A couple of months ago, I visited a well-known establishment in Miami for dinner. Even though it was a regular weeknight — not nearly as busy as a weekend rush — I noticed one of the staff members seemed completely overwhelmed. The table next to me was making endless demands, and the employee was visibly stressed, trying to accommodate them all. Watching this unfold, I couldn't help but think: "Is this really how businesses should operate?"

These days, customers aren't just looking for a great product or service. They want an experience that's smooth, hassle-free, and feels like it was designed just for them. If you're not delivering that, your competitors are ready and waiting to steal them away. Salesforce's "State of the Connected Customer" report makes it clear: 80% of customers say the experience a company offers is just as important as its products or services.

If there was something that 81% of people spent time at work doing, yet 84% of people also agree that it's not working — wouldn't that be a strong incentive to make critical changes? According to Asana's 2024 State of Workplace Innovation report and data shared in Asana keynote speeches, that exact scenario is playing out in businesses worldwide. What is this broken activity? Collaboration. In fact, 90% of workers rely on informal networks, friends, and unspoken understandings to get things done.

I have spent the past two decades on stages around the world as an auctioneer at the world’s top fundraisers and galas. I spend most nights negotiating with audience members to buy things at a higher price than they expect to pay when they walk in the room—it’s how I raise record funds for charities across the globe.

All of us have heard guidelines about how to be physically healthy—eat well, exercise, wash your hands, get plenty of rest. But how many of us have thought seriously about our social lives—the strength of our relationships and our sense of belonging in a community—as key to staying healthy?

Many situations arise in everyday life where individuals must express disagreement, whether it’s about making pivotal decisions at work with a business partner or navigating ideological differences with loved ones. Disagreement is often inevitable in relationships and can even be healthy, as it allows us to learn more about ourselves and others.

In this fast-paced, on-demand world we live in, the ability to communicate well with one’s clients has become a critical skill that cannot be overlooked. The world as we know it has become significantly different than in days gone by. Clients want to know that they are receiving the best from everyone they are dealing with, and they do not want to be surprised.

In the digital age, where remote work has become the norm, mastering the art of communication has never been more critical. The ease and convenience of emails, texts, and Slack messages come with challenges, from misunderstandings to missed cues. Joining us on the Predictable Revenue Podcast, Christina Brady from Luster.ai shares her expertise on enhancing communication in virtual teams, discusses common pitfalls, and offers actionable solutions for a more connected workspace.

In managing customer relationships — or relationships with any key stakeholders — it is critical to manage the balance of power between the company and any one customer. This can be done by diversifying the customer base, understanding (and be willing to use) customer pressure points, and (in the case where a company is locked into a single key relationship) ensuring that the customer is as dependent on the company as the company is dependent on the customer.

Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan apologized for over 15,000 canceled flights over the winter holidays. "I am extremely sorry. There's just no way to apologize enough. …The storm had an impact, but we had impacts beyond the storm," Jordan said in a letter. Despite the airline's stellar record in customer service, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of his recovery response, even after giving each impacted Southwest passenger 25,000 frequent flyer points. But Southwest did a lot correct in their attempt to regain betrayed passenger trust.

Emotional maturity is the number one most important thing in relationships, the number one skill set we can work on to get great ones, and the number one most important thing to a happy and effective life. Contrary to some misconceptions, emotional maturity is not about “self-mastery,” or self-development. Mature people may pursue these, but they have nothing to do with emotional maturity.

There is nothing more exciting, or more dangerous, than a sales professional who can attack the game of selling with the strategic mind of a golfer. I am a lifer in sales who, somewhere along the way, fell in love with golf. These may seem like two unconnected occurrences in anyone’s life, but with time I realized that there are too many similarities between the game of golf and the game of sales to ignore.

The research is clear: Employee recognition—when done well—has huge payoffs. According to the data we collect on leaders across industries, every measure of morale, productivity, performance, customer satisfaction, and employee retention soars when managers regularly provide recognition

If you’re seeking to become a better version of yourself, there are plenty of people and organizations willing to offer (or sell) a helping hand. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that there are helpers. We need their lived experiences and expertise to help guide and direct us and their frameworks help make sense of our complex lives.

These days, top salespeople know to speak the language of their clients. If your client is a straight-shooting, direct communicator (think New York stereotype), you can be equally direct with them. If your client is reserved (think Midwest farmer’s daughter), direct communication can be intimidating. While it can be tough enough speaking with one buyer and understanding their style, today’s challenges and uncertainty make buyers extra cautious.

Dale Dupree is the founder and CEO of the Sales Rebellion. He draws on his many years of sales experience to coach sales professionals in developing innovative and creative approaches to their craft. Dale is also one of the hosts of the popular Selling Local podcast. He joined Predictable Revenue to discuss how to create experiences that cause familiarity, fuel relevance, drive curiosity and give your prospect a reason to meet.

Nic spent most of her childhood avoiding people. She was raised by a volatile father and a mother who transferred much of the trauma she’d experienced onto her daughter. The combination left Nic fearful and isolated. “My primitive brain was programmed to be afraid of everybody, because everybody’s evil and they’re gonna hurt you,” she told me. (Nic asked to be referred to by only her first name to protect her privacy.)

Nic spent most of her childhood avoiding people. She was raised by a volatile father and a mother who transferred much of the trauma she’d experienced onto her daughter. The combination left Nic fearful and isolated. “My primitive brain was programmed to be afraid of everybody, because everybody’s evil and they’re gonna hurt you,” she told me. (Nic asked to be referred to by only her first name to protect her privacy.)