To keep a lamp burning, you have to keep on putting oil in it” is a favorite quote of mine by Mother Teresa. Simple isn’t it? But in today’s world our tanks run on fumes for long periods of time and that’s not good! We get stuck in the perspective of “the way it is”...

You have a great idea and the inspiration and motivation to start a business. You quickly whip up an outline of the steps you need to take to get started. Two days later you are open for business and looking for customers. First, let’s say congratulations! Few people have the moxie to start their...

When planning an effective meeting agenda, your main action steps will be to: Choose a topic Set the goals of the meeting Determine the duration, time and location of the meeting Set the objectives of the meeting Determine the non-objectives of the meeting, so you do not go off-task Decide on the stakeholders...

Once you decide to host a meeting, you might decide to invite everyone you think needs to know about the information you are going to be sharing. This is not the best approach, however, if you wish to have a successful meeting in which valuable business goals will be accomplished. Your first steps are...

Not having a meeting agenda is a bit like driving on a road without a map. You know where you started from, but where are you going? What will be the best route to take in order to arrive at your chosen destination? Any meeting you plan should help you decide on these important factors. Once you have...

Creating an agenda is crucial to the success of any business meeting. An agenda will determine the form and structure of the meeting so you can plan what will be accomplished. Once you have determined that, you can decide how long the meeting should last and who the best team members will be to invite...

Something’s been bothering me and I wanted to see if you can relate. A lot of people I talk to are struggling with the problem of how to use their voice and presence to be more effective speakers. It’s a shame, because the solution is actually very simple they just don’t have it....

Performance problems are not easy to deal with. It helps, though, if you have a plan in place to get a handle on the issues that affect employees that you supervise. Here are six powerful tips that can help you do a better job of tackling this aspect of your job. The Objective The objective of addressing...

Change is not a static process. It is, in fact, a cycle. Change can occur quickly or slowly. The latter gives team members more time to acclimate to what is coming down the road. Sudden or rapid change can throw people for a loop and jumpstart the cycle of change model. Flexibility is the name of the...

Now that we know about the roles of a project manager, it’s time to set up the major phases of any project. There are four basic stages and different agendas to be accomplished within each. If you have been called to manage a project, there are four stages that you need to know: Define the project Plan...