The killer bed pandemic.

Googling around, happy with my sleeping arrangements, I stumbled on some alarming statistics. I’ve misplaced the source, but in Canada there are approximately 60 deaths per year involving a bed, (you read it correctly, “a bed”), or 2 per million. Hungarians, show 14 deaths per million, every year, involving a bed.
A death involving a bed, - where would one begin? If you’re travelling to Hungary, you may not want to overnight at all, just stay on the train. Statistics show beds are dangerous, there’s no getting away from it and our governments are dong nothing about it. We have a looming bed pandemic.

I just don’t feel the same about my bed anymore, - or about Hungary.

Managers, people, all of us have a limited amount of time in any given day. Some people run countries on eight hours, others can’t run their own life on the same eight hours. It has to have something to do with choices, it’s certainly not about the time available.

In our information loaded, instant society, filled with tweets, blogs, emails, IM, crack berries, and things I haven’t heard of we are a generation controlled by irrelevant minutiae and all the tools necessary to manage a lack of principled choices.

Most of what people tell you, you don’t need to know. 90% of your work day clears up when you say, “What’s supposed to happen next?” Followed by, “then just do that.”

Now walk away. In the old days we called it focus.

You don’t have to know how many people die in bed every year, even in Hungary or other killer bed rich environments. You just don’t need to know. Make a choice to move the work ahead. There is a wonderful zen saying, “do what’s right, do what’s next.” Focus.

Maybe that’s why some people run whole countries and others can’t run their own life. Too much interest in killer bed statistics.
Happy New Years! I think 2010 will be a great year!
Sleep well, - maybe we’ll see you at breakfast.
Wolfgang

P.s. I’m finally off to Mexico, Cabos this time. Was only there once for a day trip with a cruise ship. This time I’m staying in San Jose. If you’ve ever made an appointment with a Mexican, (or a Colombian), don’t you want to ask, - “About the watch, - I guess it’s only for fashion?”

Before you promote anyone . . .

Maturity is king. No employee will willingly work for an immature manager. Forget it. I don't care how qualified, educated, or experienced this manager is - immaturity will keep people away. Second, hire for creativity more than intelligence. Creative people have more options. Creative people don't notice when they're under resourced. (This may take a minute)

Why measure?

Journal date: Wed. Dec. 23rd, 2009

Why Measure?
Here's the assignment. Measure non financial markers, that are activities.
Why? Because you can't manage results, you can only manage activities. It's all we have access to.

This is a tough assignment but it will turn a workunit around. Getting managers to focus on activities before they become results, to meausure them. Try it, see what you come up with.

Some truisms, not all mine . . .
a. Anything that get's measured, gets done.
b. If you can't meausure it, you can't manage it.
c. If you can't measure it, you might not need to do it.
d. Nothing happens until somebody starts measuring something.
e. Managers who don't measure are invisible.
f. The manager with the most authority is the one who measures the most.
g. Requirements all turn into measures at some level.

The problem is not what to measure, or whether to measure. The problem is, as soon as you begin to measure people push back. We're all okay measuring the other guy's performance, just not mine. Measuring is intrusive and holds people accountable.

So it's not a meausing issue. It's a people issue afterall.
Merry Christmas, -
I am so greatful we don't have any snow on the ground!

The problem with big and small companies

Journal date: Monday, Dec. 23st, 2009 / Category: Hiring / negotiation

The  problem with big and small companies

I don't know if you're in a big company or a small company. No matter, sooner or later you'll have to talk a candidate in from one or the other. Some ideas to make your case no matter what side you're on.

Large companies tend to offer more resources, sometimes have lower accountability demands, usually higher political pressures, narrower roles, generally more reporting levels, less subjective decision making range, usually a lower demand for creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Small companies can hire ex big company employees but before you do, think it through, - it doesn't always work.

Big companies also have their advantages. I've always been mesmerized by the way big companies tackle problems. The way they attack markets, products, system issues, etc..  What would it be worth to work for Micrsoft for a few years, just to see them execute? Just to watch? (My brain is full, Mr. Gates.)

In a small company you'll never be just a payroll number, you will always be a face, a person. In a big company it is possible to become simply a payroll number, - a faceless expense line item.

1. Employees from big and small companies can be hired, but they don't always make the transition successfully. Most difficult is to bring large company employees into small companies.

2. Each have their advantages, but they are very different worlds.

I wrote this for the next time you need to build your case for bringing a good employee onboard.

Good luck!

Merry Christmas,

Employment offer idea

Journal date: Thurs. Dec. 17th, 2009 / Category: Employment offer

Employment offer idea
On our job offers we ask the candidate whether they're aware of anything which would prevent them from completing the work as defined. You could remind them the position requires forty hours a week, it required arriving at 8:29 am. (And do use 8:29, not 8:30.

When you say 8:29, people suspect you mean business.)

The question is designed to establish whether a candidate's life is set up in such a way that it supports a forty hour work week, (yes, every week). What are the demands of your kids, especially your grown kids? Your dog, your health, your car, your relationships, etc.. Speak up now, - if you're not set up to deliver 40 hours, please tell us before we invest in you.

Thank you.

P.s. This post and this blog is not legal advice. Please use your company's lawyer before deciding to implement anything we've written.

Breaking up with Twitter

Journal date: Thurs. Dec. 17th, 2009 / Category: Social Media 2.0

Breaking up with Twitter
I stopped tweeting a month ago and non of my followers noticed. Not one direct message asking what happened.  It turns out tweeting was therapy only for me.  It only makes sense, if you’re following a thousand people, - you’re not reading anything, not even a micro tweet from me.  One final test, I’ll offer them a free vacation. Let’s just sees who’s paying attention.

Recruiters search twitter and review the lives of lonely people lamenting their job search efforts. Twitter’s secular confessional qualities means you can look into people’s lives. We don’t do it in our office as it’s perceived as too time intensive for the low returns. You have to wade through a lot of dreary verbal exhibitionism to get to one legitimate person thinking of a career change.

Shifting it all to http://managingca.blogspot.com/ If you’re managing and want to learn more about hiring, recruiting, and managing for results, follow me there.

Twitter, - it’s not you, - it’s me. We have to part.

We had a good run.

Wolf

P.s. Don’t write if you’re argument is about Twitter having potential for great things. I agree with you. We thought the same about my brother in-law. Everybody thinks he has potential as well. So far him and twitter are equally effective.

The high cost of friendly fire from your own managers.

Journal date: Tues. Dec. 15th, 2009 / Category: [Management ]

The high cost of friendly fire from your own managers.
People on your payroll, damaging your company. Friendly fire. Check out Wikipedia’s chronological listing of friendly fire incidents from Wars of the Roses in 1461, through to the evasion of Iraq. Hundreds and hundreds of “friendly fire” casualties, each one self inflicted. The loss of so much life, and all in sheer ignorance, - you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

What causes friendly fire? Primary is what the military calls “the fog of war.” Recklessness, poor planning, incompetence, weak or compromised intelligence, incompetent command and too much happening too fast.

Sounds a lot like business. The amount of damage young and inexperienced managers inflict on their companies is mind boggling. The turnover, customer problems, morale problems, loss of profits, and sometimes whole companies, - all through friendly fire. Friendly fire from one of our own!
In January I’m going to run through the ten big leadership concepts every manager needs to know. If you don’t, hand in your business cards and resign gracefully.

The litmus test for whether you’re a manager or not?
1. How you handle power.
2. The use of benevolence.
3. Reluctance to use punishment.
4. Whether the people are yours, or the company’s.
You may want to get the best out of your people but it can’t be done with friendly fire strafing the office every day!
See you for breakfast,

P.s. We now sell individual tickets Price $125 plus tax. Members, book fast, we’re going to be full. This is a big annual event.

How to sell your business not.

Journal date: Tues. Dec. 15th, 2009 / Category: [Selling a business / retirement]

How to sell your business not.
Selling your business is not the answer to anything. What do we do once it sells, if it ever sells? Business owners don’t make great landlords, and most of us find the return on financial investments less than exciting.

I’ve worked with business owners for years, putting systems in place that a key management group can run. Don’t sell to your employees, those schemes tend not to end well.

Keep the company, go retire, and let the system run the place. If you’d like to know more, let’s talk. I’ll show you how to manage your business from the beach.
Wolfgang 604-931-6813
p.s. Business valuation? If you have no other options and must give your business away, then go the business valuation route.