Archive for June, 2008
« Previous EntriesInfluence and Personal Branding
Friday, June 27th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I’m often asked how to tangibly measure personal brand equity and my answer is quite simple The value of a personal brand is directly proportionate to its ability to create and wield influence. When it comes to the subject of personal branding much has been written about authenticity, transparency, marketability, thought leadership, etc., but it is the ability to leverage the sum of these individual brand components for influence that determines the true strength of a personal brand. Put simply, a personal brand that cannot open doors or influence actions and decisions is not much of a personal brand.
Boosting Personal Productivity
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Has the speed at which business is transacted in the 21st Century completely overwhelmed you? Do you find yourself flirting with disaster by constantly brushing up against deadlines? Are your work hours increasing without a corresponding increase in income or satisfaction? Do you wish you had more time in a day? If you answered yes to any of the aforementioned questions your personal productivity is likely not where it should be. Boosting personal productivity is virtually the only way for professionals to meet their earnings expectations, keep their sanity by maintaining a balanced life, and meet customer expectations. In today’s post I’ll provide some tips for how to manage your day instead of having your day manage you.
How to Lose Business Fast
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Three words…No Phone Support. If you want to send your hard won customers and clients straight into the arms of your competitors then I encourage you to eliminate phone support. This really works; trust me…I have personally abandoned companies who either go out of their way to hide their phone numbers, or even worse have eliminated phone support altogether. In today’s post I’ll buck yet another trend and share why strong phone support is mission critical to your business…
Keeping It Simple
Monday, June 23rd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
One of the most effective ways to order your world is to simplify everything you encounter. The problem is that keeping it simple often becomes very difficult when our basic human nature is to overcomplicate everything we touch. In thinking about the people I respect the most, to the one they possess the uncanny ability to take the most complicated of issues and simplify them. You will find that the best leaders, communicators, teachers, and innovators have a true knack for taking extremely dense or intricate content and making it engaging and easy to understand. In fact I believe it was Leonardo Da Vinci who said “simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” In today’s post I’ll take a look at the often overlooked benefits of keeping it simple…
Office Politics
Friday, June 20th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Whether you realize it or not, the politics of business can become much more insidious and treacherous than the politics of politics. The difference between politics and business is that what takes place on the floor of the Congress constitutes overt and predictable actions. Most savvy participants in the political process can see things coming from a mile off as partisan politics clearly define the playing field. The tricky part about politics in business is that you are supposed to be on the same team with your co-workers. The sad reality is that covert actions take place everyday in the hallways, offices, and boardrooms of the business world. Worse yet, they are typically much more secretive and sinister in nature. While many politicians consider themselves artful practitioners of their craft, the reality is that they pale in comparison to the skills possessed by most seasoned business people. In today’s post I’ll give some insight into the politics of business…
First Impressions
Thursday, June 19th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
So, do first impressions really matter? While they shouldn’t, the reality is that they most certainly do. As the old saying goes “you only get one chance to make a first impression,” and often times it is the perception of appearance that determines whether or not you are even afforded the opportunity to get up to bat. The truth is that most people when first meeting someone will quickly attempt to size them up. Whether consciously, or unconsciously, they will make quick value judgments in an effort to assess your credibility and flesh out your agenda. In today’s post I’ll examine how managing appearances can have a substantial impact on your personal brand and your success.
Ideas Don’t Equal Innovation
Wednesday, June 18th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
It is my hope that today’s post will serve to help dispel the myth that ideas are inherently good things. Let me state right from the outset that I place little value on ideas. Not only do raw ideas have little intrinsic value, but they are often very costly. While I stipulate to the fact that ideas can sometimes lead to great things, I also submit that it is more frequently the case that ideas lead to disapointment, tragedy, and disaster. Those of you familiar with my work are probably wondering if it is really me authoring this text…if you’re baffled at how a champion of innovation can simultaneously be an idea basher, I urge you to read on and I promise the congruity will become apparent.
Communication Matters
Tuesday, June 17th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
While many of us take communication for granted, communication matters. The ability to communicate is truly a key success metric for any executive looking to survive at the C-suite level. Don’t be fooled into thinking your title, education, influence, or charisma can take the place of sound communication skills. While the aforementioned characteristics certainly won’t hurt, they can be quickly eroded and/or undermined by a lack of effective communication. In today’s post I’ll take a critical look at why communication matters…
A Sneak Preview
Monday, June 16th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
My last book “Leadership Matters…The CEO Survival Manual” continues to receive positive feedback, and I’ve been pleased with the stories that have been relayed to me about the book’s ability to add value to the lives of those who have read it. In today’s post I have the pleasure of announcing my forthcoming book (to be released this fall) entitled “The Conventional Fool…Why What You Think You Know Is Probably Wrong“. In today’s text I’ll give you a brief overview of the book, and later this week I’ll actually give our readers a sneak preview inside one of the chapters…
Read The Full PostInternet Usage
Friday, June 13th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I’m often asked by executives if social media should be part of their brand strategy, or if it is too late to jump on the Web 2.0 bandwagon. It’s as if they feel that they missed a window of opportunity and that the digital age has just forever passed them by. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, other brands may have a bit of a head start on you, but since when have successful business people ever let a first mover’s advantage dissuade them from pursuing a tremendous opportunity. I’ve discussed my views on social media in a variety of other posts, but in today’s text I’m going to let the numbers speak for themselves…
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