Decker’s 15 Career Tips
These posts were prompted by many conversations for career advice or feedback from ex-colleagues and employees. As I recall, these were...
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Sam Decker Blog
Aug 1, 20221 min read
Tips for CTO / CMO Relationships
Forrester interviewed me years ago for a paper on working with IT in startups and Dell. Bottom line: the most important aspect to good...
Jul 31, 20226 min read
4 Ecommerce Executive Must-Haves (According to #1 Recruiter)
What are the CEOs at top retailers looking for in their next ecommerce or digital marketing executive? “People want the unusual,” said...
Jul 30, 20224 min read
5 Executive Motivators for Innovation. And the one that matters.
Overcoming inertia requires executive buy-in. Despite talk of innovation, it’s a challenge to get groups of people to do something new....
Jun 19, 20111 min read
73% of CEOs Think Marketers Are Not Effectiveness-focused
I just read a fascinating global study on what CEOs think of Marketers, by the Fournaise Marketing Group. Some of the interesting...
Jan 27, 20072 min read
Career Tip #15: Never Eat Alone
Early in my career I took inter-office relationships for granted, eating lunch at my desk during those busy dot com days in...
Jan 23, 20071 min read
Career Tip #14: Show and Know Metrics
I'm amazed how many employees don’t understand the basics of a P&L. Those who do know how their measures feed the P&L. And, as a result,...
Jan 21, 20073 min read
How to Take Career Risks — 7 Principles
A reader commented and agreed that taking risks (Career Tip #12) would be great, but wondered how he could take bigger risks. I think...
Jan 21, 20071 min read
Career Tip #13: Answer First
Many people do it the other way around – build up the background, details of decision criteria, lay out all the options, and eventually...
Jan 17, 20072 min read
Career Tip #12: Take Bigger Risks
Executives who land a high level position, play it safe, and clutch onto high salaries, need to be flushed out of companies. They have...
Jan 16, 20071 min read
Career Tip #11: Always Can Do
I learned the ‘can do’ lesson early in my startup experience. In 1996 the President of our .com startup suggested I find and email...
Jan 16, 20071 min read
Career Tip #10: Go Where There’s Margin Growth
In any company with multiple product lines or divisions there are some parts of the company that have high margin % and/or high revenue...
Jan 15, 20072 min read
Career Tip #9: Feed Others
I learned a painful lessons early in my management career. It is foolish to try to control too much. First, I discovered I didn’t have...
Jan 15, 20071 min read
Career Tip #8: Learn, Challenge, Fun
I asked the one of the best manager's I've had what what he looked for in his next position and these were his three criteria:...
Jan 14, 20071 min read
Career Tip #7: Connect to a Visible Brand
Sometimes it’s helpful to have something recognizable on your resume. My first interview with Dell in early ‘99 was for managing Dell’s...
Jan 14, 20071 min read
Career Tip #6: Inform Others
Inform your manager and peers about what’s going on. In 1x1s, in email, in staff meetings, make sure you are giving updates and status on...
Jan 13, 20071 min read
Career Tip #5: Take Initiative Outside Your Triangle
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give anyone in any job who wants to be considered a ‘rockstar’ it is to take initiative. Be...
Jan 12, 20071 min read
Career Tip #4: Choose Who Your Work For
Throughout my career I’ve worked for and with many bad managers, some good ones, and a few great ones. The great ones manage the business...
Jan 10, 20072 min read
Career Tip #3: It’s Who You Get To Know
But more to the point, it’s important who you GET to know. You may know many people, but are they the right people. And further, do you...
Jan 9, 20071 min read
Career Tip #2: Build Soundbites for Your Brand
When word of mouth takes off on a product there is usually a small sentence, maybe a couple, that are shared about that product. “It was...
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