Hiring Good People Isn’t Enough
Good people? What’s that supposed to mean? Compared to what? Bad people? With the exception of the Hillside Strangler and Jack the Ripper, I’m hesitant to label very many people as “bad.” I’d like to think that nearly everyone is mostly good. Almost all of us want to be moral and responsible. The real problem […]
Read MoreComing Home to Work
If you have a family ranch, whether you know it or not, you have a family employment policy. At least your kids think you do. In the absence of a formal, written policy, kids often grow up with the expectation that regardless of their education, experience or talent, there will be a role for them […]
Read MoreWhen is a Dollar Not a Dollar?
Dan Airely, a behavioral economist at Duke University conducted a silly experiment with serious implications. The experiment involved money, Coca Cola and college students. Dr. Airely stocked dorm room refrigerators with one of two things. He put a six pack of Coke in some. In others, he placed a paper plate with six crisp one […]
Read MoreTwo Mornings A Week
Several weeks ago I included a WOTB quiz in a ProfitTips column in which readers could score the extent to which they work ON their businesses. Click here to read that column. The column was picked up by some other publications and wound up generating conversations on several other popular blogs. Most of the people making comments said that […]
Read MoreThe WOTB Test
Most people blame things beyond our control like the weather, government regulation, low commodity prices and increasing costs for their failure to make a healthy profit. These are the things most often discussed at producer meetings and in the coffee shop. These are also things we can do little about. Making them the scapegoats for […]
Read MoreAn Hour A Day
I asked a group of our clients what difference it would make to their operation and their life if they had an extra hour a day of productive time. Most folks said they’d get more done, or they’d get the same amount done but feel less stress doing it. Then I reframed the question, “Instead […]
Read MoreTop 10 Challenges In Ranching
In the last ProfitTips I asked you to share the challenges you face in ranching and share you did. Here is your list of the top 10 challenges facing your ranch: #10: We have a victim attitude We will never succeed if all we do is blame others for our failures. Self-proclaimed victims abdicate […]
Read More