7 Employees You Should Fire Now

Posted on May 20, 2013 by David Paul Carter — 1 Comment ↓

What is one of the toughest decisions you, as an owner and leader, have to make? In my experience, it is when you must fire an executive or leadership team member. Often, they are very effective and talented but simply unmanageable, or so divisive that they are more trouble than they are worth. There are more or less seven kinds of people you simply have to get rid of. No ifs ands or buts, and sooner rather than later. Here are those magnificent seven …

Tagged with: 7 Employees You Should Fire Now, organizational effectiveness, Steve Tobak
Posted in People

The Ins and Outs of Earn-outs

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Doug Pugliese — No Comments ↓

The decision to sell a private business is complicated and ideally should be made only after a great deal of planning and deliberation. Earn-outs, among many potential contingencies, are one good reason for such planning. In the current economic environment, there is a high probability that a seller will face the prospect of an earn-out. With preparation, however, an earn-out need not torpedo a deal.

Tagged with: Earn-out, private sale, succession
Posted in Execution, Succession

Six Words About Work

Posted on May 20, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

If someone asked you to sum up in six words what you’ve learned so far about how to succeed in business, what would you say? Smith Magazine and consulting firm Mercer posed the question last year. They got thousands of entries, which they narrowed down to 400 for a book called Six Words About Work. Can six words say a lot? The entries are amazing bite-sized chunks of insight. Here is a sampling of the winners …

Tagged with: how to succeed, Mercer, Six Words About Work, Smith Magazine, success
Posted in People, Personal Growth

Blame the SWOT!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

The SWOT has been around for a long time. We’ve all used it in one form or another. That’s right, the old Strength-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats tool. And it has served all variety of organizations. But today SWOT is being challenged because it can back many organizations into a corner, driving leaders to look inward at both their company and industry challenges, creating what Verne Harnish (Gazelles Founder) terms “inside/industry myopia.”

Tagged with: strategic thinking, SWOT, SWT, Verne Harnish
Posted in Strategy

Sales Are Probably Down If You’re Doing These 3 Things

Posted on May 6, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

Today is not business as usual. Many markets are still flat. Are you holding your breath and hoping? This is not the right strategy. What is left to do? The highest impact activity that you have left is to SELL. And if you are doing these three things: selling the same thing, to the same people, the same way that you did 12 months ago, I would be shocked if your sales aren’t down. Now is the time, more than ever, to take a critical look at your current sales playbook.

Tagged with: A player, leadership, sales process, strategy
Posted in Execution, Leadership, People, Strategy

Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership

Posted on May 6, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

One of the most trusted sources on becoming a better leader is The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. Based on research involving more than 3 million employees and leaders, the authors have identified five practices that are common among effective leaders.

Tagged with: confidence, leadership
Posted in Leadership, People

Beat Your Competitors with this 300% ROI

Posted on April 22, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

Patrick McGovern is the Chairman and Founder of International Data Group (IDG), and one of the Forbes 400 wealthiest entrepreneurs. McGovern’s mantra is that the only investment critical to growth is employee and management development. He is known for his three simple rules for growing each division of his company. Each leader has to hit three targets, three of every five quarters …

Tagged with: employee and management development, Jack Welch, leadership, Patrick McGovern
Posted in Leadership, People, Personal Growth

Forget About Answers and Focus on the Right Questions!

Posted on April 22, 2013 by David Paul Carter — No Comments ↓

One of the areas that prevents many of us from achieving the results we are capable of is that we obsess about getting better answers – but spend almost no time on asking better questions. In other words, if you want to solve your problems and create a new growth path in your life and business, one of the first steps is to quit obsessing about the result you want. Instead focus on improving the quality of the questions you are asking yourself and others.

Tagged with: focus, right question
Posted in Execution, Personal Growth