1. Ask thought-provoking questions during an interview. Boilerplate interview questions get boilerplate answers from candidates. To really learn about a potential hire, ask them questions that reveal their thought processes more than their credentials. (From "The 10 Best Interview Questions That Find Great Talent," by Mike Michalowicz)

2. Work backwards from your ROI goal. Content marketing is building steam—according to a recent study 58 percent of marketers plan on producing more content than they did a year ago. When planning your content marketing budget, "determine how much you expect to earn from your investment," rather than how much it will cost you. (From "How Much Should You Spend On Content Marketing?," by Ritika Puri)

3. Don't assume your employees are like you. While you may appreciate public praise for a job well done, a member of your staff may view that kind of attention as a reason not to excel at the office. Avoid the mirror image fallacy, and learn what works best for each member of your team.  (From "Everything You Need to Know About Management You Learned In Psych 101," by Chris Cancialosi, Ph.D.)

4. Always say "thank you." Even when the conversation doesn't go your way. It could just as easily not have happened, and lays the groundwork for future chats that produce more favorable results. (From "The Downton Abbey Guide To Business Manners," by Erika Napoletano)

5. Act like a leader offline and online. Preaching from your social media perch is not enough to establish your business as a leader in its industry, writes The Buckle assistant manager Tyler Arnold. "Social technologies are merely a reflection of ourselves (and businesses) in the virtual world," Arnold says. "Be ready to engage in the same kind of behavior online as you use your initial offline community to boost your online presence." (From "3 Ways To Become A Leader Online," by Tyler Arnold)

6. Know when a customer is worth the hassle. If you've determined that a customer is much more trouble than their business is worth, let them know. This can include telling them calmly that your company's policies prevent you from fulfilling their wish, or simply but diplomatically saying why you no longer want their business. (From "Customer Clashes: When To Give In And When To Stand Your Ground," by Angela Stringfellow)

7. Start thinking ahead. Being able to visualize your future helps you prepare for whatever may come your way. "To develop a future mindset and keep it alive," writes expert Bruna Martinuzzi, "you need to immerse yourself in future-related information and ideas that can be fertile sources for how to create your future." (From "5 Ways To Develop A Forward-Focused Mind," by Bruna Martinuzzi)

8. Set a limit for yourself in negotiations. "You should absolutely ask yourself what you're willing to pay," says dealmaking expert Billy Leroy. "And you obviously need to know how much it is ahead of time. You've got to imagine making that deal at that price and be comfortable with what you paid." (From "How to Negotiate Like a New York Street Hustler," by Rod Kurtz)

9. Think about what you want to do before you do it. Being mindful of what you want to get done out of each task, whether it's a phone call with a client or sending an email, will save you from getting sidetracked. (From "6 Time Management Tips For Young Entrepreneurs," by Dan Adika)

10. Give your employees some time to tinker. "You've already hired talented employees—now use them wisely," writes Jaclyn Bernstein of The Huffington Post. "Working on passion projects is a great morale-booster for independent-thinking employees, and you'll be able to incubate great ideas to boot." (From "What Big Businesses Can Teach You About Building Company Culture," by Jaclyn Bernstein)

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