Culture, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Leadership, Management, Success, Successful Culture Culture, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Leadership, Management, Success, Successful Culture

Making The First Hire: 4 Steps Business Owners Can Take to Manage New Hires Successfully

Entrepreneurs who have successfully launched a business will find themselves at a fork in the road.In one direction, there is the option to stay at the solopreneur level. This is a great option for those who...

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Culture, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Leadership, Success, Successful Culture Culture, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Leadership, Success, Successful Culture

Should You Make The Hire? Should You Keep The Employee? Three Simple Litmus Tests

In my coaching and consulting work with CEOs, the most common challenge is finding the right people. One of my favorite tools to aid in this important decision is part of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), created by Gino Wickman. Information Experts implemented EOS several years ago. I frequently reach back to my EOS toolbox when helping other CEOs move forward.Whether you are an employee or an employer, chances are you have your share of nightmare stories about the fallout of hires that were not the right fit for a position, or the organizational culture.

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accountability, Culture, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Innovation, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, Mindset, Success, Successful Culture, Time management accountability, Culture, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Innovation, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, Mindset, Success, Successful Culture, Time management

Avoiding SP-RH Syndrome

It's all coming back to me....the early days of building a business, and laying a solid foundation to support healthy growth. I find myself with lengthy to-do lists that require many sets of helping hands. It's tempting to simply throw new tasks over the fence to those that have already proven to be experts as I grow Successful Culture.But wait. I've been down this road before with Information Experts. I've bitten off more than I can chew, and then tossed the overflow to a team mate. Eager to please, they say yes, even though my new request is outside of their core expertise... setting us both up for disappointment.

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The Three Things Companies Need to Thrive

I've had a slew of podcast interviews over the last few weeks, and virtually all of the hosts have asked me what I think is the necessary ingredient for continued business growth. I speak from a place of making mistakes, and from getting things right over the last 20 years.The three things I believe companies need to survive are a market niche, relevancy, and a mindset of greatness. I've named them in order of difficulty.

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abundance, accountability, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, goal-setting, goals, Happiness, Hiring, Leadership, Learning, Management, sales, Successful Culture, Time management abundance, accountability, Employees, Engagement, Featured Posts, goal-setting, goals, Happiness, Hiring, Leadership, Learning, Management, sales, Successful Culture, Time management

Who Is the Best Sales Person in Your Company?

One of my coaching clients called me this week, asking for advice on where to find a great sales rep. She's launching a start-up that has been in the works for months, and is obviously anxious to get her product to the market. My advice to her was to look in the mirror. That's where she would find her best sales rep.

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Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, sequestration, Success Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, sequestration, Success

Bracing for Sequestration - IF It Happens At All

n my meeting today with my customers at Defense Logistics Agency, one of the Directors asked me, "Marissa, how is Information Experts preparing for sequestration?" The question caught me off guard, but fortunately, I've attended so many events to learn about sequestration strategies that I was quick on my feet to answer.Here are the five strategies we've implemented to prepare for budget cuts:

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Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Failure, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, Success, Successful Culture, Time management Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Failure, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, Success, Successful Culture, Time management

When the CEO Must Become the CPO (Chief Process Officer)

Traditionally, the CEO is responsible for the "heart" of the organization... the vision, culture, mission, strategy, and values. They are the "Chief Evangelist Officer," or the "Chief Cultural Officer" or even the "Chief Emotions Officer" (yes I've seen that one too).Conversely, it's usually the COO that is responsible for the "blood and guts of the organization" - the person that ensures the operations within the organization can support the vision.Strategy & Process are InterdependentExperience - backed up by a lot of research and peer consultation - has taught me that strategy and process are two sides of the same coin, and that the CEO must take ownership for the creation of the core processes that enable a business to run. It doesn't matter how strong a vision is. Without the processes required to execute, the strategy will fall flat. And while I absolutely believe that "culture eats strategy for breakfast," the one essential element that organizations require for healthy strategies, cultures, and ultimately growth is process.

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Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, networking, Successful Culture, Time management Culture, Employees, Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Featured Posts, Growth, Hiring, Information Experts, Leadership, Learning, Management, Marketing, networking, Successful Culture, Time management

Six Unique Traits Biz Owners Look For in Potential New Hires

As a business owner always looking for exceptional talent, and as a mentor to emerging entrepreneurs seeking guidance on how to hire great people, I've learned that there are six definitive traits that great potential new hires share. These apply to candidates in all positions, in every sector, at any level - from intern to senior management.If you're in the market for a new position, if you're charged with scouting for new talent in your organization, or if you're a business owner trying to make those essential first hires, consider these characteristics or behaviors.

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