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Category Archives: Depending upon others
VC investors: Don’t be greedy even if you can.
First, the marginal exit event: Sometimes the end game or sale of the company is not a happy event for the early investors, including the entrepreneur or the founders. Especially when outside investors, venture capitalists or angels have put in … Continue reading
The four rules for motivating your employees with money.
We’ve debated this one forever it seems. Should be overwhelm prospective employees with stock options and perks? Or concentrate our available resources on just plain money as an attraction? Well, here are rules to make money work for you in … Continue reading
Reward success and failure. Punish only inaction.
Reward failure? That may be a difficult concept for an executive. And there are limits of course. We wouldn’t reward a failure to follow laws, or protect lives, or deliberate endangerment of the company or its people. There are “good” … Continue reading
A tale of two CEO’s and the management of pain.
This is the tale of two CEOs, one of them unfortunately….me. It’s a story of how people handle unusual situations when selling to the top – an executive of a prospective customer. And the stories couldn’t be more different. … Continue reading
Posted in Depending upon others, General, Protecting the business
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The shocking truth about employee loyalty
How we often handle employment issues today. When we accept the work commitment from a person we hire, we make a pact with the new employee that often stops at agreeing to pay for service rendered and to provide a … Continue reading
Do you tell someone “WHY” along with “WHAT?”
How to get more performance from your directives Empowering your direct reports with the reasons for your orders gives them incentive to act, motivation to accept authority, and purpose behind action. I try to teach this with the simple phrase … Continue reading
Are you being watched at work?
Your past and present experiences Ever had a manager above you who said one thing and did another? At least once? Or in a pattern of repeats? Well, you’re not alone. Did you think less of that person for it? Would … Continue reading
Why your investors may not respond when you need money
When do most companies communicate? Early stage company investors as a group have a common gripe – almost universal. Information flows from the company irregularly, in fact most often when the company is urgently in need of more money. How … Continue reading
Posted in Depending upon others, Raising money
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Are the “FIVE WHY’S” in your arsenal?
This is a trick headline. There can be three “whys” or twenty, depending upon the issue and the responses. To make the point, the word “why” has to be one of the more powerful words in your vocabulary. Asking the … Continue reading
Will you BURN the next manager you hire?
It seems to be a rule, not an exception. Many senior managers and early entrepreneurs create their own mess with this one. The first professional senior manager that an entrepreneur hires to share the growing workload does not last more … Continue reading
