MSED Blog

Submitted By:  Norman E. Bash
MSED Education Committee & Principal, Norman Bash & Associates

As many MSED members know, Jeff brings a unique combination of insights into how companies are successful, the ability to express these ideas simply and skills to provide compelling examples.  His lessons apply to sales, marketing and corporate management.  His sessions at MSED were some of our most productive and best reviewed events.

In this, Jeff’s eleventh book, he focuses on how companies can not only survive but prosper in hard times.  In sixty short chapters, he provides insights that we each can use both in our careers and in our private lives.  Some of the chapter titles are:

• “I visit customers in stores” – management needs to meet customers and middlemen in their own settings to make correct decisions.  This is not delegatable.
• “Stay off magazine covers” – the leaders’ job is to lead, not to gather personal publicity.
• “People are not the most valuable asset, customers are” – They pay the bills.
• “Pay for performance, not activities” – the person who writes the best call reports is rarely the most productive salesman.
• “Never cancel batting practice” – In tough times, don’t drop training, R & D, marketing, and other revenue generating activities.
• “Fire the strategic customer” – Get rid of the customer who provides his business at a net loss when all costs are considered.

After a distinguished corporate career, Jeff has consulted for more than twenty years.  For more information, check out his website www.foxandcompany.com.