• June 2015 Reading

    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…

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  • 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.

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  • How does your manager affect performance?

    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…

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  • Did you stop learning or get focused?

    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…

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  • Would I want to…

    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…

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  • Is that quick buck worth it?

    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…

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  • Take the time you need when you’re ‘cooked’

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    Before you’re burnt out you get ‘cooked’. That’s the point you need to start saying no more. You need to carve out the time you need to get recharged so that you can keep going for decades.

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  • LOVE and HATE Process

    LOVE and HATE Process

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    I love a standard set of rules to operate by. It’s how I do my email communication with prospects and clients. It’s how I don’t forget my keys in the car, or how I don’t lock myself out of the office. Process is awesome, until it’s not. Ugh, the meetings One company I worked at…

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  • Get Project Updates the Right Way

    Get Project Updates the Right Way

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    I once worked at a company where the staff spent two mornings a week in a meeting to ‘update’ the manager/owner. We went around in a circle of 7 or 8 and simply told the manager where we were on our projects. There was very little discussion about any problems we might be having or…

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  • Take a Deep Breath

    Take a Deep Breath

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    Have you ever considered how much your reaction time affects your response to a situation? Let’s take a moment today to consider this in the context of your business. Suppose you get an angry email from a client — do you reply right away or do you wait? Does your choice here affect your ultimate…

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