My tenant asked that I don’t increase his rent this year and at the same time requested a month’s delay in paying it. He’s been having problems with his business so if I would please consider. At first, I didn’t like to agree. Finally, I did. My tenant had been a regular on-time payor andContinue reading “Regular Customers Are Our Geese That Lay Our Golden Eggs”
Category Archives: Aha!
Dealing With Peer Pressure
A former high school classmate invited me to a Sunday get-together with other alumni. When I replied I may have other plans with my family, he begged me to cancel them. He urged I attend for the sake of our high school class. My family would understand. This is peer pressure. It’s what happens whenContinue reading “Dealing With Peer Pressure”
How NOT to Manage a Crisis
My manager apologized for coming in late for the meeting. She came from her home at Marikina but got stuck in traffic because she couldn’t use the LRT-2 commuter train. The LRT-2 station nearest to her home has been closed since October when two (2) rectifier transformers tripped and caused a fire. (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/four-4-starting-points-getting-reliability-you-want-ellery-samuel-lim/) The LightContinue reading “How NOT to Manage a Crisis”
Making Better Decisions in an Opportune and Adverse World
Have you had those times when you felt you made the wrong decision for your enterprise? For myself, countless times. If only I did this, if only I did that. I would have been richer. I would have had a better life. I’d have been happier. Etcetera, etcetera. Making wrong decisions is a part ofContinue reading “Making Better Decisions in an Opportune and Adverse World”
Why Enterprises Lose Customers to Piracy and The Simple Strategy to Stop It
Just the other day, I tried to download a free episode of a new science fiction television series that streaming services were offering on their websites. Instead, I was greeted with a message: “Isn’t Available In The Country or Region You’re Currently In.” It turned out that the free episode is only available in selectedContinue reading “Why Enterprises Lose Customers to Piracy and The Simple Strategy to Stop It”
What Are Action Plans, How Can They Help, and What Are We Supposed to Do to Make Them Work?
Do we get a feeling sometimes we do too much but we’re not getting anywhere? Roughly 75% of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects fail, and that’s because of lack of planning. (https://www.mbtmag.com/erp/article/13228432/4-valuable-lessons-from-major-erp-fails). (ERP is an information technology enabled planning system that responds to the market environment and optimizes company resources). From a Harvard Business ReviewContinue reading “What Are Action Plans, How Can They Help, and What Are We Supposed to Do to Make Them Work?”
Compliance: We Hate It But We Have To Do It … Productively
No one really taught us about compliance. Compliance is about satisfying requirements for the sake of legal and ethical obligations. Examples of obligations are paying taxes correctly, making sure one’s operations pass environmental inspections, and providing employees their mandated benefits. As much as we accept the principles behind the obligations, we hate the tasks weContinue reading “Compliance: We Hate It But We Have To Do It … Productively”
Surmounting the Insurmountable
There are just some things we cannot surmount. As we work with what we have, we run into roadblocks and disruptions. Examples include: Government bureaucracy (you can’t fight city hall) Climate change (you can’t stop the weather) Inflexible corporate structures (that’s not for you to decide) For many of us who work for other people,Continue reading “Surmounting the Insurmountable”
What Can We Do About Adversity?
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness” -old Chinese proverb We encounter adversity all the time. We talk about it when we succeed or fail. It is part and parcel of our daily struggles. It comes in all shapes and sizes from the mere annoyance to the major catastrophe. ButContinue reading “What Can We Do About Adversity?”
The Reality of Work
It is a new year. Many people will have new resolutions filled with hope and optimism. For another many, however, the new year will just be a beginning of a new cycle. For accountants, the new year means the renewal of business permits and the filing of annual taxes. Especially for accountants in the Philippines,Continue reading “The Reality of Work”
Ellery's Essays 