Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that a lot of people who are highly motivated and driven to succeed “just don’t get it.” These highly productive people are focused on getting results and they expect others to be “doers” too. It seems that these go-getters have a hard time understanding why people don’t operate the same way they do. You see, they don’t need to be told more than once to get them to do something and they get frustrated when they have to repeatedly ask others to get things done.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve liked politics, campaigns and elections. There was something magical about heading down to the old Town of Franklin voting “shack” that was heated by a wood-burning, potbelly stove. I couldn’t wait to go with my parents and stand in line with all the other people who were waiting to cast their ballot. Although I’m still fascinated by the political process, as a tax-paying adult who “works too much,” it seems that the reality of it isn’t as charming as I once thought it was. The truth is … I’m afraid my cynicism and sense of logic has replaced my naïveté and sense of emotion.

Back in 1993, NBA All-Star Charles Barkley found himself in the middle of a national debate because of what he said in a shoe commercial for Nike. It was a simple message, “I am not a role model.” Not a stranger to controversy, Sir Charles defended his statement. Essentially, the point of his argument was that his job was to be good at playing basketball, while a parent’s job is to be a role model for their kids and raise them well.

Imagine living in a world where there are no consequences. What do you think that would be like? At first, that sounds kind of intriguing, doesn’t it? You could eat whatever you want ... calories wouldn’t count. You could drive as fast as you want ... you wouldn’t get tickets, just warnings. You could stay up and party as late as you want ... hangovers wouldn’t exist. Hey ... you wouldn’t even have to work or pay your bills ... someone would just give you free money!

Do you remember the “tree interview” that Barbara Walters did with Katharine Hepburn back in the early ’80s? She asked her, “If you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be?” In all fairness to Walters, her question was a follow-up to Hepburn’s comment that she was “like a tree.” As odd as that whole conversation was, it actually might not be all that crazy. Now just wait ... allow me to explain!

Chances are every one of us knows people who think they’re always right. It’s pretty tough dealing with them, isn’t it? At some point, it’s usually just easier to give in or give up. Of course, thinking that you’re right and actually being right are two completely different things. And if you’re a parent who has teenagers, this scenario probably describes a day in your life right now. Fortunately, the older we get, the more self-aware we become and it’s easier to accept when we’re wrong. Nonetheless, hopefully you’re right more often than you’re not.

When it comes to effective employee management, what’s the most important thing you can do to ensure you’re successful with your team? I’m sure we can all create a list of characteristics, concepts and techniques for effectively managing your workforce. But it’s a lot simpler than that. So let’s start at the very beginning. The most important thing you can do to make employee management easier and more effective is to hire better employees. Yeah, you probably already knew that.

If I worked at your dairy, what would it take for me to get fired? Normally, most people aren’t going to just come right out and ask you that. But the truth is that’s a real concern for a lot of employees – both the good ones you want to keep and the bad ones on your team flirting with trouble all the time. For the most part, people who are productively paranoid about keeping their job genuinely appreciate it and add value to their work. Ultimately, those are the people you want on your team. But the reality is that not everyone fits that description.

When was the last time you stopped to think about your personal “business philosophy?” In other words ... when it comes to work, what do you value and focus on the most? Regardless of how often your day-to-day challenges change, your “business compass” should remain pretty constant as you navigate through these ups and downs. So what’s at the center of the way you make decisions and prioritize your time?

You’ve heard the saying: “The captain goes down with the ship,” right? But with all of the safety standards and regulations that exist today, did you ever think that this concept would actually apply to a situation in your lifetime? Until recently, I never thought it would. But all of that changed when the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran ashore and capsized a few months ago. As of this writing, 30 bodies have been recovered, two people are still missing and the cruise liner’s captain, Francesco Schettino, remains under house arrest.