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Better
The difference between mediocre business operations and great business operations is a drive for better. Not a drive for perfection; not a drive to keep things the same, but a drive for better. Perfection sounds fantastic, but in something as variable as the business world, perfection isn’t attainable. There will always be room for improvement,…
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Difficult Bosses
At one of the companies I worked for, there were a couple supervisors who were more difficult to deal with than the others. Here’s what went right, what went wrong, and what you can do to make things go right. We’ll call the first boss Martha. Martha was on the gruff side; initially, we struggled…
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Value Exchange and Hidden Salespeople
The best salespeople are the ones you wouldn’t naturally call salespeople. Value is not a zero-sum game. Winning in a business transaction does not demand that someone else loses. Just this past week, I needed to get the air conditioning in my car fixed; it was only blowing hot air. Of course, I had to…
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Customer Success and the Human Touch
Automation is fast and inexpensive, and is the reason for the success of many modern companies. It can be tempting to put automation everywhere in a company. Don’t. Customer success is an area to be cautious with in terms of automation, especially during direct customer contact. Nothing makes the term “valued customer” feel as hollow…
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Embracing Discomfort
I’m an introvert. I don’t like seeking out the help of others. I work best by myself. Or so I told myself. I am, in fact, an introvert – someone who largely becomes energized when alone. I also don’t always feel comfortable asking others to hold me accountable. However, I don’t work best by myself.…
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Welcome to My Corner of the Internet
Hello! My name is Brandon, and I solve problems in processes. Over the past few years, I’ve worked in a variety of industries, getting a ground-level view of how a business is run. One consistent factor has been a lack of vertical communication. “Corporate” hands down decisions without talking with the people who will be…