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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Category Archives: Leadership
When an Employee Can’t Grow With You
Every business is an organism. It is either growing or dying. I’ve met a few owners who said “I want everything (sales, staff, profits) to stay exactly as it is,” but none who were actually able to pull that off. As we … Continue Reading
You Make Two Types of Decisions
The principle function of leadership is making decisions. Whether you own a business or direct the work of others, your employees come to you with issues they can’t solve themselves. There are two types of decisions. One is easy; you just know something that … Continue Reading
Employee “Rights” in the Workplace
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the “Due Process” amendment, is one of the most-litigated sections of that document. It is also the only one that specifically abrogates rights, broadly removing the right to vote or hold … Continue Reading
“We’ll Just Agree to Disagree”
A CEO was having a discussion with one of his top executives a few weeks ago. He felt strongly that the executive needed to take a certain course of action as soon as possible. The Vice President explained that the … Continue Reading
After the Goal
Why do employees have to “rest” after accomplishing a goal? When most human accomplishment required manual labor, taking time to recuperate after a final push, whether it was harvesting a crop or completing a building, was a natural way to physically recharge before starting another project. Today, most … Continue Reading
What is Mentoring?
In a recent meeting of one of our groups in The Alternative Board®, the business owners discussed mentoring. One member, a partner in a large professional firm, has been tasked with mentoring a partner in training. He asked what the … Continue Reading
When is a Bonus Not a Bonus?
We refer to many different types of payments to employees as bonuses. They range from very modest amounts paid for specific activities to substantial components of a worker’s total compensation package. Merriam-Webster defines “bonus” as “money or an equivalent given … Continue Reading
Wrestling with Ethics
The head of a rep firm approaches the owner of a small manufacturing company for whom they sell. One of his salespeople has an opportunity for a huge order with a multinational company, but the purchasing manager has indicated that the … Continue Reading
Ownership and Accountability
The managing partner of a professional firm is preparing for partner review meetings, where goals are set for each partner for the upcoming year. Each year, he surveys the partners prior to starting the process, asking “What are the most important things … Continue Reading
Millennials: The New Normal
Do you employ Millennials? If you have twenty-somethings in your workplace, you do. Most scientists who study generations put the start of the Millennials between 1982 and 1985. Using the earliest dates, the oldest are just turning thirty this year. Sociologists … Continue Reading
Correct Decisions, Good Decisions and “Best” Decisions
The young protégé asked his mentor, “How do you know what is the right decision?” The mentor answered “From experience.” “But how can I get experience?” The protégé asked. “Make some bad decisions.” was the mentor’s answer. Experience is what you get … Continue Reading
Getting the Message to Employees
Last month, one of my business owner groups (The Alternative Board®) examined the issue of communicating company news to employees. Among those participating they had collectively tried personal emails, an e-newsletter, a paper newsletter, a company Facebook page, discussion groups on the company intranet, … Continue Reading