Management Help | Bob Holdsworth

Archive for Management Help

Your competition is copying your best ideas while you’re sleeping.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (0)

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

If you’ve got a great product or service, you’re going to be copied, challenged, reversed engineered or outright pirated, it’s a fact of business life.

When I first entered the medical billing business back in 1989, there were no other companies in my niche (ambulance billing) in my state. Fast forward 23 years and there are now ten companies that are directly competing with my firm for some part of the ambulance billing business in my home state.

Now the interesting thing is that only one competitor has opted to match service levels and they are the latest entry into the game. They have only 5 clients, none of them of substantial size or volume.

This poaching of clients, ideas or advertising offers and methods is simply part of business and it took me a while to both realize and to not to get angry about it. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but not when the flattery costs me money to get. Now all of this said, it doesn’t mean you should simply accept this as a fact of life and take it lying down. Read More→

I’m sorry to break it to you, but you don’t know it all.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (0)

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Ever run across one of those people who believes that they know everybody and everything? They are constantly trying to one-up anything you say. They routinely speak up at meetings, not to contribute but more to just be heard by the group and feel good about themselves. If you’re in leadership…don’t be one of those people. As a matter of fact if you’re in leadership, counsel those people after the meeting about their behavior.

Of course, if counseling doesn’t work, the next time they speak up about something, assign them the task as project team leader to come up with workable solutions for an issue. They will quickly realize that they need other people to accomplish the task. I’ve used the ‘task assignment’ approach with success several times.

With all of the advances in technology, the speed at which information is disseminated around the world and each individual’s capacity for learning…no one, not even you, can know it all. Read More→

Leadership is not simply a plaque on the door.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (3)

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

"Everybody wants the title..."

For many, getting a new title, a corner office, or more brass on their collar is viewed as a destination. Often the transition, the right of passage and the plaque on the door becomes an open invitation or an excuse to stop learning.

The truth about a promotion, if you’re a leader rather than a manager…is that the move up is simply a new beginning which creates an entirely new level of responsibility and opportunity. A serious student of business and leadership NEVER stops learning, asking questions, and honing their craft.

Leadership is a craft, an art, and a noble occupation. For some it’s a lifelong aspiration. For others simply a path to their version of success.

My wife has a great saying, “Everybody wants a paycheck, but not everybody’s willing to work!” In the realm of leadership, the correlation is “Everybody wants the title, but not everybody’s willing to take on the responsibility.”

I’ve been fortunate, my career in leadership began more than 30 years ago. I’ve had great mentors, role models and coaches along the way. They all taught me their version of two extremely valuable lessons. First, never stop learning and second, never ever forget where you came from. Read More→

Be a 30-second hero…everyday.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (2)

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Do you like recognition? Well, so do your staff members, vendors and even the barista at your local coffee shop. Everyone wants to be recognized for a job well done.

Most business people can more easily find fault with the people they supervise or interact with than a reason to praise. However, setting a tone in an organization is more easily done through praise. We all want to avoid unpleasantness in our lives, in fact, I’ll bet you’re like me and while you won’t shrink away from a confrontational situation, you’d rather not add one into your day.

I make it a point to look for the positive things whenever I can and pay a compliment, say thank you, even ask for a salesperson’s manager and pay a compliment on a job well done…rare these days. Read More→

Comments (2)

Categories : Business - General, Customer Service -Client Relations, leadership, management

Tags : 30-second hero, bob holdsworth, Business Coaching, Entrepenuer, Leadership Growth, LLC, Management Help, Small Business Coach, The Holdsworth Group