EDUCATION AND TODAY

“The philosophy of the schoolroom (and college) in one generation is the philosophy of the government in the next.” Abraham Lincoln

Comment: no comment needed on this one

HIRING NEW PEOPLE

“In looking for people to hire, you look for integrity, intelligence, and energy. If you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” Warren Buffett

Comment: This applies to the retention of current employees as well as new hires.

SETTING THE EXAMPLE

“Leaders should be first to show and last to go.” This is not what I observe in working with struggling and failing businesses. In too many cases, the senior managers arrive last, leave first, and are hard to find after 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoons. This helps explain why these businesses are struggling and failing.

COMMITMENT AND LOYALTY

“99 and 1/2 won’t do, got to have a 100.” Wilson Pickett

Comment: This great Wilson Picket tune describes the commitment and loyalty that exist in high-achieving companies.

CHANGING THE OUTCOME

In my work with struggling small businesses, I am attempting to change the outcome from one of “Coulda - Woulda - Shoulda - but Didn’t, to one of “Can - Will - Did”.

HOW QUICKLY THE YEARS PASS BY

When meeting with company executives and middle managers, I am thinking that “I was making life and death decisions before most of them had their first set of Lincoln logs.” Sometimes I tell them so.

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

“These debates have introduced a new common denominator in leadership, wisdom, sound judgment, statesmanship, and nobility that has the nation scratching their heads.”