In this article, Bernie Heine explains why even executives at the top of their game could benefit from executive coaching.  As we begin a new year, it’s natural to look back at last year and summarize all the milestones we’ve achieved. A new year represents a fresh start, and it’s always good to plan to improve in the future. Regardless of how well your business has been doing or how many goals you have met, there is always room for…

Bernie Heine shares three challenges leaders face with the work-from-home situation and how to deal with them. WFH: “Working From Home” is here to stay! We say that because research and our collective 2.5 years of COVID experience clearly demonstrate it. In our family, both of our children are working fully remotely, with no intention of ever commuting to an office. The percentage of the U.S. workforce WFH tripled between 2005 and 2020 but was still only 15% at most….

Conflict in the workplace is a common problem for all companies, however, in this article, Bernie Heine offers ways to resolve employee conflict and move it from destructive to productive.  We’re all very familiar with conflict, whether it be in our friendships, familial dynamics, or professional relationships. Conflict is a regular aspect of interpersonal relationships and, when handled productively, can lead to innovative solutions. Not being on the same wavelength with someone frequently occurs in a world of individualism and…

It is an often unspoken agreement that, sometimes, the customer is wrong. Bernie Heine offers seven practical suggestions on how to deal with the situation.  Here is an interesting point to consider: The customer is not always right. Despite the age-old adage, you are undoubtedly aware that sometimes your customers are completely in the wrong. Knowing what to do if your customer is wrong is important. Whatever they are complaining about – your service, your product, or how you have…

Bernie Heine offers advice on balancing analytical and emotional intelligence. Our Neural Networks Don’t Have to be Rivals. In times like these, we are all stressed, fearful, and worried for ourselves and others. Our people are concerned about their jobs and providing for their families. More globally, we are all concerned about the nation’s health and well-being. As a manager, you must persevere in managing budgets, sales targets, and the thousands of other decisions that keep your organization alive. All…

Bernie Heine shares a post designed to improve leadership skills by avoiding these seven mistakes. Avoid negative conflicts. Resolving conflicts, both employee- and customer-related, is an area in which all leaders must excel. To address the conflicts in the right way, it is crucial to understand that there are two types of conflicts: Productive conflicts: Productive conflicts are good for business. They are based on being trustworthy and vulnerable towards the person you are communicating with. Everyone must have the…

Bernie Heine shares an article on marketing that focuses on using neuroscience to improve marketing tactics.  Spending money can be painful. Brain scans of people buying experimental stuff with experimental money show physical pain centers being activated by perceptions of poor value items. Price is a big part of this, of course, but perception is even bigger. Bundling lots of product features under one big price tag is a good way to prevent customers from “flinching.” Car option packages are…

Bernie Heine explains why your employees are key to the public perception of your brand, and what you should do to ensure a positive message is shared. A recent study found that about 64% of global consumers have avoided a brand because of a bad experience they had within the past year. Almost half say they have avoided a company because of its reputation or negative social reviews. We’ve seen this happen many times, even with big corporations. For example,…

  Bernie Heine shares a post that can help business owners plan an exit strategy when leaving their business to facilitate a successful succession.  The Importance of Estate Planning for Small Business Owners Of course, no one likes to think about a time when they can no longer serve an active role in their business. Much like why people delay writing a will, business owners often delay estate planning. But, not planning can leave the struggle left to the company,…

  Bernie Heine provides a few cost-effective ways to boost employee engagement, productivity, and loyalty. Showing gratitude to employees is essential, and a good and easy way to do it is with employee incentives that don’t cost money. A good business leader should reward the employees when they deserve it. However, the reason why they often shy away from it is that it costs money. While one could argue that losing valuable employees is more expensive, there’s a middle ground….

  In this post, Bernie Heine identifies what the business community has learned from the Coronavirus pandemic.  We are all learning to live by the new rules in all aspects of our existence; we also realize what we can do. For the past ten months, businesses all around the world have faced various challenges. Some have suffered terrible losses. However, others managed to emerge from the crisis more potent than ever – even without proper coaching. We continue to see…

  Bernie Heine shares four tips on how to make your customer service stronger.  No matter what your business is all about, customers are always at the core of it and should be your top priority. If the majority of them are happy, you’re much more likely to build credibility and bring in more business. Some research has shown that almost 80% of the customers are very likely to recommend a company to a friend if they had a pleasant…