Month: July 2015
The 18 Month Old Terror that Runs Your Business
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Taking care of an active 18 month old is often an exercise in stopping them from executing their latest plan for self harm. This means many things get started. A few things get finished in a hurry and almost nothing gets finished well. Don’t let that be your business.
Two Rules for Effective Meetings
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I talked recently about how much a meeting costs. So you know, I don’t really love meetings. At times they are needed though, and here are my two rules for scheduling a meeting. 1. A meeting must produce something. If you must book a meeting, there should be something that comes out of it. I…
Choosing Clients Shouldn’t be a Popularity Contest
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Do you remember back sometime — typically grade school — when you figured out that members of the opposite sex (or maybe same sex) were desirable? One day you woke up and those ‘cooties’ seemed like something you might want to have if it meant you got to spend time with that girl/boy. For me,…
From Start to Finish: The Guide to Your Freelance Business
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So you want to go freelance? That’s awesome — but it’s a lot of work. As you consider this shift in the way you do work, I’ve got some questions for you. What should you be doing in the months prior to going freelance? What about the first month you’re running your own business? Do…
June 2015 Reading
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Making Ideas Happen Get Making Ideas Happen on Amazon.com Get Making Ideas Happen on Amazon.ca We all have ideas, right? Some of them are good, and others merely part of a dream that’s forgotten with the first coffee of the day. The thing that differentiates successful people from the unsuccessful is not that successful people…
Don’t lie to yourself
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When you get advice and say you’re going to take it, your really just setting yourself up for failure. Start being honest, even if it’s to say you’re not going to take the advice.
How does your manager affect performance?
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Is it good to have a manager that is generally positive or generally negative? Do you really think your manager’s outlook can affect your performance? What about the ‘tough’ manager versus a manager who gives more positive ratings? Is it possible that an ‘awesome’ employee from company A could become a mediocre or poor employee…
Did you stop learning or get focused?
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My friend John Locke wrote a great post about people stagnating in their learning. I’ve found this to be true with people learning development. Some keep digging and others stop because programming was just a fad for them. John’s main premise is that people stop learning as they get older. But one thing I’ve noticed…
Would I want to…
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Yesterday I talked about making a quick buck and how it’s not the way to be a good long-term business owner. Unfortunately, many businesses allow deceptive practices to creep into their interactions with clients. For example, what may start as a monthly support package for clients may turn into a minimal amount of service charged…
Is that quick buck worth it?
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No, my bank account is not full. There’s plenty of room in there, and really I could add an infinite amount of bits which equal money. But I won’t lie or deceive people just to get those extra bits into my account. It’s not worth it. If you use those tactics just to get more…
