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Business ideas worth sharing

Meny Hoffman

Business Lessons from 30,000 Feet

I’m always amazed how the greatest business insights can sometimes come from the most unexpected places.

On a recent flight back from Israel, I struck up a conversation with one of the stewards. We made a little small talk, and soon our chat turned to his job. During the course of our discussion, he lamented to me that, although he always tried to be friendly to every passenger, he had no real business incentive to be cordial.

He described the startling lack of employee appreciation. There was no recognition from his superiors for better customer service. No compliment for going the extra mile. Positive feedback was from passengers, not superiors. The only way to get noticed? Publish something foolish on social media. Boy, would that work!

Instead, he explained, the employee growth module of this airline was, essentially, “survival of the fittest.” Been here for 4 years? Congratulations on lasting this long, here’s a raise.

This is a very troubling and flawed model.

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What’s Your ONE Thing?

Let’s face it. Today’s business world is more difficult than ever.

Now, I’m sure many of you are probably thinking, “what are you talking about? Modern technology has made staying connected easier than ever!”

Allow me to explain.

The daily bombardment of phone calls, texts, emails, status updates, and other messages flying across our screens has really made us more detached and out of focus. We’re constantly being pulled in a thousand different directions. Spreading ourselves too thin.

As a result, our stress levels have risen and our productivity has suffered.

However, there are those who, despite the available distractions, seem to be productive no matter what.

What’s their secret?

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Can You Just Stop For A Minute!?

2016 is just a couple of days away.

Many businesspeople know that the change in the calendar year is a great time to set goals for the next year.

But not too many know that there is a step prior to setting goals – the mindset.

Smart businesspeople know that there is no straight path to success. There are many confusing twists and turns, and it’s easy to get lost. To simply keep moving to try to find your way out is counterproductive.

Just ask Richard Bauer.

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3 Lessons To Learn From the USPS

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of building company culture.

Showing your appreciation to each employee is critical. Countless studies show that positive employee engagement will impact a business’s success. Successful leaders can build a workplace culture that gives their company a competitive advantage.

So this past Chanukah, I decided to demonstrate my appreciation to the hardworking team at Ptex Group – but in a slightly different way than in previous years.

I quietly created a special Chanukah Goody Booklet for each employee that was mailed directly to their home. Inside the booklet were various gift options for our employees and their families to choose from.

To make all this happen, I had to take a little trip down to a place that most people dread: the post office.

We all know what a nightmare the post office can be. Long lines. Confusing signs. Gloomy decor. Apathetic workers. Even longer lines.

My experience this time was no different.

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Why Can’t Everyone Just Think Like Me?

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably found yourself saying or thinking along these lines every so often. After all, life is so much simpler when everybody around you thinks and acts the same way.

Genuine leaders, however, know a little secret: Wanting everybody to agree with you is the worst possible mindset to have.

You’ve got to understand the value of listening to and encouraging opinions besides your own. Take a look at what the legendary Abraham Lincoln did to prove this point.

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My Painful $17,000 Lesson

We’re living in a world where spam, phishing and cyber theft are all too common. At some point or another, you’ve probably been on the receiving end of an email starting off like this: “Sorry, but my email account was hacked, please don’t click on any strange links that were sent…”

Unfortunately, last month, I became a victim—my inbox was hacked and hijacked.

Fact is, modern computer systems are so complex and there are so many different flaws waiting to be exploited. All it takes is a skilled hacker with a criminal mind and an anonymous bank account. In just a few clicks, they can create an expensive data breach that’ll rack up thousands of dollars in losses and cause an endless amount of aggravation.

Here’s my story.

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Are You Committed to Commitment?

In the wildly successful aftermath of LTB 2015, I’ve had the privilege of hearing back from the hundreds of people who attended.

Many told me how excited they were to have access to this unique platform for growth; how they networked and landed so many new connections; how they were inspired to raise their aspirations and lead the pack.

During these conversations, I’ve spotted a trend that differentiated two types of businesspeople.

There are people who are committed to genuine change. They’ll learn about new ideas, strategize which ones will work best for their trade or industry, and implement them all the way, till the finish line.

Then there are the people who are content to listen. They’ll learn about new ideas, strategize which ones will work best for their trade or industry, and then let everything fizzle. While they may try to kick off an idea or two, the moment they encounter some resistance, their plan will come to a sudden stop.

You see, they want to achieve success; but they aren’t committed to success.

So what exactly is commitment?

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Live Blogging @ #LTB2015

After months of planning, the stage is set for the highly anticipated #LTB2015.

It’s bright and early here at the Rockleigh, but a steady flow of guests is streaming in. Guests might not have had their early a.m. coffees yet, but the energy is electric.

It’s a privilege to be blogging to you LIVE throughout the day.

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