by Xavier Flores | Aug 12, 2021 | Business, Strategy
Over the last twenty-plus years working with executives worldwide, we observed how one of the most crucial steps in educating leaders on the benefits and use of Decision Management Platforms is to help them navigate what’s possible and what is still esoteric.
To an untrained eye, a decision is a simple process of gathering data, turning it into insight, and coming up with a defensible hypothesis. However, as soon as we embark on a Decision Management discovery journey, leaders quickly learn how not all decisions are created equal, and the technology-processes mix differs dramatically.
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by Xavier Flores | Jun 17, 2021 | Business
He occupies the largest office in the building, the corner office, beautifully decorated, the furniture is of precious Tropical woods. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer great views of the city. At the private lobby, someone is always waiting for the next set of instructions. Brand-new car. Business dinners with drinks and exotic dishes; events that extend into the late hours of the night. Sunday brunch. Designer clothes. Wristwatch, very expensive…
That idea is sold to us through movies, television, social networks. Many entrepreneurs make this vision their main objective when starting their company. They want fame, glamour, a jet-setting lifestyle.
When inquiring about how to get to that privileged position, those same entrepreneurs have a very wrong idea of how to achieve it. The illusion of the “Head Honcho”, to the likes of Sam “Ace” Rothstein in the movie “Casino” or Gordon Gecko in “Wall Street”, does not resemble the reality of what is a true (and good) corporate boss, a Head Honcho.
Being the Head Honcho, the boss responsible for the company, is very different. At least it should be.
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by Xavier Flores | Jun 15, 2021 | Business
The houses of the three little pigs were the same size, only made differently. When tested, only the brick house, with its solid construction, survived. It was not by chance or accident. The little pig who made his house out of straw was not really thinking about the house, but about doing whatever with what he saw first so he could quickly go play around. The second little pig, the one with the sticks house, had a stronger desire to imitate the one who was playing than to have a solid house, so he finished anyway he could and went to play, too. The last one was the only one who really knew why he wanted a house, and with that in mind he set about building it. He was the only one who understood that a worthwhile house needs to be planned, well grounded, and that it would take time to build.
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by Xavier Flores | Jun 14, 2021 | Strategy
Payroll is generally one of the most important components of a company’s operating expenses. In service sectors, such as hotels and restaurants, payroll is generally the largest component. It is natural that, in times of scarcity, companies seek a reduction in temporary costs to survive. Sometimes these adjustments become permanent, generating greater profits for owners and investors.
This economic halt we are experiencing today is serving as an excuse for many companies to make cuts and adjustments. Since March, massive layoffs have been reported across the country in excess of 346,000. In Quintana Roo, official figures reach almost 64,000 people, being the entity with the most registered layoffs.
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by Xavier Flores | Jun 11, 2021 | Inspirational
The majority of the world’s companies are closed due to the current pandemic. A historic event during our lifetimes. During Phase 1 of the response to this pandemic we saw the implementation of the current stay-at-home policy and closure of non-essential businesses. Phase 2 will be when stay-at-home policies are relaxed while maintaining social distancing, some non-essential businesses re-open, and non-essential travel may resume. Phase 3 is when congregation and travel restrictions are mostly lifted albeit with strong observance of protocols to prevent resurgence of transmissions. These all applied to Quinta Roo.
As governments all over the world are busy dealing with the deadliest pandemic in recent history, many are putting in place measures to re-open economies, commonly understood as the Phase 3 of the action plan. However, this will be particularly drawn out for economies dependent on the pursuit of leisure and subject to disposable income, i.e., travel and tourism. After millions of people have lost their jobs, dip into their savings for survival or take on debt to stay afloat, getting back to the “new normal” will take time.
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