Non Sequiturs.  Latin for “it does not follow”.  Basically this an argument when the conclusion does not follow or match the beginning statement or assertion.  In a non sequitur, the conclusion could be either true or false, but the argument is a problem because there is a disconnection between the premise and the conclusion. […]

So it has been a while. I was taken back a bit this year in May. I was diagnosed with cancer and, well, I took some time to deal with something rather big. Rather than go into the details, allow me to share that it took me back a few steps and my outlook was […]

Recently I was in Texas.  I had a part in delivering a workshop to a collection of retailers in North America and the Caribbean.  As the conference started, the key note speaker spoke of the power of the question “why?”  One of my segments was focusing on the customer experience and the “why” thing was […]

OK, I am going to attempt something a bit odd.  I am going to weave three, initially non sequitur completely random things into a management point of view…sleeping downstairs, my cat sneezing and a haircut.  Wow, even I think this seems daunting. I sleep downstairs sometimes.  Yes, my basement bedroom.  I snore on occasions; especially […]

OK, hang on…this could be quirky.  I was watching the movie Brave.  Scottish, animated and about arrows.  That is really not all the movie says.  Although my daughters now each have a love for archery.  I did to and still kinda…OK, the topic.  The voice of King Fergus is Billy Connolly.  He is a Scottish […]

Once, I was out with my mother.  We were shopping for “whatever”.  I was a teenager.  That should be enough said to consider how this unfolded.  My mother said she couldn’t find the “whatever”.  Breathe.  I said, “Umm Mom, here’s an idea.  Do you know they hire people to work in the store?  Why not […]

I had a manager once who said something which surprised me.  Not the idea.  Just that it came from him.  He wasn’t that witty.  Well, perhaps that is a bit harsh.  Sorry.  He said that (paraphrasing mind you), “where we must excel is involved in the 10% we do.”  Now stop for a second and […]

“I’m at my limit.”  What does that mean?  What is your threshold for a job?  The term threshold comes from, I think, well: “The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so […]

As sales reps we have been trained and trained again to do certain things when a customer shows up.  We all know the five steps in selling: Hi, what do you need, here it is (with some extras attached), buy it and thank you (tell others how awesome I am).  What if the customer is […]

Let’s talk sales.  I was reminded of something today about sales and customer service.  Oh yeah, question, are they different or the same?  This is something I love to ask my learners in sales training.  I love the debate which ensues.  There will inevitably be one group who are convinced it is separate.  They are […]