If you're a leader, then understand you will be judged on responding to an unexpected challenge. Some sort of problem will emerge, you likely will have little control over it, and yet you'll be expected to find a path out of the challenge. Do you have the skills to make this kind of fast adjustment? [...]

The post Responding to an Unexpected Challenge appeared first on Ken Okel.

Celebrate episode 700 of this podcast with a story about why you may need to redefine impossible. When faced with an unexpected challenge, do you find yourself immediately throwing in the towel and saying, "It can't be done."? What if, in those moments, you were selling yourself and others short? Join me on stage, at [...]

The post Redefine Impossible appeared first on Ken Okel.

For businesses that have been around for a while, it's important to consider if you're old or experienced. The two are not always the same and you need to understand the difference. If your business is just old, then trouble might be down the road. Find out what makes something old, still relevant, in this week's [...]

The post Old or Experienced? appeared first on Ken Okel.

These tips for smart networking at conferences can help you boost your return on investment when you attend events. For many, the ability to connect with fellow professionals is a big reason why they go. But you may not get the success you desire if you don't have a strategy. Find out how your fellow [...]

The post Tips For Smart Networking at Conferences appeared first on Ken Okel.

If you want a job or a task done correctly, then you need to understand that poor training produces poor results. When you assume someone will understand exactly what you want, through some kind of magic, disappointment is often around the corner. This was never more true than when I saw an employee's vision of [...]

The post Poor Training Produces Poor Results appeared first on Ken Okel.

In a world where technology is everywhere, should your smartphone be banned in meetings? Meetings are a place where lively discussions are supposed to happen, leading to major decisions. Does the smartphone interfere with that productive process? Recently, I polled my LinkedIn connections on the topic and found there's support for several different strategies when [...]

The post Should Your Smartphone Be Banned in Meetings? appeared first on Ken Okel.

If you're outsourcing a task, then you need to ask your provider, "Who does does the work?" The answer can save you time, money, and frustration. When you hire someone to do a job for you, it's understandable to expect their showcased level of quality. That may not be the case, as your account may [...]

The post Who Does the Work? appeared first on Ken Okel.

In business, it's easy to let cheap problems hurt your productivity. These are little issues that are extremely annoying.  But they aren't your big problems or your most pressing issues. Are you giving these cheap problems too much of your attention at the expense of more important things?  How can we handle this time management [...]

The post Do Cheap Problems Hurt Your Productivity? appeared first on Ken Okel.

In your career, it's important to consider who's watching you. There's a good chance you may be exhibiting behavior that hurts you but you believe that you can get away with it because no one is looking at you, in the moment. You believe that if no one sees it, then it doesn't matter.  That's [...]

The post Who’s Watching You? appeared first on Ken Okel.

Having a sense of purpose at work is an important part of a career. It's empowering to find that connection, as it can help you stay motivated and help you get through challenging times.  Not long ago, I polled my LinkedIn connections about their purposes at work and I discovered they fall into four categories. [...]

The post Do You have a Sense of Purpose at Work? appeared first on Ken Okel.