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Making Meaningful Customer Contact
It seems that most of us in the business world don’t have a problem contacting our customers when they let us know that there is a problem, or when we need something from them, or when we are attempting to sell something to them. But do you ever think about how meaningful that kind of contact is?
Posted in Blog Tagged customer contact, customer interactions, customer relationships, customer service, customers Leave a comment
Social Media for Business Professionals: New Training Launched in Cincinnati
If you could gain a better understanding of how social media can further your business goals by taking a few workshops, wouldn’t you take that opportunity?
The Leadership and Management of You
I am not sure our numbering system goes high enough to count the number of blog posts, books, and articles that have been written to help you improve your leadership and management skills. There are apparently quite a few of you really screwing it up. I’m much more interested in how you are doing leading and managing your professional self. And I can say with some authority that most of you are screwing it up.
Posted in Blog Tagged career, career planning, circles, job, job search, jobs, Julie Bauke, leadership, management, network, networking, professional identity, professional relationships, resume Leave a comment
No Compromises: Promoting, Supporting, and Living Your Mission Statement
I always have an eye on the competition. I don’t obsess over them, but I try to make myself aware of what they’re doing, how they price, and what they’re promoting. One thing that never fails to surprise me is how often they lose focus of who they are. I’m in the spa business—not pools and hot tubs, but the rub-you-down and make-you-relax kind of spa—and recently I saw two things with competitors that literally made me laugh out loud.
Where’s Your Urgency? Some Companies Just Don’t Get Customer Service
As I’m writing this, my hands are still wrinkly from scrubbing pots and pans. We’re on week three without a [...]
Posted in Blog Tagged customer interactions, customer service, customer service urgency, customers Leave a comment
Six Quick Tips for Becoming a LinkedIn Power User in One Hour a Week
If you’re a LinkedIn user, a look into the LinkedIn mirror might reveal some stunning truths about you. We all need a reality check from time to time if we care about growing and improving professionally, right? I’ve used LinkedIn since 2006, quite a long time to remain loyal to any website. Yet that doesn’t mean I don’t have things to learn. Even when I think I know it all, there are still ways to improve by watching others who do things a different way.
What’s Your Project Management Motto?
Even if you’ve never been a Boy Scout, chances are you know that the Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared.” It’s good advice. A lot of challenging situations can be more easily handled if you are prepared with the right tools, approach, or frame of mind. And that simple sentence—Be prepared—truly does apply in many cases. Even in project management. OK… maybe it’s not quite that simple (otherwise this would be a really short blog). Maybe there’s a little more complexity to a project manager’s motto.
Posted in Blog Tagged communication, motto, project management, project manager, project plan, project planning, project success Leave a comment
A Mix Tape of 2011 Social Media Observations and 2012 Expectations
This post goes out to all of those who remember making mix tapes on cassettes for their friends, crushes, and significant others. I found a mix tape of mine recently while cleaning out some old boxes. Was I too shy to give it to the girl I liked in the late 80s, or did she return it to me (ouch!)? These days, we just hand out iTunes cards and tell people to make their own playlists. How un-creative have we become? What will the next generation of social media look like, and what will those practitioners say about how we used social media in 2011 and 2012? After all, we are still in the mix tape stage of social media.
Training in 2012: What Is on Learners’ Wish Lists?
As 2011 comes to a close, I’ve been evaluating a lot of new trends in learning and development and projections for 2012. Accelerated Business Results (ABR) has had the privilege of working with several world class organizations and we get many opportunities to test new theories as we help to develop their training solutions. In fact, this is the time of year when we often meet with our key clients to map out their training strategies for the coming year, and we’re fortunate to gain access to their invaluable customer insights. Engaging in these conversations gives us a chance to really understand what they’re experiencing in their workforce and to determine the practical training solutions that will address their needs.
What Are Your New Moves for 2012?