A Scarcity Mentality is the zero-sum paradigm of life. People with a Scarcity Mentality have a very difficult time sharing recognition and credit, power or profit – even with those who help in the production. They also have a a very hard time being genuinely happy for the success of other people. Yet it is [...]
Most people speak of those they work with as a team. But, in my experience, people rarely understand what a team really is. In funeral service what typically represents a team is really a group of people who are very nice but work towards their own ends independently. If the firm has clear standards and [...]
The saying goes, "It's lonely at the top." Who do you talk to when you're the boss? Edgar Schein, Professor Emeritus at the Sloan School of Management at MIT, observed that the most common self - image among business leaders is that of the "Lone Warrior - Hero." I have found this to be true [...]
My friend, Howard Beckham, responded to last week's video on customer service at Starbucks with the following comment. I feel if all of us would adopt his attitude we would see much happier customers. Thank you Howard. "Many years ago as an 18 year old working at J.C. Penney Co. I began to understand the [...]
A while ago I wrote on the subject of funeral directors and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the belief that there was a lot out there. This is a sensitive subject that will benefit greatly from transparent vulnerable open discussion. But who wants to be first? Finally, a young man has stepped up. He has [...]
This week we finish our discussion of barriers to succession with: 4. Serving more than one master. Change is hard enough. But there is an old biblical reference that is always true: "You cannot serve two masters." The business needs to stand on its own and only insiders should have influence. Too often non participating [...]
Last week we began a discussion of the ten things that are the most frequent barriers to real succession planning. Failure to plan this important event is an invitation to disappointment frustration and alienation among family and staff. This week continues that discussion with #7. 7. Entitlement Often referred to as the "lucky sperm club" [...]
Speaker and family business expert John Davis made this comment as he addressed the St. Thomas Center For Family Enterprise: "When I introduce the concept of making the B.O.S.S. successful all heads turn towards the father. I announce to the father he has just been demoted, and that the real boss around here is four [...]
With almost 30 year's experience I think I can safely say I know something about Preneed selling and marketing. Sadly, it has been my experience that most independent funeral homes practice a form of benign mediocrity in which everyone fails to reach their potential but they all love working together. "Happy Failures" is what we [...]
There are, in fact, many firms today that remain in denial that our profession has changed dramatically and will continue to change into the foreseeable future. We cannot help them. I have lost count of the financial statements I have analyzed over the last several years. What strikes me is that virtually all of them [...]
