The Water Trough- We can't make you drink, but we will make you think!

Send us Fan Mail Promotions- employees love them, and employers need them. Ah, but as an employee, are your expectations realistic? And employers, are you promoting the folks with the greatest opportunity to succeed? Yes, promotions are important, but the way you handle them deserves considerable thought.

Send us Fan Mail I have reached a certain age. The big R (Retirement) is approaching. For some of us, this is such a cool thing. For others, well, it's a bit more confusing. Either way, it is not a time to be squandered. There is much to consider. 

Send us Fan Mail We have all been there. Something is wrong and despite our best efforts, it's getting worse. What are we going to do?

Send us Fan Mail Communication- everybody knows it is the cornerstone of success in business and life in general. Most of us are pretty good at speaking, an essential ingredient of "verbal" communication. We nailed that at an early age. I also believe we are pretty good at hearing. After all, that is an automatic function, so for the majority, that is a given. But how about listening? Th...

Send us Fan Mail In the words of Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots, DO YOUR JOB! You are a manager and so you are concerned about the productivity of your employees, as you should be. But if you are worried because you cannot SEE what they are doing, it's time you took a good look at what YOU are doing (or not doing). 

Send us Fan Mail Retirement comes for all but are you Fit-To-Retire? Money matters, of course, but there's much more to retirement than money. Join me and my guest, Chris Shea, a retirement professional. This is a time of your life you have earned and you deserve to live the way you see fit. Let's get you moving toward a successful journey. Chris Shea is a Registered Representative offer...

Send us Fan Mail There is a hidden side to the military, and it has unique lessons on training and self-development that are valuable to anyone looking to improve.  How can civilians learn these lessons?  By looking beyond the most intense military stories and learning more about traits such as honesty and efficiency. Join me and my guest, John McGlothlin as we discuss the valuable life lessons he...

Send us Fan Mail Change is necessary but how many of us are comfortable with it? Most of us would agree, change is scary. How can we learn to live with it? After all, it is the key to innovation and success in business.  Join me as I chat with Jennifer Eichenberg, owner of Eichenberg & Associates and an organizational change management practitioner. She works with the C-suite who are frustrate...

Send us Fan Mail Advertising- it's that stuff you put out there to let people know who you are, and what you do. But some forms of advertising are not what they seem. Are you and your employees delivering the message that you want to be heard?

Send us Fan Mail The exit strategy conundrum. For some it is a joy to move on. For others it is defined by sheer panic. Join me as I explore this topic with M & A expert, Paul Cronin. Paul  has over 30 years of professional experience in sales, management, consulting, and entrepreneurship. He has owned three businesses, and he has been part of the M&A world since 2009, initially in the exi...

Send us Fan Mail Teamwork is far more than a buzzword. It's a valuable way of getting things done. Perhaps one of THE most valuable means of getting things done. But it is not the best choice in every situation. Whether or not to employ teamwork and how to do it effectively is an important decision we have to make. I challenge you to think about teamwork in your workplace. Is it right? Is it...

Send us Fan Mail Motivation is the fire in our bellies. It inspires us to get up and move. Take it away and nothing happens. As employers, we can't motivate people. But we can help them to be engaged and committed. Recipe for success: hire motivated people. Engage them with jobs that fit them and earn their commitment by providing a nurturing environment that is rich with opportunity.  

Send us Fan Mail Engaged and committed employees are can make the difference between a successful company and a total flop. Are you and your employees engaged? Are they committed? Do you know why these things matter? Take a listen- you just might change your future.

Send us Fan Mail Running a business is very much like running a new project every day.  While there is always a desire to see the business run ‘smoothly’, business owners know that every day brings new challenges, which is exactly why project management is so critical to a company.  If every project ran without daily changes and interruptions, there’d be no need for project management.  But since...

Send us Fan Mail Ego- scary word? Not really. We all have one, and that is a good thing. But, how we manage that ego is really important. Your ego CAN BE your amigo (and others' amigo too) if you want it to be.

Send us Fan Mail We have been collaborating from the day we were born.  Babies cry, parents figure out what they need, and the babies let them know if their needs have been met.  Parents, especially moms, and kids work together from day one to accomplish objectives, ensuring that the kids are fed, safe, comforted, dry, snuggled, and loved.   By the time we start working, it is easy to assume that...

Send us Fan Mail I hope you enjoy my interview with my friend Charlie Green, the ’Trust Guy.’ Charlie is an experienced consultant, co-author of The Trusted Advisor, and author of Trust-based Selling. We cover a lot of ground, including the difference between personal and institutional trust, the difference between trust, trusting, and trustworthiness, the biggest mistakes people make in creating...

Send us Fan Mail Join me and my guest, Deb Goeschel of the Message Artist Creative Group. In this episode, among many other things, you will learn   Why a logo isn't the sum total of a brand How Brand Messaging is the crust to your brand pie The core elements that makeup brand messaging I am really excited about this episode and I hope you will tune in. Deb is offering her Rebrand Checklist a...

Send us Fan Mail Do you think you are too old to listen to your inner child? Time for a reality check. The most creative among us enjoy close relationships with their younger selves. And you know what, they are achieving things we can only dream of. 

Send us Fan Mail Workplace fires- OK, maybe not quite what you are thinking but small things can turn into major disasters. Attentiveness matters, but when that fails, you must know how to act.

Send us Fan Mail One cannot be a leader without having power. But power is a seductive thing. Leading is all about your intentions. It's either one for all or all for me.

Send us Fan Mail Do ostriches stick their heads in the sand when they are afraid? Do leaders? Let's give leaders, and ostriches some credit here; we all have our moments. Step up to the trough- learn more about this, and the story about "Betty",  a real, live ostrich.  Thanks for the inspiration Betty, and thanks to Lion Country Safari of Loxahatchee, FL, for giving Betty a great ho...

Send us Fan Mail A little story about how Ed Drozda became The Small Business Doctor and what gave rise to the name, The Water Trough.