Cut Your Losses

"To select the wrong person for a job is a common mistake; not to remove him/her is a fatal weakness."

Unknown

Fatal for both the manager and the employee.

If you are one or the other, see that this doesn't apply to you.

History Will Repeat Itself Unless . . .

"There is a history in all men's lives."

William Shakespeare

16th century British poet/playwright

In yours as well and worth reviewing if you don't want to repeat your mistakes of the past.

Learn To Write Well

"I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil."

Truman Capote

20th century American author

The most important skill in business:  The ability to communicate effectively in writing.

The least prevalent skill in business:  The ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Youth: A Means To An End

"Youth itself is a talent, a perishable talent."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

One replaced by "experience" resulting from the mistakes we all make when young.

That is if we learn from our mistakes.

Never Ceasing Change

"Our nature consists in motion; complete rest is death."

Blaine Pascal

17th century French mathematician/philosopher

And true for companies as well.

The only question is whether you attempt to guide the constant change that affects us all, or simply, passively accept what comes.

Truth Be Told

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names."

Chinese proverb

While denial is often more comfortable it rarely is long term.

Acknowledge reality, the sooner the better.

Who Owns You?

"So free we seem, so fettered we are."

Robert Browning

19th century British poet

How true whether you work for yourself or someone else.

We all owe someone something.

Stormy Seas

"He that will learn to pray, let him go to sea."

George Herbert

17th century British poet

Thinking of starting your own business?

Jill Of All Trades?

"Sir, a man may be so much of everything, that he is nothing of anything."

Samuel Johnson

18th century British author

Beware the pitfalls of becoming a Jack of all trades, master of none.

You must be good at something.

If It's Worth Doing . . .

"The real Antichrist is he who turns the wine of an original idea into the water of mediocrity."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

Few start out to do a mediocre job and still that does happen way too often.

You have to work, really, really work, to be great.

How Can I Help You?

"Masters who sacrifice for servants will receive the gift of loyalty."

Proverb

If you've never thought about what you should do for those who report to you, you should.

If not for them, for yourself.

I Wish I Didn't Know Now What I Didn't Know Then

"Education is the path from cocky ignorance to miserable uncertainty."

Mark Twain

19th century American humorist/author

I see this in my clients and often it's not as much a matter of education as it is experience.

Or lack thereof.

Those just starting out don't know what they don't know, not to mention what they should know.

And those, generally older, who do know, are scared thinking about what they now know they don't know.

Making Progress?

"There is safety in reserve, but no attraction."

Jane Austen

18th century English novelist

And in business as well.

You won't have an accident going zero miles per hour.

You also won't get anywhere.

Always Right?

"He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill."

Edmund Burke

18th century British political writer

If your direct reports never do this, if your peers always accept your positions, how will you know you're right?

Profit Or Loss?

"Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius."

Benjamin Disraeli

19th century British politician

The qualifying "sometimes" makes the difference.

If your situation is truly desperate, as in life or death, you will either be inspired to find a solution, or perish in the process.

Person Of Few Words

"We never say so much as when we do not quite know what we want to say."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

Agreed

Knowledge Without Understanding . . . What's It Worth?

"When you cease to try to understand than you will know without understanding."

Chinese proverb

And if you really don't understand how can you act on what you know?

All Things To All (No) People

"A friend to everybody and nobody is the same thing."

Spanish proverb

Does your company attempt to sell to everyone?

Attempting is fine but it won't happen and in the end could result in lower sales.

The Rusty Brain

"Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright."

Benjamin Franklin

18th century American statesman/inventor/philosopher

This isn't just about the physical.

It pertains to the mental as well.

It's Only (Their) Money

"When the well's dry, they know the worth of water."

Unknown

As an employee, how often (do) you think about the limitation of company resources available to support you all?

You should, every day.

Feared Or Willingly Followed?

"The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm."

Confucius

5th century  BC Chinese philosopher

As the boss you can easily be the latter, often without knowing that you are.

Try not to.