Ask Ron: Do I Have a Sales Problem?
A business coach asks:
My practice is doing ok, but I don’t have enough ideal clients. I have a few clients who are great, although they aren’t paying me what I’m worth. I have several clients who are total energy drains and not worth it. Obviously I’ve been successfully in signing up these clients, so [...]
Over the past week, much attention in the political media has focused on Mitt Romney’s role at Bain Capital, a private equity firm. Opponents have characterized Bain and other private equity firms as “vultures.” Politics aside, why do vultures exist? And what are the lessons for leaders?
Vultures, while perhaps grotesque, serve a [...]
In my book, Aligned Action: The Key to CEO Effectiveness, I wrote about the importance of aligned action – of making sure that everyone in the company is working on the right things in the right way.
But I realize [...]
For most executives, January is the time of year when your people expect to hear from you. You may be speaking at a national sales meeting, a leadership conference, a strategic planning retreat, or even a virtual conference call to kick off the year. Whatever the venue, you are going to be front and center. [...]
How to Deal with a Delayed Client Engagement
A consultant asks “I have a new client who agreed to my proposal a few months ago, but we also agreed to delay the start of the work until the first of the year. Now I’m getting a bit nervous and I am also second-guessing the scope, timing, and fees of what I proposed. What [...]
How to Get Your Very First Client
One of the most dreaded questions that new coaches and consultants potentially face when just starting out is “How many clients do you have?”
What goes through your mind when you hear that? Fear. Doubt. Worry. Anxiety. Maybe they will think I’m not good if I have no clients. Maybe they will think that my [...]
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I love Words With Friends. It’s a great game. Since I only ever get to play Scrabble infrequently at family gatherings, Words With Friends [...]
“Merlin, what does it mean to be king?”
– King Arthur to Merlin in Excalibur
One of my favorite movies is Excalibur. Released in 1981, the movie recounts the legend of King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, and the quest for the Holy Grail. Early in the movie, young [...]
Have you heard or perhaps said any of these statements recently?
“I have a general idea of what I want, but I’m not exactly sure.” “I’m not sure if my boss/partner/organization/customer would go for that idea.” “I am really frustrated by the lack of clarity in my role/job/relationship/organization.” “I have a really cool idea/dream/possibility – [...]
The Power of the Onion
I frequently hear a complaint from leaders that people within their organizations are resistant to change.
Where does this resistance come from and how do we deal with it as leaders? While a certain amount of resistance is human nature, I submit that quite often leaders create their own resistance!
In the book “Spin [...]

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