The Thriving Small Business

Give Me a Raise!

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When I was in high school I worked for a restaurant. The owner of the restaurant once told me that he did not believe in giving raises unless someone asked for one.  I was a fairly timid high schooler and didn’t have the assertiveness skills to ask for a pay increase – so I didn’t

After I had been on the job for a few years, my boss called me into his office and gave me a raise – totally out of character for him. Read the Full Article →

6 Tips for Coaching Great Service!

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It is hard to believe but the holidays are at our doorstep.  And for many businesses it is the busiest time of the year. And with busy often comes service issues.

At busy seasons, particularly in the retail or service industry, customers become demanding and employees are challenged to provide a great experience despite very difficult circumstances. Read the Full Article →

How to Be a Good Boss – 10 Qualities of a Good Boss

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Not everyone knows how to be a great boss. But most can tell you a story about enduring one.

I’ve heard horror stories of bosses berating employees in front of other people, screaming at workers or throwing temper tantrums. This kind of behavior affects productivity (at least when the boss isn’t looking) and plays havoc on employee morale. Read the Full Article →

5 Tips for Effective Communication in the Workplace

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I’ve long been of the belief that we as leaders don’t communicate enough.  We sit in meetings and have a good grasp of what is going on.

We intend to take that information back to the people on the ground, but in the course of our busy schedules we lose sight of the importance of sharing information with employees and communicating in the workplace. Read the Full Article →

10 Sample Exit Interview Questions

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One of the most important aspects of managing any business is having a good understanding of customer expectations.   Business customers are defined into two categories – internal and external.

External customers are those who purchase products or services while internal customers are employees of the organization.

Some consider employees to be the most important customer of the organization because they ARE the organization since they are the ones who take care of the customers. Read the Full Article →