A strategic plan outline is a useful tool when creating a strategic plan. A strategic plan outline is a useful tool for organizing the key elements of a strategic plan. Here is a suggested generic outline for a strategic business plan: Executive summary: Provides a...

Recession-proof Your Business for 2023 and Beyond When the economy is strong, and businesses are enjoying great growth, it is easy to get a little complacent, and even a little bit lazy. Right now, geo-political, economic, and domestic issues are threatening to impact...

Why Direct Supervisors are the Most Important Influence on Employee Retention The Great Resignation highlighted that many employees are unhappy at work. When they got fed up, they left. Not wanting to burn bridges, they told their employers: “I want to take my career...

Succession planning is a critical component of any organization's strategy. Last week I met with several dedicated, motivated, and highly successful business owners who focus on plumbing and HVAC. Many of them are in their 50s and 60s, and they are worried about what...

How To Proactively Address Conflict Before It Escalates Jim is a mid-level manager who manages a team of engineers at a tech company. Two of his engineers, Sarah and Michael, had been feuding for months, but Jim ignored the issue, thinking it would eventually resolve...

Leadership Tips for a First-Time Supervisor You are now boss, and some of your friends now report to you.  This can be awkward for some people. Some first-time supervisors are not sure how they approach this change in their role around the people who were and are...

Make the buying process easy for the people doing the buying. “I do not want personalized attention! I want it now.” This past Saturday I was putting together some fun packages for some of my clients. Sometimes I will send one of my books or workbooks, or a video clip...

What Aspects of Leadership Best Motivates Gen Z in Today’s Work Environment?   Jenny was excited to lead her new team until someone pointed out that she was a Gen X-er, and most of her team members were Generation Z. She felt fairly confident about working with...

Delegating Tips, Even If No One Works for You My Dad used to say, “Decide. Delegate. And Disappear.” Delegation is an important component of most leadership roles. But you must understand that delegating the job doesn’t mean delegating the responsibility.  You are...