Management at every level is informed by the ability to predict and control the productivity and output of their zones of responsibility. Managers often take action based on a lack of information. They are drawn in to the activities of the areas over which they are responsible. They have no fundamental protocols on which to […]
“CHANGE” is a dirty word in business. When you say it to your staff they seize up with an “Uh-oh!” or concerns about how these changes will affect them. “Will I still have my job?” Better to approach this subject with terms like “Enhancements” or “Improvements that will better our working conditions and increase our compensation.” […]
As Arthur Conan Doyle famously said, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” Managing by statistics is the only way by which predictable expansion can occur. Statistics provide the facts a person needs to manage his […]
When belief replaces fundamentals in an organization, chaos reigns. We are, therefore, well advised to understand the difference between them. Fundamentals are essential and reliable building blocks. They apply to any activity. One fundamental, for example, is that everything in the universe (area of activity whether it be a molecule, a marriage, job, company, country, […]
– Back to Articles When marketing is not producing the desired results, fundamentals are missing. One of these basics that is often missed in small businesses and charities is they are focusing on their own needs and the business they wish to attract. This is reflected in their marketing. How often do we see a […]
– Back to Articles Those who do not look for themselves fall prey to the conclusions of others. If something is not true for you, according to your own observation, it isn’t true. Certainly it is valuable to consult those with greater familiarity than yourself, but to supplant what you see for yourself to be […]
– Back to Articles When a salesperson sells an item to a prospect that the salesperson would not buy if he was in the prospect’s position, he commits himself to a slippery slope. The notion that a salesman can sell an icebox to an Eskimo just means he’s good at enforcing his ideas on other […]
– Back to Articles It is a natural law that we get what we put our attention on. Police forces are always trying to fight crime, to reduce crime, to mitigate crime, to stop crime. And what do we have? Crime. If they put their attention on honesty and bringing about a more honest environment, […]
– Back to Articles Communication, in its essence, is the exchange of ideas and concepts. Organizations are communication networks that facilitate this exchange. Anything that interrupts the flow of communication in the group is an enemy to that group. This could be faulty organization structure, confusing policy, poor hiring and training – any number of […]
– Back to Articles Effective hiring protocols that produce good candidates, together with the effective training of these new recruits for their jobs, are the two Keys to Productivity, and resolve most risks we find in organizations. You cannot play a game with broken pieces. When the recruitment area is lacking in fundamentals the entire […]