Bennett Stewart is an expert in shareholder value and corporate performance management, and CEO of EVA Dimensions, a financial technology firm that provides software tools, databases and training and support packages that help companies to test and automate Best-Practice EVA, and investors to earn excess returns alpha. This article was excerpted with permission from the publisher, John Wiley & Sons, from “Best-Practice EVA” (March 2013).
Every business leader needs a way to amplify his or her business instincts and galvanize a team of players to win. The bad news is, conventional financial metrics will inevitably mislead business leaders and their teams into making suboptimal decisions that leave a lot of value on the table because all the measures have blind spots — they hide the truth or tell half-truths.
Earnings, for instance, can easily be inflated with balance sheet investments that don’t earn a decent return, and ROI-fixated companies will limit investments to the highest returns and forfeit lots of profitable growth opportunities that would increase the firm’s value.…
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Can a manager be an effective coach? Some (often, professional coaches) say that they can’t and shouldn’t, because they have too much of a vested interest in the outcome of the coaching and couldn’t possibly be neutral enough to hold back on their opinions.
Then again, a lot of managers think they are already coaching when what they are really doing is a lot of teaching, advising and telling — or, worst case, micromanaging (think Pointy Haired Boss from “Dilbert”). They use the phrase “coaching” to describe just about any conversation they have with an employee.
Both are valid positions. It all depends on how you define what “coaching” is. I like to think of it as the skill and art of helping someone improve their performance and reach their full potential. There is a spectrum of coaching skills — from directive (teaching, advising, giving feedback, offering suggestions), to asking questions and listening — the real magic of coaching is when the coach takes a more non-directive approach (asking questions and listening) and the person can solve his or her problems.…
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Showing your appreciation for your customers’ support isn’t just a nice thing to do — it’s a word-of-mouth-marketing opportunity. It’s amazing what a retweet, a Facebook share or a simple shout-out can do for your word-of-mouth when you say “thanks” to your social fans. Here are three reasons.
- Your fans will be surprised: Companies spend a lot of time worrying about negative word-of-mouth and what to do with it. But unfortunately, not many put that much effort into handling positive feedback. Show your customers some appreciation for their recommendations, and you’ll surprise and delight them.
- A lot of people will see it: When your social media fans say something cool about your business, retweet them, share it and thank them. While you’re showing everyone else you’re responsive and you care, you’re also calling more attention to your fan’s positive review.
- You’ll have another opportunity to connect: A great thank you is an opportunity to get your business back on your fans’ minds and earn their word-of-mouth.
Recently, I had the opportunity to record a Google Hangout with four connected educators on “Growing Your PLN.” Lyn Hilt (@l_hilt), Nick Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher), Lisa Dabbs (@teachingwthsoul) and Patrick Larkin (@patrickmlarkin) joined the conversation and shared a wealth of advice on how educators can develop a strong personal learning network.
What is a personal learning network?
A Personal Learning Network is an informal learning network that enables an individual to work collaboratively, connect, share, encourage and grow professionally alongside both local and global connections. In the conversation, Provenzano shares how he connects with his PLN via social media, some of whom may be in the classroom next door, and others around the world, as these connections give him an ever growing network of people who he trusts in the field.
“It’s amazing what one tweet can do or what one tweet can start,” shares Dabbs, in discussing how social media can create a chain reaction of connections.…
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Prudential Investments Mutual Funds, part of Prudential Financial, spends a lot of time providing thought leadership with input from Prudential Financial’s affiliated institutional managers. A topic it has recently given much attention to is fixed-income choices in defined-contribution (DC) plans. In 2012, Prudential Investments Mutual Funds published the white paper, Insights on Investing: Fixed Income Options within DC Plans, for the purpose of initiating dialogue with advisors and consultants.
In this three-part blog series sponsored by Prudential, we will examine how fixed income can enhance retirement menus. This interview was originally published in the November 2012 issue of Financial Advisor magazine.
In today’s Part 1, the experts explain why offering a wider selection and variety of fixed-income choices to DC plan menus can potentially provide higher returns, greater diversification and less volatility to retirement portfolios.
Part 2 of the interview will look at ways to construct a better portfolio.
Part 3 of the interview will explain how financial advisors can help in this effort.…
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