Several of my clients recently asked for help in putting together company or departmental scorecards. For many organizations and leaders, finding the right set of 5 to 15 leading indicators that provide an absolute pulse on the business (or the department) is a difficult challenge. Often it takes several months or longer to truly fall in love with your scorecard.

Like most worthwhile journeys, strengthening the Data Component™ starts with a single step. 

Some people are great at avoiding conflict in the workplace. All you need to do is keep your mouth shut or yield to the strongest voice in the room. If I am describing you, I want you to consider how damaging that behavior is for both you and your team. I also hope to give you some simple, practical suggestions for becoming a healthier fighter.

It’s not unusual for an entrepreneur to consider “everyone” a potential customer. While the optimism can be exciting and contagious, the harsh reality is that most of “everyone” isn’t the RIGHT potential customer. Many won’t ever buy from you, and some who do become customers won’t be a great fit. They may be unhappy, and they may even hurt your business by damaging your reputation or mistreating your employees.

That’s the bad news. The good news? While it may sound counterintuitive, concentrating on a smaller number of potential customers can actually help you grow faster, make more money, and have more fun. Time and time again, I’ve seen that clients who focus 100% of their proactive sales and marketing efforts on their ideal prospect or customer get a bigger bang for every buck they spend on sales and marketing.

Success comes from making good choices about what to do and what NOT to do. Often our biggest breakthroughs occur when we decide to stop doing something. So here’s something we can all put on our Don’t Do List that will change our lives positively forever: STOP discussing the past!

It’s history. Its only value is in what you can learn to help you make better decisions in the present.

From time to time, I have clients ask me if I can do anything to help them with personal time management. Typically, they have put too much on their plate and they can't figure out how to get everything done. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years as I transitioned from a poor time manager to a more effective time manager: There's a big difference between time management and effective time management.

For many of us, time management boils down to managing our to-do lists – trying to get more done and checking it off our lists within prescribed deadlines. But doing more doesn't mean we are achieving what we want.