(Time to read this Blog is about 3 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “As a business owner, leader or manager, are you a sharer of knowledge, or a hoarder of knowledge?   Sharing your knowledge grows your people and your business.  Hoarding your knowledge stifles, frustrates and drives top performers to leave.” 
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   The world is run by those who follow up!
    
   I’ve been ‘beating this drum’ for years!  One of the big changes for biz owners and managers as their business grows is to shift their thinking and their time from ‘doing it all’ to building a strong Team, creating clarity, then delegating and following up. 
    
   The shift from ‘doing stuff’ to following up with Team members who are ‘doing stuff’ is a big one and a real struggle for many.
    
   The key is that we can’t just delegate without first building that strong and engaged Team, creating a clear Vision of what we commit to become, creating operational and moral clarity, providing the necessary tools, systems and resources, and creating a Culture of commitment, urgency and accountability.  Because that seems like a lot of work, many biz owners and managers just say, “It’s a lot easier to do it all myself!”…and the business stalls.
    
   If you’re struggling with this important transition in your thinking and actions, maybe we should talk.
    
3. Trade War ‘Fun Facts’: President Trump complains that the Canadian Dairy Industry has an unfair system of trade barriers to limit the import of cheaper US dairy products into Canada.
    
   What he doesn’t mention is that every year the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) gives American dairy farmers about $40 billion in the form of direct payments, commodity purchases, and subsidies.  These huge US government payments help make their dairy products ‘cheaper’.
    
4. Want to live somewhere else? Each year, InterNations, a website that connects expats around the world, releases their Expat City Ranking, showcasing the top destinations for quality of life.
    
   In 2024, the team gathered responses from 12,543 expats representing 175 nationalities. After tallying their responses, the researchers named Valencia, Spain, the top destination for those looking for a new life abroad.
    
   Another Spanish city, Alicante, came in 2^nd place followed by Vienna, Austria, and two more Spanish destinations, Madrid and Malaga taking fourth and fifth place.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

The 2 sides of the ‘Culture Coin’:

Creating a business culture that attracts, engages, challenges and rewards top performers, while also encouraging world-class operational effectiveness and efficiency, is key to your success.  These are what I call the 2 sides of the ‘Culture Coin’.

The 1^st side of the ‘coin’ is about creating an ethical, fair, human and respectful Culture that attracts, nurtures, engages and encourages the talent you need to amaze customers, grow the business and generate a sustainable bottom line.  This side of the ‘coin’ is about creating a culture of integrity, learning, opportunity, fairness, diversity, inclusion, empathy, respect, acknowledgement, passion and joy.

The 2nd side of the ‘Culture Coin’ is about creating a culture of clarity, empowerment, commitment, accountability, urgency, excellence, efficiency and profitability.  This is the ‘world-class operational effectiveness, efficiency and profitability’ side of the coin.  Lack of clarity and accountability, and failure to deal with non-performance, are three of the biggest problems in many businesses today.  Click Here to download my Biz Tool #A-4, ‘Our 1^st Job Is Clarity’ to start solving these problems in your business.

How would you rate your culture on the ‘effectiveness and efficiency’ side and the ‘human, fair and respectful’ side?  Both are critically important.  For help in evaluating your culture Click Here to download my Biz Tool #B-18, ’17 Keys to Creating a Winning Culture’, no charge. 

That’s it for this week…

Live brilliantly and be kind to each other!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.