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A reader asks: I run a small business that supplies a product to major companies. To keep the details anonymous, lets say that we supply garments to a few mid-tier clothing retailers that you can buy in the mall. The problem is that one of my employees two levels down (he reports to someone who reports to me), Dave, behaves as though were making clothing for Gucci or Prada. This causes enormous production headaches. It means everything moves much more slowly through his department, because he is extremely conscientious about quality. That is admirable, but it results in things like being short with our subcontractors because they have not produced the products to his standard, even though they have produced them to industry standards. Weve lost freelance designers because theyre being asked to make Prada-level clothing for Old Navy-type wages. He also causes many things to be done over or redoes them himself. This dramatically drives up the cost of what we produce. He should be producing 5,000 items a year in order to justify his salary but he only produces 3,000. This means we have gotten to a point where it actually costs us more to produce these products than we are being paid for them. Both his manager and I have attempted to tell him directly that he is overdoing things. This angers him and causes him to dig in his heels. Weve said, You dont have to redo this work. It was fine the way the freelancers produced it. Just concentrate on the big issues like the overall cut of the fabric. What he apparently hears is, What you do doesnt matter. Youre wrong to be concerned about quality. His reaction is to stay up all night and work through the weekend to try and increase his numbers instead of just not doing everything twice. Daves heart is in the right place. This is tricky because its not like were asking him to do X and he refuses. Were asking him to do X, and he does X twice and then adds Y and Z! How can I motivate Dave to take a step back and be more in alignment with the market tier we serve instead of driving up cost and increasing everyones aggravation by overdoing things? Or perhaps he is just a bad fit for this job? Green responds: He might be a bad fit for the job. Whether his heart is in the right place or not, you cant keep someone on who refuses to work in the way that you need, wildly misses your production metrics, and drives up your costsand who, when spoken to about it, flatly refuses to change what hes doing. But first make sure you have been very, very clear with Dave. Not just Concentrate on X, not Y clear. This needs to be, If you do not immediately start doing X and stop doing Y, we are going to need to let you go clear. You need to say it that way to make sure Dave understands the stakes. Its possible that he has been hearing, We would like to have the level of care and quality that youre providing and obviously it would be better if we could, but sadly we cannot find a way to sustain it. And hes thinking, Let me show you how we can do it! So you need to be crystal clear that you dont want it and will not allow it. You also need to be clear about the consequences if he continuesthat you will fire him. If you dont spell that out explicitly and then you let Dave go, he sounds like he might be shocked because hes focused on how much he cares and how hard hes working (and in his mind, who would fire someone who cares so much and works so hard?). So its a kindness to let him know now that thats the path hes heading down. If you have this conversation and the problem continues, then youll know that he just cant do the job you need done. At that point, you can move forward with a clear conscience because youll have told him clearly what he needed to do to stay in the job and will have given him a chance to do it. Want to submit a question of your own? Send it to alison@askamanager.org. Alison Green
Category:
E-Commerce
Stocks rose in morning trading on Wall Street Friday and further trimmed losses from earlier in the week for several major indexes.The S&P 500 jumped 0.8%, adding to gains made on Thursday.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 283 points, or 0.6%, as of 10:05 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq jumped 1% and is now on track for a weekly gain.Technology stocks with an focus on artificial intelligence once again led the market. Nvidia jumped 3.4% and Broadcom rose 2.4%.Oracle rose 7% on news that it, along with two other investors, had signed agreements to form a new TikTok U.S. joint venture. Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX each get a 15% share in the popular social video platform, ensuring that it can continue operating in the U.S.Company earnings and how companies are performing amid tariffs and inflation were a key focus for Wall Street.Nike slumped 9.6%, as the impact from tariffs overshadowed an otherwise strong quarterly profit report. Frozen potato maker Lamb Weston fell 19.8%, despite also beating Wall Street’s profit and revenue forecasts.Winnebago Industries jumped 10.7% after turning in profits and revenue for its latest quarter that easily beat analysts’ estimates.Japanese stocks rose after the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to its highest level in 30 years. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 1%, leading the rise across Asia’s key markets. Markets in Europe also gained ground.AP Business Writer Matt Ott contributed. Damian J. Troise, AP Business Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
Last month, the U.S. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was subsequently signed into law by President Donald Trump. The act mandates that the Department of Justice (DOJ) publish all unclassified information it has on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by Friday, December 19. That’s today. Here is what to know about what will likely be included in the trove of documents, as well as where and when you can view them. What documents will be included in the disclosure? When Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, it mandated that the DOJ must publish its unclassified material on Jeffrey Epstein. But what exact material will be included in the disclosure? The act was pretty specific. According to the November law, the DOJ must publish all unclassified: records documents communications investigative materials One can presume that this includes digital evidence such as emails and photos, as well as documents and communications the DOJ created in relation to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein. However, the Epstein Files Transparency Act further clarifies that the release applies to more than just files related to investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters regarding Epstein. The law states that the following must also be released by the DOJ: materials that relate to Ghislaine Maxwell flight logs and travel records individuals named or referenced (including government officials) in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein Entities, including corporations and governmental, with known or alleged ties to Epsteins financial or trafficking networks immunity or other deals with Epstein or his associates Files related to his detention and death Files held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorneys Offices must also be released. Can the DOJ withhold any information? Yes, the DOJ can withhold information from the release of files under a few circumstances, including: If the files or information are classified If the information contains personal information about Epsteins victims If the information, if released, would jeopardize an active federal investigation However, the law specifically states that no information can be withheld solely because that information would cause embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary. When will the DOJ release the Epstein files? The law states that the DOJ must release the Epstein files in a searchable and downloadable format no later than 30 days after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted. The Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted on November 19, 2025. That means that the DOJ has until 11:59 p.m. tonight to release the files. Where will the files be released? The Epstein Files Transparency Act doesnt explicitly state where or how the Department of Justice must release the files beyond saying that the files must be in a searchable and downloadable format. That clause means the DOJ must release the files digitally (since they must be downloadable). However, the law does not state which website must host the files. However, it is very likely that the files will be hosted on the Department of Justices website (justice.gov) or the Justice Department will specify via a press release on its website where the files will be hosted. Its possible that the DOJ could set up a dedicated website where the files will be available to search and download. We’ll update this story with the link once it becomes available.
Category:
E-Commerce
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