Apr
30
The financial crisis has created a tremendous amount of angst this year over the compensation of Wall Street titans. Main Street and Wall Street have been creating juicy rationalizations over what sum of money is considered excessive or sufficient. Emotions escalated to the point in France where workers actually took their boss hostage.
Many people are incensed over the notion that someone could be paid huge sums of money while the decisions that are made by these individuals have often yielded unprofitable results. Who are these people and how did they land these well paid positions? Did they work hard to achieve these stratospheric wages or are they just lucky and fortunate to become part of the annointed few?
Robert Frank in a recent Wall Street Journal article raised the following notion, “Contrary to what many parents tell their children, talent and hard work are neither necessary nor sufficient for economic success. It helps to be talented and hard-working, of course, yet some people enjoy spectacular success despite having neither attribute.” I do not fundamentally disagree with the sentence. One’s reasons for working hard and the defintion of success are probably complex and very personal in nature. I strongly believe that one’s decision to go “all out” be done for personal fulfillment and not with any expectation that the business world owes you a big paycheck, although it would be nice. As we approach Labor Day here in Italy, I ask you to reflect and share your thoughts on this topic.
Apr
29
Ogni tanto, su “Link Farm” del blog, verrano aggiornati vari links che crediamo siano molto interressanti e utili. Per la maggior parte saranno in inglese tratti dai siti americani. Come al solito sono graditi i tuoi commenti e le tue opinioni al riguardo.
Recession Isn’t Yet the Worst
Are Americans Just Kidding Themselves?
The Sales Profession: Attention Must Still Be Paid
Facebook Harmful to Your Career?
Apr
27
Recenty I was speaking in front of a group of accountants, managers, and entrepreneurs in Sardinia. The topic of my discussion was “Change”. 
During the presentation I used Fiat as an example of change, how with the new 500 has developed from 50 years ago to 2008. I would have never guessed that in 2009 that Fiat would be running Chrysler. Truly a great change and a moment of significant pride for Italy.
The word “change” is significant to Americans. President Obama made this word a central theme during is campaign. In business, in my opinion, change is critical not only to survival by to success. The significance depends on how each manager defines the word and more importantly, how it is applied.
In these difficult times, within your business, is it possible to affect change? If yes, as a leader of your team, how do you guide your staff towards change?
LATE BREAKING NEWS:
Would Detroit Sound Any Better in Italian?
Apr
22
On April 16th I wrote in english a blog entitled “Things Looking Up?”. Yesterday in La Repubblica there was a headline “Now the Confindustria turns optimistic”, where Emma Marcegaglia signals that “The worst has passed, and that there will be a restart in July.” Is this a coincidence with my blog?
In the same moment while I was reading this article, I received an SMS from Tim Spot that said, “Exports toward Ue -27.5% are the worst since 1993”. I am confused. Restart or recession?  Obviously I choose to read all the news with my eyes wide open. I believe that it is important to be aware of various opinions and to use them in a manner that is most advantageous for the management of your business.
With such imprecise and contradictory information, how do you successfully manage your business? How do you successfully apply this information in a productive way?
Apr
16
This AP wire story in the San Francisco Chronicle caught my attention. There were some interesting comments . Take a look. Are you feeling more optimistic?
Apr
03
The other night I went to the Festival of International Journalism here in Perugia and in particular to see the presentation, “The Internet is Participation”…Twitter, Facebook and the like: which instruments are used to create a dialog with readers? The panel consisted of two Italian experts and one American, John Byrne, Director of Businessweek.com, which is the online version of Business Week, the principle american magazine dedicated to the world of business.
During the discussion, which was dedicated primarily to the internet and the world of journalism, I was thinking how vast the internet is and how is it possible for a person who manages a small business to understand and use the net in the right way.
In my opinion there are many people extremely fascinated by the internet, of which I am one of those. Yet I have difficulty finding information that amongst these proponents that is easily translated into useful, simple language that can help a small business grow.
If you use the internet in your business, how do you exploit its capabilities? Do you consider the net to be useful or just too confusing to bother? If you have had success, say with the net in general or Facebook, etc., could you share with us your experiences and how it helped to develop your business?
Mar
31
Normally I do not follow sensationalized news stories. Since I am in Perugia I decided last Saturday to check out the Meredith Kercher murder trial involving Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend Raphael Sollecito. With the eyes of a foreigner I thought it would be a good idea to see the proceedings first hand. I have never seen the legal process in Italy and certainly not a trial with such international high profile.
The death of Meredith Kercher, a British college student, is certainly a grave tragedy. Most residents of Perugia are not particularly interested in this event and consider the attention that has fallen on their medieval city to be a disgrace. I was particularly taken by their respect for the passing of the young Meredith and their deference for the law.
With respect to our judicial process in America, I thought the Italian trial was conceptually the same as ours. I particularly enjoyed the how the judge, jury and lawyers interacted with each other and the comments and murmurings emanating from the audience were a source of amusement for me.
Innocent or guilty?  Who knows?…eventually, as we say in America, “the scales of justice will decide”.
Mar
30
I’ve been back in Italy for ten days now. The global economic crisis dominates the news just as it does in America. The expression “as America goes so does the world”, or in this instance Italia. Local opinions amongst friends and colleagues seem to focus on Obama’s plan to spend America’s way out of debt and how can this possibly succeed? Obviously the answer is complicated and to a large extent unknown, even by the experts. Can’t say I don’t share their similar concerns. What do you think?
Mar
25
The Economic Crisis has affected all of us. While I am working in Italy, I would like to offer a perspective on what is happening here and in America but more importantly offer a point of view on how to succeed in these turbulent times and at the same time stimulate a dialog between all of us…sharing thoughts on how to best get through all that confronts each of us.
Mar
10
You have been invited to an important business networking event. You walk into the room and there are over hundred people mingling. Are you intimidated or are you planning how you are going to “work the room?†I have been in this position a number of times and it takes me a few moments to strategize a plan. Sometimes, before I even enter the event I set a goal for myself.
For instance, collecting 100 business cards without knowing the person is the same as “cold calling†to me. Instead, my approach is to meet ten people during the evening and get into meaningful conversations with them. After the event, this is the part which is always a struggle, I focus on entering the contacts into my prospect database. Then I send them either a handwritten note or an email depending upon the formality of the occasion.
Tell me your best networking advice and we will compile a “Top Networking Tips sheet for the community.
