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Author Archives: Dave Berkus
The three types of advice
OK. So I occasionally read suspense novels to break up the relative monotony of constant business books. A sentence in the one I am currently reading caught my eye. “There are three types of advice,” the wise White House Senior … Continue reading
Hedging against downturns: Remember the GOAL!
Business cycles are a fact of life, and those of us who have lived through many cycles have gained experience in finding the proper time to step on the gas and when to use the brakes. These next several posts, … Continue reading
Posted in Hedging against downturns
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Quality, Quantity, and Values – Rating Your Associates.
How often do you take the time to rate your employee-associates? Is it really worth the time and effort when measured from the perspective of the company and of the employee? First, like any important process, the metrics used to … Continue reading
Act like an Eagle Scout.
You may have been a Girl Scout or a Boy Scout in your youth. Certainly you are aware of the top rank in each – the Gold Award for girls and the Eagle badge for boys. Scouting teaches leadership and … Continue reading
What’s in it for me? Think like your stakeholders.
If you want to best describe the motivation behind the action, think “What’s in it for me”? Your employees, your shareholders, your customers, and your suppliers are all driven by this question. So why not put yourself in their shoes … Continue reading
Turn “process” into “game.”
Most of us are driven by the competitive spirit, the desire or need to win. It reinforces self-worth, provides closure at the end of a good effort, and energizes us during the effort to achieve. Many of us as managers … Continue reading
Lead by consensus wherever possible.
Dictators are not great leaders in the long run. People follow such leaders by fear, rarely by devotion. Employees want to have a stake in their own destiny, and above all want to understand why actions are taken which affect … Continue reading
Discount your projections. Make surprises positive.
Lots of people do or will depend upon your leadership in driving growth, stability, and profitability. There will always be times when salespersons or associates provide you with projections for future sales that reflect their inherent optimism. Whether you in … Continue reading
No negative surprises! Be first to warn of shortfalls.
In past insights, we’ve explored data gathering and dashboards for tracking the most important information to manage your company. Every good executive has a set of critical data points that best alert him or her to the changes in the … Continue reading
Can you just tell little business lies?
“He’s not in right now.” “I am going to the doctor at that time.” “I paid only two dollars a unit to your competitor.” Whether not true and used to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, or whether used to gain an … Continue reading
