Deadly Sins of Management

Selling off assets is one of the Many Deadly Sins of Management.

2.  Now, (In view of the Miss America Scandal) being stupid enough to both hold those views and to put them in E-mails.

3.  Defending incompetent Managers in your organisation instead of Firing them because you believe that fixing a problem is a sign of incompetence.

4.  Failing to take action when employee complaints reach your level because you believe that if you ignore them they will go away.

5.  Delegating authority to those without adequate abilities and without adequate oversight because you believe in credentialism.

6.  Ignoring deliverables and measurables because you believe failure to reach targets can be blamed on others.

7.  Believing your legal department can cover your ass.

8.  Believing your position of authority will protect you.

9.  Taking responsibility as a tactic to shift blame to others.


Regards,

Slim

If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked out Macbook and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note.  Slim.

Robert Asken
Box 33
Pen Argyle, PA 18072

LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/slimfairview/



Copyright (c) 2017 Robert Asken
All rights reserved.

Delagating. Do & Do Not

What to do when you have to delegate authority.


1. Delegate authority to the person(s) with a proven track record.


2. Allow that person to pick his or her own team


3. Set Deliverables and Measurables.


4. Set a fair and transparent means for reassigning individuals in the group who are disruptive.

NB   Disruptive is not creative. Creative is not disruptive.


5. Receive regular updates on progress. (If necessary, offer validations)


6. Insure that the team has the resources necessary. For example:

Do not assume that the supervisor is smart enough to know that when the number of packers rises from 4 to 10 then the number of scissors should rise from 4 to 10. Or from 3 to 10 if he had 4 people working with 3 pair of scissors because 1 pair broke.


7. Establish the protocols in your company to insure that another manager does not feel comfortable usurping your prerogative to assign projects and staff by interfering with the project because he needs help, or supplies, because he is incompetent yet still works for you.


8. Communication: Make sure that a disruptive person has the opportunity to speak to you directly. He may not be the problem. Follow up on the information you receive.


Regards,

Slim.

Slimfairview@yahoo.com

Slimviews@gmail.com

Copyright (c) 2017 Bob Asken All rights reserved.

Tech v. Education

With all due respect. 

When I was a freshman. (3rd form) I went to Public School (US version) They had two tracks. The University track (college track) and the track for those who intended not to go beyond High School. That track focused on Mechanical Drawing, wood shop metal shop, typing, home economics. I took advantage of those options to take typing and mechanical drawing before transferring to The Prep.

True, in part, about practical applications. US High Schools are supposed to "educate" students not train them.

English courses, teach students to communicate.

Math courses will prepare students for tech [read, math] Geometry, true, is valuable only to those students who intend to become architects or geometry teacher.

History, well.... "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Santayana

Those who never learned history are doomed--Period!" Slim Fairview

The Quotations of Slim Fairview. © 2017

We also have the alternative: Vo-Tech. Vocational / Technical. Public Schools, Private Schools, and Vo-Tech schools can teach AI.

I became a website designer 1. January 2000.  That career did not exist when I was at School or at University.  And though it is very possible that what students learn today may still be viable when they turn 47, there may be careers that don't exist today.  Op cit, Website designer.  

Web design is not so much technology--I used Front Page 2000®--as it is design.  This came from a semester of art at University and Art in Grammar School and High School.  

People, today, have little concept of the education of the 50s and the 60s and cite what they don't know as a fictive device to advance their agenda.

Read BOTH

Democracy - & the Fall of the Athenian Republic

Alexander Tyler & James Olson

http://www.theroadtoemmaus.org/RdLb/21PbAr/Hst/US/DmocAthnsUS.htm

And

Fall of the Athenian Republic

http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/athenian.asp

Regards,

Slim,

Copyright © 2017 Bob Asken

All rights reserved.

Sales Force Turnover?

I just replied to a tweet from someone who posed the question about turnover among his sales people. I will share my replies. 

• Be up front about compensation and lead generation 

• Be up front about sales figures, sales cycles & about leads. 

• Be up front about Training, your products, and about the Competition. 

• Don't irritate your sales people with pep talks & platitudes during down cycles just because the Sales Mgr is looking to make his override on marginal increments. 

The same comments about for sales targets and sales goals. Your sales people know what's going on out there.

Sales is a numbers game

Don't hire too many sales people who will compete with each other in the same customer pool. Refer to comments on the Sales Manager's Override.

If there is a down-turn in sales, don't look at the sales force first. Look at the Sales Manager first. 

Address the complaints from the sales force. Don't just listen. 

Don't placate. Investigate. 

Regards, 

Slim

If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked out Macbook and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note.  Slim

Robert Asken
Box 33
Pen Argyle. PA 18072


Copyright (c) 2017 Robert Asken
All rights reserved.

Where We are Going

What is happening globally with migration on one of the basic laws of physics.


I illustrated this in my ppt presentation 

Solving The Global Crisis




I pointed out that Russia is engaged in Economic Warfare. 

The Visible Hand 


and 

Mr. Putin's ETO 



China knows it will not stay in business very long if it puts its best customers out of business. China will not harm Western markets. 


As India transforms, India will have a more efficient handling of crops. No longer will food rot on the vine or in the field because there are difficulties in bringing the food to market in a timely manner. India will embrace the technology that will be crucial to the future of nations. 


Africa will embrace the models of Industrialised Nations: 
Capital Investment, 
Economic Stimulus, 
Economic Development, & 
Growth. 

Capital Investment + Economic Stimulus = Economic Development + Growth ~ Slim's Paradigm.


Forming an E 20 Group of Nations


Solving the Emerging Economic Crisis



 I have predicted that Plastics will replace wood and steel as a more efficient and cost-effective way of building things. 

Plastics:  



But the largest concern is the control of resources: 

Who controls which resources will be crucial to survival. This is explained in 
  
"Economic Soft-War" 



This is why Globalisation is so important.

Protectionism Isolationism Nationalism
Are the Axis of Evil that impedes or prevents Solving the problems of Famine, Pandemics, and Global Economic Recessions and Depressions & lead to Civil Unrest, Genocide and War.  Support Globalisation.


Thank you for your interest. 

Sincerely, 

Slim.

On LinkedIn 



Slimfairview@yahoo.com

Slimviews@gmail.com 

Bob Asken
Box 33 
Pen Argyl, PA 18072

Copyright (c) 2017  Bob Asken
All Rights Reserved.

 

Oil: Speculation or Calculation?

It would seem that we undervalue the influence of speculation. 

Why increase production unless you have a reasonable expectation of a growth curve? 

You know that increasing supply with the expectation of oversupply and declining demand as a result of a slowing global economy will drive prices down. 

Expert analysts had to have known that Saudi Arabia would act to protect revenue. And that protection played out by Saudi Arabia pumping oil. 

In addition, in "Energy Independence" I pointed out that if we no longer buy Saudi Arabian oil, we will no longer be customers.  And by extension, we will no longer be friends.  At best, we will have an expedient relationship.  I also pointed out that Saudi Arabian officials will be talking to Chinese officials. They are.

The only reasonable interpretation goes to motive. 

The motive? 

Flood the market, drive down prices, and drive competitors out of business. Then buy up their assets at bargain prices.

Add to this the propensity to speculate on price fluctuations must in some manner add to the price fluctuations. 

Just saying. 

Regards, 

Slim. 

slimfairview@yahoo.com

rpa@Georgetown.edu

Copyright (c) 2017  Bob Asken
All rights reserved. 

Observer Effect / Observer Bias

Observer Effect:
 
A man is at the supermarket checkout.
There is an attractive young cashier.
He stands up straight, sucks in his gut, and smiles.
If his wife is with him, not so much.

Observer Bias:

A man is driving down the highway alone.
A convertible speeds past.
He checks out the car.
If his wife is with him,
He is "checking out the blonde" driving the car.

If the driver is a brunette, the wife doesn't notice.
Because......
The wife is a blonde and figures if her husband were interested in brunettes he would have married a brunette.
The wife has observer bias.


Regards, 

Slim


Copyright (c) 2017 Bob Asken
All rights reserved.

Reply to WSJ Essay

For Immediate Release

Newton's 3rd Law of Physics: The pendulum swings both ways. When it does, it offers an opportunity to gratuitous commentary. I am glad this essay is billed as an essay: with such editorialisation as "self-styled patriots".

Let's offer the Wall Street Journal an analogy based on the unfounded optimism that some of their employees were English Majors rather than Business Majors. Or worse, Journalism Majors.

Dateline: Philadelphia--1776 Self-styled patriots voted to form a Colonial Economic Union and leave the Empire Economic Union.

Prime Minister, Lady Merkel, said she is willing to negotiate reforms but demands that representatives from other members of the Empire Economic Union be included. She offered to set up a conference next month, next year, the following Spring, the following Fall....

Foreign Minister, Lord Juncker said, "Don't let the door hit you in the bum on the way out."

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Schäuble issued a statement indicating The Empire would no longer trade with the Colonies. "You know that £50 Billion in manufactured goods we sell to you? Well we will stop selling them to you. That will teach you a lesson."

The Colonists have gone so far as to begin negotiating with Enemies of the Reich-- Oops, I mean Empire, which includes, but is not limited to The French.

The new Right Wing Independence Party of The Colonial Economic Union is negotiating trades deals and military alliances with the Right Wing Royalist Party of France led by Louis XVI.

The Military Leader, George Washington, denied the claims stating "After seeing what happened to Canada, India, Greece, Italy, Spain, & Portugal, we feel Amerexit is the best way to go."

King George said "I am disappointed that that these Anti-Empire, Heavily Armed "Self Styled Patriots" are choosing this Nationalist--Isolationist policy. and course of action."

Regards,

Slim.

PS. I am a globalist and wrote the PowerPoint Presentation on SlideShare

The Future of the G 20 in Good Times & Bad to encourage globalism.

The Future of the G 20 in Good Times & Bad 9.800 + visits

Forming an E 20 Group of Nations 6.000 + visits

And

Emerging Nation Economic Union. With 12.000 + visits

Singapore is my top visitor with more visits in 6 months than Germany in 6 years. And Germany has been hawking my site ever since I began inveighing against Merkelism--an economic system based on the fear that someone, somewhere is earning a living.

Warmest regards,

Slim.

Copyright (c) 2017 Bob Asken
All rights reserved.

Slimfairview@yahoo.com