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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Tag Archives: employee performance
Leaner and Meaner (Part 3): Investing in Employees
Employees are free agents. As a business owner you wouldn’t sell your customers at a loss because in past years you made a profit. Neither should we expect employees to get better at their jobs without expecting compensation commensurate with their current … Continue Reading
Leaner and Meaner (Part 2): Retaining Good Employees
Last week we discussed the post-recession challenges that face business owners, and the economic and demographic shifts that mean we need to run our companies better than we ever have before. Between 2008 and 2010 many business owners faced a task they had … Continue Reading
2013 Planning: Try Starting with “Who”
For many years, I’ve begun each annum with my clients by helping them answer the Seven Questions, some simple keys to basic planning for the year. This year the questions have been picked up by my friend Jim Blasingame at the … Continue Reading
Year End Bonuses: Incentive or Entitlement?
It’s time for our annual discussion of the Holiday bonus.I pine for the days of my spiritual ancestor Ebenezer, who was offended at the expectation that he would pay Cratchit a whole day’s wages without receiving any work in return. One year … Continue Reading
Employee Motivation: The Effect of the Economy
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter delivered his “Crisis of Confidence” speech, commonly referred to as his “Malaise Speech” although he never actually used that word. To a country reeling from stagflation and an oil crisis, it was an additional blow to … Continue Reading
Management and Teachers: Accountability Requires Authority
In Chicago, the city and the teachers’ union are approaching an agreement. Interestingly, neither side said that the strike was over wages. (According to NPR, the average teacher makes just over $76,000 a year, and will receive a raise of … Continue Reading
Posted in Incentives, John's Opinions, Managing Employees
Tagged employee performance, management, politics
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Employ People; Don’t Adopt Them
I cringe when a business owner tells me “Our company is just like a family.” I have a family, and thankfully my business is nothing like them. Family members have the right to unconditional love. They can make mistakes (and … Continue Reading
Posted in John's Opinions, Managing Employees
Tagged business ownership, employee performance, employees, management
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Computer Technology: Curse You, Bill Gates!
Every business is held in thrall to its computer technology. In most white-collar environments a computer crash comes with the added expense of employees sitting dumbly at their stations, unable to function. When a function of our business becomes a core … Continue Reading
Employees aren’t Partners
Many of my clients are recovering from the recession. They are running lean, and have restored their profitability, even if at lower revenues than prior to 2008. Those that had to reduce or freeze employee compensation are seeking ways to … Continue Reading
When is a Bonus not a Bonus?
“And yet, you don’t think me ill-used, when I pay a day’s wages for no work.” That statement by Ebenezer Scrooge to Bob Cratchett in 1843 recognized the then relatively new custom of letting wage-earners have a day off for … Continue Reading
Posted in Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees
Tagged business ownership, employee performance, employees
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Changes in Attitude
I imagine that anyone who works with small business owners has noticed an attitude shift since the beginning of this year. Where formerly they were happy to have mediocre employees, now they are looking for something more. Where they overlooked … Continue Reading