General Business/Management Strategies

Progressive discipline helps employees overcome conduct problems
Say the words “to discipline” and most people think “to punish or penalize.” But another definition is “to train or develop by instruction and exercise.” It is this definition that best describes the use of progressive discipline in the workplace.

Wealth Advice/Estate Planning

Identity theft on rise at fake online banking sites
Phishing schemes are at an all-time high – and unsuspecting online bank customers are falling prey. A 784 percent increase in phishing Web sites during the first quarter of 2007 has been reported by security firm McAfee Avert Labs. The financial services area was the site of 96.9 percent of all phishing attacks during May 2007, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, an organization that partners with financial institutions and law enforcement to combat identity theft on the Internet.

Family Business/Succession

Watch out for tax rules when transferring family business
You’ve worked very hard to build your business into the success it has become. To add to your elation, one or more of your children have become active in the business and have shown the aptitude needed to run it someday. You are beginning to think about transferring some of the equity ownership to the next generation. But you find yourself waking up at night worrying about many things. Is the younger generation ready to run the business? Are you ready to start stepping aside to make room for them?

Physician Services

Statistical method can improve your practice management
Have you been looking for a practical and effective management technique to use in assessing your practice? Consider the 80-20 rule, sometimes known as the Pareto Principle. This tool has been around for the last 50 years and has strong carry-over to healthcare practices.

Nonprofit Organizations

Hiring a consultant? Here are some tips
"Once word got out that my organization was looking for a consultant, the phone started ringing and hasn't stopped since." This may be a typical response when a nonprofit organization decides it needs outside help. But, what do you look for when you need this someone to come in to resolve a specific problem or issue and you don't have the budget for a full-time staff member?

Business Tips

Wealth Tips