Category Archives: Protecting the business

Careful with terminations. Don’t disparage.

It happens all the time when you’re a CEO or manager.  Somebody important leaves or is let go, and you worry over the impact upon remaining employees and customers.  You worry that the person leaving will begin to unload all … Continue reading

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Is “management by walking around” an outmoded fad?

Let’s set the scene. One of the CEOs I used to coach started his day by walking the floor of his extended facility and checking in with managers and employees of the various departments, especially the call center.  He tried … Continue reading

Posted in Depending upon others, Protecting the business, Surrounding yourself with talent | 3 Comments

Stop managers from gaming the system!

Does this really happen? Business unit managers are under lots of pressure to perform, and occasionally are tempted to step over the line finding ways to look better than reality reflects.  Of course, this has never happened to you, and … Continue reading

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Why should you explain WHY?

Remember the five “W’s?” In my early journalism classes, I was taught the five “W’s” of good news stories, and that most should be in the first paragraph at that.  Who, what, when, where and why are the five, with … Continue reading

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Employee vs. contractor: Here we go again.

Why revisit this issue now? Several years ago, I wrote an extensive article on the ten most important tests of a company in classifying a person as an independent contractor.  See https://berkonomics.com/?p=662 for that important insight.  But things have gotten … Continue reading

Posted in Depending upon others, General, Protecting the business | 4 Comments

How to solve your most critical problems

First, the challenge Let’s say you have been told by your board, by your chairman, CEO, or direct leader to solve three problems you identify and report back within a month showing progress – or that you have solved these … Continue reading

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The lion and the ant: A managerial lesson

This story has turned out to be one of the most enduring posts ever for me, well worth repeating.  And what a lesson for us all.  I confess that our research cannot find its source.  So, with thanks to whomever … Continue reading

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My hard-earned lessons from negative exits.

In my life as an early-stage investor, I’ve been closely involved with so many businesses, there were bound to be numerous stories of  actual and near failures, hopefully from which to learn lessons for all of us as we go … Continue reading

Posted in Hedging against downturns, Protecting the business, The liquidity event and beyond | 1 Comment

Patent litigation can kill the small guy.

Here’s the bright side to patents. When you think of patents, you think of added value to the corporation in the form of protection of its intellectual property. In fact, many corporations spend millions developing surrounding patents to form what … Continue reading

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Is there gold in your old intellectual property?

Digging through your IP closet for gold… In past years, several times a month I’d have lunch with one of my CEOs, and each time we’d find ourselves digging into the intellectual property developed by the company over the years, … Continue reading

Posted in Growth!, Protecting the business | 2 Comments