Returning Microsoft's Money

moleskine
Originally uploaded by .ultraviolett

Do you care about values and your character or the blind pursuit of money?

This past week it came to light that Microsoft had made an accounting error when sending severance packages to approximately 1,400 employees the company had laid off. Many received $3,000 to $4,000 more than they were supposed to. When the error was caught, Microsoft asked them for the money back. This kicked off a PR nightmare. The media, bloggers, and many others have been highly critical of Microsoft for having asked the for the money back. Microsoft has since taken it back and said they can keep the money. But, I'm concerned about more than bad PR.

Do you care about values and your character or the blind pursuit of money?

I have a different take on the situation. One that probably isn't as popular and will be considered insensitive to the recently laid off employees. I think they should return the money. Why not return the money? Wouldn't it be the right thing to do? Technically, it is not theirs, right?

Let's look at it this way. If the cashier at your local grocery store gave you too much change, would you give it back? I think you know the right answer. The principal is the same. Whether you're giving the money back to the cashier or to Microsoft. In the end, it's about your character. Your values. Your honesty.

Do you care about values and your character or the blind pursuit of money?

"No legacy is so rich as honesty." ~ William Shakespeare

Foto Finish Friday

No need to hide, originally uploaded by :::Daniele:::.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Knee Jerk

HAPPY 8/8/08!!
Originally uploaded by Kolby Schnelli

Knee jerk reactions are rarely the best response. It doesn't matter what the situation is. In the heat of the moment a knee jerk reaction can feel like the right thing, because something must be done.

Think back to some of the mistakes you have made in your life. Many times were they not the result of an overreaction to a difficult situation? I know it's been the case in my life. A knee jerk response to a crisis. A quick response out of anger. The examples are endless.

Laws passed by governments in the wake of media and public panic are often judged by history as overreactions. Clamping down on all employees when one employee "sins" often breeds resentment for management, not just the "sinner", and are viewed by most as overreactions.

Unless wisdom is a prevailing force, most humans respond poorly when under pressure.

Of course, the easy part is identifying the necessity of wisdom in your life. The hard part is capturing it and then using it when it is needed, but it is well worth the effort.

"Some folks are wise and some are otherwise." ~ Tobias Smollett

Telling Signs

Originally uploaded by miabuelanoloentiende .com

If you are in the business of ...

• ... weeding out the best and highest paid employees in an effort to cut costs.
  
• ... only listening to new ideas.
• ... discounting new ideas before even listening to them.
  
• ... defending the status quo, even when it is clear the status quo isn't working anymore.
  
• ... discouraging your best employees from thinking outside the box.
• ... cutting costs by cutting your customer service department.
  
• ... withholding tools and information that could increase productivity and awareness.
  
• ... encouraging a culture that reacts instead of sets the standard.
• ... failing to recognize your business is in a race and not a get rich quick scheme.
  

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you probably don't recognize that your employees are your first customers. If you do recognize it, you probably are doing a poor job of putting it into practice.

How do you treat your customers?

With the current business climate like it is, I cannot imagine why you wouldn't want your best employees to be on board as you weather the storm. Treat them in such a way that there is no doubt that you want them on board. Treat them like you would your customers.

Foto Finish Friday

Delivery, originally uploaded by tompalumbo.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Obstacle or Reality?

William Reloaded
Originally uploaded by drewmaniac

What are you building? What is your dream?

No matter what it is you are building, odds are there is someone who doesn't get it. No matter your dream, there will always be someone along the way who says it cannot be done. Many will say you should take the more "realistic", more "sensible" route.

If you have fear and doubt, that is perfectly normal. Along the way, you will question if the pursuit of your goals (business or otherwise) are really worth your trouble. There will be those who will tell you they are not attainable and their doubts will occasionally lead to more self evaluation. It's not a bad thing to evaluate yourself and figure out that in reality you should be pursuing other things. Sometimes it is a good thing to be more realistic. Your dream may actually be unachievable.

However, if you've evaluated the situation and the only thing holding you back is fear and doubt, then it's time to overcome those obstacles. With a little work, you can control these areas in your life.

The naysayers of course are a different story. In my estimation, you have two options when it comes to these obstacles:

1. You can choose to ignore them.
2. You can choose to use them as motivation.
   

The choice is yours.

Your Employees Are Your First Customers

Life passes me by
Originally uploaded by aknacer

"What we have some control of is the quality of life for the people who work for us, and that is number one." ~ Tom Peters at Open Forum

Your employees are your first customers.

When you value your employees, especially your best, you are in essence creating a ripple effect that will extend to your customers. If your employees are taken care of and believe in your culture, your customers will take note.

You can't fake it. You can't say you treat your employees well and then belittle them. You can't say you trust your employees to make the best decision and then second guess them all along the way. You can't say you provide them with all the information to perform their jobs well and then hoard information as power.

Your employees are your first customers.

What are you doing to ensure your most loyal employees are taken care of?

Keep It Simple

Originally uploaded by kevin russ

Sometimes it is best to keep life simple.

• Take the weekend off. Take the night off. Take the day off. Too often we work ourselves to the bone. Late nights. Early mornings. Skipped lunches. You name it, we'll often do it to gain some sort of perceived edge. Everyone needs to slow down and take time away from their job. Even you.
  
• Have some cookies and milk.
  
• Take a walk. Do so slowly while taking in your surroundings. The homes, nature, or whatever little details you happen to notice.
  
• Listen to music and do nothing else.
• Take a "Sunday drive". Remember those?
  
• Grab your camera and just start taking photos of whatever it is you see. Some of my best photos have come from spontaneous shoots.
  
• Write. Don't blog. Don't write a book. Pick up your notebook and just write what comes to you and see where you end up.
• Call an old friend you haven't talked to for a while and talk until your heart is content. Just like old times. I'm thinking I need to do this one.
• Turn off your television. Turn off your computer. Turn off your cell phone. Remove your distractions. Read. Talk to your wife. Talk to your husband. Talk to your parents. Talk to your children. Talk to your friend. Talk to your loved one. You'll learn more meaningful things from them than you would from most of your daily distractions.
  

"Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Foto Finish Friday

Arabian Night, originally uploaded by creativesam.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Where Have You Gone Abraham Lincoln?

Abraham Lincoln
Originally uploaded by onlinewoman

We're hearing quite a bit about Abraham Lincoln these days. It is his birthday today and if he were alive today he'd be 200 years old. John Wilkes Booth ruined that for us.

I'm not a fan of bandwagons, so I'll resist the urge to review, revise, and rewrite his legacy and history itself here. If you're looking for that, go to your favorite news site today, or just Google Obama Lincoln. There's about 27,000,000 results to sift through. Enjoy.

This may offend some people out there, but it is my contention that Lincoln's legacy proves to us one very important thing. Great leaders and thinkers are no longer elected to public office in our society. It's a sad state we find ourselves in. Leonard Klaatu says this about the issue:

My how politicians have changed! In the early years of our country - some of society’s best minds were our country’s leaders. No more. And we’re not better for it.

Some observations:

• Government officials no longer lead in the arena of ideas. They react to polls. Those who are leading in the arena of ideas can be found running successful corporations, writing books, and blogging (yes, blogging, but I don't fit in that list).
  
• Today's crop of politicians rarely come up with bills that produce real, positive change. They turn to focus groups, more polls, and lobbyists for guidance on bills. If you need proof, take a long, hard look at the current stimulus package being pushed through Congress to the President's desk. Those who have real proposals for real change are rarely listened to because they can't be heard over the lobbyists shouts for more kickbacks.
  
• Government officials are always behind. Whether it's White House 1.0 or some bureaucracy standing in the way of progress, politicians today seem to have a very difficult time adjusting to changes in society.
  

I could go on more, but I think you get the point. The greatest minds are not the politicians of today and I think Leonard was right. We're not better for it.

"He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas better than any man I ever met." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Forever Young

Milton
Originally uploaded by jwlphotography

Most young children have many character traits adults struggle with or seem to have forgotten altogether. No doubt the influence young children receive can affect them positively or negatively. Adults are more jaded. Many adults are infected with the me syndrome. Adults get set in their ways, and sometimes those ways aren't beneficial or are clearly wrong.

Here are a few traits of many young children. In these areas in life, we'd be better off staying forever young:

1. Offers love without discrimination.
   
2. Willingness to share.
3. A desire to help others.
4. Forgives and even forgets.
   
5. A strong urge to learn anything about everything.
   
6. Never afraid to ask "why?"
7. Can usually make friends with anyone.
   
8. Will enjoy the simplest things in life.

May you stay forever young.

Why Not Take A Stand?

Tippy Toes
Originally uploaded by littlemisspatricia

I've got 10 minutes to write this...

You don't like taking a stand because it may rock the boat. It can create conflict. Everyone may not agree. It's possible that everyone may not like you after you take your stand. It requires you believe in something. Taking a stand means making a decision. It could mean you are wrong. It seems risky. Someone may challenge your stand and that would require you defending your stand, or worse, if they are right you may have to back down from your stand. It is comfortable to remain neutral, indifferent, and undecided.

These are some of the same reasons I don't enjoy taking a stand either. In fact it's the same reasons most people will choose to do nothing.

Four minutes...

Why not stand up? If refusing to stand means doing nothing, then why would you choose to remain neutral, indifferent, or undecided?

The media likes to make a big deal out of "the undecided" vote in the political realm. In my opinion, in life, voting, or anything else "the undecided" don't matter in the long run. The undecided are the ones who will be reluctant to take part. They'll be reluctant to stand up when needed. When it is critical to show up, the undecided will be missing. How can you rely on those who are going to vacillate and are unwilling to make a decision?

Perhaps the bigger question: Why would you choose not take a stand for something you believe in?

Time's up!

Foto Finish Friday

, originally uploaded by bealluc.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

We All Have A Choice

Jonathan Prepares
Originally uploaded by drewmaniac

We all have a choice.

• You can choose to spend your day thinking of ways to get ahead of the next person.
  
• You can choose to worry about everyone else around you.
  
• You can choose to feel as if you are being slighted by everyone around you, the surroundings in which you were born, or your circumstance in life.
  
• You can choose be angry and bitter.
• You can choose to talk more and listen less.
  
• You can choose to be jealous of the success of others.

The choice is yours. The choice is mine. The choice is ours.

• You can choose to spend your day working to improve the lives of others.
  
• You can choose to focus on accomplishing some of your life goals.
  
• You can choose to realize that sometimes life will throw a wrench in your plans and you will be challenged to overcome obstacles.
  
• You can choose to be happy and friendly.
• You can choose to talk less and listen more.
  
• You can choose to be happy for others when they succeed.

You have a choice. I have a choice. We all have a choice.

"The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice!" ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

Still Nothing Special About Everywhere

CeBIT 2007
Originally uploaded by Mareen Fischinger

Fresh off the heels of another layoff announcement, Starbucks is now entertaining the idea of value meals. On July 1st of last year, when they announced their first wave of layoffs and store closings, I addressed what I thought was the most glaring issue. They not only had a brand identity problem, they had an everywhere problem. Clay commented and said it best when he said, "Starbucks is like the coffee-shop version of an ATM..." He was right.

There is nothing special about everywhere and there is certainly nothing special about value meals. McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Jack In The Box, Hardee's, Whataburger, Carl's Jr., Backyard Burger, Long John Silver's, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, and many, many more all offer value meals. The Starbucks brand has been watered down. It is nothing special.

The moment you start copying your competitor you lose. Instead of having a story that is unique and a brand that produces rabid fans, Starbucks seems content on being just like everyone else.

"Going to the other side of the street can be a barrier," Launi Skinner (2006), senior vice president in charge of Starbucks' store development. She was partially right. There was a barrier. It just wasn't the barrier she was thinking. The fact is that soon, Starbucks won't be unique enough to cross the street for. Especially when you can go to the nearest Dunkin Donuts and get the same value meal there.

There's still nothing special about everywhere.



Special thanks to Oliver Blanchard and Aria Moyal who reminded me of my previous post during a conversation on Twitter about the proposed Starbucks' value meals.