1980’s and the mid 1990’s, who now make up approximately 20 per cent of the workforce and are vital to our economic future. The fascinating article on Generation Y that follows was written by Dr Charles Woodruffe of business psychology consultancy Human Assets Ltd. It appeared in the July 2009 editio... Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/255 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/254 I have just been working with an international bank and their staff are absolutely overwhelmed by the never-ending, on-going changes that keep coming down from on high. They are quite literally, exhausted! Sickness is rife, attendance is becoming a challenge and morale is low. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/254 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/253 One time a few years ago one I inadvertently upset one of my team. We were in a team meeting, progressing through the agenda. Dan (not his real name) started on his subject. He was joking around a bit and I asked him to stick to the subject. In the normal course of things my comment would not have upset anyone. But I could see that Dan was hurt by my comment. Of course I was concerned and immed... Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/253 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/252 If you've ever been irritated, or frustrated, by someone using words and phrases that make things harder to understand, rather than easier, you're not alone. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/252 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/251 Over the course of my 20+ years working in the corporate world as a personnel manager and human resources manager, I became passionate about teaching employees how to be self-managing; to think ahead with regard to their skill-set and career prospects. Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/251 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/244 (Harvard Business Review 3.12.2009) Giving feedback, particularly constructive feedback, is often a stressful task. As counterintuitive as it may seem, giving feedback to a top performer can be even tougher. Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/244 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/245 NEW YORK (Fortune) -- The last time anyone looked, Toyota was a Japanese company controlled by a Japanese family. But during the entire accelerator recall crisis -- now complicated by brake problems with the Prius -- they have been all but invisible. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/245 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/246 Blogging is really, really important now, because your blog can be embedded easily into other places, such as on-line communities, Facebook pages, and even iPhone apps. So if you're not blogging yet, I hope this article convinces you that it's easy to do. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/246 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/250 If you think there is a possibility that there is bullying happening in your workplace, then this article will help you to tell the difference between bullying and harassment. A dysfunction that is estimated to affected one in four people. Read on for simple tips and tools on how to deal with this issue. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/250 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/237 During the last 15 years, publicly listed US corporations have wasted between five and ten trillion US dollars on bonuses to maintain their costly war for talent which led to the lay off of millions of experienced, older employees with great networks to customers. Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/237 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/239 “Sleep, like good health in general is something most people take for granted” Deepak Chopra Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/239 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/240 A coming of age in NZ - Corporate Wellness Programs in New Zealand just 15 years ago were few and far between, in fact the term wellness was not widely recognised at all. Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/240 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/241 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/241 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/242 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/242 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/238 And making it work for you. STRESS what does it really mean? Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/238 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/236 It's not in every voice class I teach where a 'Bob' transforms into a 'Sarah', but that is exactly the radical transformation that happened. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/236 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/234 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/234 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/232 "He that a Miser lives and a Miser dies. At the Last Day what Figure shall he rise?" Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/232 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/233 In today’s business world facts are king. Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/233 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/230 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Market Focused entrepreneur isn’t all it’s cracked up to be Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/230 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/231 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Systems Focused owners are great business builders but aren't such great business starters. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/231 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/229 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/229 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/223 It's been a dynamic year - in both positive and negative ways - for many businesses. Not only have we faced a turbulent economy, we've also faced the most turbulent year ever in Internet technology. Many of these changes will affect your business - whether you like it or not. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/223 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/224 If you've never stopped to consider what people think of you, or your company, in a word, I strongly recommend you do. Why? Because it's an ‘acid-test' of reputation. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/224 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/225 Research indicates it's 6-7 times more expensive to gain one new client or customer than it is to retain one. And yet many businesses spend thousands of hours, and dollars, trying to acquire new customers, and relatively little time and effort nurturing and retaining their existing ones. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/225 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/226 A Google search for ‘happiness’ will give you around 63 million possibilities. A search for its opposite, only 2.5 million. This suggests most of us know what ‘unhappiness’ is but are still searching for happiness. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/226 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/227 Social standing is a matter of life and death. Literally. For social primates like humans, the implications of how we look in the eyes of others, and our standing in the pecking order, is correlated to how long we live and our quality of life along the way. There are significant implications for leadership of organisations. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/227 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/228 Finding Your Audience As a speaker, even finding your passion doesn’t guarantee success. Your passion is not necessarily an easy sell. The more original or out of the box your idea, the more resistance with which it is likely to meet. This is in part because of a kind of groupthink which pervades society. This is not meant to discourage you, but to get you psychologically prepared for what lie... Sun, 06 Dec 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/228 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/210 In the seventies Marks and Spencers was the icon of the retail industry. Everyone used M&S as a benchmark by which they measured their performance and aspired to achieve. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/210 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/211 My Grandmother said to me, when you point a finger at someone, take a look at your hand because there are three fingers pointing back at you!! Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/211 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/212 This is the famous motto of Gordon Gecko, the nefarious villain in the movie, Wall Street. Those investment bankers who are at the heart of the engine that drove the sub-prime bubble saw their activities as not stemming from rapacious greed, but as being just and good, and in the best interests of family and country. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/212 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/213 Over the last few months we have been experiencing the after-shock from the 2008 crash. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/213 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/214 I think it worth starting by defining what coaching is? People talk about mentoring and coaching in an interchangeable manner but in reality they are different. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/214 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/215 A few years ago, I met one of the best known 'sales experts' in the UK. He had authored several books, and provided motivational training for blue-chip companies in a career spanning decades. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/215 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/216 What is it that makes one person wildly successful in business and an equally talented person fail? Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/216 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/209 Defining your target market is one of the most important steps you can do to build your marketing plan and increase your bottom line. So when asked, who is your target market - please - don't say everyone! Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/209 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/208 Close relationships come at a cost. Really knowing the perceptions, preferences, expectations and buying habits of existing and prospective customers accord businesses considerable benefits, advantages and rewards. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/208 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/206 In the last issue we highlighted the first ten of our top 50 forecasts for 2010. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/206 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/207 As part of our work on the future of the travel industry, we have identified the following as being important developments on the industry horizon for 2020. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/207 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/204 The year of unknown challenges has had people in the workplace encountering situations they had not anticipated on their goals list at the beginning of 2009. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/204 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/205 Part One - Best Practice for Customer Service Leaders and Managers Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/205 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/200 Motivating staff is an important function of any team leader or manager. This can sometimes be hard work and with the constant focus on others we can sometimes forget to motivate ourselves. This in turn leads to a problem, if you aren't motivated, then it is likely that others around you will lose motivation and will not strive to take action. Here are the seven simple steps to motivate you to ... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/200 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/201 Frankly, most professionals don’t give a damn about how to network, because they try and sell who they are and what they do based on past success - assuming this will open doors and business. However by selling rather than marketing, many people just simply walk away with no benefit or potential outcome. Consequently events become nothing short of boring and a general waste of time. I can see y... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/201 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/202 It’s true that the buck stops with the leader of an organization, but when the buck stops because the customer stops walking in the door, it can be a little too late to start asking why they’re going to our competitors, not renewing contracts, or worse still not wanting to do business with us again. But go on, be brave ASK your customers what they think – they will still respect you in the m... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/202 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/203 If history has a propensity to repeat itself then the GFC should have come as no surprise to savvy market analysts and economics alike. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/203 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/199 I hear a whisper that the recession is almost over. I think we all thought this was going to be more depression than recession, so a huge sigh of relief all round that we seem to have come out of the doom and gloom fairly quickly. (Fingers crossed). Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/199 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/197 “Well if you are not happy sir, you make sure you never come back here again”. This was the exact response Eddie got from a flash restaurant at Auckland’s viaduct when he complained about his wife’s seafood chowder being cold. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/197 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/198 Key Truths From Sun Tzu’s “The Art Of War” For Today’s Leaders. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/198 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/196 When you really enjoy every aspect of your work, the level of your productivity can never be exceeded by systems, tools or methods. There is nothing on this planet that can compete with your happiness to motivate your productivity. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/196 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/195 Email marketing is a waste of almost everyone's time. You spend a considerable part of your day handling email marketing messages. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/195 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/190 Over the years in sales I am always amazed at the way human beings communicate, I am even more astounded at how badly the telephone is used in business. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/190 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/193 It’s the dream scenario for business owners and sales people everywhere… Receiving a phone call from a hot prospect ready to give you the biggest order in your company’s history! Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/193 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/194 Employers must understand that today’s discerning customers require a similarly sophisticated level of service from the salespeople they deal with, and that in an increasingly competitive market, how businesses sell to their customers, is just as important as what they sell to their customers. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/194 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/191 Absenteeism is a productivity killer. No matter how good the person is when they are at work, their overall productivity can never reach 100%. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/191 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/192 One of the most valuable aspects of leadership is coaching. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/192 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/185 There is a difference! Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/185 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/186 It’s not surprising business people are confused by Social Media. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/186 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/187 Last week we talked about why processes are so much more important to small businesses than even big business. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/187 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/188 I was at a customer appreciation event for a large telecommunications company in Beaver Creek last week. Jonny Moseley, 1998 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle skiing, and I sat and talked on the shuttle bus together on the way to the golf course the first day. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/188 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/189 Do you live in a world of abundance or in a world of scarcity? Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/189 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/183 So many times we spend a decent amount of money on a slick new website, only to find that it’s not bringing you any more business. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/183 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/184 Customer satisfaction in the UK is at 72% but the UK Customer Satisfaction Index 2009 shows that many customers` needs are still not being met. Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/184 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/181 How to make cold cash out of hot air Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/181 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/182 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/182 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/180 Have you ever held in your feelings during a meeting, not wanting to offend by speaking your mind? Then, afterwards, you think of all the things you SHOULD have said? Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/180 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/179 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/179 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/176 Whinging, whining, bitching and moaning. Blame-games, politics, gossip and back-stabbing. Ego’s, agendas, power plays and bullying. Sound like a routine day at the office? Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/176 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/177 Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, understood that to have his business grow up and run itself, he would need to pay attention to all of the Seven Elements of a Business – so he did. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/177 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/178 Once in awhile Mom would tell me on the way out the door to school that we were having hamburgers that night. But when I came in from playing to eat dinner, I found chicken on the table. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/178 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/171 The current challenging economic climate is a great time to test the strength of your leadership in business. It really does sort out the capable and resilient from those who simply give up or hide in their shell. Where are you today? Are you in your shell or out there fighting for your future? Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/171 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/172 Based on the work and thinking of Dr John Adair, the world’s first professor of leadership, let’s look at some ideas around how to be creative in our own thinking. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/172 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/173 Occam's Razor says that given two possible answers to a problem, the simpler one is usually right. If we applied this ancient idea to business, we'd make a lot more money. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/173 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/175 Guiding Principles of a business are necessary (honesty, integrity, customer service, etc.), but there is another set of principles that help the Business Owner in particular – decision-making principles. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/175 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/167 As a student of financial education and the human mind I have developed a ‘broad strokes’ overview of why the recent economic downturn occurred. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/167 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/168 A great many individuals would probably think that you, as a respectable business owner, would be nuts to actually be trying to dismiss a client! However sometimes it's the only reasonable course of action to select. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/168 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/169 As if business was not hard enough, along comes a recession. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/169 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/170 One of the primary problems faced by a company with an enterprising team involved in all major decisions is disunity. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/170 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/164 A lot of people have been asking us what we think are the critical trends, issues and developments that will influence our thinking over the next two years. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/164 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/165 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/165 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/166 I find it interesting that when the economy is buoyant and all is going well, people are so busy they haven’t got enough time in their day. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/166 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/163 The future of people and organisations is about resilience. Picking ourselves up and starting all over again as often as we have to – no matter what the circumstances. Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/163 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/162 What is 360-degree feedback? 360-Degree Feedback is also known as full-circle feedback, multirater feedback, multi-level feedback, upward appraisal, and peer review. Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/162 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/161 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/161 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/160 If you're spending a lot of money to develop your brand through advertising or a nifty website, you might want to rethink that. Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/160 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/154 Retirement is a really bad, bankrupt, industrial age idea that was never a good idea in the first place. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/154 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/155 The Time, Money, And Energy Conundrum. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/155 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/156 Just about everyone I talk too thinks networking is a great idea – but very few can actually tell me why. They just feel it is something they should do. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/156 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/157 A lot of businesses and sales professionals would like to make referrals a major part of their lead generation strategy but all too often sabotage their own b2b and other sales lead generation efforts. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/157 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/158 There are many theories about why so many people do not ask for referrals but when all is said and done there are only two reasons – people either do not know how (which is all about knowing the right techniques) or they simply don’t want to (which is all about confidence issues). Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/158 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/159 To earn the trust and respect needed to gain free sales leads through referrals requires time, effort and patience. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/159 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/153 The common way is to ask for help. Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/153 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/152 Most business owners simply set about trying to promote a product or service without finding out if there is a market for that product or service. This is the number one reason why 85% of businesses or new products fail. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/152 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/149 In our view... derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal. - Warren Buffett Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/149 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/150 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/150 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/151 You have made a Profile on LinkedIn, but never have given real thought what to write so potential customers or other people who might be interested in your Profile can find you? Or when they have found you that they are interested in contacting you and start a business relationship? Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/151 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/148 LinkedIn is a very powerful tool that can support us when we want to get in touch with potential customers. Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/148 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/147 Many people among which sales men have a Profile on LinkedIn and some connections. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/147 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/146 Success and fulfilment at work doesn’t ‘just’ happen. It has to be created. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/146 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/142 Everyone who owns a business probably knows the cost of training staff. Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/142 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/144 Your coaching program can have any number of purposes. Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/144 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/143 You may have been selected by your executive to initiate and see through some change program in your organization. Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/143 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/135 Well, would you? It doesn’t make any sense to get your boat and fishing gear ready, pay for the petrol, drive to the fishing site and spend hours of your time and effort fishing…where there are no fish does it. Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/135 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/136 I am often asked this question: Should I pay for referrals? Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/136 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/137 Every business has one main objective: to sell its products or services. And the only way to grow that business is to sell more. Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/137 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/138 International Self Esteem Day. Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/138 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/139 Knowledge Is Power was my old school motto. It did not mean much to me at the age of ten however a few decades later, I realise knowledge is the key to success. Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/139 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/140 I enjoy receiving the regular updates and business ideas from Ann (Andrews). Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/140 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/141 Some managers are still spending money on staff training in spite of tough times, but are neglecting their own Leadership development. So we ask the question, what type of training should be of highest priority during a recession? Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/141 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/134 Just a few thoughts about how to market in a recession. Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/134 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/133 Social networkers are usually quite nice people; they are, after all, social. Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/133 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/126 n 1989 I was appointed into my first management position. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/126 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/127 There continues to be massive coverage in the press just now about how effective the skill of coaching can be both in the workplace and in people’s personal lives. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/127 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/128 Just over a year ago I attended a large Sales Force Effectiveness conference and was attracted to attend for a number of reasons. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/128 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/129 Appraisals, regardless of role and of industry can be very stressful processes. Personally Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/129 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/130 I am passionate about team development and have written several articles on the subject. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/130 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/131 One of the greatest challenges a manager has is in moving his or her team though the various team development stages. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/131 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/132 Motivation is a subject that is constantly on the lips of managers and executives and it is a subject that usually confuses more than enlightens when discussed at any length. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/132 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/121 Reason 1 – Magical 150 We can predict from human instincts that intra-organisational rivalries and turf protection will occur in organisations that employ more than 150 people. Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/121 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/122 Occam's Razor says that given two possible answers to a problem, the simpler one is usually right. If we applied this ancient idea to business, we'd make a lot more money. Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/122 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/123 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/123 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/124 Dreamer - Someone who can describe some future hoped for situation, but has no clear date for when they want to be there, and isn’t actively right now pursuing that vision. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/124 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/125 The funniest things go through your mind when riding a bike on switchbacks up a mountain. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/125 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/120 Name someone who hasn't experienced some degree of stress? Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/120 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/117 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/117 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/118 Whether you like it or not, at some point in time, you may find yourself in some type of conflict in the workplace. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/118 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/119 There are 7 easy Leadership Acts which will help you to re-connect with your people and which won't take too much time away from all those other pressing issues you are dealing with. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/119 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/111 Who are you? What drives you and why? Ian offers some basic thinking and ideas for self-coaching from the basis of personal values. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/111 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/112 How do we build our confidence? Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/112 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/113 Do you have to speak to groups and give presentations? Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/113 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/114 Reflecting back over the last 12 months, use a rating scale to assess your success e.g. 5 means you have nothing to change in that area; 1 means you have everything to change in that area. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/114 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/115 At a time when many of us are job-seeking, I thought this would be an appropriate moment for a blog on interview dressing. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/115 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/116 With trust in our bankers and our politicians at an all-time low it seemed a pertinent time to mention a few ‘must-do’s’ to develop trust in you and your business. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/116 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/110 People are open to change, as long as it is approached in the right way. Understanding instincts is a useful starting point. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/110 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/109 CRM – where is the emphasis? On the C, on the R or on the M? More and more we see the acronym CRM being bandied about in the business press, CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a hot topic. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/109 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/108 All companies spend money on their marketing, smaller companies just tend to spend less. Larger companies usually have a much better idea of where their marketing dollars are spent and what return they get from those. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/108 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/107 I was recently asked by a National newspaper to give their readers some ways to recognize the signs of low morale and employee stress, and to offer some tips for dealing with both challenges. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/107 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/106 Confidence is an early casualty in recessionary times. In its place doubt can spread through the economy like a virus. Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/106 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/105 Today, self promotion is an imperative. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/105 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/98 Have you had an experience where you hire someone and think “WOW!” I made a great decision there. The person seems really on top of their game. You hit it off immediately. Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/98 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/100 Good neighbours? Or hell to live with? Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/100 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/101 Going green to stay in the black: how environmental initiatives can help your firm in challenging times Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/101 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/103 The hidden reasons why you don’t know how much profit you’re losing. Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/103 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/104 What it is and how it could save the world Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/104 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/96 So we all agree it's important to get involved in the emerging social media to advertise in. Now here is an interesting question I had not really considered until recently - which one? Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/96 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/97 President Obama has endorsed them, Donald Trump has so has Robert Kiyosaki. What are they? Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/97 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/95 As a trainer or presenter you know what to do – you’ve probably been doing it for years. You know how to engage your audience, you know the body language to watch for, you know how to make eye contact and to include your audience in a wide sweep so that everyone feels involved in your presentation. Fri, 29 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/95 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/93 Celebrate this annual awareness day with family, friends and associates. Statistics reveal 95% of children and adults experience lack of confidence, self belief or low self esteem sometime in their life. Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/93 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/94 Knowledge Is Power was my old school motto. It did not mean much to me at the age of ten however a few decades later, I realise knowledge is the key to success. Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/94 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/88 In the good old days, if you gave good service and provided a good quality product or service, you could rely on your customers to be loyal couldn’t you. But that’s all gone now hasn’t it? Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/88 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/89 We see our children and grandchildren playing, working, communicating and even making money using the Internet. And for a while we could ignore it as a new-fangled thing that doesn’t affect me. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/89 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/90 Email marketing. Internet marketing. Web2.0.? Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/90 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/91 Why market research? Most business owners simply set about trying to promote a product or service without finding out if there is a market for that product or service. This is the number one reason why 85% of businesses or new products fail. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/91 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/92 Or what you can do today to make more money on your business, today! Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/92 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/86 In this article, Stephen Lynch, Chief Operating Officer at business coaching consultancy RESULTS.com, argues that senior managers should make personal visits to shop floor staff and customers; and that these visits become standard, measurable practice. Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/86 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/87 How to get your blog noticed: Blogging is nothing more than creating a web page without using a design program or a web designer, if you can type into a form or a computer screen, you can blog. Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/87 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/85 Michael A. Podolinsky, a master at leadership development, provides excellent ideas on ways to avoid the three worst mistakes many companies make during recessionary times and offers three profit making ideas that will work in any economy. Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/85 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/83 Facebook used to be thought of as purely a place for social networking in the sense of friends meeting up or people with a common interest. Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/83 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/84 As hierarchical, social animals we are not surprised that bosses have such a significant impact on our employment experience. Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/84 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/82 If you're running a busy hotel, restaurant or bar (or any small business come to think of it) the thought of sending staff off for training is likely to bring the owner/operator/manager out in a cold sweat. Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/82 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/81 Looking to make a career change? Well, you are going to need a résumé that will help you focus on the things that are relevant for a new industry. In this situation, what should your résumé look like? A straight chronological résumé is probably not the answer here. Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/81 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/75 The Mind Games of Pricing. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/75 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/77 A number of women say to me; okay I want to blog, I understand the value for me and my business in blogging... but where do I find the time? Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/77 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/78 Blogs (from the original term ‘web log’ which jokingly morphed to ‘we blog’ and then finally blog) evolved from the online diary. Student Justin Hall, who began personal blogging in 1994, is generally recognized as one of the earliest bloggers, and then in the late nineties blog platforms like Live Journal and Blogger.com saw blog popularity explode and by 2004 blogs were considered mainstream. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/78 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/79 Standing back and applying a ‘Reputation Lens’ to our business is a useful way of ascertaining whether someone, or something internally, may be enhancing our reputation, or damaging it. Whether we’re building trust or breaking it. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/79 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/80 People do business with people. More specifically, people do business with people they trust. Trust is at the heart of every business and personal relationship, and yet few of us give much thought to how important our behaviour is in enhancing, or damaging, the level of trust people have in us. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/80 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/74 It's one of the most important qualities for leaders and managers to have in these turbulent times in which we live and work today. We are living with uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, paradox and unpredictability. These are the norms. But what is this thing called "resilience" and how do you become a resilient person? Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/74 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/72 I've seen some recent comments from speakers, trainers and consultants along the lines of: "Companies that are cutting training budgets are shooting themselves in the foot." "Now is the time organisations most need motivation and inspiration." "If you don't invest in the downturn, you won't be competitive when the economy turns around." Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/72 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/73 Before you think about reducing your price, or throwing in a range of extras to make whatever you are selling more appealing, stop and mentally ask yourself ‘do I, (as the provider) and they (as the buyer) understand the ‘why’ behind this transaction?' If not, the chances are neither of you will understand the true value of the exchange and you may both end up feeling somewhat short-changed. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/73 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/68 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Market Focused entrepreneur isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/68 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/69 Last week we tried to give perspective to the idea that being the classic Systems Focused owners are great business builders but aren't such great business starters. Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/69 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/70 Contrary to popular opinion, Entrepreneurs are easily the worst at building successful businesses. Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/70 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/66 Micromanaging. You have probably done it. And if you think you have not, ask your team. You may be surprised to learn that despite your good intentions to never do that to anyone, you have stepped into the "my way" trap more than once. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/66 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/67 Marketers are still not exploiting the potential of the Internet. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/67 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/64 Oops! We've slipped... and it shows. Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/64 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/65 Mostly from painful experience, business leaders learn that change management is a critical skill. Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/65 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/61 Zzzzzz…oh! Excuse me. I was just dozing from reading one of the most boring résumés submitted by one of my clients. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/61 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/62 To set the stage, please allow me to paint a word picture for you that, sadly, might seem all too familiar... Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/62 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/63 Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes. Benjamin Franklin Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/63 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/60 I can't tell you how many times over the course of my professional career I have come across résumés with typographical errors. This is perhaps the single most mistake that will surely prevent you from getting the interview. There are others, which I will also cover, but the typo - definitely the most egregious. Typos are a red flag indicating lack of detail, and even worse - an inability to ca... Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/60 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/57 Is the customer always right? It’s a question that’s guaranteed to generate debate. Many of us think ‘yes’ the customer is always right – even when clearly, they are not. Others argue ‘no’, the customer isn’t always right, and in fact, can be completely wrong, often expecting unrealistic and inappropriate outcomes and responses we simply shouldn’t provide. Yet others hedge their bets and say ... Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/57 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/58 Our business trains us to focus on the wrong thing. And we buy into the lie. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/58 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/59 For many of us one of the most critical factors affecting our business success can be our ability to establish a strong, productive working relationship with our boss. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/59 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/55 Under the heat of continuing Media interest, the Government is finally addressing the woes of ACC, including long term financial funding, administration costs and unacceptable levies increases. Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/55 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/56 It is obvious that the environment we live and work in is changing fast, posing both threats and opportunities. Peak oil scenarios, climate change, financial recession, government actions, terrorism and social disruption are already affecting us in various ways. And the problems of traffic congestion and power disruption, together with the costs of living, working and doing business, ... Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/56 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/54 I have just read of a caretaker position being advertised. 700 people applied for the job! Imagine the poor person who had the enormous task of wading through 700 CVs. Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/54 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/53 Labels can be misleading. By nature micro-businesses have five or less employees, including the owner. However, throughout the world micro entities are big business. Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/53 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/52 It’s always a good time to consider time – how you spent your days last year, last month or last week, and how you plan to spend them now and in the future. Time is a great symbol of equality. Despite the income we earn, and what money we have in the bank, we all have an equal amount of time to spend. So the value we get for our time is totally dependent upon our stewardship. We have an equal o... Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/52 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/51 In life and business we're often thinking about how we could do better, and how we could change and improve. No matter how hard we try, sometimes we just feel we can't change. In reality there are lots of different aspects of ourselves that we can change, but sometimes this can only be done in small steps, or on the ‘edges’ of our personality. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/51 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/16 How vulnerable are you in these challenging times? Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/16 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/17 We are facing the melt-down of the Western banking system - for who knows what reason. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/17 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/18 Does fun add to the bottom line? Maybe, maybe not. Do tired, stressed, unmotivated staff do anything for your bottom line? Absolutely not. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/18 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/19 Social networking sites are a fabulous part of modern life. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/19 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/20 I recently ran my first ever public workshop on Dealing with Poor Performance. The day after the session, I received this e.mail from one of the attendees. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/20 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/21 We've all said it. We have an assistant or employee or team member who is new or a bit slow, and so we decide, as a boss/manager/owner, that it is quicker to do this job myself. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/21 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/22 Life for all of us is a series of challenges. Even for the rich and famous there will be drawbacks - paparazzi following them everywhere; never being able to be seen in public for fear that their every move will be in the tabloids the next day; never knowing who they can really trust. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/22 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/23 The calls I get from my clients are often a great indicator of what is happening in the market-place. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/23 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/25 If you or your staff use online social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube or MySpace, be aware that they are being increasingly used for ‘research purposes' by people and organisations wanting to check online reputations. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/25 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/26 We won't have much money so we are going to have to use our brains. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/26 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/27 What to watch for if you are struggling to make ends meet or simply wish for a dramatic lifestyle change for the better. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/27 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/28 The seven most common mistakes of remote team working and how to avoid them. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/28 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/40 Find out what happens between the euphoria of the interview and the reality of the job. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/40 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/41 According to a recent NineMSN.com survey, Generation Y is the greediest and least satisfied generation in recorded history. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/41 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/42 Too often intent, decisions and actions are ill-founded, because of a lack of information. Imagine an environment in which apologies, retractions and remedial actions were not necessary. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/42 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/43 The four steps to high impact e-mail marketing. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/43 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/44 How do you see your retirement? Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/44 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/45 Fashions for the workplace. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/45 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/47 Adding the feminine dimension to business, and how it is crucial for organizational success. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/47 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/48 Food for thought! Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/48 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/49 Wise words for managers everywhere. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/49 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/24 If you or your staff use online social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube or MySpace, be aware that they are being increasingly used for ‘research purposes' by people and organisations wanting to check online reputations. Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/24 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/46 Before we can start to look at an organisation's purpose, values and vision, we must have firm foundations in place, in the form of integrity, fairness and openness. Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/46 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/2 A little while ago I received a call from an old client – the production manager of a concrete company was inviting me to lunch, on site and to watch a presentation. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/2 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/3 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/3 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/4 So your company has hit a blip? Petrol costs are killing you; suppliers are putting their prices up daily; customers are taking longer to pay.. welcome to the self-induced recession. A recession that we talk ourselves into every 5 - 7 years. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/4 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/5 I have just been working with an international bank and their staff are absolutely overwhelmed by the never-ending, on-going changes that keep coming down from on high. They are quite literally, exhausted! Sickness is rife, attendance is becoming a challenge and morale is low. Why do we treat our people this way? Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/5 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/6 Never before has it been so vital to deal with less than fabulous performance in our employees. Every organisation has to do more with less, every single day, as competition grows and customers are faced with endless choices. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/6 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/7 Earlier this year I invited three female speakers to join me in a one-off venture - to host a showcase of our various offerings to our collective client bases. We each have a different speciality topic and it seemed a good way to cross-fertilise our topics and our clients. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/7 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/8 I work with teams - have done for some 20+ years. And often the very first call I get with regard to working with a team is from some stressed out manager saying - ‘Help, I have two people in my team who just do NOT get on'. What we traditionally call, a personality clash. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/8 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/9 Over the years I have experimented with calling meetings by another name. It is one of those things whereby the very name conjures up all sorts of reactions - usually negative. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/9 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/10 This kind of thinking is probably what got us all into the terrible financial crisis that is raging across the world like some kind of out-of-control bush fire. The Wall Street credo that greed is good has rapidly become greed is very expensive. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/10 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/11 In my own recent and very personal and expensive experience. Not a lot! Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/11 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/12 Living in these incredibly challenging times, where every day we see yet another bank collapse, or financial institute close its doors - where the threat of recession and even depression hits us via the daily press, how will the business of the 21st Century survive? Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/12 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/13 As an employee, how vulnerable are you in these extremely challenging times? Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/13 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/14 It has been such a period of doom and gloom, so for those of us who celebrate Christmas, and even for those who don't, let's lighten the load a bit and look at some of the weird and whacky business ideas people have come up with over the past 12 months. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/14 http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/15 Shocked, appalled, stunned, enraged, speechless. Just some of the emotions I have experienced over the last couple of months as bank upon bank fell over around the world and whole countries begin to face the repercussions of a global financial melt-down. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/articles/15