You can now download the September issue of Better Business Focus. Please feel free to e-mail Better Business Focus to your friends or colleagues.
Below is a selection of articles from this month’s issue, and we hope you enjoy the read!
Better Business Focus: Expert Inspiration for a Better Business.
Better Business Focus is the essential key for business owners and managers. It achieves that by focusing on the way in which successful businesses compete and manage their organisations. It focuses on how people are recruited, coached and developed; on how marketing and selling is undertaken in professional markets as well as in markets with intense competition; on how technology and the Internet is reshaping the face of domestic and home business; and on how people are being equipped with new skills and techniques. In short, it offers expert inspiration for a better business.
Thom Dennis & Edward Nelson
Conflict resolution – Strategies that work: Conflict resolution at work is a process used by two or more parties in dispute to help them find a peaceful solution. A 2020 CIPD survey* found that 26% of employees found conflict a common occurrence at work so why does it happen and what are the solutions?
Jeff Haden
Want to be happier? Science says buying a little time leads to significantly greater life satisfaction: Buying things won’t make you happier. But research shows that buying time can, as long as you do it the right way.
Urko Wood
Innovation should never be a guessing game: It’s no secret that most leaders find it challenging to drive revenue growth. Innovation is an excellent way to drive growth but, despite big investments, the average success rate for new products and services remains about 25%.
Dr Lynda Shaw
10 ways neuroscience can help business leaders: Our brain changes behaviour, and our behaviour changes our brain. Effective leadership starts with neurons because when we understand that our thoughts, ideas, habits and behaviour impact productivity, we can see how neuroscience can help leaders be more effective and agile. Having an insight into how our and other peoples’ brains work also enables a deeper understanding of employees and customers.
David Finkel
When anxiety prevents you from leading your team during a pandemic: As a business coach, I am there on the front lines with my clients as they navigate the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have been able to adapt and overcome quickly and seize the opportunities surrounding the current crisis. But for others, their anxiety and fear are making it more difficult to focus on the task in front of them, and lead their business into this next phase.
Debra Murphy
Do small businesses need a strong brand identity: Many small businesses feel that having a brand is no necessary to successfully market their products or services. Some think it is something only large companies need. And although some might invest in a logo, they miss the fact that a brand identity is so much more than just the visual impression of your business.
August Aquila
No heir apparent – What does the small firm do? I had the opportunity to speak to small CPA firm owners from several different states and was struck by a consistent theme voiced in the audience – “I sometimes wish I wasn’t the owner.” In reality, I don’t think they really meant this. They were voicing their frustrations about being the sole person responsible for the practice, the clients and the employees.
Tom Koulopoulos
Five ways to tell if someone is untrustworthy: “Trust is the superglue of relationships, but if you spot these behaviors, it’s time to find a new partner to do business with.” I’m going to ask you to trust me on this. It’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way, and it may be one of the most important ones I have to pass on.
Janet Sernack
Leading people in the imagination age: Most of us are aware that the nature of work is changing. According to Singularity University, while emerging technologies may destroy many jobs, they will also create many new appealing ones. Widespread innovation, in the imagination age, will give birth to exciting new industries, all of which are sources of new jobs and occupations. It’s exciting to imagine an intriguing parallel future in which technology has created even more opportunities for the workforce.
Sunil Bali
50 shades of postman… There’s a wonderful story about a man who travels from London to a business conference in California.
Greg Satell
A 270 year old mathematical formula can teach us a lot about innovation: Accountants tell us that numbers don’t lie, because for them numbers are the same as facts. Mathematicians see it differently though. They see numbers as abstract representations of reality that, when combined with other numbers, have an almost mystical ability to create patterns that unlock hidden truths.
Yoram Solomon
Want to improve company culture? Fix it early on: You already know that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” When do you start paying attention to your company’s culture and changing it?
Peter Thomson
13 ways to increase sales and qualified leads: Looking for lead generation techniques that actually increase sales? My thirteen top tips will help you to generate lots of qualified leads by avoiding the common mistakes that many salespeople make.
Andy Bounds
Presentation skills – your four body parts that matter: People often get nervous when they are presenting. Hardly surprising. You’re standing up, looking at loads of people who are sitting down, with every single eye on you.
Barry Urquhart
The price is right: That’s fixed. Those words, phrase and sentiments are reassuring. They typically confirm the successful conclusion of a deal done – project a sense of peace-of-mind, and enable clients, consumers and service providers to move on to mutual benefit.
Geoffrey James
Please, be kind to customer service: Last week, I flew cross-country (twice) on my first business trip since the onset of the pandemic. As usual, I went with JetBlue, because I’ve had generally good experiences with them and that’s where I bank my frequent flyer miles.