Confession: I am not a fan of Ayn Rand. I am not a fan of her thinking, her philosophy, or those who rabidly promote it, and I have resisted writing about her for a long time. Now, though, I find it necessary as the flag of her philosophy is more regularly hoisted high and used … Continue reading The blight of Randian thinking. A warning for us all.

Businesses are in the business of creating and delivering value. I think most business leaders would be okay with that statement. But what does it really mean? What does it mean to create value? Value is anything people need/want that helps them and benefits their lives in some way. If you’re a tailor, the value … Continue reading Value, the linchpin of business.

Consistently delivering the product you said you would deliver is a worthy goal for any business. The problem, though, is that delivering is only half the work of providing good service to customers. Service has two components: 1) delivery (getting the job done), and 2) hospitality (how it makes people feel). Most businesses focus primarily … Continue reading Hospitality is part of business. Get used to it.

Consistently good service doesn’t earn raving fans. Consistently good service that consistently improves is what does that.  Why? Because continually getting better sends a message. It says you are dedicated to the ongoing well-being of customers. It says you have integrity. It says you care about more than yourself.  To customers, that’s a welcome difference. … Continue reading Want fans? You probably need to make a change.

Mark Miller is back with another great book. This new one is called Uncommon Greatness: Five Fundamentals to Transform Your Leadership, and it is, like the last several books of his, not a fable but rather a straightforward non-fiction business book focused on how to become a leader people want to follow. For many, this … Continue reading Book review: Uncommon Greatness by Mark Miller

Why do you want to grow your business? Is it to create more wealth or to create more value? Growing to create more wealth is about you. Growing to create more value is about others. For the former, you’re on your own. For the latter, others will help you. “Growth is a result, not a … Continue reading Why grow?

I was once talking to a young man who was having relationship issues. Knowing I had been married for over 30 years, I think he believed I was some sort of expert. Well, expert, I am not, but I have been working at it for quite a while. During our conversation, he asked me a … Continue reading Don’t wait for love, be it.

Do you do anything when you receive good service? I usually tell the server that they are doing a great job and I appreciate it. I love to see people smile.  It’s not just those receiving who want to feel good, those delivering deserve it too. Don’t skimp on kindness. ==> If you liked this … Continue reading If you can be kind, be kind

As things get more automated and complicated, customer service is increasingly becoming a hot commodity. People want someone to sort it all out for them. If you can fix it, make it easier, do the work for them, they will pay more for it …and return if you do it well. The problem is that … Continue reading RIP Excellence

There are three types of employees. The disengaged, indifferent ones, the minimally-engaged, compliant ones, and the fully-engaged, committed ones. The indifferent have to be told what to do, the compliant do what they know to do, and the committed take initiative, create art, and move things. The indifferent are there for themselves. The compliant are … Continue reading There are three types of employees, but only one will get you where you want to go.