The teamwork imperative

Nation's Business, Feb, 1997 by Mary Y. McElveen

Some jobs simply can't be accomplished without effective teamwork. It's what we relied on at Nation's Business to produce this month's cover story, "Challenges We Face," and we couldn't have done it without the close cooperation of our art, editorial, and production departments.

Similar teamwork will be required of Congress and President Clinton as they begin to address the major threats to our nation's well-being. We've outlined some of the most critical challenges in the cover story, beginning on Page 16.

Congress and the president could simply take the easy way out and ignore the challenges, but the problems are large and will only get worse unless America acts now.

Our intention is to help readers understand the challenges and why quick steps by--and cooperation among--our nation's leaders are essential in addressing them.

Hiring someone from the outside to lead a family business can produce significant results. In the article beginning on Page 53, Editor-At-Large Sharon Nelton looks at the potential benefits of hiring an outsider and what experts suggest about finding the right leader for a firm.

Zippo Manufacturing Co., in Bradford, Pa., is among the companies that have found success by going outside. At left is its nonfamily president, Michael Schuler.

Even if your company is not a family firm, you're likely to find some hiring tips that will be applicable to your business.

Next month, our cover story will look at why small companies can't ignore the Internet. Whether you're totally uninterested in the Internet or are already using it, you might learn something about what your competitors may be doing.