I have spent a lot of time talking sales and improving your sales process and mindset over the past few weeks on the podcast.  Today's topic sounds like a sales topic but it's probably more of a marketing and leadership issue more than anything.  As I have studied business owners and what makes them successful.  There's one word that stands out above all others and it's the number one key to small business growth.
If you want to know what it is that I am talking about, you are going to have to listen to this week's podcast to find out.  I will say that there are a lot of reasons that hinder someone's ability to build this thing in their business.  Business owners are held back by insecurity, time and generally overlooking the need for it in their business.  If you are looking for growth in your small business this year, this week's topic is must.  Check out the show and make sure you subscribe in iTunes and Stitcher to get notified when new episodes come out.
Talk to you again next week.

The worst part about trying to make everyone like you is later realizing that many end up hating you.  You can't please everyone nor should you try.  This is especially true in leadership.  Gutless leadership is about trying to make people happy instead of trying to serve people.  In the end leaders think they are doing people a favor with this type of leadership, in the end they are killing the culture.
Gutless leadership looks like:

* Passive aggressive behavior
* Gossip
* Not confronting issues in a timely manner
* Favoritism
* Making other people do your dirty work
* Not fighting for your team
* Making excuses
* Only looking out for yourself.

I think you get the idea.  Gutless leadership is an epidemic that has infected organizations of all sizes and is destroying the hearts and minds of employees.  This week's podcast is about why gutless leadership is a problem and what to do instead.  Subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher to get weekly updates.
How do you fight gutless leadership?

Sales. For a lot of people this is a dirty word. The image of sales conjures up images of cheap suits, comb overs and assholes. It's no wonder why people avoid identifying with sales in their businesses.  It's time for a different paradigm. Show me a business that is reluctant to sell and I will show you a struggling business.  If you own a business or even if you lead a team, you are a salesperson.
Sales is about painting a picture and showing someone what's possible.  You do that when you paint the vision of your company as well as when you offer your product/service to the public. I have talked recently about selling with purpose and building your online marketing presence but none of that matters if you don't have a heart for the sales process in your business.
This week's podcast goes through the sales mindset and what you need to keep in mind as you manage and develop your businesses' sales process.  Check out the podcast by clicking the player above or you can subscribe in iTunes.
 

There's nothing more frustrating for a business owner or leader than an employee who can't seem to get the job done.  Reading that last sentence may have just triggered a thought of a specific employee that you have worked with or are currently working with. I want to re-contextualize employee failure.  Behind every failure is an opportunity.  Your job is a leader is to uncover that opportunity.
Leaders who do this well create strong bonds with their team and create a culture that supports growth and safety.  Is that how you want your organizational culture to look like? What could be the benefits of looking at employee failure from an opportunity side?  This week's New Work Revolution podcast talks about the benefits and ways to unlock the opportunity behind every employee failure.  Check it out and subscribe in iTunes.