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Germany just announced that it could accept an additional 500,000 refugees when other countries are jockeying to accommodate as few as possible. As much as the announcement was portrayed as a humanitarian effort, it is just as likely a simple business decision. Germany’s working population is agein Read More

The market is tightening for Main Street businesses, while the number of buyers and valuations for Mid-markets are at or near an all-time high. There is no “typical small business value,” but how companies are valued is pretty consistent. Read More

In most small businesses performance reviews are avoided, delayed, and rushed when they finally happen. They are as painful for the reviewer as for the reviewee. There’s been some noise in the business press of late regarding large corporations’ decisions to eliminate performance reviews. If you... Read More

The majority of business owners prefer linking pay to employee performance. The sales role in most businesses is the easiest and most obvious place to begin. Yet owners struggle with compensating salespeople in a manner that is affordable while still driving sustained performance.
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It’s been an unusual week. I’ve had at least four coaching conversations about employees whose jobs have outgrown them. On the one hand, it’s good news. It means that the companies are growing. On the other hand, it’s always tough to deal with an employee who has hit their maximum in performance. Read More

Technology and global competition continue to erode the middle class. When the job of someone making $35,000 a year is eliminated, they don’t just step up to a $50,000 job. In reality, most have to accept something less and although pushed by politicians, a high minimum wage won't fix the problem. Read More

Summer employment taught most young Americans their first work habits. Now, only around 30% of students seek summer jobs. That is half the pre-recession level. Some don’t work simply because their Boomer parents have enough money to support them, but many are doing other things to prepare for life. Read More

Any promotion means more responsibility. Few steps require as big a leap as the transition from supervisor to manager. Each step up the ladder involves a change in tasks, but an employee’s first managerial position necessitates a change in thinking; one which isn’t intuitive.
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Logically, no one would enter into a business relationship where anything that is better for one party is worse for the other. Such a zero-sum arrangement would quickly grow tiresome. Every little change, every new opportunity, is the subject of maneuvering to see who will come out better.
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Is your business managing around outdated technology? Many small businesses use only a fraction of the technology they already own. Your technology is an asset, and the role of any business leader is to maximize the return on assets. Don't waste the investment by doing things the old ways. Read More