Monthly Archives: November 2012

Holiday Terminations: Scrooge or Chicken?

Posted on November 25, 2012 by John F. Dini

This year, my first holiday termination conversation came on November 20th; a bit early in the season. Like traditionalists who hold off on Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving Day, most business owners start avoiding termination announcements a few weeks before the holidays.With the Great … Continue reading →

Posted in Management | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

2 Responses to Holiday Terminations: Scrooge or Chicken?

  1. Sarah Burke says:
    December 6, 2014 at 8:25 am

    Yesterday I was “involuntarily terminated” for the first time in my 55yr life…no one saw it coming. Anyway, today, still in quite a state of shock, I realize what high hurtles must be vaulted, in addition to the futility of engaging in a job search during the holiday season: filing (and hopefully qualifying) for UI; researching, deciding how to continue, and actually paying for, continued medical insurance which is mandatory in the state where I live; encouraging supervisors, colleagues, and professional associates to provide written recommendations while they are preparing for or are away for the holidays; and coping with depressed immediate family members; just to name a few. Had my employer waited until after the holiday season to terminate me, I could have been spared all these additional, time consuming, challenges and appropriately spent this most holy time of year in the joyful company of family and friends (many of whom are my co-workers). Employee termination during the holidays is an act of spiritual robbery that has a devastating impact which is farther reaching and longer lasting than termination at any other time of year 🙁

    Reply
    • John F. Dini says:
      December 6, 2014 at 9:59 am

      I’m sorry for your pain, Sarah. Unexpected termination at any time of year is a terrible experience. In cases where it is because of the performance of the business, I certainly promote sufficient severance compensation to carry the former employee through until interviewing starts again in January. If the termination is because an employee didn’t respond to progressive discipline or a performance improvement plan, then I don’t see an obligation to carry someone in the “spirit of the season.” You say that you didn’t see it coming, so I assume either it was the first issue (overall business performance) or your former employer didn’t follow fair and equitable HR practices. From a job search perspective, use those contacts and stay joyful. Even your best friends don’t want to be dragged down at holiday events. Regardless of how you really feel, use this social time to act excited about making a change, and ask those in your circle outright for connections that might lead to new opportunities. My heartfelt good wishes in your search.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Success: Is Good Enough, Good Enough?

Posted on November 18, 2012 by John F. Dini

On Friday’s On Point program on NPR, Devlin Barrett and Tom Ricks discussed the burgeoning “Generals’ Affair” scandal. This weekend, the Wall Street Journal has a commentary by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, which reinforces several analyses in that paper … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Leadership | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

An Independent Look at the Election

Posted on November 11, 2012 by John F. Dini

The biggest disappointment of last Tuesday’s election, as I opined in an article by the San Antonio Express News, is that on Wednesday the national political landscape still looked a lot like it did on Monday. I tried to write … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

2 Responses to An Independent Look at the Election

  1. Jim Marshall says:
    November 12, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    In Wisconsin and many other states the GOP got re-elected partially because of the redistricting (read “gerrymandering”) they did. The Dems would have done the same to their benefit if they had been in power.
    I think another factor affecting both parties in the state (local) elections is the familiarity the public has with their incumbants. In some cases its “even though he/she votes the party line” they are “nice guys”. In others it’s “the devil we know is probably better than the devil we haven’t gotten to know”.
    I think the concusion I have reached from the above and from what you have written and the obvious power of the corporations and their lobbyists (as well as labor and its lobbyists) is that we live in an ungovernable country. I hope your conclusion (election of courageous statesmen and women, comes to pass….but with the cost of campaigns and the need to depend on large donors remains and grows….I don’t know how that will happen. Or whether a public that thinks only in black and whites would accept them
    Cleo and I just returned from a European trip including Greece. People we talked with referred to the disenchanted students and others being satisfied for the present with expressing themselves through graffiti and mostly peacful demonstrations against their incompetent and corrupt government officals. They fear for when that will not be enough.
    Here at home I fear for the same, as the gap between the haves and have nots grows so fast and far…and the feeling of helplessness and frustration grows among just about everyone.
    So, Mrs. Lincoln, other than the shotting….how was the play?

    Reply
  2. Bill Seelig says:
    November 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Unfortunately, “neither” party dared take on the banks, the large corporate givers and the unions; those that sponsor most electiced officials for their own gain. While those outside this inbred system are beginning to be heard, it will take a monumental effort to successfully challenge the current way of doing business and return to a heathly, more balanced approach to our economy and the people they serve.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sales: Do You Have Customers or Clients?

Posted on November 4, 2012 by John F. Dini

Whether you have customers or clients is more than a matter of semantics. Some businesses use the term “clients” in an attempt to class up their image. Attorneys usually have clients. Kentucky Fried Chicken doesn’t, regardless of what they might say. Nordstrom? … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing and Sales | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2 Responses to Sales: Do You Have Customers or Clients?

  1. Clint Moar says:
    November 4, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    Ha! Love the Shaw comment…
    Thanks John.
    This is one that I’ve always wondered about as well…I never liked the word “client”, felt like those using it were trying to sound important…I’ll never be a lawyer so they’ll always be customers (buying something)…
    Clint.

    Reply
  2. Mike Stockwell says:
    November 5, 2012 at 8:52 am

    John, thanks for your article. I agree with your distinction between the two. Perhaps, though, it does not go far enough.

    It seems to me that “customers” purchase goods and services which have been commoditized; that is, items for which little value derives from an ongoing relationship with the supplier or intermediary providing the commoditized goods or services.

    “Clients,” on the other hand, purchase some goods, and more often services from people or businesses whose approach, advice and supplementary services they trust and value. Therefore, the elements of “trust” and “value” figure into the distinction between the two.

    Finally, those of us who have clients need to recall that the meaning of “trust” and “value” must be based on the buyer’s personal perception … not our own. Too often, we focus on what we believe is valuable rather than focusing on “value” as defined by the client/buyer.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *