First Day on the Job As an owner or manager, it helps to remember – or imagine – what it is like to be an employee. If we want to attract and develop great talent, let’s consider what can we do engage our new hires right from the start. What would [...]
"I can't find great techs." That's the #1 problem contractors share with me, over the phone and on the seminar trail. A few contractors have solved this problem. Jim and Jason Criniti have. My best friend and mentor, Al Levi, introduced me to Jim Criniti a few years back. Al was working [...]
Craig was a rising star in the company. He had so much energy. He always had a big smile on his face, and loved to laugh. And, he was skilled. He had only been in the field a few months but he was showing great potential with his technical and sales skills. Then, one [...]
Are you struggling with your compensation program? I worked with a client who had a "circus train" approach to how they were paying office personnel. Every person had a different deal...salary, hourly and no justification for why one person made more than another. It took some planning and clear communication, but we fixed it. We made [...]
The oft reported statistic is that women, on average, make about 79% of what men make for doing equivalent work. (For more details, AAUW is a great resource.) Is that fair? Nope. We can improve this situation, if we are willing to do what we can do. Once upon a time, I left my [...]
Ready to go...UN-solo? Perhaps you've been thinking about adding a new team member. Maybe your first? It can be a bit UN-nerving! Once upon a time, I hired phenomenal Shauna, and committed to TWO hours...a month! If you want to grow your company, or buy a bit of time off, bringing on a team member can [...]
Greetings! Got drama? Have you had it with complaining and blaming? Maybe even backstabbing? Every team goes through good times and bad times. However, there are thing you can do – and NOT do! - that will help you and your team live in peace, harmony and productivity. It comes down to leadership. My pal [...]
No more secrets. Owner Susan at Allied Plumbing & Heating has created transparent pay levels for the Techs and they appreciate the honesty and clarity. Now, they know what they need to do to move up the ladder. Pretty cool! (And, nice pic of the two of us on Ride Along Day last week!) I’ve [...]
I travel a lot. I appreciate when the hotel staff does a great job of making me comfortable. Sometimes I don’t need a lot of care, so I will place the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. Recently, after having done so, I hopped in the shower. At which point someone started knocking on [...]
I am blogging on behalf of Visa Business and received compensation for my time from Visa for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Visa’s. Visit http://facebook.com/visasmallbiz to take a look at the reinvented Facebook Page: Well Sourced by Visa Business. The Page serves as a space where small [...]
