The Gallup Q12, as it’s commonly called, is a set of 12 questions designed to measure employee engagement. Not satisfaction. Engagement. Why is that distinction important? Because satisfaction is surface-level—think free snacks in the breakroom—but engagement digs deeper. It’s about your team’s emotional connection to their work and their belief in the purpose of what they’re doing. These questions came …
Want engaged employees? You need to meet “Basic Human Needs.”
The Gallup Q12, as it’s commonly called, is a set of 12 questions designed to measure employee engagement. Not satisfaction. Engagement. Why is that distinction important? Because satisfaction is surface-level—think free snacks in the breakroom—but engagement digs deeper. It’s about your team’s emotional connection to their work and their belief in the purpose of what they’re doing. These questions came …
People are smart! (No, really!) They just need a reminder.
The man whose face launched a thousand memes (warning: language) figured out long ago the importance of reminders over instruction. Reminders help us maintain habits and practices. And stories are reminders on steroids. Stay tuned for wisdom from the Dr. Johnson. Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We’d love to hear from you! …
Transitioning from Go-To Person to Empowering Leader!
Your boss was incredibly successful because he or she had you! What happens after you get promoted and the team you are now leading no longer has a “you?” Recreating yourself as a leader means shifting focus from personal achievement to team empowerment. Your new role is about creating opportunities for others to shine, building trust and independence. Interested in …
LEADERS! PARENTS! Get the monkeys off your back with 1-3-1
Discover how to stop getting bogged down by your team’s challenges and start empowering them to solve problems on their own. In this episode, Mark and Mike introduce the powerful 1-3-1 delegation method, a game-changing approach for managers who want to stay focused on leadership without being drawn into every issue. They also dive into why it’s crucial for employees …
Dignity and Excellence: The West’s culture code
Do you strive for Excellence? Do you honor Dignity? If you don’t have both, you’re missing out on what made the West so successful. Enjoy some ideas from Mark’s upcoming book, “The Lost Tools of Business.” (Mark’s podcast interview on Refining Rhetoric is found here.) Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We’d love …
LISTENER UPDATE: Never assume people want to win as much as you do, part 2
Are you too arrogant to delegate? “One of our two listeners” had a great follow-up to Mike’s story about the managers who weren’t interested in winning. And Mike has a follow-up to what happened with that client. (FYI, Dow leads an amazing dojo called The Way Karate … so clearly he gets our “Dow-ist”/Taoist joke.) Interested in coaching or training …

Roleplay works: Mark coaches his kids to cold-call for the Country Ham Auction
Sales training: It’s never too early! Mark shares how his kids prepared for the 4-H Country Ham Project. Roleplaying cold calls helped them earn big money. But there is a bigger agenda at play … are you making use of it in your training? Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We’d love to …

Author Chris Hunsicker: How to gain a non-duplicatable competitive advantage
Do you suffer from Mood-Dependent Excellence? Do you know why your back-to-basics meeting won’t solve your problems? Do you understand the difference between training and coaching? Chris Hunsicker joins Mike again to unpack a chapter of his book, “Unstoppable Culture: A Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Relentless, Results-Driven, High-Performing Team.” Grab a pen–lots of practical tips in this episode! Interested …
Never assume that people want to win as much as you do
“You know, we’re just not reaching that guy.” -Gary Larson’s The Far Side Mike shares the story of a client who had a huge opportunity to take sales and performance to the next level. He did all the right things … why weren’t his people doing the right things? Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or …