VIDEOS
Crafting Goals Shouldn't Be a DRAG!! Focus on Your Unique VALUE!! #business #goals #performance
Ugh-- drafting your goals THEN REVIEWING WITH YOUR MANAGER!! Yuck-- I used to hate doing that, too, especially when I was leading a large-scale remediation and my manager was part of the problem... (that's for a different podcast!)
But drafting goals shouldn't be the drag it's become-- even if you aren't clear on your company's strategy or larger goals. Consider your goals less about what you will do for your organization and more about how you will apply you…
Stress at Work is REAL, and #stressrelief is critical-- One Moment Can Create Severe Damage!!!
When people are consistently and continually living in a high stress zone—and we see leaders do that when they lose control of their temper, they lose perspective, they lose a feeling of stability—of being themselves (in an "orange" zone)… it takes just one click to send them to the red zone.
Just one moment can go from professional, appropriate behavior to yelling.
Stress is very damaging. Learn what you need to manage it. Yelling at work is a stress response.
#strategy is the WHO and the HOW-- not just the WHAT!! #business #businesstips #smallbusiness
Some people try to make strategy seem complicated-- that's the first sign that they probably don't understand what strategy is. Others think it makes them special so they like to slow-the-roll of understanding strategy, but EVERYONE should know what strategy means AND THEY SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT that it isn't as complex as it sounds.
Episode 9 explores how to manage in an organization where you aren't sure there is a strategy...
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Leaders: Many of Your Employees Do NOT Know the "Corporate Goals"! #strategy #leadership #business
In my experience, there are generally three reasons why employees struggle to craft and draft goals, and the first is that there aren't clear company goals!
Studies frequently offer evidence TO SENIOR LEADERS telling them that although they THINK the goals are clear and everyone’s fully aligned, that simply isn't the reality...
Listen to my third epi in the Strategy Series (Episode 10), focused on how to craft and draft goals if you don't know what the strategy…
Ask Christa! Strategy Series (3/3): How Do I Create Goals If There's NO STRATEGY???
Summary
In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo addresses the common challenge of creating goals aligned with a company's strategy, particularly when that strategy is, or corporate goals are, unclear. She discusses the importance of understanding corporate goals, the process of crafting and drafting individual goals, and practical steps to align individual objectives with broader organizational aims.. Christa emphasizes the need for clarity in goal-setting and provides resource…
YOU DO NOT NEED AN MBA TO UNDERSTAND #strategy !!! We are strategic EVERY DAY!!! #business
Strategy is FOR EVERYONE!! You do not need an MBA-- we create and apply strategy every day!! It's how we get big things done!!!
Check out Episode 9 where I answer the question, "What do I do if there is no strategy???"
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Ask Christa! Business Questions, Straight Answers, Real Impact
© 2025 Christa Dhimo in partnership with Impono LLC and 21st Century Strategies. Ask Christa! has a pending Trademark. All Rights Reserved.
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Strategy is for EVERYONE, we're strategic EVERY DAY!! #strategy #leadership #leadershipdevelopment
I get tired of hearing "senior leaders" dictate who's strategic vs tactical as though only a select few are "strategic thinkers" (always inferred to be "leadership material"). It's hooey! Most human beings are naturally strategic AND tactical-- in business, it's about who's had the benefit of learning about REAL strategy and then in positions to practice "strategic thinking" through how they make decisions, organize resources, and S…
#strategy needs to be communicated!!!! #leadership #businessgrowth #smallbusiness
In many instances of company recoveries, I have seen that the most visible goals are related to increasing revenues—which is important-- but not much else, and this is when it probably feels like there is no strategy, just as the question for this segment indicates.
But remember: to sell something, you need products to sell, you need people to cultivate customer relationships, and you need a variety of fallback plans for when something unexpected happens that puts your goals at risk.…
Ask Christa! Strategy Series (2/3): HELP! I Don't Know My Company's Strategy!!!
Summary
In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses the common concern of employees feeling that there is no clear strategy within their organizations. She discusses the importance of understanding what constitutes a strategy, how to identify existing strategies, and the steps employees can take to engage with leadership about strategic goals. She also reviews the importance of understanding and communicating strategy, especially in smaller businesses, and provides insights o…
CORPORATE AMERICA!! STOP THINKING STRATEGY IS ONLY ABOUT SALES!!!! #strategy #business
Some think of strategy as sales, and I know A LOT of organizations have a Head of Strategy or Chief Strategy Officer where the primary focus is sales—but that’s a very tactical way of approaching strategy, and you should probably have a head of sales focused on the strategy of sales. For example, a Chief Strategy Officer shouldn't be focused on SALES!!! "Strategy" is about the totality of your business!!! (grrrrrrrr.... this gets me so FRUSTRATED!!)
The Strategy that …
WHAAAAT? A company without a STRATEGY??? (yeah, we've all worked there-- YUCK!!) #strategy #business
I’ve received a few questions about strategy, especially what to do when you don’t know what the strategy is-- when the strategy isn’t clear OR communicated… or clearly communicated.
WHAATTT? You might ask—How can you work in an organization when there isn’t a clear STRATEGY???
Oh…. You’d be surprised…
Small and mid-sized companies are not held to the same standards as large and enterprise-level companies, especially if you are privately held, and that means…. A lot …
It's GOOD to feel nervous about your strategy #strategy #leadership #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship
One of the tips I offer to leaders is that if you aren’t feeling nervous about your strategy, then it’s probably not a good one. Strategy isn’t about creating comfort; it’s about understanding the big picture, where you fit in that big picture, and then feeling confident about what you know AND WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW while creating a plan that accommodates for what you know and what you don’t know.
And that’s a lot. You should always feel a little nervous about all you need to consider …
Ask Christa! Strategy Series (1/3): What Is STRATEGY?
Summary
In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo explores the concept of strategy in organizations, emphasizing its importance in achieving goals and navigating uncertainties. She discusses the common misconceptions of strategy as well as how many small and mid-sized companies lack clear strategies and the implications of this on their operations. Christa provides insights on how to think about strategy in a less complex way, focusing on the necessary alignment between strategy and …
Freelancers: you need fair rates, right? Time to ask!! #freelancing #entrepreneur #smallbusiness
Just because you're freelancing as a solopreneur doesn't mean you're not a business. Your rates are based on the impact you make or the value you bring and how you keep up your momentum. It's also based on how you're growing, how you're expanding to offer more and more and also what the market rates are, the market shifts. And you need fair rates, right?
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Ask Christa! Business Questions, Straight Answers, Real Impact
Freelancers: DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR ADJUSTING YOUR RATES #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #freelancing
As a freelancer, you are a business, and it's appropriate to raise your rates based on a variety of reasons. ***Make a rule that you will not apologize for adjusting your rates*** Just. Don't. You are not creating or causing a difficult situation for your clients and you're not being offensive simply because you're raising your rates. Episode 7 answers the question, "As a Freelancer, how can I start the discussion about raising my rates without chickening out?" …
Ask Christa! S1E7 How to Raise Freelance Rates (and not back down)? #freelancing #smallbusiness
Summary
In this conversation, Christa Dhimo addresses the challenges freelancers face when considering raising their rates. She emphasizes the importance of viewing oneself as a business, mindset, preparation, and effective communication strategies to navigate these discussions with clients. Christa provides practical advice on how to overcome fears and anxieties about “money talk,” options for approaching rate adjustments, the significance of knowing one's worth, and navigating clie…
Imposter syndrome or being humble or both? #impostersyndrome #leadership #achievement #humble
I'm getting a lot of questions related to imposter feelings: better explanations, how it relates to work, what it means for minorities in the workplace. It's critical that we all understand what imposter syndrome is-- which is factually called imposter phenomenon (someone hijacked it in the 80s and named it a "syndrome," which it is not grrrrr.....).
Some people actually believes it means someone is lying about who they are and "faking" it. NOOOOO!!! TH…
Freelancers chickening out about raising your rates? Practice, practice, practice... #smallbusiness
Preparation about raising your rates-- then PRACTICING what you'll say-- will always help the most with the initial discussion about raising your rates, which can feel confrontational, especially if you're new to "money talk" AND part of certain demographics who, based on studies and research, tend to undersell themselves from the beginning: women, minorities,early stage career people, later stage career people, and if you're new to freelancing (1-2 years in).
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Raising your rates is a necessary business decision!!! #freelancing #entrepreneur #smallbusiness
Just because you're freelancing as a solopreneur doesn't mean you're not a business. Your rates are based on the impact you make or the value you bring and how you keep up your momentum. It's also based on how you're growing, how you're expanding to offer more and more and also what the market rates are, the market shifts. And you need fair rates, right?
In the upcoming Episode 7, I'm asking you-- the solopreneur, the freelancer-- to change your min…
Do not waste your time on elevator pitches... #startup #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #founder
Do not waste your time on elevator pitches. I know that might sound contrarian and controversial, but it's a really old phrase and you don't need it if you do the work to become clear and concise about describing why your business matters. You won't need to spend any time working on an elevator pitch. You'll already have it.
Look to Episode 5: How Do I Startup a Business?
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Ask Christa! Business Questions, Straight Answers, Real…
Ask Christa! S1E6 Humility or Imposter Syndrome?
Summary
In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo explores the complexities of imposter syndrome—which is actually and originally called imposter phenomenon—and humility. She distinguishes between the two concepts, explaining that imposter phenomenon is a feeling of self-doubt regarding one's achievements, often attributing success to external factors such as luck rather than personal capability. In contrast, humility involves graciously accepting recognition, and often incl…
Imposter Phenomenon or Feeling Humble? #business #entrepreneur #impostersyndrome #leadership
Imposter Syndrome is actually and originally called Imposter Phenomenon, and that is because it's an observation backed by research versus a syndrome.
Imposter phenomenon is rooted in someone feeling that recognition or promotion or a special invitation or award as part of that recognition—that it's a fluke… a single unique moment in time when someone accomplished what they did, not because of internal factors like how smart they are or how experienced they are and how tru…
CHANGE is tough, but not because of what we've been told! #transition #transformation #change
Change is uncomfortable even when you are fully supported AND it you will benefit from it because t means losing some of the predictability and stability of our day to day. Most times in work situations, we have very little time to learn about, learn how to newly manage, then MANAGE a change, and that's a large part of why change can be hard, especially in the work environment. We have and NEED a certain amount of trust in our work environments to feel efficient and productive; predicta…
Ask Christa! S1E5 How Do I Start Up a Business?
Summary
In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo addresses the common question of how to start a business. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's feelings about the business idea, the commitment required, and the necessity of identifying market needs. Christa also shares valuable resources for aspiring entrepreneurs, including shows and websites that provide insights into the startup process.
Key Takeaways
• Starting a business involves understanding you…