Mastering Business Warfare Part 4: The Key Principles of Modern Business Warfare
Understanding Oneself and competitors “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” – […]
Mastering Business Warfare Part 3: The Modern Layout of the Business Battlefield
Impact of Social Media “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu Even though Sun Tzu’s words were formulated on the battlefields of the ancient world, his strategies can be applied in the world of rapidly advancing technologies, such as social media. The complexity of the modern business world is due […]
Mastering Business Warfare Part 2: The Historical Significance of Sun Tzu’s Strategies
Historical Context Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general and philosopher who lived in the 5th century BC. His strategies were forged on the battlefields of ancient China, where he achieved remarkable victories against larger and more powerful opponents. However, it is his profound understanding of human nature, strategy, and leadership that makes his teachings […]
Mastering Business Warfare Part 1: Applying Sun Tzu’s Strategies for Success
Introduction to Sun Tzu and His Relevance In the realm of business strategy and negotiation tactics, one historical figure stands out as a timeless source of wisdom and insight – Sun Tzu. His seminal work, “The Art of War,” has been hailed for centuries as a masterpiece that transcends its original military context and offers […]
Want to Boost Your Sales? Discover the Pros and Cons of Popular Sales Methodologies
Introduction to Sales Methodologies I have used sales methodologies over my career starting in the 80s with Cincom Systems working in alliances roles and finally with Kryon Systems as Chief Revenue Officer. These methodologies and processes have changed over time from being paper-based to fully online and integrated with CRM systems, but their basic premise […]
Immigration is Good for Business: A non-political look at the economic benefits of legal immigration
While immigration policy can be a heated and complex topic, one thing is certain: immigration to the U.S. is simply good business. The influx of young workers, entrepreneurs, and diverse skill sets presents a competitive advantage in the global economy. Immigration helps protect and stimulate our economy by filling worker shortages, increasing workplace diversity, bringing […]
Getting Practical about Employee Empowerment: What really needs to happen?
Empowerment quickly went from a new focus to a buzz word in the business world—and sadly it is often given more lip service than true effort. I previously wrote an article on ways to encourage empowerment with your employees, and I think it still stands true today. Here are the five sections of the original […]
Encouraging Innovation by Treating Employees like Entrepreneurs
Innovation has been quite the buzz word over the last decade or two, and many organizations have figured out how to truly encourage creativity and autonomy in their employees—which means if your leadership team is still struggling with innovation, you’re behind. Creating an innovative environment requires a paradigm shift in the way we view employees. […]
The Art of Saying Thank You at Work
A business leader recently said to me, “Yes, I would love it if they had a deep sense of professionalism, if they were great at critical thinking, if they were good at old-fashioned followership. But most of all, I’d just take a please and thank you once in a while.” In today’s world of short […]
The Return of Workplace Civility: The new rules for email
Since its entrance into the common workplace, email has gone from the only way to communicate electronically to just one of many options. It’s also an area in which we’ve lost our way when it comes to polite office behavior. This post is the last in a series on workplace civility: the first two covered […]
The Return of Workplace Civility: Mastering meeting etiquette
My last post discussed how basic principles of cooperation and respect are not always followed in the modern workplace. This post is the second in a series meant to remind us how to behave in the office to best contribute to team and office morale and a positive work environment. How did we get here? […]
The Return of Workplace Civility: Having an effective work attitude
Many conversations in the workplace revolve around changing technologies and choice of tools, but we often forget that technology is not the only factor that is constantly evolving. Expectations for workplace culture, professionalism, and communication also evolve and require continual learning and adaptation. A company’s or team’s working culture is just as important, if not […]