Perspectives

Where Has Common Sense Gone?

Over four decades of advising business owners, I have learned that reaching a conclusion and gaining its acceptance are two distinct challenges.

Neil Kohrn

7 hours ago2 min read

When the Obstacle Isn’t What It Appears to Be

A business owner tells an adviser what they believe is wrong. The adviser’s job is to uncover the reality.

Neil Kohrn

2 days ago2 min read

Pondermania: Would You Hire Them?

Would exceptional candidates be screened out because they lack a college degree?

Neil Kohrn

3 days ago2 min read

Reality Checklist: “I Would Never Use AI.”

MORNING COFFEE | PONDERMANIA Reality Checklist: “I Would Never Use AI.” By Neil S. Kohrn As we head into the weekend, pour yourself a cup of coffee. Here’s something to ponder: when someone says, “I would never use AI,” do they recognize how much of it may already be assisting them? I have been reading posts from writers who seem insulted that anyone would suggest they use AI to assist with their writing. They point to their master’s degrees, doctorates, professional accompli

Neil Kohrn

7 days ago2 min read

Sid, the Newest Hire

Meet Sid, the newest hire. Clear direction, thoughtful review, and accountability still come with the job.

Neil Kohrn

Nov 51 min read

When Business Performance Has a Hidden Cause

By Neil S. Kohrn

Neil Kohrn

Nov 52 min read

What Did You Leave Out?

By Neil S. Kohrn “Your background matches some of our paid board and advisory positions.” An inviting introduction. Add that the sender has been retained to conduct searches and present candidates, and a reasonable recipient may understand that a company has engaged the firm to identify qualified executives. But what if consideration for placement requires the executive to purchase a membership? What if the executive funds the service, rather than the company seeking candidat

Neil Kohrn

Nov 53 min read

Neil S. Kohrn: Insight is obtained through observation, questioning, investigation, and reasoning.

Who Is Your Competition?

By Neil S. Kohrn The question sounds simple: “Without naming a specific company or person, identify as many competitors to this business as possible.” Take a moment before reading further. How would you answer? As part of a due diligence program tailored to each engagement, Mr. Kohrn may ask this question of board members, executives, managers, and others throughout an organization. Everyone receives the same question and the same restriction. Each person answers independentl

Neil Kohrn

Nov 43 min read

Pondermania: Familiarity and Intelligence

By Neil S. Kohrn Hand a six-year-old a smartphone, and they may start a FaceTime call without hesitation. Hand that same child a rotary phone and a telephone directory. Would they know where to begin? Would they understand why someone used the White Pages instead of the Yellow Pages? Their intelligence hasn’t changed. Their familiarity with the tools has. Now reverse the exercise. An adult who once navigated those directories effortlessly may struggle to start a video call. D

Neil Kohrn

Nov 41 min read

Pondermania: Are Meetings Moving the Work—or Monitoring the Workers?

By Neil S. Kohrn “We need a meeting.” Before sending the invitation, someone should be able to explain why. Meetings are necessary. They bring people together to examine information, make decisions, coordinate responsibilities, and resolve obstacles. Their value depends on how clearly those purposes are defined—and what happens afterward. A full calendar does not establish that useful work is being accomplished. The location changed. Did the purpose?Before COVID-19 disrupted

Neil Kohrn

Nov 33 min read

A Forecast Should Be a Tool, Not a Weight

By Neil S. Kohrn As companies refine their plans for the coming year, the forecasts supporting those plans deserve another look. A customer’s name and a dollar amount provide little explanation of what the business should reasonably expect. Yet those entries can become the basis for purchasing, staffing, cash planning, sales goals, and compensation. Over four decades, Mr. Kohrn has encountered forecasts that were too vague to guide decisions, overly aggressive, or padded to m

Neil Kohrn

Oct 293 min read

Pondermania: AI Has a Name. You Still Have a Responsibility.

PONDERMANIA AI has a name. You still have a responsibility. In 1955, computer scientist John McCarthy coined the term “artificial intelligence” in a proposal for a Dartmouth research project. The ambition was to explore how machines could perform tasks associated with human intelligence. More than 70 years later, we are still letting the name dominate the conversation. Would “advanced computational assistance” provoke the same fascination? The same fear? I doubt it. The capab

Neil Kohrn

Oct 291 min read

An AI Uprising? Start With the Authority Already Being Given.

By Neil S. Kohrn When will AI turn against us? When will robots take over? Those questions assume the outcome has already been determined and only the date remains unknown. It has not. According to the February 2026 International AI Safety Report, available evidence remains insufficient to reliably determine whether and how today’s AI capabilities will develop into future loss-of-control risks. Researchers disagree about the likelihood and timing. There is no scientifically e

Neil Kohrn

Oct 283 min read

The AI Subscription Is Only the Beginning

By Neil S. Kohrn A major misconception about artificial intelligence is that purchasing access to a platform provides everything a company needs to put it to work. Management approves a subscription, assigns someone to use it, and expects results. But the platform may represent only a small portion of the investment required. The larger expense can come from supporting tools, additional subscriptions, licensed databases, specialized knowledge sources, and integration with exi

Neil Kohrn

Oct 273 min read

AI Context Exercise: Halloween Display

Instructions Recreate the Halloween display shown below these instructions using only your own written instructions to AI. You may study the reference image and its numbered list, but do not upload the image, ask AI to describe it, or submit it for copying. 1. Before you begin, identify the eight items and the specific details that distinguish each one. 2. Write your initial instructions. Specify appearance, actions, quantities, placement, and exceptions. 3. Generate the imag

Neil Kohrn

Oct 262 min read

This Time, Stay on the Issue.

AI supplied the options. Human focus delivered the decision.

Neil Kohrn

Oct 221 min read

Who Told You That You Need AI?

By Neil S. Kohrn Potential clients often begin conversations with me by asking, “How can we use AI for…?” My first question is: “Who told you that you need AI?” In most situations, I don’t receive a clear answer. They have heard it would be good for their business. So might a substantial cash infusion or a large order. But capital without a sound plan can be wasted, and an order the business cannot fulfill can create serious difficulties. The potential benefit deserves examin

Neil Kohrn

Oct 212 min read

The Emergency Board Meeting

Eight hours of answers. No decision on the emergency.

Neil Kohrn

Oct 211 min read

AI Won’t Fix What Management Hasn’t Defined

By Neil S. Kohrn A company announces that it is implementing artificial intelligence. The board hears progress. Management sees potential savings. Employees wonder whether they are training their replacements. But one question deserves an answer before the announcement: What, specifically, is AI being asked to improve? “Implement AI” is not a business objective. Neither is keeping up with competitors or demonstrating that the company is embracing innovation. Without a defined

Neil Kohrn

Oct 193 min read

Neil S. Kohrn on selecting an effective board through judgment, independence, and the ability to weigh evidence.

Choosing Who Belongs in the Room Where It Happens

Selecting an effective board is like selecting a jury through voir dire: a distinguished résumé deserves attention, but sound judgment, independence, and the ability to weigh evidence determine who belongs in the room. — Neil S. Kohrn Read Who’s Watching the Board?

Neil Kohrn

Oct 151 min read