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No one ever bought anything on an elevator, says entrepreneur Seth Godin. So your "elevator pitch," in which you promote your company or project, shouldn't be a hyper-compressed, two-minute overview of everything you do and hope to do, but rather a catchy phrase that might gain you a longer meeting. Seth's Blog
If you want teamwork, reward it
When star American soccer player Brandi Chastain was a child, her grandfather gave her $1 for every goal she scored and $1.50 for every assist – because it is better to give than to receive. Stanford University Professor of Management Science Bob Sutton says too many companies create dysfunctional internal competition by saying they want collaboration, but then they promote selfish behaviour. They can take a lesson about incentive systems from Ms. Chastain's grandfather. Bob Sutton's Blog
Forget 'value add.' Focus on value first
Sales staff these days are determined to provide value-added services, extras beyond what the purchaser might expect. But the problem, according to sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer, is such "value-add" depends on a purchase occurring. Instead, your focus should be on providing value even before the sale is made, brushing aside your concerns that this might amount to unpaid consulting. Gitomer.com
Choose apps with eye to productivity
Instead of putting the apps you use most often on your home screen for your phone or tablet, put the apps you want to use more frequently because they will improve your productivity, suggests consultant James Nathan. Lifehack.org
Special to The Globe and Mail
Harvey Schachter is a Battersea, Ont.-based writer specializing in management issues. He writes Monday Morning Manager and management book reviews for the print edition of Report on Business and an online work-life column Balance. E-mail Harvey Schachter
Harvey Schachter