Big Think

Elizabeth Reid commented on Pumping Morale in an Economic Crisis on June 19, 2009, 8:24 PM

Getting companies to care about their employees as human beings is a great idea. I commend Ms. Hewlett for her work on this. In the past, most companies only acted to help and protect their workers because the were forced to by legislation and reform.  More and more of them have done so voluntarily with day care programs, flex time, and improved benefits to name a few. I wonder if these things are being tossed aside as the economy has weakened. I hope not. The bottom line is this: if you  treat people poorly, they will perform poorly. I have witnessed this. The morale at my old office was so low that the atmosphere was poisoned. A boss that is constantly critical and hovering is an ineffective one. A supervisor that deals with issues humanely and with civility will have happier and thus, better workers. We need to be supportive of eachother during hard times and things will turn out much better for all involved.

Elizabeth Reid commented on Make Your Company High Commitment High Performance on June 19, 2009, 7:43 PM

You make an excellent point, Q. Cassidy.  A business, or any institution or individual, will not succeed when its sole purpose is to only enrich itself. The real nature of one's intentions always reveals itself- thus exposing the truth. When the truth is exposed then things start to happen: the entity with a noble, honest cause will succeed. The entity with an immoral, dishonest goal will fail.  This is not karma- this is the law of nature- more simply put - "If your intentions are not pure, they will come back and kick you in the behind!"  This is true in all aspects of life. I am sure Mr. Beer would agree. His ideas about business are right on target.

Elizabeth Reid commented on How to Be a Smart Adopter on June 12, 2009, 12:24 AM

I remember in the earlier 70's my older brother worked all summer to save up and buy a brand new small, electronic Texas Instruments calculator for $100.00. A few years later they were to be found hanging along side batteries and multipacks of Life Savers on shelves that were designed to get you to do some last minute buying as you waited on line for a cashier. How was he to know this would happen? ( He still has the calculator and it is in perfect working condition- I guess it was worth $100 after all.)  Great story- but I think it's the exception. I like McCraken's advice. He's slower to buy the lastest gizmo than most. So am I. I like the wait and see approach. I also ask myself is this something that I really need and that I will actually use? When it comes to my computer the answer is usually yes.  Almost all of the software and hardware I've added has made my computer either easier or more enjoyable to use. One mistake that comes to mind is when I bought a bluetooth headset for my cell phone. I found it uncomfortable to wear, and not really worth the trouble or cost. Many people find them great to use, but I didn't really need it, so its in a drawer somewhere. I am still waiting a laptop that you can use outside and see the screen clearly and a laptop battery that actually gives out power for more than an hour or so.  Can anyone help me here?

Elizabeth Reid commented on Tom Stewart: How Do You Succeed In Business During a Recession? on June 10, 2009, 8:43 PM

Before starting my own business, I was a high school teacher for ten years. Thomas is right on the mark when he talks about planning and strategy. I always examined the academic needs of my students and planned how to meet them with various methods. I also needed to  motivate them and attract their attention. Business can do this with potential customers. At times, I did make "cuts" to save time, but found that they usually resulted in a lower success rate in student academic achievement. After that I was always careful about what I chose to eliminate and what I chose to use to maximize the benefits to my students. This experience was, and is, of great benefit to me as I continue to operate my company.

Elizabeth Reid commented on Alice Rivlin: How Do You Succeed In Business During a Recession? on June 10, 2009, 8:16 PM

Ms. Rivlin and others in this discussion have commented about companies being able to attract more talented employees and paying them lower salaries during a recession. Is this really a good strategy? I doubt it. When the economy improves, these people will be the first to leave to other companies now paying better salaries. I believe it is an issue of treating others with respect and paying them what their skills are truly worth. Sure you may save money now, but in the long run  they will leave and you will once again have to hire employees with less experience and expertise. Profiting on the misfortune of others never brings about good results.