Comments for The Business Leader Post http://www.businessleaderpost.com Join the discussion as we motivate, educate and connect Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:08:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Should my spouse have a say in the family business? by Gaspar http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/02/4349/comment-page-1/#comment-612 Gaspar Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:08:18 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=4349#comment-612 Dear Tom Thanks for your article. Of course every situation is unique, still there are common issues... You raise the concern for compensation, evaluation, promotion maybe even the hiring of sons or daughters. I agree that things usually work out for the best when everybody is “on the same page”, when information is shared and the decision making process is clear and fair to all. In a family business, with one or both parents directly involved, if their off-springs are involved in the company its to be expected that the typical manipulations will come into play. Parents may have a “soft spot” or even clear preferences for one of their kids. The kids may play the parents against each other to rise above a sibling, and so on… The hiring of family members, their evaluations and compensations, are typical sources of conflict. Family businesses should not be construed for individual gain; nor should a family member receive “special considerations”. The incentives and rewards should compensate justly the individual’s contributions. On the other hand, the business needs to generate profits that can also benefit the family stockholders. Creating the conditions for all needs to be attended to requires foresight and designing rules of governance that gear the business to meet everybody’s expectations. It’s important for families in business together to work and implement objective guidelines (rules) that will try to protect the business from the subjectivity and role play of the family’s idiosyncrasies or anybody’s personal ambition. Evidently it’s best if everybody “buys into” the rules of governance, better yet if the design and conditions stipulated in said rules are devised with everybody’s participation. Observing these rules will not only help the company’s performance; but likely less conflict and trauma should arise within family members if the rules are well conceived. Sharing information and “training” one’s spouse into the better practices for the family business and all pertinent particulars of the company would also help in the event one of them dies. Continuance of the business, its culture, its performance, its objectives, are best protected when another family member is “prepared” to step in if need be. (before the kids are ready to do so, that person could very well be the spouse - who else is going to look better after their children’s legacy) Hence, if a family’s business is to provide for the sustained well being of it’s members a spouse (even if not directly involved in the operations of the business) needs to be up to speed with the relevant details of the company so as to contribute to the family’s project whenever the time calls for that. After all, aren’t our spouses already full partners in our biggest project - raising our families… Who better then, to help us look after our own… Best regards, Gaspar Dear Tom
Thanks for your article.
Of course every situation is unique, still there are common issues… You raise the concern for compensation, evaluation, promotion maybe even the hiring of sons or daughters.
I agree that things usually work out for the best when everybody is “on the same page”, when information is shared and the decision making process is clear and fair to all.
In a family business, with one or both parents directly involved, if their off-springs are involved in the company its to be expected that the typical manipulations will come into play. Parents may have a “soft spot” or even clear preferences for one of their kids. The kids may play the parents against each other to rise above a sibling, and so on…
The hiring of family members, their evaluations and compensations, are typical sources of conflict. Family businesses should not be construed for individual gain; nor should a family member receive “special considerations”. The incentives and rewards should compensate justly the individual’s contributions. On the other hand, the business needs to generate profits that can also benefit the family stockholders. Creating the conditions for all needs to be attended to requires foresight and designing rules of governance that gear the business to meet everybody’s expectations.
It’s important for families in business together to work and implement objective guidelines (rules) that will try to protect the business from the subjectivity and role play of the family’s idiosyncrasies or anybody’s personal ambition.
Evidently it’s best if everybody “buys into” the rules of governance, better yet if the design and conditions stipulated in said rules are devised with everybody’s participation. Observing these rules will not only help the company’s performance; but likely less conflict and trauma should arise within family members if the rules are well conceived.
Sharing information and “training” one’s spouse into the better practices for the family business and all pertinent particulars of the company would also help in the event one of them dies. Continuance of the business, its culture, its performance, its objectives, are best protected when another family member is “prepared” to step in if need be. (before the kids are ready to do so, that person could very well be the spouse – who else is going to look better after their children’s legacy)
Hence, if a family’s business is to provide for the sustained well being of it’s members a spouse (even if not directly involved in the operations of the business) needs to be up to speed with the relevant details of the company so as to contribute to the family’s project whenever the time calls for that. After all, aren’t our spouses already full partners in our biggest project – raising our families… Who better then, to help us look after our own…
Best regards,
Gaspar

]]> Comment on iOS passes Mac OS in Share of Web Traffic Propelled by Sales for Mobile and Tablet Devices by Donte Sert http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/02/ios-passes-mac-os-in-share-of-web-traffic-propelled-by-sales-for-mobile-and-tablet-devices/comment-page-1/#comment-606 Donte Sert Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:28:53 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=4329#comment-606 Excellent post. Keep posting such kind of info on your page. Im really impressed by it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about ios. Regards Excellent post. Keep posting such kind of info on your page. Im really impressed by it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about ios. Regards

]]> Comment on What is time horizon? by Greg Nazvanov MBA CFP PhD http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/02/what-is-time-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-605 Greg Nazvanov MBA CFP PhD Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:50:51 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=4319#comment-605 Time horizon is the period for the assets to be invested so that they can be utilized in the future towards a specific goal (horizon expiry). The choice belongs to a client, guidance is a responsibility of an adviser. Time horizon is the period for the assets to be invested so that they can be utilized in the future towards a specific goal (horizon expiry). The choice belongs to a client, guidance is a responsibility of an adviser.

]]> Comment on How can relationships improve? by Gaspar http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/01/how-can-relationships-improve/comment-page-1/#comment-603 Gaspar Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:49:33 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=4081#comment-603 Dear Tom, Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I'm share the thesis that ones prejudices and preconceptions interfere with ones disposition to engage openly in any relationship. The Cognitive stream also proposes that many of our actions are "triggered" by those "impressions" that we form in our minds, often times without proper justification. To over come the patterns; first, we must recognize that we have these prejudices. Second we need to develop “alarm systems” that alert us that we are at risk of acting (or reacting) impulsively (w/o reasoning) "under the influence" of the prejudices we harbor. Then the real challenge is to change the "programming" that leads us to act (or react) almost with a preconceived response while under the influence of those impressions. Some people call it "changing the chip", as if our minds were a Mother Board on a PC. To me, Cognitive behavior is about making conscious decisions and taking control (and responsibility) of what we do, how we do and why we do it… But you’re taking about relationships and how they can improve… There’s a reason for why there’s the expression being in a “committed relationship”. Yet, any relationship requires some level of commitment from the people participating in it; and, honoring a commitment requires a decision; you either decide to commit to it or you don’t. All of us participate in non-committed relationships, these are the ones in which we don’t honor the commitment. These can be formal or informal; they are generally relationships in which we’re simply not willing to do the work to grow or strengthen them. And, vice versa, committed relationships are those we value; those in which we’re willing to put up the effort to nourish them and contribute to them in a positive manner. Bottom line, participating in relationships requires a personal decision. If we have problems in a relationship that we consciously value, we can fall into that Cognitive Dissonance you mention. The cognitive stream psychologists will ask us to analyze our patterns and to reason out why we act against our conscious preferences (regarding that relationship we value). The proposition would be to identify the triggers of our actions and to train ourselves to disarm them; while replacing them with proper responses according to the value we hold for that relationship. It certainly makes no sense for family members to be in turmoil with each other. Miscommunications can be a factor; but even with it present, you have to question each family members level of commitment to participate constructively in their relationships with each other. All have responsibilities, all must have disposition and must decide to work in the relationship for it to improve… It is an individual’s decision; but one that all individuals participating in the relationship need to make and honor in similar fashion. Regards, Gaspar Dear Tom,
Thanks for sharing these thoughts.
I’m share the thesis that ones prejudices and preconceptions interfere with ones disposition to engage openly in any relationship.
The Cognitive stream also proposes that many of our actions are “triggered” by those “impressions” that we form in our minds, often times without proper justification. To over come the patterns; first, we must recognize that we have these prejudices. Second we need to develop “alarm systems” that alert us that we are at risk of acting (or reacting) impulsively (w/o reasoning) “under the influence” of the prejudices we harbor. Then the real challenge is to change the “programming” that leads us to act (or react) almost with a preconceived response while under the influence of those impressions.
Some people call it “changing the chip”, as if our minds were a Mother Board on a PC.
To me, Cognitive behavior is about making conscious decisions and taking control (and responsibility) of what we do, how we do and why we do it…
But you’re taking about relationships and how they can improve…
There’s a reason for why there’s the expression being in a “committed relationship”. Yet, any relationship requires some level of commitment from the people participating in it; and, honoring a commitment requires a decision; you either decide to commit to it or you don’t. All of us participate in non-committed relationships, these are the ones in which we don’t honor the commitment. These can be formal or informal; they are generally relationships in which we’re simply not willing to do the work to grow or strengthen them. And, vice versa, committed relationships are those we value; those in which we’re willing to put up the effort to nourish them and contribute to them in a positive manner. Bottom line, participating in relationships requires a personal decision. If we have problems in a relationship that we consciously value, we can fall into that Cognitive Dissonance you mention. The cognitive stream psychologists will ask us to analyze our patterns and to reason out why we act against our conscious preferences (regarding that relationship we value). The proposition would be to identify the triggers of our actions and to train ourselves to disarm them; while replacing them with proper responses according to the value we hold for that relationship. It certainly makes no sense for family members to be in turmoil with each other. Miscommunications can be a factor; but even with it present, you have to question each family members level of commitment to participate constructively in their relationships with each other. All have responsibilities, all must have disposition and must decide to work in the relationship for it to improve… It is an individual’s decision; but one that all individuals participating in the relationship need to make and honor in similar fashion.
Regards,
Gaspar

]]> Comment on Can the senior generation keep its authority and still allow succession to happen? by Gaspar http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/01/can-the-senior-generation-keep-its-authority-and-still-allow-succession-to-happen/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Gaspar Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:58:44 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3920#comment-600 Thanks Tom, Good article, wise and to the point. I liked the part of success being more about how you deal with setbacks than about being flawless. I also concurr that "Elders" that are sought and are appreciated by the ones that have to do the work assume the role of mentors (coaches & advisors), while allowing management to act and learn how to overcome setbacks until the objectives are attained. Best regards, Gaspar Thanks Tom,
Good article, wise and to the point.
I liked the part of success being more about how you deal with setbacks than about being flawless.
I also concurr that “Elders” that are sought and are appreciated by the ones that have to do the work assume the role of mentors (coaches & advisors), while allowing management to act and learn how to overcome setbacks until the objectives are attained.
Best regards,
Gaspar

]]> Comment on Firefox 9 Experiences Slow Adoption Rate After Troubled Launch by trlkly http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2012/01/firefox-9-experiences-slow-adoption-rate-after-troubled-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-599 trlkly Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:05:14 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3840#comment-599 People are not trusting Mozilla because they keep on screwing up their releases. You'll note that 7.0, which was also screwed up, also did not have as fast adoption rates. Mozilla really does not seem to be suited for a fast ship-or-die system. People are not trusting Mozilla because they keep on screwing up their releases. You’ll note that 7.0, which was also screwed up, also did not have as fast adoption rates.

Mozilla really does not seem to be suited for a fast ship-or-die system.

]]> Comment on How Come Brothers Have Such a Difficult Time Working Together in the Business? by Tom Davidow http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2011/11/how-come-brothers-have-such-a-difficult-time-working-together-in-the-business/comment-page-1/#comment-589 Tom Davidow Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:13:06 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3223#comment-589 Dear John,Nice to hear from you. You are right. There are good family relationshipsand there are uncomortable family relationships but never end. Sometimes people can not seperate,so they stay together by continuing to argue. A divorced couple arguing over their children is another example. Happy Holidays. Best, Tom Dear John,Nice to hear from you. You are right. There are good family relationshipsand there are uncomortable family relationships but never end. Sometimes people can not seperate,so they stay together by continuing to argue. A divorced couple arguing over their children is another example.
Happy Holidays.
Best,
Tom

]]> Comment on How Come Brothers Have Such a Difficult Time Working Together in the Business? by john f. hopkins http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2011/11/how-come-brothers-have-such-a-difficult-time-working-together-in-the-business/comment-page-1/#comment-548 john f. hopkins Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:31:04 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3223#comment-548 Dear Tom, I had an experience a few years ago of representing on brother out of 5 children consisting of 4 brothers and on daughter. She was married and had moved to another state. My client was thrd in the pecking order. Father had died and mother was house wife in ill health. Oldest brother as usual was made the executor and trustee when dad died. Since mom was still alive and all trusts were for her benfit, oldest son ran the family farms. It became apparent to me as the children battled with each other that my client had not established a profession/life for himself. So we statted on that. As we worked forward it also became obvious that oldest brother acted as substitue father. Uncousciously at first and then as time went on my client acted out the pattern that he had one father and he was not looking for or accepting another. After many years of litigation and negotiation we were able to move each child into their own autonomy free of each other. But 10 years have passed and they are still working on dividing parents personal effects. Although they each gained some autonomy (daughter died) they compulsively hold the family together. John Hopkins Dear Tom, I had an experience a few years ago of representing on brother out of 5 children consisting of 4 brothers and on daughter. She was married and had moved to another state.
My client was thrd in the pecking order. Father had died and mother was house wife in ill health. Oldest brother as usual was made the executor and trustee when dad died. Since mom was still alive and all trusts were for her benfit, oldest son ran the family farms. It became apparent to me as the children battled with each other that my client had not established a profession/life for himself. So we statted on that. As we worked forward it also became obvious that oldest brother acted as substitue father. Uncousciously at first and then as time went on my client acted out the pattern that he had one father and he was not looking for or accepting another. After many years of litigation and negotiation we were able to move each child into their own autonomy free of each other. But 10 years have passed and they are still working on dividing parents personal effects.
Although they each gained some autonomy (daughter died) they compulsively hold the family together. John Hopkins

]]> Comment on How do I make a nagging creditor stop calling? by Bruce Horwitz http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2011/12/how-do-i-make-a-nagging-creditor-stop-calling/comment-page-1/#comment-510 Bruce Horwitz Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:28:51 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3537#comment-510 I don't think the "real point" is that this business owner's employees (now) know that he is not paying his bills. Heck, they already figured that out. And it's sure not the former printer's fault. I think you should have pointed out that it's not particularly ethical to buy things you can't pay for. Instead of borrowing money from the bank, which would have cost this person money, perhaps a lot of money, this person decided to make his printer loan him the money, by not paying his bill. The printer had real, out-of-the-pocket expenses delivering product and perhaps the PRINTER is now having to borrow money from the bank. Stiffing your suppliers is not good business practice. I don’t think the “real point” is that this business owner’s employees (now) know that he is not paying his bills. Heck, they already figured that out. And it’s sure not the former printer’s fault.

I think you should have pointed out that it’s not particularly ethical to buy things you can’t pay for. Instead of borrowing money from the bank, which would have cost this person money, perhaps a lot of money, this person decided to make his printer loan him the money, by not paying his bill. The printer had real, out-of-the-pocket expenses delivering product and perhaps the PRINTER is now having to borrow money from the bank.

Stiffing your suppliers is not good business practice.

]]> Comment on How Come Brothers Have Such a Difficult Time Working Together in the Business? by Tom Davidow http://www.businessleaderpost.com/2011/11/how-come-brothers-have-such-a-difficult-time-working-together-in-the-business/comment-page-1/#comment-509 Tom Davidow Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:38:05 +0000 http://www.businessleaderpost.com/?p=3223#comment-509 Dear Ron, Sorry that I did not get back to you earlier, I been traveling. The desciption of the two brothers is perfect. I wish that it could stay as simple as that. As you know conversations in the Board rooms can create a return to trying to solve their business differences as if they were eight and six.I have had to have brothers agree to "no physical contact" before our business meetings. Best, Tom Dear Ron,
Sorry that I did not get back to you earlier, I been traveling.
The desciption of the two brothers is perfect. I wish that it could stay as simple as that.
As you know conversations in the Board rooms can create a return to trying to solve their business differences as if they were eight and six.I have had to have brothers agree to “no physical contact” before our business meetings.
Best,
Tom

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