Victoria Downing, President, Remodelers Advantage Inc., co-author of Mastering the Business of Remodeling. Home of Remodelers Advantage Roundtables with over 200 members nationwide.
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Think about a time that you were delegated to poorly. In some cases, a project was given to you without the information you needed to successfully complete the task. In others, the project was one that no one wanted, and “delegating” was simply the term used to dump it on someone else. At other...
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Delegating work and responsibility to others is one of the most difficult things about growing and managing a business. Most business owners don't like to cede control to others. After all, being in control of your own destiny was one of the reasons you went into business for yourself.
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Many small-business owners feel that they shouldn't have to “baby-sit” their employees. After all, the people that have been hired are all professionals. They know what has to be done. They don't need monitoring. Is this a realistic or an effective point of view?
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When Jim D'Alessio, president of James P. D'Alessio, Inc., in Brentwood, N.H., lost his battle with esophageal cancer earlier this year, his employees were heartbroken. They felt sorrow for the loss of a wonderful person and a top business owner, and a profound sadness for his family.
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For many of us it's not the lack of good ideas or good intentions that holds us back from success, it's the lack of execution.
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As a business leader, it is up to you to set an example for the rest of your team in behavior, in dedication, and in demonstrating core values. However, you can do all of these things and still have a team that underperforms if you neglect to demonstrate one significant trait — discipline.
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Craig Deimler, vice president of Deimler & Sons Construction in Harrisburg, Pa., is a true believer in ongoing education . . . especially when it comes to running his business.
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A common desire among company owners is to “hold their employees accountable.” Typically this means making sure that each person is doing their job well and taking responsibility when the results are not met.
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One of the toughest parts of managing for many people happens when they have to talk to an employee, sub, or client about an unpleasant topic —whether it's underperformance, a disagreement about a bill, or a misunderstanding about a project.
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There are really two sides to communication: First is the interpersonal side of communication, which includes active listening, body language, and eye contact. We discussed those last month. The other side of communication is the system created within the company to facilitate the effective flow of...