Kevin Dee

Webster defines pragmatism asa reasonable and logical way of doing things or of thinking about problems that is based on dealing with specific situations instead of on ideas and theories.I like to think of pragmatism as common sense ... but of course, as Voltaire is credited with saying. "Common...

Communication is such a BIG word! ​Have you ever thought you had delivered a pretty clear message ... but subsequently it becomes clear the message was not received? Of course you have ... it happens ALL the time! Here are a few thoughts about communication: 1. Just because you told somethin...

The importance of good, and regular communication is critical in business, in any relationship and indeed most situations of any kind.Have you ever thought you had been clear? Either in the message delivered or the message you received? Only to find out later that you were way off base!The foll...

WE work hard to get client meetings so it is imperative that they are very productive! Here are just10 reasons why salespeople should take notes when meeting with clients. 1. Your memory is not as good as you think, so take note of what one of the world's smartest men said! Albert Einstein on...

Everyone experiences it at some time or other. You hit a brick wall and can't seem to move anything forward. You experience an inertia that is really hard to break! It happens for a myriad of reasons ... The tasks you are working on are REALLY hard ... and you are not sure about how to procee...

There are still a lot of individual Canadians with good well paying jobs, who do not "give back" to the society that gives them that quality of life. What does that mean ... because we are all responsible for our own success, right? Why should we give back? I am a big believer that we are the ...

Everybody is busy these days ... maybe even crazy busy! The question is ... are you being busy doing the right things? Do you let your day drive you, or do you drive your day? Some signs that you might be driven by your day ...You let emails and phone calls interrupt your flow.You don't have a...

I think it would be safe to say that nobody likes to receive negative feedback. It bruises our ego and we can become defensive when we hear criticism. That happens even though we know we should just accept it as feedback that can help us get better. I can't even profess to be good in this area...

When did you last take some time to JUST think? Typically when we have a few minutes we will turn on the TV, pick up our smart phone, get on Facebook, email, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn or some online tool. Many of us will have grown up multi-tasking ... we watch TV and do our email, we eat our ...

"Oh don't worry about that clause, we'll just cross it off!" "Yeah "management" won't let us do THAT any more ... I guess they don't want business!" Your employees are out day after day talking to your customers and business partners, do you know what they are saying.You likely hire new people, ...

It seems that there are a growing number of people in our world who have a feeling of entitlement and they come in many shapes and forms. They feel entitled to a job, entitled to government handouts, entitled to benefits that were negotiated in other times, entitled to major bonuses, entitled to...

FIRST let me say that I often talk about the danger of being in a rut ... but don't think I am changing my tune here. Any routine that you develop needs to be revisited every now and then to make sure it is still serving you. Having said that ...You know what it is like when you get thrown off ...

Change is a constant in our lives, and I am a big advocate of being the agent of change before the change happens to you! Having said that, I also believe that it is important to have a plan for the change you implement. This kind of rationalization can apply to almost any aspect of your life, ...

I talk about change often ... and while many people welcome change and some crave change, most people find it uncomfortable. Here are a few thoughts to consider when you find yourself uncertain about change: 1. Truly understand the details ... ask lots of questions. 2. Try to get in the mind...

We all have them ... yup even me! You know what it is like ... the car won't start; you spill your coffee on your shirt on your way to a client appointment; a client is upset and rips a strip off you; the boss gives you grief because you are behind on your paperwork! Maybe you have been stuck a...

If you look in my notebook you will see pages filled with notes. Here are some reasons why I write lots of notes: 1. I do not have an exceptional memory ... as Albert Einstein once said, " ... why should I fill my brain with facts I can find in 2 minutes". 2. I have not yet met anyone with p...

I always tell new employees to ask lots of questions.  I tell them that it is far better to ask, and get it right than to assume and get it wrong.  I tell them that they might feel stupid asking the same questions over and again … but the reality is, in our busy world we all need to hear the less...

Every now and then I write about "time management" or "personal productivity" related topics ... and this topic is a classic! It takes effort (and time) to get better at "time management", but of course,only if you make time!Those reading this who see the irony in that statement have some hope. ...

We all know that we are supposed to look after ourselves.We should exercise regularly.We should eat healthy foods.We should limit our vices ... alcohol in particular.However for many people the reality of knowing that and doing it are two different things!We COULD get there if we managed that cha...

We probably have all had advice about first impressions, the need to create a good first impression at one end of the spectrum and perhaps not judging a book by its coverat the other end.I think that in the workplace can certainly play a big factor in a person's chance of success. Certainly it is...

I have spent the better part of the last 30 years in some kind of sales capacity, including executive roles and as CEO of Eagle ... which of course is a sales role too. There are really remarkably few secrets to success in sales.Despite the multitude of sales methodologies, "tricks and tips" and...

The pandemic and its fallout have paralysed salespeople everywhere ... but YOU don't need to be one of them! One opportunity for us as salespeople right now is to improve our network. We can both increase the number of contacts that we have, and improve the relationship we enjoy with those con...

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." Maya AngelouThe longer you are in business the easier it is to become complacent ... and complacency is the beginning of the end. It is easy to underestimate the new competitor on the block, yet the big box s...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for December 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's D...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for November 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's N...

One of the ways Eagle adds value is to provide regular job market information. Sometimes it is a look at Canada as a whole and other times we focus more in-depth on specific markets. This update is a high-level look at the Canadian job market, and the factors influencing it. In previous months...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for October 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's Oct...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the ICT industry for September 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of September in prev...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry forAugust 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of August in previous y...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the ICT industry for July 2020. What you see here is a precis of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of July in previous year...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech space for June 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of June in previous years ....

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech space forMay 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of May in previous years ...F...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for April 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of April in previous ye...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for March 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of March in previous ye...

If you ask most people about "Sales" they will readily admit that they "...could never be in sales" ... and there are good reasons (and bad) why people feel that way. No question ... Sales is Tough (but so are many other jobs)! You are always measured on your latest success.There is often no tim...

Our team has spent the last couple weeks connecting with clients to understand how they're coping through the COVID-19 epidemic and new economy we're all experiencing. Not surprising, every organization is experiencing different challenges. There are devastating stories coming from industries li...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for February 2020. What you see here is a precis of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's ...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for January 2020. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's Ja...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for December 2019. What you see here is a precis of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's ...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech industry for November 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's N...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry for October 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of October in previous...

Here at Eagle we provide job market information on a regular basis, sometimes at a high level across the country and other times looking in more depth at specific markets. This update is a high-level look at the Canadian job market, and the factors influencing it. In previous months we have provi...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry for September 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of September in prev...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry for August 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of August in previous y...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry for June 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of June in previous years...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the Tech space forMay 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of May in previous years ......

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for April 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at theNews section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's Apri...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for March 2019. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues.A Little History of March in previous year...

Here's a look at Canada's job market, specifically for IT, as we finish up the first quarter of 2019.There are a number of indicators that I have used over the years to give an idea of how things are going, one such indicator is the markets. For this purpose I focus on the TSX. The markets have...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for February 2019What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues.A Little History of previous year's Febru...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for January 2019What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues.Five years ago, inJanuary 2014 Google was ...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for October 2018.What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues.A Little History of previous year's Decem...

A Little History of previous year's Novembers ... Five years ago in November 2013 Opentext paid $1.1 Billion for cloud based integration services company GXS Group and another Canadian deal saw Mitel buy Aastra for close to $400 million. Other deals included ebay's $800 million purchase of glob...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for October 2018. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at theNews section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of previous year's Oc...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the ICT industry for September 2018. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of September in pre...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the Tech industry for August 2018. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of August in previous ...

In the second half of 2018 the general message to technology job seekers is a positive one, and below I will explain why, and also why there is some caution to that statement.On the face of things a 5.8% unemployment rate is as good as it has been, and Canada has created 240,000 jobs (mostly full...

This is my 30,000 foot look at events in the ICT industry for July 2018. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of July in previous years...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry for june 2018. What you see here is a precis of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of June in previous year...

This is my 30,000-foot look at events in the ICT industry forMay 2018. What you see here is a pr�is of the monthly report I produce, which will be available in more detail at the News section of the Eagle website, where you will also find back issues. A Little History of May in previous years .....

The internet is an amazing resource.We can instantly get answers to all sorts of questions.The caution here though is that you will need to understand whether the “fact” you are getting is actually a fact or is it someone’s opinion, or even a straight out fabrication (fake news?)!Some things are ...

Before I get into this blog post I will post a disclaimer … I am not an accountant or a lawyer, so this article cannot be construed as “advice” from a professional.  I am a staffing company owner who has been in the business more than 20 years and have been very involved with this issue at an ind...

I watched a remake of an old John Wayne movie, True Grit.  It got me thinking about the importance of grit, albeit in a slightly different way than in the “Old West”, more in relation to today’s business world.I don’t know an entrepreneur who doesn’t have grit.I don’t know a successful leader who...

At the very highest levels of competition the difference between winners and "the rest" can be miniscule! Sprinters win their races by hundreds of a second! Soccer matches are very often won by a moment of brilliance out of a ninety minute game. The same holds true for most sports ... the best...

It is not that many years ago that the term “Personal Brand” did not exist!  Back then we built a “reputation”, “beefed up our resume”, strove to be a “thought leader”, were careful of our “image” etc.  However I like the all encompassing description of Personal Brand!What can YOU do to enhance y...

From time to time governments will decide that they need to crack down on independent contractors.  Typically the suggestion is that independent contractors are paying less in taxes than they should, or that they are really employees.  During the run up to the recent federal election Justin Trude...

In the recruiting business we are constantly looking for great people to meet the needs of our clients.When your job entails looking at hundreds and thousands of resumes it can be easy to get a little cynical.  Our job is to sort through the large numbers of resumes and weed out those that are no...

If you are like me then you will always be looking for ways to be better, in many areas of your life.  I work at my professional role, my home life, my relationships and my health.  If I want to improve anything it requires change, and as we all know change is tough!“Insanity: doing the same thin...

If you are of the opinion that nobody knows the answer better than you, then you might disagree with the premise of this article.There are certainly people who think they are smarter than everyone else, and they will discount all opinions beyond their own.There are people who will only accept inp...

How often do you go out of your way to thank someone?Do you really mean it, or is it a rote “thanks”? Is it delivered sincerely, or are you just going through the motions?Do you actually recognize when you should thank people? Do you really appreciate the things that people do for you?Do you know...

In a weeks time, voters across Ontario will elect their municipal candidates (Manitoba is later this week, PEI and BC vote in November). Across Ontario there will be 2,800 council members plus 700 school board trustees elected. These people have a big impact on all of us ... as an example here ...

Any Leader needs to make tough decisions. CEOs tend to have the unique additional challenge of making such decisions as the final decision maker. It is a subtle, yet sometimes daunting, difference.At any other level within an organization there is someone else to challenge/stop/change or just agr...

It never ceases to amaze me how often a salesperson will come back from meeting a client, with absolutely no information of value.Yes it is great that they are building a relationship with the client.Yes it is great that the client always considers our company when looking for services from compa...

Effective time management will make a difference in almost any job. As a salesperson I would credit time management with playing a huge factor in any success that I had.Good time management will focus you on the most important tasks, prioritise your time, eliminate time wasters and make you your ...

Self-discipline seems to have become an “old fashioned” concept, and you don’t find too many people talking about self-discipline these days.If you want to be a top athlete then you need to spend years training, building up your skills and getting stronger and better all the time. It takes self-d...

It is a fact that our world is changing at an incredible pace … and the only hope that we have of remaining relevant throughout our career is to always be learning.“Once you stop learning you start dying”A lbert Einstein.The speed of change in my lifetime alone is astonishing … I grew up in a hom...

There are a ton of reasons why you should work at developing relationships.You are told that you should network with more people for any number of good reasons, but for most people this is hard to do.You want to make frineds but find it difficult to get conversation started.You might be extremely...

If you want to achieve success in your working life you need some clarity of vision.  You need to understand how others see you, especially your boss(es)!“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best ...

If you are a business owner you know the importance of having a good strategy. Indeed I have written about strategic planning many times and will often credit strategic planning as being a big influence on any success that we as a company have had. The ability to get away from the day to day chal...

You are a business owner, or a salesperson and your core role involves building a business by selling the product or service of your company.  Through that you will build a relationship with clients and prospective clients.  One great way to enhance those relationships is by bringing ADDED value,...

There have been many articles written about the consequences of lying on your resume … consider this article about thebiggest lies and how people get caught.Perhaps you could read thisGlobe article from 2010.This is a 2013 article on About,com talking about theconsequences of lying on your resume...

Pandemics are tough!Canadian Winters are tough!Many people have lost their jobs.Those lucky enough to still be working are dealing all the craziness of these times!So … make it your mission to get as many smiles as possible!Smiles are contagious … so the best place to start is by smiling yourself...

​1. Accept that your life is in your hands.HUGE!  When you can accept that you are the architect of your own destiny, that“IT”is not the fault of “the boss”, “the government”, “your parents” or anyone else …THENyou will start to truly live!2. Do NOT be envious of other people’s lives.  If you can...

It is always interesting talking to sales people about their performance and their upcoming targets.Here are some words that you will often hear, but which should set off the alarm bells:Hope; Probably; Wish;  Potentially; “Coming”; Investment.The kind of words that you want to hear are:Plan; Str...

​It takes some talent. lot of hard work, determination and consistency to become a top performer ... in just about anything. The best of the best all have a significant amount of natural talent ... but without the effort and the mental fortitude they just don't ever reach their potential. It al...

Every employee enters into an employment contract of some sort with their employer.  The employer offering income, perhaps benefits and some perks in return for the employee agreeing to provide work.  Often that work is defined in terms of hours per day or per week.Hypothetically if your work day...

If you make a commitment then you need to honour it.  Keeping your commitments is how you gain credibility!  Breaking commitments is a sure-fire way to lose credibility!As a business owner I make long term commitments and I take them seriously …our employees rely on this company for their income;...

It seems like a fairly obvious statement and yet it is all too often forgotten.If you are the CEO of a large public company you have legal and ethical responsibilities … which is why we see CEOs fired for behaviours not consistent with their role, and even CEOs jailed (think Tyco and Worldcom etc...

You are in sales.You work in the Business to business (B2B) world.If you don’t already know it, time is your biggest ally … AND your worst enemy.In the average month there are somewhere between 19 and 22 business days … to keep things easy lets call it 20 working days, each of which has 8 hours a...

I have many blog entries on the subject of “time management” or perhaps a better title would be personal productivity.  I have written on the subject so much that I even have one entry with links to my Top 10 Entries for Personal Productivity.Why do I write about it so much?The simple answer is t...

It is always a good idea to be thankful for all the good things in our life.  When we are having a tough time, like a global pandemic for instance, it is even more important!It doesn’t matter what religion you are, or what politics you have, if you live here in Canada we live in one of the best c...

​That may seem like a strange question … but the reality is that in today’s competitive environment we often become totally consumed with “doing” and don’t take time to “plan”.I would hazard a guess that most people are driven by their environment.  They arrive at their desk and are busy from the...

I thought I would try something a little different with today’s blog … and would like to give credit to the website Parablesite.com for this story.A carpenter was having a tough day. It started with a flat tire that cost him an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck...

This is always an interesting topic in sales organizations.Does more meetings means more sales?  The answer is YES, but only IF they are RELEVANT meetings.  The answer is NO, if they are not relevant … or they are with the same few people all the time (don’t laugh … check who your sales people ha...

Mistakes are a fact of life … they happen!It is however important to learn from our mistakes, which is a natural process that will result in us getting better.If we don’t learn from our mistakes then we miss a huge opportunity … and yet many people fall into this trap.Accuracy is extremely import...

Five Good Habits to develop …1.  Look after yourself … EVERYTHING is better when you are healthy.   Read my Healthy Executive series of blogs for some ideas!  (PS You don’t need to be an executive to get some good ideas there!)2.  Start using GOALS to set yourself up for success.  I have written ...

​Insanity is doing the same thing you've always done and expecting different result ... Albert Einstein.Kevin's two truths about selling:#1 Sales is the lifeblood of every company;#2 The sales profession is demanding!Every sales person hits a point in time when "something changes" to adversely...

We have all heard of the KISS (Keep it simple stupid) principle, and have most likely seen it applied in many different situations. Wikipedia attributes the phrase to the lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works … and it was used as a design consideration for the complex world of airplane constr...

Kevin’s 10 rules about how to REALLY enjoy your life …1.  Accept thatyour life is in your hands.Don’t expect other people to solve your problems, make life easy for you or hand you “stuff” on a silver platter!  Your parents, the government, the union, your boss or any other individual or organiza...

If you want to accomplish something of significance, then you need a plan.Some examples of “things of significance” …(i) start/grow/turn around/manage a company; (ii) achieve a career that has impact (very senior, gets professional recognition etc); (iii) buy/upgrade a house;(iv)  take significan...

Even in the age of email, instant messenger and social networking we still need to use the telephone to communicate with people.This week one of our VPs was telling me about a call he had recently from someone looking for work.  The person called and got voice mail, which seemed to throw him off ...

I have touched on the subject of volunteerism on a number of occasions, generally encouraging readers to give something back to their communities by getting involved. Today, at the risk of turning people off volunteering, I want to address the issue of volunteer abuse … and I don’t use that word ...

I was looking at some old documentation lately and was reminded that in September this year I will celebrate the 50th anniversary of my entry into the workforce.  Crazy!In September 1971 I joined the Royal Navy as a Junior Naval Aircraft Mechanic second class … you don’t get any lower on the tote...

I am often struck by that thought … I am SO lucky, life is GREAT!My journey has been varied, interesting, and I would certainly not have been voted as likely to succeed when I was  growing up!My first job, at 16 years of age, was in the Royal Navy as a boy sailor,  and I was able to start there a...

The idea behind the saying is simple … don’t do something that is going cause a reaction that could be “problematic”, perhaps volatile or perhaps just negative.The phrase is often used in sales situations.During the sales cycle an experienced sales person will avoid talking about contentious issu...

Time is such a precious commodity these days that clients need to have a good return on the investment of their time spent with suppliers.  If you are an established sales person then you likely have strong relationships with your clients, and this makes the clients more amenable to spending some...

There is an old saying that if you want to get something done give it to a busy person, they will find a way to get it done.There is a lot of truth in that saying … and if you are not a “go to” person for those requests it SHOULD beg a couple of questions:How do they do it? and,Can I do that too?...

If you want to grow your muscles you work them to the point of discomfort, let them repair and do it again.If you want to learn a new skill then you put significant effort into learning it, endure the times when you feel like you’ll never get there and do it all again.If you want to have a good r...

​I have a note on my desk, right over the phone and it asks that question ...HAVE YOU MOVED YOUR AGENDA TODAY? ENOUGH?It is written in CAPITAL LETTERS with a sharpie ... so it is hard to ignore.I spot it when I arrive in the morning and I see it when I am packing up at night and its sole intentio...

We live in a world that is fast paced, and sometimes the “little” things can be forgotten. yet the “little” things can also mean a lot!In our Western society we work a lot, commute a lot (when there is no pandemic), deal with our family commitments, deal with many “hassles” on a daily basis, have...

Personal productivity is another of my favourite topics … I blog about it relatively often, the most recent was called On the Brink of Out of Control.When I was a programmer the time management skills that I needed were fairly simple. I had specific tasks to accomplish, there may be a few differe...

A little more than a year ago I wrotea blogentry aboutThe Need for Stamina and Resilience.Given the seemingly never ending bad news these day I thought that the topic of resilience was topical enough to give a little more focus.Last year I talked about these two qualities in the context of the wo...

In April last year I wrote a blog entry about Positive People, and I referenced it again recently in an entry I wrote about People Who Inspire. Today’s blog is a little more mundane than those entries … sometimes we just need a pick-me-up, and positive people can do that.Who do you have in your l...

MichaelPaquinhas acompanycalled PaquinTraining & Associates, and I reference some of his coaching tips every now and then. Obviously I wouldn’t do that if I didn’t like his stuff.This latest tip is about the need to have a “WHY” that supports each of your goals and is the motivation behind yo...

I have written a number of blog entries designed to educate people about our industry, its value and some of the misunderstandings people have. Recently I have been asked about the costs associated with operating a staffing agency and have actually seen supposed "experts" providing erroneous dat...

First I must state the obvious disclaimer ... I am NOT a lawyer and therefore not qualified to give legal advice. These opinions are those of a Staffing Industry professional, an owner of a staffing company and a former President of Canada's staffing industry association (ACSESS).At various time ...

Talent is Never Enough by John C. MaxwellThis book strikes a chord for me because I have always believed that people with great talent don't always achieve the success that they might, and my conclusion had been that they did not work as hard as others. Perhaps their talent made them a little co...

It is important to remain grounded no matter where you are in your life. There were two events in the last few days that caused me to think about what is really important to me.This weekend I visited the new war museum in Ottawa and spent a couple of hours browsing through the exhibits. It will...

Winning is written by Jack Welch and, whether you love him or hate him, the guy has real experience in running large (huge) corporations successfully ... unlike many other authors who can be somewhat academic.Welch's book applauds winning as being positive at many levels ... causing companies and...

In sales it is important to understand that there are many different types of people that you will be dealing with and if you treat them all in the same way you will have some issues.One school of thought on the subject classifies people into four distinct “Social Styles”. The “labels” for these ...

As a “middleman” the Staffing Industry was written off, because the internet was going to replace us … well the staffing industry is alive and well. I have also heard the comment from clients … “you have made your money now so you should drop your margin!” I have heard the same from contractors. ...

There has been much debate in Ottawa about the failure of the Ottawa Senators to meet expectations in the Stanley Cup. The team that showed so much promise in the regular season "choked" again in the playoffs. So what is it that makes a winner?Vince Lombardi (famous football coach) suggested th...

One of the hardest things to do as a manager is to fire somebody. There are a lot of reasons why you may be in that situation, and you always look for reasons not to do it. That is natural, reasonable and the human way to look at these situations. However … sometimes it is so clear, and yet we st...