One of my favorite shows recently has been the HBO series Game of Thrones. One of the sayings from the series is “Winter is coming.” This is a dire warning to all that the current favorable conditions are ending and you need to prepare for the inevitable struggle of a long, harsh winter. During the […]
Next week I will be heading to Carlsbad, California to attend the Community Financial Services Association annual conference and I’m starting to get excited about making the trip. At first, I thought it was because I will be escaping Kansas City’s winter for a few days and be able to run outside without 2 or […]
What is SMART? We’re one month into 2015, which is the perfect time to evaluate the goals you set for 2015. Earlier we talked about the importance of using SMART to make our goals. (See Be SMART) Below is a brief overview of what SMART means in relation to goal setting. Specific – you need […]
During recent shopping trips in a few of the national big-box retail chains I noticed they all had one thing in common – multiple employees walking around with a broken smiler. You know, that thing between your nose and chin that is supposed to show you are having a great time at your workplace and […]
One of the recent new buzzwords is “Big Data” and as technology progresses, all forms of data will continue to play a bigger and bigger role in our lives, especially in business. While the ability to access data and use it to make informed decisions is exciting, it is also challenging. It is getting easier […]
As 2015 begins, it is important to take a reflective look on the prior year and how your organization performed. I hope that you had a highly successful year and that 2015 will bring you more of the same. Like all successful businesses, there are probably areas of your business that performed better than others. […]
This time of year always makes me reflective on the events and activities that occurred throughout the year. I will even look back to see how my New Year’s resolutions panned out. Actually, maybe the better expression is how they flamed out. Like most people, I pick one or two things to focus on and […]
As 2015 draws nearer, many businesses are starting to work on their strategic planning. I thought it was an opportune time to share the importance of having a strategic plan in your business, no matter what size your organization. Before we start talking about strategic plans, ask yourself a few questions to see if your […]
Some of the newer additions in Overland Park, Kansas, the city that I live in, are roundabouts – those wonderful circles that are supposed to help control traffic without using stop signs or lights. Have you come across one that has multiple lanes, entrances and exits? It’s difficult to tell what lane you are supposed […]
During my career I have had opportunities to work in many different locations all over the country. Each location had a completely different view. If I was in a retail location, the view was generally of a busy street with passing cars and pedestrian traffic. A hotel meeting or conference usually did not have a […]