I’ve had a lot of unpleasant cab rides, but this one took the cake. Standing in the taxi queue in San Antonio, my business partner and I realized we had no cash between us and needed a cab that accepted credit cards. When it was our turn, before getting into the cab I asked the…
In a well publicized cross-generational study, researchers asked 355,000 high school seniors about their feelings on wealth, material goods and work. They discovered that, compared to older generations, today’s teens expressed a stronger desire for the finer things in life but less of a desire in working to acquire them. Wanting nicer things is nothing…
If you’ve ever brought on a talented and highly-skilled employee who did not measure up to your expectations due to a lack of work ethic, drive, or character values, you’ve experienced a zebra problem. This metaphor will make perfect sense to you when you consider the unique talents and abilities of a zebra. Like human…
Dickens may have penned A Christmas Carol back in 1843, but the ghost of bad management is still haunting workplaces in 2013. Nowhere is this more prevalent and on display than in industries that boom in Q4 (i.e. retailing, food service, hospitality, transportation, entertainment, etc.) The make-or-break pressures of managing a business during the holidays can…
The unemployment/underemployment problem facing millennials predates the great recession. It goes back to the early programming they received from their parents when the economy was booming in the early 2000’s. And parents haven’t let up. “Follow your dreams.” “Find your passion.” “You’ve got to love what you do.” Dreams? Passion? Love? Sounds more like the…
With roots steeped rich in Celtic, Roman Catholic, and Protestant tradition, the annual Trick‑or‑Treat ritual that takes place this week can be traced back centuries. Originally, children would adorn hand‑made ceremonial costumes and go door‑to‑door singing out “a trick for a treat!” Then they’d entertain their neighbors with carefully rehearsed songs, skits, and dances. If…
You invested a lot of time, energy, and money bringing on that new employee. They show up on that first day ready for your orientation doing their best to disguise their nervous anxiety. Feeling a bit anxious yourself, you want to get them up and running as quickly as possible so as to maximize your…
Imagine walking into a room where you are invited to play a game where you could win $1000 or more. In front of you is a large bulletin board that has pinned to it the logos of twenty large well-known companies; brands most everyone is familiar with. Next to this is another large board pinned…
DISCLOSURE: This isn’t a commercial endorsement, although it may sound like one. Consider me a raving fan. I hold great respect for my speaker/author colleagues who are academics by trade. Those who have gone to great lengths to research current trends, have unearthed actionable methodologies and strategies, and who provide compelling statistics to make valid…
Firing an employee is a task that no manager enjoys, but one that often appears inevitable. Yet it’s a proven fact that hiring a replacement employee will cost a great deal more than retaining the one you have, if that individual can be deemed salvageable. That’s why it’s imperative to have a checklist of questions…