You probably know good style when you see it on the street. But can you recognize it on the page? Prose style is unique to each writer, and it’s a quality that only emerges with patience and practice. For that reason, style isn’t something you can learn by following specific steps or a uniform recipe. […]
Why It’s Hard to Get Started
Is it possible to become too invested in your work? Obviously, entrepreneurs need to be passionate. But it’s equally important to avoid fixating on perfection, which can delay the start date of a new product or service. The goal should always be to make the first sale as quickly as possible. First-time entrepreneurs sometimes suffer from inertia, letting their fear […]
Small Steps, Big Improvements
On-the-job training isn’t just for newbies. When the pandemic forced many offices to temporarily shift operations into employees’ homes, a lot of leaders were reminded that training employees on new skills and processes is an ongoing affair. Think about your job and how much the landscape has changed over the last 10 years. Rapidly evolving […]
Build Trust Fast
This week, the chief executives of Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Google were grilled by the US House Judiciary Committee. Members of both major American political parties have clamored for the four Big Tech firms to be investigated for violation of antitrust legislation. The four executives—Tim Cook of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, […]
Value People Over Profit
A business’s success is driven by two main currencies: resources and employee goodwill. With economies reeling from the effects of COVID-19, reduced resources are a challenge for many companies right now. But the good news is that high-quality leadership and a clearly defined mission tend to boost goodwill—which motivational speaker Simon Sinek believes is the most […]
Forget Your Haters (and Your Fans)
Is the customer really always right? Businesses often operate under this assumption, but it can lead them to make costly mistakes. Placing too much emphasis on others’ feedback can mean chasing fads instead of pursuing change that would improve the business’s performance. Customers’ tastes change constantly, and sometimes the suggestions companies receive from them would perform terribly […]
Predict the Future
The famed statistician Nate Silver has his work cut out for him. 2020 has been a year of great upheaval and unrest, with uncertainty in the economy, in public health, and in the upcoming US presidential election. In The Signal and the Noise, Silver’s classic book about predictions, he offers an interesting piece of advice: don’t […]
Every Sale Is the Same
With economies around the world shaken by the effects of COVID-19, making a sale is more challenging than ever. What distinguishes stellar salesmanship from mere survival in any competitive field is the realization that every sale is fundamentally the same. Unsuccessful and middling salespeople tend to approach each sales situation differently, itemizing and weighing the […]
Time to Get Creative
Do you need another hobby? With so many of us around the world stuck at home more than usual, more people are looking for new ways to tap into their artistic side. Creative projects like cooking, painting, or even learning to code can be a lot of fun—and often complement your professional skills in surprising […]
End on a Good Note
We’ve all been there. A lackluster Zoom meeting. A presentation that falls flat. A vacation that doesn’t go as planned. If you ever find yourself flopping, here’s a quick tip to salvage the situation: make sure to end on a positive note. The way in which an experience concludes helps to crystallize a good—or bad—memory. Often enough, […]
