The Mandeville Method

Hello friends, and welcome to Theater Thursday! Yesterday I did another corporate role play to help managing directors at BMS deal with conflict. One person has to role play with me as my adversary, and the other is the learner who has to defuse the situation. In my salad days (a Shakespeare reference to being green and inexperienced) I was trying my hand at a career as an actor. But when I started my path as a corporate trainer I never really brought theater exercises to my work. But I’m changing my mind. ??I’m always amazed at how the folks at BMS who have to “act” dive in with both feet. And they have so much fun doing it! ??And the Oscar goes to BMS! What do you think the value is in corporate role play, and where have you seen it used most powerfully?

Hello world, it's Monday again! Happy Daylight Savings to all who celebrate. ?? I hope you treated yourself to some self-care this weekend! I spent an elegant sufficiency of time with a big orange purr monster in my lap (picture below, meet Shmook), re-reading Brené Brown's "Dare to Lead". A point that really stood out to me this time around is this quote: "Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior." Wow. Let that sink in. So now, I have to ask: Are your teams feeling any 'feels' right now? And if they are (they are), how are you handling it? Research shows that employees with empathetic leaders report increased engagement (76%) and creativity (61%). Part of your ability to leverage EQ in a business setting is an integral part of your Leadership Shadow. So what are you waiting for? Go check in on your teams and talk to them. They need you. Please share in the comments how you leveraged your EQ in the workplace and the impact it had.

What’s Old Is New — Well, That Didn’t Take Long Did It? I always joke with my wife and kids that my decades-old-clothes (some might say vintage) are now back in style. In my mind, I think I am a fashion visionary — in reality, I am a frugal person who does not realize that he is out of touch with what the cool people are wearing these days. Consider the following recent articles that have been published in mainstream outlets: - Business owners are addressing the remote workforce issue and whether compelling employees back to the office is going to result in another series of resignations or more employees begrudgingly coming back to the office. - The marketplace and companies who get their supplies from China, Mexico or Canada are wondering how to address the recent tariffs implemented by the Trump administration and how much they can pass on to consumers. Sounds like 2017, at the beginning of President Trump's first term, doesn't it? What does this mean for the business owner seeking to maximize his/her operating results in 2025? Continue to exhibit financial discipline. When you started the year, you created a budget for what you wanted to accomplish and have been tracking results against your updated forecast.? Keep doing what you are doing — keeping a scorecard never goes out of fashion. Be conservative in spending. We are always attracted to the bright new shiny ball or the newest technology trend. Before you make a significant spending decision, make sure you perform a return-on-investment (ROI) calculation on the project and confirm that you will be earning a positive value. Making an impulsive buy for that Hawaiian shirt on QVC at 2am never turns out well. Assess staff productivity. Similar to those two-sizes-too-small pants that you don’t want to get rid of, there may be some employees or staff that are not pulling their weight. As you enter the last third of the year, it is important to take stock of what value your key employees and consultants are bringing to the table and assess if tasks can be redistributed or outsourced to allocate some cash flow to more productive internal projects and ventures. As the signs of Spring start to permeate the landscape, it is time to realize that we need to maintain our focus on the core values of our business and what we want to accomplish. There are always going to be things that impact our business operations as well as our societal norms and values. But what cannot ever change is the approach to financial analysis and the need to truly understand where your company is headed — and if an adjustment or two is necessary to achieve your goals and objectives. A clear and analytical mind never goes out of style, and it is important to objectively look at your operating key performance indicators (KPIs) to truly assess how to make 2025 a fruitful and profitable year.

Hello Female Founders! Here is an event you should ALL attend. ???? Calling all early-stage female founders! Feeling frustrated by the stats for female founders? Let’s change the conversation. Together, let's talk about what we CAN control to become founders who successfully raise in today's landscape. Virtual Event: Breaking Barriers: Female Founders and the Emotional Side of Venture Investing When: October 22nd - 23rd, 12 PM - 3 PM EST ? Keynote Speakers: Jeanne Sullivan: 30+ years as an investor. Tiffany Norwood: Raised $670M and launched 9 ventures. ??? Special Offer: Use the code YOUR PROMO for a free ticket! Otherwise, tickets start at $29. ? BONUS: First 50 signups get access 5 must-have fundraising resources: Investor Readiness Checklist 50 Most Frequently Asked Investor Questions The Venture Capital Due Diligence Questionnaire The Psychological Playbook for VCs and Startups A Comprehensive Guide for Creating Financial Model Assumptions ?? Can’t attend live? No worries, it’ll be recorded! Register today! Let’s break barriers together https://lnkd.in/e2EYGiQr