Does your Mother Know?

As my mother once said "Don't do anything you wouldn't do if I was there."

Now that was a great way to keep me on the straight and narrow while I was looking for trouble as a teenager.

I've often thought of repeating the question as I encounter bad drivers flying by on the highway. "Does your mother know you drive like an idiot?"

Mothers are also an important influence to guide our ethical conduct in business. That was apparently understand by the jeweller in Cranbrook BC who had a conspicuous sign posted by the cash stating "We give instant credit to all our customers ... if they are over 90 and accompanied by their mother." Good credit guideline!

Most entrepreneurs and executives probably don't often think of their mothers on the job, unless she's the boss like Ma Boyle (pictured) at Columbia Sportswear. Maybe they should. We would probably have fewer issues of corporate misconduct if their mothers knew what was going on.

Perhaps instead of all those current management courses on ethics and corporate responsibility we only need to remind decision makers to ask themselves "Would my mother be proud of me, if she knew what I was doing?"

Sometimes mother knows best.

A New Start for 2014

Time for more "Random Ramblings from Uncle Ralph".

Dreadfully neglected, it is time to reactivate my online presence as Uncle Ralph.  I do want to raise my visibility so somebody notices when my new books are out.

Yes, my first book, the widely (well, maybe it was narrowly) acclaimed "Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans" is being redone and will be published soon in a Second Edition by AuthorHouse.  The first edition is still available at www.DIYBusinessPlan.com.  Only $9.95 in e-book .pdf. 

The Second Edition will be expanded with new material, more access to Online Tools and Templates and will be available from a variety of traditional and online bookstores in hard cover, paperback and e-book versions.

You should see it before March this year.

Then I will be able to make progress on Uncle Ralph's more comprehensive book of advice for Entrepreneurs, "Don't Do It the Hard Way", based on the simple principle that a wise man learns from the mistakes of others, only a fool insists on making his own.

Meanwhile, back to Blogging.  Excuse me if I cheat a little and re-cycle some of my old favourites.  Think of it as a warm-up exercise to start the creative juices flowing.

Come back soon and I'll try to make it worth a visit.

And Happy New Year in 2014!