michael webster

michael webster

30p

33 comments posted · 0 followers · following 0

12 years ago @ Adi Gaskell says... - Will LinkedIn notifica... · 0 replies · +1 points

Farming if it included placing buying and selling of commodity options.

12 years ago @ Adi Gaskell says... - Will LinkedIn notifica... · 2 replies · +1 points

I tend to agree with Adi, and I own/manage 8 group about franchising. I don't need any of our members to be spending more time on the LI homepage; I would rather they spent any extra time engaging in the discussions.

When LI introduces gaming, it is time to jump ship.

12 years ago @ SmartBlogs by SmartBrief - Decision trees help pr... · 0 replies · +1 points

John writes: "This example, while valid, is simplistic. In a real decision tree, most organizations would include several layers reflecting probabilities that explore a variety of “what ifs” for each choice."

Most people misuse decision trees trying to use them to make a decision. This is generally wrong, as your "gut" instincts "will tell" you how to weight the decision branches. The level of formalization is not consistent with the quality of information about the future.

Now, the past on the other hand is a different story. Trying to figure what you actually did, whether it worked, and if it can be repeated - that is an exercise that could use decision trees.

12 years ago @ Social Media Monitorin... - What is a Brand Journa... · 1 reply · +1 points

So, what is the answer? Is a brand journalism anything different from what used to be called custom publishing?

12 years ago @ SmartBlogs by SmartBrief - Instilling collaboration · 0 replies · +1 points

This is an interesting video, and I like the general point being made.

There is a very nice negotiation exercise which tests whether an individual can lead a collaborative team, given the conflicting incentives in a team. (Generally, the leader makes much more than the followers.)

The exercise and debrief are here: http://bit.ly/PcJ6aa

12 years ago @ SmartBlogs by SmartBrief - 8 leadership myths dis... · 2 replies · +1 points

I like points 7 and 8 together, and I wrote a short training exercise designed to pick out groups in which leaders could be acknowledged and so reward their followers:
http://www.franchise-info.ca/cooperative_relation...

13 years ago @ SmartBlog On Leadership - Is your ego in the way... · 0 replies · +2 points

Dana, that is an interesting post. In an economic world in which leaders get outsized rewards for coordination of groups, maybe some people are simply "going on strike".

I have a leadership exercise on this topic:
http://www.franchise-info.ca/cooperative_relation...

13 years ago @ SmartBlog On Leadership - Aardvarks or eagles? H... · 0 replies · +1 points

That is interesting. I just wrote up a small exercise to sort aardvarks from eagles:
http://www.franchise-info.ca/cooperative_relation...

13 years ago @ The Franchise King Blog - How To Change The (Fra... · 1 reply · +1 points

The CFA has exactly the same problems as the IFA does, and my sense is that is less prepared as a lobbying force than the IFA.

But, at this time, I do not attend the CFA meetings, nor am I a member. Most of the Canadian franchise systems are either not big enough to warrant IAFD programs or are American offspring and it makes more sense for the IAFD to approach the US Trade Association.

My own sense of the IFA's problem is that they are freezing out too many young franchisors who need the tutoring/mentoring that the IFA claims to have - the initial fees are too high for too little perceived benefit.

It would not surprise you to hear that I believe the IAFD has at least a partial solution to that problem.

13 years ago @ The Franchise King Blog - How To Change The (Fra... · 3 replies · +1 points

Joel, thank-you for brining this post to my attention. I think that you are making a number of good points here - especially about the transparency of the lobbying process.

This is a criticism of many associations - how do the political stands get formulated? Where is the history and transparency in the process? I don't think an individual franchise or franchisee should be paying any money to any organization who intends to lobby on their behalf unless you are convinced that they can live with the current level of transparency.

Oh, and I don't think that the IFA's website is good. I think that for the major trade association representing franchisors in the US, it has an abysmal level of social interaction.