Do You Know What Your Boss Wants From You?

As an executive coach, I’ve worked with hundreds of people in all types of organizations. Each person has their own story, of course – a unique narrative that includes their skills, experience, strengths, weaknesses, and relationships. While every engagement is different, these people all have one thing in common; their boss always plays a central […]

The Advisor’s Corner – How do I deal with so much on my plate?

Question: There is SO much on my plate – how do I sort out priorities, recognize the blocks, and keep an open mind for possibilities? StrategyDriven Response: (by Roxi Hewertson, StrategyDriven Principal Contributor) You might find that you are so focused on the ‘tasks’ at hand that the most important work is getting the short […]

A penny saved is a penny earned. Or is it?

Ben Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726), and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography lists his 13 virtues as: Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. Silence. Speak not but what […]

The Advisor’s Corner – Is there a right way to FIRE an employee?

Question: Is there a right way to FIRE an employee? StrategyDriven Response: (by Roxi Hewertson, StrategyDriven Principal Contributor) Unfortunately, on average, we still have a 50 percent or more failure rate in hiring. This means we are as likely as not going to find ourselves in this unpleasant situation. Aside from legal, union, or other […]

How to be an Effective Manager

Effectively managing people, processes, or both is in many ways a balancing act. Some would even describe it as an art form. There are many variables in play simultaneously which determine if somebody will ultimately be successful in a leadership role. Before a manager begins to understand all of these nuances they must learn one […]

Communication Skills Can Increase Your Leadership Credibility

In today’s global marketplace, leaders must possess strong communication skills. The sound of someone’s voice matters twice as much as the content of his or her message, according to recent findings as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Studies have shown that a person’s speech patterns, including the quality of their voice, strongly influences how […]

The Advisor’s Corner – Can I Afford a Bad Hire?

Question: Can I Afford a Bad Hire? StrategyDriven Response: (by Roxi Hewertson, StrategyDriven Principal Contributor) Fact 1: No one can afford a bad hire! Fact 2: Nationally, about 50 percent of hires, fail. Of those that succeed only about 20 percent are top performers. Fact 3: 90 percent of failures are UNRELATED to brains and […]

Finding the elusive decision maker. Then what?

Question from a reader: Jeffrey, I speak with many people in organizations that want you to think they are the decision maker when in fact they are not. I have wasted too many emails and follow up on people that can’t help. How do you ask without hurting the relationship you may have built? How […]

Big-Name Firm or Hands-on Experience: How to Get the Most out of Your Internship

Internships can be a valuable stepping stone for college students to start on their career path. But when it comes to deciding where to intern, students must consider where they’ll gain the most experience. Should they pursue a big-name firm that offers prestige, or will a small company offering practical, hands-on experience that is directly […]

Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is full of timeless lessons.

“Thoughts are things” is the title and the first words of the first chapter of the book. When I first read those words, I didn’t really understand what they meant – even when I read the first chapter and the examples offered in Napoleon Hill’s classic Think and Grow Rich. It didn’t resonate until I […]