• WHEN A KEY EMPLOYEE QUITS, SUCCESSFUL LEADERS VIEW THE CHALLENGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY. Surprisingly often, roles and tasks can be realigned among other employees who appreciate new challenge; sometimes outsourcing is a realistic and even cost-effective solution. Critically important steps, however, are (1) to promptly let the team know the “straight story” including perceived impacts (adverse especially), and to elicit their input as to alternative solutions. Gathering ideas from affected team members and letting them create the transition plan allows them to “feel ownership and become more involved in overcoming the challenges posed.” And (2), take a high-road approach to the departing employee. “It’s not productive to be hurt or offended when someone quits… or to use guilt, coercion or threats to get them to stay,” which generally results in ill will. By honoring all financial obligations and wishing them well, the likelihood of avoiding subsequent disparaging comments and potentially receiving future positive support for recruits, customers, etc. is dramatically improved. [ENTREPRENEUR – Oct 26, 15]

• “INSIDER TRADING IS NOW EFFECTIVELY LEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES… after the Supreme Court just declined to review an Appeals Court decision that ruled prosecutors must now prove a tipster was compensated, and that the tipped-off trader knew the information was illegal… allowing for plausible deniability” in most cases. This landmark decision which dramatically narrowed the definition of ‘insider trading’ resulted in dismissal of previously guilty decisions and pleas in nine big cases. So ‘inside’ info casually shared with friends or family without direct reward is evidently now okay and should do wonders for Wall Street’s already stellar reputation to protect the little guy investors. [NEW YORK TIMES – Oct 22, 15]

• DESPITE A GROUNDSWELL OF EXPECTATIONS, A BUSINESS CAREER IS NO GUARANTEE OF POLITICAL COMPETENCE. “People who build firms from scratch or advance to the top often think they can master anything, including the maelstrom of modern politics… But skills demanded are different. Politicians need to seek consensus; bosses can demand it. Politicians need to woo their foes; executives can get them fired. Running a large company is complicated, but nowhere near as complex as overseeing a government in which diverse, competing interests must be weighed and reconciled for the public good… The qualities that make a good boss, like being willing to cut jobs to make a firm more efficient, ‘seem bad’ in a political leader and opponents will do their best to exploit this.” So the expectations underlying current support for ‘non-politician’ leadership, while justified, are far from a sure remedy for our current dysfunctional political system – worst in the world EXCEPT for every other system in the world.  [THE ECONOMIST – Sep 26, 15]

• THE NEWEST 3-D PRINTER CAN PRINT A BUILDING IN JUST ONE DAY, but is “small enough to be moved easily by one truck and assembled within hours. Its ‘printing zone’ is up to 630 square feet with no height limitation, produces no construction waste of materials, and is “incredibly efficient.” Contractors will soon join the ranks of disrupted technologies. Check out: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/apis-cor-3d-construction/?&&utm_term=3D+Printing  [DIGITAL TRENDS.COM – Oct 13, 15]

• YOGA POSES ARE NOT COPYRIGHTABLE, any more than “a book describing how to perform a complicated surgery would give the holder an exclusive right to perform it… Monopoly protection for a ‘method’ can only be secured – if at all – by a patent.” So ruled the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently in a case attempting to protect 26 poses that comprise the Bikram Sequence of yoga, since the Copyright Act expressly excludes protection for “any idea, procedure, process & system, method of operation, concept, principle or discovery.” [MANATT ADVERTISING LAW – Oct 29, 15]

• “A MASSIVE CYBERATTACK… not only can but will happen… according to the preponderance of experts I spoke to in the Dep’t of Homeland Security and FEMA; former Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano told me she thinks the chances are 80% to 90%.” [Ted Koppel, former Nightline anchor – TIME – Nov 2, 15]

• THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK: ‘Drones’ are now utilized in areas as diverse as agriculture, land-surveying, security, deliveries, archaeology, cave mapping, bird study, traffic monitoring, location scouting, and smuggling drugs & phones into prisons.

“If A is success in life, then A = X + Y + Z. Work is X; Y is play; and Z is keeping your mouth shut.” – Albert Einstein

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