Soundbites
Pain on the firing line You say it hurts to fire someone? It should hurt. A lot. Because it may be as much your fault as the employee you’ve “had to” dismiss. Why do I say that? An employee who doesn’t work out tends to fail for two main reasons. One, she was a bad hire in the first place. Two, she didn’t receive proper training. In both cases the main fault is the employer’s (though there are obvious exceptions). Making the “right hire” is critical, not only to your organization but also to the employee who is investing in her and your future. You
really must be careful to ensure the employee has the right skill set and personality to do the job. So I roll my eyes when employers blithely get rid of someone with a “didn’t work out” shrug. You should never shrug when making the drastic choice to dismiss someone. You should examine yourself to see what you did wrong. And you should feel some pain. — Personnel specialist R. B. Sawatzky
Diversity dividend It’s no longer news — or, at least, it
Not silver, but... Job creation is no silver bullet ... but going to work each day provides structure, discipline, and a little more meaning to life. It offers an answer to those who ask themselves, “What am I doing here?” Well, you are cleaning floors, you are working in an office, you are filleting fish, or fulfilling some other worthwhile role. It may not be the most profound answer, but it is a start. You are contributing to your family, your community, and the world to some extent. — Canadian Aboriginal leader Wab Kinew in The Reason You Walk
Success To laugh often and much, to win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
Good profit By “good profit” I don’t mean high margins or high return on capital, or lots of profit by just any means. What I consider to be good profit comes from Principled Entrepreneurship — creating superior value for our customers while consuming fewer resources and always acting lawfully and with integrity. Good profit comes from making a contribution in society — not from corporate welfare or other ways of taking advantage of people. — Charles G. Koch in Good Profit: How Creating Value for Others Built One of the World’s Most Successful Companies
— Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
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shouldn’t be news — that genderdiverse boards make good business sense. Time and time again, studies have shown that boards with greater gender balance have higher levels of organizational effectiveness and perform better financially. They’re also more diverse in terms of thought and perspective, show more evidence of unity and collegiality, and are associated with better corporate social performance. — Susan Goldberg in Corporate Knights
The Marketplace March April 2016
15/02/2016 10:56:01 AM
