Business Archives

Scrum by Jeff Sutherland: Key Book Takeaways

What can you learn from Scrum by Jeff Sutherland? Why does the Scrum method work better than traditional management systems? According to software developer and management expert Jeff Sutherland, the methods most companies use to build products are misguided and lead to inefficiency. Too much time is spent planning, too much energy is wasted on unimportant tasks, and not enough emphasis is placed on flexibility. That’s why he came up with the Scrum method. Here’s a brief overview of Jeff Sutherland’s Scrum.

Customer Empathy: How to Understand the Customer

What is customer empathy? How can you understand how your customer is feeling? In Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar emphasizes the importance of putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. Even if you don’t share their feelings, you can understand how to cater your pitch to their specific needs. Read more on the importance of customer empathy when pitching a product.

How to Handle Objections in Sales: 3 Techniques

Do your customers bring up objections? Do you need to know how to handle objections in sales? In his book Secrets of Closing the Sale, salesman and author Zig Ziglar goes over three techniques to address customer objections. These techniques include addressing objections immediately, appealing to logic and emotion, and staying calm. Below, we’ll go over the three techniques on how to handle objections in sales.

Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar: Overview

What is Zig Ziglar’s Secrets of Closing the Sale about? What are the main takeaways from his book? The process of selling can seem mysterious and incomprehensible. In Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar explains what qualities you must develop as a salesperson, how customers tend to behave in sales situations, and the strategies you can employ to maximize the impact of your pitch and close the sale every time. Here’s a brief overview of Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar.

How to Improve Your Business’s Bottom Line

Do you want to take your business to the next level? What can you, as a business owner, do to increase your customer satisfaction and improve your company’s bottom line? With business—as with anything in life—there’s always room for improvement. Once your business starts turning profit, the next step is to identify ways you can improve so you can keep growing and adding value to your customers. Here are four strategic tips on how to improve your business’s bottom line.

How to Build a Successful Team: Focus on Strengths

Do you want to know how to build a successful team for your business? Why should you focus on developing your employees’ strengths rather than fixing their weaknesses? In their book Nine Lies About Work, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall say that the key to building a successful team is encouraging your subordinates to develop their unique strengths rather than fix their weaknesses. To do this, you must determine what outcomes you want from your team and then figure out how each member can help you achieve those outcomes given their individual strengths. Here’s why leaders should shift their focus

5 Myths About Leadership and People Management

What are some of the most common leadership myths modern leaders have been led to believe? How does buying into these myths hurt your leadership? When it comes to leadership and people management, there’s no manual to follow. According to Buckingham and Goodall, the authors of Nine Lies About Work, many modern leaders still harbor dangerous misconceptions that hurt their employees, and ultimately, their organizations’ bottom line. Here are five myths that still permeate modern leadership thinking.

Organizational Planning: Why Strategic Plans Fail

Do you use organizational planning for your business? Why will it ultimately fail your business in the long run? In a typical company, senior leadership comes up with a strategic plan for success and then communicates it to their direct reports. The message is then passed down until it reaches the execution team, which makes its own plans based on the directives from the higher-ups. The problem with this dynamics is that plans made by higher-ups tend to disregard the daily struggles of their employees who make the magic happen. Here’s why strategic plans often fail.

The Importance of Teamwork in an Organization

How important is a teamwork culture in your organization? Why is a collaborative work environment more important than corporate culture? Many companies believe that creating an enticing corporate culture is what makes the business thrive. While corporate culture (various perks, free lunches, etc.) can attract people to work for your organization, it’s not what makes them stay. High-value people seek to do meaningful work as part of a supportive, collaborative team. Keep reading to learn about the importance of teamwork in an organization.

Identifying High Potential Employees Hurts Businesses

What is deemed a “high-potential employee”? How does classifying your employees into high- or low- potential hurt your organization? Companies use performance appraisal systems for identifying high-potential employees. When an employee is “high potential,” it usually means they have promise for promotion because of their skillset and work ethic. However, “high-potential” people don’t matter in the long run. Here’s why you shouldn’t segregate your employees based on high or low potential.