Category: Uncategorized

Bill Marriott on keeping employees engaged

Eric Chester writes – In researching my new book I got a rare opportunity to visit with J.W. “Bill” Marriott. (Marriott Hotels are No. 53 on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list for in 2015.) Marriott emphasized how vital two-way communication is to keeping his employees fully engaged.

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What does a business consultant do?

While mingling at a networking event, one of the most common questions asked is, “What do you do?” Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to respond with, “I’m a Cirque de Soleil performer.” “I’m a mountaineer and have climbed Everest four times!” However if you respond with “I’m a business consultant” you may get a friendly nod at best and at worse a yawn. It is an overused descriptor but is a role that is crucial to the success of many organizations.

Business consultants are organizational thinking partners. The need comes about when people find their organization needs a jumpstart, a fresh perspective or an update of their current business practices to be more successful. The business may just be starting out and need some guidance as to how to be most successful, or they may be reorganizing and restructuring, or perhaps hovering dangerously close to business failure and financial ruin.

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Communication Training the Thelonius Monk Way

You don’t have to know who Thelonious Monk is (bonus points if you do) or even be a musician to know what that quote means – if just one player in a band is off beat, the whole performance will sound off. Creating music is about more than a group of players each performing their individual part – it’s about the way those players listen to each other and perform together that really counts. Like any group working toward a common goal, the whole should be greater than the sum of its parts.

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Tru Blue: How one employee makes the customer experience memorable

I am always on the lookout for great customer experiences. Whether in a restaurant, my bank, or any retail environment, I look for individuals who make a difference. A new Mariano’s grocery store moved into my neighborhood in April of 2014. I like Mariano’s. It is where Whole Foods meets Jewel. The one near my house features fresh produce, delicious prepared foods and even boasts a wine, oyster and sushi bar. Oh yes, and there’s fresh flowers and a gelato bar downstairs. Pretty fancy stuff.

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Reach 100% of employees during times of change

Every organization goes through change. Perhaps yours is:

Emerging from a merger or acquisition
Recovering from a crisis
Preparing to enter a new market or re-branding
Whatever the change, it is essential not only to manage the immediate logistics and requirements inherent in that change, but to also bring your employees and the organizational culture along with you.

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C-Suite to Business Consultant: 5 communication practices that work

As a business consultant and corporate communication strategist, I consider myself lucky. Before leaving the C-Suite and going into my own practice I was fortunate to work for a corporation who believed good communication was paramount to their success. I was able to see how consistent, relevant and engaging communication can rally employees, foster pride and drive results. I saw how we put theory into practice and it worked. We were able to make the list of FORTUNE’s 100 Best Places to Work and surpassed all anticipated business results in terms of revenue, customer engagement and corporate citizenship. Our efforts were not always perfect but we did a pretty good job of delivering a unified message that helped build a cohesive culture.

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