Category Archive for "Continuous Improvement"

Yes, this I know to be truth, we all lie. In fact, by the age of four, 90% of children have grasped the concept of lying and it is all downhill from there. According to a study by the University of Massachusetts, 60% of adults cannot carry on a 10-minute conversation without lying at least once. Most lie an average of three times during that brief time span.

FUN FACT: The average American lies eleven times per week. I do not lie that much, so I know some of you out there must be raising this average with all your tall tales. (Probably a lie on my part).

Why do we feel compelled to lie?

The Next Level of What?

John Carroll

January 23, 2023

“Take your business to the next level.”

How many times have you read, heard or said this phase, or a derivation of it? Probably so often that it barely registers at this point. Yet we continue to overuse it in describing our goals, or what we want to accomplish for clients. However, have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “The next level of what?”

What exactly does this mystical “next level” look like? Is it fame, fortune, retirement, financial independence, peace of mind? Do you have a clear vision of what the next level means for you or for your business? And what is required to get there?

If you don’t have a clear vision of what the next level looks like, then how do you expect it to become a reality?

Are You All In???

John Carroll

October 5, 2022

We hear this question a lot these days, and not just because the World Poker Tour is in full swing. It is a great thought provoking question to consider, particularly if you are struggling in your business or personal life. It is also a question asked frequently in a spiritual context.

However, let’s focus on the commitment that is required to be great and to build a great company.

Are You All In???

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Master Networks CONNECT 2017 event in Allen, Texas along with 225+ other entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the country. It was an excellent two-day conference with great content and inspirational speakers including Chas Wilson, the co-founder and president of Master Networks.

During his talk, Mr. Wilson posed the ‘All In’ question to the general audience and this became a somewhat consistent theme throughout the conference. The All In question essentially boils down to accountability and commitment.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

John Carroll

September 15, 2022

Well, 2022 is rapidly coming to a close. So … are we having fun yet?

In the business world we are notorious for putting fun last on our list of priorities as a New Year kicks off, and as a result, never getting to it. We’re so darn busy throughout the year trying to meet our annual objectives and “putting out fires” that we don’t set aside time to have fun.

With what we’ve suffered through these past few years that needs to change.

The negative trends in business as a result of the pandemic, downsizing, restructuring and economic uncertainty have collectively taken a huge toll on the workplace. And a huge toll on the workforce tasked with doing more with less.

How’s Your Heart Today?

John Carroll

August 20, 2022

It’s a question I posed to a dear friend recently, for a different reason, who has been going through a difficult time. However, it’s a great question and one we should ask ourselves to start each day.

Why?

Because we’re headed in a direction that will ultimately lead to dark consequences for America and for mankind. Unless we change our thinking, make major societal changes, and fix our heart problem.

Today our country suffers from a heart problem. At an early age we learned to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil, and love from hate. We were taught to love one another, despite our differences. But is this how we operate in our daily lives?

Innovation Is Not That Hard

John Carroll

January 11, 2022

Innovation is something that is sorely needed – in our businesses, in our communities and in our country. Yet despite its benefits, innovation is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.

In the business world, innovation is often described as “The process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. Think of the GE slogan, “We Bring Good Things to Life.” However, I tend to favor Scott Berkun’s definition, “Innovation is significant positive change.”

What does significant mean?

In this broader context, significant is a 30% or more improvement in something. So, you could argue that any time changes are made to anything that results in a 30% or more improvement, you’re innovating. To simplify further, innovation is not invention.

Think of the BASF slogan … “We don’t make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.”

This makes innovation a little bit easier to tackle now, doesn’t it?

Is Today Your ‘When’ Day?

John Carroll

December 13, 2021

When will you begin writing that first book you keep talking about? Make a firm offer on the dream home you have wanted? Take that dream vacation? Move your career in a bold new direction? Start the exercise program you have been putting off? If not now … When?

Is today your ‘When’ day … the day your life really takes off?

Stop dreaming and take action. Let’s face it, we are all procrastinators to some degree. It is part of our nature, a part of our DNA. However, if we are going to live the life we’ve always dreamed about, then at some point in time we have to put a stake in the ground and take responsibility for making it happen.

As a child, I was a BIG dreamer and had a long wish list of things I didn’t have. My dear sweet mother had a great way of bringing me down to earth. When my ‘Wish List’ got to be too much for her she would say, “Wish in one hand and poop in the other, and see which one fills up the fastest.”

Who’s Behind the Curtain?

John Carroll

August 4, 2020

Hint: It’s not the Wizard of Oz, or is it?

Just the title of this article can make some conspiracy theorists go crazy. In the COVID-19 era, ask yourself this, “is any of this real, or are we living in a Twilight Zone episode?”

Conspiracy theorists … Who doesn’t love a great mystery, right?

We all have a unique worldview. It’s formed by our expectations, assumptions and ideas about the way the world works. By the time we are five years old, we have already acquired 50% of the knowledge we will learn in our lifetime. This includes language, thinking, problem-solving skills, and yes, biases too.

Conspiracy theory or fact?

Dr. Ben Carson is someone I believe to be a high-integrity leader, with a strong moral compass. Even he has made reference to the “Puppet Masters” and people behind the curtain trying to control us. What I’d like to know is who are these people, and what is their end-game?

We Are Not Lost

John Carroll

July 5, 2020

Oilman Eddie Chiles had a campaign in the early 1980s with the slogan “I’m Mad, Too, Eddie!” His classic trademark sign-on, “I’m Eddie Chiles, and I’m mad as hell,” created an incredible demand for bumper stickers that read “I’m mad too, Eddie!”

Well guess what? It may be time to bring those bumper stickers back. Because there are a lot of folks around these days who can relate. We are not lost. We are just on the wrong path. And we are mad as hell about it.

Mad at our government and politicians, mad at the news media, mad at the police, mad at the COVID-19 pandemic, mad at the economy, mad at the bar closings, etc. Oh, and let’s not forget the special interests group attempting to rewrite history. We are mad as hell at them too! The list goes on and on.

“A season of darkness will not change until you choose to become the light.” – Jim Gardner

A Perfect Sales Call

John Carroll

June 10, 2020

What constitutes a perfect sales call?

Most of us would be quick to answer, “A perfect sales call is when the buyer says ‘yes’ and signs the order.” We are all hungry for that next sale, the next order, the next new customer. In fact, the vast majority of new businesses that fail do so because of a lack of sales.

So while it would be hard to refute the logic, I think there is more to the perfect sales call than just getting the order. For example, a perfect sales call could be when the prospect says ‘no’ very early in the call. You don’t waste time chasing rainbows, and can move on to the next deal. However, would you really feel a sense of accomplishment if the end result was a no? Probably not.

“What if it all goes right?” – Mendhi Audlin

I love the thought process that goes into the title from Mendhi Audlin’s book. What if it does all go right? Are you enjoying this level of success and personal fulfillment in your selling activities? What does it feel like to have everything go right? In a previous article I talked about the 7 ways that you could be sabotaging your sales efforts. In this article I want to share some thoughts on the perfect sales call and how to make it a reality.