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When I arrived in a leadership role at Dun & Bradstreet France, my first assignment was to put together a turn-around plan. The plan included lay-offs, which meant I had to get the approval of the union. Following my first presentation, the union head approached me. He said that although my talk was one of the best he’d ever heard, in his experience with my predecessors, there was always a “but”. So why should he believe my plan was any different? Why would it work when others had failed?

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When people think of a maverick, they typically consider someone who breaks the rules and perhaps is a bit of a rebel. The first “maverick,” in fact, was a rancher in the early 19th century called Samuel Maverick. This Maverick refused to brand his cattle like the other ranchers, thus his last name became synonymous with being independently minded.

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Do you have a cost-cutting or productivity-improvement mindset?

A Toronto hotel recently hired a woman in a new position as event manager. Her first assignment was to promote the lobby bar as a welcoming and happening place for guests as well as residents in the community. Eva found the bar cold and austere with its fluorescent lights and metal café tables. “I’m sure there are some things we can do right away to change the atmosphere,” she said. Her new boss agreed. “Just tell me what you need,” he replied, “and I’ll set a budget.”

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