Leadership
WHY DO YOU PAY MINIMUM WAGE?
Why do you pay minimum wage? This question is NOT a political statement and NOT even an economic one. By “minimum wage,” I refer to the compensation (e.g., hourly rate, salary, benefits, etc.) you pay to new employees. Minimum wage is a business strategy defined by your company, not just a reaction to regulation or…
Read MoreWHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT IS NEW?
We just sold our house. It is a great house, and we enjoyed raising our family in it, but now my wife and I are empty nesters, so it is no longer a great fit. We are moving on to something new. Your personal life changes, and so do your needs. The same is true…
Read MoreHERE’S HOW TO LEAD WITH OPTIMISM
As leaders, we truly earn our positions and paychecks when things are not going well – even touching on failure. In these times, it is essential to be a role model for the business. People want to follow a leader who keeps going and keeps them going and motivated. It is distressing and depressing for…
Read MoreTRUE ENTREPRENEURS POSSESS AN AMAZING SUPERPOWER
True entrepreneurs possess an amazing superpower – a peculiar type of myopia that makes everything seem possible. The entrepreneur sees a gap, an inefficiency, an opportunity, and their passion fulfills the need better. Money is never their top priority. The entrepreneur sees the goal so vividly all the problems and obstacles fade into the background. …
Read MoreCULTURE IS PEOPLE
Culture is the beliefs and practices of a group. The group members agree to believe (or at a minimum) commit to behaving according to the culture. Culture is not the WHY the group exists (that is purpose) – it is the HOW. Culture is not the same as values. Rather they are the expression of…
Read MoreYOUR CORPORATE VALUES SHOULD BE SPECIFIC AND ACTIONABLE
I’ve had the opportunity to review dozens of business values from different companies. Most use only single-word values, like: Accountability Honesty Quality Teamwork Communication Nothing wrong with the intent. It is just that single-word values are difficult to practice because they are subjective and lack clarity. Single-word values may be beneficial in describing “do-nots”, but…
Read More“HOW I GREW MY COMPANY BY 30% IN 2020” – A COVID PIVOT STORY
I speak with dozens of business owners every month, but one recent conversation stood out. Mike Mogell, the owner of Clean Sweep Office Cleaning, surprised me by saying he grew his business by 30% in 2020! The Covid-19 pandemic hit Clean Sweep Office Cleaning hard as companies closed and employees were sent home to work,…
Read MoreBUSINESS IS THE BACKBONE OF THIS COUNTRY
I’m writing this the day before the presidential election. I won’t make further comments about the election because politics and policies, economics and trade, pandemics, and regulation are all challenges that we, as business leaders, own as responsibilities. It matters less what challenges and changes are in front of us, so much as how we…
Read MoreTELECOMMUTING IS NOT SIMPLE
There is a lot of talk about telecommuting and how business owners must adapt for the good of their companies and their employees. It feels like it is becoming an obligation for employers, not a choice, which is not usually a good thing. One reason is telecommuting is not appropriate for every job. Industries particularly…
Read MoreLET’S GET REAL. HOW CAN I HELP?
There are so many different organizations with different issues these days, and there is so much to write about, I thought I’d ask directly, “What is the top issue you are facing today?” Please respond by return email. I will keep all responses confidential. No individually identifiable information will be published. I will use the…
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