business

What is America? Is it really a business?

fall-foliage-wallpaper1Mr. Trump visited our fair city yesterday. Amidst the hubbub of hurricane recovery, he attracted a substantial audience, caused a traffic jam and said some things.  The local news captured a mother and almost-voting-age daughter for an interview. The mother told the reporter that she was a Trump supporter because this country has to be run like a business. The daughter nodded.

It wasn’t too long ago that I might have agreed. I’m a business person, have been for my whole career.  The stereotypes of “businesses get things done,” and “governments are all bureaucratic red tape,” resonated with me.  Over the past years I’ve watched a paralyzed government doing everything possible to throw in more red tape, to the point where I’m not sure we can survive in the long term. And it isn’t any one side – it’s both sides.

A business approach sounds good on the surface. You have a smart, talented, get-things-done CEO who makes decisions and moves forward. (more…)

A Marathon, Not A Sprint

Business is difficult, particularly these days with big data, knowledgeable and informed customers, four generations in the workplace….I could go on.  We are busier yet as we emerge (well, try to emerge) from the great recession.

triathlonAre we making it more difficult than it needs to be?  What I mean is, are we following the next big thing, and the next and the next, or are we getting back to basics and doing the core work of the business – planning well, having disciplined processes in place, and holding leaders and the workforce accountable for results. (more…)