If we fail to implement best practices, the results are going to be predictably unhappy
There’s a certain adrenaline rush you get when you go over the handlebars of your bike and are flying through the air, as I did recently. That thrill (and pain) is hard to replicate except maybe by riding bulls or broncos at a rodeo. The result, however, is certainty predictable: you’re going to hit the…
Change is the only certainty for businesses and their employees. Preparing for that change may be a matter of survival
I recently heard a wise man say, “What makes life precious is that it ends.” It got me thinking about some of the things in my life that have ended that I could have appreciated more. For 28 years I ran my retail business. There were people and features about that business that, in hindsight,…
We have yet to see the damage done to corporate balance sheets. And many consumers will constrain their spending
Our puppy Winnie died last week. If I was a betting man, I would have said Winnie would have lived to the ripe old age of 12 years old, which is the average life expectancy for a bichon frise. That, however, didn’t come to pass. Winnie was mischievous and playful, and in the end that…
A lack of employee accountability leads to a lack of production and profitability, a loss of morale and high staff turnover
A few years ago, I was working with a construction company that had an issue with projects not completed on time. There was general frustration among the workers because one of the foremen – the owner’s son – would sleep in his truck during working hours. Supplies weren’t being picked up on time, safety meetings…
People who find ways to make a difference in the lives of others have a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment
A certain young man spent five years in university, graduating with a professional degree. He then started down his career path, in search of success and fulfilment, with hopes of changing the world for the better. But it wasn’t long before a harsh reality set in: What started out as a passion became a task…
Using practical measures to test the validity of our creative output is even more essential than the creativity itself
When I was a boy, our family of eight lived in a small house. In the corner of the basement was an art room for my father. In the evenings and sometimes on weekends through long winters, he would go down and work on his oil paintings. I remember watching him as he mixed his…
For many, the current economic climate is very difficult. There are serious challenges ahead
It had rained all day and as I walked that evening with my wife, I noticed the worms on the road, clambering to escape the torrents of water that were flooding their living spaces. Finding a discarded drink cup, I started collecting them for our garden. Counting them as I went, I was taken back…
Entrepreneurs can feel extraordinary pressure. But there are steps you can take to find an emotional equilibrium
I was in a funk this week and couldn’t shake it. I was disillusioned, grumpy, lethargic. I was tired of being stuck with my family, sick of hearing the news repeat itself, worried about one of my investments and fed up with a lack of progress on some projects. At least one whole day was…
The world has changed as a result of COVID-19. You have uncertainty. So you need to carefully consider your next steps
Over the next few days and weeks, businesses across North America and around the world are going to unshutter their doors and invite their customers back in. However, the world has changed while the economy has been shut down by governments, and when you reopen, you may be faced with new realities. Here are five…
If your business is to survive the next few years of economic constraints, you need to passionately create value for your customers
There’s a restaurant in my community that has been around for almost 40 years. It doesn’t provide fancy meals but you get plenty of good wholesome food like your mother used to make. The food is piled high on your plate, leaving no doubt that your appetite is going to be satisfied. At the end…