The Requirements document has been completed and approved. The next step in getting the product built according to the client’s wishes will be to create a Technical Specifications document to communicate all the technical information gathered from meetings. The document will contain detailed technical instructions and information for the development team (Developers, Engineers, Architects, and …

‘Tis the season for vacations and preparing children to go back to school. I heard a woman recently proclaim that she has too much work to do to take time off. It’s a common complaint. Yet, just as getting an oil change every 3-4 months keeps the engine running smoother, so too we need time …

Learning requires action and sometimes failing. There are a number of failures that I have learned from throughout my career. One of the most painful for me was in my early days of multi-unit management. I had just been transferred for the first time out of my hometown to a new city with an entirely new group of stores, employees and customers. Coming into this new environment, I was a little cocky. I had been a rock star store manager and after my promotion, I led a rock star district of stores. My team was good and my stores were very profitable. So of course, I assumed if my new team wasn't comprised of rock stars, I could have that turned around in no time. Unfortunately, the time frame it took for that happen was quite a bit longer than I expected. The main reason, I thought it was about me and my talents. It wasn't. I took over a team of rock stars who just didn't know it yet. And everything I did when I got there communicated that they weren't.

While I support the caveman theory of learning (the art of learning to survive anyway you can), I fully understand why the Greek and Roman philosophers and humanists of later years are given credit for at least the philosophy-based learning theory. And, the rest is important to see how we got where we are today. …

Ultimately, success in business depends on finding your competitive advantage, which is to say that which makes you superior to your competitors and is perceived as valuable by your customers. One approach for figuring that out is through value chain analysis, as developed by Michael Porter. The value chain is a sequence of activities that …

Today’s customers are emotional and want to blame someone. We may not be able to fix the problem ourselves, but we can help; the big problem is getting them to listen. We know what makes great customer service. We know what keeps customers coming back. Unfortunately, it’s not one thing that matters in a tough …

For Facebook engagement, like any other social networking site, one of your highest marketing priorities is connecting with your Target Audiences.

Have you ever wondered: where’s the nearest SE restaurant? Or is there an SE cafe in a city you’re planning to visit? We often do, which is why the npEnterprise Forum created the first-ever Social Enterprise Dining Map. This map lists more than 50 social enterprise cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream stores in …

An email raised the question as to whether “Major Gifts” should be counted in the total for the “Annual Fund.” I can’t help it. I have to say it, “I really hate the term, ‘Annual Fund.’” (See: The Annual Fund Is Obsolete.) OK, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest…. By a literal definition, …

Shift attitudes to match the situation We primarily think of crisis communications in terms of events that happen to our business, things like lawsuits, faulty machinery, or employee unrest. When dealing with events such as violence or death in the workplace, however, it’s wise to slightly alter your approach. In a PR Daily article by …