Ask yourself, what are your biggest problems - employee or Client issues? Why do you have these problems?

Regardless of what they are, I’m willing to bet your problems are occurring because the experience your employees have working for you or the experience your Clients have buying and receiving services from you is not meeting or exceeding their expectations.

It’s been four years since we launched Dave's Charm School’s online platform and many people have benefited from the courses, not least of which is the Communications 101 course covering active listening, body language, communicating respectfully, and more.

One of the lessons in the course is titled “Email, IM, Texting Standards” and includes my Dirty Dozen Email Rules. These rules are incredibly helpful for any executive, manager, or front-line employee that wants to present themselves professionally and communicate effectively via email.

Every rule may not apply to you, but most of them probably do. Feel free to copy and edit my list to create your own list that works at your company.

We just launched our latest course, Solving NOT Selling, in Dave’s Charm School.

This 14-lesson course is designed for service technicians who are uncomfortable discussing unexpected problems that cost a Client additional money.

However, everyone in your organization needs the skills and habits to discuss difficult topics.

Although this training is focused on service techs, we encourage everyone in your company to complete this course. This includes owners, CEOs, executives, receptionists, maintenance workers, and warehouse staff. Everyone means ALL your people.

Soft skills. It’s a term you’ve probably heard before. From executives and consultants, to Seth Godin and Inc Magazine, people are talking about the importance of soft skills so much it feels like a new diet craze.

However, when you take some time to investigate, it becomes clear that “soft skills” just means “likeable”, “conscientious”, or “admirable”. It’s a broad term used to describe almost all non-technical skills.

It’s the end of 2018.  Did you achieve all of your objectives this year professionally and personally? Did you even have objectives for 2018? If you are honest with yourself, the likely answer is no.

The good news is, you get another chance in 2019.

The bad news is, your unproductive habits are ready to sabotage 2019.