What Does Forty-Five Years Have To DoWith Running Your Business?

Actually quite a bit. Read on for a smile and some good business advice. Why forty-five? Sunday was Elaine’s and my 45th wedding anniversary. Neither one of us is fully responsible for this wonderful day—we both are. When we married in 1974 we were very different people than we are today. We raised a family, moved a couple of times, into three different states, and still our love flourished.

How did this happen? Can’t say for sure, but I do know that we both worked at it. As new and different thoughts came to our lives, we both adapted. Sure we disagreed on a lot of things, but we made sure the big things were always blended together. We were there when each other needed anything.

We are still growing and changing. And will be continuously.

Now about running your business with this thought in mind. You hire John Doe and two years later you and he are not getting along. Well you can just fire him and move on. Except there are no glaziers available to hire and John does a great job 90% of the time.  Why did your relationship with John go bad?  One of you changed something.  And the other disagreed.  There could be a hundred reasons for this.  But if you want to keep John as a productive member of your team, you need to find out why you and he are not getting along.  Sit down with John and discuss it.  He may not understand a change you made.  Maybe he wants more responsibility and you didn’t pick up on this.  Or maybe you have a new interest and are ignoring the glass business.  Or maybe he just wants to get fired so he can collect unemployment.

There are a thousand and one reasons for you and John to be at a crossroads, but it is to both of your advantages to work it out.  You can always pull rank and let him go.  That is the easy way out and the most expensive way to boot.  Save his career with you and you help the company.  Try it.  You can always pull the plug down the road.  But have that employee review session or just take him out to lunch.  You will come out ahead.