November 8, 2016

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October 19, 2016

Adapting To A Changing Business World

Like so many components of life, running a business requires an ability to adapt and change. The world around us changes and that requires that we match it or fail. This is often a point of resistance, but when embraced it can be a powerful driver of success. Here are some tips to help your business adapt to the dynamics of a modern economy.

Be Transparent With Employees

Stress is often created when employees feel like a change was foisted upon them suddenly and without notice. When we meet with employees and prepare them for eventualities it makes them feel invested and part of the transition. When change is simply dropped in the lap of employees they often resist, even if unintentionally, which makes the transition slower and less effective. It can also create a culture of mistrust, strain and burnout that leads to loss of productivity.


Communicate

Transparency is only possible with effective and deliberate communication with employees. The days of “my way or the highway” seem to be passed. Employers must understand that they are not merely creating a product, but a company culture and that requires communication and encouraging interaction. This isn’t limited to one on one meetings or gatherings, this can be improved by organizing fun activities outside of the work place, like picnics or parties. At these events, employees develop trust as well as bonding with their coworkers and managers.

Accept Change

A major friction to long term business success is being rigid. As the world changes, so must we and by extension, so must our businesses. We don’t want to be the best fax repair service in a world of emails, PDFs, and digital transmissions. Even if you are the best in your field, your irrelevance will eventually lead to your failure. Stay current with your industry and expect to change as your industry does. This will ease the transition and perhaps provide new opportunities with even greater potential.

Keep Learning

Often times skills are transferable, but require advancing your understanding. For example, I became certified to wire computer networks back in 1999. The same knowledge doesn’t apply now to wireless routing and networking, but much of the same principles do. So having that background is not wasted as the world became wireless, it merely required a commitment to continued learning.

Ultimately, the world will continue to change. The question is merely, will you change with it? If not, be prepared to be passed by as technology and industry forge ahead. But if you are willing to adapt, you give your business a change to succeed and perhaps even grow into new, unexpected heights.

September 27, 2016

Dem Voter Confidence Is Misplaced

As I’ve said before, we all know that Donald Trump is a cartoon. But it feels like Democrats are overly confident in this election because of that. Dr. Lara Brown, the Director of the Political Management Program at George Washington University, said recently that American voters feel that both candidates, including Hillary Clinton, lack honesty and trustworthiness. What’s troubling for Democrats is our inability to see this or at least see it as a threat.

However, we are living in a political climate where Brexit passed in the UK, Bernie Sanders, a self proclaimed socialist nearly won the nomination and where a candidate as poorly qualified as Donald Trump can ascend to the Republican nomination. These facts should be seen as warnings, not a clear path to the goal.

We Democrats are missing some important narratives: even though the email story seems dumb and manufactured, big data breaches make Americans feel unsafe because they make the news, seem dangerous and are on the rise, so when a candidate is associated with one, right or wrong, subconsciously Americans feel that. It doesn’t matter what actually happened, if it made people feel unsafe. The logical Democrat is failing to understand that not everyone who votes is logical.

Most importantly, and I’ve had so many petulant liberals fight me hard on this, Democrats must start taking the high road, promoting Hillary and stop bashing Trump. When we bash Trump, we make him the story, we add nothing to this insatiable black hole of a topic and we neglect to show the positive qualities Hillary Clinton brings to the race. Like it or not, Hillary Clinton’s 4 decades in the public eye has not made her reputation clear enough among many potential voters and simply suggesting that it’s willful ignorance to not know doesn’t help. There are willfully ignorant people that could impact the result.

But most importantly in this election, and I say this with the guarded optimism that Hillary Clinton will win the presidency, is the down ticket. If Democrats want a big victory in November, Democrats must create some enthusiasm around their candidate. I don’t mean creating the fear of Trump, again, this makes him the story. I mean selling Hillary Clinton to the people, winning over Bernie Sanders enthusiasts, energizing those swing voters who wait until about now to learn who is even running. If we don’t do that, we might end up with a presidential victory (and maybe not...Brexit) but we will be stuck with more Republican intransigence and more failed and unresponsive government.

September 1, 2016

More Pro Hillary, Less Anti Trump Please

I have a simple desire: I would like to see more pro Hillary campaigning from the left and less anti-Trump. We’ve come to the point where we know Trump is a clown, but all of the noise has made it difficult for me to get a handle on the person I will vote for in November. Who exactly is Hillary Clinton and what does she stand for?

I know that Hillary has been in the spotlight for decades and I should know from her record already everything I need to know, but there is a lack of narrative. Even though public figures should be careful with their emails in today’s world, I’m not moved by this story. I also know that it is across the US government that cybersecurity is lagging behind the times. What I don’t know comes down to what are our values as a nation. Are we just childish predators who are excited that we found someone’s mistake or are we truly concerned about email servers. The only thing I’ve learned from all of this is that my business needs to encrypt my data. I suspect even then, if someone really wanted in, they would get in.

This extends into the realm of the issues that matter to me. Because of the straw men stories out there I have a hard time figuring out if Hillary really is too hawkish for my tastes or if she is merely practical in a hostile world that sometimes requires force. Is her measured approach one that will ultimately lead to more results than being idealistic? I would love to see the campaign and the media explore these subjects, but instead I get a barrage of Trump is a buffoon or Hillary Benghazi!

I for one have grown fatigued at the current state of political discourse and it isn’t merely limited to Fox News. A vapid voice has become the narrator to our nation’s dialogue, so it’s no wonder that most people also discuss issues on a low level or simply tune out. We have more information and education available to us than at anytime in history, yet we are functioning as if we are only allowed to listen to our crazy drunk uncle to find out what’s happening in the world of politics.

And if I ever question a stance Hillary has taken or seems to support, the only response I seem to get is, ‘Would you rather have Trump?’ The answer is obviously ‘no’, but that doesn’t advance the discussion. I would still like to be able to examine the likely next president without a default response. I would like to consider who will lead us without it only being the opposite of obvious disaster. This dynamic doesn’t just avoid criticism. It becomes unnecessary to praise Hillary’s accomplishments, values and character in this climate, because all we need to know is Trump is, well, Donald Trump.

But I am personally excited by the idea that we could have a female president. The optics are incredible for every little girl and young woman out there. This shows that they could actually sit in the world’s most powerful seat. This shows that it’s not just a man’s world. I also hope that a woman president could bring a temperament to the Oval Office that has been lacking in our history of patriarchal leaders. All that said, it feels like we are in a junior high spat as to who the popular kid is leading up to the election. And I hope that just because Trump is an obvious no, doesn’t mean the only choice is a bad one.