Columnists: Broudy

How to reduce mismatched project expectations

Oct 1, 2011, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

Mismatched expectations are caused by information gaps. If you tell someone to make coffee and don’t specify decaf, they’ll have to choose regular or decaf. Half the time they’ll decide on the one you didn’t want because there was a gap in your instructions....

How not to do it all yourself

Jun 1, 2011, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

An owner-dependent business can’t compete in a tough economic climate. If you’re doing it all yourself, you’re not looking forward, scanning the market and beating competitors to the punch. But if you have employees, you can offload tasks if you know how....

There aren't any good job candidates out there

Nov 1, 2010, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

When you hire a $15 per hour employee, he'll cost you about $10,000 in hiring and training costs, plus $30,000 in salary and another $7,500 in tax and benefits. That's $47,500 in the first year....

To expand or not to expand, that's the question

Aug 9, 2010, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

Your business is doing OK, you've saved up a little cash, and a few competitors have dropped out because of the recession. There’s an opportunity to expand your business and get positioned for the recovery, but it'll mean a serious investment. Should you do it?...

What they didn’t teach you at trade school

Jun 8, 2010, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

Whether it’s engineers, plumbers or HVAC professionals, being a proficient tradesman has almost nothing to do with actually running the business, but that’s exactly the trap that many contractors fall into....

Be a role model for your employees

Mar 1, 2010, BY JAYME BROUDY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

Leaders are made, not born. Occasionally an extraordinary person comes along who can inspire lofty performance by sheer charisma or overpowering intelligence, but these folks are very much the exception. You don’t have to be Alexander the Great or a Winston Churchill to be a strong effective leader....