For several years an important part of my end of year break has been to participate in a four day retreat, hosted by friends who live in a beautiful, secluded Queensland valley. We meditate, reflect on our values, and enjoy the peace of a forest filled with chirping birds, inquisitive kangaroos and other fascinating native Australian animals. Driving into the valley thi 
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A few weeks ago I went to the doctor as I’d been feeling unwell following a trip to India. After he completed an initial diagnostic I jokingly asked, “Am I going to die?” to which he replied, “Yes…but not just yet.” He did, however, order a number of tests. Last week my phone buzzed, and I glanced at a text from the clinic, which I read as: The doctor has reviewed  
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I once read one of those stories that stay with you. It was about a business owner, let’s call her Janine, who was committed to growing and developing her team. Janine employed two new staff, Liz and Alex, both well-qualified, hard-working and keen to be part of the business. After observing them for a year, she promoted Alex to team leader, leaving Liz to continue in her c 
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When I was 12, I had an after-school job delivering medicine for Mr Wilson, the local pharmacist. He showed an interest in me and would tell me a little about each patient before I set out on my bicycle, satchel over my shoulder. He also always made a point of thanking me as I left to go home each afternoon. Mr Wilson was a sensitive man with a lot of empathy for other peop 
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Interdependent relationships, where you can’t just walk away when the going gets tough, can be both satisfying and frustrating. Think marriage, business partnerships, long-term supply agreements, and of course, the franchise relationship. Regular constructive conversations are essential to keep things on track. Over the past week, I and my team have conducted several wo 
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A common source of stress is meeting new people in unfamiliar social situations. For instance, starting a new job, moving into a new neighborhood, or attending networking functions. Something impressive I have noticed about our young cavoodle is his natural ability to make friends with strangers – dogs and humans. (He was even dubbed “Switzerland” at Puppy School becaus 
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Someone recently asked me how a franchisor team would know if their business model was sound. This prompted me to put together the following 25 questions. You could call it a best practices health check. If you are part of a franchisor team, this could be a great tool for promoting useful discussion in your next management meeting. Are you monitoring franchisee unit-leve 
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Last week one of my mentors, friends and collaborators passed away. Rupert Barkoff was also an avid reader and constructive critic of my Tips, so I am going to devote this one to him. In 2004 I decided it was time to enter the USA market and attended my first International Franchise Association Convention. It was a little overwhelming as I barely knew any of the nearly  
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This tip is about effective communication, a hot topic for executives who are leading change within their organisations. We may think we are communicating at our best when we carefully craft our words. But our most powerful communication often occurs in unintended ways. In a poem by Rumi, a great thirteenth-century mystical poet, he tells the following story about an Indian 
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I’ve recently been reviewing the research on successful franchisee recruitment. Because many franchisors have seen a decline in enquiries from new franchisees, I’m going to share eight proven strategies to achieve greater success in this area. But a proviso. These strategies will only work long-term if the franchisor team is caring, competent and ethical, and the business m 
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