A lifetime of experience offers a perspective that enables me to see the cause and effect of a human being’s rationalization when making an investment purchase. In other words, I’m old enough to understand why an investor paid too much for a real estate investment when faced with a short time line in a tax-deferred […]
You’ve likely heard the saying, “Hire for skills and fire for attitude.” Simply put, this means bad attitudes far outweigh the skills people bring to their positions. Failing to take corrective action puts companies at risk. The typical business has a number of skilled team members, many with decent and even great attitudes. They come […]
I love email. It’s convenient, efficient and often saves me from lengthy meetings. But my relationship with email also can be toxic at times. When I’m particularly busy, the ping notifying me I’ve received a new message can trigger a surge in my pulse as I anticipate a problem or another demand on my time. […]
I’m usually no less suspicious of email pitches than carnival barkers. As editor of a business journal, I see more pitches in a week than a big league batter sees in an entire season. But the subject line of this particular email was just too enticing to ignore: how to be happier at work. I […]
Many of us take comfort and enjoyment in our pets. By one estimate, 68 percent of U.S. households own a pet. There’s nothing quite like coming home to a happy face and wagging tail at the end of a long day at work or curling up with a furry friend and good book. The therapeutic […]
Business owners and managers sometimes feel as though they’re held hostage by one or more team members who play key roles in the business. Owners and managers believe these individuals possess sensitive information and perform vital functions. Letting them go or, in fact, taking any action that might upset them would leave the company in […]
Most financial advisors recommend their clients diversify their investments. While many people hold stocks and bonds, real estate offers not only diversification, but also a potentially lucrative venture. One of the most common term that comes up in discussing an investment property is its capitalization rate, which estimates the annual return on an investment. To […]
I’ve long intended to write an advice column about avoiding procrastination, but always put it off. I wanted to write the column and knew the additional stress I’d endure at deadline if I waited too long to do so. For one reason or another, I never got started. I guess I didn’t feel like it. […]
If you don’t have a workplace wellness program, imagine for a moment you do. Your coordinator decides to run a campaign about the importance of exercise and good nutrition in preventing diabetes and give away exercise and food journals to support healthy behaviors. Now, consider the following two scenarios. Scenario 1: You spot a poster […]
Internal barriers or blockages to business success come in many forms: ineffective hiring practices, bad management, poor on-boarding and training, lack of teamwork, a negative culture and team members whose lack of desire and negative attitudes prevent them from performing at consistently high levels. There are also less-than-effective systems and procedures, poor customer service, inconsistent […]