An effective leader creates an inspiring vision of the future and are passionate about developing the emerging leaders around them. They constantly work to improve their emotional intelligence and know that a strong team culture is the foundation for accomplishing the mission. They are in a perpetual state of preparation and embrace the inevitable changes their businesses will face.
Return to Work Owner's Guide Return to work policies are a new COVID-related minefield for business owners to negotiate. As more states make COVID control measures less restrictive or optional, the “requirements” of a safe workplace, and what we can demand of employees, are becoming … Read More » Internal Leaders Affect the Value of Your Business Internal leaders may not be obvious and can influence your team either positively or negatively. If you fail to identify them, however, you could see a dramatic effect on the value of your company. Read More » Ebenezer Wasn't the Only Boss Each year I reprint a post from 2013 about the underappreciated boss of A Christmas Carol, Mr. Fezziwig. I hope that you enjoy it. Merry Christmas! This week was the 177th anniversary of the publication of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas … Read More » Exit Planning When Kids Don't Cut It When passing your business to children, other stakeholders include key employees and offspring who are not involved in the company. Read More » COVID Fatigue Unites Business Owners Dealing with COVID fatigue unites business owners. If that sounds strange to you, let me make my case. I’m not doing this to whine, but I want business owners who don’t have an existing support structure to know that they … Read More » School Daze and Business Owners “School Daze” is more than an old Spike Lee movie. It’s the latest “COVID-19 gift” as one of my clients facetiously refers to ancillary issues created by the pandemic. As employers, we are watching and waiting to see what new … Read More » Dirty Laundry and Taming the Media The longer this virus goes on, the more I am reminded of Don Henley’s 1982 song “Dirty Laundry.” A friend and his wife declined an invitation to come over for a glass of wine (OK, maybe a bottle) on the … Read More » Morlocks and Eloi and the Virus As I interact via Zoom and telephone with clients, family and friends, I keep thinking of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. As a life-long science fiction fan, I see our surreal living situations born of the world-wide coronavirus epidemic as … Read More » Manage Activities; Lead for Results A few weeks ago I posted a comment in the Business Journals Leadership Trust Forum about a life lesson I learned regarding the difference between effort and outcomes. They reached out and asked if I could expand my comments a … Read More » Celebrating Mr. Fezziwig To celebrate the holiday, I’m reprinting a post from 2013 about the underappreciated boss of A Christmas Carol, Mr. Fezziwig. I hope that you enjoy it. Merry Christmas! Last week was the 170th anniversary of the publication of Charles Dickens’ … Read More » Internal Transfers: Legacy vs. Lucre Lifestyle vs. Legacy Why would I refer to the results of an internal transfer as “lifestyle vs. lucre?” Lucre is a pejorative term. While it is technically just a synonym for money, most dictionaries draw the parallel to its use in … Read More » The Right Price for Your BusinessRead More » After the Exit; "Nothing Will Change" “Nothing will change.” It is almost de rigueur for an acquirer to include that in his or her opening comments to the incumbent staff of a just-purchased business. Sometimes it is the seller’s attempt at making folks feel better. “Don’t … Read More » Exiting a Family Business: Three Questions Transitioning a Family Business has special issues. This interview was reprinted last week in the newsletter of Steven Bankler, CPA. We asked San Antonio business consultant John F. Dini, one of the nation’s leading experts on business ownership and exit … Read More » Stop Managing Why would anyone advise business owners to stop managing? Management is a proven science. From the time and motion studies of Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 1800s, to Matthew Kelly and Patrick Lencione’s Dream Manager, we are constantly in … Read More » |