Business Tribes Management Consulting

Cause - Do something meaningful in the recession

 Old Well on UNC Campus by Skibler

This evening I heard Dr. Holden Thorp, Chancellor of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill speak at Chabad of UNC and Duke University. Dr. Thorp was asked about the impact of the economic downturn on graduating students. Dr. Thorp responded that the recession is an opportunity for graduates to do something meaningful for something that is important to them such as going abroad or teach in underprivileged communities. When the economy is strong, students may want to do something meaningful but feel obligated to take a well paying job. Now many of those jobs do not exist for the time being, and graduates are more free to choose meaningful projects. (This is a paraphrase, not a direct quote). Perhaps as Dr. Thorp suggests, the recession and global economic downturn is an opportunity to do something meaningful.

Cause - Wally Robertson on Toastmasters and mentorship

I interviewed Wally Robertson, Founder and CEO of BDQ International, for Chapel Hill Toastmasters.  BDQ is a Business Strategy, Planning and Operations consultancy.

I asked Wally what leadership goals has he set for Toastmaster? 

Wally: "DTM [Distinguished Toastmaster] is my objective for which I have to go through a lot of leadership objectives. What I do find interesting is that I have an innate desire to help others. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from helping others and I am surprised how Toastmasters has helped with this. I have just gone through six months of mentorship, completed at the end of June.... I have just attended the meeting of a new club today and I was really impressed by how that club was.  And I made some recommendations that they reckoned were of value to them. That is very gratifying."

Read the complete interview at Chapel Hill Toastmasters Featured Toastmaster Wally Robertson.

Cause - buy a business with passion

Mike Michalowicz of TPE asks for strategies on how to buy a business.

Ann Farrell, CPCC, PCC  is the Founder and President of Quantum Endeavors, Inc.

Ann Farrell is an executive, business and leadership coach who facilitates a powerful alignment between people and organizations for accelerated success. Ann writes "No matter how great the deal looks, and yes, do all of your due diligence to ensure that "looks" are not deceiving, at the end of the day, you have still Gotta Love It!! Make sure the business is one that will both fuel and feed your passion!"

Joseph Joel Sherman, Founder and President Business Tribes Management Consulting wrote “How To Buy A Business: Great businesses have a passionate cause driving them. What will drive you when the chips are down, when it seems the odds are against you? Working towards a cause you truly believe in will drive you to the next level.

Cause - Pensions for top executives and the tribe

  

Wall Street by Felix, 07

Ellen Schultz and Tom McGinty of the Wall Street Journal report that "Pensions for top executives rose an average of 19% in 2008, with more than 200 executives seeing pensions increase more than 50%, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. The executive-pension growth stemmed partly from generous pension formulas, which are based on executive pay, according to the filings. Also adding to the pension jumps are arcane techniques that have received little scrutiny, including increases triggered when an executive reaches a certain age or when companies change interest rates used to calculate the pensions. Executive pensions rose even as the share prices at the companies declined an average of 37%...."

People will do anything for the tribe when people believe their leaders are working in the best interest of the tribe. If the cause is compelling enough, the tribe will climb the highest mountains. But, when it appears that the leaders are simply leaching off the backs of the tribe, the cause dies. Those who at one time cold climb mountains will have a difficult time getting over the next speed bump.

Cause - What will you be remembered for?

Test-preparation pioneer Stanley Kaplan died Sunday, said Kaplan Inc., 71 years after creating the business in its parents' Brooklyn basement. The company grew into the nation's largest test-prep business, helping students get ready for college-entrance exams such as the SAT, and in the process blazing a trail for the for-profit education industry. Dominick Dunne, perhaps the most famous chronicler of the celebrity crowd over the last quarter century, died Wednesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 83 and had battled bladder cancer. Dunne, an investigative journalist, was famous for his reports from the trials of the infamous —O. J. Simpson, Michael Skakel, William Kennedy Smith, the Menendez brothers, plus the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Preservationist Carolyn Kent is dead at the age of 74. Carolyn Kent, a longtime preservationist who helped save numerous buildings in upper Manhattan, has died, her family said Sunday. She was 74. From the 1950s until her final days, Kent fought to secure landmark status for west Harlem and Morningside Heights buildings. “Edward M. Kennedy—the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply—died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port. We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it’s hard to imagine any of them without him.” What cause will you be remembered for?

Cause - obsessively developing strengths and flaunting weaknesses

Dave Rendall, Assistant Professor of Business at Mount Olive College and author of the Freak Factor writes "While you are busy diffusing your time and energy broadly in an effort to improve in a variety of different areas, someone else is obsessively developing their strengths and flaunting their weaknesses. They aren't allowing their weaknesses to distract them from focusing on the areas in which they have the greatest potential."

Tribes cannot be all things to all people.

Parents were outraged when the once wholesome family image of Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus was destroyed when she posed in less than full dress for Vanity Fair.

Restaurants promoting organic food from local farmers may save a penny or two by using plastic and Styrofoam take outs, but as Moshe Mena, Director of MyGreenTable  explains "Their customers see value in using Eco-friendly, biodegradable products."

Attempting to expand the Harley Davidson popularity by incorporating a soft and fluffy teddy bear approach to bikes would destroy the tribe.

Cause - U2 from Roberta Lage

Photo by Dave Nicoll

Roberta Lage wrote a great article about U2.  

"U2 has evolved with their music, causes and humanitarian work.  

The music of U2 has always been about causes along with heart, mind, body and soul." 

"Down the years the band has been more involved in causes trying to make the world a better place.

From Amnesty International and Greenpeace through to DATA, ONE, (Product (RED) and the Chernobyl 

Children's Project. U2 has been contributing with benefit concerts, songwriting, public campaign, fund-raising projects promoting a range of charities and activist communities worldwide."

U2 shows how taking up a cause is a real commitment, not a one shot attempt for media attention.  

Cause - What will you be remembered for?

"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died on Thursday." "SANTA MONICA FOXNews - Farrah Fawcett, the multiple Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated American actress best known for her role as the vivacious Jill Munroe in the 1970s television series “Charlie's Angels,” died in a Santa Monica hospital." "CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South African anti-apartheid activist Helen Suzman, who won international acclaim as one of the few white lawmakers to fight against the injustices of racist rule, died Thursday. She was 91." "PARIS (AP) — Jean Dausset, a Nobel prize-winning French immunologist and pioneer behind organ transplants and mapping of the human genome, has died." "YOUNGSTOWN — Edna Pincham, former Youngstown school board president, community activist, and the first black woman to run for Youngstown mayor, died today. She was inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in May." What cause will you be remembered for?

Cause - making good out of something very bad: an interview with Aaron Beam

Aaron Beam has a message for corporate executives and compliance officers. Ethics are not traditionally taught in business school. Perhaps it is time for corporate America to learn about ethics, and Beam is the perfect man to teach them. Beam is the co-founder and former Chief Financial Officer of HealthSouth, at one time the nation's largest provider of outpatient surgery and rehabilitative services. Beam took part in a $2.7 billion account fraud at HealthSouth between 1996 and 2002. Beam is a man with a cause.

Joseph: What is your cause? Aaron: There are no real warnings about the pressures on Wall Street, and business in general, that you will be put in a situation that is unethical or marginally unethical.  I want students to be more aware. I received an e-mail this week suggesting that we have to approach every job thinking “I may be asked do fraud.” And you have to say no. Joseph: How do you prepare for this kind of situation? Aaron: It takes training.  Ask, what would I do in this scenario?  The airplane pilot was trained to deal with the situation when he landed on the Hudson River.  [On January 15, 2009, Chesley Sullenberger, pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, safely landed despite the loss of thrust, saving all passengers.]  How do I handle a situation where I am asked to do something unethical?  It may mean losing your  job but you have to say no.  Once you have blood on your hands, you are guilty. I am unique. I was a CFO for a large company, in a culture where thousands of people had committed fraud. There are not a lot of chief financial officers who were involved in this type of fraud who are speaking out about it.  The CFOs of Enron and WorldCom are in prison.  People are asking what is going on in the business world? Why are people getting paid millions of dollars to screw things up? Because of the attitude of business today, someone speaking of a real life example that I went through, in the company, what it was like, in prison, is very valuable. At a recent speech not a single person turned on their blackberry during the talk, thats how you know you how you did. I am trying to make something good out of something very bad. Joseph: What message do you want to send to compliance officers? Aaron: Very well intended employees who are not by nature felons or criminals can, because of the pressure of jobs and wall street, and abusive bosses, can be lead into a fraud situation.  As compliance officers they need to try to spot people who are over zealous in making the sells or making the budget, and be attuned to how they treat their employees, be aware that people will abuse their employees, so they can advance themselves. Most people are not that aggressive, but the guy who is advancing fast in the company, probably has a lot of traits like my boss [former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy]. They  can get people to do things they want, these are positive traits, but also can be negative if they are not put to good use. They can influence the good people, who just wants to please and do a good job.  Compliance officers need to look for those types of situations. Aaron: Snakes in Suites, a book about sociopaths in business [Paul Babiak, Ph.D. and Robert D. Hare, Ph.D.] shows that some people just cant stand to loose, and it doesn't bother them to cheat in order to win. This is critical for compliance offices and companies as a whole. Joseph: How can a compliance officer at a large company monitor everyone? Aaron: I am talking about executive level, like a big fraud at Enron or Health South.  Compliance Officers need to monitor the behavior of people in those situations.  They should not be a snoop, but they need to be aware.  Things like exit interviews, for example if someone “just leaves” ask them why. The general public asks “how can this happen?”  When someone take $20 out of petty cash, its not public, but when its hundreds of millions of dollars, it hits the news. Joseph: I agree, so much of compliance and audits looks at documents not the people involved.  Your experience was at the executive level.  You mention that nobody notices $20, but when it hits the millions, it starts to get noticed.  Is there a broader culture of honesty and ethics that need to be addressed? In the context of tribes, perhaps the executives have a responsibility to lead the company culture. If the executives are honest and set a high standard, then it will influence the rest of the company. Aaron Beam can be contacted by phone (251) 964-8014 and e-mail: info@aaronbeam.net

Cause - Green vs. Non-Green Products by Erin Alexandra Devine

Erin Alexandra Devine is the Social Media Marketing Manager with MyGreenTable.  MyGreenTable introduces green friendly products to schools, religious institutions, catering companies, restaurants, and the public to use a comfortable and durable to use instead of using Styrofoam products.

"It's the trickle-down theory of environmental eating. Maybe people sense a disconnect between eating organic sandwiches off Styrofoam plates." -Paul Rauber, senior editor at Sierra magazine

The environmental movement has taken the United States by storm, forcing people to think about the effects that their everyday choices have on the world and the future. As Rauber described, it simply does not make sense to change only certain facets of life, such as eating organic food or turning the TV off upon leaving the house, when there are other considerations blatantly in need of some modification. I’m referring to the need to switch from non-green eating utensils and tableware like Styrofoam and paper products to starch-based eco-friendly products. 

Rauber makes a good point: You can claim that you are being eco-wise, but if you dig into a locally-grown all-organic pile of mashed potatoes with a plastic fork on a Styrofoam plate, you might as well eat chemically fertilized potatoes after all. The disposable utensils that are tossed in a garbage can after use wind up in a landfill, and some never do decompose. Not to mention that production of Styrofoam and plastic is dangerous for workers in those plants, and the process uses up many natural resources and is the cause of much carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. I will examine the pros and cons of various makes of disposable tableware and weigh them against the environmental alternative of Bagasse products.

 

Paper Products

Paper products like Dixie cups and plates are manufactured from tree cellulose and then bleached white. The problem lies in the fact that paper products are not environmentally friendly, as they are produced from trees. If you consider that 1 ton of non-recycled printing and office paper uses 24 trees, then you consider the amount of paper tableware that the average person may go through in a year, you can see that the idea of conservation is naught in the production of paper products. In order to produce one pound of paper products, an input of 8.23 kWh of energy is required, and production emits 11.09 pounds of carbon dioxide. Those figures are not ideal and do not match up with the move towards environmentally friendly manufacturing. In terms of efficiency for use as plates, paper quickly absorbs any liquid or grease that is put on the plate, making it soggy and limp.

 

Plastics

Plastics have recently been found to be the cause of several negative health effects, such as carcinogens and endocrine disruption. Another issue with plastics is that they are produced using fossil fuels, which are now becoming depleted. Plastics cannot be fully recycled or decomposed, just reprocessed to become a secondary material.

Styrofoam

Also known as expanded polystyrene, Styrofoam is made up of 90-95% polystyrene and 5-10% air/gas. It is pretty clear that this product is by no means organic. Though Styrofoam bowls and plates are convenient and, for the most part, inexpensive, the downside to this type of material for tableware is that there are many risks involved, both for people and for the environment. First of all, it is common knowledge that Styrofoam should not be put in the microwave. This is due to the fact that styrene can leach into food—especially when heated—and this has led to many studies that have identified it as a possible carcinogen and hormone disruptor. In an 1986 EPA report, it states that the polystyrene manufacturing process is the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste, and the process itself is harmful for workers in the plant. In addition, Styrofoam production requires 13.1 kWh of energy and emits 17.48 pounds of carbon dioxide, the highest of any of the other methods of tableware production. That is the reason why many cities and counties have actually outlawed the use of Styrofoam take-out containers provided by restaurants. 

An Environmentally-Friendly Alternative: Bagasse

There always seems to be a disadvantage to every method: Sure, plastic forks are

cheap, but they come along with a negative environmental impact. But who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? Bagasse and other plant-based starch products were discovered to be excellent materials out of which to make disposable tableware. Bagasse, a byproduct of sugar production, is plentiful, and was previously burned, unnecessarily polluting the environment with more carbon dioxide. Since the useful properties of Bagasse were discovered, manufacturers of sugar cane in underdeveloped parts of the world can sell the Bagasse as a product in and of itself, enabling them to make a higher profit and potentially help raise the gross domestic products of these countries. 

Bagasse serves as an excellent alternative to paper, as it does not require cutting down of trees, and it does not require as much energy to produce (and does not need to be bleached!). It also can withstand temperatures up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, and is completely microwave and freezer safe. The aspect that makes Bagasse an eco-friendly substitute is that it is completely biodegradable/compostable. That is, it will decompose under controlled means in order to become compost, used for potting mix, mulch, etc. The composting process occurs within 30-90 days. Instead of wasting space in landfills, Bagasse disposables do their part in continuing a healthy energy cycle, putting organic matter back into the soil to support other growth.

All things considered, there is really no excuse not to make the switch over to Bagasse tableware from Styrofoam, plastic, or paper disposables. It seems almost like a product that is too good to be true: it is good for the environment, requires less energy to produce, releases less carbon dioxide during production, is a durable and convenient material for foods, and helps support countries that can profit from the sale of sugar cane leftovers. In every sense, Bagasse is simply the best choice for modern consumers of the world.