By Joe Mechlinski When The SEED School of Maryland asked me to give a speech to 308 middle-school students, my reaction was one part flattered, one part nervous. I’ve spoken to high-schoolers, sharing my experiences as a Baltimore City kid and my path toward business ownership. But a gymnasium ful... May. 10, 2012 11:04 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski Ensuring your employees feel valued is a major key to your company’s success. When employees feel valued, or important, they are much happier. And we all know people perform better when they’re happier. A recent Gallup study quantified the link between employee feelings and corporate o... May. 1, 2012 07:00 AM EDT Reads: 229 |
By Joe Mechlinski Usually, I try to avoid making assumptions, but I’m going to go out on a limb and make a couple here. I think it’s safe to assume that for every time you’ve read an advice book, attended a seminar, or made a New Year’s resolution with the goal of improving some aspect of your life [...... Apr. 17, 2012 07:00 AM EDT Reads: 162 |
By Joe Mechlinski Imagine you’ve just spent the last 18 months preparing for a big meeting with a new prospect. Ever since your team was selected as a finalist, everyone’s energy has been focused on the big presentation and now: The agenda is finished. The last slide in the PowerPoint deck is complete. ... Apr. 11, 2012 12:35 PM EDT Reads: 128 |
By Joe Mechlinski Goal setting is helpful for managers and employees. Managers have multiple opportunities to provide employees with feedback during this process, and they are able to identify their employees’ strengths and weaknesses. Employees can see how their individual contributions affect and supp... Apr. 3, 2012 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 176 |
By Joe Mechlinski An interview with Doug Beigel, CEO of COLA, a nonprofit organization in Columbia, Maryland that offers training, accreditation, and consultation to medical labs, regarding his pattern for successfully instituting change. Joe: Harvard Business School professor Dr. John Kotter says that ... Mar. 19, 2012 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 209 |
By Joe Mechlinski We can all agree there are good meetings and there are bad meetings, and there are even meetings about meetings… All joking aside, in order for your business to be successful it is critical that team meetings are meaningful and productive for all members of the team. And the responsibi... Mar. 5, 2012 02:00 AM EST |
By Joe Mechlinski The best way to maintain a steady business course under constantly changing conditions is to keep your eye on the big picture. But the stream of dramatic headlines over the last three years has made the big picture a little blurry for entrepreneurs like us. “The world is falling!” shri... Feb. 20, 2012 02:00 AM EST |
By Joe Mechlinski In January, we shared data from five of our more recent surveys; and how that data led us to what we believe are the five internal factors critical to a company’s growth and success over time: performance reviews, team meetings, goal setting, goal accountability, and value within the o... Feb. 8, 2012 03:39 PM EST |
By Joe Mechlinski “What keeps you going isn’t some fine destination but just the road you’re on, and the fact that you know how to drive.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver Of course we Ravens fans are disappointed. We wanted a trip to Super Bowl XLVI so badly we could taste it, and the way i... Jan. 27, 2012 03:30 AM EST |
By Joe Mechlinski It’s the dawn of 2012 – the year we’ve all been waiting for, thanks to the Mayans and their spooky calendar forecasting the end of the world in December. Some of my friends have jokingly threatened to max out their credit cards, take up smoking, stop exercising, move to a beach house, ... Jan. 10, 2012 01:23 PM EST |
By Joe Mechlinski First things first: we at eQ want to thank every one of you reading this message. We are continually grateful for the knowledge and experiences gained through our work together. It is an honor to know you, and it has been an absolute privilege working alongside you this past year. As t... Jan. 2, 2012 07:00 AM EST Reads: 173 |
By Joe Mechlinski Isn’t it strange that even with an unemployment rate of nine percent, people still feel uncomfortable saying that they are looking for work? It seems to me that people hesitate sharing this information because they think the only way to tell someone they are looking for new employment ... Dec. 9, 2011 12:49 PM EST Reads: 117 |
By Joe Mechlinski Thanksgiving evokes images of football, family reunions, roasted turkey with stuffing, and pumpkin pie; but all too often the true meaning of Thanksgiving is lost in the shuffle of the festivities. This year, as we think about the true meaning of Thanksgiving, the entreQuest team can’t... Nov. 24, 2011 03:33 PM EST Reads: 126 |
By Joe Mechlinski  Our move to the cloud, guided by LiftOff, is discussed in an article in the Wall Street Journal. Our part of the article explains how we continue to find new and innovative ways to leverage the collaboration components of the Microsoft cloud. Nov. 15, 2011 03:23 PM EST Reads: 592 |
By Joe Mechlinski At the core of every company is a promise to improve its clients’ lifestyles in some way. Oftentimes, this promise is articulated in a mission statement or story. It is practiced through corporate values and behaviors. It is delivered through the employee and client experiences. In ... Nov. 15, 2011 02:53 PM EST Reads: 400 |
By Joe Mechlinski With all that has been written in the days following the death of one of America’s greatest corporate leaders, it would not be of the Apple kind of creativity if we just repeated what is already out there. In honor of Steve Jobs, we’ll try to “think different.”... Oct. 10, 2011 01:38 PM EDT Reads: 533 |
By Joe Mechlinski It occurred to me the other day while sitting at my son’s soccer game (or more correctly cheering hysterically when anyone of his teammates touched the ball) that you can learn a lot from 6-year old soccer – lessons that can even help you in business. I’ll even venture to say that yo... Oct. 5, 2011 04:40 PM EDT Reads: 174 |
By Joe Mechlinski Twenty years ago, there was one model that every America could reference for healthy eating – the USDA Food Pyramid. Taped up to the walls of public school cafeterias or illustrated on the back of cereal boxes, everyone from expert to everyday citizen seemed to agree on the defi... Sep. 30, 2011 03:51 PM EDT Reads: 221 |
By Joe Mechlinski In November, a group of researchers will be publishing a study titled ”Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes” to prove that in the working environment – the higher the power, the less likely the collaboration effort. To put it more bluntly, individuals ... Sep. 25, 2011 12:09 PM EDT Reads: 134 |
By Joe Mechlinski If you’ve ever been to Epcot in Disney World, then you can appreciate the value of culture. Walk around the pavilions representing the World Showcase and your nostrils alone are in for an exciting ride from the scents of zesty marinara sauces out of Italy to the fresh baked buttery br... Sep. 20, 2011 11:39 AM EDT Reads: 142 |
By Joe Mechlinski The American auto industry is unique but in many ways it is no different than every one of our businesses. Leaders of all types must find the right incentives to drive their teams towards success. These incentives must be applicable enough to affect the entire organization but meanin... Sep. 16, 2011 11:25 AM EDT Reads: 114 |
By Joe Mechlinski The #1 priority of sales management is people development – that is to help each salesperson grow both individually and collectively as a team. It’s through people development that we ultimately achieve our goals and generate results. Do your salespeople make excuses for lack of... Sep. 13, 2011 02:57 PM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski One of the most important characteristics of a good leader is the ability to find and appoint the right individuals to assume leadership roles themselves. A successful organization is not structured so that the CEO just leads a pack of followers. That’s the kind of human formation th... Sep. 9, 2011 04:17 PM EDT Reads: 118 |
By Joe Mechlinski In the official entreQuest story guide, our ultimate goal is defined as: “Behind everything that entreQuest does – from the tiniest task to the most expansive engagement – is a desire to make the world a better place.” We think that sounds pretty good on paper but we’re positive it loo... Sep. 7, 2011 08:10 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski In managing projects for several of eQ’s client companies that have remote employees and having been a remote employee myself, I am very familiar with the challenges that can arise for leaders in creating a remarkable employee experience for everyone on their teams including those not ... Aug. 30, 2011 12:38 PM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski As I think about this year for every client, partner, and friend in the eQ community, I can’t help but think about how this relates to the perilous times for our country as a whole. Ideologies aside, both political parties seem to presently lack the key ingredients necessary to... Aug. 26, 2011 09:57 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski Luck isn’t by chance. If you believe that some people are just lucky, you’re accepting a victim’s mentality. That would mean you didn’t have a direct impact on the results you get. Yet, that’s almost always the case. Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. It’s that fifth quo... Aug. 25, 2011 02:37 PM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski Luck isn’t by chance. If you believe that some people are just lucky, you’re accepting a victim’s mentality. That would mean you didn’t have a direct impact on the results you get. Yet, that’s almost always the case. Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. It’s that fif... Aug. 24, 2011 10:29 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski On my last day as a summer intern at entreQuest, I can’t help but look back on my original goals back in June and assess whether or not I accomplished them over the past few months. I am currently enrolled as an undergrad at Temple University and according to our Office of the Provost... Aug. 19, 2011 05:37 PM EDT Reads: 193 |
By Joe Mechlinski Before you can deliver a remarkable client experience for the purpose of building growth in your organization, you must win the opportunity of partnership with your prospect. In order to do that, you must build trust. In order to do that again, you must hold trust. entreQuest conside... Aug. 17, 2011 05:19 PM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski The importance of an organization outlining its values and behaviors cannot be understated. These are the principles and activities that align to a company’s mission, that tell a company’s story, that define a company’s experience, and that motivate a company’s team. Therefore it’s n... Aug. 11, 2011 09:55 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski The image above is a bittersweet ode to Atlantic City, a vacation destination whose time has come and gone. You may recognize The Tropicana Resort and Casino where I recently vacationed with my family. If you look closely, you’ll see an attempt at a renaissance. Yet not unlike... Aug. 8, 2011 09:30 AM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski As a project manager at entreQuest, I make a lot of phone calls throughout my day. Whether it’s dialing into a conference call with a client or phoning up a variety of service providers to plan an event, my work is literally my calling. Years and years of this kind of experience has ... Aug. 4, 2011 11:59 AM EDT Reads: 117 |
By Joe Mechlinski Over the past few months, I have encountered several job candidates whose resumes revealed a past position which they had only held for a mere matter of months. For the most part, all of these candidates had stellar work history before and after this particular position so it struck... Aug. 1, 2011 12:55 PM EDT |
By Joe Mechlinski If you’re ever suddenly saddled with a craving for a chili dog in downtown Detroit, you’re going to face a dilemma. Do you go to Lafayette Coney Island or American Coney Island??? The two age-old hot dog establishments sit right next to each other in just about as bustling a district ... Jul. 27, 2011 11:13 AM EDT Reads: 101 |
By Joe Mechlinski The best salespeople… simplify the complex. Here are some real life examples of “sales speak” lines that are word-for-word out of the mouths of sellers: “We leverage channel partners to integrate cross-platform solutions.” “Our carrier rating allows us to tap into guaranteed underwriti... Jul. 15, 2011 12:35 PM EDT Reads: 117 |
By Joe Mechlinski One of the most important principles that entreQuest espouses for growing businesses is the power of mindset. Clarity on the company’s goals, focus on the necessary action, and willingness to execute the work required make up a winning mindset which is the foundation for an effective ... Jul. 12, 2011 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 120 |
By Joe Mechlinski Since my freshman year in college, I have kept a personal journal. As it’s been about ten years of writing now, I have several journals filled up with entries penned down during the most interesting years of my life. From the craziness of college, to meeting the man who is now ... Jul. 3, 2011 02:21 PM EDT Reads: 253 |
By Joe Mechlinski While on vacation at the beach, my husband and I met up with some friends for dinner. We went to a small restaurant with a great reputation for its menu. Called Off the Hook (http://www.offthehookrestaurant.webs.com/), the first five minutes of our dining experience was not exactly e... Jun. 29, 2011 01:26 PM EDT Reads: 113 |
Joe Mechlinski is the co-founder and president of entreQuest, a business development firm that helps increase revenue for small-to-midsized businesses. 
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