Emergencies do NOT Have to be Tragic
Emergencies become tragedies when poor planning intersects with a misfortunate event. A potential illustration of this litmus test lies in the question, “Is your company prepared to survive your death or incapacitation?” The often-repeated phrase, “I do not have enough time to proactively plan for tragic events” is a big self-deception and lie. Either you…
Increasing the Value of Assets NOT on Your Balance Sheet
One definition of an asset is that it provides future economic benefit. Last time I checked… the value of employees cannot be found on any balance sheet. The irony is… your company would likely not survive for long if all of your employees quit today. The reality is that employees do provide future economic benefit.…
A “Not So Brady” Approach to Business
Does your company have a problem keeping promises to clients and employees? Is the gap between brand promise and actual experience barely noticeable or something much larger that directly causes client attrition and employee turnover? Have you calculated this cost lately? A Not So Brady Approach… Before the Super Bowl, I was channel surfing and…
Lubricating the Wheels of Commerce
From the outside looking in, pinpointing what makes a particular company successful isn’t always easy, but figuring out the secrets is a lot easier if you take the time to ask… Last week, Carrie and I purchased a new gas stovetop and exhaust fan from Fredericks’s Appliance Center and had it installed by Charlie Rowan,…
Knowledge is NOT Power
Building a successful company requires effective SHARING of knowledge. If your company is currently being held hostage by an employee who keeps critical information to themselves, you have learned the hard way that knowledge is NOT power when only one person hold the key to certain information. It only takes ONE person to break the…
Being TOO Busy is a LIE
After talking with several business owners about their biggest professional challenge, I heard they are “too busy” to accomplish “insert a specific big goal or essential strategic objective here” because there simply is not enough time. In that belief is a self-deception that can hold anyone back from realizing their potential. Don’t let it happen…
SWIM or DROWN is Not an Effective Business Strategy
Last week, a friend was succintly explaining his business strategy to me. In three words, it was “SWIM or DROWN.” Wow, that sounds stressful! Can you relate? Despite the thought of this strategy being utterly exhausting, SWIM or DROWN has sustained the company for over 7 years. You might say that this strategy works so…
Who’s Driving Your Life’s Journey
You are responsible for setting the direction of your life journey. Are you feeling ready to accept full responsibility? Before getting too far ahead, ask yourself: What is your life’s purpose? What are your guiding success principles in business and life? Do you have a trusted circle of advisors to keep you on track? Are…
Successful Teaching Requires Effective Communication
Successful teaching requires BOTH deliberate practice and effective two-way communication. This winter, I am serving as a volunteer ski instructor with Outdoors For All, an organization whose mission is to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation. The guiding principles are to keep learning safe and fun with…
Wisdom of Friends
Do you find yourself knowing many people yet at the same time truly know and have very few friends? Yesterday, Carrie and I were at our next door neighbor’s house to watch Sunday Night Football. Other neighbors attended; including Clint and Teresa. After chatting for 20 minutes, we surprisingly discovered having multiple mutual friendships that…