I recently watched an episode of Undercover Boss where the COO of Waste Management, Lawrence O’Donnell III, went undercover to really see what it’s like to work at Waste Management. In it, one of the jobs that Larry does (and gets fired from) is picking up trash at the landfill.
Inform the vendors you didn’t select. In the sales process, you are going to win some projects and lose some projects. It’s to be expected. Not every deal is going to be a good fit. I recently had an experience that was really good. Two prospective clients actually contacted me back to let me know they were going in a different direction and didn’t pick us. I appreciate that more than they could know. It’s professional and a not so common courtesy. I wish it was different. Most prospects don’t let you know of their decision. They just go silent. I really enjoy working with prospective clients to see if we can help them with their problem or opportunity. A […]
Applying The Slight Edge to sales in my business. Sales have been a challenge in my business. There, I said it! I’m an introvert by nature, so I have a hard time getting up my courage for a cold call. I do much better with qualified leads, because I they are already interested in what I offer. This blog post is my public declaration of what I am doing to get sales in my business. It is also the first in a series that will chronicle my experiences with my sales process and what I’m doing to improve along the way.There are two main books that have provided me with the core learning that I will be applying to my […]
A clean workspace helps you have a clear mind. I’m expecting a visitor to my office today, so I cleaned the office. When I was done, I was amazed what just vacuuming and sweeping the floor did to my outlook on the day. Suddenly, everything looked better! It’s not that I was having a bad day, but the simple task of cleaning the office made the whole place brighter.I think it is that way in most areas of our work and home life. Vacuum Sweep Scrub Dust Clean the bathroom Remove clutter File or shred papers Organize None of these activities take very much time. What would it be like if we took a few minutes each day and did […]
Get alone with your thoughts for better thinking while planning I like to get away from distractions and get alone with my thoughts to do planning. It seems like electronic devices interfere with deep thinking. I think it is the distraction factor.Reflect on the different kinds of planning you need to do throughout your day. Your daily, weekly or monthly plan Meeting or workshop planning and agenda creation Strategic planning Brainstorming ideas Project planning Goal setting and many more! Not every kind of task lends itself to this kind of planning, but for many activities eliminating distractions and getting alone to think will improve the quality of your plans. It’s really simple to get started. Close your laptop lid or […]
Project Management, Digital Agencies and Software Development Over the years I have started and stopped blogging. It’s time to start a blogging journey again. In my new blog: “Mike Winterthieme Project Manager” I plan to delve into project management, digital agencies and software development. These are the elements of my work. Project Management – At the time of this writing, I am entering my 19th year as an “official” project manager. As many people in this career, I started out as an “accidental” project manager. Since that time I earned my PMP certification and have managed all sorts of business, software and digital projects. Digital Agencies – I own my own digital agency and also consult with other digital agencies on project […]