For most American individuals and C Corps, yesterday was Tax Day. For S Corps, it was a month ago. Yes, you could always file for an extension, which gives you more time to get your records and returns in order. Obviously, you need your trusted financial advisor team to handle the details, but as the leader, you should be aware of the tax ramifications of your business.
Spring has sprung. The trees and flowers are beginning to bloom. The snow in most parts of the northern states has melted away, and now it is full steam ahead before the summer vacation cycle begins. This time of year is typically when people emerge from winter household activities and begin freshening up the exterior and, sometimes, the interior of their homes. As we grew up, our families enlisted our help with one project or another. From washing windows to raking the debris from the garden beds or that first cutting of the lawn, it was all hands-on deck. As business leaders, we can take a few lessons from this seasonal action to improve both our businesses and, more importantly, ourselves.
Yesterday was the traditional April Fool’s Day. Today is the first day of the new calendar quarter. 3 months have passed, and you should now have some data to analyze to see how you are progressing on your 2026 plans. Much like reviewing your monthly financials, you need a recurring event to pause and review actual data to confirm or adjust your action plans.
Last week, we introduced or reintroduced you to the variety show plate spinner. It may have struck a chord as you evaluate your daily routine of juggling priorities and challenges to run your business. It is not easy to view yourself in that situation, but if you are ruthlessly honest with your operating style, you might just have to admit you too have lots of plates spinning, some of which are wobbling out of control.
Years ago, on Saturday and Sunday nights, variety shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Milton Berle’s Show showcased a range of talent. Singers, musicians, comedians, and many others who would provide entertainment for the viewing audience. One of the more obscure artists who would be on the show from time to time was a more circus-level act of the person who would spin china plates on top of rods, which were secured to a table before them. It was always a competition to see how many plates the plate spinner could get spinning simultaneously before they started to wobble and come crashing to the ground. These artists were part actors, performers, and comedians wrapped up in a show of talent. If you have not witnessed such a performance, search for it on the internet or click here
The world is a buzz with discussion about artificial intelligence. What will it do? What it won’t do? How it will be used for this, that, and the next thing. How will it affect various jobs in the marketplace? Is it evil, or will it morph into something that mankind can’t control? Have we crossed the line of science fiction into the reality of the future? Lots and lots of questions. Lots and lots of guesses on answers. Regardless of the hype or confusion artificial intelligence is creating in the marketplace, people will still interact with other people. That very element of person-to-person relationships will never be replaced by technology. This is why you must invest in your knowledge, understanding, appreciation, and motivation to improve your emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence beats Artificial IntelligenceRead More »
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly apparent that the fundamentals of communication have deteriorated. To be more specific, it starts with a breakdown of listening. Maybe digging a little deeper means taking the time to pause and give the person speaking your full attention. Notice the key words here – “with you” and not “at you.”
Ever been in one of those places, talking on your phone, and the reception gets distorted or even drops? Almost all of us have been there, and one of the first things we do is check the level of service currently displayed on our device. We look at the bars on the screen to determine whether we have 1, 5, or something in between. Based on our signal strength observations, we either recall the person or wait until we are in a better location to place the call.
Ever been in one of those places, talking on your phone, and the reception gets distorted or even drops? Almost all of us have been there, and one of the first things we do is check the level of service currently displayed on our device. We look at the bars on the screen to determine whether we have 1, 5, or something in between. Based on our signal strength observations, we either recall the person or wait until we are in a better location to place the call.
How many bars of strength does your Purpose have?Read More »
3 minutes of listening to a podcast, watching any news cast on TV, catching information from any number of social media outlets could fill your head with such a vast array of promoted facts that, over time, one could believe them as truth. It does not matter which side of the fence, aisle, or agenda you or your staff are on. It seems that everyone has contributed to the chaos. A lie, or alternative facts, repeatedly repeated in a person’s mind can eventually not only sound truthful but, in their world, become true. This phenomenon exists in both the political and social environments, as well as within your organization. Narrowing in on crafted alternative facts as truth and living in the reality of actual facts cannot be brushed aside.