I’ve been obsessed with time ever since I was a little kid and my father gave me his old Timex bullseye watch. I loved that watch and wore it everywhere! It displayed “normal hours”, military time and even counted the minutes. It’s hands also glowed in the dark (sort of). I would place it under the…
Author: Steve Ainslie
The Compliment Sandwich is a Shit Sandwich
Some experts say the best way to give “constructive criticism” is to use the compliment sandwich. I disagree. Urban Dictionary defines this best, Compliment Sandwich: When someone tries to ease the blow of a criticism by delivering it between two insincere compliments.
Friendships of Convenience
I’ve always made friends at school, at work and where I’ve lived. During my younger McJob years, we’d hang out after work, go to parties and even date. Even after I was married and had a family, I always had a few good friends at every job. A few of these grew into lifelong friendships. But…
The Compliment Sandwich Is A Sh!t Sandwich
Many management articles will tell you the best way to give “constructive criticism” is to use the compliment sandwich. I disagree. Urban Dictionary defines this best, Compliment Sandwich: When someone tries to ease the blow of a criticism by delivering it between two insincere compliments.
Hacking A/B Testing For An Individual Sales Rep
My wife’s been telling me for years that I’m losing my hair on the back top part of my head. I’ve insisted that this wasn’t true – mostly because I’ve never been able to see this part of my head. A few weeks ago she took a picture with her cell phone to prove it…
I Can’t Believe I Fell For Tooth Whitening
The other night I was watching TV and my wife, unfortunately, had the remote. Therefore I was forced to watch commercials. When I am in control, we only watch recored shows where I can fast forward past the commercials. A commercial came on for Crest White Teeth Strips*. There were two young pretty models who…
Why Sales Automation Isn’t Helping You Sell More
Several times a week, I receive mail from Comcast urging me to switch to Xfinity. Sometimes it’s a “special offer”. Some times it’s a postcard saying “60 Mbps” speed. Other times, it’s a “fake” personal letter from Comcast Business pitching more expensive Internet and phone service. Since I’ve lived here during the past 2 years,…
Why I Do Yoga
About 12 years ago, my good friend Craig was going though a world of shit. He was in a long-distance relationship with an ex-girlfriend who was insane. His estranged mother, who lived hundreds of miles away, would call him up while drunk to rip him apart over the phone. He was trying to land a…
Save Money By Driving An Old Car
Growing up, we had old cars because we didn’t have much money. I would jealously eyeball my neighbor’s shiny Buicks and Chevys thinking “Someday I’ll be rich and will have a new car like those!” I bought my first car when I was 25 years old. It was a Datsun hatchback. It had no radio,…
Presentations That Won’t Put Everyone to Sleep
Death by PowerPoint was one of the funniest phrases I’d ever heard – until I started experiencing it after taking a sales management job in a large corporation. Up until then, I had worked for startups and small businesses where we didn’t spend time in meetings listening as presenters droned on reading their terrible slides. We were too busy…