Most business owners spend their time trying to remove constraints—more capital, more people, more time, more options. David Epstein turns that thinking on its head. In Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, he makes a compelling case that the right constraints don’t hold us back—they make us smarter, more creative, and more effective. Read more about Book Review: Inside the Box[…]
Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends? President Abe Lincoln said this in response to an elderly lady who had chastised him for not calling Southerners, whom he had referred to as fellow human beings who were in error, irreconcilable enemies who must be destroyed. I have always been highly Read more about Embrace Your Enemies[…]
If you run a small business, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Field Guide is a powerful reminder that customers rarely remember transactions — they remember experiences. Guidara, the former co-owner of the world-renowned Eleven Madison Park, argues that businesses win lasting loyalty not simply through great products or efficient service, but by making people feel genuinely seen, Read more about Book Review: Unreasonable Hospitality: The Field Guide[…]
This is an article I first wrote 30 years ago about customer service, my son, and the national pastime. It is the best example of “Unreasonable Hospitality” I have ever experienced. As baseball season is now upon us, I am pleased to republish the article once again this month. I often receive my best Read more about Lessons Learned at the Ballpark[…]
I speak to Vistage groups across the country on “Understanding Financial Performance”. The one book I recommend on this topic is Financial Intelligence. It’s a great book to help small business owners and operators better understand their company’s financial performance. Here’s a recent book review. If you’ve ever felt that your financial statements are telling Read more about Book Review: Financial Intelligence[…]
I have wanted to be a coach ever since I was 16. I wasn’t good enough at the time to play varsity sports at my high school of over 4,000 students, so I decided to do the next best thing…coach. I volunteered to coach Little League basketball and baseball. It was a ball! Not long Read more about My Favorite Coaching Questions (Part I)[…]
In December 2009, I shared this book review in this newsletter. The economy had taken a deep dive, and I thought this book was very helpful in addressing that decline for small business owners. Likewise, I think it is equally helpful in today’s world. Best-selling author Keith McFarland wrote one of my favorite books, The Read more about Book Review: Bounce[…]
It depends. A couple of years ago, I wrote an article about terrorists. You may recall that according to the Welch Grid, a terrorist employee gives you above-average job performance and below-average employee behavior. The question then was whether you should fire them. The easy answer was “Of course”. The reality is it’s typically a Read more about Should You Fire Your Cheerleader?[…]
The 80/20 Principle argues that a small number of causes typically drive the majority of results—roughly 20% of inputs produce 80% of outcomes. Richard Koch takes this familiar idea (the Pareto Principle) and shows how intentionally applying it can dramatically improve performance, profitability, and quality of life. For small business owners, this book is a Read more about Book Review: The 80/20 Principle[…]
I believe that one of the most important roles of the small business executive is “Scorekeeper”. You are responsible for making sure that the score is being kept in your business and that your team members are seeing the numbers they need to see. My experience is that many small business owners see monthly financial Read more about My Top Five Financial Numbers[…]