This month is the five-year anniversary of my stepping away from being a full-time corporate CEO and starting my career as a professor and Executive in Residence at Northern Arizona University. Five years ago, I wondered how I would stay current on what was happening in corporate America, so that I could continue to teach as a qualified and informed practitioner. I’m extremely fortunate in that not only do I get to teach, but I have the opportunity to sit on a number of boards, while also … [Read more...] about Jump Up and Down on the Table and Scream
T. Paul Thomas
Ask the CEO: Exceptional Customer Service
Most of my columns are based on experiences I’ve had with my former companies. Most of my organizations were in business-to-business selling, so my experience with retail is relatively limited to personal buying experiences. That being said, I think many of the practices I used still apply to today’s small business, or any retail business. Recently, I was shopping around for a very specific watch, and my experiences are what gave me the idea for this month’s column. Between driving to local … [Read more...] about Ask the CEO: Exceptional Customer Service
Can You Learn to be a Great Manager?
My column last month was titled, “Five Habits of Great Managers.” I always re-post my columns on social media and that column had by far the most views of any column I’ve ever written. In addition, I received a long list of emails about the topic. One of the most interesting questions I received was, “Can anyone learn to be a great manager?” I decided to make that the topic of this month’s column. I am fortunate to be on the faculty of the W.A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona … [Read more...] about Can You Learn to be a Great Manager?
You Did Not Get to the Top All By Yourself
This was an interesting week for me at Northern Arizona University. Two things happened that reminded me our successes are not the result of our individual work and effort. Our successes are the result of others who have reached out and helped us climb the career ladder. The first thing that happened was a student, who is graduating in May, stopped by my office and asked, “What did you do to become a CEO, because that is what I want to do.” The second is that I was fortunate to have Gary … [Read more...] about You Did Not Get to the Top All By Yourself
Is it My Fault That Company Morale is Terrible?
I have been extremely fortunate during my life to have had a wide range of jobs, from delivering newspapers to helping the poorest of the poor in Kenya to leading a $130 million public company. One of the greatest opportunities and challenges is being an executive director/CEO/president of an organization. With all the personal and financial rewards come the good and the bad. During the good times, you get all the credit and life is wonderful. I once remember holding my board of directors’ … [Read more...] about Is it My Fault That Company Morale is Terrible?
How Will You Treat Me After I Resign; Does it Matter?
As a manager, one of the worst things we can hear is, “I’m quitting” from one of our employees. Our immediate thought is that we are already over-worked and understaffed. Then we start thinking about the hassle of recruiting, and trying to find someone qualified to accept the pay for the cost-of-living that exists. Let me challenge you to look at this differently. Stop thinking about yourself and instead ask how you can make this a great experience for the resigning employee. I know this … [Read more...] about How Will You Treat Me After I Resign; Does it Matter?
When Should I Fire an Employee?
A couple weeks ago, I had lunch with a local CEO that was going back and forth over firing an employee. She was reluctant for two reasons: the employee was in a key position and she was worried what impact it would have on the organization and senior team. Also, the employee had been loyal. It is a situation where there is no longer a “fit.” Last week, I ran into another local CEO who told me he had hired two university students only to have to fire them because they had violated a number of … [Read more...] about When Should I Fire an Employee?
Everything I Needed to Know about Business I Learned from My Newspaper Route
This week I had a student in my management class ask which job taught me the most about running a business. As I thought back it, I realized it was probably my newspaper route in Ohio, delivering the Ravenna Record-Courier. I’m not sure which is more unfortunate; the fact that fewer and fewer people read the daily newspaper, or if it is that young entrepreneurs don’t have the opportunity to be newspaper delivery boys or girls. I was given my newspaper route at the age of 11, and delivered … [Read more...] about Everything I Needed to Know about Business I Learned from My Newspaper Route
Focus on Five Things to Be a Great Leader
Over the last several months, I have received emails or have had students stop by my office and ask what it takes to become a CEO. I really don’t know if there are steps to get there, but in my experience, if you are a great leader, you will eventually become a CEO. I’ve put together a simple list of the five things that I believe all great leaders should do. These five steps have worked for me and I witnessed them from those that mentored me early in my career. #1 It Isn’t About … [Read more...] about Focus on Five Things to Be a Great Leader
Ask the CEO
Buy Your Employee Lunch on the First Day and Last An interesting thing happened to my son, Ross, recently. After graduating from college with two degrees, he has decided to return to school. This time, at a trade school that will train him in the science of Non-Destructive Testing. As part of the school, he was required to go through a series of tests, including an eye exam. During the eye exam, the examiner would ask, “Which one is clearer, this one or this one?” Finally at the end of the … [Read more...] about Ask the CEO