Finding fulfillment

There are days when my work is easy. Everything in front of me is stuff I’ve done before and I know I’ll be able to knock it out of the park. Those aren’t really the days I remember. Instead, it’s the days that are hard, challenging, that seem to stick in my memory because of …

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Inspiring excellence

There’s a strange dynamic that happens when you get good at something. The first thing that happens is you get praise. Then, after the praise, you get assigned the same work, over and over. You are, after all, the expert. Or at least the best qualified. And then, finally, you get bored and frustrated. Nothing …

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Five years of CaboPress

I’m currently in Cabo San Lucas running the conference that I dreamed of six years ago and began running five years ago. I’ve written previously about how I designed this conference to be unique. Tonight, after the first full day of sessions, I’m delighted by what I’ve seen and experienced. And as I reflect, the …

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Healthy conflict

Years ago we were sitting in a conference room that held 10 of us. Everyone in the room was a direct report and we were supposed to be talking about the next version of our flagship product. The problem was that no one wanted to debate. It was a room completely filled with faithful and …

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Leadership takes work

If you are the kind of person who likes to go with the flow, or never likes to have conflict, then a leadership role may not be something you pursue. Leadership takes work. Maybe the most frustrating dynamic is the nature of taking people where they don’t initially want to go. If everyone just said, …

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The trick to closing customers is not to “always be closing”

When it comes to sales, people remember the ABCs – Always Be Closing. But what worked in the movies years ago doesn’t always translate well these days. Particularly when everyone expects and believes that we’re all in “pitch” mode every minute of the day. The way around it, while still having success, is to stop …

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