Business Archives Page 6 of 6 - A and H Insurance

01 Mar 2019

The Power of Assertiveness

Business, Psychology

Have you ever gone to a party, not because you wanted to, but because you were asked to? Have you taken on an assignment at work because you felt bad saying no, even though you didn’t have the time, resources, or even the interest? On the other hand, have you wanted something but were afraid to ask for it? Maybe you ordered a meal without onions, received the onions anyway but toughed it out because you didn’t want to be seen as a complainer. Times like these call…

15 Jan 2019

A Different Approach to Burnout

Business, Psychology

Within the last few years, the number of articles written about the impact of burnout and ways to address or prevent it has risen sharply. Overwhelming demands, low pay and/or appreciation, and toxic work environments are frequently cited as causes of career fatigue. While burnout can be spurred by any number of external factors, research shows that it can also be a function of personality traits and attitudes about our work. The first step to addressing burnout is understanding what brought us to our particular job and career. To be…

04 Sep 2018

Blind Dog: A Coffee Company with a Vision

Business

When Mark Berry began losing his eyesight in 2005 at the age of 48, coffee was the last thing on his mind. He had retinoblastoma, a degenerative form of eye cancer, that left him with a bleak prognosis. As his vision deteriorated over the following year, a new vision emerged. A park ranger friend of Mark's introduced him to the world of quality coffee, and thus began a new chapter in his life. Today, Mark Berry is retired from the successful company he started 11 years ago—Blind Dog…

31 Jul 2018

What is Flow and How Do You Access It?

Business, Psychology

Have you ever had the experience of being so absorbed in a task, so hyperfocused, that you lose track of time and your actions become almost effortless? If so, you may have experienced what is known as “flow.” Flow theory was developed in 1975 by Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. More familiarly known as being “in the zone,” flow is a state of heightened awareness, concentration, and proficiency while completing a task. Whether you’re in the grueling sixth hour of a Wimbledon match or tackling the colossal project of…

10 Jul 2018

Narcissism Goes to Work: The Double-Edged Sword of Difficult Leaders

Business, Psychology

From Alexander the Great to some Silicon Valley CEOs, many powerful leaders throughout history were thought to have been high in “narcissistic” traits. These days, it is common to slap the narcissistic tag on anyone we perceive as arrogant, dominant, or vain, but experts believe that narcissism is a trait that more or less exists in everyone. What is Narcissism Derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus, who famously fell in love with his own image in a reflecting pool, narcissism is a personality trait characterized by excessive…

22 Jun 2018

5 Reasons We Don’t Want to Work

Business

We've all had the experience of work dread. The repeated tap of the snooze button, the “case of the Mondays,” the “I’m leaving early to beat traffic.” While technological advances have changed the physical location of our snooze buttons, the desire to delay our morning trudge to work is likely to remain a cliché in our culture. The fact is, the whole workday is filled with instances of wanting to put off an undesirable task. Microsoft Outlook even has a “snooze” feature to postpone reminders of events on…

06 Jun 2018

Why We Buy: Sales Wisdom from Glengarry Glen Ross and Jerry Maguire

Business, Sales

In a legendary scene from the 1992 film Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin’s character delivers a browbeating sales sermon to a downtrodden group of real estate hucksters. When one of the salesmen, played brilliantly by Jack Lemon, gets up and pours himself a cup of coffee, Baldwin famously exclaims, “Put that coffee down! Coffee’s for closers.” The film captures the struggle to survive in the Darwinian business of real estate sales, depicting the desperate (and deceitful) measures taken by salespeople to close a deal. Al Pacino plays smooth-talking…

21 May 2018

The End of Face-to-Face Communication in Business?

Business

Just the other day, I was in the drive-thru of a popular fast food restaurant. When I pulled up to the window to pay and get my food, I was greeted by a peppy manager who addressed me by my first name and thanked me for stopping by. I eat fast food fairly often, and my encounters are mostly unremarkable. When they are memorable, it’s usually not for a good reason. What I appreciated about this gentleman was his effort to make my experience in the drive-thru line…