BarrieBergman

CEO’s and Miss Congeniality

Recently I saw one of financial TV’s talking heads criticizing a CEO for his presentation during an annual stock holder’s meeting.  If I hadn’t had a context, I could easily have thought I was listening to a beauty contestant critique.  Granted most TV pundits have no idea what it takes to be a CEO, and maybe this particular guy was dumb as a rock, but it started me thinking about what makes a good CEO.

I used to be a CEO.  I had my good and bad moments, so I have an idea what works and what doesn’t.  To run a large organization you must look like a leader.  This style takes many different shapes depending on the organization and the culture.

A leader can be General George Patton or Deepak Chopra, whatever the group you’re leading needs to get to its objective.  The key is to understand what the group needs and to project that style, if possible (why “if possible”?)

This stylistic problem is the reason certain CEO’s and leaders are great in one situation and crummy in another.  One of the reasons that I voted for Barack Obama was that I thought we needed a calm leader at that point in time, not someone like John McCain, who I considered a bit of a hot head.

If you want to know if you are a leader, look over your shoulder.  If there is anybody back there, you are a leader.  If there’s no one there, you are not a leader.

On a sadder note . . . I’ll miss Elizabeth Taylor.  Beautiful people like her make the world a better place.

Having a Fun and Fulfilling Life

Why read Nice Guys Finish First?  If you’ve ever desired to succeed, to get rich, and still be a good person with a personal life that is fulfilling and fun, this book will show you a way to make it happen.  The simple strategies below are what worked for me, and with these you can build a successful business and a successful life:
            ·    Enjoy your job
            ·    Find a balance in your life
            ·    Treat coworkers with respect and understanding
            ·    Set goals based on excellence not based on money

Nice Guys Finish First
Available at   Amazon.com

Greed is Not Good

I read a great article in the LA Times about the destruction of a good company.  The private equity firm, that bought retailer Harry and David, has made every mistake that can be made.  The first mistake they made was to violate the cardinal rule, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

They raped the cash, over leveraged the balance sheet, paid themselves, fired the CEO, brought in seedy management, laid off one third of the labor force, and then took some more money.   They pissed off everybody living in the town, where the company was located.

All of this stupidity and cupidity was explained with the kind of mealy-mouthed BS that is hard to read about without puking.  And then for fun they took some more money.

I am a victim of people who bought my company and ruined it.  We sold to a Belgian company named Super Club, but we always called them Stupid Club.  If brains were dynamite, these clowns couldn’t have blown their noses!

It only took a few years for these rocket scientists to tear apart 25 years of hard work.  I know, they gave us a lot of money, and it was their toy.  But damn, it hurt to watch them.  Twenty years later I’m still pissed off.

I have no recommendations for making an acquisition.  Companies always have reasons for buying another company, and generally it’s not to annihilate it.  Perhaps they could try to remember what those reasons were in the first place.

Is it Possible to be Honest and Ethical in Business?

I enjoy mentoring up-and-coming CEOs. It amazes me how many times I’ll hear them lament, “Barrie, is it really possible these days to be honest and ethical in business?” They will actually tell me that they’ve received advice that it’s just not possible, that they have to cut corners or they just won’t make it. This appalls me. My answer to them is an emphatic “Yes!” Yes, you can be ethical and honest in business. Not only can you do it, but it’s proven to be a very successful business model.

 I wouldn’t do it any other way.  If I couldn’t do it that way, I just wouldn’t be in business. Life is too short, and I want to be able to sleep at night.

 When I was CEO of Record Bar, I would often say, “We’ll get rich a few days later.”  If it didn’t meet an ethical standard, a legal standard, and a loving standard, I didn’t want to do it. Thus, we would get rich a few days later.

 Many people believe that this sounds like a fanciful way of doing business.  But it’s not.  It worked for me, and it can work for you.

 

How to be Successful in your Life

The do's and don'ts of life are basic.  They're simple.  Treat others as you yourself would like to be treated.  Show up, take responsibility, keep commitments.  Express love, compassion, and patience.  Kathy M. Kristof said it best.  Check this out:

Kathy Kristof on personal finance: Listen to Mom - latimes.com