[Note: this special guest post is by Chip R. Bell, renowned keynote speaker and the author of several award-winning, national best-selling books. See more about Chip at the end of this post.] Audubon Magazine features annually their photography awards. This is the magazine of the National Audubon Society, the oldest conservation organization in the world for the
Whether getting together in person for problem-solving, planning, or idea-sharing, many employees are thrilled with the opportunity to engage in active discussion when management is truly interested in their input. I’ve seen the positive impact of these employee gatherings first-hand in my work as a facilitator and trainer. Individual, team, and organizational benefits of effective
“When I grow up, I want to be a facilitator.” I never said those words to my parents and teachers but that’s ultimately what happened. For the past 30 years, I’ve been developing and refining my skills as a facilitator, and it’s an ongoing endeavor. It’s about people and purpose Facilitation is “a powerful way of working
When leaders are replaced – whether due to retirement or changing jobs – it can be tricky for the incoming executive. It’s also tricky for the remaining staff members. Consider these three scenarios drawn from organizations that will remain anonymous. As an employee, how likely would you stay to work with the new leader? A
“Companies are in a talent war. It’s a race to get the best candidates quickly since unemployment rates are lower than they’ve been in years.” “The days of employees being thankful just to have a job are over and likely will not return for a while. Instead, the onus is on employers to cultivate and
I am reminded in this graduation season of the time my husband and I spoke at an honors convocation at our alma mater, Lehigh University. It was back in 1987 when we were “young professionals.” It was also a time when making a lot of money was considered an indicator of success. But financial success was not
Not that it doesn’t matter, because it does. But you can forget the customer experience IF you neglect to take care of the employee experience. Here are several favorite quotes that capture the essence of the employee-customer experience connection. “Paradoxically, to achieve an emotionally connecting customer experience, employees come first, ahead of the customer.” Tom
Workplace engagement is a both a responsibility and choice shared by employees and employers: Employees are responsible for their own engagement in that they choose to show up in their jobs ready, willing, and able to do their best work, and Employers are responsible for choosing to foster an engaging workplace where employees are enabled
Working on new product/service development or re-positioning an existing offering? Then you can’t afford to ignore what your customers and prospects are thinking. “It’s very easy to think you are the expert on your own product. But in many ways, that’s a myth. The true experts are your customers.” Jamie Wong That’s why you need
Your brand is conveyed in everything you do to communicate and deliver your product/service offerings; i.e., what and how people think about your brand is based on the experiences they have with your business. This story illustrates how a business manager formed her impression of a company’s brand when seeking a new payroll processing firm.