Not too long ago, a vendor that I have used for years tripled the price of something that I buy regularly. Confused and admittedly a little upset, I called the vendor thinking there had been some kind of mistake. The mistake was probably choosing him in the first place. He said, angrily, “I’m running a […]
For most of my business life I have been blessed to have some outstanding mentors. The earliest sales mentor was Sam Kligerman. I met him when my career was just beginning and his was winding down. I was the marketing director for all of the Wendy’s in South Jersey along with some advertising properties owned […]
After the Phillies had just surrendered 3 runs to the Colorado Rockies last night at the bottom of the 8th inning, erasing a 1-run Phillies lead, Jayson Werth had what you might consider an irrational thought: “I came running off the field feeling that we were going to win the game,” Werth said, as quoted […]
The Philadelphia Eagles announced yesterday that they had signed quarterback Michael Vick, who served a Federal prison sentence on animal cruelty charges. The signing has had a polarizing effect on sports fans, animal rights activists and many others. The themes are numerous, and biblical: harming innocents guilt penance remorse redemption From a leadership perspective, the […]
In a tough economy, the people who report to you seek stability, clear thinking and goals for the future. Make sure you provide as much of that as possible! To a great extent, those under your leadership will feel as secure as they sense you are. So, providing that sense of security is a high-leverage […]
An interesting headline caught my eye today in the New York Times: Report: SC Gov Was in Argentina, Not Hiking Trail The article is about the recent unexplained disappearance of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who was last seen at work last Thursday, and arrived back in the US just this morning. This came as […]
There was an interesting full-page ad in the Sunday, June 7, Philadelphia Inquirer. It was a letter to General Motors customers from Frederick A. Henderson, president and chief executive officer of GM. After apologizing for closing dealerships that may include the ones most local to the reader, Henderson urges prospects to shop for their next […]
Someone very smart once told me that the real work of business leadership is the conversations you have with other people to get them to do what’s needed. And one of the most common complaints I hear from executives is that they’re having difficulty getting people to do what they want them to do. My […]
There are two commonly-held ideas that I’ve heard over and over again in the media: 1. Almost no one is hiring.2. If you’re one of the few companies that is hiring, it’s a “buyer’s market.” These “trends” probably appeal to your common sense. Huge layoffs grab headlines, not news about companies that are hiring. And […]
