Author: Brian Smyth

From Chaotic Bakery to Professional Business

From Chaotic Bakery to Professional Business

Posted by | Jul 26, 2016 | |

A Parable It was many years ago that I began my bakery. I was always interested in baking  from the time I licked the bowls  my mother had used for different kinds of  wonderful cakes that she made. I took advantage of a redundancy package my company had been offering and purchased ovens and other equipment, new business. At first I worked from home  but soon I got my own premises,  again using my redundancy nest egg. I made buns and pastries for various restaurants in the city and gradually built up a staff of five people and a...

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The Comfort and the Pitfall of the Story

The Comfort and the Pitfall of the Story

Posted by | Jul 21, 2016 | |

Post Match Analyses: I don’t watch soccer and, thankfully, I haven’t wasted much of my life in the last month watching the ‘Euros’.   I did see small bits of two games when France beat Germany and Portugal beat France.   In the France – Germany game, my impression that Germany were on top throughout the game  was confirmed by the facts or statistics which declared that Germany had 65% possession. Notwithstanding that, the pundits afterwards unanimously declared that France were the better team.  A story to fit the result!  The same happened in the final where France had 60% of...

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Good Money after Bad or Getting Value for Money

Good Money after Bad or Getting Value for Money

Posted by | Jul 7, 2016 | , |

Leaving aside the 87 who earn more than what half of the world population earn, you are probably shocked from time to time at the seemingly exorbitant pay increases many CEO’s and the like expect and receive. Unless you are one of them, that is, and even if there isn’t anything apparently untoward in how they got paid or paid themselves.  One’s shock can turn to indignation at the complete lack of any embarrassment on the part of these overpaid leaders when their pay increases are remarked upon or challenged. They seem perfectly entitled to increases that in themselves...

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Decision Making, Democracy and Voting

Decision Making, Democracy and Voting

Posted by | Jun 29, 2016 | |

So much for Democracy The people of the United Kingdom have recently taken a decision as a people, a pretty important one it would appear, to leave the EU.  At the end of it all, there is no real clarity or agreement as to why people voted one way or the other. What we do know is that, at the end of it all, 16 million people are unhappy with that decision but have to go along with the decision and live with its effects. So too will the 14 million people who chose not to take part in...

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Performance Reviews – A Two-Edged Sword

Performance Reviews – A Two-Edged Sword

Posted by | Jun 14, 2016 | |

Just in case, let’s be clear – Performance Reviews are, in my opinion, one of the most valuable and most important tools in any organisation. People need feedback, people need attention, people need challenges, people need to be encouraged to be great and Companies need their people to be great. Performance Reviews, in the right hands, can deal with all of these needs.   In the wrong hands, or rather with the wrong heads and understanding, managers can knowingly and unknowingly do serious and lasting damage to people through how they review people and their performance.  Yes; serious AND lasting. ...

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