Category: Oswald Letter

Dan Oswald, CEO of Simplify Compliance, writes about management, leadership, and the workplace. Occasional guest articles are written by other leaders and C-Suite executives from BLR. 

Trump’s behavior would create a nightmare in any workplace

by Dan Oswald Like a moth to the flame, I’m going to revisit the subject of none other than Donald Trump. You can’t ignore that he is THE story right now. There’s no doubt that when it comes to Trump, emotions run high as we watch supporters and protesters clash—even physically—at his rallies. And there […]

meeting

Make sure your manager can say being your boss is “pretty great”

by Dan Oswald National Car Rental’s new commercial asks, “What’s it like to be the boss of you?” And it also answers the question: “Pretty great.” The actor in the commercial, Patrick Warburton, then negotiates a 20 percent raise for himself with himself. If only life were that easy! But I like the question the […]

engagememt

Don’t hesitate to tell your coworkers how much they mean to you

by Dan Oswald Sunday was Valentine’s Day. Here’s hoping you got to spend it with loved ones. My wife and I traveled to visit our daughter at college and got to spend the day with her. It was a good day and everything I could ask for to celebrate my February holiday. I remember as […]

3 common problems with hiring and the presidential election

The road to the 2016 U.S. presidential election officially begins today with the Iowa caucuses. Having grown up in Iowa, I have experienced the caucus process first-hand. It’s an interesting process that has a real grassroots feel to it, and it can produce some very interesting results that are often difficult to predict. If you’re […]

What does luck have to do with it?

by Dan Oswald “I’d rather be lucky than good.” Those famous words were uttered by Lefty Gomez, a left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees who played primarily in the 1930s. Take a minute to let that quote soak in. Would you rather be lucky or good? I guess if you had to choose between […]

Martin Luther King, Jr., taught us invaluable lessons on leadership

by Dan Oswald Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. King was a man who accomplished so much, affected so many others, and left a lasting legacy that is still prevalent today. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in 1929 and lived just 39 years before he was tragically assassinated in Memphis, […]

Use discipline to achieve your goals in 2016

by Dan Oswald The other day, I brought in a couple dozen donuts for a meeting we were having at the office. Since it was the first week back to work in the new year, I must admit I was curious about how many of those donuts would get eaten. How resolute would my colleagues […]

Anticipate great success at work in 2016

by Dan Oswald The opening line of Carly Simon’s 1971 song Anticipation is “We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway.” As I write this, it’s the first day back at work in the new year, and anticipation sums up the way I feel today. Webster’s defines anticipation […]

Change someone’s life with an unexpected gift this holiday season

by Dan Oswald Christmas is less than two weeks away. And as the carol goes, ’tis the season to be jolly. But it’s also the season of giving. Gift giving has long been a tradition associated with Christmas. Whether or not you still believe in Santa Claus, everyone likes to receive gifts. Nothing warms the […]