This week’s Monday Challenge is as easy as can be. Buy a copy of Smarter, Faster, Better by Charles Duhigg and read it. This book is transformative, and every chapter has incredible relevance to all aspects of our industry. Broken into eight concepts that are discussed with surprising facts and entertaining stories to back up Read More…
Category: Monday Challenge
Monday Challenge: Q1 is in the books … what did you accomplish?
Welcome to the Monday Challenge. This one deserves some of your time today, time that is focused and without distraction (close the computer, put the phone into airplane mode, get away from social media and the web). What did you accomplish in Q1 of 2017? I’m not talking about sales numbers, brand distribution, points of Read More…
Monday Challenge: Values Assesment
This week’s Monday Challenge is a doozy. It’s not quick, it’s not painless, and it’s not easy. Time to assess the values you hold versus the life you are living. It’s a myth that career paths travel in straight lines. Holes are in the road, diversions are necessary, and many people have experienced years or Read More…
Monday Challenge: The Idea Notebook
Monday on VineThinking is all about a tweaks, pushes, and challenges to help you get better at what you do in the wine sales world. This week: The Idea Notebook. It’s an innocent enough idea. Today, go and buy a notebook. A nice one. I prefer Moleskine Cahir Journals or Fabriano Ecoqua Stapled notebooks myself, for Read More…
Monday Challenge: Your Email Signature
This week’s challenge is easy to work through but long reaching in impact. It’s your email signature, and I’m sorry to say that it’s probably not optimized for 2017. Email signatures have grown in effectiveness and impact for one simple reason: more and more email clients and operating systems are using information from your emails to Read More…
Monday Challenge: How safe is your digital stuff?
The Monday Challenge is often about spurring readers to do something that takes little effort but with long term benefits. This week: assess the safety of your digital stuff. You can do this in easily by answering one question: can you take your laptop and throw it in a lake, never to see it again, and Read More…
Monday Challenge: find a Q4 mindset in Q1
Every Monday I toss out a challenge to derail readers from the norm and get their heads into a different mindset. This week: find a Q4 mindset in Q1. The first quarter of the year is always so fascinating in the wine business. Sales people relax and get back into their routines. Buyers are off Read More…
Monday Challenge: Listen to yourself
Every Monday I throw out a challenge, something to keep in mind for the week. This week’s challenge was going to be called “Don’t say anything stupid.” Then the title changed to “#AlternateReality.” In the end I decided to stick with something more simple: Listen to yourself. After an amazing weekend of strange communication with Read More…
Monday challenge: Do your performance review for the whole year, now
Every Monday I throw down a little challenge for readers, something to knock people off the daily predictable grind. This week: write your 2017 performance review, but do it today, 50 weeks before the end of the year. This exercise will take all of ten minutes if you’re a fast typer, maybe 20 minutes if Read More…
Monday Challenge: 1.92%
Good day and welcome to another great week! Every Monday I throw out a challenge, a wee bit of a push to get you on the right track, and occasionally a nudge to knock you off the track and see things from a different angle. This week: 1.92%. What does this mean? What is this Read More…
A good day to ask (the right) questions
Happy New Year! Every Monday I throw out a challenge to the readers, something to push you a bit into an uncomfortable place (that place where growth occurs). This week: A good day to ask (the right) questions. I suggest you print this page and handwrite your answers. How are you going to look back Read More…
Monday Challenge: End of Year Planning
Welcome to the final Monday Challenge of the year. Five more work days ahead for 2016, then this chapter is done and we collectively move into 2017. What to do? Just like Santa, make some lists and check them twice. List One: Do you have the opportunity to invest in your work life for 2016 tax deductions? Read More…
Monday Challenge: The Final Full Week
Every Monday I throw out a challenge to readers, something to push you a bit and help you grow. As you know by now, I’m big on lists and goal planning. I like to know as far in advance what I’ll be doing on any particular day. Time is the same for all of us. Read More…
Monday challenge: Make a list, check it twice
Every Monday I throw out a challenge to readers to help arc you toward new ideas, uncomfortable places, and ultimately growth. This week: Make a list, check it twice. We are less than three weeks away from the end of the calendar year. It’s a time to work hard (the orders are flying for about 10 Read More…
Monday challenge: Awesome at a few things, not pretty good at many
Every Monday I throw out a challenge to readers, something to make people think, get into an uncomfortable space (where growth happens) and in general give you ideas at looking at your job from different angles. This week: what are you awesome at? I’m not asking what are you pretty good at. I’m not asking Read More…