Don't Hit Back

Vengeance is mine! Not exactly something you expect to hear from your client or sales rep every day. Yet, it does get heard, usually internally at least.

We all have or had customers at one time that we wish we could put through some form of torture yet to be known for all the problems they bring. Rightly so we are also advised to let go of these horrid clients. The problem is they are usually the ones paying you the most money.

So what can you do? What should you do? This week's parsha has the infamous eye for an eye sentence, quoted below from 24:19-20

19. And a man who inflicts an injury upon his fellow man just as he did, so shall be done to him [namely,]		יט. וְאִישׁ כִּי יִתֵּן מוּם בַּעֲמִיתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כֵּן יֵעָשֶׂה לּוֹ:
20. fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Just as he inflicted an injury upon a person, so shall it be inflicted upon him.		כ. שֶׁבֶר תַּחַת שֶׁבֶר עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן שֵׁן תַּחַת שֵׁן כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מוּם בָּאָדָם כֵּן יִנָּתֶן בּוֹ:

No, please do not attack your clients. The inference is really about monetary payment. And what does one do when you can not bill more on a project? Some people try to weasel their way back to a client and say they need more money or time or both. Other people will merely shrug it off and maybe add their costs back into a new project.

When you are faced with expenses on a project that were unforeseen, not due to your negligence but oversight or plain "who knew THAT would happen", you should be able to receive that back from a rational person.

These days if it is not in the contract you may be out of luck. Reasonable people do not want to see you hurt as a business and should be amenable to your billing.

If you find there is no reasonableness, you may want to rethink the future dealings with the client. Never get into such a heated battle that the sentences above would come into play. It serves no one to even threaten to perform these actions. I have been in meetings where it looked like there would be a fight, on one occasion probably a gun fight, but cooler heads prevailed.

Ask yourself next time you get into a similar situation, what would you do?
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Parsha Emor in the book of Vayikra Leviticus 21:1-24:23
It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Honesty is the Best Policy

Don't lie to customers. Really, do not lie to customers.

No matter how many times I say this to sales people, trainees or employees, they still do it.I could ask if they are Bible believeing people but I doubt that is the correct way to handle this.

When you have good news, you usually say it to the person's face directly.  When you have bad news you try to make it sound better, which is understandable. However, lying will not make the bad news any better, it should only make it all worse.


Sometimes the simpler way is the better way. Some may argue that in parsha Kedoshim are a different form of the Ten Commandment but let us just say these are reiterating some known laws.

11. You shall not steal. You shall not deny falsely. You shall not lie, one man to his fellow.

יא. לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ אִישׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ:

Keep this in mind for your employees and your customers. Confess when you do something incorrectly and be upfront on subjects or solutions you are not well versed. Your clients will appreciate it much more knowing you were honest with them.

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Parsha Acharei Mot-Kedoshim in the book of Vayikra 16:1 - 18:30 and  19:1-20:27
It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Kosher Company Guidelines

If I told you that your job, your family, your house, and everything you did followed a guideline of life, would you believe me?

Not sure I would believe me either. When you start to work at a new company you may, or may not, receive guidelines. They may be disguised as a company manual or in a wiki but they should exist and you should read them. You may learn much about your new company or you may choose to not read it at all. The company of course has a checklist they gave you the manual or a link to it. The company may even have you agree that you read it. But did you really read it? Will it help guide you in your job or your new role? Or do you ignore it and move along because you can not be bothered?

Now juxtapose work guidelines with the laws of Kashrut, or Kosher animals, which is a complex and lengthy discussion in this week's parsha of Shemini. The simple of it many people know, but the secondary items, like touching a dead animal is not allowed, are not as well known.

The laws provided for a sense of holiness in Israel. In doing so, they became both an albatross to some and a spiritually uplifting legacy to others.

If laws were easy, people would follow them but we have laws to protect people, sometimes from themselves, sometimes from others. Kosher laws are there to provide a line between everything we do in life such as our friends, and our choices of how we live or where we live. It is not easy and for some, it hangs on them until they break or give up.

People who look at the Kosher laws and think, it is so much easier, guidelines to limit the choices to one view, help answer a choice for another. Making decisions is hard. Sometimes too hard. The Torah has laid out a way that we can follow in our own directions if we know what path we have chosen. For many, this is the easy way out, no doubts, no guesses, no worries, no lies, just the guidelines to steer you in the right direction.

Hopefully, your company has chosen to help you in your travels and provide you with guidelines that make it easier for you to get your job done and you have followed these guidelines.

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Parsha Shemini in the book of Vayikra 9:1 - 11:47
It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Keep the Fire Burning

You want to keep the midnight oil running, but you can't always do it yourself. You need your team to work with you and be there so you are not a one man show.

Except when you want to be a one man show.

Even the one man, needs time to relax, sleep, get over being sick, watch something on TV or even eat once in a while. Unless you have planned for all of this, you will not get very far in business. If you have a 24 hour business, you need someone, somewhere, getting work done all day and all night.

And so it is in this week's parsha. A Cohen's work is never done and there are always sacrifices and offerings going on, back then. These days there are more and more ways to do business 24x7x365. We see this from 6:6 where it says:

6. A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out.		ו. אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה:

This fire was always on because there were always transactions getting completed. As long as the fire was still alight, business could run it's course. If the fire were to stop, then there would be nothing left. The parallel to the business world is everywhere and it all started back then.

If you have enough sales leads, you will keep your business afloat. If you have enough clients in need of help, the fire keeps burning. Once you get big enough, then your fire takes on a different form, one that is much harder to squelch but also harder to maintain unless you have planned accordingly.
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Parsha Tzav in the book of Vayikra 6:1 - 8:36
It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Impressions are so Fleeting

Ever wonder where the idea of sugar coating something came from? Possibly the term came from this week's parsha. Throughout the entire parsha which explains in immense detail how the Mishkan or Tabenacle, The Ark of the Covenant, menorah, altar and curtains and other instruments were created, in almost every case the Torah also says the items were overlaid in copper, silver or gold. Before you ask where did these nomads in the desert have all these jewels, metals and more, remember when they left Egypt they asked for their wages and personal belongings back from the Egyptians.

Why should everything be covered by these metals? And what is the Torah telling us for our needs and future?

In some cases, for the altar as one example, it makes sense as gold and silver would melt under the heat but copper, which was used to cover the altar has a much higher melting point. Science aside, we learn that in people's eyes, appearance is important.

When we go on interviews or meet someone for the first time, many decisions about the person met are decided unconsciously in under a minute. Appearance must be important and the grandeur which is alluded to for some of the items is even more pronounced when dripping in gold and jewels.

In time of course all of these items would disappear, through battles or lost in time or hidden as some speculate, but they were built to be temporary housing for Israel while they were in the desert. In time the Temples would be built, and destroyed, which would have greater items.

When you look at business methods and the choices which are made, there is so much effort put into the opening meetings and documents with the expectation we will "fill in the blanks" later. There is also the belief that as the project grows and strengthens we will produce better documentation and representation of ourselves.

That is the plan, but is not always the outcome. Just like in time all of the items designed in this parsha disappeared, so to will the desire to impress and eventually have us revert to a stronger foundation with less excitement. We should strive to maintain the magic of the early days of the project and keep up the appearances that remind our customers why they work with us.
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Parsha Vayakhel in the book of Shemot Exodus 35:1 - 38:20

It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

How do You Introduce Yourself?

Did you ever write your own introduction to give to someone before you were presented with an award or as a guest speaker so they could describe you to the audience or have you ever "just" been introduced? Presumably at one time we all have been in this situation. But what have we learned from it?

The first time you hear someone else introduce you in a way you feel did not properly express you or your role, your natural instinct is to not have that happen again. You sculpt a brief introduction of yourself for the next time.

We know that the first impression is the lasting one. Your introduction should be the best foot forward. Likewise when you introduce your team, do you portray them in the best light or just, Jack from Development?

When Moshe is tasked with building the Tabernacle for God, he is pitched, by God, to use Bezalel. As seen below:

Chapter 31

1. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:		א. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
2. "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,		ב. רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה:
3. and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship		ג. וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה:
4. to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper,		ד. לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּזָּהָב וּבַכֶּסֶף וּבַנְּחשֶׁת:
5. with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work.		ה. וּבַחֲרשֶׁת אֶבֶן לְמַלֹּאת וּבַחֲרשֶׁת עֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל מְלָאכָה:

This is a pretty strong introduction for Bezalel to get the work done. We should all be introduced this way, especially our staff who make us look better always.
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Parsha Ki Tisa in the book of Shemot Exodus 30:11 - 34:35

It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Build a Strong Foundation

Attention to detail, that's what Steve Jobs was known for in addition to his other management practices.
Where else can you find such attention to detail to provide inspiration for him, but this weeks parsha.

Methodically planned out, every piece defined, the number of rings, the layers of gold or wood and so much more.   When you are working on a project you need to include everything to the last bolt. It is not easy to be so meticulous. There is always something changed or unknown in the more complex situations.

When you have a guide to follow it does make it easier for everyone. And when you are done building your project, then what? How often does one look back on the diagrams or blue prints and think how awesome they are or the beauty of the design? No, it is the external appearance which most of us follow and remember.

The Torah goes on to tell us not just what the outside should look like, but the inside as well. The bones or structure of everything, is just as important as the appearance. Without a strong base there will not be any final product.

A house of cards can not stand up forever.

There have been more than enough companies that have bluffed their way to riches only to see everything crumble around them when it was found it everything was built on lies. 

Don't be them.

Build your company strong and proper and it may too be talked about 3,000 years later.
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Parsha Terumah in the book of Shemot, 25:1-27:19 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Don't Lie to Customers

 A basic belief when hiring employees is that they are honest and above board about everything they do. Unfortunately too many times the good managers are fooled by the deceptive employee. I would venture that bad managers probably are okay with a few close to the edge employees, but for the rest of us it can be a painful experience.
 Perhaps out of fear for lawsuits or monetary damage or customer loyalty, the manager chooses not to fire the employee once they find out they are not such a great person. Ethics are just one issue, but lying is another. Many times in the course of projects fingers get pointed and eventually someone will say "it wasn't me" or "I never touched it" or my favorite from support "didn't change a thing" only to find out in the end, indeed they did do something but were trying to avoid the punishment so to speak for their incorrect efforts.

But if you are their manager what do you do? Do you call them on this? You should. Not in front of the client of course but afterwards you need to deal with this at the first sign of it happening. If you do not, you may not have the benefit to change it later. Once you let it slide you have set the precedent and that is not a good precedent to set.

In this parsha, we read the following line from 23:1 :

1. You shall not accept a false report; do not place your hand with a wicked person to be a false witness.

א. לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא אַל תָּשֶׁת יָדְךָ עִם רָשָׁע לִהְיֹת עֵד חָמָס:

Sounds simple enough but the lines get blurred in business often. If the customer knows your team lied, you face up to it and move the person from the project. To do anything less would invite distrust on you and your company or brand. Clients respect you more when you deal with situations internally. They may have their own ideas about what happened, but as long as they believe you stopped it, they will continue to trust in you.
 

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Parsha Mishpatim in the book of Shemot, 21:1-24:18 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Fear of God, Do CEO's get it?

Do you have some distinct laws in your office that violation of them are grounds for dismissal? Does anyone keep to them and truly follow them? Do they get broken regularly?

Getting fired is not that bad, look at the executives who get away with all types of things and get fired. Boohoo, that multimillion buyout, because the Board agreed to the farce upfront, just makes it laughable.

Evidently the 10 Commandments are not universally followed and some hint of why is found in this parsha. In 20:15-16 right after hearing the 10 Commandments, the children of Israel say:

15. And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so they stood from afar.		טו. וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק:
16. They said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear, but let God not speak with us lest we die."		טז. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל משֶׁה דַּבֶּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים פֶּן נָמוּת:

How convenient that if God were to tell us something, we would die, but if a man told us something we will hear, not we will do, but we will hear.

So corporate greed? Discussed early on in civilization. Already trying to skirt the rules, check. And thus the "Fear of God" line comes from this point. Do CEOs believe in god or fear God? What do they fear?

Why make this point? Because if you walk around with no limits to your life or guidelines, as some call these 10, then how can you lead others? Unless you want to lead others down a path that may lead to their demise. Hopefully that is not how you view management. And more importantly it is not how management views you or shapes the company culture in this way. On the flip side, do not hold a whole company accountable because of one person that has failed everyone.

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Parsha Yitro in the book of Shemot, 18:1-20:23 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Look Up, Look Down

What is it that provides people incentive to pursue their goals? What is it that stops others, in the same predicament to quit or complain or try to ind a scapegoat?

We see it at clients, we see it inside our own offices, probably even at home sometimes. One can not just be "on" all the time. We look for inspiration all over the place and yet rarely find what we seek and instead try to regain our focus.

This is shown in this week's parsha in a few ways. First, the Egyptians, realizing they let the Jews leave Egypt are left uninspired by Pharaoh. Chapter 14:5 shows one example:

5. It was reported to Pharaoh that the people had fled; and Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, What is this that we have done, that we have released Israel from serving us?

ה. וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם כִּי בָרַח הָעָם וַיֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַב פַּרְעֹה וַעֲבָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂינוּ כִּי שִׁלַּחְנוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָבְדֵנוּ:

They followed his orders and then wondered why. And now they needed to get them back and off they went. 

Israel was not much better, some of them complained also Chapter14:

11. They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt?

יא. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל משֶׁה הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִ

So much for 10 plagues and the splitting of the sea! This "what have you done for me lately" group was obviously not awed or inspired by any of these miracles.

And so as the parsha ends, we see Moshe has his hand sup to God and when the people looked at him, and likewise up to Heaven, they were victorious against their enemy Amalek. When Moshe put his hands down and gave the people nothing to look up to, they were losing. Chapter 17:11-12:

11. It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail.		יא. וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק:
12. Now Moses hands were heavy; so they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one from this [side], and one from that [side]; so he was with his hands in faith until sunset.		יב. וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים וַיִּקְחוּ אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו וַיֵּשֶׁב עָלֶיהָ וְאַהֲרֹן וְחוּר תָּמְכוּ בְיָדָיו מִזֶּה אֶחָד וּמִזֶּה אֶחָד וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה עַד בֹּא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ:

And so it is in business and life, as we watch people who gave us inspiration be knocked down as a false hope or because someone on our team dropped the ball. Either way, you do not have to always win, but you do need to find some inspiration.
 
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Parsha Beshalach in the book of Shemot, 13:17-17:16 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Living Under One Roof

When you were young you probably thought you went to all the parties of your school mates. Some where along the line you also found out you missed out on some of those parties because you were not invited. Remember how that felt? It sucked, right? In time you get over it and move along and understand that is how the world works, right?

Now you are older, working at a company or managing or owner of the company and do you remember that feeling? Have you thought about it all, now as an adult, in these troubled times, how people would see the same situation?

Maybe everyone is above that, or does not care, the latter is even worse. The happiness you can bring to someone to include them in your events can make a lasting impression.

The truth is this has caused problems you would not believe. I am quite sure I discussed this previously, but it is important to remind everyone about this topic.

Do not exclude people because they are not from your company. Holiday parties, lunch and learns, whatever it is, within financial reason, you should include your vendors, partners or consultants. Even if you do not like the person, maybe it was a bad time for either of you or maybe you were misunderstood, perhaps this can change everything.

This weeks parsha Bo (12:49) reminds us that there is but one rule in your house/office:

49. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who resides in your midst."

מט. תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם:

Keep the peace, be nice to others and be inclusive while everyone is under your figurative roof.
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Parsha Bo in the book of Shemot, 10:1-13:16 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Put The Best Foot forward

How important is it when you go to see a new client that they know your background? Do you provide them with brochures, website links and lists of accolades? Do you do this for each member of the team who will be working on the project?

From my experience, not everyone gets proper representation. Unless you are truly an intern or a fresh out of college person, and even then, you should have something you did that would be impressive to someone looking to hire you and your firm.

Where did all of this come from? The internet? No, people have been outlining their pedigrees, or yichus, since the dawn of time. In fact, a great example occurs in this parsha.

Yes the excitement in this parsha is about the great marketing plan of God, the first 7 plagues, which happen towards the end, but look more closely at the beginning of the parsha.

6:14-27 includes the whole pedigree of Moshe and Aharon and ends with this:

26. That is Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, "Take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions."		כו. הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהֹוָה לָהֶם הוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַל צִבְאֹתָם:
27. They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of Egypt; they are Moses and Aaron.		כז. הֵם הַמְדַבְּרִים אֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם הוּא משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:

Princes, heads of tribes, famous legendary people, like Nachshon ben Aminadav are in the family tree. Of course there is also the fact that Moshe grew up in Pharaoh's palace. This is why the Torah states "He" which is what
הוּא means.

In case anyone had any doubts about who Moshe and Aharon were or why they should be the ones to represent the slaves of Israel, the Torah gives these reasons.
 
Put your best foot forward so those who follow, or hire you, are encouraged.
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Parsha Va'eira in the book of Shemot, 6:2-9:35 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Make Your Choice or Have One Chosen For You

Welcome to the anniversary of this blog. It has not quite been a whole year, but the 1st post of this series started with this parsha. As I started to write this one I realized I was focused on the same topic as last year. But there is always something new to find.


All of us at one time or another in business had to go out against all odds and face the wrath of an executive. Sometimes because we are asked, sometime because we are forced.

When God asked Moshe to go to Pharaoh, you know that was not what he wanted. After all, Moshe was wanted for murder and was not really what the palace wanted to see or hear about.

3:10. So now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and take My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

י. וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְהוֹצֵא אֶת עַמִּי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם:

And yet he went, took some coaxing of course, God does have his means. But Moshe tried hard to get out of it. But real leaders face their challenges and take their orders. They try to minimize the problems in advance but they find the strength to carry on.

The executive will succeed but will they be as triumphant as Moshe was when he left Egypt with Bnei Israel?

Some of us live for these moments, others dread them. Make the choices early on or have them made for you. Moshe was on a predefined course few of us will ever reach. Those among us that have planned so much and live for each day knowing what they want to accomplish are few. 

Maybe you will get called to do your duty for your company, maybe not, but keep in mind, your job can't be harder than Moshe's was when you think about it.
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Parsha Shemot in the book of Shemot, 1:1-6:1 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Let Me Tell You How It Will Be...

We survived the end of the world last week, oddly enough Yaakov in this week's parsha says he will tell his children about the end of days.
 Chapter 49

1. Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days.

א. וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים:

Impressive thinking here by Yaakov. He is dying any day now and in order to get all of his children to visit he decides to lay the "I can see the future" line? Must be more to it than this, otherwise we would end up with all types of people saying the end is nigh.

Could it be Yaakov was trying to say that dying is not the end? Maybe he was trying to bring closure to some of the projects that got lost along the way? He brings up Simeon and Levi's problems with authority and anger management, he compares numerous kids to animals and shows his obvious liking for certain children.

All in all, not much different than most people's end of year reviews. You get the good, the bad and the ugly sometimes to come out. Contrary to how it seems, many people have a very long memory, especially when slighted however harmlessly it may have been meant at the time or circumstances.

If however we go through life always harping on the things people did wrong, one may never have any friends, or employees. Perhaps it is this inability to forgive and forget that prevents world peace or at least some peace. 

Sometimes in the "bad" reviewed items there is another side to the story and there are more possibilities to move along. Just because someone else has fewer items to dwell on does not make them better people or employees. 

You love your children, no matter what they do or say or how they act, even at the worst of times. They however truly never understand this until they themselves have children. This was part of what Yaakov was saying, as a parent to his kids and how employers should think about their employees.

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Parsha Vayechi in the book of Bereishit, 47:28-50:26 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Tactical Pre-Meeting Planning

Did you ever go on a sales call and let the other people in your team know they should not say anything? Or be more specific and say to them to only mention X not Y? Naturally we all do, this is how we set expectations, control our meetings and staff and also train junior employees.

The most common reasons are because you are running the meeting but also because sometimes other leaders should not be afraid to talk to you or do business with you. It happens, really.

One of the earliest references for this comes in this week's parsha when Yaakov and his whole family, all 70 people plus their households, go to Egypt. Yosef tells his brothers to say they are shepherds so they would stay away from the Egyptians who hated shepherds. 

46:31-34

31. Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me.		לא. וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו וְאֶל בֵּית אָבִיו אֶעֱלֶה וְאַגִּידָה לְפַרְעֹה וְאֹמְרָה אֵלָיו אַחַי וּבֵית אָבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בָּאוּ אֵלָי:
32. The men are shepherds, for they were [always] owners of livestock, and their flocks and their cattle and all they have they have brought.'		לב. וְהָאֲנָשִׁים רֹעֵי צֹאן כִּי אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ וְצֹאנָם וּבְקָרָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם הֵבִיאוּ:
33. And if it comes to pass that Pharaoh calls you and asks, 'What is your occupation?'		לג. וְהָיָה כִּי יִקְרָא לָכֶם פַּרְעֹה וְאָמַר מַה מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם:
34. You shall say, 'Your servants have been owners of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our ancestors,' so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians."		לד. וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ מִנְּעוּרֵינוּ וְעַד עַתָּה גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲבֹתֵינוּ בַּעֲבוּר תֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל רֹעֵה צֹא

Yosef maybe was afraid Pharoah would think his brothers were army like men and be afraid of them. In fact Pharoah says if you have some stronger brothers, make them managers over the cattle and shepherds. Yosef maybe had no reason to worry, but he wanted to play it safe and make sure all went according to plan.

Either way, this was not lying. they were shepherds all along. But since yosef had not seen his family in 20+ years it was possible they were no longer shepherds but traders or merchants which would imply different information. 

If you never think ahead of your meetings, you may end up in the wrong end of the discussions and that never helps anyone.
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Parsha Vayigash in the book of Bereishit, 44:18-47:27 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Do your own Marketing not via proxy

You can not solve a problem and get credit for it usually when working with clients. They expect the most from you and you should in turn provide it. But at what point do they recognize in you more than you provide?

Often times during a project there are points of failure that become success stories later. Sometimes it's a group effort and other times it is because one person could do what no one else could accomplish.

Many times the one person would like credit for their effort but it is a team effort and their benefit comes later, hopefully.

This week's Parsha Yosef, Joseph, finds himself in an Egyptian prison performing dream interpretations for the baker and wine steward of Pharoah. While he explains each man's dreams he also asks of the wine steward to remember him when he is set free. The common discussion is around why did he not have faith that Hashem would protect him and take him out of prison. 

Chapter 40:14

14. But remember me when things go well with you, and please do me a favor and mention me to Pharaoh, and you will get me out of this house.

יד. כִּי אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לָךְ וְעָשִׂיתָ נָּא עִמָּדִי חָסֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְהוֹצֵאתַנִי מִן הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה:

However, if you understand business you see the nature of people is not to bring up their failures to their leadership. Thus the wine steward would not remind Pharoah of his time in prison for Yosef's benefit because it may lead to bad tidings for himself. Put your trust in others when warranted but think about the situation and if it would help you or hurt you to ask for the help.

Instead look to help yourself in your own way. Produce a document with your name on it,send an email explaining what you did, in your weekly meeting raise the awareness of how you tackled the issue. It will get noticed more often in this way than if you rely on others to do your marketing for you.
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Parsha Vayeishev in the book of Bereishit, 37:1-40:23 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Is Notoriety worth it?

Often times we are faced with a situation which sounds too good to be true. We all know you get what you pay for, but what about when someone offers you a deal that on the outside looks good?

Is it in your best interest or is there a different angle to view it in?

Abraham, before his name was amended so here is called Abram, recognizes that a bounty coming his way may not go down so well in history. He would rather not have his name besmirched with the King of Sodom, and knowing what happened to Sodom, can you be surprised? Sodom's reputation was well known and evidently what happened in Sodom did not stay in Sodom.

21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the souls, and the possessions take for yourself."		כא. וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְסְדֹם אֶלאַבְרָם תֶּןלִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻשׁ קַחלָךְ:
22. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I raise my hand to the Lord, the Most High God, Who possesses heaven and earth.		כב. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶלמֶלֶךְ סְדֹם הֲרִמֹתִי יָדִי אֶליְהֹוָה אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ:
23. Neither from a thread to a shoe strap, nor will I take from whatever is yours, that you should not say, 'I have made Abram wealthy.'		כג. אִםמִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרוֹךְנַעַל וְאִםאֶקַּח מִכָּלאֲשֶׁרלָךְ וְלֹא תֹאמַר אֲנִי הֶעֱשַׁרְתִּי אֶתאַבְרָם:
24. Exclusive of what the lads ate, and the share of the men who went with me; Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre they shall take their share."		כד. בִּלְעָדַי רַק אֲשֶׁר אָכְלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וְחֵלֶק הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ אִתִּי עָנֵר אֶשְׁכֹּל וּמַמְרֵא הֵם יִקְחוּ חֶלְקָם:

Do not be in a hurry for any deal that comes to you without thinking it over pretty well. You may not have the stature of Abraham,but you certainly don't want to have the notoriety of Sodom associated with you and your teams.

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Parsha Lech Lecha in the book of Bereishit, 12:1-17:27 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Finishing Projects Early

Most of us learned long ago not to wait until the last minute to complete a task. Usually because more things get in the way unexpectedly the longer we procrastinate.

Planning as they say is everything. But what if you just go through the motions never expecting to really need to finish your project? Doesn't make you feel warm and fuzzy does it?

But what if you knew the world was coming to an end? Everything you saw, people you knew would soon be wiped out by a flood. What would you do? What if you had a hundred years to think about it and prepare for it? Would it make you feel any better?

This week's parsha has the story of Noach or Noah as most peple know him. Most people know the basics but did you realize he had over 100 years to build the ark and prepare himself and others?

Yet even after all of that he still only getst into the ark he built on THE day the rain began. How did he know that day was THE day and not just normal rain? Because the water started flooding and some stories say it was up to his neck when he decided to get inside finally. As the Hebrew says on that day during the day if you follow the Hebrew.

13. On this very day, Noah came, and Shem and Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons, and Noah's wife and his sons' three wives with them, into the ark.

יג. בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּא נֹחַ וְשֵׁם וְחָם וָיֶפֶת בְּנֵי נֹחַ וְאֵשֶׁת נֹחַ וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת נְשֵׁי בָנָיו אִתָּם אֶל הַתֵּבָה

And so if we learn nothing else in life, try not to put off what will become inevitable. Your client is waiting at the other end and making them wait is not in your best interest or theirs. Do your best to finish your projects early and not wait until it is too late.

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Parsha Noach in the book of Bereishit, 6:9-11:32 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

Impress Yourself Every Week

Every project starts at the beginning. Every customer visit has a starting point.
In better businesses, you have a guideline or timeline for your efforts.

Get a lead, enter the lead in your CRM, start the sales team on calling, emailing, tweeting, track everything, and if all goes well, get through and then have a meeting. And on and on.

There are parts of the sales plan that are really great and exciting and there are parts that are not so exciting.
Your boss makes it a big deal when you accomplish something such as signing a new client, other times it is not so exciting and just part of business.

When God created the world, the intention was of course to set in motion a grand plan. A long range plan. And as God created the different pieces required, some of it was good, some of it was very good.

People and land animals were very good and were created on the sixth day. The last day of the work week, just prior to Shabbat when God rested on the seventh day, God impressed himself.

Every item created from day one leading up to the sixth day built upon itself, just as we do in business. And once the project or deal is done, you can breath a sigh of relief, take a quick vacation or a day off and then get ready to do it all over again next week.

Every week Shabbat comes, no matter if we are ready for it or not. Everything we do all week should prepare us for it. Sometimes, just like business, you have things happen which are beyond your control. By the end of your week, accept what was done, see it as very good in some way and gather yourself together to start again afresh next week.

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Parsha Bereishit in the book of Bereishit, Genesis 1:1-6:8 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring  business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

When Sales and Management Collide

It happens quite often in business. The sales people do their job, get the client interested, come close to sealing the deal, maybe even get it signed...then management knocks on the door.

Management comes along and asks how could we complete the project in such a short time or at such a low cost. Maybe they brought this up earlier and the sales person brushed off these ideas in favor of the sale.

Will it become a "I told you so" deal or not, who knows. Management is supposed to prevent these situations from occurring, but somethings are beyond their control.

And so we are reminded in this week's Parsha by Moshe who admits he is on his last day on Earth and if Bnai Israel follow in the ways of God all will be good for them. Unfortunately, God had a different view of the future. Here in 31:16-18:

16. And the Lord said to Moses: Behold, you are [about to] lie with your forefathers, and this nation will rise up and stray after the deities of the nations of the land, into which they are coming. And they will forsake Me and violate My covenant which I made with them.		טז. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה הִנְּךָ שֹׁכֵב עִם אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְקָם הָעָם הַזֶּה וְזָנָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוּא בָא שָׁמָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ וַעֲזָבַנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אִתּוֹ:
17. And My fury will rage against them on that day, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will befall them, and they will say on that day, 'Is it not because our God is no longer among us, that these evils have befallen us?'		יז. וְחָרָה אַפִּי בוֹ בַיּוֹם הַהוּא וַעֲזַבְתִּים וְהִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי מֵהֶם וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל וּמְצָאֻהוּ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הֲלֹא עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת הָאֵלֶּה:
18. And I will hide My face on that day, because of all the evil they have committed, when they turned to other deities.		יח. וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל כָּל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כִּי פָנָה אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים:

This is God telling Moshe the future and that the last 40 years of Moshe's life have been for nothing.

If you ever were a teacher or a presenter at a conference you know this feeling quite well. No matter how you explain the subject, there will always be those who can not follow directions. In this case, it led to many problems for Israel then and through the millenia.

Sometimes you will sell a client on a product or solution only to find your company has decided to end the products life and how do you feel as that sales person? Moshe accepted this loss and wrote it all down for us to read today. The Torah shows the good and bad of many people, we know they were not all saintly but they believed in God. Knowing you did your job well even if management seemed to go in a different direction later sometimes is all you have left. Move on to the next sale, it's going to be huge.
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Parsha Vayelech in the book of Devarim, Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30 It is said that the Torah or Bible
could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom