How to Treat Good Customers (& Weed Out the Bad)

A boss shaking hands with a man to appeal to customers

Which customers are worth letting go of? How do you know who your most valuable customers are? Mike Michalowicz says that an important component of the quality mindset in business is focusing your time, energy, and resources on your most valuable customers. Not every customer is going to be a good customer, so you need to learn how to differentiate between the bad and the good. Take a look at how to treat customers that will help or hurt your company down the line.

Authority vs. Leadership: Why They Aren’t the Same Thing

Two groups of people in business suits representing authority vs. leadership

Are authority and leadership the same thing? What makes someone a leader without having a position of authority? Clay Scroggins believes that God gave humanity the responsibility to lead. Unfortunately, you may neglect this responsibility because you mistakenly believe that you must hold a position of authority to be a leader. Let’s look at authority vs. leadership to show why you don’t need to be in a high position to take charge.

Starbucks’s Social Responsibility: 3 Efforts to Make a Change

A Starbucks sign in front of grass, representing Starbucks's social responsibility

How does Starbucks help the environment and society? How was Starbucks involved in the 2008 American presidential election? Howard Schultz says that customers are drawn to Starbucks because of its commitment to social and environmental responsibility. In 2008, Starbucks took on three new social initiatives to reach out to the public and help people in need. Discover more about Starbucks’s social responsibility efforts.

Why Is Procrastination Bad? Exploring the Top 3 Reasons

A man sitting in front of a giant clock, wondering why procrastination is bad

Why is procrastination bad? How does procrastination affect your physical health? Timothy A. Pychyl contends it’s important to be aware of the specific ways your procrastination habit works against you. After all, procrastination keeps you from putting your limited time to the best possible use, and this can have a cascade of consequences. Below, we’ll consider three ways that procrastination can sabotage you.

What Is Self-Leadership? The 3 Ways to Lead Yourself

A woman embracing self-leadership and looking confidently at herself in the mirror

What is self-leadership? How can you lead yourself to greatness? The one thing you can control is yourself, Clay Scroggins says. This is the most essential kind of leadership to embrace, as you’ll always have authority over your own behavior, regardless of your position in an organization. Below, we’ll explore a few types of self-leadership you should embrace.

Customer Experience at Starbucks: 3 Areas That Stand Out

Employees serving people as part of the customer experience at Starbucks

Why do people love Starbucks so much? What’s the customer experience at Starbucks like? When Starbucks was in desperate need of a new business model, one of Howard Schultz’s areas of focus was customer service. Schultz made changes in three key areas: improved communication with customers, polished store design and operations, and renewed social and environmental commitments. Let’s explore each of those areas now.

3 Reasons Why We Procrastinate (+ How to Stop)

A person texting with their laptop open and papers next to them, showing one of the reasons why we procrastinate

Why is it so easy for people to procrastinate? What productive habits can we build to overcome procrastination? Procrastination is frustrating because we know what it is and we can see how it hurts us, but we keep doing it anyway. In Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, Timothy A. Pychyl explores three forces behind procrastination: our desire for rewarding experiences, our trouble making realistic plans, and our lack of preparedness for obstacles and challenges. Let’s look at the reasons why we procrastinate, and what we can do to stop them.

Mindful Decision-Making: 4 Tips for Leading Your Actions

A man surrounded by question marks as he practices mindful decision-making

What are the benefits of mindful decision-making? What are some tips for making good choices in life? Clay Scroggins says that being dutiful and mindful in the small, daily decisions you make is called leading your actions. This consistency shows that you’re ready for the responsibility of leading others in the same way. Check out how to change your life by making decisions that show you’d be a great leader.

The Starbucks Business Model After 3 Turnaround Strategies

A Starbucks sign that represents Starbucks's business model

What’s the Starbucks business model? What business principles did Howard Schultz bring to Starbucks? As CEO, Schultz made a multitude of decisions that helped Starbucks survive the financial crisis. In total, he made three turnaround strategies: overhauling Starbucks’ management, improving its financial standing, and enhancing the coffeehouse experience. Let’s discuss these decisions and how they left Starbucks in good standing by the end of 2009.

How to Overcome Instant Gratification and Stop Procrastinating

A woman holding a present with a pile of papers behind her, failing to show how to overcome instant gratification

Why do future rewards feel less important than current ones? How does instant gratification cause procrastination? One of the reasons why we procrastinate is that we want to have experiences that our brains perceive as rewarding—experiences that feel good rather than bad. According to Timothy A. Pychyl, this tendency explains why we prefer being rewarded now, rather than later. Find out how to overcome instant gratification, which will then help solve procrastination.