#163: The simplest measure of financial health

During a recession, what is the best measure you can use to check your ongoing financial health? A measure that applies to organizations and to individuals?

Cash flow. Come to think of it, this also the best measure during good times.

Cash flow is the simplest and the sanest measure of financial health. Simply answer this question: Does your organization bring in more money than it pays out, yes or no? Do you earn more than you spend, yes or no?

The problem, of course, is that cash flow is easy to measure but difficult to manage. Nevertheless, it is worth the effort, because there is an unexpected bonus for you if you succeed. If you decrease the cash that goes out and increase the cash that comes in, then you will decrease your stress and increase your energy.

Improve cash flow and you improve health, whether yours or your organizations.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2008 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#162: Nonsense is in front of you

A mistake we often make is to think that nonsense is somewhere else, away from us, outside us. We think that nonsense is what others make happen or get up to. And so we don’t bother to look for it right under our feet.

That day when the lioness charged us, as we scrambled to get away from her, I heard one of my fellow retreaters shout, “Where is she? I can’t see her!?” The bungling fool was trying to peer through his binoculars while shuffling backwards through the thorny African bushes. If he had dropped his binoculars he would have seen her almost under his nose.

That’s where you will find nonsense - right under your nose. You don’t need binoculars or any other special equipment to see it. Nonsense is always right here, in front of you. Reach out and touch it.

Then get rid of it, quickly.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2008 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#161: Avoid your own recession

Last week I warned you about self-fulfilling prophecies and over-reacting to predictions of a recession. So, how should you plan your life or your business based on what you hear about the future?

Plan in terms of predetermined events, key uncertainties and surprise-free outcomes.

Consider this example: For people who live on the banks of rivers, any cloudburst over the Blue Ridge mountains is a predetermined event. They know that the rivers will flood, that’s a surprise-free outcome. The key uncertainty is how deep.

Here’s how it works. You cannot act according to key uncertainties because you don’t have enough information. But you can act according to surprise-free outcomes. And you can monitor key uncertainties. In other words, get ready for a flood and keep your eye on the level.

Plan this way and you will be prepared for a recession without putting yourself or your business into its own recession.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#160: The nonsense divide

Last week I told you about being charged by a lioness.

The funny thing is that she charged because of her cubs and we were saved because of her cubs. She charged to get us away from her cubs and stopped to check where her cubs were going. Then she charged again and stopped again.

That’s what nonsense moments do. They come at you and back off, charge again and stop, until you wake up, until you see the nonsense.

The scary thing about a nonsense moment is that it opens up a divide in your mind, whether you realize it or not. It gets you thinking about what matters to you, about the meaning in your life, and it gets you wanting to live that more meaningful life.

And so on the one side is what others want you to do and to be. And on the other side is what you feel is right for you.

Welcome to the nonsense divide.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#159: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

As 2008 speeds up, it is time to remember the power of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A self-fulfilling prophecy happens when you hold a false belief concerning a future event which then comes true because you changed your behavior.

Here is one to watch: Some economist are predicting a recession. What should you do? Decide for yourself, unlike in this story from my business school days. There once was a food vendor who worked the sidewalk crowd on Wall Street through many a boom and bust. So successful was he that he put his son through business school. One day his son stopped by to warn him that a recession was coming. The proud father decided to listen to his educated son, and promptly went belly-up within the year.

So, look for the nonsense in prophecies before you change your behavior. Be skeptical, like George Bernard Shaw, who said that if all the economists were laid end to end, they would never reach agreement.



I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#158: Nonsense moments

Have I told you about being charged by a lioness?

It happened while I was on a walking safari in South African after a boring week of corporate training. We had stumbled onto the lioness and her cubs. This annoyed her and so she charged. Luckily for us, she kept stopping to see where her cubs were and so we did not end up as bones in the African bush.

The first thing we did after getting away was to re-tie our bootlaces. We had almost jumped out of our shoes with fright. Since then, I have realized that life has a habit of doing that to you. It’s a way of getting your attention, a way of waking you up.

I see these events as nonsense moments, because they get your attention away from nonsense and back to what has meaning for you. Before you get hurt.

No doubt, you will experience many nonsense moments this year. Look for the sense in them and get back to meaning, before you get hurt.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#157: Demand to be appraised

By now Santa knows whether he did a good job in 2007. But it still amazes me that he is willing to wait one whole year before getting feedback about his performance. Do you wait as well?

Why not do something different this year. Don’t wait for the one big day with your boss. Instead, demand a performance appraisal every week. Here’s how you should do it:

One - schedule a weekly appointment
Two - explain what you have done this week
Three- explain what you will be doing next
Four- ask for feedback and suggestions

That’s it. Done in 15-30 minutes.

At worst, we tend to treat performance appraisals as something HR wants done; at best, as a way of getting a salary increase. Instead, you could use it as a way of managing your career every week.

You might even get your boss to act professionally, every week.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am

#156: Trying to be resolute

This is day 5 of making your resolutions stick. Are they sticking? If not, you could be making an obvious mistake. So obvious, in fact, that we all tend to overlook it when we want to pass the blame for our failure.

Here’s the obvious mistake. You are trying to. And here’s what you should do: Stop trying. Confused?

Let me explain. Have you ever tried to stand up? Go on, try. Hey, I did not say ‘stand up’! I said ‘try to stand up’. Trying to is not the same as doing it. ‘Trying to’ is about struggling and moaning and heaving and groaning - and never quite making it.

I asked a friend once how he stopped smoking. He said that he had not stopped. He had simply decided not to smoke that day. Of course, he repeated ‘that one today’ every day.

So, don’t try to stick to your resolutions. Just do it for one day.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am