Deprecated: Joomla\Input\Input implements the Serializable interface, which is deprecated. Implement __serialize() and __unserialize() instead (or in addition, if support for old PHP versions is necessary) in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/input/src/Input.php on line 41
Deprecated: Return type of Joomla\Input\Input::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/input/src/Input.php on line 170
Deprecated: Joomla\CMS\Input\Input implements the Serializable interface, which is deprecated. Implement __serialize() and __unserialize() instead (or in addition, if support for old PHP versions is necessary) in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Input/Input.php on line 31
Deprecated: Joomla\CMS\Input\Cookie implements the Serializable interface, which is deprecated. Implement __serialize() and __unserialize() instead (or in addition, if support for old PHP versions is necessary) in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Input/Cookie.php on line 0
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\User\User::$aid is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/User/User.php on line 255
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\User\User::$aid is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/User/User.php on line 255
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property PlgSystemModulesAnywhere::$_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/regularlabs/src/SystemPlugin.php on line 65
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property PlgSystemSourcerer::$_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/regularlabs/src/SystemPlugin.php on line 65
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property PlgSystemArticlesAnywhere::$_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/regularlabs/src/SystemPlugin.php on line 65
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContactRouterRulesLegacy::$router is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_contact/helpers/legacyrouter.php on line 30
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentRouterRulesLegacy::$router is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_content/helpers/legacyrouter.php on line 30
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property NewsfeedsRouterRulesLegacy::$router is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_newsfeeds/helpers/legacyrouter.php on line 30
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property UsersRouterRulesLegacy::$router is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_users/helpers/legacyrouter.php on line 30
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property plgSystemJMap::$app is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/plugins/system/jmap/jmap.php on line 257
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Astroid\Template::$title is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/astroid/Template.php on line 42
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3142
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3142
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3142
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3146
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3146
Deprecated: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Compiler.php on line 3149
Deprecated: Return type of ScssPhp\ScssPhp\Node\Number::offsetExists($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Node/Number.php on line 152
Deprecated: Return type of ScssPhp\ScssPhp\Node\Number::offsetGet($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Node/Number.php on line 177
Deprecated: Return type of ScssPhp\ScssPhp\Node\Number::offsetSet($offset, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Node/Number.php on line 203
Deprecated: Return type of ScssPhp\ScssPhp\Node\Number::offsetUnset($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/scssphp/src/Node/Number.php on line 221
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property G2\L\Joomla\Document::$language is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/cegcore2/libs/document.php on line 30
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property G2\L\Joomla\Document::$path is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/cegcore2/libs/document.php on line 34
Deprecated: explode(): Passing null to parameter #2 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/astroid/Component/Utility.php on line 329
Deprecated: explode(): Passing null to parameter #2 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/astroid/framework/library/astroid/Component/Utility.php on line 355 Perspectives, advice, news for small businesses. Blog - L M Thomas Group - Page #10
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$baseurl is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/HtmlView.php on line 215
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$task is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$parameters.menu is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Application\SiteApplication::$registeredurlparams is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/Controller/BaseController.php on line 648
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Cache\Storage\FileStorage::$_threshold is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Cache/CacheStorage.php on line 107
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$category.id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$params is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.published is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.access is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.tag is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.filter is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.ordering is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.direction is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.start is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.links is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.limit is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.language is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$layout is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.featured is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$note is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$path is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$version is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$note is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$path is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$version is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentModelCategory::$_rightsibling is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_content/models/category.php on line 378
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentModelCategory::$_leftsibling is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_content/models/category.php on line 379
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$params is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.category_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.published is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.access is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.language is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.featured is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.ordering is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.start is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.limit is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.direction is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.filter is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.tag is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.subcategories is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$filter.max_category_levels is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$list.links is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Object/CMSObject.php on line 197
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentModelCategory::$_pagination is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_content/models/category.php on line 265
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$pageclass_sfx is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 163
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$maxLevel is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 198
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$params is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 203
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$parent is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 204
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$user is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 206
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Categories\CategoryNode::$tags is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/MVC/View/CategoryView.php on line 228
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Helper\TagsHelper::$itemTags is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Helper/TagsHelper.php on line 454
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ContentViewCategory::$vote is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/components/com_content/views/category/view.html.php on line 86
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$asset_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$path is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$extension is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$title is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$note is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$description is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$published is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$checked_out is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$checked_out_time is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$access is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$params is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$metadesc is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$metakey is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$metadata is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$created_user_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$created_time is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$modified_user_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$modified_time is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$hits is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$language is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property CategoriesTableCategory::$version is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/src/Table/Table.php on line 189
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$parent_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$level is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$lft is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$rgt is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$alias is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$asset_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$path is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$extension is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$title is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$note is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$description is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$published is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$checked_out is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$checked_out_time is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$access is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$params is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$metadesc is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$metakey is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$metadata is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$created_user_id is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property Joomla\CMS\Object\CMSObject::$created_time is deprecated in /home/matthew2/public_html/lmthomasgroup.com/libraries/vendor/joomla/utilities/src/ArrayHelper.php on line 82
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TV Sitcoms are full of people making bad decisions to humorous effect. Often, people in sitcoms either just react and do something completely ridiculous, or they make tortuous decisions based on rigid thinking and false assumptions that end up creating irony, comedy, conflict, or all three. Whether it’s Sheldon Cooper driving without a license at Penny’s insistence, or Homer Simpson framing Marge for a DUI, bad decision-making processes end up with unexpected results. Thankfully, in sitcoms, these decisions are usually wrapped up in 21 minutes (plus ads). Nevertheless, in real life, poor process leads to poor decisions that often don’t have such an easy resolution.
I believe that clear process leads to better decisions. Unclear and inconsistent process leads to unclear and inconsistent decisions that can harm the health of an overall enterprise, making it less nimble to respond to changes in the marketplace and its overall environment.
Let me illustrate how we applied good process from a recent client experience.
I recently worked with a member-based organization (I’ll call it MBO here) to rewrite their bylaws. Our task was to simplify their governance, remove redundancies and inconsistencies, and streamline the overall organization. A previous committee had charged the current working group with deciding what needed to be in the bylaws, and what needed to be shifted to other documents – and what needed to just be disposed of. So we dug in.
A change in governance of any organization is highly political, and this organization was no different. There were many challenges to be overcome for a successful conclusion that did not cause harm to MBO itself. Here are a four of the most significant challenges:
We’ve probably all seen the adventure movie scene where the main protagonists suddenly find themselves surrounded by hostile armed forces, encircled, and not sure how they are going to find their way out.
At that point, typically, everyone has their weapon out, and everyone is at high alert.
There are some very carefully worded conversations between the surround-ers and the surrounded. A negotiation happens, with the surrounded party trying its best to find its way free (or at least not dead), and the surround-ers not necessarily buying it.
What happens next, of course, depends on the plot of the movie. Sometimes they are captured, sometimes they are rescued, sometimes they join forces, sometimes they are robbed of valuables, and so on.
But there are two things that no one does in these situations:
They don’t just start swinging wildly, or shooting at random, hoping to hit something.
They don’t just freeze up, not doing anything, hoping that they’ll somehow get away without too much loss or damage.
We often face the feeling of being surrounded – with our forces and resources overwhelmed – as a part of leadership. Multiple critical business decisions have to be made at the same time, and we end up feeling stuck. Taking a crack at one thing prevents us from being able to deal with another, it seems. And oftentimes, the things we are dealing with all interconnect in a way that prevents us from really seeing a way forward.
And yet, despite being the protagonists in the story, when we find ourselves overwhelmed by a large, surrounding force of critical decisions, we often take two very different actions than our adventure movie compatriots.
If it’s one thing I hear from business owners and leaders all the time, it’s that they’re busy. While “busy” is, for some of us, a badge of honor, for most of us it’s just reality. And despite being in leadership, being our own boss, or at least having quite a bit of latitude, we start to feel like our business holds us hostage. We can’t get away because of how busy we are.
In fact, despite the fact that we often want to get away, we find ourselves more in the role of crisis manager than anything else. We often find ourselves running around putting out fires.
“Dave dropped the ball.”
“This customer says the new product failed when they installed it. What do we want to do?”
“We keep missing deadlines and customers are going elsewhere.”
“We have a revolving door at the administrative assistant position in accounting.”
“The pipe froze and our tenant’s space is flooded.”
“The contractor didn’t show up.”
“We missed our sales numbers three months in a row. What should we try next?”
And there are other things we would rather be doing.
Frank came to me and told me that he had "downsized" his bookkeeper. She hadn’t balanced the checkbook more than once a year in who knows how long. And there were a lot of checkbooks. You see, Frank ran a nonprofit and his board had, long ago, been worried about the stability of banks, so they’d invested about $100,000 in pretty much every bank in town to stay under the FDIC limit at the time. The monthly financial reports for their 7-figure nonprofit were about 50 pages thick, and despite that no one could really tell how much they really had, or where they were headed. Spreadsheets upon spreadsheets were used to analyze and distribute financial information, but none of it was clear – and some of it was inaccurate.
Full of financial frustration, Frank came to me with three main questions:
Can you help us see what we have, and where we are going?
Can you simplify our system?
Can you lower our overall cost of financial operations?
And we did.
Frank’s problem, though perhaps extreme, isn’t rare. Financial frustration happens in business, government, nonprofit, and even in corporate settings. The fact is that most of the underlying challenges that cause financial frustration also cause other business measurement problems. It turns out that numbers are numbers, whether dollar signs are on them or not.
Why We Want Our Numbers to be Right
Leaders with “number problems” typically have one or more of six motivations for wanting them to be right:
Over and over again, I talk to business owners who feel trapped inside their own businesses. Recently, one of them described it as feeling like he was “held hostage” by his business. Why would he say that?
In this case, he felt trapped putting out fires all the time caused by staffing issues. People would just not show up – which meant he had to scramble. Every day was another fire he had to put out, and yet he was under contract to finish a job with a specific deadline under certain conditions, and so he had to just roll with it. But he hated every minute of it.
Another business owner got trapped in a different way in his business. He grew his business from a staff of five to a staff of 28, but his profitability was slipping. He was working harder for less money. What to do? And yet now, the momentum was growth – he didn’t exactly want to stop that, but he knew he had to do something, so he didn’t keep working more hours for diminishing returns.
Still yet another business owner wanted to sell his business. He had a number in his head of what he wanted, and potential buyers had very different numbers. If he sold at what people were willing to buy, he would essentially lose his retirement. So, he kept working in the business, hoping to find a way to make it sustainable. But the value kept coming back too small. He began to ask himself if he would die in the shop.
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We’ve probably all seen the adventure movie scene where the main protagonists suddenly find themselves surrounded by hostile armed forces, encircled, and not sure how they are going to find their way out.
If it’s one thing I hear from business owners and leaders all the time, it’s that they’re busy. While “busy” is, for some of us, a badge of honor, for most of us it’s just reality. And despite being in leadership, being our own boss, or at least having quite a bit of latitude, we start to feel like our business holds us hostage. We can’t get away because of how busy we are.
Frank came to me and told me that he had "downsized" his bookkeeper. She hadn’t balanced the checkbook more than once a year in who knows how long. And there were a lot of checkbooks. You see, Frank ran a nonprofit and his board had, long ago, been worried about the stability of banks, so they’d invested about $100,000 in pretty much every bank in town to stay under the FDIC limit at the time. The monthly financial reports for their 7-figure nonprofit were about 50 pages thick, and despite that no one could really tell how much they really had, or where they were headed. Spreadsheets upon spreadsheets were used to analyze and distribute financial information, but none of it was clear – and some of it was inaccurate.
Over and over again, I talk to business owners who feel trapped inside their own businesses. Recently, one of them described it as feeling like he was “held hostage” by his business. Why would he say that?