Publication of the Swiss Canadian Chambers of Commerce Ontario and Quebec Publication des Chambres de Commerce Canado-Suisse de l Ontario et du Québec

Transcription

1 Publication of the Swiss Canadian Chambers of Commerce Ontario and Quebec Publication des Chambres de Commerce Canado-Suisse de l Ontario et du Québec June/July Juin/Juillet 2012 Feature/Reportage: Hotels / Hotellerie

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3 FEATURE / REPORTAGE Hotels / Hotellerie 4 L hôtel «boutique», à l opposé de la chaîne hôtelière 6 Trump Tower 8 Travel tips from Tablet BUSINESS AND OTHER NEWS NOUVELLES ECONOMIQUES ET INFORMATION Publication of the Swiss Canadian Chambers of Commerce Ontario and Quebec Publication des Chambres de Commerce Canado-Suisse de l Ontario et du Québec 9 Commodity Boom and Bust, Global Credit Problems and Chinese Slow Down 12 Tribeca Insights: Hollande s France A Tipping Point in Europe s Politics? 16 Ontario Budget Social Networking Trips Up Another Employee 18 Karin s Performance Solutions The Why and How of Giving Constructive Feedback 20 Social Media Monitoring Tools an Incomplete Digest 24 Travel News 27 Business News 28 Trade Fairs CONTENTS / INDICE CHAMBER NEWS NOUVELLES DE LA CHAMBRE 2 President s Message SCCC/Upcoming Events 3 Message du Président CCCS / Evénéments 14 Member Profile 17 Scholarship Fund 20 Quote of the Month 22 Soirée d ouverture officielle de la nouvelle boutique des Cycles Gervais Rioux 23 Un départ à la retraite souligné d émotions 24 New Members SCCC 25 Nouveaux Membres CCCS 28 SCCC Group Health Plan Trump Hotel, Toronto, Grand Lobby Photo by IV Design Associates

4 Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Ontario) Inc. 756 Royal York Road Toronto, Ontario M8Y 2T6 Tel: (416) Fax: (416) BOARD OF DIRECTORS President / Director: Philipp Gysling Mesh Innovations Inc. 174 Hallam Street, Toronto ON M6H 1X5 Tel: philipp.gysling@meshinnovations.com Website: Vice-President Ernst Notz Nacora 2 Hunter Avenue; Toronto ON M6E 2C8 Tel: (416) ernst.notz@rogers.com Treasurer/ Director: Monica Stevens-Wyss Trowbridge Professional Corporation 25 Adelaide St. E.; Suite 1400; Toronto, ON M5C 3A1 Phone: (416) ext monica.stevens@trowbridge.ca Website: Secretary & Legal Counsel: Bernard Lette Lette LLP 20 Queen Street West, #3300, P.O. Box 33, Toronto ON M5H 3R3 Tel: blette@lette.ca Website: Past President / Director: Hans Munger Auto Motion Shade Inc. 400 Bentley Street; Unit 7-11; Markham ON L3R 8H6 Tel: x 33 hansm@automotionshade.com Website: Directors: Babette Baars Marché Restaurants Canada Ltd. 8 King Street East, Suite 838, Toronto, ON M5C 1B5 Tel: Cell: babette.baars@marche-int.com Website: Rudi Blatter Lindt & Spruengli (Canada) Inc. 181 University Avenue, Suite 900, Toronto ON M5H 3M7 Tel: (416) rblatter@lindt.com Website: Mirko Capodanno Switzerland Tourism 480 University Avenue, Suite 1500 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Tel: Cell: mirko.capodanno@switzerland.com Website: Yves-Daniel Cochand Swiss Reinsurance Company 150 King Street West, # 2200, Toronto, ON M5H 1J9 Tel: YvesDaniel_Cochand@swissre.com Website: Julien Favre UBS 154 University Avenue, Toronto ON M5H 3Z4 Tel: (416) julien.favre@ubs.com Website: Sandra Leuba 136 Curzon Street, Toronto ON M4M 3B5 Tel: leubasandra@yahoo.ca Ronnie Miller Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd 2455 Meadowpine Boulevard, Mississauga ON L5N 6L7 Tel: ronnie.miller@roche.com Website: Daniel Oehy Swissmar 35 East Beaver Creek Rd, Unit 6, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1B3 Tel: danielo@swissmar.com Website: Barbara Sutton Neuchâtel Junior College 44 Victoria Street; Suite 1310; Toronto ON M5C 1Y2 Tel: (416) ext advancement@neuchatel.org Website: Urs Uhlmann Zurich 400 University Avenue, 25th Floor, Toronto ON M5G 1S7 Tel: (416) urs.uhlmann@zurich.com Website: Andrea von Moeller B2-125 The Queensway; Toronto ON M8Y 1H3 Tel: (416) andrea@2marketinternational.com Website: Honorary Director: Bernadette Hunkeler Consulate General of Switzerland 154 University Avenue, Suite 601, Toronto ON M5H 3Y9 Tel: Website: Liaison Officer Consulate General of Switzerland: Emil Wyss Consulate General of Switzerland 154 University Avenue, Suite 601, Toronto ON M5H 3Y9 Tel: Emil.Wyss@tor.rep.admin.ch Website: Executive Assistant: Patricia Keller Schläpfer SCCC 756 Royal York Road, Toronto ON M8Y 2T6 Tel: (416) Fax: (416) sccc@swissbiz.ca Website: Typesetting and Assembly: Nancy corptype Printed by: J. B. Deschamps Dear Members, As every year, the Chamber held its Annual General Meeting in the spring and on this occasion I would like to draw a few highlights to your attention. The Chamber s board composition changed a little bit as we welcomed three new members to our board: Monica Stevens-Wyss, Barbara Sutton and Ernst Notz. All three new board members will be active on various committees of the Chamber. Concurrently, we bid adieu and extend our gratitude to Roger Hunziker and Urs Villiger who both served on the board many years and were instrumental in the introduction of the popular Swiss Night. The AGM featured a very interesting presentation by Ambassador Lehner as well as a delicious, Swiss-inspired buffet. Our inaugural German-Swiss-Canadian golf tournament is now just around the corner and it promises to be a great event. Not only is it the first time we collaborate with our German colleagues but we are also moving our event to a new course and we are upping the ante with our prizes. After the golf tournament there will be a summer hiatus as far as Chamber activities go and we will reconvene for our Spousal Event in the early fall. Hotels and restaurants are the main focus area of this issue of info suisse. Switzerland, with its strong tourism industry and its many hotel management schools, has traditionally been an important exporter of highly qualified staff in this industry. This is apparent all over the world, including right here in Canada. Hotels and restaurants are places where people meet and mingle, not unlike our Chamber events, and they are a nice contrast to the focus topic in our previous info Suisse, social media where people also meet but in a completely different realm. As mentioned in our last info Suisse, and even though the Kony2012 excitement has come and gone, we will continue to publish interesting articles on the social media subject. It continues to be an interesting topic and we shall see if a company like Facebook can keep its momentum going post IPO and if the social media can ever truly compete with real life meeting places Happy reading! Philipp Gysling President 2012 COMING EVENTS July 10: Swiss Night at the Marché September 11: Spousal Event November 17: Gala Dinner Le Meridien King Edward Further Information can be found on Dates above are subject to change 2 I NFO SUISSE

5 La Chambre de commerce canado-suisse (Québec) Inc. Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Quebec) Inc Avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, Qué. H3G 1C4 Tél: (514) Fax: (514) Web site: CONSEIL D ADMINISTRATION / BOARD OF DIRECTORS Président / President Mr. Jean Serge Grisé Directeur, Communications et Affaires publiques Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon Conseiller en affaires publiques Tel: , # Grisejs@fondationchagnon.org Secrétaire / Secretary Me Monica Schirdewahn Avocate / Lawyer Lette & Associés Tel: , # mschirdewahn@lette.ca Vice-présidents / Vice-Presidents Mr. Bruno Setz Consultant Tel: brunosetz@videotron.ca Mr. Olivier Rodriguez Gestionnaire de portefeuille Mirabaud Canada Inc. Tel: olivier.rodriguez@mirabaud.ca Trésorier / Treasurer Mr. Othmar Widmer Consultation Widmer Tel: widmer.aviation@gmail.com Directeurs / Directors Mr. Jacques Demont Managing Director Nespresso Tel: jacques.demont@nespresso.com Mr. Christian G. Dubois Conseiller de la Ville Ville de Montréal (Arrondissement Pierrefonds-Roxboro) Tel: christiangdubois@ville-montreal.qc.ca Me Jean-Marc Ferland Avocat Ferland, Marois, Lanctot Tel: ferland@fml.ca Mr. Moritz Gruber Président System Huntingdon Inc. Tel: mgruber@systemeinc.com Mr. Olivier Schlegel General Manager for Canada Swiss International Air Lines Tel: , # olivier.schlegel@swiss.com Mr. Patrick Veenhuizen Conseiller de développement, financement et conseils stratégiques CLD Beauharnois-Salaberry Tel : , poste pveenhuizen@hotmail.com Mr. Paul Wieser PDG pour le Canada Busch Vacuum Technics Inc. Tel: pamawi@busch.ca Directeur honoraire / Honorary Director (à partir de juillet / as of July 2012) Mr. Beat Kaser Consul général de Suisse Tel: beat.kaser@eda.admin.ch Liaison au Consulat général de Suisse Mr. Paolo Bezzola Consul Tel: paolo.bezzola@eda.admin.ch Conseiller juridique / Legal Counsel Lette & Associés Tel: , # mschirdewahn@lette.ca Responsable de l administration / Administration Officer Mr. Andreas Kräuchi Tel: Fax: info@cccsqc.ca Chères membres, chers membres, Au moment où j écris ce message, nous préparons notre dernière activité de la saison : notre traditionnel tournoi de golf en mémoire de notre ancien président, Jacques Thévenoz. Nous avons innové cette année en demandant à un de nos membres de présider l événement; en effet, Jean-Jacques Laurans, président du Groupe Alfid, a accepté cette fonction avec générosité et efficacité. This year also, the organizing committee was chaired by Bruno Setz. The combination of those two efficient managers had an immediate effect : our Golf Tournament will generate additional profits, but more important, we will have the best attendance of players in the recent years. Bravo Jean-Jacques et Bruno ainsi que les membres de votre équipe! Nous venons d avoir notre assemblée générale annuelle et la grande majorité des membres de votre conseil d administration a été réélue. Nous accueillons un nouveau membre, Patrick Veenhuizen, qui nous apportera, sans doute, de nouvelles idées. Je tiens à remercier un membre important de notre Chambre qui nous laisse après 17 années de loyaux services; il s agit de Raphaël Delacombaz, qui a accepté la Présidence de la Fédération des Sociétés suisses de l Est du Canada. Thank you and good luck Raphaël! Je suis très fier de l année qui vient de se passer; nous avons un grand nombre de nouveaux membres. The arrival of those new members will compensate for the departure of members who retired from their businesses and left our organization. Nous avons aussi offert à nos membres plus d activités axées sur les échanges commerciaux. Ceci nous a permis d avoir une participation de plusieurs non-membres qui ont ainsi fait connaissance avec notre Chambre. Nous avons l intention de poursuivre encore cette année ce «virage affaires». Dans quelques jours, les membres du Conseil se retrouveront pour leur «brainstorming annuel». We will try to plan activities that will interest our membership and their guests. As I often mentioned, I want our members to tell us what they wish; please do not hesitate to communicate with us. In the next few weeks, I will announce something that should improve members services, stay tuned. Je vous demande encore une fois, de nous transmettre vos idées et vos nouvelles concernant votre entreprise; je vous annoncerai sous peu quelques changements qui amélioreront encore la communication entre nous et nos membres. Bon été et à très bientôt, Jean Serge Grisé Président du conseil d administration Chambre de Commerce canado-suisse du Québec. Septembre / September Novembre / November EVÉNÉMENTS / UPCOMING EVENTS 2012 Cocktail d ouverture de la saison Season opening cocktail Soirée Fondue / Fondue evening Dates sujet à changements / Dates subject to change INFORMATION et détails/and details : ou/or (514) J UNE/JULY 3

6 Hotels / Hotellerie L HÔTEL «BOUTIQUE», À L OPPOSÉ DE LA CHAÎNE HÔTELIÈRE Stylisé, branché, unique, innovateur, chic, harmonieux, thématique, original, urbain, tendance, exceptionnel, intime, luxueux, éclectique Autant de qualificatifs qui collent à l hôtel «boutique». Qu est-ce qu un véritable hôtel «boutique»? UNE TENTATIVE DE DÉFINITION Émergeant au cours des années 1980 à New York, le marché de niche des hôtels «boutique» a connu un véritable boom à la fin des années Ce type d hôtel comble la place laissée inoccupée par la standardisation des grandes chaînes hôtelières. À l opposé de ces dernières, chaque établissement développe un style unique basé sur un concept et une personnalité qui lui sont propres. On parle souvent de feeling quand on veut décrire les hôtels «boutique», mais le concept se définit principalement par : la localisation urbaine principalement situés dans les grandes villes et dans des quartiers dynamiques et branchés; l architecture et le design architecture unique, design recherché et souvent articulé autour de thématiques, souci du détail, décor offrant atmosphère et sentiment d intimité; le service personnalisé facteur important de différenciation, anticipation des besoins, le client devient un invité. Les milieux de villégiature offrant exotisme, éloignement, intimité et intégration de la culture locale présentent un intérêt grandissant. À Montréal, Le Germain est sans contredit l hôtel «boutique» type. Le Vieux-Montréal est devenu une zone où ce marché se développe de plus en plus. Occupant un segment haut de gamme, ces hôtels ont désormais fait leur niche. Ils atteignent souvent des taux d occupation supérieurs de 10 à 15% à la moyenne des établissements hôteliers. Leur marché est constitué de voyageurs d affaires, dont plusieurs femmes, d une clientèle branchée et de baby-boomers. Certains associent leur clientèle au lifestyle plus qu à toute autre caractéristique sociodémographique. Pour ces hôteliers principalement indépendants, le bouche à oreille devient un facteur critique de publicité. Certains hôtels se tournent vers les chaînes volontaires pour optimiser leur commercialisation. UN DÉBAT AUTOUR DU NOMBRE DE CHAMBRES Le nombre de 150 chambres semble être la limite acceptable pour les hôtels «boutique». Selon certains, le concept de service personnalisé et le caractère d intimité recherchés dans ce type d hôtel ne peuvent prendre 4 I NFO SUISSE

7 tout leur sens que dans un établissement de faible capacité. Par opposition, d autres affirment que la quantité n entre pas en ligne de compte et qu au-delà du service personnalisé, le design et l atmosphère théâtrale (architecture, design, couleurs, éclairage, musique, art) font partie intégrante du concept. Le succès de ce segment a évidemment un impact sur les chaînes hôtelières, qui adoptent elles aussi la formule. Devant ce phénomène grandissant, plusieurs sont perplexes: le concept de l hôtel «boutique» n est-il pas le contraire de la chaîne? DU RECHERCHÉ AU «BRANCHÉ», DU CHIC AU «GRIFFÉ» Il y a non seulement augmentation notable de grands hôtels dans ce créneau, mais la notion de design a éclaté dans tous les sens. Les designers rivalisent d ingéniosité pour impressionner, surprendre ou séduire la clientèle. D un design recherché, on passe au design branché. On veut attirer la clientèle avec le Wow et le Buzz. Pour paraphraser Don MacLaurin, professeur associé de l Université de Guelph, ces établissements engagent du personnel qui semble sortir directement d un magazine de mode. On verse dans l ère du You are where you sleep. Suivant un même courant, le segment des hôtels de luxe se tourne vers les grands créateurs de mode, Armani et autres, pour renouveler son image et se démarquer. CRÉNEAU SATURÉ OU VOUÉ AU DÉCLIN? On constate que «hôtel boutique» est devenu un buzz word et que les puristes ont tout lieu de s en indigner. Avec l arrivée des chaînes hôtelières et des hôtels sous le signe de la surenchère du design, on peut parler d éclatement de ce segment. Selon certains, ce créneau est difficilement viable car le très branché, on s en lasse! L effet mode étant voué au changement, l engouement s estompe et il faut alors se renouveler. La barre étant toujours de plus en plus haute, un défi grandissant se pose pour les designers et il devient très coûteux de suivre l évolution des modes. La vision que la clientèle a d un hôtel a beaucoup évolué depuis les dernières années et il n est pas faux de dire que le choix de l hôtel reflète la personnalité du client. L hôtel «boutique» dans son essence même n est pas un produit créé pour suivre une tendance ou une mode, il a été créé pour répondre à un besoin. Il ne faut pas abandonner l idée d être différent, mais il faut surtout miser sur la qualité du produit les gens veulent somme toute une chambre confortable de même que sur un service personnalisé et irréprochable. Sources : Réseau de veille en tourisme, Chaire de tourisme Transat, École des sciences de la gestion, UQAM J UNE/JULY 5

8 Hotels / Hotellerie TRUMP TOWER A NEW WAY OF LIFE FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS AND TO NEGOTIATE DEALS By Naomi Strasser Real estate developer Inna Levitan, and her partners Val Levitan and Alex Shnaider knew that the ultimate success of Trump International Hotel & Tower, located in the heart of Toronto s bustling financial district would be determined by the most discriminating business travelers and measured against the best hotels around the world. Amenities and services would have to be as good as anywhere, not just Toronto. What she didn t expect, was that the luxurious hotel, located at the corner of Main and Main as she affectionately calls it, would become a living, breathing boardroom populated by industry titans, young entrepreneurs and international visitors. Step into STOCK Restaurant, which overlooks the Toronto skyscape from its perch on the 31st floor and you ll find bankers and brokers jockeying for one of the four plush leather sofas in the lounge the hotel s equivalent of a corner office for the express purpose of taking their dealings out of the stuffiness of a traditional boardroom and into a space that may be more conducive to doing business in the new economy. What s interesting is that this is happening at 10:00 in the morning after power-breakfast meetings have concluded and well before the well-heeled lunch crowd arrives. Word on the street is that the lounge at STOCK is the best boardroom in town, laughs Ms. Levitan, CEO and Managing Partner of Talon Luxury Collection, which owns STOCK. People have even asked if they can reserve the sofas permanently so that they can hold meetings there whenever they d like. The phenomenon of heading outside of the office isn t new, but the frequency with which CEOs are holding court at STOCK is increasing. Like Camp David, the famous American presidential retreat that has hosted some of history s most important discussions, STOCK neutralizes politics and home court advantages, thereby permitting negotiations to flourish in a relaxed and decompressed environment subtly surrounded by the technology and services that the world s CEOs have come to expect and require. Developed by Talon International Development Inc., Trump International Hotel & Tower is the tallest residential tower in Canada, and home to the country s newest luxury hotel and residence. Trump has long been synonymous with business grandeur and service, and nowhere is this more evident than at the newest jewel in the Trump Hotel Collection. With its imported marble and gleaming accents the hotel and residence is incredibly tasteful, and obviously the work of real craftsmen whose pride in construction speaks through the impressive design elements. It is almost as though Trump Toronto is an international business Seit über 20 Jahren in Ontario zugelassener, deutschsprechender Anwalt und Notar bietet Ihnen persönliche Betreuung und fachliche Kompetenz. ALEXANDER SENNECKE BALDWIN ANKA SENNECKE HALMAN LLP BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS Helping you make the Right Moves Victoria Tower 25 Adelaide Street East Suite 900 Toronto, Ontario M5C 3A1 Für weitere Fragen stehe ich gerne zur Verfügung. Direct: Facsimile: Cell: Handy: asennecke@sennecke.com 6 I NFO SUISSE

9 embassy. Staff is discreet, yet anticipatory. Guests are greeted by name, and made to feel important, yet they understand intuitively when to step back and when to lead. They don t wear name-tags and offer business cards by graciously holding them in two hands, making everyone feel as though they are on native soil. In the lobby, two gentlemen enter with a stack of papers in hand. They make their way up to STOCK where a group of six executives, including one from China and another from Germany have moved from the lounge to a larger table in the main dining room. The executives are feasting on poached lobster salads, grilled spigola with grilled artichokes and pepperonata and cabernet braised short ribs. They are surveying the signature chocolate cart a cacophony of impressive hand-made chocolate confectionaries, created daily in the hotel s chocolate lab and a favourite of those who protest that they can t indulge in one more delicacy. Today s offerings include truffles made with yuzu and lime, chocolate barks served on a miniature guillotine and handmade toffees and melt-aways that those at the table are jokingly fighting over. Ms. Levitan adds, On any given day, you can walk into Trump Toronto, and see recognizable executives laughing while clearly holding serious business meetings. It s a more social way of doing business, and it happens 24/7 at STOCK. This hotel has quickly become the best place for networking, and the art of the deal. And although we see it all the time at STOCK, it happens throughout the hotel. In the living rooms of our suites, at SUITS Lobby Lounge, even at Quartz Crystal Spa. I think it s because there s a terrific dynamic here in all the spaces with a good balance of seriousness, and sophistication. And the location doesn t hurt either. Back at the executive table, the two minions who moments earlier arrived with an armful of papers approach the diners. They are invited to sit down. Arms waving, fingers pointing, all of a sudden the table dissolves into laughter and handshakes. Another deal is signed at STOCK. The waiter arrives moments later with champagne flutes and vintage champagne that he s collected from the restaurant s wine wall. As they raise a glass, they toast to their success, and also to Trump. When the revelry ends, the overseas visitors retreat to the solace of their home away from home the plush hotel suites that await just a few floors below. And like their own residences, comfort is paramount. After all, it doesn t matter where you hail from, what matters is that you instantly recognize where you are. Naomi Strasser is president of Aerial Communications Group, a full-service public relations firm located in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Ms. Strasser is a former journalist, and her work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Los Angeles Times, Financial Post and The Associated Press among others Photos by IV Design Associates. J UNE/JULY 7

10 Hotels / Hotellerie TRAVEL TIPS FROM TABLET WEBSITE: Top Rated Hotels in Switzerland Meter Score 1. Hôtel Les Trois Rois Basel Jiva Hill Park Hotel Crozet (FR) Golf & SPA near Geneva The Dolder Grand Zurich The Hotel Luzern Lucerne Widder Hotel Zurich Alden Hotel Splugenschloss Zurich Eastwest Geneva Geneva Greulich Zurich Hotel de la Paix, Geneva Geneva La Cour des Augustins Geneva 18.0 Most Affordable Hotels in Switzerland From 1. Greulich Zurich SFr Tschuggen Grand Hotel Arosa SFr Hôtel Les Trois Rois Basel SFr La Cour des Augustins Geneva SFr Eastwest Geneva Geneva SFr Nevai Hotel Verbier SFr Hotel Paradies Ftan SFr Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel Interlaken SFr Jiva Hill Park Hotel Crozet (FR) Golf & SPA near Geneva Park Hotel Weggis Weggis SFr For over 25 years, Swissmar has offered a selection of leading brands and products from around the world to meet all your entertaining needs. Our Swissmar brand continues to develop and has expanded from raclettes and fondues, to wine accessories, cheese knives and most recently pepper and salt mills. At Swissmar, quality, value and ingenuity are our key commitments for creating entertaining necessities. Heritage Craftsmanship Innovation Performance all key elements and commitments from Wenger, known as the Maker of the Genuine Swiss Army Knife. The Swiss Military Watch collection continues the tradition of quality, heritage and Swiss craftsmanship that began more than a century ago with the Swiss Army Knife Visit us at 8 I NFO SUISSE

11 Business and Other News Nouvelles economiques et information COMMODITY BOOM AND BUST, GLOBAL CREDIT PROBLEMS AND CHINESE SLOW DOWN HOW HAS YOUR PORTFOLIO PERFORMED AND WHAT LIES AHEAD? By: Albrecht Weller, CFA Equities returns versus a well balanced portfolio Investment returns in equities have become more difficult to achieve over the past few years and well balanced portfolios have outperformed pure equity portfolios. Equity returns on the S&P 500 index have returned 1.0% over the past 5 years including dividends up to April 30, Without dividend the S&P 500 would have lost 1% over the same time period. Canada s TSX has underperformed the S&P 500 by more than 5% during that time period. The TSX lost 8.4% during that time period not including dividends. Including dividends the TSX has still lost more than 5%. Equity returns both in Canada and the US have underperformed bonds and preferred shares and experienced extreme volatility as investors fled to safer investments. As investors have bid up prices on bonds and preferred shares, yields on 10 year bonds have fallen from 4.5% at the beginning of May 2007 to 2.1% at the end of April of this year and preferred shares yields have fallen by at least 1% during the same time period. Bond yields decline as prices appreciate. If an investor held a 10 year bond in 2007 until now it would now be a 5 year bond and the yield at 1.7%would even be lower than on a 10 year bond. An investor investing in a 10 year bond 5 years ago had a capital appreciation of at least 20% since then. The total return on the his or her 10 year bond over the past 5 years was 6.8% compounded. Long-term or perpetual preferred shares fared even better. Many perpetual preferred shares yielded more than 6.0% in 2007 and now have declined by 1% or more. This has offered investors at least a 20% capital appreciation on the preferred shares plus a 6% coupon over the same time period. The overall rate of return on quality perpetual preferred shares was 10% per year or more, significantly better than equity returns. A well balanced portfolio yielded between 5% and 10% per year from 2007 to 2012, however many portfolios yielded less because they were either heavily weighted towards equities or did not hold longer term fixed income assets. European economic and debt crisis, Chinese slowdown and end of commodity super boom Increased government debt burden, corporate and real estate mismanagement and changing economic dynamics in the US and Europe have added uncertainty and volatility in equity markets in the US and overseas over the past 5 years. While Canada has not been isolated from the equity volatility during that time period, Canada s fundamentals were significantly stronger. Canada benefited from rising oil and other resource TANT D HORIZONS À EXPLOR R MIRABAUD ÉLARGIT SON HORIZON, AUTANT POUR LA GESTION PRIVÉE QUE L ASSET MANAGEMENT ET L INTERMÉDIATION. S ENGAGER AUTREMENT POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN. MIRABAUD Canada Inc. - Olivier Rodriguez / MIRABAUD Gestion Inc. - Yves Erard 1501, avenue McGill College - Bureau Montréal (Québec) H3A 3M8 - T F MIRABAUD Canada Inc. est membre de l Organisme canadien de réglementation du commerce des valeurs mobilières inc. et du Fonds canadien de protection des épargnants. J UNE/JULY 9

12 Business and Other News Nouvelles economiques et information prices. Canada has also benefited from a more conservative banking environment. In spite of all these positives in Canada, the TSX has not performed better than its US counterparts over the past 5 years. Canada s resource economy has turned negative in the last 1 to 2 quarters and much of the benefits have been lost since. Canada s commodity boom has come to an end with both oil prices and other resources including gold weakening. In the past year alone oil prices have declined from as high as $108 last year to below $90 last week and gold prices have declined from over $1,900 to the mid $1,500 s this past week. Most analysts value oil companies at the moment with $70?oil?. The current valuation is between 15% and 20% less than last years high and the oil price assumption in analysts valuation would be 35% below last year s high. In our opinion this is only the beginning of the end of the commodity super cycle. Part of the decline is that the Chinese economy has ground to a snail s pace compared to the Chinese economic growth over the past decade. In our opinion the slowdown in the Far East points to even further weakness in the commodity and resource super boom that started more than a decade ago. The decline in commodity prices caused the TSX to underperform US markets over the past 6 months. While the US economy is the strongest economy in the developed world with a GDP growth rate of 2.2%, Canada s QoQ Q4 YoY GDP 2011 Debt/GDP Q1 GDP GDP Unemployment Country (U$ millions) % growth % growth % % US 14, Canada 1, % China 5, Euro Area 12, Germany 3, France 2, UK 2, Spain 1, Ireland Portugal Italy 2, Greece Switzerland GDP growth has slowed to a mere 0.4% compared to the last year growth rate of 2.2%. Canada s resource sector has taken a hit from a slowdown of Chinese economic growth that came in at 1.8% annualized rate in the last quarter from a constant 8% to 10% per year growth rate over the past decade. With Europe in an economic crisis, China in a significant slowdown and Canada slowing because of an ending commodity boom that was driven by growth in China and India, the US is shining as the fastest growing economy in the developed world. The only countries with a measureable economy in the world that have outperformed the US economy are either resource rich countries or developing countries. Europe s challenges and China s slowdown overshadowed equity markets over the past year. I have mentioned several factors in this newsletter that outline why certain factors should or should not be of concern. Europe s economic crisis is definitely real and of concern. The impact to the various countries however is very different. The main reason of the crisis in Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain (the PIIGS) 10 I NFO SUISSE

13 is that Europe has a split economic union. The Euro, by its nature, consists of a common monetary policy where interest rate movements are determined by a single financial entity, namely the European Central Bank; however Europe does not have a common fiscal policy or simply put, a common taxation and government spending policy. This has resulted in severe divergences in budget surpluses and deficits among the members of the Euro zone, hence the economic crises among several members of the currency union. The biggest winners of course of the Euro zone were, and probably still are, Germany and France, each benefitting from increased exports that they have enjoyed because the individual currencies of the importing countries did not depreciate against Germany s and France s currency. This allowed many of the counterparty countries to import goods and borrow disproportionate sums of money from Germany and France. The same countries now appear to be falling off a cliff, both economically and politically. Greece has an unemployment rate of almost 22% of the total work force and over 50% of people under 25 are unemployed. While the overall unemployment is a devastating number, the significance is the group under 25, which is over 50% unemployed. This is even more frightful when considering that this is the group that should be the productive workforce in the next generation. If 50% of an entire generation is unemployed for an extended period of time, the entire social makeup of the country is at significant risk to disintegrate, both economically and politically. While the economic loss of Greece to the Euro zone would not be significant, the loss of the confidence in the financial and banking system would most likely be devastating. The entire loss of the Greek economy to Europe would be less than half of the 5% US contraction in 2009, which was the worst contraction since Both Italy and Spain, much larger economies, also face significant economic challenges however are in a much better position than Greece. Spain s debt to GDP ratio at 68.5% is much lower than Greece s 165% and Italy s 120% and Italy s unemployment is much lower at only 9.8% versus Greece s 21.8% and Spain s 24.4%. Each of these countries are in much better positions because they have additional taxing capabilities or much less debt. While both Europe and the slowdown of China will put a damper on equity markets and cause global growth to slow, the impact will be more significant in Canada than in the US. Canada has over the past 10 years become a predominantly resource based economy again where it was in the 1970 s and part of the 1980 s. The setback in demand of resources in China will have a more pronounced impact on Canada as a major exporter of commodities than it will on the US. The US will actually benefit as a net importer of commodities. The US economy will also prosper more as it is predominantly supported by its own consumers who have now recovered to a large extend from the credit crisis. We feel that equity markets will do well this year in the US. In the US, 75% of the companies of the S&P 500 and 93% of companies of the Dow Jones either met or exceeded their earnings targets, whereas in Canada only 51% of the companies met or exceeded their earnings targets. We believe this is a good indicator what can be expected of the directions and magnitude of US and Canadian Equity returns over the foreseeable future. Albrecht Weller, CFA President Schwaben Capital Group Limited with contributions from Oliver Weiss Restaurant, bar et douces folies 426, RUE SAINT-GABRIEL MONTREAL QC T AUBERGESAINT-GABRIEL.COM J UNE/JULY 11

14 Tribeca Insights Hollande s France A Tipping Point in Europe s Politics? HOLLANDE S FRANCE A TIPPING POINT IN EUROPE S POLITICS? By: Beat J. Guldimann, LLD It is official the highly anticipated change in the Elysee Palace will take place next week and bring France s Socialists back to power. With the help of French voters, François Hollande has successfully pushed Nicolas Sarkozy off the throne. The coming weeks will show whether this was primarily an ABS vote, as in Anybody But Sarkozy, fueled by the collective disappointment of a populace that has grown tired of the baroque leadership style of Monsieur Sarkozy, or rather a deliberate return to socialist values last represented in the Elysee during the 1980s. The French will elect a new parliament in June and we will see then whether the pundits are right in predicting a socialist sweep of power in the Fifth Republic. Brussels, Berlin and Washington have wasted no time in reaching out to the new Président de la République. They understand the importance of making Hollande part of the larger picture rightfully so, as isolating him from the decision making on Europe s future will achieve nothing. The bigger story behind the French presidential election, though, is the polarization that took place in round one of the election a few weeks ago. The left came out a winner, but so did the extreme right; Marine le Pen s Front National got close to 20 percent of the vote, almost doubling the result from 2005 and a harbinger for the parliamentary election in a few weeks. We see a similar result in Greece s elections where the Nea Democratia came out as the party with the most votes, but will be forced to bring in a third coalition partner next to Pasok to make things work. A task so impossible that the winner of the election, Antonis Samaras, has thrown the towel less than 24 hours after the results were in. The common thread from the French and Greek election weekend lies in the growth of nationalist influence. France will go left, but with a more confident nationalist party sitting in parliament and in Greece, nationalist, anti-eu elements will somehow have to be included in a coalition government. Germany is going to the polls next year and it should not surprise any observer if we are going to see similar trends of polarization from the ultra-left to the ultra-nationalist right taking hold of Berlin next year. Gestion privée Gérants indépendants Family Office Global Custody Gestion institutionnelle Fonds de placement Genève Lausanne Zurich Bâle Londres Luxembourg Francfort Paris Madrid Barcelone Turin Milan Rome Florence Dubai Singapour Hong Kong Tokyo Montréal Nassau François Hollande won with a platform that promises voters more government focus on growth and reducing the obsession with austerity. His idea of growth stimulus, however, is to increase public sector jobs and funding the resulting deficits by confiscating most of the earnings of the wealthy and increasing the tax burden of businesses. This kind of policy may be popular with the majority of voters in France, but it will almost certainly end in disaster. Sustainable growth in the economy will only be achieved if the private sector starts to create more Nous avons un centre d excellence, établi dans 20 places financières. Esprit d'indépendance 12 I NFO SUISSE

15 high-grade jobs that result in economic output of goods and services for which there is demand. A growing private sector will result in higher tax revenues over time and is the most effective remedy against the chronic deficit disease that most European countries suffer from. Piling up more civil servants on public payrolls cannot be the solution. Bureaucrats typically just add cost to the treasury, not value to the economy. Similarly, increasing taxation on businesses is the exact opposite of what the French or any other European nations need to do to stimulate growth, fight the threat (or reality) of double dip recessions and create new jobs. Most European governments have a history of ignoring the fact that the creation of a sustainable growth environment is synonymous with a thriving private enterprise sector. Germany may be the one illustrious exception. Some say that the 2012 French election will end the European austerity era circa This may well be true and I am not one to argue against incorporating more growth into the European recovery. The concern is that the new breed of Europe s politicians will continue to make the mistakes of past decades, resist the urge to deal with the inevitable and leave the sovereign debt disaster for generations that are well past their shelf life. If Europe were serious about growth and true economic stimulus, governments would put in place programs that create true growth opportunities for businesses of all sizes. Such stimulus could come in different ways, such as government grants for innovation, reduction of corporate taxes or tax holidays for companies that create sustainable new jobs, and the liberalisation of labour laws to allow more flexibility in the work force. In France, none of this is anywhere on the agenda. The biggest impediment to growth and economic recovery is uncertainty about government rules. Nowhere is this more evident than in Europe. Business owners don t know what to make of their governments: are they business friendly or are they going to put up more obstacles; will they reduce red tape and taxes or will they introduce new taxes and other levies? Will labour laws finally reflect the new reality in the marketplace and allow employers to adapt their labour force to the necessities of their business, or not? Europe has a steep hill to climb to get on a sustainable track. A good number of key policies of the past need to be abolished or renegotiated to instil new life into the anaemic recovery. Unfortunately, Hollande s election in France and the post election deadlock in Greece are a testament to the fact that the political landscape does not favour those with the vision to tackle the inevitable and make the unpopular decisions that are necessary to fix the problems. Vox populi, vox dei. The will of the people, as expressed at the polls, decides the course of democracy, in Europe and elsewhere. As such, election outcomes are neither good nor bad; they are the cost of free democracy. Beat Guldimann, owner of Tribeca Consulting Group, holds a Doctorate in Law from the University of Basel; he was legal counsel at the former SBC (86-96), President and CEO of UBS Canada (97-01), Head of Global Private Banking at CIBC (01-04) and Vice-Chairman at Hampton Securities (05-07). For over 50 years, many of Europe s largest corporate groups, as well as numerous small and medium-size companies, have counted on Lette to provide them with practical, sophisticated and cost-effective legal advice in Canada. Lette LLP toronto Contact Bernard Lette at BLETTE@LETTE.CA Toronto: Montréal: Lette & Associés s.e.n.c.r.l. montréal Lette Alérion paris Lette & Knorr munich / ulm J UNE/JULY 13

16 Member Profile L ENTREPRENEUR Guy Diamond est un homme actif, tant au travail que dans la vie. Il fait partie des membres de la chambre de commerce canado-suisse depuis plus de 10 ans. Il adhère également à d autres conseils d administration : MMQ, FQM, etc. Marathonien dans l âme, il a plus de kilomètres parcourus dans les 25 dernières années. L ENTREPRISE PVC Québec Inc. existe depuis Fondée à Trois-Rivières, elle est distributrice de produits en toitures axés sur le développement durable. La description suivante provient d un collaborateur, Claude Frégeau : Le terme durable est, de nos jours, malheureusement employé partout, trop souvent à tort et à travers. Ce mot devrait être interprété dans son sens strict, i.e. : qui dure longtemps. Or, il existe de nombreuses membranes d étanchéité qui sont utilisées pour les toitures et il est évidemment faux de prétendre qu elles ont toutes la même espérance de vie. Plusieurs raisons viennent justifier, dans toute étude économique, l investissement initial que représente une membrane de toiture RÉELLEMENT durable, dont : - MEMBRANE D ÉTANCHÉITÉ AUTO- EXTINGUIBLE : Puisque la matière première du PVC est en majeure partie à base de chlore (issu du sel et non pas du pétrole), on obtient un matériau autoextinguible (s éteint de lui-même dès qu on retire la flamme) qui ne propage pas l incendie. - COMPLEXE D ÉTANCHÉITÉ IMPUTRESCIBLE : Dans une toiture conventionnelle à base de bitume, les panneaux de surface qui sont constitués de fibres de bois constituent un élément putride alors qu il est tout aussi facile et économique de concevoir un complexe d étanchéité constitué de matériaux qui sont imputrescibles, à savoir de l isolant en pente (polystyrène expansé) et des panneaux de surface dense (polyisocyanurate) capables de supporter 690 kpa. - LÉGÈRETÉ : Un tel complexe d étanchéité représente généralement une masse (charge morte) d à peine 10% de la masse d une toiture multicouche conventionnelle ou de bitume-élastomère classique installé à l asphalte. Ceci est particulièrement avantageux, comme certains l ont apprécié à la suite du verglas de janvier 1998, alors que certains édifices se sont effondrés sous le poids de la glace. Euréka, ceci permet donc de transposer la charge morte inutilisée en l additionnant à la charge vive permissible existante et ceci sans avoir à renforcer la structure du toit! - ÉCOLOGIQUE : Ce type de membrane, de couleur blanche, est reconnu par LEED comme étant une membrane qui ne contribue pas au réchauffement de la planète, ni aux «îlots de chaleur urbains», car sa basse émissivité réfléchit le rayonnement infrarouge. Ceci a un double effet sur la climatisation de l immeuble. La toiture est plus fraiche, ce qui réduit le besoin en climatisation et augmente le confort des usagers même en l absence de climatisation. De plus, puisque la température de l air est moins chaude, les échangeurs de chaleur fonctionnent moins souvent et à une plus basse température, ce qui diminue à la fois les frais d entretien et d énergie. Ce type de membrane 14 I NFO SUISSE

17 de PVC est entièrement recyclable et n a donc pas à encombrer les sites d enfouissement comme c est le cas avec d autres produits utilisés comme membrane de toiture. - SUS À L ARRACHEMENT : Un tel concept de toiture permet donc de ne plus jamais avoir à arracher le complexe d étanchéité en entier, à l avenir, mais tout simplement d intervenir localement en pompant l eau d infiltration, s il y a lieu, au sein du complexe d étanchéité imputrescible et en recouvrant ensuite le trou d une simple pièce, soudée en place. - LONGÉVITÉ ÉTONNANTE : N allez pas croire qu il s agit d une «nouvelle membrane» car au Québec, plusieurs ont été installées il y a déjà plus d une trentaine d années. Ces membranes de PVC comportent encore une grande partie des qualités physiques et chimiques. Tiré du manuel, «Toits verts et durables» (2011) ISBN Par Claude Frégeau claudefregeau@videotron.ca PROTAN TOITURES Révolutionnaire, cette membrane supérieure et antidérapante est un matériau sûr et d une longévité de plus de 30 ans pour les toitures. De plus, ses composantes retardatrices de feu l a distinguée des revêtements de toitures communs. Consultez le site Internet PARTENAIRES Parmi nos associés innovateurs en toitures, nous collaborons entre autre avec Zinco et Buzon, fabricants européens. Zinco est réputé pour son système de «toits verts». Avant-gardiste, ce procédé consiste à vous donner la possibilité de faire vivre de la végétation sur votre toit. Qu il y ait une pente faible ou importante, Zinco détient les outils nécessaires à l aménagement de votre toiture. Buzon se spécialise dans le support de terrasses, pour applications commerciales et tous autres types. Il s agit de «plot» pouvant supporter un poids de plus de 1000 kg/plot, avec correcteur de pente au besoin. Visitez les sites et www. buzon.eu pour plus d informations. PVC Québec Inc gdiamond@pvc.qc.ca Visit a Lindt Outlet Boutique and discover a wide selection of irresistible Lindt Chocolates and gifts at delectable deals. Etobicoke The Queensway Mississauga Kennedy Road Scarborough Markham Road Toronto Eaton Centre Yonge Street Kitchener King Street East Ottawa St. Laurent Blvd. Brossard boul. du Quartier Laval Autoroute Chomedey (Aut 13) Pointe-Claire - 58 boul. Brunswick Sainte Foy Avenue Jules Verne For all store locations, please visit lindt.com J UNE/JULY 15

18 Business and Other News Nouvelles economiques et information ONTARIO BUDGET 2012 By Paul Girolametto of Cunningham LLP On March 27, 2012, the Minister of Finance, Dwight Duncan, presented Ontario s 2012 Budget, the first for the new Liberal minority government. Below is a summary of the most important aspects of this budget, put together by Cunningham LLP. ONTARIO S REVISED CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATES Predictably, the Budget focused on reducing program spending and efforts to return to a balanced budget by The most notable tax measure in the Budget was a freeze on the previously proposed reduction in the Ontario general corporate income tax rate until such time as the provincial government balances its budget. The corporate income tax rate on the first $500,000 of taxable income for corporations eligible for the small business deduction and the corporate income tax rate for corporations that carry on manufacturing and processing Effective Date July 1, 2012 July 1, 2013 July 1, 2014 General 11.5% 11.5% 11.5% M & P 10% 10% 10% Small Business (*) 4.5% 4.5% 4.5% * on the fi rst $500,000 of active business income REVISED CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATES COMBINED FEDERAL AND ONTARIO Small General M & P Business (**) Investment 2012 (*) 26.5% 25% 15.5% 46.17% * assumes a December 31st fi scal year-end ** on the fi rst $500,000 of active business income activities will be unaffected and will remain at 4.5% and 10%, respectively. The Budget also proposes to temporarily freeze Business Education Tax (BET) reductions, commencing The rate reductions will continue when the government balances its budget. OTHER MEASURES Starting in 2014, under the Ontario Drug Benefit program single seniors with incomes greater than $100,000 will pay $100 plus 3% of their net income over $100,000 as the annual drug cost deductible. Senior couples with combined incomes greater than $160,000 will pay $200 plus 3% of their combined net income over $160,000 as their deductible. The government will review its research and development (R&D) program in an effort to simplify the process for businesses applying for the R&D tax credit while at the same time ensuring that the program continues to support innovation in the province. The government will review its Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit program to ensure it promotes the completion 16 I NFO SUISSE

19 of the apprenticeship program by the individual apprentice. The government will examine options to permit taxpayers to choose to receive the Ontario Trillium Benefit as a single payment, rather than monthly. The Budget provided a reminder that starting in 2012 a Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit is available on up to $10,000 of modifications to a home that improves a senior s accessibility or helps a senior with mobility at home. The Budget explains that the government supports a modest fully funded enhancement to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) along with other provinces and the Federal government. No specifics on what a modest enhancement to the CPP entails but Ontario continues to collaborate with its Federal and Provincial partners. Cunningham LLP is an accounting firm focused on serving mid-market entrepreneurial business clients. For more information visit or contact Paul at paul@cunninghamca.com SOCIAL NETWORKING TRIPS UP ANOTHER EMPLOYEE: DISCHARGE UPHELD FOR GROSS INSUBORDINATION AND THREATS MADE BY POSTAL EMPLOYEE IN FACE BOOK POSTS By Kelsey Orth of Crawford Chondon & Partners LLP It appears that employees, in general, still do not appreciate the juxtaposition of the digital age with respect to employment: while social networking and the Internet can provide instant gratification and provide some stress relief at the expense of your employer, they can also open the door for permanent consequences. While you may remember a CCP blog in November detailing the affirmation of a discharge for offensive Facebook posting in British Columbia, it would appear that not everyone is aware of the developing law in this area. A postal clerk with 31 years experience was the latest to learn this lesson when her discharge from Canada Post was upheld at arbitration. In the recently reported case Canada Post Corp. v. Canadian Union of Postal Workers [2012] C.L.A.D. No. 85, the Grievor was discharged on the basis of a number of different postings to her Facebook account, even though she thought her Facebook account was private. Upon being informed by one of the Grievor s co-workers of the disturbing and offensive posts, management was able to access the Grievor s Facebook profile and see all of the posts the Grievor had made. Canada Post determined that the postings were inappropriate, threatening and bullying in nature; given the public nature of the postings and the lack of remorse or repentance from the Grievor, Canada Post terminated her employment. In reviewing the evidence, Arbitrator Ponak found that the postings were universally nasty in tone and content, with the majority aimed at the superintendent of the postal outlet at which she worked. Acknowledging the emerging case law that has established that employees can be disciplined for their comments and electronic postings where they are publicly disseminated and destructive of workplace relationships, Arbitrator Ponak stated that the only question was whether the current circumstances warranted the harsh penalty of discharge. In deciding to uphold Canada Post s discharge of the Grievor despite her long service and lack of significant prior discipline, Arbitrator Ponak found that the posts were offensive and frightening and went beyond general criticism of management to the targeting and threatening of an identifiable manager. It was also significant that the postings were not a momentary lapse but took place over more than a month on multiple days, and that the discovery of the postings caused actual damage and harm to the targeted managers in having to take stress leave from their own jobs. It is also interesting to note that aside from the public access to the Grievor s Facebook profile bringing her comments into the public sphere, Arbitrator Ponak also found the Grievor s behaviour to be worthy of the discipline because the postings were brought directly into the workplace, by the Grievor sharing her comments knowingly with current and former co-workers as her Facebook friends. Arbitrator Ponak commented on the growing controversy over Facebook privacy and added that the reckless nature of sharing her comments with co-workers greatly increased the likelihood that her postings would be eventually discovered by management. This decision represents another step in the regulation of employee off-duty conduct in the ever-expanding social media sphere. It is an affirmation of the employer s right to discipline and curb insubordination. It should also serve as a caution to employers and employees alike that immediacy and permanence are not mutually exclusive in the new digital age. For more information on above topics contact Dave Chondon at dchondon@ccpartners.ca or visit their website at SCHOLARSHIP FUND OF ONTARIO The Swiss Canadian Scholarship Fund of Ontario is pleased to offer yearly scholarships. It is open to members of the SCCC and the Swiss Community in Ontario. To find out more about the availability and eligibility criteria, please visit the Ontario Chamber s website at: J UNE/JULY 17

20 Karin s Performance Solutions Achieving Great Results Karin Lindner THE WHY AND HOW OF GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK By Susan Gyopar To flourish in highly competitive markets coupled with the ever increasing cost savings demands in this challenging economy, organizations are exploring the growing need to do more with less. As such, they are requiring employees to work much more collaboratively, across functional teams, and essentially be more productive than ever before. In order to achieve this productivity, each person in the organization may be wearing several hats, which demands enhanced leadership capabilities as companies right-size themselves to be the agile players they need to be. Those who fortunately, have remained on the payroll, are managing a broader spectrum of deliverables, and more often than not, are also finding themselves in supervisory positions without always having had the benefit of learning the soft skills required for many of their new responsibilities. The January/ February 2012 issue of the Harvard Business Review entitled Creating Sustainable Performance, the authors Spreitzer and Porath named four workplace essentials to nurture a workplace environment in which employees can thrive, without burdening itself with a crippling financial or resource investment. One of the four is Performance Feedback. Feedback creates opportunities for learning and the energy so critical for the culture of thriving. By resolving feelings of uncertainty, feedback keeps people s work related activities focused on personal and organizational goals. The quicker and more direct the feedback is, the more useful it is. My goal in this article is to provide the backbone of the How to aspect of Giving Performance Feedback in person, face to face, which is the quickest way to provide it, however, the method that most new and seasoned manages find the most challenging. One of the key messages in all of the literature offered in business articles is that Performance Feedback should be part of the normal, expected conversation between managers and direct reports. There needs to be a willingness of the manager to allow the feedback discussion to be a TWO WAY conversation, in order to allow the direct report an opportunity to provide his/her own ideas on how to improve. As a manager it is helpful to remember Stephen Covey s tenet, Seek First to Understand. At the heart of mastering the skills for providing constructive feedback is understanding what constructive feedback is and isn t. It is not a reprimand or a personal character attack or criticism, though many people often refer to it as constructive criticism. This is wrong. At its core, it is basically information, but it is the capability of the feedback provider that will, bottom line, define its value and benefit to the recipient. These basic principles, as provided below, are summarized by Karin Lindner as B E S T : 1. B Only address the behaviours, don t get personal. This is critical in order to remain objective, and to minimize the usual perception that feedback is a personal criticism. Avoid using the word You. Limit your feedback to one issue at a time. There is no need to rehash countless he said/she said stories that distract and sound accusatory. 2. E Make sure that you prepare yourself by going into the discussion with positive energy. In order for your feedback to be received positively, your voice and body language should be congruent with your constructive intent. Think through what you want to say. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: What positive outcome am I looking for? 18 I NFO SUISSE