Avoid Rookie Mistakes

Far too often, new entrepreneurs make first year decisions that can put a major dent in the inaugural year of your new entrepreneurial venture. Even someone who has a lot of corporate experience cannot understand the firefight of being a business owner until you have to meet your first payroll.
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Maximize Your Giving by Avoiding Takers

The difference between givers who climb the success ladder and those who struggle comes in who they do their giving to. The most successful givers are strategic when they give: they will give generously to fellow givers as well as to takers, but they will be very cautious about giving to takers.

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How an Entrepreneur Can Be Open But Stay in Control

The emergence of social networking and the Internet has caused a new focus and value on “openness,” which leads to a new element of leadership, called “Open Leadership.” The mantra of open leadership is “Be Open, Be Transparent, and Be Authentic.” This is counter to the traditional business premise of “control,” so many companies are still pushing back.
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3 Ways to Support People in High Performance Environments

Consistently challenging your team and setting the bar high is only effective if you have the proper support in place. Failure to have a level of support that matches your expectations will not only make it difficult for individuals to meet their targets, it will also create an unnecessary source of stress internally.
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The Most Admired Entrepreneurs Are Servant Leaders

Startups provide leadership in the market. Entrepreneurs provide leadership to their startup. There are many styles of leadership, like dictatorial, laissez-faire, and democratic. One that I hear discussed more these days, in this age of relationships, is called “servant” leadership.

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How the Most Successful Leaders Manage the Brilliant Naysayer

Most every company has a Harold (or Harriet). Typically, he has been with the company for 20-plus years. He knows more about industry norms, the company’s intellectual property, your IT capabilities, what legal will and will NOT go for, interoffice politics, and the CEO’s family than anyone in the building. And unfortunately for you, good old Harold can effortlessly—and with absolutely no malice intended—recite four to six reasons why your idea won’t fly.
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The Fairness Doctrine

Most emotional responses to decisions in business are generated not because the person making the response feels the decision was unwise, but rather unfair. So I’ve created the “Fairness Doctrine” as a stated element in the cultural fabric of businesses where I am involved.
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Role Models

In order to be a great leader, you have got to be a great role model. Managers often forget that their staff watches their behavior and uses it to guide their own reactions. So what characteristics should the role model of a business—or a non-profit, for that matter—have?
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4 Reasons Why Being a Mompreneur Is Healthy for Both the Kids and the Business

Power to the mompreneurs indeed! Being both a parent and owner of a small business is not without its daily balancing act. As both a CEO and mom to two very active sons, I know all about the art of time management and taking care not to spread myself too thin with the activities I participate in. I love being a mompreneur and find it to be the gift that keeps on giving for both my children and the company.
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