Those that pursue leadership positions are an odd bunch. That’s right, I said it! What else do you call people that volunteer for more responsibility, not much more pay, and all the blame? Odd is a relatively nice term when you think about it. I, for one, am a great admirer of the odd people that pursue leadership. Heck, my coaching practice is built around my enjoyment of people becoming great leaders. These tips are a few ways for leaders to make leading almost easy.

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Thousands of love songs portray sad stories of the fire going out in a romantic relationship. Business teams face the same danger. Members of a team can become too familiar and stuck in patterns of doing the bare minimum when it comes to teamwork. Similar to the song “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore,” the feeling that occurs when the thrill is gone is usually felt by all involved.

If your team fails to maintain a connection amongst its members, performance suffers. As a leader, you have the power to influence how connected your team remains over time. Follow these seven tips and you will lead your team around or even through the rough spots involved with staying connected. (more…)

As a kid sitting in the very back of my parent’s station wagon on road trips, I must confess I have uttered those famous words, “are we there yet!?” more than once. I learned the hard way to stop asking that question when my dad would threaten, “I will stop this car!” I stopped asking, but I still did not understand where we were along the journey. As a leader, you benefit greatly when your team understands where you are trying to go as a group. When your team understands and believes in the intended end result, they will not have to ask you “are we there yet”? These seven tips are sure to help you create a vision that inspires. (more…)

We have all heard someone say, “you’re not the boss of me!” in rejection to a demand placed on them. I bet that phrase was born out of the good ol’ days when employees did what they were told because the boss “said so!” This worked for a while, but then organizations discovered employees were even more productive when fear and intimidation were NOT the only sources of motivation. (more…)

Seven Tips for Dealing with Cross-Departmental Issues It feels good to say those words - “you’re not the boss of me!” Translated, this means - you can say whatever you want, because I am not going to listen anyway, so there! Such a powerfully defiant thing to say. Have you ever said it? I can tell you from first hand experience, it feels good! I can also tell you from first hand experience that hearing those words does not feel good. The attitude that accompanies those words has damaged many organizational relationships. If there always seems to be an “edgy” feel between your departments or teams, these seven tips are for you. (more…)

Based out of a suburb near Denver, Colorado, with brand strategists in several states, Brand Mercenaries helps organizations bridge the gap to the Generation Y consumers and employees.

Created by Generation Y expert Kevin Kearns, Brand Mercenaries lives by the creed listed at the top of our every page of this website.  Here is the extended version:

As Generation Y branding experts, we are committed to bridging the gap to Generation Y (Gen Y, Millennials, Echo Boomers, iGeneration, Internet Generation, or Net Generation) consumers and employees.  Through any ethical means necessary (consulting, training, coaching, speaking, public relations), our client experience greatly increased performance and market share…that only the best generational marketing, branding, and organizational development can provide. 

It doesn’t matter if you are a Boomer, Gen Xer, or even a Gen-Y leader, if you are looking for a way to reach this new breed of consumer or employee, Brand Mercenaries is certain to be a great resource for you.  Kevin Kearns will be adding to his new blog on a regular basis, so make sure to check back often, or better yet, sign up for the RSS feed.