Feedback is a scary word for a lot of people. Especially for new managers, who are expected, perhaps for the first time in their careers, to provide feedback to the people they supervise. But why is this word so scary? Feedback should be a celebrated word. It’s the basic building block of coaching, and everyone … Continue Reading

Virginia has the highest percentage of personalized license plates per motor vehicle in the country. Roughly 16% of drivers in our state have a personalized plate. To pass the time while driving I like to figure out what message is being conveyed in the six or seven characters offered. I caught a glimpse of a … Continue Reading

As a company grows the need for strong, experienced department heads grows. Once a company passes the 20 employee mark it starts to get harder and harder for the CEO to check in on every department. By the time a company hits 40 employees it’s impossible. At this stage, it is vitally important that the … Continue Reading

We wrote last week about making sure that your employees feel valued by more than just their salary. A great non-monetary (and Thanksgiving themed) way to reward your employees is simply to thank them. Take time out of your hectic schedule to make sure that your employees know that you appreciate the work that they … Continue Reading

It’s in the news every day. Unemployment is at a five-decade low, and corporate profits are at an all-time high. Labor costs are now beginning to chase that profit. Employees see and hear that salaries are rising and after years of taking small, infrequent increases in compensation, or none, they are beginning to ask for … Continue Reading

A company of 30 or 40 employees is no longer a company of generalists. Departments are beginning to emerge and employees are becoming more and more focused in specialized areas. Naturally some confusion can arise about which department is responsible for what. In order to avoid territorial scuffles and unnecessary redundancies, the roles and responsibilities … Continue Reading

This twist on Marshall Goldsmith’s What Got You Here Won’t Get You There serves to illustrate something we see time and time again in growing businesses. Companies often outgrow their original leadership. This applies not only to the senior leadership team, but to the CEO/owner as well. The talent you have at your company may … Continue Reading

Last week we talked about making sure every employee knows how the company makes and keeps money. This week we’re taking it a step further. It’s one thing to know how your company makes money, but do you know where your company makes money? Specifically, do you know your company’s most profitable two or three … Continue Reading

Too many CEOs are experiencing concern that despite rising revenues, profits are not following suit. It reminds me of the old Wendy’s commercial — “Where’s the beef?” Big bun, small patty. What difference does the size of the bun make if there’s hardly any meat inside? The same can be said for revenues that grow … Continue Reading