When we slow down, look for options and are creative in our thinking, we save money, time and energy
It was my lucky day when Emile told me he had some roadkill in his freezer that he would trade for a couple cases of beer. Not so lucky for the cow that had been hit by the semi on the highway, I guess. Emile told me he had lots of steaks in the boxes…
It’s up to you to bring in clients. The buck stops with you if your employees fail to perform
Starting your own business teaches you things you’ll never learn in a job. Here are three of them: Where the money comes from As an employee, you can expect your paycheque to arrive every week or two without fail, even if you’re sick or on vacation. At one level, you realize the money comes from…
Real value does not come from the idea alone. Great ideas without execution are empty roadside soda cans
There were nearly 900 people seated at round tables alternating small talk with bites of chicken. The ballroom was glamorous, the chicken was dry and few paid attention to the joke-telling emcee. "My wife says that if I don't give up golf, she's going to leave me. I'm really going to miss her! Har har!…
The cost of monitoring for passports is something that small businesses neither want nor can afford
Requiring vaccine passports is bad news for small businesses that have already faced the brunt of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. This new requirement that people wishing to be served at establishments like gyms, restaurants, bars, airlines, tourist attractions and concerts must give proof of vaccination is a troubling development for businesses are already struggling. The…
Striving for three final candidates allows hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection
In The Secrets of Great CEO Selection, Ram Charan advises hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection. One of the organizations I'm involved with just concluded a chief executive officer selection process so this topic is fresh in my mind. I learned how important it is to enter the…
Those who can adapt will thrive
I recently facilitated a meeting of a group of more than 100 retailers. Seventy per cent of them were either fearful or concerned about the future of their stores. And so they should be. Retailing is changing – you would have to be blind not to see that. When I started in retailing in the…
If you want to thrive as your own boss, be prepared to sell yourself every day
Have you dreamed of being your own boss? Most of us probably have. We think about the flexibility and freedom it offers. We wonder how much more income we would retain if we simply contracted out our services. We imagine what it would be like to be our own boss. That picture of three-day weeks…
Collaboration is also intrinsically inspiring because it has an emotional payoff. People like being part of a winning team
Some years ago, when I was speaking to a group of executives about change leadership, the topic of collaboration came up. On a whim I asked, "How many of you are totally comfortable sharing information with others in your organization?" I was astonished when, out of an audience of about 200, only three hands went…
$424 million(!) being added to the debt every single day
By Franco Terrazzano and Jay Goldberg Canadian Taxpayers Federation If the federal government’s fiscal policy stays on its current trajectory, Canada’s trillion-dollar debt will be a major drain on taxpayers’ wallets for generations to come. In this election, voters will need to closely examine parties’ plans to plug that drain. Unfortunately, the current Liberal plan…
Finding a leader who’s not burnt out by COVID-related uncertainty is like finding a unicorn
If you’re in a leadership position and feeling burned out, you’re not alone. It seems weekly leaders tell me they’re fatigued, exhausted or burned out. I’m not surprised. In fact, as we prepare for the seemingly endless next waves of COVID-19, finding a leader who’s not tired of the uncertainty is like finding a unicorn…
We need more economic participation and educators need to value the food industry as a viable career path
“We’re hiring” signs are everywhere, particularly in the food industry. Some people blame overly-generous employment insurance programs that keep many highly capable individuals in their homes. Others point to a younger generation not willing to work, or they blame a fear of COVID-19. Rumours of ageism have also emerged to explain why we’re seeing more…
Strategies you can use to avoid the swamp of unproductive meetings
Do your days feel like one unproductive meeting after another … and another? Have you noticed how often people get bogged down in the same issues you talked about the last time you got together? You ask yourself: “Why are we going over the same ground again and again?” Somewhere between the positive intentions that people start with and a…
It’s time to take the plunge
Christopher O’Byrne stood on the edge of the cliff, looked down, considered jumping and then stepped back. He repeated the process over and over. He would walk away and then back. His mind told him to jump, but his body just wouldn’t do it. Christopher knew he couldn’t take the internal dialogue or the taunts…
Anyone who tells you that they have a magic bullet, silver or otherwise, for complex and systemic problems belongs in a travelling fair
As I looked round the room at my executive team, the acid in my stomach got worse. Dave, our Operations VP, was convinced that Erica from Finance was out to get him: ‘you watch what happens at the end of the quarter, she squirrels the provisions away and makes me look bad, she wants to…
Young’s General Store is there in all its rustic glory, greeting visitors to this northern Ontario town
Troy Media publisher Doug Firby and travel editor Lisa Monforton are part of a group of Canadians who call themselves ConnecTour. Starting in May in British Columbia and ending in October in Newfoundland, they hope to make an 8,000-km bicycle journey across the country, discovering how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives and our…