I like data and facts especially when making any decision of significance. Hyperbole and headlines are much less useful and often lie somewhere between wrong and dangerous. When an issue is important, I always try to get down to the …
Few things aggravate me as much as someone saying: “That’s our policy.” I suppose there is a valid argument to be made for some policies but more often than not, it’s an excuse for the person quoting the policy not …
My Uncle Al used to say, “You need a plan for a plan for a plan”. I don’t know exactly where that phrase came from but he flew for a living (first in the military and later commercially) and I …
Last year, I was traveling between St. Louis. MO and St. Paul, MN. I looked at the screen on the back of the seat in front of me and learned that I was somewhere off the coast of Africa. In fact, …
Many might be surprised that the title of this article is written in the past tense while we are still in the midst of crisis. That’s intentional for not one, but two reasons. First, the time to prepare for a …
Do you have some slack capacity? No person, system, or machine can run at 100% for an extended period of time. With that in mind, it’s important to operate in a manner incorporates some down time. For machines and systems, …
Whenever someone tells me something costs too much, I ask: “Compared to what?” Lately, I’ve had more than a few clients bemoan the cost of a possible solution. While it’s certainly appropriate to ask about costs my concern is in …
Most CEOs I know want their company to grow. It’s a measure of success. But I often ask if they’ve thought about whether they are properly positioned to grow. The following are basic prerequisites to growth. Capital: In order to …
How much? It’s an inevitable question that nearly everyone asks during the buying process for most items. Sure, there are exceptions. You might not ask how much the cup of coffee is because it’s posted on the wall or you …
After my softer, gentler message last month, as promised I am returning to the more traditional focus on finance, cash flow and business performance. It is a well-known fact (if you don’t believe me, check Google) that people are often …
