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Sam Decker Blog


The Parking Lot Lesson on the Cost of Quality
It was probably one of those older strip malls. There were few entrances, and those available were awkward or narrow. Once in, you failed...
Aug 24, 20042 min read


First Break All the Rules: “Skills, Knowledge and Talents”
One of the best management books I’ve ever read is First Break All the Rules. With that kind of endorsement I’m hoping Marcus Buckingham...
Jul 19, 20042 min read


"Get Back to Basics" -- Patrick Lencioni
Patrick Lencioni has been a friend of my father's for years. I got to know him many years ago too, and he honored me by answering a few...
Jul 10, 20043 min read
Colorful Details
What makes something believable and memorable? It’s not always the main feature, benefit, or plot of the story that is remembered or...
Jul 6, 20041 min read
Making a Marketing Discovery
One of my marketing team members made a “marketing discovery” on an email test. She made a mistake on one of her test email subject...
Jun 27, 20042 min read


Cookbook for a Business Recovery
There's a revenue crisis. You need to do a business recovery. There are three choices: 1. Do nothing…i.e. keep on trucking, status quo....
Jun 23, 20042 min read


10 Questions Before Business Planning
Entrepreneur posted an article called 7 Habits for Business Success by Brian Tracy, exerpted from his book “Million Dollar Habits”....
Jun 16, 20042 min read


The Story of Rock and Sponge
Here’s what happened... Rock was a hard, seasoned pro. He threw weight into a problem and bulldozed through people to ‘make IT so’. “It”...
Jun 14, 20042 min read


Impact of First Tone
The most important parts of what you write or say is usually at the beginning and end. At the end, it’s the last thing the...
Jun 9, 20041 min read
3 Quotes for June
“You are searching for the magic key that will unlock the door to the source of power; and yet you have the key in your own hands, and...
Jun 7, 20041 min read


Dando’s Top 10 Watch List for Growing Companies
I’ve never been a huge fan of consultants, but I objectively appreciate Kirk’s approach to consulting (or ‘coaching’). See...
Jun 6, 20042 min read


Basketball Management
Several years ago Guy Kawaski and I were playing basketball and discussing the similarities of good basketball and good business. Tonight...
Jun 4, 20042 min read
8 Practices of an Effective Executive
Yesterday I got my Zinio version of the June Harvard Business Review. [btw, Zinio is pretty cool offline magazine subscription reader]....
Jun 2, 20041 min read


Example of Excellent B2B One-to-One Marketing
I had a true well-executed one-to-one marketing experience today with a marketing services vendor, who will go unnamed. This vendor...
Jun 1, 20042 min read
The Imitation Age
Today my June issue of Harvard Business Review came in on Zinio Reader. One of the articles was “The Perils of the Imitation Age.” By...
Jun 1, 20042 min read


Reveal What’s Included
Bryan Eisenberg turned me on to Johari’s window, which essentially divides up communications between you and me (or marketer and...
May 31, 20041 min read


Parental + Marketing Lesson: Get Attention First
Which is this: [Haley is playing a computer game] Me: “Haley…” Haley: “Yes Daddy” [must face me, eye contact] Me: “I’d like you to pick...
May 27, 20042 min read


Marginalizing Quality
Either I remember things tasting better when I was a kid, or their quality has gone down in the last 12-14 years. Let’s assume the...
May 24, 20042 min read
Return on Churn
I’m often amazed at how much work is done that doesn’t really move ‘the ball forward.’ I call this ‘churn’. Churn feels like spinning...
May 23, 20041 min read
Greyhound Goals
It’s important to set goals – business goals, professional goals, personal goals, financial goals, employee goals, etc. Ever hear of...
May 20, 20042 min read
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